Lineup Prep: Super Bowl

Wed Feb 7 8:43am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Pacheco is playing at high level


Not sure about you, but there is not a better weekend in sports than Super Bowl weekend. It is as good as it gets. Just everything involved with it is so much fun. I am so looking forward to it all this weekend. Let’s hope it is a good game and lives up to the hype. Now for my random thoughts for the week. . . .

I will give you my pick for the game right off the bat. I think it will be a close game, but look for the Chiefs to squeak it out. I think the experience factor plays a difference here in the end, especially when it comes to the quarterback position. Patrick Mahomes has been outstanding during the playoffs and think he has a huge advantage over Brock Purdy. Plus, the Chiefs defense has been outstanding lately, completely shutting down the opponent. I don’t see them shutting down the 49ers high-powered offense, but think they will cause Purdy problems. I’m going with a Chiefs 31-27 victory.

If you still don’t have any fantasy teams alive in the playoffs, consider playing our fun pickem contests. We have tons of options available to play with for the Super Bowl. I wanted to give you a few of my favorite pickem plays for the big game. Give me Travis Kelce more than 70.5-receiving yards. Kelce has 71-plus yards all three of his playoff games and is coming off arguably his best game of the season. And the 49ers struggled to stop the tight end last week, seeing Sam LaPorta rack up the receptions and yards. I also like Brandon Aiyuk less than 61.5-receiving yards. Aiyuk has failed to hit that mark two of three games and has just three catches each of his last three games. Lastly, I like Deebo Samuel more than 79.5-rushing and receiving yards. Samuel had 11 touches his last game and was a huge part of the offense. I look for the 49ers to get him involved early and often, giving him good potential to rack up some total yards.

I’m not sure how I feel about the Commanders hiring of Kliff Kingsbury. His offenses were fine in Arizona, but not as explosive as many thought and he struggled some using Caleb Williams last year at USC. I think the Commanders would have been better served keeping Eric Bieniemy as their offensive coordinator. I thought he did a great job with the offense last year in Washington all things considered. I’m not convinced Kingsbury is going to be an upgrade.

On a different subject, can we stop teasing and showing parts of the Super Bowl commercials before the game? I mean part of the fun of the game is the commercials. They are always entertaining and a part of the event. But now, you see parts of the commercials before the game, ruining the surprise. C’mon people. Let’s stop this tradition right now.

We had our first TFC draft of the 2024 season last night. And in a surprise move, the first pick of the draft was Breece Hall. And we also saw Sam LaPorta get picked before Travis Kelce. It is always interesting to see how these early drafts shake out. A lot is going to change between now and the start of next season, but trends are starting now. In this draft, four running backs were picked in the first round compared to eight receivers. And the quarterback position looks as deep as ever with guys like Jordan Love getting picked in Round 11. Brock Purdy and Kirk Cousins also went very late.

News and Notes: The Chargers hired Greg Roman as their new offensive coordinator. Roman tends to be more run heavy when it comes to play calling. . . . .Former Texans and Patriots running back Rex Burkhead announced his retirement from the NFL on Tuesday. 

HOT PLAYS

Isiah Pacheco, RB, Chiefs. Pacheco has taken his game to new heights during the Chiefs playoff run. He has at least 15 fantasy points four straight games and found the end zone seven consecutive games. He even has 20-plus carries two of three games, getting a big workload in the Chiefs offense. Expect more of the same this week from Pacheco. The 49ers allowed 182-rushing yards to the Lions their last game and allowed 135-plus rushing yards each of their two playoff games.

Travis Kelce, TE, Chiefs. Kelce has looked like a different player during these playoffs than the regular season. He had 11 receptions his last game and at least five catches all three playoff games. He has 14-plus fantasy points all three games. He has really elevated his game after a ho-hum second half of the season. Look for him to be the focal point of the Chiefs passing game once again this week. And San Francisco couldn’t contain Sam LaPorta in the Championship game, allowing him to get nine receptions for 97 yards. The Packers tight ends had six receptions and a touchdown in the 49ers other playoff game.

COLD PLAYS 

Brandon Aiyuk, WR, 49ers. Aiyuk did score a touchdown his last game, which was a big positive, but he had just three receptions. He has just three cathodes three straight games. He has were than 40 yards two of three. And with the Chiefs secondary clamping down on receivers right not, it could be more of the same for Aiyuk this week. He could be held in check once again.

