NFL Score Prop Model: Dolphins vs 49ers
Market-blind score projection: 49ers 31 – Dolphins 13
Projected total: 44
Projected margin: San Francisco by 18
Confidence: Moderate. Miami is starting Malik Willis, while San Francisco has its core offensive players active and Miami is missing edge defender Chop Robinson and linebacker Ronnie Harrison. The model sees a 49ers control game with early scoring, a McCaffrey-led second half, and Miami forced into lower-efficiency catch-up passing.
This Stage 1 projection is built without using the posted San Francisco -13.5, 44.5 total, moneyline, implied team totals, or player-prop prices. Sportsbook lines are checked only after the score/player-distribution forecast is locked.
Stage 1: Dolphins vs 49ers Score Projection
Key inputs
- Miami QB: Malik Willis starts and enters after a Week 1 line of 220 passing yards, no passing TDs, an interception, 55.6% completions, plus 39 rushing yards and a rushing TD. The model values the rushing floor but downgrades full-game passing efficiency against San Francisco.
- Miami defensive losses: EDGE Chop Robinson is out with a concussion and LB Ronnie Harrison Jr. is out with a hamstring injury. The losses reduce Miami’s ability to create pressure and defend the middle/edge run game.
- San Francisco availability: Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Trent Williams, Nick Bosa, Dre Greenlaw, and Kyle Juszczyk have no final game designation. K Eddy Piñeiro and RB Kaelon Black are questionable; WR De’Zhaun Stribling is out.
- Travel/rest context: San Francisco returns from Melbourne, but the model applies only a modest fatigue penalty because the 49ers retain their offensive core and have a large quarterback/defensive advantage.
- Venue: Levi’s Stadium is outdoors, but no major weather constraint surfaced in the verified pregame data.
Why San Francisco projects a decisive win
- Miami’s pass protection/defensive pressure disadvantage.
Robinson’s absence leaves Miami with less capacity to disrupt Brock Purdy, while Willis faces a San Francisco defense with Bosa and Greenlaw available. - The 49ers can score through multiple paths.
Purdy, McCaffrey, Kittle, and Mike Evans give San Francisco both early passing efficiency and a late-game rushing/control route. - Willis’s profile fits a lower Miami ceiling.
Willis can add rushing yards, but that does not necessarily translate to sustained scoring against a rested core San Francisco defense. The model projects more short throws, scrambles, and stalled drives than explosive passing touchdowns. - Game state matters.
Once San Francisco leads by multiple scores, McCaffrey’s carry share rises, while Miami’s RB rushing opportunities fall and Willis’s attempt volume rises without a corresponding yards-per-attempt bump.

Score Construction
| Component | Miami | San Francisco |
|---|---|---|
| Projected possessions | 10.6 | 11.8 |
| Projected offensive plays | 58 | 67 |
| Projected pass attempts | 34 | 31 |
| Projected rush attempts | 22 | 33 |
| Projected offensive TDs | 1.5 | 4.1 |
| Projected field goals | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| Projected raw score | 13.4 | 31.0 |
| Published score | 13 | 31 |
Dolphins vs 49ers Locked Game Script
First half:
San Francisco establishes an early lead through Purdy's efficient
intermediate passing and McCaffrey's all-purpose role. Miami is unable
to consistently create pressure without Chop Robinson.
Second half:
The 49ers become more run-heavy while preserving a multi-score lead.
Miami asks Malik Willis to throw more, but the 49ers contain explosive
plays and force a low-efficiency chase script.
Final state:
49ers 31, Dolphins 13.Stage 1: Dolphins vs 49ers Player Projections
These distributions are generated from the locked score environment before sportsbook comparison.
| Player | Projection | Expected range | Game-script fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brock Purdy | 226 pass yards, 2.2 pass TDs | 174–282 pass | Efficient early production; late lead limits extreme volume |
| Christian McCaffrey | 18.5 carries, 91 rush yards, 4.2 receptions, 33 rec yards | 62–124 rush; 18–52 rec | Lead-state volume plus receiving role |
| Mike Evans | 4.9 receptions, 67 rec yards | 2–8 rec; 35–104 yds | Primary perimeter/red-zone target |
| George Kittle | 4.2 receptions, 52 rec yards | 2–7 rec; 27–82 yds | Intermediate/TE efficiency before clock-control phase |
| Malik Willis | 185 pass yards, 46 rush yards, 0.9 pass TDs | 131–242 pass; 25–74 rush | Negative-script attempts plus scrambling; low completion efficiency |
| De’Von Achane | 11.5 carries, 48 rush yards, 3.1 receptions, 27 rec yards | 28–71 rush; 12–43 rec | Miami trails and loses late carry equity, but retains short-pass role |
| Caleb Douglas | 4.3 receptions, 51 rec yards | 2–7 rec; 27–81 yds | Miami’s most stable receiver target in catch-up role |
| Dolphins TE group | 3.3 combined receptions | — | Low-confidence allocation |
Stage 2: Distribution and Prop Comparison
| Prop candidate | P10 | Median | P90 | Std. dev. | Exact line | Model probability | Fair odds | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malik Willis under completions | 10 | 14 | 19 | 3.6 | 16.5 | 74.0% under | -285 | Under if -200 or better |
| Malik Willis under passing yards | 132 | 179 | 243 | 42 | 175.5 | 52.8% under | -112 | Thin—pass at standard juice |
| Malik Willis over rushing yards | 24 | 43 | 75 | 22 | 35.5 | 62.0% over | -163 | Over at -135 or better |
| McCaffrey over rushing yards | 61 | 87 | 125 | 26 | 78.5 | 60.4% over | -153 | Over at -125 or better |
| McCaffrey under receptions | 2 | 4 | 7 | 1.7 | 4.5 | 58.2% under | -139 | Under at -115 or better |
| De’Von Achane under rushing yards | 27 | 45 | 72 | 18 | 55.5 | 68.3% under | -215 | Under if -175 or better |
| Caleb Douglas over receiving yards | 27 | 48 | 83 | 24 | 36.5 | 68.0% over | -213 | Over if -175 or better |
Current referenced lines include Willis under 16.5 completions (-125) at bet365, Willis passing-yard markets around 175.5, Achane over 55.5 rushing yards (-115), Caleb Douglas over 36.5 receiving yards (-125), and Purdy over 235.5 passing yards (-117). The model specifically prefers Purdy under a 235.5-type line because its 226-yard median reflects likely second-half volume suppression in a 49ers lead script.
