Super Bowl 54: Top Fantasy Players, Projections for 49ers vs. Chiefs

Super Bowl LIV will be the last game of the 2019 NFL season, meaning it's also your last chance for some NFL fantasy action. Whether you're in a postseason league or just getting your DFS fix, Sunday's game will be a big one.

Super Bowls can be tricky when it comes to predicting individual performances. Teams have had extra time to prepare for one another, and the grand stage can make a superstar out of almost anyone.

The last two Super Bowl MVPs were Julian Edelman and Nick Foles.

When the San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs face off on Sunday, there will be plenty of premium fantasy talent on the field. The question is which players absolutely must be in your lineup. Let's take a look.

Patrick Mahomes, QB, Kansas City Chiefs

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes isn't quite as much of a slam-dunk fantasy pick as one might think. Yes, he's a stat-producing machine most weeks, but he is facing a fearsome 49ers pass rush and a defense that allowed just 169.2 passing yards per game during the regular season, the best number in the NFL.

Led by rookie edge-rusher Nick Bosa, the 49ers defensive front has humbled many a quarterback this year.

"He's a monster," Mahomes said of Bosa ahead of the game, per Paul Schwartz of the New York Post.

Yet, there are two things to keep in mind here. For starters, Mahomes is a capable runner who is likely to pick up some yards on the ground. He had 53 rushing yards in each of his two postseason games and ran for a touchdown against the Tennessee Titans.

Even if Mahomes doesn't run to paydirt, extra points from rushing are always welcome.

The other thing to consider is the only other option. While Jimmy Garoppolo is a capable starter—and probably an acceptable pick in most regular-season matchups—the 49ers are more likely to lean on their ground game than their quarterback.

Projection: 310 passing yards, two passing TD, one INT, 58 rushing yards

Raheem Mostert, RB, San Francisco 49ers

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Garoppolo isn't likely to see as many throwing opportunities as Mahomes because San Francisco fields a top-tier rushing attack. It starts with head coach Kyle Shanahan and his creative, up-tempo scheme, but the 49ers also have the players to deliver.

San Francisco's backfield will include Tevin Coleman, who suffered a dislocated shoulder in the NFC title game.

"They're going to be good to go," Shanahan said of Coleman, linebacker Kwon Alexander and safety Jaquiski Tartt, per NFL.com's Nick Shook.

With Coleman, Raheem Mostert and Matt Breida healthy, the 49ers will be able to keep a fresh and talented runner on the field at all times. That makes them extremely dangerous against the Chiefs' 26th-ranked run defense.

Of course, having a trio of backs also makes it difficult to settle on a fantasy standout. The top 49ers rusher might not be a big improvement over, say, Damien Williams of Kansas City.

With Mahomes leading the Chiefs in rushing for the postseason, though, it's safer to stick with one of San Francisco's backs. Of them, Mostert is the most enticing. He's coming off a 220-yard game in the NFC Championship Game and led San Francisco in rushing during the regular season.

Projection: 95 rushing yards, three receptions, 30 receiving yards, one TD

Tyreek Hill, WR, Kansas City Chiefs

Charles Rex Arbogast/Associated Press

The Chiefs will likely pass more often than the 49ers—at least, that's probably the game plan coming into Sunday. Because of this, Kansas City wide receiver Tyreek Hill gets the nod over 49ers receivers Deebo Samuel and Emmanuel Sanders.

Hill also gets a slight edge over teammate Sammy Watkins, who actually has more receiving yards in the postseason. This is because of the zone defense San Francisco bases its coverage around.

In Kansas City's first two postseason games, the Houston Texans and Tennessee Titans put a lot of emphasis on containing Hill, which opened the door for Watkins to shine. It will be tougher for the 49ers to double Hill if they stick to their typical zone scheme.

This means that Hill and Watkins should have relatively equal opportunities to find holes in San Francisco's secondary. Of the two, Hill is far and away the more explosive player.

Projection: six receptions, 96 receiving yards, one TD

George Kittle, TE, San Francisco 49ers

Stephen Brashear/Associated Press

Really, you can't go wrong with either of the top tight ends in this game.

Travis Kelce was virtually unstoppable against the Texans in the divisional round—he had 134 receiving yards and three touchdowns—and is quite capable of taking over a game by himself.

49ers tight end George Kittle is equally as dangerous. He finished the regular season with 1,053 receiving yards and five touchdowns and had a 13-catch, 134-yard game in Week 15. While Kittle hasn't been as prolific of a pass-catcher as Kelce—Kelce had nearly 200 more yards in the regular season—he's probably more important to his offense.

This is why Kittle gets a minuscule edge over Kelce for the Super Bowl. When the 49ers are in passing situations, Kittle will be Garoppolo's first, and likely often, only read.

The Chiefs have a plethora of pass-catching targets and won't be inclined to force the ball to Kelce if the 49ers find a way to contain him. The margin between the two tight ends, however, is extremely narrow.

Projection: eight receptions, 92 receiving yards, one TD

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