The Los Angeles Rams (2-4) host the Minnesota Vikings (5-1) on Thursday Night Football to kick off Week 8 of the NFL season. This should be a fun matchup, and we’ve targeted the best TNF prop bets from NFL betting sites and Vikings and Rams player props including Justin Jefferson, Sam Darnold, Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Jones, and Kyren Williams.
The Vikings finally lost their first game of the year last week, and the Rams are trying to cobble together a winning streak after a horrible start. The Rams are +3.5 home dogs at SoFi Stadium and the point total is 48 over/under.
The Vikings have the sixth-best scoring offense in the NFL, generating 28.0 points per game, and the Rams are the tenth lowest with 18.0 ppg. Under defensive coordinator Brian Flores, the Vikings have the sixth-best scoring defense, allowing 17.8 ppg. They’re also ranked #1 in defensive DVOA. Meanwhile, the Rams look lost on defense this season with the eighth-worst scoring defense, allowing 25.7 ppg, and they’re ranked #28 in defensive DVOA.
Best TNF Prop Bets: Touchdowns
The Rams love to feed the rock to running back Kyren Williams in the red zone, who scored nine touchdowns, including eight on the ground. Williams is the consensus favorite to score the first touchdown at +400 odds, -205 odds to score an anytime touchdown, and +270 to score two or more touchdowns.
All-Pro wide receiver Cooper Kupp is expected to return to the lineup after missing four games with a high ankle sprain. Kupp is +115 odds to score a touchdown and +750 odds to score twice. Quarterback Matthew Stafford has thrown three touchdowns in six games, and only two went to wide receivers. Kupp has one of them. We like Kupp to score an anytime touchdown as one of our best TNF prop bets.
If the Rams want to keep pace with the Vikings, they’ll need to open up their passing game and get the ball to Kupp. We like a same-game parlay with anytime touchdowns from Kupp, Williams, and Justin Jefferson of the Vikings, which pays out +500.
| Player | First TD Odds | Anytime TD Odds | 2+ TDs Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyren Williams | +400 | -205 | +270 |
| Aaron Jones | +550 | -130 | +450 |
| Justin Jefferson | +550 | -125 | +500 |
| Cooper Kupp | +900 | +115 | +750 |
| Jordan Addison | +950 | +155 | +1200 |
| Ty Chandler | +1200 | +220 | +1700 |
| Jalen Nailor | +1400 | +255 | +2500 |
| Vikings Defense | +2200 | +450 | +4000 |
Quarterback Sam Darnold threw 12 touchdowns for the Vikings to six different players. Wide receivers Jefferson (5) and Jalen Nailor (3) lead the team in touchdown receptions. Jefferson is -125 odds to score an anytime touchdown and +750 odds to score two or more. Running back Aaron Jones has three touchdowns, including two rushing scores and one touchdown reception.
If you think this will be a big week for the defense, you can take a flier on an anytime touchdown for the Vikings defense, which pays out +450 odds.
Best Vikings vs Rams Player Props: Passing
Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford averages 232 passing yards per game. His passing total is 236.5, which he exceeded only twice this season. We like his under yards as one of our best player props on TNF.
Stafford threw four interceptions this season, including one in each of the last three games. We like him to throw at least one pick against Flores’ deceptive defense. A Stafford interception pays -105 odds.
Stafford has not thrown more than one touchdown in a game this season, and he has three games with zero touchdowns. Kupp’s return could be the catalyst in the passing attack. Stafford to throw over 1.5 touchdowns pays out +115.
| Quarterback | Passing Prop Bet | Over Odds | Under Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Matt Stafford | 236.5 Yards O/U | -115 | -115 |
| Sam Darnold | 232.5 Yards O/U | -115 | -115 |
| Matt Stafford | 1.5 TDs O/U | +115 | -150 |
| Sam Darnold | 1.5 TDs O/U | -120 | -110 |
| Matt Stafford | 0.5 INTs O/U | -105 | -125 |
| Sam Darnold | 0.5 INTs O/U | -110 | -120 |
Vikings vs Rams Player Props: Receiving
The Rams are excited to have Kupp back in the lineup. High ankle sprains are tricky, so it could take Kupp a couple of games to get his mojo back. In his only full game of the season, Kupp hauled in 14 receptions for 110 yards and one touchdown in Week 1. This might be a situation where you back Kupp’s under until he proves a return to full strength. He has a total of 68.5 yards on TNF.
Wide receiver Tutu Atwell emerged as Stafford’s favorite wide receiver when Kupp went down in Week 2. Atwell leads the team with 23 receptions and 332 yards, but he has yet to find the endzone this season. Atwell averages 55.3 yards per game, but his TNF total is 38.5 with Kupp expected to play.
| Player | Receiving Prop Bet | Over Odds | Under Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Justin Jefferson | 84.5 Yards O/U | -115 | -115 |
| Cooper Kupp | 68.5 Yards O/U | -115 | -115 |
| Jordan Addison | 39.5 Yards O/U | -115 | -115 |
| Tutu Atwell | 38.5 Yards O/U | -115 | -115 |
| Colby Parkinson | 29.5 Yards O/U | -115 | -115 |
Vikings vs Rams Player Props: Rushing
The Vikings have the second-best run defense in the NFL that allows only 80.0 yards per game. That’s not-so-great news for the Rams.
Williams averages 72.7 yards per game. Head coach Sean McVay would like to run more, but the Rams have been behind a lot, so they had to rely on the passing game. His total on TNF is 75.5 yards, which he exceeded in each of the last four games. He’s been averaging 21.5 rushes per game in that same span.
| Player | Rushing Prop Bet | Over Odds | Under Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyren Williams | 75.5 Yards O/U | -105 | -125 |
| Aaron Jones | 68.5 Yards O/U | -115 | -115 |
Aaron Jones rushed 85 times for 443 yards for the Vikings. He averages 5.2 yards per carry but only has two rushing touchdowns. He averages 73.8 rushing yards per game, which he exceeded four times this season. His TNF rushing total is 68.5 yards.
Jones averages 31.7 receiving yards per game, so a combo yards prop bet is enticing. He averages 111.5 total yards from scrimmage per game. His combined rushing and receiving yards total is 97.5, and we love his over as one of our best TNF prop bets.
