Ricky Dimon
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Super Bowl LVI is on the immediate horizon. Either the Los Angeles Rams or the Cincinnati Bengals will lift the Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, and there are plenty of star players who could go a long way toward deciding that outcome. Among them are Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Odell Beckham Jr., Aaron Donald, Von Miller, Joe Burrow, and Ja’Marr Chase. Yes, the star power is very real – just as it is for almost every Super Bowl. For this particular article, we will specifically discuss Kupp, who hopes to wrap up a historic individual season in style.
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Cooper Kupp over 8.5 receptions (+105)
Line available with DraftKings Sportsbook at time of publishing.
I’m less bullish on him racking up a ton of yards, but I feel pretty good about Kupp’s prospects of hauling in passes left and right. The Bengals’ defensive backs will do everything they can to keep Kupp in front of them, something that so many teams – most notably Tampa Bay in the NFC divisional round – failed to do this season. Los Angeles won’t mind that at all. The Rams have been controlling the clock and dominating time of possession throughout these playoffs; they will be happy to do it again in the Super Bowl. L.A. is the more talented team, especially on the defensive side of the ball. If Stafford plays mistake-free football then the Rams should be in good shape, so the former No. 1 overall pick will be happy to throw a bunch of quick outs to his most trusted receiver.
Kupp had 9 catches and then 11 in the last 2 games on a total of 25 targets. During the regular season he had 5 performances with double-digit receptions and 4 others with 9. It goes without saying that getting plus-money on an 8.5 quota represents great value.
To win MVP (+550)
Line available with FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing.
Kupp at +700 to win MVP was one of Jared Smith’s best bets and my best MVP bet. Hopefully you jumped on it at that price, but even at +550 the star receiver still has some value. He is coming off 2 games in which he combined for 325 yards and 3 touchdowns on 20 receptions. The former Eastern Washington star has 4 TDs in the playoffs after finding the endzone 16 times during the regular season. Kupp isn’t going to win NFL MVP, but the Super Bowl honor is well within his reach. It should also be noted that 3 of the last 8 MVPs have played positions other than quarterback. Stafford or Burrow winning it certainly isn’t a lock – especially in a game that isn’t projected to be a shootout (total is 48.5).
Don’t miss our full Super Bowl LVI preview for Los Angeles Rams vs Cincinnati Bengals
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