Jerick McKinnon, RB, Chiefs. McKinnon is expected to make his long-awaited return this week, returning from a groin injury. He has not played since Week 15. Just remember he has not reached double-digit touches in a single game this year. Pacheco is the lead back in this offense and will get most of the work at running back. McKinnon played great during the Chiefs playoff run last season, but this is a new year. Plus, McKinnon has not played in several weeks, so you have to wonder how much he is even on the field. He will be a big risk to use for fantasy owners.

SLEEPERS

Jauan Jennings, WR, 49ers. There are always surprise players in the Super Bowl, so why not Jennings. He could draw the most favorable matchups in coverage for the 49ers receiver options. And he has looked good in the playoffs, having six receptions for 69 yards in two games. He played 42 percent of the snaps last week - even with Deebo Samuel back in the lineup. Jennings might get a big play or two in this one, making him an intriguing fantasy play. 

Marquez Valdes-Scantling, WR, Chiefs. Valdes-Scantling had the game-clinching reception in the Championship game, making a sliding catch on third down to clinch the game. He finished with two receptions for 38 yards. But he played a season-high 83 percent of the snaps in that game, which is encouraging. If he is on the field that much again this week, his reception and yardage totals could rise in what might be a high-scoring game.

High/Low Scoring Games

Each week we will take a look at some of the high and low scoring games for the coming week. In high scoring affairs, get your marginal players on those teams in your lineup to take advantage of the possible points barrage. And in the low scoring games, keep those marginal players on the bench and make sure to have your defenses involved in those contests.

High Scoring Games: Chiefs/49ers.

Low Scoring Games: None.

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Player Notes
Christian Watson Jul 18 6:50pm ET
Christian Watson

Green Bay Packers wide receiver Christian Watson (knee) has been placed on the active/physically unable to perform list on Friday. This was expected to happen given the fact Watson tore his ACL in Week 18 of last year. Normally, this kind of injury takes around 10-12 months of rehab before getting back on the field. He posted a video earlier this summer of him running routes, but he's still not close to being ready to play. It's unclear at this point how much the Packers are going to get from Watson this season. Without Watson available, Jayden Reed, Matthew Golden, and Romeo Doubs figure to be the primary wideouts to begin the season.

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TreVeyon Henderson Jul 18 6:50pm ET
TreVeyon Henderson

New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson signed his four-year rookie deal on Friday. According to Aaron Wilson, Henderson will get a fully guaranteed contract. The second-round rookie has reportedly looked good in practices, which is raising his draft stock. Henderson figures to split up the backfield duties with Rhamondre Stevenson to begin the season. The potential is certainly there for Henderson, but he's unlikely to be a workhorse back with Stevenson healthy. There should still be high-end RB3 value with Henderson likely getting involved in the passing game as well.

From RotoBaller

Ricky Pearsall Jul 18 6:20pm ET
Ricky Pearsall

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) has been placed on the active/physically unable to perform list on Friday. The second-year wideout tweaked his hamstring in late-May. The hope is that Pearsall would be ready to return by training camp, but the 49ers don't want to push it. Pearsall missed time in the summer last year due to a hamstring injury. When healthy, Pearsall figures to be an important part of the 49ers offense to start the season. Fellow wideout Brandon Aiyuk (knee) has also been placed on the PUP list on Friday. Also, Jauan Jennings is uncertain to suit up as he wants a new contract or to be traded. Pearsall might find himself being a top wideout alongside Demarcus Robinson and Jacob Cowing early in the season.

From RotoBaller

Brandon Aiyuk Jul 18 6:10pm ET
Brandon Aiyuk

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk (knee) has been placed on the active/physically unable to perform list on Friday. This isn't shocking news given Aiyuk is still recovering from ACL and MCL tears from October of last year. The timetable for Aiyuk's return to the field is unclear right now. Some reports have him being ready by the start of the season, but that seems unlikely. Aiyuk probably misses the first month of the season. The 49ers are likely going to be limited to start the season with Ricky Pearsall (hamstring) also landing on the PUP list. Fellow wideout Jauan Jennings is unhappy with his contract and wants a new deal or to be traded. The 49ers could be forced to rely on Demarcus Robinson and Jacob Cowing early in the season. Aiyuk is certainly worth stashing given he might only miss the first month of the season, if he does miss that much time.

