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Welcome to the Sunday Night Showdown Slate for NFL Week 6!
Another wild, high-scoring Sunday Funday for us today and it should continue as such with the Rams visiting the 49ers tonight. San Francisco is in dire need of a rebound after last week’s home loss to the Dolphins and the Rams are looking to push their record to 5-1 as they battle the Seahawks for NFC West supremacy. Las Vegas is saying it’ll be a close one tonight, but also a bit of a barn-burner so let’s try and get some on the Showdown slate.
Before we start, please allow me to reiterate that while we all love having a little skin in the game, these showdown slates are basically lottery tickets. Sure, there are times when the chalk hits and everyone shares in the prizes, but more often than not, you need that random, differentiate yourself from the herd dart-throw to hit in order to claim that top prize. As a result, we encourage to play responsibly. Stick to the GPP contests (single-entry preferred), don’t blow your whole bankroll and understand that, unless you are a max-entry player, you should prioritize having fun.
OK, lecture over. Let’s get to tonight’s action.
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers
Spread: Rams -2.5
O/U: 51.5
Betting Facts:
Money line: Rams -136; 49ers +120
The Rams are 5-1 against the spread in its last six after accumulating more than 350 yards in its previous game and 4-1 ATS in their last five after allowing fewer than 250 yards in their previous game.
San Francisco is 5-1 against the spread in its last six as an underdog
Weather: Mid to high 70’s, clear skies; wind NW 8 mph
Last 5 Match-Ups:
49ers lead 3-2
Average margin of victory of all games: 16.4
Last Match-Up: 49ers beat the Rams 34-31 in San Francisco on 12/21/2019
Notable Injuries:
49ers:
Jeff Wilson (calf – questionable)
Rams:
none
Defensive Rankings (Using DVOA):
49ers:
vs Pass: 23rd
vs Run: 6th
Rams:
vs Pass: 3rd
vs Run: 24th
MVP/Captain
Jared Goff , QB LAR – The 49ers aren’t giving up a world of passing yards, but their coverage in the secondary continues to lag at times, as evidenced by Ryan Fitzpatrick taking them to the woodshed for 350 yards and three touchdowns last week. The passing game in L.A. is much more fine-tuned and Goff knows how to utilize his weapons.
Raheem Mostert , RB SF – The Rams are allowing 106.4 rushing yards per game and have coughed up five rushing touchdowns on the season. What’s worse is they rank 19th in DVOA against running back pass plays and give up almost 60 yards per game to them. Mostert got his feet wet last week and is looking for a strong breakout tonight.
George Kittle , TE SF – He is the bread & butter of this offense and once Mostert helps establish the run, things should open up even more for Kittle in the passing attack. The Rams are allowing the 13th-most fantasy points per game to the TE position with an average of 42.5 receiving yards in each. Kittle should eclipse that mark. As the Rams try to cover him with linebacker Kenny Young
Mid-Tier
Robert Woods , WR LAR – Woods has only seen about six targets per game, but he has found the end zone in two of his last three games. He’ll match up with Ahkello Witherspoon which grades out well on paper, so look for Goff to get him involved quickly in this one.
Cooper Kupp , WR LAR – Slot corner Jamar Taylor has routinely been burnt this season and Kupp is going to be a very difficult match-up for him. Kupp has found the end zone twice in his last three games and has one 100-yard effort in that span. He’ll see his usual dose of targets in this one and be a worthwhile play.
Darrell Henderson, RB LAR – Yes, it’s a crowded backfield, but Henderson has led the team in red zone carries over the last three games (14 in total) and after hitting paydirt twice last week, he’s got four scores in his last four games. He’s also averaged just over 14 carries per game in that span so while yes, they want to see more Akers, Henderson will continue to see a similar workload.
Dart Throws
Brandon Aiyuk, WR SF – We expect to see Jalen Ramsey work over Deebo Samuel for most of the time which should free up Aiyuk and pit him against Troy Hill . We’ve seen just how athletic and acrobatic he can be, so with that talent and a size advantage over Hill, Aiyuk could fare well tonight.
