Super Bowl LVIII is a fantastic matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs. The game features arguably the best quarterback (Patrick Mahomes), best running back (Christian McCaffrey), and best tight end (Travis Kelce) in the NFL in recent history.
But only one can win Super Bowl MVP, and only one can be the MVP of your daily fantasy sports (DFS) team at your favorite betting site. We have done our best to sort through the star power and find the rosters that will fit the salary cap limit so you can enter them in your DFS contests for the final time this season.
San Francisco 49ers vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Sunday, February 11, 2024 – 06:30 PM ET at Allegiant Stadium
We have a series of DFS lineups featuring different angles. Our lineups all follow the format of 5 flex choices and an MVP that earns 1.5x points (but also costs more than usual).
DFS Team 1: Chiefs Roll to Repeat
- MVP: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs QB)
- Flex 1: Travis Kelce (Chiefs TE)
- Flex 2: Rashee Rice (Chiefs WR)
- Flex 3: Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Chiefs WR)
- Flex 4: Chiefs DST
- Flex 5: Deebo Samuel (49ers WR)
Before you say this is too much Kansas City, keep in mind the top 5 scorers in fantasy points in Super Bowl LIV, between the Chiefs and 49ers, were all Kansas City players. It can happen, especially if the Chiefs force Brock Purdy into a rough night filled with turnovers and missed opportunities.
We have Patrick Mahomes putting in a big game to win MVP honors as our MVP, and he is a must to stack with Travis Kelce, who you know is going to play his tail off with Taylor Swift there.
Rashee Rice has become such a reliable target for Mahomes, and the only question was fitting Isiah Pacheco at running back here. The decision not to do so stems from thinking that, if Mahomes is MVP, then the passing game needs to carry the day for the Chiefs like last year when Mahomes passed for 423 yards and 3 touchdowns against the 49ers.
Chiefs Kingdom
In that game, Marquez Valdes-Scantling had 111 yards on 3 catches, and the corners are the weak point in the San Francisco defense. They can be had, including former Kansas City corner Charvarius Ward, who the Chiefs picked on last year.
So, that is why we feel confident about MVS and Rice producing in this game. We also of course like the Chiefs DST to get the sacks and turnovers necessary to rack up solid points. In last year’s Super Bowl against the Eagles, the Chiefs scored a defensive touchdown.
Finally, we weren’t going to make it a perfect sweep for the Chiefs, so we spent up and added Deebo Samuel, who can do amazing things after the catch, and he can run the ball too. We’ll hope he finds the end zone for the 49ers even if it’s in a losing effort.
DFS Team 2: San Francisco Success
- MVP: Christian McCaffrey (49ers RB)
- Flex 1: Brock Purdy (49ers QB)
- Flex 2: George Kittle (49ers TE)
- Flex 3: 49ers (DST)
- Flex 4: Kyle Juszczyk (49ers FB)
- Flex 5: Travis Kelce (Chiefs TE)
The 49ers absolutely can win this game, but it will take a huge performance from Christian McCaffrey, who was just named the Offensive Player of the Year. He is our MVP, and he has a chance to become the 1st running back to win Super Bowl MVP since Terrell Davis with the 1997 Broncos. Davis had over 150 yards and 3 touchdowns that night.
Playing Smart
A game like that would certainly be enough for CMC and imagine multiplying those numbers by 1.5x for your DFS lineup. He’s already cleared 125 scrimmage yards and 2 touchdowns in each playoff game this year, and run defense is where the Chiefs are vulnerable.
You have to think the 49ers are going to be smart, unlike the Ravens, and feed CMC the ball. That’s what Buffalo was doing in the divisional round, and it was working until the Chiefs finally stuffed a few runs in the 4th quarter.
However, the Bills were moving the ball at will in that game with short passes and a solid running game. The 49ers can do that too, and they’ll need to protect Brock Purdy’s nerves as he becomes the 3rd-youngest quarterback to ever start a Super Bowl.
Purdy Good
He has delivered in some big games this year, throwing 8 touchdowns and no picks in the showdowns with the Eagles and Cowboys, who were the main contenders for the Super Bowl in the NFC this year alongside the 49ers. Purdy was great in both games, but he does get a tougher defense here.
