- The 49ers are 5.5-point favorites as Philip Rivers makes his second start since returning from retirement with the struggling Colts.
- Blake Grupe and Christian McCaffrey both present strong over opportunities given their consistent production and favorable matchups.
- Zaire Franklin’s tackle total under offers contrarian appeal against San Francisco’s clock-controlling offensive approach.
INDIANAPOLIS — Week 16’s Monday Night Football showcase pits the 49ers against the Colts in Indianapolis. San Francisco has secured its playoff spot and enters riding a four-game winning streak, while the Colts are in survival mode after four straight losses with their postseason hopes on the line.
There are some interesting plotlines in this game. Philip Rivers was welcomed back from a five-year retirement by the Colts, and there is serious doubt about what he can offer at this point. San Francisco is favored by 5.5 points in legal sports betting markets, with a total of 46.5 points. After examining Rivers’ performance against Seattle last week, the 49ers defense now had a whole week to get ready.
Best Bets for Monday Night:
- Blake Grupe Over 6.5 Total Kicking Points -125
- Christian McCaffrey Over 104.5 Total Rushing & Receiving Yards -120
- Zaire Franklin Under 9.5 Total Tackles And Assists -120
Grupe Should Rack Up Points
For NFL sportsbook bettors, Blake Grupe’s over 6.5 total kicking points at -125 seems like a good bet. In addition to hitting this mark in seven of his 13 games this season, the Colts kicker has been flawless since moving to Indianapolis, going 2-for-2.
Grupe has scored on 74 percent of his field goals and hasn’t missed an extra point in any of the Colts’ games, where they kick at least one. Grupe should have many opportunities to cross this line because Indianapolis will likely trail in points and have to settle for kicks rather than touchdowns.
McCaffrey Is A Lock
At -120, Christian McCaffrey’s combined rushing and receiving yards of over 104.5 appear almost too simple. In 10 of his 14 games this season, the 49ers standout has dominated this statistic, scoring almost 124 yards per game.
Sportsbooks are aware that McCaffrey is San Francisco’s primary offensive weapon. McCaffrey could dominate as Indiana betting sites scurry to make adjustments because the Colts defense is weak and has struggled against catching running backs.
Franklin Won’t Hit This High Number
The wise choice in this situation is for Zaire Franklin to go under 9.5 total tackles and assists at -120. With an average of just 7.4 tackles per game, the Colts linebacker has only passed this line in four out of 14 games this season. Although he has been on fire recently with four overs in his previous five games, he was 0-for-9 prior to that.
While the 49ers offense works hard and restricts the number of tackles that may be made, California sportsbooks set this figure rather high in the hopes that his recent winning streak would continue.
