Gross Bombs: NFL Props for Week 16
Josh Gross
When the NFL first scheduled the Green Bay Packers and Los Angeles Rams for a late-season Monday Night Football game, they probably expected it to matter. Neither team is mathematically eliminated just yet, but they are both hanging on by a thread. If the Packers win out, they can finish with nine wins. It would be eight for the Rams if they go on a run.
Last year, 10 wins guaranteed a playoff berth. A few teams got in with nine as well, but most of the nine-win teams stayed home. That means a loss for the Packers likely ends their chances, and the Rams are probably already on the wrong side of it. We do still have some solid betting opportunities tonight, and below I’ll put a few of them together to create my same game parlay of the day.
NFL Same Game Parlay
Aaron Rodgers under 244.5 Passing Yards
Cam Akers Anytime Touchdown
Christian Watson Anytime Touchdown
Odds: +1000 DraftKings
Aaron Rodgers is a future Hall of Famer. He’s been an MVP, All-Pro and top fantasy quarterback for years. This has not been his best season statistically. In fact, he has only topped 244.5 yards passing in one of the last seven games. The Packers are leaning on the run, mostly because this is one of the weaker groups of pass-catchers that Rodgers has had. Whatever the reasons, he has been coming in under his listed totals. The name recognition keeps the numbers high, but the cash is coming to those who are going under.
Cam Akers has now taken a full chokehold on the Rams’ backfield situation. In the last two weeks, he has seen 29 carries and scored three touchdowns. Kyren Williams has seen three in each of those games and Malcolm Brown had just one. That’s an 80% share of the rushing work over the last two games for Akers. He’s had 12 or more carries in six of the last 10 games he has played. The Rams are desperate for offensive playmakers, and Akers is one of the few decent options they have left.
Christian Watson was the guy everyone talked about early in camp before an injury put him on the shelf. He is fully recovered and making an impact beyond what many of his biggest fans expected. Watson has scored in four straight games. In those four games, he has eight touchdowns (seven receiving), with multiple touchdowns in two of those four games through the air and another game where he scored through the air and on the ground. He is not seeing a ton of volume, but he is a big-play threat. The numbers are staggering, to be honest. In the last four weeks, he has 17 touches and has scored on eight of them. While I do not think that rate is sustainable, the fact he is always a threat to score means it’s certainly possible tonight.