Gerald Everett , TE LAR – He’s taken over the target share from Tyler Higbee and the Rams are using him downfield even more. The Niners do rank 6th against the TE in DVOA but they are allowing just over 50 yards per game to them. And hey, if Adam Shaheen can find the end zone against them, Everett should be able to as well.
Robbie Gould , K SF – There’s always the chance that Jimmy Garoppolo continues to struggle and the 49ers defense stalls out. The veteran kicker could have a nice day should that be the case.
If you are looking for lineup help, check out our NFL Lineup Generator which can be adjusted for Showdown Slates.
Player News
Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell said the team does not “have any feelings on competition” when asked about the quarterback room.
O’Connell was asked about a potential quarterback competition on the Rich Eisen Show Wednesday and was unclear on whether J.J. McCarthy would have to compete to start. He said, “we’ve got an obligation as coaches to put our players in position to attack that competition phase.” O’Connell discussed first putting Brett Rypien and the newly acquired Sam Howell in a position to play before any competition would occur. He continued that McCarthy is “owning it” this offseason and is taking snaps from starting center Ryan Kelly. After missing last season with a torn meniscus, McCarthy has been ramping up workouts in the offseason and is the front-runner to start for the Vikings in 2025. As of now, Howell looks to be reinforcement at the backup spot in case it turns out McCarthy is not ready to start.
Texans re-signed DT Foley Fatukasi.
Fatukasi initially joined the Texans last offseason on a one-year contract. The 30-year-old was a rotational defensive lineman, tallying four tackles for loss and one sack. He returns to Houston for 2025, where he will be a part of a deep Texans front seven.
NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero reports Tyreek Hill’s second wrist surgery was part of the original plan and his timeline remains unchanged.
Hill announced the second surgery on social media and Pelissero quickly added some context to the situation. The speedy receiver suffered the wrist injury just before the start of the season and it lingered throughout the year, though he never missed a game because of it. If the second surgery truly is a non-story, an offseason to recover might be what Hill needs to return to form after a down 2024 season. On the other hand, Hill is 31 years old, played his worst football last year, and his offense prioritized targets for Jonnu Smith and De’Von Achane. As it stands, Hill might have the highest risk-reward split in fantasy drafts.
ESPN’s Jeremy Fowler reports there are “multiple people in the league who believe the new regime is not so high on Travis Etienne.”
Fowler also noted Tank Bigsby’s fumbling issue but didn’t directly relate that to the feelings of the new brain trust in Jacksonville. The Jags clearly felt they were lacking at running back this offseason and addressed that opening via the draft with Bhayshul Tuten in the fourth round and LeQuint Allen in the seventh. The pair of additions complicate an already-messy backfield by committee. Etienne is entering the final year of his rookie deal and is a long-shot to be brought back in 2026. The Jags could opt to move on early by trading him, clearing $6.1 million in cap space in the process. If the team does trade Etienne, Tuten would likely be the team’s top back in the long run, making him a high-upside bet in early fantasy drafts.
Broncos signed third-round pick WR Pat Bryant to a four-year contract.
The deal includes $1.4 million guaranteed and is worth $6.6 million in total. Sean Payton compared aspects of Bryant’s game to those of Michael Thomas in his post-draft press conference and there are at least a few similarities in their profiles. Bryant stands at 6'2/204 and ran a 4.61-second Forty at the combine. Thomas measured in at 6'3/212 and clocked a 4.57-second Forty. Though the two have similar physical characteristics, Thomas was known for his proficiency from the slot while Bryant primarily played on the outside as a field-stretcher at Illinois. Bryant’s transition to slot duties may take some time, but third-round draft capital makes him worth a shot in dynasty leagues.
Colts EDGE Samson Ebukam (Achilles) said he is expected to be cleared for training camp.
Ebukam suffered a torn Achilles in training camp last year and did not play in the 2024 season. He broke out in 2023 with a career-high 9.5 sacks in his first season with the Colts. He now has one year left on his deal and will be looking for a rebound season as he stares down free agency in 2026