Four weeks from now we’ll know which two teams are headed to Glendale, Ariz., to face off for Super Bowl LVII. But for now, 14 teams have a shot at hoisting the Lombardi Trophy, from the Chiefs to the Giants.
Right now, every team has a shot, no matter how long their odds might be.
That’s why they play the games, right?
Thanks for following along for 18 wild weeks. Into the playoffs we go.
In today’s Winners Club you’ll find:
Wild-Card Weekend Spreads and Super Bowl Odds
There’s six games on the schedule this weekend as the Chiefs and Eagles, the respective No. 1 seeds in the AFC and NFC, are idle.
Three games have spreads larger than a touchdown and three are tighter than a field goal. And interestingly enough, every matchup is a rematch from the regular season. The 49ers beat the Seahawks twice, the Jaguars thrashed the Chargers, the Dolphins and Bills split, the Vikings beat the Giants, the Ravens and Bengals split and the Buccaneers beat the Cowboys.
It’s important to look further into those games because some happened way back in September or key players were missing from one team or the other.
To prepare you for the postseason slate, I compiled team betting profiles for every playoff team in the AFC and NFC for you to consult before you lock in your bets and build your brackets.
Be sure to check out the final NFL power rankings from the regular season as well to get a better idea of where every team stands, from Kansas City to Indianapolis.
It was announced Wednesday morning by Miami that Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) will miss Sunday’s game against the Bills. Skylar Thompson, who started Week 18 against the Jets, will get the start in Buffalo.
Saturday
4:30 p.m. ET (FOX): Seahawks vs. 49ers (-9.5) | Total: 42.5
8:15 p.m. ET (NBC): Chargers (-1.5) vs. Jaguars | Total: 47.5
Sunday
1 p.m. ET (CBS): Dolphins vs. Bills (-11.5) | Total: 43.5
4:30 p.m. ET (FOX): Giants vs. Vikings (-1.5) | Total: 47.5
8:15 p.m. ET (NBC): Ravens vs. Bengals (-9.5) | Total: 41.5
Monday
8:15 p.m. ET (ESPN): Cowboys (-2.5) vs. Buccaneers | Total: 45.5
Super Bowl Odds via SI Sportsbook
Chiefs: +350
Bills: +400
49ers: +450
Eagles: +500
Bengals: +750
Cowboys: +1200
Chargers: +2200
Buccaneers: +2500
Vikings: +2800
Ravens: +3300
Jaguars: +4000
Seahawks: +5000
Giants: +6000
Dolphins: +6000
Keep the Fantasy Going Throughout the NFL Playoffs
Another season of fantasy football has come and gone, but there are ways to keep the fun going in the postseason.
Jen Piacenti explained three popular ways to continue the fantasy football season into the playoffs: Best ball, one and done and player multipliers.
You can always keep on playing DFS, too, and all of the same tools that you know and love from our staff that were available in the regular season can be found below for wild-card weekend:
Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em
Quarterbacks: Both signal callers in the NYG-MIN matchup can be trusted.
Running backs: Stay away from Ken Walker against the 49ers front.
Wide receivers: Count on Christian Kirk against the Chargers
Tight ends: Don’t hold your breath for a Hayden Hurst revenge game.
Kickers and defenses: The Bills are a solid option against the Dolphins at home.
Positional Rankings
Quarterbacks: Only two quarterbacks are ahead of Daniel Jones this week.
Running backs: Stick with Christian McCaffrey come playoff time.
Wide receivers: With concerns at quarterback, downgrade Jaylen Waddle.
Tight ends: George Kittle will look to stay hot heading into the postseason.
Flex: PPR machine Keenan Allen will deliver against Jacksonville.
Defenses: Avoid the Ravens’ defense against Joe Burrow’s Bengals.
Kickers: Roll with Tyler Bass at home against Miami.
Stat Projections
Quarterbacks: Look for Josh Allen to light up the Dolphins’ defense.
Running backs: Travis Etienne Jr. could be in for a strong playoff debut.
Wide receivers: Darius Slayton and K.J. Osborn are both passable plays.
Tight ends: Look out for T.J. Hockenson, who went off against the Giants in Week 16.
And if you’re already getting started on your fantasy football research for next season, check out Michael Fabiano’s list of the top 50 fantasy players for 2023 and read Matt De Lima’s piece on surprise 2023 stars who could emerge in the NFL’s postseason.
Georgia Favored to Pull Off Three-Peat in 2024
The Bulldogs completed their repeat Monday night in dominant fashion, thrashing the Horned Frogs 65-7 in the College Football Playoff National Championship. The 13-point spread seemed large before the game, but Georgia ended up covering it many times over in a contest where UGA cleared the over all by itself.
And the early indication is that Kirby Smart could be knocking on the door of a third consecutive title next season, according to the early futures odds. Below are the top 10 teams with the best odds to win the next national championship.
Georgia: +300
Ohio State: +600
Alabama: +650
Michigan: +750
USC: +1100
Clemson: +1600
Penn State: +1700
LSU: +1700
Tennessee: +1700
Texas: +2000
For more forward-looking college football coverage, check out SI’s way-too-early Top 25 rankings, headlined by Georgia at No. 1 and TCU at No. 9, coming off its first playoff appearance.
In Other News
Celtics on Top in NBA Midseason Power Rankings: Teams across the NBA are hitting the 41-game threshold, which means the regular season is already halfway over. See how all 30 teams stack up with 40 or so games to go and which teams are near Boston for the No. 1 spot.
Home and Away Opponents Released for 2023 NFL Schedule: The entire schedule, complete with dates and times, will not come out until May, but with division standings set, all of the home and away matchups for the league’s 32 teams have been decided for the coming season.
Carlos Correa Returns to the Twins on Six-Year Deal: Pending a physical, the All-Star shortstop is returning to Minnesota. This follows larger, longer deals with the Giants and Mets that fell through due to medical concerns.
Going forward, Winners Club will be coming to your inbox on Wednesdays and Fridays. Thanks for reading—I’ll talk to you again before the playoffs begin.