From RotoBaller

Luther Burden III Jul 18 6:00pm ET
Luther Burden III

According to Adam Schefter, the Chicago Bears and wide receiver Luther Burden III have agreed on a four-year deal. The second-round pick will get a four-year, $10.9 million contract that is fully guaranteed. This is the first time in NFL history that the 39th overall pick has secured a fully-guaranteed deal. Burden has been off to a slow start as he missed spring practices due to a soft tissue issue. Head coach Ben Johnson isn't concerned and believes Burden will be fine in time for training camp. Burden figures to serve as the No. 3 wideout behind DJ Moore and Rome Odunze. The Bears have a handful of options on offense, so Burden might get lost in the shuffle during his first year in Chicago.

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Trey Hendrickson Jul 18 3:50pm ET
Trey Hendrickson

Cincinnati Bengals All-Pro pass-rusher Trey Hendrickson has already said that he will not play on his current contract, and NFL Network's Tom Pelissero does not believe Hendrickson will report to training camp next week. Pelissero also thinks that Hendrickson will miss preseason games if he doesn't have a new deal, and he wouldn't be surprised if he sits out regular-season games. The 30-year-old has been a Pro Bowler each of the last four years and has back-to-back seasons with 17.5 sacks for the Bengals. Hendrickson is due $15.8 million in base salary for the 2025 campaign, but he's seeking a multi-year commitment from the Bengals and has so far been very disappointed with their efforts to re-sign him. He's only going to dig in even more after seeing the Pittsburgh Steelers make pass-rusher T.J. Watt the highest-paid non-quarterback this week.

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Jalen McMillan Jul 18 3:30pm ET
Jalen McMillan

When asked to pick an offensive player who needs to step up in 2025, Tampa Bay Buccaneers new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard named wide receiver Jalen McMillan on The Ronde Barber Show. McMillan came on strong to close out the 2024 season with Chris Godwin (ankle) injured, but he'll have plenty of competition for playing time with Mike Evans, Godwin and rookie first-rounder Emeka Egbuka in the receivers room. The 23-year-old finished his second NFL season with 37 catches for 461 yards and eight touchdowns. In the final five games, he had 24 receptions, 316 yards and seven touchdowns. "I think that where (McMillan) left last season and the progress he showed on and off the field, and you could see that carry over into the spring with not having Chris out there and bringing Emeka along and him showing Emeka the ropes," Grizzard said.

From RotoBaller

Levi Onwuzurike Jul 18 3:20pm ET
Levi Onwuzurike

The Detroit Lions placed defensive tackle Levi Onwuzurike (undisclosed) on the Reserve/Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday, which means he will be forced to miss at least the first four games of the 2025 regular season this fall. The Lions re-signed the 27-year-old interior defensive lineman to a one-year deal in the offseason. Despite having spinal-fusion surgery, Onwuzurike started in 10 of his 16 appearances with the Lions last year and finished with 28 total tackles, 1.5 sacks and a career-high 13 QB hits. The former second-rounder (41st overall) in 2021 out of Washington played a career-high 594 defensive snaps last year, but now he's just trying to get healthy and return to play in Week 5. When Onwuzurike does return to the Lions in the middle of the season, he'll likely be in a rotational role on the D-line.

From RotoBaller

Nick Emmanwori Jul 18 3:10pm ET
Nick Emmanwori

The Seattle Seahawks and second-round safety Nick Emmanwori reached an agreement on Thursday night on a fully guaranteed rookie contract, a source told ESPN's Adam Schefter. Emmanwori becomes the first player in NFL history drafted 35th overall to receive a fully guaranteed contract. Seattle traded up 17 spots to take Emmanwori, who was a three-year starter at South Carolina that impressed during the scouting combine back in February. The Seahawks plan to use the 21-year-old defensive back at nickelback in 2025 in his first year in the NFL, with Julian Love and Coby Bryant serving as the team's starting safeties. In addition to Emmanwori, the Seahawks also reached an agreement with rookie tight end Elijah Arroyo, who was taken 50th overall in the second round back in April.

