Following a grueling regular season and an exciting first few rounds of the playoffs, the time has come for the big game. Super Bowl 58 will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada, and it will feature a showdown between one of the greatest quarterbacks to play the game, Patrick Mahomes, against a former Mr. Irrelevant, Brock Purdy. However, Mahomes and the Chiefs have been listed as the underdogs. Instead of the spread or total, I decided to take a look at a different market — the touchdown scorers.
I have chosen a touchdown scorer best bet from each team as well as a 10/1 longshot pick at the end. So, enjoy the game, and let’s see some touchdowns!
Kansas City Chiefs touchdown scorer best bet: Travis Kelce (+100)
Available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
Travis Kelce did not have a phenomenal regular season. The future Hall of Fame tight end failed to reach 100 catches and only found the end zone 5 times in 15 games. It was abnormal from what we’ve come to expect. However, Kelce has been a completely different player in the playoffs. In 3 games he has 23 catches on 27 targets for 262 yards and 3 touchdowns. He has faced some elite secondaries so far against the Dolphins, Bills and Ravens, and he keeps finding a way to get open. For the Super Bowl, he has arguably his easiest matchup of the playoffs against the 49ers’ secondary. San Francisco’s defensive production has fallen off a cliff in the last few weeks, and the defensive line is barely getting any pressure on the quarterback. That is perfect for a quarterback like Patrick Mahomes, who rarely gets sacked in the first place.
Let’s take a step back and look at a bigger sample size than the last 3 games. In 21 career playoff games, Kelce has 156 catches, 1,810 yards and 19 touchdowns. In fact, Kelce has scored a touchdown in 10 of his last 12 playoff games. The only 2 games he failed to find the end zone in were the Wild Card Round against the Dolphins this year and Super Bowl 55 against the Buccaneers. He is my best bet to score a touchdown in Super Bowl 58.
Check out our San Francisco 49ers vs Kansas City Chiefs predictions
San Francisco 49ers touchdown scorer best bet: Deebo Samuel (+150)
Available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
For a high-powered offense like San Francisco’s, you would think it would be an easy decision. Well, it is if you’re picking Christian McCaffrey. But if you’re not interested in his incredibly steep odds like me, you have to look elsewhere. That’s when it gets tough because the Kansas City secondary is elite. That’s also why you can find Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle with fantastic odds because the oddsmakers simply don’t know who Brock Purdy is going to look for in the end zone. With that in mind, I turned my attention to a player who can both catch and run the ball — Deebo.
Samuel’s speed is a big reason why the Niners’ offense is so dynamic. He can be the deep-ball threat and the guy that gets the end-around, too, so he’s constantly being involved in the offense. Plus, as we saw in the AFC Championship game, the Chiefs’ defense has a tough time defending speed. Zay Flowers was finding a lot of space downfield against Kansas City’s secondary, so if Deebo can avoid being jammed at the line, he could use his speed to put 6 on the board for San Francisco. Because of his duel-threat abilities, Samuel is my best bet to score for the Niners.
Don’t miss our 49ers vs Chiefs Same Game Parlay (+700 odds!)
Super Bowl 58 Touchdown Longshot Best Bet: Kyle Juszczyk (+1000)
Available at FanDuel Sportsbook at time of publishing
If you’re looking for a value pick, look no further than Kyle Juszczyk. Juszczyk, or Juice as they call him, is a fullback who becomes involved in the game when the Niners are close to the goal line. His entire role in the offense depends on how close the 49ers are to the end zone. Christian McCaffrey will likely get several chances, but if San Francisco finds itself with just a few yards to go, don’t be surprised if Juszczyk gets a shot. He had one opportunity last week but came up just short of the goal line. Plus, he is also a threat for a few receptions. He had 2 catches on 3 targets for 33 yards against the Lions, which gives him another route to find the end zone if it’s not on the ground. At 10/1 odds, it’s worth a sprinkle.
Looking for another long shot? Here’s our Gatorade shower color best bets!