Kansas City Chiefs @ Baltimore Ravens -3.5 (3:00PM EST on CBS)

Our first matchup on championship Sunday will be in Baltimore where Lamar Jackson and the Ravens will take on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. Kansas City is once again in position to head to the Super Bowl thanks to a thrilling win in Buffalo last weekend. You can’t count out Patrick Mahomes in the playoffs despite what many are calling a down year in Kansas City. He is already one of the greats and has shown time and again he thrives in big games.

Meanwhile, in Baltimore there is a lot to like with this Ravens team. The stout Ravens defense once again shut down a high-powered offense last week against the Texans. For the first time this year quarterback C.J. Stroud looked like a rookie as he struggled to dissect the Ravens defense. DC Mike Macdonald has done this numerous times this year and it’s a reason he is being looked at as a head coach. Mahomes though will be the ultimate test for this Ravens defense and they will need to be flawless with their game plan.

This game has the makings of a classic AFC battle. The current line is -3.5 which is right where I expected giving a slight edge to the Ravens at home. I see this game coming down to the wire with a late Justin Tucker field goal securing the win for Baltimore.

Game Pick: Ravens 20 – Chiefs 17

Detroit Lions @ San Francisco 49ers -7 (6:30 PM EST on FOX)

Over on the NFC side, the underdog Lions will look to shock the 49ers who are poised for another Super Bowl appearance. San Francisco looked rusty last week against the Packers, particularly Brock Purdy. Purdy missed open receivers and was lucky to not have a pick-six early in the game. The hope for San Francisco will be that Purdy bounces back and they will need him on top of his game to beat Detroit.

The x-factor in this matchup is clearly Deebo Samuel who is nursing a shoulder injury. Samuel has been limited in practice this week and his status for Sunday is still uncertain. The 49ers offense struggled without Samuel on the field as he is a big piece of their game plan. If Samuel can’t go you can expect this game to go right down to the wire.

For Detroit, it’s much more simple. They really have nothing to lose as they weren’t expected to be here. Jared Goff and the Lions were able to hold off the Bucs last weekend thanks to the winning formula that they have used all year. Play turnover-free football and get the ball quickly to their playmakers. The Lions will once again need to be flawless on offense vs. the dominant 49ers defense to have a chance.

To me, this game comes down to the health of Samuel. San Francisco is just 8-9 without Samuel since he was drafted in 2019. If Samuel sits this out there will be a lot of nervous 49ers fans come the 4th quarter.

Game Pick: 49ers 28 – Lions 24

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Clear Super Bowl Favorite

The San Francisco 49ers separated themselves as Super Bowl favorites after an impressive win at Philly. This team is now fully healthy and put the NFC on notice with an dominant offensive performance. After a tough start and back-to-back punts, Brock Purdy and the 49ers offense reeled off 6 straight touchdowns. To put it simply the Eagles had no answers on defense as they were gashed time and again by Deebo Samuel.

It’s not time to panic yet for the Eagles as they are still in line for the #1 seed but they need to fix their secondary issues. Also, keep in mind Philadelphia was coming off an emotional overtime victory against the Bills. You could see as the game went on the Eagles had tired legs. Don’t be surprised if these two teams meet again in the NFC Championship game and this time it could be out West instead of in Philly.

Teams Making a Playoff Push

Several teams are making a push for the playoffs as potential wild cards. You have to be impressed by what Jordan Love is doing in Green Bay. After a slow start to the season Love and the Packers offense is really coming alive. The Packers had an signature win at home on Sunday night vs. the defending Super Bowl champs. Love once again shined as he threw for 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. If the Packers keep this up they will be a dangerous team come playoff time.

In the AFC, the Houston Texans continued their surprising season with a statement win vs. the Broncos. Denver was one of the hottest teams in the NFL but Houston’s defense was able to stifle Russell Wilson with a game-sealing interception. These two teams are poised to make the playoffs and could be dangerous come playoff time. For the Broncos you really have to be impressed with their defensive turnaround.

