Following the announcement that Raiders starting quarterback Derek Carr is being replaced by Jarrett Stidham under center, oddsmakers took swift action in regards to the betting line for Sunday’s matchup with the 49ers.
San Francisco originally had been installed as a five-point road favorites but steamed up to a 10-point favorite following the news. The 49ers are 8-0 straight-up and 7-1 against the spread since Week 8 and are expected to roll against a struggling Raiders squad that has lost two of their last three games.
If not for a crazy ending on the final play against the Patriots, the Raiders could be riding a three-game losing streak. However, despite the massive gift by Jakobi Meyers on the ill-advised lateral, Las Vegas did not carry over that momentum on Christmas Eve, blowing a seven-point fourth-quarter lead against the Steelers.
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Carr has struggled immensely with his accuracy (56% completion rate), as well as ball security (nine interceptions) over the last five games. Las Vegas is expected to move on from Carr in the offseason and will turn to Stidham in hope of a spark. The former Auburn quarterback has thrown two touchdowns and four interceptions in 11 NFL games. The third-year quarterback will find tough sledding facing the league’s best scoring defense allowing only 15.3 points per game.
The news of Carr’s benching is a massive blow to fantasy managers of Davante Adams in the championship round. Adams, who crushed many teams hauling in just two of nine targets for 15 yards last week at Pittsburgh, could be in line for another massive disappointing stat line. It’s impossible for fantasy managers to put Adams on the bench, so buckle up for a likely bumpy ride.
Frankie Taddeo is a successful high-stakes fantasy football player who created the first-ever DFS program ever offered in a Las Vegas sportsbook. Frankie is SI Betting’s Senior Analyst and provides his significant experience and resources in the sports betting scene. You can follow Frankie on Twitter @Frankie_Fantasy for his latest betting and fantasy insights from Las Vegas.
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