Super Bowl 59 features a rematch of Super Bowl 57 with the Kansas City Chiefs going for the three-peat against the Philadelphia Eagles.
It’s a great time to play DFS and build a pick’em at Underdog Fantasy.
New users can take advantage of the Underdog The Big Game promo, which features up to $1,000 in bonuses after you make your first deposit.
With that in mind, let’s get right into our Underdog DFS picks.
Super Bowl DFS Pick’Em:
New signups at Underdog get a free pick for The Big Game with Travis Kelce Over 0.5 receiving yards. This is a near-100% probability outcome, since Kelce’s regular line is 72.5 receiving yards.
Players can add this as a “free square" to their pick’em.
Read our hands-on Underdog Fantasy review for details on game types and promotions.
Without further ado, let’s dive into my The Big Game Pick’Em at Underdog:
Underdog The Big Game Pick’Em (+2000)
- Travis Kelce 0.5 Receiving Yards: Higher
- Saquon Barkley 115.5 Rushing Yards: Higher
- Xavier Worthy 6.5 Rushing Yards: Higher
- Samaje Perine 7.5 Receiving Yards: Higher
- Dallas Goedert 52.5 Receiving Yards: Higher
Including the Travis Kelce promo is a no-brainer because it’s a free square, so make sure to take advantage.
I’ll add Saquon Barkley Higher than 115.5 rushing yards because the Chiefs have been gashed on the ground during the playoffs this year. Both Joe Mixon (88 yards, 4.9 YPC) and James Cook (85 yards, 6.5 YPC) had success vs Kansas City — I expect Barkley to do the same.
Xavier Worthy Higher than 6.5 rushing yards is another strong play because Chiefs’ head coach Andy Reid has consistently tried to get the ball in his hands on the ground. Worthy has at least two rush attempts in four of his last five games.
Samaje Perine Higher than 7.5 receiving yards looks good since the passing down specialist has hit this number in 14 of his last 15 games. While this is a player with a marginal role, I simply can’t pass up that hit rate.
I’ll finish it off with Dallas Goedert Higher than 52.5 receiving yards because the Chiefs struggle vs tight ends, allowing the highest yards per target to the position this season.
Combine these picks for a (+2000) payout at Underdog.
Read below to find out how to play Super Bowl DFS with salary cap contests.
How to Play Super Bowl DFS
Tournaments
You need to get contrarian when joining tournaments in Super Bowl DFS. That’s because it is a single-game slate, so if you create a popular lineup, you will be splitting the prize with several other players, even if you finish in first place.
You don’t want to join a contest with a $40,000 prize to 1st, only to get about $900 since you’re splitting it with over 44 other people. The goal here is to be the only winner of the big pot.
That means choosing riskier players who are usually avoided. You can also build a lineup that aligns with an unpopular game script, such as a blowout in a projected close game or vice versa.
Cash Games
Cash games are where you can play it safe. This is where you can double up your entry fee if you finish in the top half of the contest.
Choosing players with super cheap prices to allow you to jam in other stars is a prudent approach. You don’t need to worry about stacking players in an effort to create a correlation, so you can simply play the top options at cost.
Don’t take any risks when building cash game lineups. Avoid boom-or-bust types like deep-threat receivers, such as Marquez Valdes-Scantling. Their volatile production can sink your team. You want players with a narrow range of outcomes.
Stacks
Stacks are when you combine a quarterback with some of his teammates. The popular approach here is to stack passing games, such as Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
However, it’s a bit different in a single-game contest because we’re trying to get contrarian to win tournaments. This type of contest is the exception in that you can choose players with a negative correlation.
Taking this approach is a good way to differentiate your lineup from the competition. If you prefer to go with a positive correlation, be sure to find an unpopular player to round out your lineup.
Salary Cap Utilization
We have talked extensively about being contrarian in your lineup construction. Another way to do this is by creating a team that is below the salary cap, leaving money on the table.
Most other players tend to spend as close to the cap as they can, but this puts them at risk to split the pot in a single-game slate.
If your lineup is below the cap by $1,000 or more, there’s a good chance that it will be less popular. Be sure to take this approach in tournaments, but don’t worry about it in cash games.
Contest Selection
The last tip is to consider the contests that you’re entering. If you want to focus on tournaments, it’s best to go with single-entry formats. That’s because you won’t be competing with sharks who enter 150 lineups in larger fields.
If you do want to enter a large-field tournament, try to make at least 10 lineups because you’re competing against so many other players.
Be sure to incorporate some cash games as well because they can act as insurance to cover any of your potential losses taken in tournaments. My favorite approach is to combine a bit of both formats.
Lastly, be sure not to risk too much of your bankroll on a single slate.