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Quarterbacks

Start ‘Em

Brock Purdy (vs. NYG) – Purdy has yet to break the 20+ fantasy point mark but I see that changing on Thursday night. The visiting New York Giants are struggling defensively and just gave 28 points to a tanking Cardinals team. Even if Brandon Aiyuk doesn’t play Purdy should still be able to move the ball with ease. This one has all the makings of a blowout.

Sit ‘Em

Jordan Love (vs. NO) – Love has been impressive in his first two starts for Green Bay but he is in for a tough afternoon against the Saints defense. Even at home, the Packers will find it hard to move the ball against New Orleans who have yet to give up 20 points in a game. Green Bay may also be missing Aaron Jones and Christian Watson who has yet to make his 2023 debut.

Running Backs

Start ‘Em

Brian Robinson Jr. (vs. Buf) – There are no longer questions about who the lead-back in Washington is. Robinson Jr. has solidified his role as the main man for the Commanders thus far. He has also looked impressive in the passing game which is driving up his value. Robinson Jr. has averaged 20 touches per game through the first 2 weeks and I expect him to get around that this week against Buffalo. Washington will look to be more balanced on offense to limit the pressures on Sam Howell.

Sit ‘Em

Najee Harris (@ LV) – Unfortunately It’s now time to sit Harris. Harris has been a huge disappointment, to say the least through the first 2 weeks of the season. He has yet to eclipse the 5-point mark in half-ppr and only has 19 total touches thus far. Jaylen Warren has been the more explosive back and I like his upside better against the weak Raiders run defense.

Wide Receivers

Start ‘Em

Deebo Samuel (vs. NYG) – Samuel looks to be in line for more targets as Brandon Aiyuk’s status is in doubt for Thursday night. Samuel has had 16 targets through the first 2 games but has yet to have a breakout performance. I could see that happening tonight against the Giants. Lock in Samuel as a must-start if Aiyuk is out.

Sit ‘Em

Chris Godwin (vs. Phi) – Godwin has a tough matchup this week at home versus the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night. The Eagles secondary will be missing Avonte Maddox but don’t expect Godwin to benefit. It could be a tough day for Baker Mayfield and the Bucs offense as they deal with the Eagles stout front seven. I am fading Godwin this week until I see better production.

Tight Ends

Start ‘Em

Jake Ferguson (@ Ari) – Ferguson has a great matchup this week against the Arizona Cardinals as he will look to find the end zone in back-to-back weeks. Ferguson leads the league with 7 red zone targets which is encouraging going forward. Don’t expect gaudy numbers for Ferguson but I see him grabbing another touchdown on Sunday.

Sit ‘Em

Pat Freiermuth (@ LV) – Freiermuth has been one of the big disappointments in 2023 thus far. It’s hard to put the blame on him though as Kenny Pickett has struggled mightily. Even with a decent matchup ahead, it’s hard to trust Freiermuth to produce. Sit him until the Steelers passing game starts to show some life.

Start of the Week

Raheem Mostert (vs. Den) – There were questions before the season on how big of a role Mostert would get in the Miami Dolphins offense. It’s still early but Mostert has been lead-back for Miami and is showing no signs of slowing down. Mostert is averaging 15.5% touches per game and is currently the RB9 on the season. Coming to town are the Denver Broncos who were gashed by Brian Robinson last week. Robinson had big-time success in the screen-game and I expect Miami to do the same.

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Brandon Aiyuk – Aiyuk has had a strong start to the season and is currently the WR8 in Half PPR scoring. He is unfortunately dealing with a shoulder injury that may keep him out of the Thursday night matchup against the New York Giants. If he is inactive Deebo Samuel will see a jump in our rankings.

Anthony Richardson – Richardson has also had a strong start to his rookie season but left the week 2 matchup early due to a concussion. He is currently in concussion protocol and reports this morning are he won’t be practicing Wednesday. If Richardson can’t go, Gardner Minshew will be in line to start on Sunday versus the Baltimore Ravens.

Saquon Barkley – (Update: Barkley is now officially OUT) Barkley picked up an ankle injury late in the New York Giants wild comeback victory on Sunday. As of now, the Giants aren’t ruling him out but I would be shocked if he played this week. He is still in our rankings but much lower than usual. We will update his ranking when we have more clarity on his status.

