After this weekend we will know who is playing in Super Bowl LVI. Championship weekend has arrived, and we have a pair of great matchups to watch unfold on Sunday. In the AFC, Joe Burrow and the Bengals are looking to continue their magical run, while Patrick Mahomes is looking to take the Chiefs to the Super Bowl for the 3rd straight season. In the NFC, the 49ers and Rams will face off for the 3rd time this season.
It is sure to be an action-packed Sunday, and we are spicing things up with a teaser and a parlay. Along with this article, be sure to check out our full game previews for free picks on the side and total for each matchup.
NFL Championship Sunday Teaser: 2-team, 6-point (-134 at FanDuel)
Kansas City Chiefs -1 (from -7)
Not only are the Chiefs looking to punch their ticket to the Super Bowl, but they are looking to avenge their Week 17 loss to the Bengals. The Chiefs lost that game 34-31 despite gaining 7.1 yards per play and having very few issues moving the ball, especially in the first half.
Since that game, Jerick McKinnon and Clyde Edwards-Helaire have become major factors in the Kansas City offense, while Travis Kelce is back at full strength. Kelce had only 5 catches for 25 yards in the first matchup against Cincinnati as it was his first game back from the list. He should be able to have a better day this time around. McKinnon and Edwards-Helaire offer a different element out of the backfield and a fully healthy Kelce should overwhelm the Cincinnati linebackers, who are below-average in coverage and have given up the 4th-most receptions to TEs this season with 96.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for Cincinnati Bengals vs Kansas City Chiefs
Los Angeles Rams +2.5 (from -3.5)
Much like the Chiefs, the Rams are not only looking to head to the Super Bowl, but to beat a team they lost to earlier this season. The 49ers have won both meetings against the Rams so far this season, and the Rams should be rearing to go. The Los Angeles defense is peaking at the right time, and they dominated Tom Brady and the Buccaneers offense for most of their divisional-round game. They played so well that they managed to beat the Bucs on the road despite improbably losing 4 fumbles. The 49ers somehow managed to beat the Packers last week despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. Jimmy Garoppolo did virtually nothing, and he does not appear to be 100% healthy. The Rams have much more offensive upside in this matchup.
Be sure to check out our full game preview for San Francisco 49ers vs Los Angeles Rams
NFL Championship Sunday parlay (+548 at FanDuel)
Odell Beckham Jr. anytime TD scorer (+140)
Odell Beckham Jr. presents some solid value in the touchdown market this weekend. Beckham Jr. has enjoyed a bit of a rebirth since he left the Browns and moved to LA. He has 5 touchdowns in 8 games for the Rams, edging above Van Jefferson to become the WR2 on the team. He caught 6 passes for 69 yards against the Buccaneers in the Divisional Round and should have a much better game against the Niners than he did in Week 18. Beckham Jr. posted only 2 catches in the regular-season finale, but should have a bigger role to play this time around having established himself as a trusted target for Stafford. The 49ers’ secondary is the Achilles heel of their defense, and if the Rams offensive line can provide good protection — as they did against the Bucs and at times when facing the Niners — then Beckham Jr. should eat.
Be sure to check out all our our NFL props bets!
Byron Pringle anytime TD scorer (+170)
It’s easy to put your faith in the Chiefs’ offense and Patrick Mahomes, while Byron Pringle’s odds to find the end zone present some solid value. Pringle and Mecole Hardman have been battling for the WR2 spot all year with Pringle having a slight edge over Hardman at this stage of the season. The Kansas State product has seen more snaps than Hardman since the bye, while he’s had more targets than the Chiefs’ gadget player in 4 of the last 5 weeks. He has also been targeted twice in the redzone in each of KC’s two postseason games, and has put his increased workload to good use. Pringle has hauled in 5 receptions in each of the last 3 games, while he’s recorded 3 touchdowns in the playoffs already. He’s earned Mahomes’ trust and against a defense that ranks 24th against the pass in DVOA, don’t be surprised if he finds the end zone again in this one.
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