Week 12 of the NFL season wraps up with a pair of playoff hopefuls facing off when the Carolina Panthers visit the San Francisco 49ers on "Monday Night Football."
Bryce Young is coming off the best game of his career, passing for 448 yards and three TDs in an overtime win over the Atlanta Falcons that moved the Panthers to 6-5, good for second place in the NFC South.
Despite allowing 452 passing yards to the Arizona Cardinals last week, the 49ers had no trouble cruising to a 41-22 win in Brock Purdy's return to the lineup. The win moved the 49ers to 7-4 in the tightly packed NFC West.
San Francisco is a touchdown favorite over Carolina in the teams' first meeting since 2022.
Matt Bowen, Liz Loza and Pamela Maldonado offer their picks, prop plays and analysis to help you bet the game.
Note: Odds at time of publication. For the latest updates, visit ESPN BET. 
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Game picks | Prop bets | Betting trends
Game bets
49ers -4.5 (-115) first-half spread
Maldonado: The Panthers are the worst first-half team in the NFL -- predictable on early downs and slow to adjust. Injuries at linebacker and safety open the exact middle-field windows Kyle Shanahan scripts into his opening drives. The 49ers are a front-running offense that scores efficiently when the game is on script, and Brock Purdy will have clean pockets against a defense with bottom-tier pressure rates. Carolina's early conservatism creates punts, short fields and separation before the half, exactly the setup this wager demands.
Notable player props, bets
Christian McCaffrey receptions OVER 5.5 (+105), longest rush OVER 14.5 yards (-130)
Loza: McCaffrey's odds are likely plus on the first half of the above wager because the bulk of the 49ers' pass catchers are healthy again. It's worth noting, however, that CMC registered nine grabs with George Kittle, Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall all on the field back in Week 1. Additionally, the Panthers have allowed the fourth-most receptions to RBs (54). Carolina has also been exploitable on the ground, giving up the seventh-most rushing yards to RBs (1,091) and rankings 21st in YPC allowed (4.4). Furthermore, Ejiro Evero's unit has ceded the 13th-most runs of 15 or more rushing yards, a feat McCaffrey is capable of attaining (he has already done it five times this season).
Christian McCaffrey receiving yards OVER 45.5 receiving yards (-120)
Bowen: McCaffrey has at least 40 receiving yards in every game this season and over 50 in nine, with five or more receptions in all but one game. McCaffrey will have room to get loose as an underneath target for Brock Purdy versus the Panthers' zone-based system. Catch and run.
Betting trends
Courtesy of ESPN Research
Carolina is 3-0 ATS in its past three road games.
The Panthers are 5-1 ATS in their past six as an underdog.
Each of San Francisco's past three games have gone over the points total.
The 49ers are 0-5 ATS in games off more than six days rest since 2024.