Miami Dolphins vs. San Francisco 49ers Picks, Odds, Predictions, and Player Props for Week 2

With all eyes on the Los Angeles Rams, the San Francisco 49ers were able to steal the show on Thursday night, thwarting the heavy betting favorites for the Super Bowl in dominant fashion.

Heading into Week 2, the 49ers will be able to continue to thrive on defense by neutralizing the Miami Dolphins' anemic offense.

Miami Dolphins vs. San Francisco 49ers Betting Odds For Week 2

Spread: 49ers -13.5 (-104, FanDuel)
Moneyline: 49ers (-900, theScore Bet)
Game Total: 45.5 (Over -108/Under -112, DraftKings)

With health back on their side, the San Francisco 49ers were able to round back into competitive form, holding the Los Angeles Rams to just 7 points in their 27-7 win on Thursday night. Their turnaround on defense was a welcome sight, climbing into the top-five in defensive EPA per play

The Miami Dolphins, meanwhile, did not get off the bus, plummeting to 29th in offensive EPA and 30th in success rate en route to a 13-27 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders. Malik Willis was unable to get into a groove through the air, throwing for just 220 yards while completing 55% of his passes.

Against San Francisco, expect the Dolphins' struggles on offense to continue to persist, with the 49ers' pressure in the interior stalling out their drives. With their back end thriving in coverage, it will be difficult for Willis to connect with his pass catchers while scrambling out of the pocket.

Prediction & Pick For Miami Dolphins vs San Francisco 49ers Week 2 Matchup

The Pick: Dolphins Team Total u16.5 (-115, FanDuel)

Once considered a glaring weakness, the 49ers have been able to elevate their level of play on defense, turning them back into a contender for the Super Bowl. By giving their offense the production they need to be a well-rounded unit, the 49ers can reduce the amount of variance in their contests, increasing their chances of winning.

Their ability to collapse the pocket with just the defensive line while linebackers dropped back in coverage helped clog Matthew Stafford’s passing lanes, holding the reigning MVP to just 155 yards while ranking fourth overall in defensive dropback success rate. It should be noted that their front seven did struggle on the ground, making it worth monitoring to see if they can improve when matched up against a lower-quality opponent.

Fortunately for the 49ers, a Week 2 matchup against the Dolphins will help the front seven find its footing, battling it out against an offense that failed to move the ball on the Raiders while ranking 30th in offensive rush EPA. While De’Von Achane is a talented RB in his own right, he can only do so much when receiving minimal support from his offensive line.

By bottling up Achane in the trenches, the Dolphins will lean heavier on Willis’ arm, tasking him with weaving the ball through their suffocating coverage. With no clear path to the red zone, expect the 49ers to hold the Dolphins out of scoring position while keeping them under their team total.

Best Player Prop Bet For Miami Dolphins vs San Francisco 49ers

Malik Willis - u16.5 Pass Completions (-125, bet365)

While the lack of talent around Willis can shoulder a majority of the blame for his struggles in the pocket, the Dolphins QB can only work with the tools given to him. Not only does his offensive line give him a short amount of time to go through his progressions, but his pass catchers are also unable to break away from their assignments during that span, forcing Willis to throw into narrow passing lanes.

A daunting matchup against the 49ers will do him no favors in his efforts to find success through the air, especially when having to scramble away from their pressure for a majority of the contest, lowering the quality of his throws. When forced out of the pocket, any rush attempt will chip away at his total number of pass attempts, improving the probability that he stays under the total on his pass completion prop.