Best NFL Picks and Predictions Today (How to Bet Seahawks vs. 49ers on Saturday Night in NFL Week 18)

The No. 1 seed in the NFC is up for grabs on Saturday night, as the Seattle Seahawks hit the road to play the San Francisco 49ers.

The winner of this game will win the NFC West and take the No. 1 spot in the conference while the loser will be forced to play on wild card weekend. It’s a tough world in the NFL.

Seattle enters this matchup as a small road favorite, and it’s gone 14-2 on the road under head coach Mike Macdonald. However, Kyle Shanahan’s gritty 49ers team has not lost since Brock Purdy returned from a toe injury, knocking off the Chicago Bears in a shootout in Week 17 on Sunday night.

San Francisco won the first meeting between these teams in Week 1, but it has since lost Fred Warner and Nick Bosa to injuries.

So, should bettors shy away from Shanahan’s group against one of the most complete teams in the NFL?

All week long, the SI Betting team has been making picks for this game. Here’s a breakdown of our favorites – all in one spot – to help you bet on Saturday night.

Best NFL Picks and Predictions for Seahawks vs. 49ers

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Seattle Seahawks -1.5 (-112) vs. San Francisco 49ers – Iain MacMillan
Christian McCaffrey OVER 67.5 Rushing Yards (-111) – Peter Dewey
Kenneth Walker III OVER 11.5 Rush Attempts (-113) – Peter Dewey
Jaxon Smith-Njigba Anytime TD (-115) – Peter Dewey

Seattle Seahawks -1.5 (-112) vs. San Francisco 49ers – Iain MacMillan

Earlier this week, SI Betting’s Iain MacMillan shared his favorite bet for this game in his Road to 272 column – where he bets on every game, every week – and he’s betting on Seattle to cover on the road:

The 49ers showed exactly who they are on Sunday night against the Bears. Their offense is electric with Brock Purdy hitting his stride, and they have the ability to score every time they touch the ball. With that being said, their defense is truly horrific. Since Week 8, the 49ers are 26th in opponent EPA per play and 30th in opponent success rate. They're also 24th in opponent yards per play for the season, giving up 5.6 yards per snap.

Now, with the NFC West on the line, they have to face the best defense in the conference. The Seahawks lead the NFL in defensive DVOA, while the 49ers rank 26th. If the 49ers' offense can't find a way to move the ball at will against an elite defense, they're going to lose this game. I'll take the Seahawks as short road favorites.

Christian McCaffrey OVER 67.5 Rushing Yards (-111) – Peter Dewey

Seattle has the best run defense in the NFL this season, but this line may be a little low for CMC, who should have a massive workload on Saturday:

This is a tough matchup for Christian McCaffrey and the 49ers’ running game, as the Seahawks rank No. 1 in the NFL in yards per carry allowed (3.7) and No. 1 in EPA/Rush this season. Still, I’m buying the star back on Saturday night.

In Week 1, CMC turned 22 carries against Seattle into 69 yards. Not an efficient game, but he did clear this prop. The star back has seen a huge workload in recent weeks, carrying the ball at least 20 times in five games in a row.

With Brock Purdy under center this season, CMC has rushed for 69, 49, 81, 89, 53, 73, 117 and 140 yards. He’s cleared the 100-yard mark in back-to-back weeks, and he should receive a ton of touches in Week 18.

At this number, McCaffrey is worth a look, even against an elite defense.

Kenneth Walker III OVER 11.5 Rush Attempts (-113) – Peter Dewey

I’m buying Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III, who is coming off a 15-carry game in Week 17 and an 100-yard day in Week 16:

Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III has cleared 11.5 carries in eight of his 16 games this season, and he’s coming off a 15-carry game against the Carolina Panthers in Week 17.

I wouldn't be shocked if the Seahawks lean on their run game in this matchup, as the 49ers are allowing 4.3 yards per carry and rank 21st in the NFL in EPA/Rush this season.

Walker is going to split time with Zach Charbonnet, but he’s handled at least 10 carries in 15 of his 16 games this season. So, there is a solid floor for the Seattle running back on Saturday night.

I’ll take the OVER on Walker’s attempts, as he’s put together back-to-back productive weeks.

Jaxon Smith-Njigba Anytime TD (-115) – Peter Dewey

If you’re looking to bet on a player to find the end zone, Offensive Player of the Year candidate Jaxon Smith-Njigba is a great target:

This season, JSN has found the end zone 10 times, although he did not score in Week 1 against the 49ers.

Still, the Seahawks star had nine catches for 124 yards in that game, and he’s caught at least seven passes in 13 of his 16 appearances this season.

The 49ers have struggled against the pass (as evidenced by their shootout against Chicago in Week 17), allowing 29 passing touchdowns this season – the sixth-most in the NFL. In addition to that, they rank just 24th in the NFL in EPA/Pass.

Smith-Njigba has been the go-to target for Seattle all season, and he’s scored in half of his games. I think he’s worth a look at this price on Saturday night.

Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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