In the wild west that is the NFC West, every game counts when fighting for those precious playoff spots. As we get into December football, every team is going to be putting their best foot forward to punch their ticket to the playoffs. That’s why this Thursday night matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams is crucial, and why we’re going to take a look at the four best plays for this divisional matchup.
Cooper Kupp – Over 49.5 Receiving Yards
Cooper Kupp is simply one of those wide receivers you can always count on. The only times he has bad games is when his counterpart, Puka Nacua, has an even bigger game. But in all honesty, most of the time, he still clears this line. He’s already cleared it in 7 of his 9 games, and 6 of the last 7. Honestly, this line feels very safe, especially coming in a crucial division game. Stafford’s going to be looking to air it out against as the wide receiver room continues to get better and better as the season goes on, and Kupp is one of the most reliable in the game. Even last week where he only got 5 receptions, he still cleared this line with ease.
Cooper Kupp over 49.5 receiving yards is this Thursday’s first pick.
George Kittle – Over 49.5 Receiving Yards
In a San Francisco receiving room that gets shakier and shakier by the week, who better to look for than one of the best tight ends in the game? Kittle has cleared this line in 5 of his last 6 games, and put an absolute beating on the Bears last week with a massive 161 receiving yards. The Rams are also 24th in passing yards allowed, allowing 225 per game. Last time they played, he only got 41 yards, but that was due to Jauan Jenning’s monster performance of 175 receiving yards. Is it safe to say that coming off a great game against the Bears, and fighting for a playoff spot, that George Kittle will be able to clear this line? I’d say yes.
George Kittle over 49.5 receiving yards is the second pick between these two rivals.
Deebo Samuel – Under 49.5 Receiving Yards
Let’s face it, Deebo is not having a great year. His receiving success rate is the lowest it’s been by far (39.1%), with 40 receptions on 64 targets. He’s on pace to finish with less yards than he did in 2022, a season where he only played 13 games (and only started 12). With Jauan Jennings looking better and George Kittle having a great season, Deebo is seemingly starting to lose his role as a traditional YAC receiver, and becoming more of a motion guy. He’s already missed the mark of 49.5 yards in his last four games in a row, and has only cleared it in half the games this year. I don’t think Deebo is going to see the ball too much this week, and Purdy’s going to play it safe with the weapons who’ve been proving themselves this year.
Deebo Samuel under 49.5 receiving yards is the third play for the game between the Rams and Niners.
Puka Nacua – Over 87.5 Receiving Yards
Basically, take everything I just said about Cooper Kupp, and double it. He’s been absolutely insane this season, four 100+ receiving yard games in a total of eight games played. He’s cleared this line all but twice after returning from injury, and with a line this high, that’s impressive. He’d be on pace to break his rookie season receiving total if he played every game this season. Puka is undoubtedly a beast, and as a guy who has him on a couple fantasy squads, I have to respect it. He’s also just as safe of a bet as Cooper Kupp is, with a 72% catch rate and 8+ targets in all but one game since returning from injury. Like I said with Kupp, Matthew Stafford is going to continue to look for his amazing wide receivers in this crucial game.
Puka is the final play for this week’s division matchup.
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