Best Model-Derived Thresholds
1. Malik Willis Under 16.5 Completions
Distribution:
P10 / P50 / P90: 10 / 14 / 19
Standard deviation: 3.6
Model probability: 74.0% under
Fair odds: -285
Current reference: -125
Confidence: A-
Correlation: Miami trails but posts low completion efficiency against
San Francisco; extra attempts do not necessarily equal completions.
2. De'Von Achane Under 55.5 Rushing Yards
Distribution:
P10 / P50 / P90: 27 / 45 / 72
Standard deviation: 18
Model probability: 68.3% under
Fair odds: -215
Playable to: -175 or better
Confidence: A-
Correlation: Miami trails by multiple scores and shifts from carries to
Willis dropbacks and Achane receiving usage.
3. Christian McCaffrey Over 78.5 Rushing Yards
Distribution:
P10 / P50 / P90: 61 / 87 / 125
Standard deviation: 26
Model probability: 60.4% over
Fair odds: -153
Playable to: -125 or better
Confidence: B+
Correlation: San Francisco protects a multi-score lead through
McCaffrey carries against a Miami defense missing Chop Robinson.
4. Malik Willis Over 35.5 Rushing Yards
Distribution:
P10 / P50 / P90: 24 / 43 / 75
Standard deviation: 22
Model probability: 62.0% over
Fair odds: -163
Playable to: -135 or better
Confidence: B
Correlation: Pressure and Miami's negative game state create scramble
volume, even as passing efficiency remains low.
5. Caleb Douglas Over 36.5 Receiving Yards
Distribution:
P10 / P50 / P90: 27 / 48 / 83
Standard deviation: 24
Model probability: 68.0% over
Fair odds: -213
Playable to: -175 or better
Confidence: B
Correlation: Miami throws in the second half and Douglas remains the
most stable receiver volume path.Props to Avoid
| Prop | Why pass |
|---|---|
| Brock Purdy over 235.5 passing yards | Model median is 217–226 depending on late-game pace; a 49ers blowout lowers second-half attempts |
| De’Von Achane rushing over 55.5 | Contradicts the model’s multi-score Miami negative script |
| McCaffrey reception over at 4.5+ | Model projects four receptions; rushing is the cleaner San Francisco lead-state outcome |
| Multiple 49ers pass-catcher overs | Purdy’s projected 226 passing yards are distributed across Evans/Kittle/McCaffrey |
| Miami anytime TD props at short prices | Miami projects only 1.5 offensive TDs and Willis’s passing efficiency is low |
| 49ers kicker props | Piñeiro’s illness leaves kicker availability uncertain |
Correlation Controls
| Combination | Model view |
|---|---|
| Willis completions under + Achane rushing under | Strongly compatible: Miami trails and fails to sustain efficient offense |
| McCaffrey rushing over + Purdy passing under | Strongly compatible: San Francisco jumps ahead then controls the clock |
| Willis rushing over + Willis completions under | Compatible: scrambles replace efficient completed passes |
| Douglas receiving over + Willis completions under | Can coexist if Douglas earns a concentrated share of modest completions; reduce stake because they both depend on Miami passing volume |
| McCaffrey rushing over + McCaffrey receptions under | Compatible: lead game script shifts workload to carries |
Dolphins vs 49ers Final Card
NFL SCORE PROP MODEL — MARKET-BLIND STAGE 1
Game: Miami Dolphins @ San Francisco 49ers
Venue: Levi's Stadium
Conditions: No major weather downgrade identified
Score projection:
49ers 31, Dolphins 13
Projected total: 44
Projected margin: 49ers by 18
Core script:
San Francisco builds a multi-score lead through Purdy efficiency and
McCaffrey's all-purpose role. Miami shifts to Willis dropbacks and
scrambles, losing Achane carry volume.
Distribution-based prop thresholds:
- Malik Willis Under 16.5 Completions
P10 / P50 / P90: 10 / 14 / 19
Model probability: 74.0% under
Fair odds: -285
Current reference: -125
- De'Von Achane Under 55.5 Rushing Yards
P10 / P50 / P90: 27 / 45 / 72
Model probability: 68.3% under
Fair odds: -215
Playable to: -175 or better
- Christian McCaffrey Over 78.5 Rushing Yards
P10 / P50 / P90: 61 / 87 / 125
Model probability: 60.4% over
Fair odds: -153
Playable to: -125 or better
- Malik Willis Over 35.5 Rushing Yards
P10 / P50 / P90: 24 / 43 / 75
Model probability: 62.0% over
Fair odds: -163
Playable to: -135 or better
- Caleb Douglas Over 36.5 Receiving Yards
P10 / P50 / P90: 27 / 48 / 83
Model probability: 68.0% over
Fair odds: -213
Playable to: -175 or betterMore Picks from XSportsbook
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Last Updated on 4 days ago by Krieg Wolfson