From RotoBaller

Elijah Arroyo Jul 18 1:10pm ET
Elijah Arroyo

The Seattle Seahawks signed second-round tight end Elijah Arroyo to a four-year, $8.813 million deal on Friday, including $6.872 million guaranteed, according to his agents Drew Rosenhaus and Shawn O'Dare. Arroyo was the fifth tight end off the board in April's NFL draft at 50th overall. The Seahawks still have Noah Fant at tight end, but they'll feature a new offense in 2025, and Fant has just one touchdown catch in the last two years in Seattle. The 22-year-old Arroyo could be involved in the passing attack in his first year in the NFL if he can avoid anymore knee injuries, something that plagued him in college. He has good size (6-foot-5, 250 pounds) and speed and could be the team's top pass-catching tight end by the end of the 2025 campaign. Arroyo won't be drafted in most single-year fantasy leagues, but he's a name to keep track of.

From RotoBaller

Jaydon Blue Jul 18 1:00pm ET
Jaydon Blue

In a recent Locked on Cowboys podcast appearance, former Dallas Cowboys coach Glenn Smith said that coaches with the Cowboys have expressed that rookie fifth-round running back Jaydon Blue is "borderline lazy" and that the team isn't happy with his work habits. Blue is expected to have a big role on offense and is very explosive, but it's not a great sign for him heading into training camp. The 21-year-old is also under 200 pounds and comes with ball-security issues from his college days. The Cowboys like Blue's speed and explosiveness, but he didn't work at all with the first-team offense in spring workouts, suggesting Dallas could open the year with a backfield consisting mostly of Javonte Williams and Miles Sanders. The Cowboys will be hoping that Blue can mature quickly, but he's also no lock to make the roster out of training camp.

From RotoBaller

T.J. Sanders Jul 18 12:40pm ET
T.J. Sanders

The Buffalo Bills signed second-round defensive tackle T.J. Sanders to his rookie contract on Friday, according to BuffaloBills.com's Maddy Glab. With the signing, the Bills have locked up all of the players from this year's draft class. Buffalo moved up 15 spots to take Sanders with the 41st overall selection back in April after he spent his college days at South Carolina. The 21-year-old interior defensive lineman is known for his twitch and explosiveness after recording 9.5 sacks and 17.5 tackles for loss with the Gamecocks. He earned AP second-team All-SEC honors in 2024. Despite his pedigree, Sanders is likely to be a rotational player on Buffalo's defensive line in his first year in the league with Ed Oliver and DaQuan Jones likely to play most of the snaps at defensive tackle.

From RotoBaller

Jabari Small Jul 18 12:20pm ET
Jabari Small

The Detroit Lions signed free-agent running back Jabari Small to an undisclosed deal on Friday to add depth to their backfield ahead of training camp, a source tells FOX Sports' Jordan Schultz. The former Tennessee Volunteer was with the Tennessee Titans in 2024 as a rookie but didn't see any time on the field in a regular-season game. The 23-year-old will now be battling to make the 53-man roster out of training camp this summer and will be fighting an uphill battle. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery are Detroit's top two running backs, while they also have Craig Reynolds, Sione Vaki and Kye Robichaux in their RB room. Small spent the majority of last season on the Titans' practice squad before being let go by the team back in May.

From RotoBaller

Christian Wilkins Jul 18 12:20pm ET
Christian Wilkins

The Las Vegas Raiders placed defensive tackle Christian Wilkins (foot) on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Friday. Wilkins suffered a foot injury in Week 5 of last year against the Denver Broncos and didn't play the rest of the season. The 29-year-old also didn't take part in minicamp this offseason, and now he won't be ready for the start of training camp. The former 13th overall pick by the Miami Dolphins in the 2019 NFL draft out of Clemson spent the first five years of his NFL career in South Beach before joining the Raiders last year. In his five games played in 2024, Wilkins had 17 tackles (11 solo) and two sacks before his foot injury. When healthy, Wilkins has been a reliable run-stuffer in his time in the NFL. However, he'll turn 30 in December and might be in danger of missing the start of the regular season if he can't get on the field soon.

From RotoBaller

Quinshon Judkins Jul 18 12:10pm ET
Quinshon Judkins

Cleveland Browns rookie second-round running back Quinshon Judkins remains unsigned and won't report to training camp with the rest of the team's rookies on Friday, per Mary Kay Cabot of The Cleveland Plain Dealer. Right now, Judkins is focusing more on his legal matter after being arrested last week in Florida on domestic-violence charges. The Browns aren't in any rush to sign the 21-year-old to get him to camp, so Judkins could miss plenty of development time in camp this summer. His off-field situation is the most pressing matter, and one that could get him suspended in his first NFL season. It's all bad news for the Ohio State product's fantasy value in 2025. As of now, he's a shaky RB3/flex, while Jerome Ford and Dylan Sampson have become much more attractive in Cleveland's backfield. Stay tuned for more information on Judkins' legal situation.

