Don’t underestimate the importance of Week 12’s Sunday Night Football matchup. While the Philadelphia Eagles sit atop the NFC East standings, they’re facing a sincere challenge from the Washington Commanders. Philadelphia can’t afford to take its foot off the pedal at any point this season or risk getting usurped by the up-and-coming Commanders. Moreover, the Eagles’ recent history casts doubt on their ability to close out the campaign strong. Likewise, the Los Angeles Rams find themselves in a heated NFC West race. At 5-5, the Rams are trailing the division-leading Arizona Cardinals by just one win. But even if they can’t catch the frontrunners, Los Angeles will need more than a few tiebreakers working in its favor in a crowded NFC wild-card race.
This article will discuss two or more of my favorite NFL pick’ems from Sleeper Fantasy, where you can use Sleeper promo code LABS1 for a $1,500 deposit match.
Sleeper Fantasy Picks for Eagles vs. Rams
Cooper Kupp More 65.5 Receiving Yards
Over the past few seasons, Cooper Kupp’s legacy has been tarnished by injuries. The Rams wide receiver hasn’t played a full season since his All-Pro campaign in 2021. While he’s been limited in terms of playing time, he’s shown no signs of slowing down every time he steps on the gridiron. We expect him to put forth another elite effort against the Eagles on Sunday Night Football.
Volume has prevented Kupp from being a part of the conversation, but he’s maintained his All-Pro form. He’s gone north of 80 yards in four of his six appearances this season, crossing the century mark three times. More importantly, he has the workload and usage metrics validating ongoing success. Kupp is averaging 11.0 targets per game in 2024, while playing at least 91.0% of the offensive snaps in two of the past three weeks. Additionally, the former Offensive Player of the Year boasts a substantive 77.4% catch rate across that three-game sample.
Granted, the Eagles’ pass defense is an imposing unit, but they’ve been less effective on the road. With road games against the New York Giants, Dallas Cowboys, and New Orleans Saints, Philadelphia has really only been challenged twice as the visitors. In a Week 4 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, both Mike Evans and Chris Godwin eclipsed six receptions and 69 receiving yards. Similarly, the Cincinnati Bengals had three pass catchers with at least 40 receiving yards back in Week 8. Tampa Bay is the closest comparable to what the Rams have to offer, setting the stage for another strong showing from Kupp.
According to our projections, backing Kupp to surpass 65.5 receiving yards offers the most significant edge. Our analysis supports the same. The 31-year-old has been on the rise with his recent performances and should have the necessary workload to make his way over his receiving yards total.
Jalen Hurts More 26.5 Passing Attempts and 38.5 Rushing Yards
There’s no denying it. The Philadelphia Eagles offense is powered by Jalen Hurts. The dual-threat quarterback has been effective at gaining yards in every way possible, and we expect him to take advantage of a questionable Rams’ defense in Week 12. Hurts should have no problems surpassing both his passing attempts and rushing yards projections at SoFi Stadium.
Since landing in the City of Brotherly Love, Hurts has been the offensive catalyst that drives the Eagles’ success. Even with the addition of Saquon Barkley in the backfield, 2024 has been no different. Hurts is averaging 26.3 pass attempts per game and 10.3 carries, yielding 219.7 and 41.7 yards, respectively. Moreover, we’ve seen the best of his running abilities over the Eagles’ more recent schedule. The two-time Pro Bowler has exceeded 39 rushing yards in three straight contests, totaling 162 yards on 30 carries. Hurts should have no problem maintaining that production against a Rams defense that gave up 27 rushing yards to Drake Maye last week on just three carries.
Increased reliance on the Eagles’ ground game has eroded Hurts’ passing ceiling in recent weeks, but we expect him to have ample opportunity to air it out versus the Rams. Ineffective passing defense has been the Rams’ Achilles heel for most of the season, but we’ve seen a deterioration of their metrics over the past few games. Over the last three games, opponents are averaging 248.3 passing yards per game on a 69.3% completion percentage, both of which represent substantive drops relative to the Rams’ season averages of 222.8 and 66.4%. The Eagles will be ready to take advantage of those vulnerabilities, with Hurts given more opportunities to throw the ball on Sunday night.
With Barkley stealing the show in recent outings, it’s Jalen Hurts’ time to shine in Week 12. We’re forecasting an elite performance from the Eagles quarterback, with Hurts exceeding 26.5 passing attempts and 38.5 rushing yards.