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Stock Up

Baltimore Ravens: For all the Lamar Jackson doubters he has shown he is a pocket passer after Game 2. Now it is only one game and defenses will try to defend him better but the Ravens appear to be on the up and up. If Gus Edwards can run like he did in Game 2 they will be hard to beat.

San Francisco 49ers: Brock Purdy didn’t have his best game, but the 49ers still won with a stiff D and and another strong game from Christian McCaffrey. Also, Deebo Samuel came alive, who they will need as they compete with the good teams in the NFC.

Dallas Cowboys: Two words, Micah Parsons! He is a difference maker on defense and a big reason Dallas will be hard to beat this year. There D is extremely fast and talented. Even if Dak Prescott doesn’t play his best, Dallas should be in every game.

Stock Down

Houston Texans: We all didn’t expect Houston to be a Super Bowl favorite but they haven’t looked that good. This is a rebuilding year with their first year QB.

Denver Broncos: Denver had a 21-3 lead against the Commanders and somehow found a way to lose at home. Russell Wilson had flashes of good plays and then plays that left me scratching my head. He has to learn to be smart with the ball and not be so tentative in the pocket.

Cincinnati Bengals: Cincinnati should be OK in the long run, but right now they don’t look good. The offensive line is struggling to protect Joe Burrow, which is effecting the solid WR corps of the Bengals. I feel like they have to utilize Joe Mixon better to relieve some pressure off Burrow.

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By: Jake Rajala

The San Francisco 49ers have played hot and cold with their beloved wideout Deebo Samuel this off-season. At this point — it appears that Samuel and the 49ers can actually come to an agreement in the near future. David Bonilla of 49ers Web Zone believes that it’s “likely” that the two sides come to an agreement in the coming weeks.

Samuel, also known as Percey Harvin 2.0, ousted 1,405 yds, a career-high 18.2 YPC, and 8 rushing TDs last season. He was given first-team All-Pro honors and PFF slabbed him an 87.2 grade for his 2021 performance.

Kyle Shanahan will expect Samuel to be a major threat, but they need Aiyuk to take the next step and earn a Pro Bowl nod. Aiyuk ousted 826 yds and 5 TDs in his sophomore season, but he could shine in 2022 with growth and extra attention on Aiyuk. PFF gave Aiyuk a 74.4 grade for his 2021 outcome. The 49ers potent WR duo is largely the reason why PFF listed the 49ers as the sixth-best WR group in the NFL, as well.

SF will also expect Jauan Jennings to be more productive in his sophomore season than his rookie season: 24 receptions, 282 yds, and 5 TDs. The rookie Danny Gray could be an x-factor on the 49ers offense. Gray clocked a 4.33 40-yard dash at the combine. It’s safe to say that Trey Lance will be delighted in frequently utilizing the deep-speed from Gray. The 49ers also have Ray-Ray McCloud, who recorded 277 yds last season.

Besides the incredible WR duo in the Bay Area, the 49ers will clearly lean on TE George Kittle to continue to be a major weapon. Kittle nicely knocked out 910 yards and 6 TDs (then earned his third Pro Bowl berth) after missing eight games last season. It’s clear that John Lynch and Shanny have orchestrated a lethal WR group for most likely Trey Lance in 2022.

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By: Jake Rajala

The Green Bay Packers need to have a strong playoff tour at all costs next season. With that said, I’m going to outline three dream targets available that would help the Packers and burning man Aaron Rodgers moving forward.

Deebo Samuel

Let’s be honest – Deebo Samuel is being held hostage in San Francisco/Alcatraz. I believe that Deebo Samuel will give his best foot forward, but I still expect him to lobby for a new, talented team. Samuel hasn’t discovered a new contract with a 49ers team that still carries Jimmy G. After the Eagles and Cardinals reeled in shiny toys, I’d love to see the Packers be aggressive and scoop up the gifted athlete.

