'MNF' best bet: Don't drop the ball, catch this SGP

Week 7 of the NFL season is almost in the books, but before we can flip the page to Week 8, we have one more score to settle on "Monday Night Football." This week, the 2-4 Minnesota Vikings will host the 5-1 San Francisco 49ers in what looks to be a lopsided matchup. But that's why they play the games, right?

You likely don't need an extra incentive to sit back and enjoy a primetime NFL battle, but we've got one for you anyway. Let's put together a three-leg Same Game Parlay for "Monday Night Football" and cash a juicy ticket together. 

'Monday Night Football' SGP: Betting heavy on Brandon

Leg 1: 49ers moneyline

Square don't care with our first selection. The Vikings have been playing much better since their 0-3 start, but this is a step up in class they won't be able to overcome. Without Justin Jefferson on the field, Minnesota doesn't have the weapons to properly attack this elite 49ers defense. As long as Brock Purdy can avoid turning the ball over, San Fran should cruise to a victory.

Leg 2: Brandon Aiyuk 100+ receiving yards

This is shaping up to be a monster Aiyuk game. Deebo Samuel has been ruled out due to a shoulder injury, and Christian McCaffrey is expected to play through an oblique injury even though he's not 100 percent. That opens the door for Aiyuk to act as San Francisco's No. 1 offensive weapon against a below-average Vikings secondary. Aiyuk already has two 100-yard receiving games in 2023, and he saw 10 targets last week when Samuel left the game early. 

Leg 3: Brandon Aiyuk anytime touchdown scorer

You thought we were done with the Aiyuk train? Not a chance. The 49ers rank second in the NFL with 30.7 points per game and 3.7 touchdowns per game. If Aiyuk is going to be Purdy's clear No. 1 target in this game, there's a good chance he gets in on the scoring action at some point. All aboard the Aiyuk rocket ship.

Throw those three legs together, and we get a +477 SGP on FanDuel. Let's cash!

In the news ...

Contenders and pretenders emerge in NFL Week 7 — We're nearing the point in the NFL season when we start to truly understand each team's ceiling and floor. The Philadelphia Eagles, Kansas City Chiefs, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers all notched statement wins in Week 7, but a few fringe contenders outed themselves as potential frauds. The Buffalo Bills inexplicably lost to the New England Patriots as eight-point favorites to fall to 4-3, the Detroit Lions lost by 32 to the Ravens in a game that was never in doubt, and the Miami Dolphins once again looked outmatched against a team with a winning record. All three have work to do to prove they belong in the contender tier. The 49ers (+400), Chiefs (+450) and Eagles (+650) are still on top of the Super Bowl odds board.  

Rangers force Game 7 in ALCS; Phillies look to clinch NLCS in Game 6 — We've now played six games in a thrilling ALCS, and the home team still hasn't won once. The Texas Rangers avoided elimination with a 9-2 victory in Game 6, highlighted by Adolis Garcia's mammoth grand slam in the ninth inning to seal the deal. The Houston Astros are -125 to win Game 7 at home. In the NLCS, the Philadelphia Phillies cruised past the Arizona Diamondbacks in Game 5, and they'll have a chance to clinch the pennant in Game 6 at Citizens Bank Park. Philadelphia is -650 to win the series.

Chiefs linebacker Nick Bolton suffers dislocated wrist — Kansas City's much-improved defense impressed once again in a 31-17 win against the Los Angeles Chargers in Week 7, but it received some tough news after the game. Bolton, who left the game in the fourth quarter after making a tackle, suffered a dislocated wrist and may miss some time. The linebacker leads the team in tackles per game (7.0) and assisted tackles (13), so the Chiefs are hoping this isn't a long-term injury. Kansas City is still a +210 favorite to win the AFC.

Today's Bark Bets is written by Jack Dougherty