Upcoming Match-ups

Cardinals vs Rams Props – Best Team and Player Prop Bets

John Hyslop

by John Hyslop in NFL Football

Updated Jan 2, 2021 · 3:34 PM PST

Los Angeles Ram tight end Tyler Higbee celebrating after catching a touchdown during the second half of a game.
Los Angeles Rams tight end Tyler Higbee (89) celebrates after catching a touchdown during the second half of an NFL football game against the New York Jets Sunday, Dec. 20, 2020, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
  • The Arizona Cardinals head to SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California to face the LA Rams at 4:25 PM ET on Sunday, Jan. 3rd
  • The Cardinals need a win to get into the playoffs while the Rams need a win or a loss by Chicago to qualify
  • See below for analysis and our favorite prop bets

The Arizona Cardinals and Los Angeles Rams will make one final playoff push when they get together on Sunday afternoon. Arizona is in a must-win situation after losing last week to the San Francisco 49ers. Los Angeles stymied their own chances by losing their last two games but can still get in even with another loss as long as the Chicago Bears lose to the Green Bay Packers.

The Rams won the first meeting of the season between these two teams on last month 38-28 as three point favorites. This time around it’s the Cardinals who are favored by 3 points and there are plenty of player props to consider.

Cardinals vs Rams Player Props

Quarterback Completions Passing Yards Passing TDs
John Wolford (Rams) NA 191.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) 1.5 (Ov +176 / Un -230)
Kyler Murray (Cardinals) 21.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) 237.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) 1.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112)
QB + Running Back Rushing Attempts Rushing Yards Total Yards
Kenyan Drake (Cardinals) 11.5 (Ov -130 / Un +105) 51.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) 74.5 (Ov -110 / Un -110)
Kyler Murray (Cardinals) NA 36.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) NA
John Wolford (Rams) NA 28.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) NA
Wide Receiver + TE Receptions Receiving Yards Longest Reception
Tyler Higbee (Rams) NA 25.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) NA
Christian Kirk (Cardinals) 3.5 (Ov +122 / Un -156) 36.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) 17.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112)
Robert Woods (Rams) NA 48.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) NA
DeAndre Hopkins (Cardinals) 6.5 (Ov +108 / Un -138) 72.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) 24.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112)
Dan Arnold (Cardinals) NA 22.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) NA
Josh Reynolds (Rams) NA 36.5 (Ov -112 / Un -112) NA

Odds taken Jan. 2 from DraftKings, FoxBet and BetMGM

Tyler Higbee Could Be Busy

The Rams have been hit with the injury bug at the worst possible time. Jared Goff, Darrell Henderson and Cooper Kupp will all be inactive for this game which will free up some extra work for other players. Tyler Higbee is a safe bet to soak up some of that work.

John Wolford will be making his first NFL start at quarterback for the Rams so it is safe to think that they will be running a conservative offense. We should see a lot more 12 personnel this week due to that and the fact that slot receiver Cooper Kupp is out. If that happens, Tyler Higbee is an interesting player to target in the prop market.

Higbee came on strong at the end of last season when the Rams opted to play more 12 personnel and it looks like they are doing it again. On the season they have only used the grouping 27% of the time but over the last three weeks that number has shot up to 39%. That grouping will keep Higbee on the field which is obviously important.

In the last two weeks, Higbee has been targeted 11 times which is more than any two game stretch this season. With the ball in his hands, he is very difficult to bring down. In fact, he leads all tight ends that have played at least 70% of the snaps this season in yards after the catch per reception. All he needs to get over his yardage prop is two to three catches which seems likely to happen this week.

The Pick: Tyler Higbee Over 25.5 Receiving Yards

Cardinals vs Rams Scoring Props

Player First Touchdown Scorer Anytime Touchdown Scorer
Kenyan Drake (Cardinals) +600 +105
Cam Akers (Rams) +700 +140
Malcolm Brown (Rams) +700 +140
DeAndre Hopkins (Cardinals) +800 +170
Kyler Murray (Cardinals) +950 +200
Robert Woods (Rams) +1100 +230
Chase Edmonds (Cardinals) +1400 +310
Dan Arnold (Cardinals) +1400 +310
Tyler Higbee (Rams) +1500 +340
Christian Kirk (Cardinals) +1500 +350
John Wolford (Rams) +1600 +370
Josh Reynolds (Rams) +1700 +360
KeeSean Johnson (Cardinals) +1900 +440
Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals) +1900 +440
Van Jefferson (Rams) +2000 +450
Xavier Jones (Rams) +2100 +480
Arizona D/ST +2300 +500
Los Angeles Rams D/ST +2400 +550
DJ Foster (Cardinals) +2400 +550
Gerald Everett (Rams) +2900 +650

Who Scores?

The player group that seems the most likely to produce a touchdown scorer is one of the Rams’ running backs. If and when they get into the red zone, they are likely to keep the ball on the ground given the inexperience at the quarterback position. Darrell Henderson has already been ruled out and it looks like Cam Akers won’t be 100% even if he is available.

That leaves Malcolm Brown as the only “healthy” Rams running back this Sunday. Even if Akers is healthy, last week it was Brown who was called upon against Seattle inside the five yard line. The Cardinals have given up 16 touchdowns to running backs this season and the last time these two teams met, three of the five Rams’ touchdowns were scored by running backs. Malcolm Brown is a safe bet to score this Sunday.

Pick: Malcolm Brown – Anytime Touchdown Scorer (+115)

Author Image