Julio Jones

If the Packers can’t acquire Samuel or a young, talented WR via trade, the Packers should target a legend in free agency. The veteran WR Julio Jones may not drop 300+ yards in another game, but he can absolutely be a 1,000+ yard for A-Rod. Jones could have an excellent role in GB while having the opportunity to push for a Super Bowl ring. Maurice Moton of B/R believes that Jones is an ideal fit for the Pack at this point in time. Perhaps Jones and Rodgers can aspire to ride off in the sunset in the near future together.

Joe Haden

If the Packers stick with their guns at WR and feel more desperate to target a defensive player, they should write love notes to Joe Haden. The former Steeler would be a nice addition to a CB unit that didn’t bring back Kevin King this off-season. He has also expressed that he doesn’t want to retire soon. If Haden wants to stay in the North and chase a Lombardi trophy, he should head to Wisconsin.

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By: Jake Rajala

It’s safe to say that Aaron Rodgers didn’t vision his wide receiver room to be at its current caliber on this second day of the NFL Draft after he chose to “likely be a Packer for life” earlier this offseason. The GB Packers best wide receiver at this moment is none other than the Week 1 juggernaut Sammy Watkins. I’m not sure if it would be a complete surprise if A-Rod is brewing a plan to help his team trade away Jordan Love for a WR or if he is trying to package himself in a trade to the Saints, so he can play with “Michael Thomas and Chris Olave”.

There were numerous blockbuster WR trades yesterday (A.J. Brown, Marquise Brown), but the Packers didn’t opt to slice cheese for a shiny WR. The Pack may not have lobbied for an elite WR on the trade block, but they could still target a big-name WR to help the burning man version of Rodgers win his third MVP in three seasons.

The San Francisco 49ers WR Deebo Samuel would be an excellent addition to the Packers offensive unit, to say the least. It wouldn’t be impossible for GB to still acquire Samuel. It would have been easier for the Packers to use their draft ammunition from yesterday (two first-round picks), but they can use a lot of future draft stock and potential players to push for Samuel.

There are a few other WRs that could be potential fits for GB: Robby Anderson, D.K. Metcalf, and Kadarius Toney. I honestly believe that GB should find more explosion for Rodgers, as they’ve REALLY committed to him in his final years of glory. The Packers would contradict their legendary QB’s talent if they refuse to equip him with top-tier weaponry. It may make the most sense for the Packers to act during this busy draft to reel in a top-shelf WR and true replacement for Davante Adams.

The post Why the Packers need to trade for a wide receiver right now appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By: Jake Rajala

The San Francisco 49ers were gifted a talented profile and energetic persona in George Kittle at pick 146 in the 2017 NFL draft. Kittle has made three Pro Bowls and garnered one All-Pro spot in his career thus far. Impressively, the Tarzan-like character managed to be PFF’s second-best player in 2019 and 2020 combined.

Nonetheless, Kittle is still human and the 28-year-old may be at his peak or beginning a slow decline in 2022. There have been bold opinions about the idea of trading away Kittle by NFL analysts. For example, Grant Cohen from 49ers Nation suggests that SF should trade Kittle ASAP.

It could be wise for Lynch to accept an offer from a desperate team in this trigger-happy trade world. Although, the 49ers need to decide if they feel close to playing on a special day in February with Kittle in the future. Furthermore, the 49ers have to ponder if they can replace Kittle’s production (and potentially Deebo Samuel’s ability) in the likely Trey Lance-led offensive attack.

With that enunciated, I’m going to outline the pros and cons of SF trading away Kittle. In the end, I will reach a verdict on the idea of Shanny shipping away Kittle.

Cons of trading away Kittle

• Many years of lost production

Kittle is 28 years old, but it would be ideal if he’s dominant for 4-6 more seasons and potentially a caliber- starting TE for several more seasons. Travis Kelce was elite at 32 years old and Gronk was a stud at 31 years old for much of last season. The Saints legend Jimmy Graham also had 8 touchdowns at age 34 in 2020.

• A big hit against SF’s offense in the near future

It will be a challenge for the 49ers to hand the keys to Trey Lance AND lose George Kittle. The SF TE had 94 targets and 71 receptions from the TE spot last season. Kittle may not have been effective in the recent playoff gauntlet, but he was instrumental in his team’s ability in the season to ultimately snag a miraculous playoff berth.