Tight end George Kittle might be the answer in the passing game as the Chiefs are strong at corner, but you can beat their linebackers and safeties in coverage. Kittle had 6 catches for 98 yards against the Chiefs last year, and he’s probably still mad about the offensive pass interference call that went against him to negate a big catch in Super Bowl LIV against the Chiefs.
Like in our 1st lineup, we did not go exclusively 49ers as we still included Kelce, who you can see putting up monster numbers even if it’s a losing effort. In fact, Kelce has reached at least 70 receiving yards in 12 straight playoff games, which is 5 games beyond the NFL record. It would not be surprising to see him clear 100 yards and score a touchdown in this game, win or lose.
Juice It Up
The 49ers DST also made the list as they will have to play a great game for the team to win. In Super Bowl LIV, they did intercept Mahomes twice and sacked him 4 times, a combo of mistakes that Mahomes has only had in one other game in his career (2021 AFC Championship Game vs. Bengals). Throw in 2 picks and no touchdowns against the Buccaneers in Super Bowl LV, and that is a few examples of championship games where Mahomes was not at the top of his game.
Running out of money, we had to include 49ers fullback Kyle Juszczyk. He has 2 touchdowns and 5 games with at least 23 receiving yards this year, so maybe he can add a few points to our total.
You play this lineup if you love the 49ers in this game. This is another tournament lineup rather than a cash game lineup.
DFS Team 3: Let’s Get Weird (Contraian Lineup)
- MVP: Rashee Rice (Chiefs WR)
- Flex 1: Patrick Mahomes (Chiefs QB)
- Flex 2: Brandon Aiyuk (49ers WR)
- Flex 3: Marquez Valdes-Scantling (Chiefs WR)
- Flex 4: Chiefs (DST)
- Flex 5: Christian McCaffrey (49ers RB)
For our last lineup, we are getting a little weird and contrarian in trying to take down a tournament with a lineup few would create.
What does conventional wisdom say for this game?
Kelce is a superstar and going to have a big night for all the Taylor Swift hype.
Purdy is going to struggle with these corners and won’t get the ball to Brandon Aiyuk, his best route runner and outside receiver. Christian McCaffrey should be a beast for the 49ers to attack that run defense of the Chiefs.
We’re going against the grain on 2-of-3 things here.
Subdued Night?
Kelce will have a subdued night and it’ll actually be the wide receivers, the position group that was criticized all year in Kansas City, that steps up just like they have in the past against the 49ers.
As a repeat of 2022’s 44-23 win, the Chiefs produce 2 wide receivers with over 100 yards as Rice and MVS light up a weak secondary. They don’t drop the ball like Josh Reynolds did for Detroit in the NFC Championship Game. Rice actually had a breakout moment in Week 12 in Allegiant Stadium when he went over 100 yards and scored a touchdown.
Contrarian Advice
Consider this little nugget too. When Joe Montana and Tom Brady won their 3rd Super Bowl, they did not receive the MVP award for that game. It went to their No. 1 wide receiver instead (Jerry Rice for Montana and Deion Branch for Brady). Maybe Rice is that guy for Mahomes this week, so that’s why he’s our MVP here and stacked with Mahomes.
As for the 49ers, yes, we expect there will be sacks and turnovers from Purdy, which is why we included the Chiefs DST again as they complete this magical season of elite performance no one saw coming.
Good News for Aiyuk
If the 49ers are down and have to throw, that could be great news for Aiyuk getting softer looks from these corners. Think of the loss against Baltimore in Week 16. The 49ers had a rough night, but Aiyuk still had 6 catches for 113 yards – almost all of that production happened in the 4th quarter after the 49ers trailed 33-12. Let’s root for something like that again to get Aiyuk over 100 yards.
Finally, we are still sold on McCaffrey dominating in this game. He may not get the rushing yards he needs for his over, but he could make up for it with receiving yards, and PPR scoring can help a lot there too. He is also still the most likely touchdown scorer for the 49ers, and don’t be surprised if he finds the end zone twice if this is indeed a high-scoring game as this lineup suggests.
*The line and/or odds referenced in this article might have changed since the content was published. For the latest information on line movements, visit OddsTrader’s free betting odds tool.
