The Week 9 showdown between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams was supposed to be an NFC Championship weekend preview. Instead, both teams need a win to stay in the playoff picture. We’re diving into the best player prop bets, including Leonard Fournette, Allen Robinson, and Matthew Stafford.
We’re covering all sports betting aspects of this matchup, with lines courtesy of our friends at FanDuel Sportsbook. On top of grabbing these Buccaneers and Rams player prop bets, I highly recommend grabbing your no-sweat first bet for Week 9 while you can.
Top Buccaneers vs. Rams Player Props To Target
We’re using every tool at our disposal to make sharp prop bets for this NFC battle, including fantasy averages, player trends, and the best vig. Let’s dive into the best prop bets you can target.
Allen Robinson Player Props: Anytime TD (+240)
Right, when we were all ready to bury Robinson’s career and write off his free agent contract with the Rams as he was struggling dearly in his first five games with the franchise, Robinson and Sean McVay started getting on the same page. With two straight games of five catches, and a combined 117 yards and one touchdown against the Panthers and 49ers, Robinson has new life in L.A.
Chances are better than zero the success continues for the 29-year-old. Robinson has scored a touchdown in three of his four games against the Buccaneers, and he averages 50.3 yards on 5.3 receptions. Those numbers obviously came in a very different scheme and the situation in Chicago, where Robinson wasn’t battling for targets with Cooper Kupp.
[the_ad_group id=”65008″]
Kupp’s presence is obviously an issue for Robinson because Stafford is too reliant on the star. Whenever Stafford is under pressure, he seems to toss the ball anywhere near Kupp. I don’t blame him, considering Kupp is the best possession receiver in the NFL, coming off the best season in NFL history.
But Robinson’s recent surge is notable. There has been growth within the offense’s design, and Stafford’s trust in Robinson means he’ll get the chance to score against this battered secondary of Tampa’s.
Also worth noting is a $5 bet on the over of Allen’s receiving total would win $200 on DraftKings Sportsbook.
Leonard Fournette Player Props: Over 47.5 Rushing Yards (-120)
I can understand why Fournette’s rushing total is so low this season. He’s gone under in half of his eight games and is coming off a terrible two-week stretch with a total of 43 rushing yards. The Buccaneers’ offensive line is incapable of producing a quality run game.
The solution might just be playing a Rams defense that is collapsing against the run before our eyes. Sure, the Rams rank second in rush defense EPA still, but the 49ers and Cowboys dominated the Rams on the ground. Even the Panthers almost broke the 100-yard mark before D’Onta Foreman proved to be the second coming of Derrick Henry.
MORE: Buccaneers vs. Rams DFS Picks
We’re not even looking for that high of a number for Fournette. He simply needs 47.5 rushing yards. The Buccaneers have been hot or cold when relying upon Fournette, either giving him nine or fewer carries or 20 in six of their eight games. This looks like a matchup the Bucs need to give Tom Brady a break from Aaron Donald and run the ball with Fournette.
The inefficiency of the running game has drawn ire from the team’s beat writers, as Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times said their rush attack is “an example of bad football.” It’s impossible to disagree based on the raw numbers. However, it’s a necessary thing to still run the ball even if it’s wholly ineffective, if for nothing else but to give Brady a few plays to relax.
I expect Brady and offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich to understand this and feed Fournette enough carries to get to 48 yards.
Matthew Stafford Player Props: Over 249.5 Passing Yards (-105)
Stafford has been awful this season. So bad that the Rams could go so far as to say that he’s been the biggest letdown of their season, even ahead of the offensive line. This has been Stafford’s worst year since his rookie season.
Obviously, it’s not all on Stafford. The offense can’t run the ball behind a line that desperately needed an injection of talent ready to replace departures from the previous two offseasons. The crux of the story is that L.A. went all-in on their 2022 Super Bowl, and it hit, but it’ll leave them shortchanged this year and for seasons to come.
[the_ad_group id=”65009″]
Stafford hasn’t responded well despite dealing with issues in Detroit for much of his career there. He’s averaging only 251.9 yards per game and has more interceptions than touchdowns entering Week 9. He’s completing 70.5 percent of his passes on a meager 6.8 yards per attempt.
Still, Stafford has 295 passing yards or more in five of his last six games against the Bucs and had 343 yards against them in Week 3 last year. The Buccaneers’ secondary has been dealing with injuries to Carlton Davis and Sean Murphy-Bunting all year, causing them to be good but far from great against the pass.
With Robinson coming into his own and Kupp active this week, Stafford will have the chance to match his usual production in a desperate situation. The Rams have to win, which means they’ll give Stafford every chance to pull them out of this mess.
Tyler Higbee Player Props: Over 40.5 Receiving Yards (+100)
One of the best trends of the week is Tyler Higbee’s recent run. He has five or more catches in three of his last four road games and is looking for his fourth straight road game with 60 or more receiving yards. These trends mean this over is an easy bet.
Since we’re also taking Stafford’s over on passing yards, those numbers have to go somewhere. Higbee makes a ton of sense, as the Buccaneers are the fifth-worst defense in the league against the position. They’ve allowed an average of 5.8 receptions for 60.8 receiving yards and 0.5 touchdowns to the position.
Considering Higbee has the second-most targets on the Rams by 20, and backup Kendall Blanton has only two targets on the year, Higbee will be seeing a heavy dosage of looks against this vulnerable defense. It’ll pay off with a solid day.
