Alabama vs. LSU: 3 best player over/under picks for SEC West rivalry
By Adam Spencer
Published:
Alabama vs. LSU is a game that often has a hand in deciding which of those 2 teams wins the SEC West and a spot in the SEC Championship Game in Atlanta.
This is a matchup of 2 of the best quarterbacks in the SEC West in Bryce Young and Jayden Daniels. They figure to play massive roles in who wins and who loses on Saturday night in Baton Rouge.
Over at Underdog, there are ways to get in on the action by making fantasy picks for Alabama and LSU players’ over/under stats.
What is Underdog and why should SEC fans care?
Underdog Fantasy is a new daily fantasy platform backed by a pretty famous group of investors such as Mark Cuban, Kevin Durant and Adam Schefter.
This isn’t what you might think about fantasy sports though. Through Underdog’s “Pick’em” contests, you can bundle a few selections of player prop picks similar to what you find at sportsbooks, and yes, you can put real money against these picks. Check out the screenshots below for Alabama and LSU picks this week:
Underdog Fantasy is available in 41 states, so a lot of those southern “SEC” states where sports betting is not yet legal? Yep, you can do Underdog Fantasy picks for real money, as we’re outlining here. It’s really fun.
Underdog Fantasy is not available in the following states: CT, DE, HI, ID, IA, LA, MI, MT, NV.
Underdog is available in these states, but Pick’em contests as we outline here are not available: AZ, CO, MD, MO, NH, NJ, OH, PA, TN, WA, WV.
If you want to get started, Underdog will match your first deposit up to $100 by clicking here or using promo code SOUTH.
My picks for Alabama vs. LSU
Let’s start with Jayden Daniels and his rushing total. The over/under is set at 34.5 yards, which I think is comically low:
In 8 games this year, Daniels has only had fewer than 35 rushing yards once, and that was the blowout win over Southern in Week 2 when he didn’t need to use his legs.
Yes, Daniels will have Will Anderson Jr. and Dallas Turner chasing after him, which is a scary thought. But, if anything, that should lead to more scrambles and yards on the ground for the LSU star quarterback.
Alabama has faced 2 SEC quarterbacks adept at using their legs — Arkansas’s KJ Jefferson and Tennessee’s Hendon Hooker. Jefferson ran for 38 yards on 17 carries (2.2 yards per carry). Hooker ran 14 times for 56 yards (4 yards per carry).
That all bodes well for Daniels. I like the “higher” for his rushing total of 34.5 yards.
Let’s also discuss his passing yardage. Daniels has gone over 215.5 passing yards in each of his last 3 games, against Tennessee, Florida and Ole Miss. Those are legitimate opponents. Considering Daniels has the ball in his hands a ton for this offense, I also like the “higher” option on his 215.5 passing yards.
Now, let’s move on to the Alabama picks. I also think the line for Bryce Young’s passing yards is set a bit too low:
At Tennessee, Young threw for a whopping 455 yards and a pair of touchdowns. If LSU keeps this game close in Death Valley, Young will be throwing a lot.
Take the “higher” option on Young’s passing yards and hope for a shootout like the Tide were involved in on Rocky Top.
How many picks should you make?
The more picks you string together, the higher the “multiplier” or payout. Of course, the more you string together, the less likely you are to win because all of the picks have to hit in order for you to win.
I’d stick with a QB combo this week, pairing the “higher” picks on Jayden Daniels’ rushing yards with Bryce Young’s passing yards. But, if you want to go for the 6X multiplier, tacking on Daniels’ “higher” passing yards is where I’d look.
Get started on Underdog by clicking here and make your picks for Alabama vs. LSU or other CFB, NFL and NBA games. Using this link means Underdog will match your deposit up to $100. If you deposit $25, you’ll get an extra $25 to start playing right away.
Adam is a daily fantasy sports (DFS) and sports betting expert. A 2012 graduate of the University of Missouri, Adam now covers all 16 SEC football teams. He is the director of DFS, evergreen and newsletter content across all Saturday Football brands.
