Predictions, Player Props & Parlay Picks
Can Los Angeles bounce back at home, and which player props offer the best paths for Monday night?
Monday Night Football closes Week 2 with the New York Giants visiting the Los Angeles Rams at SoFi Stadium.
The teams entered Monday going in opposite directions. New York opened its season with a 28-20 win over Dallas, while Los Angeles was beaten 27-7 by San Francisco in its opener in Melbourne.
The pregame market made Los Angeles roughly a 6.5- to 7.5-point favorite depending on the sportsbook, with the total sitting at 47.5.
But instead of laying a full touchdown, my approach was to build around the Rams moneyline and several attainable player milestones.
The Biggest Story: Puka Nacua Is Out
The Rams entered Monday without Puka Nacua, who was ruled out with a hip/groin injury. That immediately increased the importance of Davante Adams in the passing game.
That was one of the biggest reasons I liked Adams rather than trying to predict exactly how many passing yards Matthew Stafford would finish with. When a high-volume receiver disappears from an offense, targets have to go somewhere.
For Adams, I attacked two relatively modest milestones:
Davante Adams 5+ receptions
Davante Adams 50+ receiving yards
Neither requires a monster game. The idea was simply that Adams would operate as Stafford’s primary receiver and have enough opportunities to reach both numbers.
Rams Moneyline
Los Angeles looked bad in Week 1, but one rough performance wasn’t enough for me to completely abandon the Rams at home.
Instead of Rams -6.5 or -7.5, I preferred the moneyline.
The Giants’ opener was impressive. Jaxson Dart completed 23 of 29 passes for 230 yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions against Dallas, while also rushing for 54 yards.
Still, the moneyline gave Los Angeles room to win without requiring them to cover a touchdown-sized spread.
Prediction: Rams win.
Kyren Williams: Keep the Numbers Reasonable
Rather than chasing a traditional rushing-yard over in the 60s or 70s, I lowered the requirement to:
Kyren Williams 50+ rushing yards
The Rams don’t need Williams to dominate the game for this to hit. A normal workload and one or two productive runs can put 50 yards within reach.
Kyren Williams anytime touchdown
Williams remains one of Los Angeles’ most important scoring options around the goal line, and pregame touchdown projections had him among the most likely players in the matchup to reach the end zone.
The Giants Prop: Cam Skattebo 40+ Rushing
This is probably the leg carrying the most uncertainty on the ticket.
New York showed in Week 1 that Dart’s mobility can be part of the offense, which means Skattebo isn’t guaranteed every rushing opportunity. Dart himself rushed 11 times for 54 yards against Dallas.
Still, 40 yards is low enough that Skattebo doesn’t necessarily need a huge performance. If New York can avoid abandoning the running game, he has a path.
Why I Like Under 47.5
The final piece is:
Under 47.5 total points
My thinking here is tied to game script.
If the Rams control the game through Williams and the Giants continue to use Skattebo and Dart on the ground, long possessions can shorten the game. Nacua’s absence also takes one of the NFL’s biggest receiving weapons away from Los Angeles.
The danger is explosive plays from Stafford and Adams. That’s the contradiction in the same-game parlay: I want Adams production without the game turning into a four-quarter shootout.
BuckBully Monday Night Parlay
7-leg Lottery Ticket
Game Rams Moneyline
Total Under 47.5
Rams prop Davante Adams 5+ receptions
Rams prop Davante Adams 50+ receiving yards
Rams prop Kyren Williams 50+ rushing yards
Rams prop Kyren Williams anytime TD
Giants prop Cam Skattebo 40+ rushing yards
My favorite core of the ticket is Rams ML + Adams 50+ receiving + Williams 50+ rushing. Those legs don’t require career performances; they’re built around expected usage.
The 7-leg lottery ticket. Adding the touchdown, Skattebo rushing total and full-game under is where the variance increases considerably.
BuckBully Score Prediction
I’m expecting Los Angeles to control more of the game offensively, while New York tries to stay balanced and avoid putting everything on Dart.
Rams 31, Giants 13
That result would cash the Rams moneyline and stay underneath 47.5 while leaving plenty of room for the main player props to hit.
BuckBully Pick: Rams ML
Top Player Prop: Davante Adams 50+ receiving yards
Rushing Prop: Kyren Williams 50+ yards
TD Pick: Kyren Williams anytime TD
Total: Under 47.5
Odds change throughout the day and vary by sportsbook. This article reflects pregame numbers. Bet responsibly and never wager more than you’re comfortable losing.