From RotoBaller

Hendon Hooker Jul 18 11:00am ET
Hendon Hooker

It would be "surprising" if Detroit Lions quarterback Hendon Hooker loses the backup job behind Jared Goff to veteran Kyle Allen, according to Colton Pouncy of The Athletic. Detroit drafted Hooker out of Tennessee in the third round back in 2023, and he spent the majority of his rookie season rehabbing from a torn ACL. Hooker was the team's nominal backup for most of 2024, but Detroit signed veteran Teddy Bridgewater to take over the job down the stretch of the season, signaling a lack of comfort with Hooker in the role. Pouncy writes that while Hooker should be considered the favorite entering camp, he "needs to show development." It would take an injury to Goff for either of Detroit's backup quarterback options to be fantasy-relevant.

From RotoBaller

Mason Taylor Jul 18 11:00am ET
Mason Taylor

The New York Jets and tight end Mason Taylor have agreed to terms on a four-year rookie contract, according to Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. The Jets drafted Taylor out of LSU in the second round of the 2025 draft, and he appears to be the favorite to start at tight end as a rookie. In his final college season at LSU, Taylor had 55 catches for 546 yards and two touchdowns. Previous reporting has indicated that the Jets expect him to contribute to the offense immediately, and there's certainly an opportunity for pass-catchers behind star wide receiver Garrett Wilson to emerge. New York's other options at tight end entering camp are Jeremy Ruckert, Stone Smartt, and Zack Kuntz. Now that he's under contract with the team, Taylor will have a full training camp to build chemistry with Jets quarterback Justin Fields.

From RotoBaller

Jack Bech Jul 18 10:20am ET
Jack Bech

The Las Vegas Raiders and rookie wide receiver Jack Bech have come to terms on a four-year contract, according to Tashan Reed of The Athletic. Bech was one of the many second-round selections in this year's draft who had extended rookie-contract negotiations. However, it appears that he'll be in camp when the Raiders begin full-team activities on July 22. Bech played two years in college at LSU before transferring to TCU for his final two collegiate seasons. He had a breakout senior campaign in 2024, recording 62 catches for 1,034 yards and nine touchdowns in 12 games played. He'll be competing with third-year receiver Tre Tucker and fellow rookies Dont'e Thornton Jr. and Tommy Mellott for the WR2 job in Las Vegas behind veteran Jakobi Meyers. Opportunity exists for Bech to emerge as a fantasy-relevant rookie, so it's positive news that he'll have a full training camp to build chemistry with Raiders quarterback Geno Smith.

From RotoBaller

Shemar Stewart Jul 17 11:40pm ET
Shemar Stewart

Cincinnati Bengals rookie first-round defensive end Shemar Stewart remains unsigned with training camp just around the corner, and reports surfaced earlier this week that Stewart has been practicing with his former college team at Texas A&M. The Cincinnati Enquirer's Kelsey Conway clarifies that Stewart is a Texas native and is training at A&M by himself while using the school's facilities to get himself ready for his first NFL season. The 21-year-old isn't practicing with his old college team and doesn't appear to be considering returning for another college season in 2025, which was previously reported. Stewart is the only first-rounder that remains unsigned as he continues a dispute with the Bengals over guaranteed money. Bengals players will start reporting to camp this weekend, but it remains to be seen if Stewart will be present.

From RotoBaller

Alim McNeill Jul 17 11:30pm ET
Alim McNeill

The Detroit Lions placed defensive linemen Alim McNeill (knee) and Mekhi Wingo (knee), offensive tackle Taylor Decker (undisclosed), cornerback Khalil Dorsey (undisclosed), offensive guard Miles Frazier (undisclosed) and linebacker Malcolm Rodriguez (knee) on the Physically Unable to Perform list on Thursday, per the team. The Lions also put defensive lineman Josh Paschal (undisclosed) and cornerback Stantley Thomas-Oliver (undisclosed) on the Non-Football Injury list. Defensive lineman Levi Onwuzurike (undisclosed) went on the Reserve/PUP list, and running back Anthony Tyus went on the Non-Football Illness list. Onwuzurike will miss at least the first four games of the regular season, while the others on the PUP can be activated at any time during training camp. McNeil suffered a torn ACL in December and may not be ready for Week 1.

From RotoBaller