With Matthew Stafford battling an elbow injury, the Bills are now small road favorites for the season-opening game at the Rams.
Odds are shifting in Las Vegas for the Rams-Bills season-opening game Sept. 8 at SOFI Stadium in Los Angeles.
The Rams had opened as slight home favorites over the SI Sportsbook Super Bowl favorite Bills but now the Bills are slight road favorites. The home dogs have +110 odds, while the visiting Bills own -130 odds as of Wednesday.
Matthew Stafford’s lingering elbow injury is likely the cause for the shift. Stafford has described the injury as “irritating,” and is following the team’s training schedule. Head coach Sean McVay told the media Stafford played through this injury last year, and that the Rams have a plan for how they will manage their star quarterback.
McVay also compared the injury to that of a pitcher, likely causing the concern in Vegas, though neither McVay nor Stafford seem to be fazed by the injury.
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The Bills and the Rams are expected to be two of the NFL’s best teams this year, so this shift should not come as a big surprise. It certainly presents value, though, on a Los Angeles team that raised the Vince Lombardi Trophy in February.
The Bills are the Super Bowl favorites with +650 odds at SI Sportsbook, while the Rams are tied for the fourth-best odds at +1000. Los Angeles is tied with the Packers for the second-best NFC future odds (+450), behind the favorite Buccaneers at +300 odds.
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While Stafford’s status may be affecting betting lines, fantasy football managers should continue to draft Stafford at his ADP.
Stafford is a comparative value as QB11 following a season in which he threw for 41 touchdowns and 4,886 yards. He enters his second year in McVay’s system and his chemistry should only grow with last year’s breakout and WR1 Cooper Kupp.
The Rams also dded another weapon in talented veteran receiver Allen Robinson. A full year of healthy Cam Akers should help the fantasy production all around.
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Josh Allen, meanwhile, led all fantasy quarterbacks for the second season in a row last year, and is the consensus top quarterback pick. If you like to take your QBs early, Allen’s rushing ability (763 yards, six touchdowns in 2021) and his passing talent (4,407 yards and 36 touchdowns in 2021) make him a dependable pick.
Expect Stefon Diggs to continue to be Buffalo’s WR1, while Gabe Davis, currently WR33 in PPR leagues, is a possible breakout candidate as the WR2 in Buffalo.
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