The Los Angeles Rams are headed to Super Bowl LVI after overcoming a 10-point deficit in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers.
This will be the Rams’ second Super Bowl appearance in the last four seasons, although the team has changed quite a bit since then. Matthew Stafford, Odell Beckham Jr., Von Miller, Sony Michel, and Cam Akers are just some of the players who have joined the team during the past few years.
If the Rams want to win their first Super Bowl since moving to LA, running the ball effectively will be critical. Can Akers step up and lead the backfield after back-to-back underwhelming performances in the NFC Divisional and Conference Championship rounds?
Here are the best player props to target for Akers against the Bengals in Super Bowl LVI.
Please note that all Super Bowl 56 odds are current as of 5 p.m. ET on Thursday, February 10.
Cam Akers Super Bowl Prop Bets
Under 64.5 Rushing Yards (-115) at Caesars
Wager: 1 Unit
Akers started the postseason with a bang, totaling 95 yards from scrimmage in the Wild Card Round against the Arizona Cardinals. Considering it was only his second game of the year, there was significant buzz that he had already returned to form just six months after suffering an Achilles tendon tear.
He’s failed to match his 55 rushing yards from that game, however, finishing with 48 in each of the last two rounds. He also lost a pair of fumbles against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round, leading to questions around his ball security and causing Sean McVay to lose some trust in him.
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Akers saw just 13 carries in the NFC Championship Game — his fewest of the postseason thus far — while Michel received 10 carries. With Darrell Henderson also back now, there could be three RBs in the mix for carries for the Rams.
It also doesn’t help that Cincinnati allowed the fifth-fewest rushing yards during the regular season at 102.5 per game. While the Bengals have been more generous against the run during the playoffs (127.3 rushing yards per game), Akers is unlikely to get enough attempts to top this prop.
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The efficiency hasn’t been there for Akers, who’s averaging just 2.8 yards per carry during the postseason, with a high of 3.7. At that rate, he’s likely to fall short of this prop for the fourth consecutive game.
Over 15.5 Receiving Yards (-110) at Caesars
Wager: 1 Unit
While Akers may not be able to hit his rushing yards prop, we should have more confidence in his receiving prop. After all, he’s capable of netting this total on just one catch.
Akers will likely be more productive in this game if the Rams get him the ball in space rather than use him as a ball carrier. While he’s struggled with his rushing efficiency in the playoffs, Akers has already amassed 62 receiving yards on five catches through the first three rounds, averaging an impressive 12.4 yards per reception.
And while the Bengals are a tough matchup for RBs on the ground, they’re a much easier matchup through the air. Cincinnati allowed the sixth-most receiving yards to running backs during the regular season and has been vulnerable to pass-catching backs during the postseason as well, surrendering 44 receiving yards to Josh Jacobs in the Wild Card Round and 30 receiving yards to Jerick McKinnon in the AFC Conference Championship.
Look for Akers to exploit this matchup for our NFL bet of the day.
