Who is the most dangerous player in the NFL playoffs this year?
USAT NFL Reporter Tyler Dragon shares who NFL teams should look out for this postseason.
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Wild card weekend wraps up on Monday night with a battle between the NFC West champion and No. 4 seed Los Angeles Rams (10-7) and the NFC’s top wild card team, the No. 5 seed Minnesota Vikings (14-3).
The game was initially slated to take place at SoFi Stadium, home to the Rams and Los Angeles Chargers, but was moved to State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. due to the wildfires in the Los Angeles area.
The Rams won five of their final six games entering the playoffs, the lone loss being with their backups in against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 18. They’ve won their first division title since 2021 behind a top-10 passing offense and an improving defense powered by impressive rookies Jared Verse at edge rusher and Braden Fiske at defensive tackle.
They’ll face a Vikings team that lost out on the top seed in the conference because of a Week 18 loss to NFC North champion Detroit. The Vikings won their last nine games leading up to that tilt and are in the playoffs behind one of the best defenses in the league and a top-10 scoring offense led by a resurgent Sam Darnold and a bevy of talented pass-catchers.
These two teams faced off in Week 8 of the regular season with the Rams winning 30-20. It’ll likely be another close matchup to cap off the opening weekend of the playoffs. If you’re looking to add to the excitement, here are some prop bets and anytime touchdown scores to trust on Monday night.
NFL best bets today: Rams vs. Vikings playoffs
All odds are via BetMGM as of Saturday.
Rams RB Kyren Williams UNDER 83.5 rushing yards (-115)
Williams ended the season a high with 95.4 rushing yards per game in his final five games against the Cardinals, Jets, 49ers, Bills and Saints. However, of that group only the Bills are top-10 in expected points added (EPA) allowed per rush at -0.14. The Vikings lead the league in EPA per rush on defense at -0.20.
Here’s the list of running backs who have rushed for 84 yards against Minnesota since the Rams and Vikings faced off in Week 8: Bijan Robinson (92 yards in Week 14) and Jahmyr Gibbs (139 yards in Week 18). Both of those teams are top-10 run offenses by standard and advanced metrics.
Williams had 97 yards the first time these teams played but the Vikings’ defense was missing a key player, linebacker Blake Cashman. With him back in the lineup, the second level of run defense is improved and should bottle up Williams and the Rams’ running game a bit more. The Rams had a lot more success passing the ball against Minnesota in Week 8 and should lean into that again on Monday night.
Vikings TE T.J. Hockenson anytime TD (+210)
In their Week 8 game in Los Angeles, Hockenson was inactive as he was still recovering from a knee injury late in the 2023 season. The Rams allowed a touchdown pass from Darnold to tight end Josh Oliver in that one with Hockenson out of the lineup.
Los Angeles has given up three touchdowns to opposing tight ends in their last two games after keeping the position out of the end zone in the prior eight games. That was against Arizona’s Trey McBride (12 catches, 123 yards, one touchdown) and Seattle’s Noah Fant (five catches, 63 yards, one touchdown).
Hockenson is a McBride-caliber threat in the Vikings’ passing game. He should be in the mix early and often and has a great chance to find the end zone.
Rams WR Cooper Kupp anytime TD (+175)
Kupp had a solid stat line the last time these two teams played with five catches, 51 yards and a touchdown. It was his first game back from an ankle injury that sidelined him for the prior four weeks.
Minnesota’s pass defense is one of the best by advanced metrics but they have been more susceptible to slot wide receivers like Kupp. Two of the last four touchdowns they’ve allowed to wide receivers were to slot wide receivers: Chicago’s Keenan Allen in Week 15 and Seattles’ Jaxon Smith-Njigba in Week 16.
Kupp should be in for another good game this week with a trip to the end zone included.
Vikings WR Justin Jefferson OVER 87.5 receiving yards (-115)
Jefferson had a rough night in the season finale against Detroit with just three catches for 54 yards on nine targets. The Lions’ defense kept control for much of the night and limited the Vikings’ offense to a season-low 142 passing yards.
That likely won’t be the case again Monday night against the Rams. Los Angeles’ defense improved down the back half of the regular season but still finished 20th in passing yards allowed and 25th in EPA allowed per pass.
Minnesota’s offense should find more opportunities on Monday night, and Jefferson will be a big beneficiary. The last time these teams played, he had eight catches for 115 yards on nine targets. They may load up to keep him out of the end zone but he should find enough room to churn out receiving yards.
Rams QB Matthew Stafford 250+ passing yards (-110)
This will be Stafford’s ninth career playoff game and his sixth for the Rams. Entering Monday night, he holds the all-time NFL record for passing yards per game in the postseason with 307.9. He’s passed for at least 250 yards in six of his eight career playoff games. The exceptions were in a 34-11 blowout win over Arizona in the 2021 wild card round and in a 26-6 loss to the 2016 Seattle Seahawks, who still had many of the key players from their “Legion of Boom” heights.
The Viking’s defense is a top-five unit against the pass in EPA/pass (fifth, -0.03) but is 28th in passing yards allowed. Stafford had 279 yards passing against the Vikings in Week 8. Given his playoff history and how this game will likely go (not a blowout to the tune of that Arizona game), Stafford will very likely surpass the 250-yard mark.
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