Super Bowl 53: Top Fantasy Players, Projections for Patriots vs. Rams

There is a handful of intriguing fantasy football options to use for Super Bowl 53, but a few players must be added to your lineup. 

The New England Patriots and Los Angeles Rams have had a few standout stars during their run to Mercedes-Benz Stadium, and some of those top names are expected to deliver once again Sunday. 

Since offense has dominated the last two Super Bowls, it's worth adding a few wide receivers to your squad, but don't forget about the dominant running backs participating in Sunday's contest. 

The projections for some of the top fantasy players can be made based on past performances in the Super Bowl, while the predictions for others have to take their recent stat lines into account. 

Top Fantasy Players and Projections

Sony Michel 

Sony Michel has been nothing short of spectacular for the Patriots during the postseason. 

The rookie running back out of Georgia has 242 rushing yards and five touchdowns in New England's playoff wins over the Los Angeles Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs. 

The pair of 100-yard performances came after he ran for 116 yards and a touchdown in Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills. 

Michel is one of the beneficiaries of the superb performances coming from the New England offensive line, a unit that hasn't conceded a sack in the postseason. 

David Eulitt/Getty Images

New England's offense faces a massive test Sunday, as it has to limit the effectiveness of defensive linemen Aaron Donald and Ndamukong Suh.

The Patriots controlled the impact of a star-studded Kansas City defensive front in the AFC Championship Game, but Donald represents a step up in competition over Dee Ford and Chris Jones. 

As long as Michel is able to avoid Donald and Suh in the backfield and his offensive line contains Los Angeles' front four, the 31st overall pick in the 2018 NFL draft should produce another impressive stat line. 

Projection: 105 rushing yards, touchdown 

Brandin Cooks 

Brandin Cooks has caught almost everything thrown at him during the postseason.

The Rams wide receiver has hauled in 11 of the 14 Jared Goff passes to him in the last two games. 

Streeter Lecka/Getty Images

However, Cooks only has two touchdowns since Week 10, with both of them coming in Week 17 against San Francisco. 

In order to be one of the elite players in Super Bowl 53 and contend to be the game's MVP, Cooks needs to find the end zone. 

His skill set could get him into the end zone on deep passes, which Sean McVay should consider when dialing up plays. 

On a personal level, Cooks should have an extra bit of motivation to thrive in the Super Bowl a year after he was knocked out of the game with an injury as a member of the Patriots. 

Projection: 90 receiving yards, touchdown 

Julian Edelman

Brady may not have the most skilled receivers on the field Sunday, but he has some of the most reliable options. 

Wide receiver Julian Edelman is one of the targets expected to receive a heavy dose of attention from Brady. 

In New England's first two postseason games, Edelman recorded 16 receptions for 247 yards, which is a good sign for his Super Bowl production. 

Charlie Neibergall/Associated Press

Edelman comes into Super Bowl 53 with five career 100-yard receiving games in the playoffs, and he has two more games in which he produced over 90 yards.

In Super Bowl 49, Edelman hauled in nine receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown, while he picked up five receptions for 87 yards in Super Bowl 51. 

Given his wealth of postseason success, Edelman has to be considered one of the top fantasy options, and he might just be the best player available.

Projection: 115 receiving yards, TD 

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Statistics obtained from Pro Football Reference.