We are only days away from the Chiefs facing the 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII in Las Vegas. While Patrick Mahomes looks for his third ring in his fourth trip, Brock Purdy hopes to add to his Mr. Irrelevant fairytale by giving the Niners their first Super Bowl since 1994.
The Rotoworld Football Crew has been in Vegas covering the game all week. Matthew Berry and the folks at Fantasy Football Happy Hour had a chance to sit down with several big-name players, including Rams rookie wide receiver Puka Nacua, while RotoPat and Denny Carter crossed paths with draft guide cover boy Tony Pollard.
Denny also took some time to give us a Super Bowl edition of the Funnel Defense, which you’ll want to read if you’re looking to hit it big in a Super Bowl DFS contest.
In addition to our predictions for Super Bowl Sunday, be sure to go back and check out all the exciting things the guys have going on in Vegas, and stick with us through the offseason as we prepare to crank out content for free agency and the upcoming NFL Draft.
Without further adieu, let’s see how our staff thinks things go come Sunday.
Patrick Daugherty — Chiefs 24 - 49ers 20
The game unfolds similarly to Kansas City’s playoff triumphs over the Bills and Ravens, with the Chiefs’ elite defense frazzling a not-Patrick-Mahomes quarterback as the man himself avoids anything resembling a mistake as the Chiefs matriculate the ball down the field just enough times to win their third Lombardi in five seasons.
Denny Carter — 49ers 38 - Chiefs 10
The math is not allowing me to see this as an even affair or anything close to it. The Niners are a machine, and their offense matches up well with a top-end Kansas City defense that should be bludgeoned via the run here. I really believe the 49ers could crack 200 rushing yards in this game. This Chiefs team does not have the ability to score points quickly. They’ll be forced to dink and dunk their way down the field. That won’t be enough. Niners win in a dominant performance.
Kyle Dvorchak — Chiefs 24 - 49ers 20
The 49ers are a significantly better team than Kanas City from player No. 2 to No. 53. Their defense matches up well with the Chiefs, and their weapons on offense put Kanas City to shame. That’s great, but it doesn’t matter when you’re facing off against the best playoff quarterback in the history of football. Patrick Mahomes is awesome in the regular season and is simply unstoppable in the postseason. Try as they might, the 49ers won’t be able to send him home without another Lombardi.
Lawrence Jackson — Chiefs 34 - 49ers 14
The 49ers’ defense is more name than game as of today, with both the Lions and Packers able to have success against the unit this postseason. Although the Chiefs’ defense is suspect against the run, overall, they are an elite unit with their backend as their strength. The Bills ran the ball well against the Chiefs and still lost the game. The 49ers will need more than Christian McCaffrey and the run to unseat the defending champs. The stats haven’t been gaudy, but Patrick Mahomes is playing his best football at the right time. If the Chiefs’ defense simply catches the passes that Brock Purdy will throw to them, it’ll get ugly for the 49ers.
Eric Samulski — 49ers 24 - Chiefs 23
Yes, Patrick Mahomes is elite and can carry a team on his back, but after a while, that gets pretty tiring, and we need to remember how large the talent discrepancy is at other positions. The Chiefs’ defense is vulnerable on the ground and to deep shots through the air; yet, the Ravens, for some reason, decided they didn’t want to run the ball, and the Bills, without Gabe Davis, had four deep passes dropped by Stefon Diggs and Trent Sherfield. Now we’re going to see Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk get those opportunities, and I don’t believe they’ll miss them. Also, the way to attack San Francisco is on the ground, so the Chiefs will likely lean on Isiah Pacheco more than we’d expect, which means fewer chances for Mahomes to play the hero. I just don’t think this Chiefs passing attack has enough weapons, and in a battle of running games, I’m going to side with San Francisco in a close game.
Zachary Krueger — Chiefs 27 - 49ers 20
Earlier this week, Patrick Mahomes said he never feels like the underdog. It’s hard to blame him for feeling that way, as he and the Chiefs are 8-3 for his career in games where they were underdogs on the moneyline. Mahomes and the Chiefs were underdogs in back-to-back road playoff games against the Bills and Ravens, only to win both of those games and get to where they are now. Mahomes has played near-perfect ball this postseason, throwing for 718-4-0 in three games while taking only two sacks. He also boasts a 14-3 playoff record. With all due respect to the 49ers and their accomplishments this season, betting against Mahomes has proven risky in the past. I think he and the Chiefs will secure their third Lombardi come Sunday.
Mark Garcia — Chiefs 30 - 49ers 24 (OT)
San Francisco controls the game on the ground, with Christian McCaffrey taking a 10-point lead into the fourth quarter. Mahomes leads the opening possession of the final frame for a touchdown before the two sides trade shortened drives until the final possession. Mahomes gets the ball back with 51 seconds remaining from the three and drives into field goal range to send the game into overtime. Kansas City wins the toss and takes home the hardware on a 43-yard catch-and-run to Rashee Rice. McCaffrey finishes with 112 yards and two scores on the ground while Pacheco punches one in for the Chiefs. Kittle finds pay dirt early, Kelce scores, and Rice wins MVP with an electric 150-yard, two-score performance.
Aditya Fuldeore — Chiefs 24 - 49ers 17
Despite Patrick Mahomes on one side and an arsenal of offensive weapons on the other, this game will come down to defense. The Chiefs were the No. 2 scoring defense in the league during the regular season, allowing 41 total points in three playoff games. Meanwhile, the 49ers were the No. 3 defense in scoring, allowing 52 points in two playoff games. In a Super Bowl that will be lower scoring than fans would like to see, the Chiefs defense will be able to handle Brock Purdy and his offensive weapons more than the 49ers defense can shut down Patrick Mahomes. Travis Kelce, Rashee Rice, and Isiah Pacheco will dominate touches for the Chiefs offense as a late-game defensive stand prevents the 49ers from tying the game and wins Mahomes his third Super Bowl.
