The Los Angeles Rams and Kansas City Chiefs meet in Week 1 of the preseason on Saturday, Aug. 15. Kickoff is set for 4:00 p.m. ET from GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Mo. The game will broadcast live on NFL Network.
The Chiefs are favored by -2.5 with the over/under set at 36.5 total points. Kansas City is a -136 favorite to win outright, while Los Angeles is +116 to pull off the upset.
Let's get into my Rams vs Chiefs predictions and NFL picks for Saturday's preseason game.
My Rams vs Chiefs Prediction
- Rams vs Chiefs pick: Chiefs 1st-Half Moneyline (-130)
My Rams vs Chiefs best bet is Kansas City to lead at halftime, with the best price currently available at FanDuel. But as always, make sure to find the best odds by checking our live NFL odds page.
Rams vs Chiefs Odds
| Rams Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+2.5 -110 | 36.5 -120o / -102u | +116 |
| Chiefs Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-2.5 -110 | 36.5 -120o / -102u | -136 |
Rams vs Chiefs NFL Preseason Preview
The Rams vs. Chiefs game on Saturday will offer our first look at former SEC quarterbacks Ty Simpson and Garrett Nussmeier. However, before either of them enters the lineup, Stetson Bennett and Justin Fields will start under center for their respective squads.
Historically, Rams head coach Sean McVay has taken a more cautious approach to the preseason than his counterpart Andy Reid, but in this game, the expectation is that most of the key skill players for each side will not play.
Reid may be more apt to leave potential contributors in the game longer for the sake of evaluation, whereas McVay puts more of an emphasis on joint practices.
Several intriguing storylines are emerging out of Chiefs training camp that could affect this game, and all of them raise my confidence that backing the KC offense is the right call. There's been a lot of optimism around the rookie class, and three names in particular I feel the need to mention.
Fifth-round rookie receiver Cyrus Allen has been creating quite a buzz in the football community, and this game will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in his ascent up the depth chart.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see him targeted early and often as the team tries to get Justin Fields into a rhythm; 2025 Big Ten running back of the year Emmett Johnson should also be featured rather heavily in his first opportunity to play against NFL competition.
Fields will also enjoy the services of rookie right tackle Kahlil Benson, who is an undrafted free agent out of Indiana on track to supplant five-year veteran Jaylon Moore in the starting lineup when the regular season begins.
Reid has already been on record saying that evaluation of the offensive line beyond the locked-in starters would be a major focus of this preseason game.
Benson is set to play the entire first half, as he will also take reps at right guard while the Chiefs continue to gauge his versatility.
Fields’ history of good preseason performances and the offensive environment lead me to believe the Kansas City offense should put up points in the first half.
In his five years in the league, Fields has completed 65.3% of his passes in the preseason with seven passing touchdowns and zero interceptions. He's also shown a willingness to use his legs in the preseason. In his Jets debut a year ago, he capped off the opening drive with a 13-yard rushing score.
Bennett, on the other hand, has not been as efficient in his three years with the Rams during the preseason. Very few quarterbacks league-wide have had higher usage in exhibition games, as he has attempted 185 passes over the previous three seasons.
Bennett has thrown eight touchdown passes and 10 interceptions, while also losing a fumble.
The Rams under McVay have averaged just 16.2 points per game over the last three seasons during the preseason. You can expect a pretty basic game plan that will carry over into the second half as rookie Ty Simpson acclimates to the game speed of the NFL.
Despite Simpson being a much higher draft pick than Nussmeier, the quarterback situation is a wash when you consider their outlook for this one game.
Rams vs Chiefs Prediction, Betting Analysis
The Chiefs are just 2-7 over their last nine preseason games, but the offense has done their part, averaging 23.5 points per game.
Kansas City has better depth than in years' past at both running back and receiver. With many young players vying for positioning on defense, you can expect Steve Spagnuolo to give plenty of reps to his new potential chess pieces.
With two experienced quarterbacks giving way to volatile rookies in the second half, I do not see any value in the total, and I'm specifically targeting Kansas City’s edge in the first half.
At the time of writing, a -130 first-half moneyline is available and is my recommended position; however, I would only play the moneyline up to -135.
Otherwise, taking the Chiefs -0.5 at -110 or better is an equitable alternative.
Spread
As mentioned, taking Kansas City's -0.5 line at -110 is a good choice.
Moneyline
My Rams-Chiefs best bet is on KC's first-half moneyline up to -135.
Over/Under
I'm not interested in the total for this matchup.
My Pick: Chiefs 1st-Half Moneyline (-130)
