King of Props: Expect frequency, Kenneth

Teams can have vastly different levels of motivation by the end of the NFL regular season, and the disparity will be glaring in Seattle on Sunday afternoon. Whereas the frisky Seahawks must win and get a Packers loss in order to make the playoffs, the Rams have been deep in REM sleep while defending their championship, falling out of contention weeks ago. With rain in the forecast, the ground game figures to be featured prominently – and that’s the focus of our top prop:

The bet: Over 78½ rushing yards for Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III (DraftKings)

After opening the season as a backup to Rashaad Penny, Walker became the starter in Week 6 and has cleared this number five times, including topping the century mark on 26 and 23 carries in the last two games. When he faced Los Angeles in Week 13, he averaged 12 yards on his three totes but exited the game in the second quarter with an ankle injury.

Now Walker gets a second shot at a defense that hasn’t been the same without injured All-Pro defensive tackle Aaron Donald. The Rams rank 22nd in rushing yards allowed per game since Week 12, and the Chargers’ Austin Ekeler rolled for 122 yards and two touchdowns on just 10 attempts last week.

Walker also has the personal motivation of winning Offensive Rookie of the Year. He currently stands as the favorite, and capping his campaign with an impressive game will only increase the likelihood that he claims the award.

Playing in front of an amped-up home crowd, Walker will be a frequent runner.