Seahawks vs. 49ers NFL Week 18 Best Picks

Well, it doesn’t get any bigger than this. Both the NFC West title and the No. 1 seed in the conference hinge on this Week 18 showdown between the Seattle Seahawks and San Francisco 49ers. Seattle comes in with a 13-3 record; San Francisco is 12-4. However, the 49ers would own the tiebreaker if they emerge victorious in front of their home fans. As such, the winner gets a coveted first-round bye in the playoffs; the loser has to settle for a wild-card spot. 

With Saturday’s contest set for 8:00 pm ET on ESPN, it’s time to break down the odds and discuss the best bets to make. 

Seahawks vs 49ers Predictions 

Pick #1: Seattle Seahawks -1.5 over San Francisco 49ers (-110) Click Here to Bet

Pick #2: Under 47.5 (-105) Click Here to Bet

Pick #3: Jaxon Smith-Njigba Over 98.5 receiving yards (-114) Click Here to Bet

PICK #1: Seahawks -1.5 over 49ers (-110) Click Here to Bet

The Niners may have home-field advantage, but the Seahawks have been road warriors all season long – boasting a 7-1 such record. Following a two-point loss to the Rams in Week 11, Seattle has reeled off a six-game winning streak. This stretch includes a victory over the Rams in perhaps the game of the year, in addition to convincing wins and covers against Minnesota, Atlanta and Carolina. Head coach Mike Macdonald’s squad is loaded with talent on the defensive side of the ball, while QB Sam Darnold and WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba have the offense humming. Seattle has little to no injuries to speak of, too, which is particularly unusual at this time of year. San Francisco, on the other hand, is missing both linebacker Fred Warner and edge rusher Nick Bosa. Without those two players, the 49ers’ defense has been sputtering. They managed to beat Chicago this past Sunday night, but not before giving up 38 points. Let’s roll with the visitors, who look like the more well-rounded team. 

PICK #2: Under 47.5 (-105) Click Here to Bet

There really aren’t any great things to say about San Francisco’s defense these days, but the good news for the home team is that Seattle’s offense has taken a bit of a step back down the stretch. Yes, it went wild in Week 16 against the Rams – but that was an aberration as opposed to the recent rule. Darnold and company just barely scraped past Indianapolis 18-16 in Week 15, for example. If the Seahawks take care of business this weekend, it will likely be due to their defense. That unit ranks second in the NFL in total EPA behind only the Texans. Although it was a long time ago, let’s not forget that the Week 1 showdown between these two NFC West rivals produced only 30 points.

PICK #3: Jaxon Smith-Njigba Over 98.5 receiving yards (-114) Click Here to Bet

In the biggest games, teams rely – or at least they should – on their best players. This, of course, is the biggest game of the entire NFL season for both of these teams, and it’s just as obvious that Smith-Njigba is Seattle’s best player. The Ohio State product should be in line for another big performance, which is exactly what he produced in Week 1 against San Francisco. JSN hauled in nine of 13 targets for 124 yards. He has exceeded the century mark nine times this season and has recorded at least 92 receiving yards on four other occasions. Smith-Njigba now faces a 49ers defense that is 25th in the NFL against the pass at 235.6 yards per game allowed on 7.0 yards per attempt. This is a great spot for Seattle’s top offensive threat to enjoy another big night.