Falcons vs. 49ers Prediction, Player Prop Picks: Can the Falcons Challenge the 49ers?

Falcons vs. 49ers Prediction, Player Prop Picks: Can the Falcons Challenge the 49ers?

Falcons vs. 49ers Start Time, Where to Watch, and Odds

• Date: Sunday, October 16
• Gametime: 1:00 p.m. ET
• Where to Watch: FOX

Click here for Falcons vs. 49ers odds

Atlanta Falcons vs. San Francisco 49ers Player Prop Prediction

It's going to be an uphill battle for Atlanta head coach Arthur Smith to lead his team against arguably the best defense in the NFL right now. San Francisco laid an egg in a monsoon game against Chicago to open the season but outside of an 11-10 loss to Denver, the 49ers have been winning without much effort on offense. Led by Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, it's a defense that generates elite pressure, resulting in 4.2 sacks per game. This is the best in the league and they will be able to tee off on Falcons quarterback Marcus Mariota.

The run-centric 49ers offense will face a pedestrian Atlanta run defense ranked 16th in the league. Jeff Wilson Jr. is due for another productive outing and the presence of star wideout Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, and George Kittle will terrorize the Falcons' bottom-five pass defense. That's the danger of playing a run-heavy team, as it sucks defenders into the box, leaving room for huge play-action passes or bootlegs that will position Jimmy Garoppolo for success all afternoon.

I'd like the Falcons to be a bit more competitive if they still had Cordarrelle Patterson available but his absence on IR does not bode well for a pair of young running backs attempting to fill his role. Marcus Mariota is not performing well as a passer this season, failing to reach 200 yards in two consecutive games and three total thus far. He's an effective runner but this won't be productive enough against the 49ers' defense. Kyle Pitts and Drake London will need to generate most of the offense, which will be difficult assignments with both players nursing hamstring and ankle injuries.

Let's look at some of my favorite player prop bets in a matchup that could wind up with San Francisco cake-walking to the final whistle.

Atlanta Falcons vs. San Francisco 49ers Player Prop Picks

Marcus Mariota Under 27.5 Pass Attempts (-105)

This could be the game that winds up getting Marcus Mariota benched for rookie third-rounder Desmond Ridder. Through five games, Mariota has attempted fewer than 28 passes in four of them. He has not gone above this threshold since Week 1 against New Orleans, where he performed well as a dual-threat quarterback, scoring a rushing touchdown. Mariota will turn to rookie running back Tyler Allgeier and stay active with his legs throughout the difficult matchup. At -105, this is a great player prop to tail against a loaded San Francisco defense.

Marcus Mariota Over 0.5 Interceptions (+100)

I hate to keep picking on Mariota but he has also thrown at least one interception in three games this season. He avoided doing this against Tampa Bay, but the Buccaneers have a relatively vulnerable pass defense compared to its run defense. Meanwhile, when Mariota faced better defenses like Cleveland and the Los Angeles Rams, he threw one or more interceptions. Hell, he even threw a pick against Seattle's young and inconsistent secondary. San Francisco will be licking its chops whenever Mariota drops back to pass, which could be often. At +100 odds, this is a lucrative player prop bet to hammer

Brandon Aiyuk Over 49.5 Receiving Yards (-115)

Jimmy Garoppolo has been steadily targeting third-year wideout Brandon Aiyuk downfield this season. In four games, Aiyuk's yards per target have averaged at least 7.88 yards, while he has grown a good rapport with Garoppolo since Trey Lance's ankle injury in Week 2. As a result, Aiyuk has recorded 50-plus receiving yards twice in the last four weeks against Seattle and Carolina. Atlanta has the 28th-ranked pass defense and is allowing over 275 receiving yards per game. Deebo Samuel and George Kittle will get their targets, but the running backs don't absorb a lot of passing volume in Kyle Shanahan's system. I expect Aiyuk to reach 50 receiving yards in a plus-matchup like he's done in previous lopsided matchups.

Atlanta Falcons vs. San Francisco 49ers Player Prop Picks

• Marcus Mariota - Pass Attempts Under 27.5 (-105) (Bet $105 to win $100)
• Marcus Mariota - Interceptions Over 0.5 (+100) (Bet $100 to win $100)
• Brandon Aiyuk - Receiving Yards Over 49.5 (-115) (Bet $115 to win $100)

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