Los Angeles Rams Vs. Los Angeles Chargers NFL Player Props & Picks (1/1/23)

Get Los Angeles Rams Vs. Los Angeles Chargers player prop picks & odds for the (1/1/23) matchup.

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Los Angeles Rams Vs. Los Angeles Chargers Player Prop Picks

We have the all-Los Angeles bowl this week, but the stakes aren’t nearly what they were expected to be with the Chargers having already clinched and the Rams well out of the playoff picture. Still, both teams are expected to play all of their healthy starters here, and there’s plenty of player prop value to be found.

In this article, I’ll break down my favorite player prop angles from this game. You can find more coverage on this and every Week 17 NFL game on the Lineups YouTube channel. In addition, use the player prop search tool above to find the best odds for this game. Let’s get to work.

Cam Akers Same Game Parlay: Under 84.5 Rushing Yards and 8+ Receiving Yards (+115 DraftKings)

When we recorded our mega video for every NFL Sunday slate game, we discussed Cam Akers in this offense, and I expected to be taking the over on his rushing yards. However, the line is set at 69.5 yards, and while he went over that number last week, he had gone under in every other game he had played this season.

The game script was impossibly good with the Rams winning 51-14, and Akers got a ton of work with the game out of reach in the second half. Here, the Rams are 6.5-point underdogs, and the game script won’t allow for the same type of rushing volume. While the matchup is strong, I’m fading the public here.

However, I love Akers as a receiver in this game as he has 35 and 29 receiving yards in his last two games. In that trailing game script the sportsbooks are expecting, the passing volume will be higher, and Baker Mayfield targets his running backs at one of the highest rates in the league. Akers leads the team’s running backs in routes run.

This is likely the only play from this game I’m making official on our main player props page. For more of my official picks, check out our NFL player props page.

Keenan Allen Over 71.5 Receiving Yards (-114 FanDuel)

Since returning to the Chargers’ lineup in Week 13, Keenan Allen has a 31.9% target share with 96 receiving yards per game over that span. He also has a 37.3% air-yard share with 2.23 yards per route run in those games. Allen has been over this receiving yardage prop line in four of his last five games.

The matchup here is delightful for Allen as the Rams play zone at one of the highest rates in the NFL. Against zone coverage this season, Allen has an absurd 92.1% catch rate, and he has averaged 11 yards per reception on those targets with a team-leading 2.25 yards per route run.

At the time I’m writing this, there isn’t a receptions prop listed for Allen, but that’s a solid choice as well, particularly with Austin Ekeler dealing with a knee injury. Even if the Chargers have the lead, they haven’t been successful running the ball all year, and they pass at the second-highest rate in the NFL.

Justin Herbert Over 279.5 Passing Yards (-114 FanDuel)

Since getting his full complement of wide receivers back in tow in Week 14, Justin Herbert is averaging over 300 passing yards per game. Over that span, he leads the NFL in adjusted completion percentage, which essentially means he has been the most accurate passer in the NFL over the past three weeks.

The matchup here provides an excellent opportunity for a boom game from Herbert as the Rams rank 32nd in dropback success rate and 26th in dropback EPA since Week 11. They have also allowed the sixth-most passing yards per game over that span. The Rams’ secondary has seen significant injuries, and their 29th-ranked pressure unit hasn’t helped at all.

The Rams do, however, still have a great run defense that ranks top five in success rate and yards per carry allowed. The Chargers, who pass the ball at the second-highest rate anyways, won’t be able to run the ball here. Expect Herbert to keep passing throughout, regardless of the score or game script, and he should have plenty of success doing so.