The San Francisco 49ers and Indianapolis Colts square off in a pivotal Monday Night Football matchup.
The pregame narrative: San Francisco and Indianapolis are both fighting for playoff positioning. The former has a legitimate shot at winning its division (and potentially the No. 1 seed in the NFC) while the latter needs to stay alive. In a game full of superstars, which players will step up?
Check out my 49ers vs. Colts TD picks for Monday Night Football on Dec. 22.
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49ers vs. Colts TD picks
Best bet: Jennings to score a TD (+150)
Some wide receivers have a knack for scoring touchdowns.
Jennings has emerged as one of those receivers.
The 49ers star had six scores last season as he upgraded from a role player to a prominent part of the offence.
Injuries to Ricky Pearsall and Brandon Aiyuk have created significant opportunities for Jennings, and he is taking advantage.
-> Bet on Jennings to score at +150 on Monday Night Football
Jennings scored two touchdowns last week in San Francisco's 37-24 win over the Tennessee Titans.
The connection between Brock Purdy and Jennings is too strong to ignore. Since Purdy's return in Week 11, Jennings leads all 49ers in:
- Red-zone targets (seven)
- Targets inside the 10 (four)
- Targets inside the five (three)
Indianapolis also profiles as a strong matchup for opposing wide receivers. The Colts are without starting corners Charvarius Ward and Sauce Gardner, and are allowing the most receptions to wideouts in the NFL (190).
Bet on Jennings to find pay dirt in primetime.
Key stat: Jennings leads the 49ers in targets inside the five-yard line (four).
Monday Night Football anytime TD prediction
Kittle to score a TD (+123): Like Jennings, Kittle is also one of Purdy's top options in close.
Since Purdy's return, Kittle is second on the Niners in targets inside the 10 (three) and targets inside the five (two).
-> See full 49ers vs. Colts MNF betting markets
Kittle notched a touchdown in Week 15, and he's a good bet to return to the end zone in Week 16.
The Colts are struggling to limit opposing tight ends. Indianapolis is tied for ceding the sixth-most receptions (86) and fifth-most receiving yards (928) to the position.
San Francisco is short on receiving options. Kittle should be at the forefront of the team's offensive attack and a top target near the end zone.
