The Atlanta Falcons will host the Los Angeles Rams on Monday Night Football to close down the Week 17 slate.
There is not too much at stake from a playoff perspective in this matchup, due to the results of the weekend. Following victories from the Seahawks and 49ers on Sunday, the Rams were knocked out of NFC West contention, but have still clinched a Wild Card spot and will be playing for seeding implications.
Atlanta holds a much bleaker outlook, as they have slipped to 6-9 on the season and are eliminated from playoff contention. The Falcons also traded away their first-round pick in this year’s draft to the Rams, so they will not benefit from the underwhelming team results. Looking at the odds for tonight’s matchup, the Rams enter as seven-point favorites and hold -340 moneyline odds on DraftKings Sportsbook. The Falcons hold +270 odds of pulling off an upset, with the game total set at 49.5 points.
There are plenty of ways to get involved in the action beyond just backing a side. This article will look at my three favorite prop bets on DraftKings Sportsbook for the Week 17 Monday Night Football matchup between the Rams and Falcons.
Rams at Falcons Best Prop Bets
Kyren Williams Under 14.5 Rushing Attempts (-124)
The Rams’ offense has evolved into more of a pass-first attack as the season has progressed. Matthew Stafford has played at an MVP level, and Los Angeles enters this matchup ranked sixth in the league in pass attempts and 16th in rushing attempts. In addition, running back Blake Corum has earned a more consistent role in the offense. Corum has seen 11 or more carries in three straight games — and six of his last nine — after not reaching this total in any of the team’s first six games.
Expect Corum’s growing role to continue limiting opportunities for Kyren Williams. The Notre Dame product has tallied 234 carries for 1,100 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns on the year. He is averaging 15.6 rush attempts per game on the season, but averages just 14.6 after his first eight games of the season. Williams rushed the ball 23 times last week against the Seahawks but had been held to under 14.5 rushing attempts in five of the six games prior.
Given they’re no longer competing for the division title, expect the Rams to be even more cautious with Williams to preserve him for the postseason. Atlanta has had some ups and downs defensively this season, but their front seven is respectable. Considering the emergence of Corum, the desire to preserve Williams’ health, and Los Angeles adopting a pass-first playstyle, expect the Pro Bowler to fall below 14.5 rush attempts for the sixth time in eight weeks.
Drake London Over 66.5 Receiving Yards (-112)
Injuries have not been kind to Drake London this season. The Falcons’ star wide receiver has played just 10 of the 15 games this season and has been listed as questionable for MNF for most of the week with a knee issue. This comes after London missed Weeks 12 through 15 due to another knee injury.
But when London is active, he has been productive. The 24-year-old has pulled in 63 receptions for 837 receiving yards and six touchdowns across his 10 games played. He is averaging 83.7 receiving yards per game and has topped the century mark in five outings.
The Rams have been pretty mediocre defensively, especially struggling to defend the pass. They rank seventh in points allowed and 16th in yards conceded, but 20th in passing yards allowed and 17th in passing touchdowns given up.
With Michael Penix Jr. sidelined due to injury, Kirk Cousins will continue starting under center for the Falcons. The 37-year-old is still looking to prove he has something left in the tank, and the Falcons have allowed him the opportunity to do so. Cousins has attempted 30 or more passes in four straight starts, topping out at 44 against the Buccaneers. If the Falcons want a chance to win, they will need to put up some points against this high-powered Rams’ offense.
Count on Cousins to keep airing it out on Monday night, and for London to be his top target throughout. He has performed like one of the league’s top receivers at times and should clear 66.5 receiving yards in this friendly matchup.
Matthew Stafford to Record 3+ Passing Touchdowns (+140)
The list of players playing better football than Matthew Stafford this season is slim. He is the odds-on favorite to win MVP on DraftKings Sportsbook (-230) and will be looking to finish the season strong to cement his standing.
Stafford has completed 65.7% of his passes for 4,179 yards and an NFL-leading 40 passing touchdowns. The former Super Bowl Champion also leads the NFL in interception rate and adjusted net yards per pass attempt, serving as the foundation of the NFL’s top scoring offense.
Atlanta enters this matchup ranked 20th in opponent points and passing touchdowns allowed, and has given up at least 24 points in nine games this year. Sam Darnold and Bryce Young both recorded three passing touchdowns against the Falcons, while Tua Tagovailoa dealt out four.
Stafford has thrown for at least one touchdown in every single game this season. The three-time Pro Bowler has tallied two or more passing scores in 13 of the 15 games. He has logged at least three touchdowns in eight games this season, including a pair of four-TD performances and a season-high five passing scores against the Jaguars. Stafford has shown no signs of slowing down as he nears the finish line, dishing out at least three passing scores in six of his last nine games.
Expect the Rams to keep leaning on Stafford, affording him the chance to boost his stats in the process. The Falcons’ defense has not appeared capable of slowing him down, a point that should be reflected in the stat sheet. Getting +145 odds for something Stafford does frequently is great value. Look for him to bolster his MVP case by following suit on primetime.
