Two NFC West rivals go head-to-head as the Los Angeles Rams host the San Francisco 49ers at SoFi Stadium to kick off Week 5 with some Thursday Night Football fireworks.
We have you covered with a full slate of 49ers vs. Rams predictions for this October 2 matchup, with the action slated to start at 8:15 p.m. ET.
49ers vs Rams TNF predictions
- Rams -8.5 (-110 at bet365)
- Under 44 (-110 at bet365)
- McCaffrey anytime TD (-135 at bet365)
- Nacua o91.5 receiving yards (-110 at bet365)
49ers vs Rams TNF best bets
Rams -8.5
Coming into the season, much was made of the San Francisco 49ers' easy schedule. They’ve been able to take full advantage so far, but they’ve hardly been impressive.
We saw them squeak by the Seahawks, Saints, and Cardinals in their opening three games, then lose as a home favorite against the Jaguars in a game where they were down by 12 points with less than five minutes left on the clock.
Now the level of competition will rise significantly against a Los Angeles Rams team that typically doesn’t play down to the competition. Los Angeles is on a run that’s seen them go 11-4 ATS in their last 15 games as a favorite, with just one outright loss in this span.
I think this game sets up very nicely for Matthew Stafford and a Rams pass attack that ranks fifth in yards per pass attempt.
Stafford should have a lot of time to work as the 49ers are struggling to disrupt opposing QBs. They come in ranked 29th in pressure rate and have just five sacks.
San Francisco also comes in at 25th in opponent completion percentage, and they’ve yet to face a passing game of the caliber of the Rams.
While the 49ers’ defense will likely have its hands full, I think the offense will have trouble keeping up.
To make matters even more challenging for the 49ers, Mac Jones will step in for Brock Purdy, and he'll be working with a skeleton crew of wide receivers with both Ricky Pearsall and Jauan Jennings set to miss the game.
While Christian McCaffrey has looked good this season, this 49ers offense isn’t even remotely close to where they were in 2023 when this era of the team was at its peak. That’ll happen when you remove George Kittle and prime versions of Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk from a lineup.
Let’s not forget an injury-ravaged 49ers team went 1-7 to close out 2024, and it looks like history could repeat itself in 2025.
/ Under 44
This could be a classic TNF snoozer that goes Under. Both defenses are among the best at limiting yards per play and third-down conversions, while each offense is struggling in the red zone — especially San Francisco, which ranks 27th in RZ TD conversion percentage.
49ers vs Rams TNF TD picks
Christian McCaffrey Anytime TD
Christian McCaffrey is 29 years old, but he's being fed the ball more than at any time in his career.
With the San Francisco 49ers decimated by injuries at receiver, they're using the superstar running back in the passing game even more than usual. Through four games, McCaffrey has 69 rush attempts for 225 yards while racking up 31 catches for another 305 yards through he air.
McCaffrey has struggled to run the ball in the red zone this year, rushing 16 times for just 10 yards. That said, he's collected five catches in the red zone for a pair of touchdowns. The fact that he's getting such a high usage rate inside the 20-yard line bodes well for his long-term ability to find paydirt.
Don't forget that just two years ago, McCaffrey led the league with 21 touchdowns, en route to winning the NFL Offensive Player of the Year Award. Expect CMC to find paydirt at SoFi.
49ers vs Rams TNF props
Puka Nacua Over 91.5 receiving yards
Puka Nacua has been targeted a whopping 15 times in each of the last two weeks, and his league-leading 503 receiving yards are 101 more than the second-place Jaxon Smith-Njigba.
The Los Angeles Rams wideout is a model of consistency, racking up at least 97 receiving yards in 10 of his last 14 games. That includes a contest against the San Francisco 49ers last year, where he finished with seven catches for 97 yards despite heavy rain.
Nacua excels against zone coverage, and the 49ers play zone at a Top-10 rate. San Fran's highest-rated corner Deommodore Lenoir has a coverage grade of just 61.5 per PFF, and two starters in the secondary sport coverage grades below 50.
The Niners also have the fourth-lowest pressure rate in the league, which should give Stafford plenty of time to find his favorite target.
49ers vs Rams odds
49ers vs Rams game info
| Location: | SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA |
| Date: | Thursday, October 2-2025 |
| Kickoff: | 8:15 p.m. ET |
| TV: | Amazon Prime |
49ers vs Rams latest injuries
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