• Deebo Samuel effect

It may honestly be sexy for SF to exchange Kittle for many early draft picks from an overly aggressive team, but they definitely shouldn’t send Kittle out the door if Deebo Samuel flees the Bay Area. I believe the 49ers are retooling their squad with a switch from Jimmy G to Lance, regardless of Samuel’s situation. If Samuel leaves, the 49ers should keep the ship afloat and allow the creative Lynch to obtain 1-2 playmakers in space for the 49ers HC wiz.

Pros of trading away Kittle

• Lots of draft power

There have been many blockbuster trades (Tyreek Hill, Davante Adams, Khalil Mack) in the NFL this offseason. It may seem like the 49ers could be in awe of the ability to possess many early draft picks. Most importantly, the 49ers could potentially have multiple younger weapons via a new draft pick to build around Lance for a very long time. The 49ers could also not place all of their marbles in the Trey Lance experiment and use one of the potential early picks in a Kittle trade to select a QB.

• more cap space

The 49ers recently restructured Kittle’s contract, but he is still on a hefty long-term contract that he signed in August of 2020. The 49ers could REALLY use some moolah to keep the 2021 All-Pro Deebo Samuel in their offense right now. The clock on a Nick Bosa extension is also ticking fast.

Verdict

I believe the idea of SF trading away Kittle is more logical than the lack of rumors surrounding the thought. Although, I believe it’s too risky for the 49ers current team to lose Kittle in the short term (and long-term). He has been a huge part of their success in 2019 and 2021. I am also not convinced that his injury concerns are real, as he’s played in 14+ games in four out of his five seasons.

The 49ers had a movie-like entrance to the playoffs with “Samuel and Kittle” last season. The 49ers should really find a way to keep Samuel and slightly young Kittle, so they can help Lance be successful for many more seasons.

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By: Tom Rodriguez

The NFL is a quarterback-driven league and the MVP award has become a quarterback award. Out of the last 15 MVP winners, 14 of them have been quarterbacks. However, offensive player of the year has become an award given to the best skill player. Four out of the last five winners have been non-quarterbacks, with three of them being running backs. With free agency winding down and the draft fast approaching, who are the three backs most likely to win the award. 

Deebo Samuel, Wide back, San Francisco 49ers

I know. I know. He’s not technically a running back. Deebo Samuel was easily the most explosive player in the NFL in 2021. He is an elite receiver and became one of the most efficient runners in the NFL halfway through the season. With a full off-season to iron out what his role will exactly be, expect the 49ers to use him even more. Samuel is the early favorite to be the player who goes over 1,000 yards in both rushing and receiving. Samuel, one of the most unstoppable players in the sport, could see a more diverse role in the offense in 2022 with the addition of Trey Lance, a young quarterback whose athleticism brings a brand new dynamic to the San Francisco offense. 

Derrick Henry, RB, Tennessee Titans 

After missing a large portion of the 2021 season, Derrick Henry seems poised for a comeback season in 2022. While the Titans’ offense remains the same for the most part, Henry’s production is just something that is guaranteed at this point. Something that may help spring some more long runs is Robert Woods. Woods, one of the best blocking receivers in the NFL, was acquired from the Los Angeles Rams for just a sixth-round pick earlier this month. Improved blocking on the outside could result in more highlight-reel runs for Henry this season. Derrick Henry is always a safe bet in terms of running backs. 

Nick Chubb, RB, Cleveland Browns 

Nick Chubb is quietly one of the best players in the NFL. Chubb produces despite Cleveland having no deep threat to spread the defense out and lighten boxes. Also, Chubb has been splitting carries and catches with Kareem Hunt. Hunt has been involved in trade rumors since the last off-season and the Browns just added Amari Cooper to be what they hoped Odell Beckham Jr. would become. Deshaun Watson coming in at quarterback (depending on how many games he can play) will also make defenses respect the air attack more as well. Chubb is primed for another phenomenal season. 

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