Media by Associated Press – San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel (19) warms up before an NFL divisional round playoff football game against the Dallas Cowboys, Sunday, Jan. 22, 2023, in Santa Clara, Calif. (AP Photo/Scot Tucker)
For all four teams remaining, the Super Bowl is only one step away. Players want to find a way to get the ball across the goal line so they can continue to push the team forward toward the ultimate goal. Here’s a look at four players who will find a way to score on Sunday.
Deebo Samuel, WR, San Francisco 49ers, +150
The San Francisco 49ers receiver is always the center of attention for the opposing team’s game plan. Samuel had a slow week by his standards in the NFC Divisional round against Dallas. He only caught four passes for 45 yards.
However, that performance came after he caught six passes for 133 yards and a touchdown during the 49ers’ first-round win over the Seattle Seahawks. In both playoff games, Samuel was also utilized in the rushing game, having seven combined carries over two games. With quarterback Brock Purdy looking under fire last week, the 49ers will be looking for ways to be creative to get Samuel the ball this week.
DeVonta Smith, WR, Philadelphia Eagles, +148
The 49ers have an excellent defense, but their main weakness may rear its head against the Eagles. San Francisco’s defense is ranked 27th in the league on allowing pass completions of 20 or more yards. The 49ers will face a passing offense that has several deep threats in the Eagles and a quarterback, Jalen Hurts, who loves to sling the ball downfield.
Smith finished ninth in the league with 1,196 receiving yards and also caught 95 passes and seven touchdowns. Smith had a strong performance against the Giants in the divisional round. He caught ten passes for 61 yards and a score.
Travis Kelce, TE, Kansas City Chiefs, -117
The Chiefs, and Kelce’s, fortunes all rest on the ankle of quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes, who sprained his ankle during a win over Jacksonville last week, is playing this weekend, and everyone is insisting he’s fine. However, anyone who has ever had a sprained ankle knows recovery isn’t quite so simple, especially if you are going to have a number of angry people chasing after you.
Kelce will be one of Mahomes’ top targets to try and get rid of the ball quickly. He had a busy day during the AFC Divisional round. Kelce caught 14 passes for 98 yards, including two touchdowns. Kelce has been an effective redzone target all season, finishing second in the NFL with 12 touchdowns. In a revenge game against the Bengals, Kelce should find a way to score.
Tee Higgins, WR, Cincinnati Bengals, +148
Higgins has had another strong season. He went over 1,000 yards in the regular season and has caught seven of the ten passes thrown his way in the playoffs. During the first meeting between Cincinnati and Kansas City, Higgins caught five passes for 35 yards and a touchdown during a 27-24 Bengals’ win on Dec. 4 in Cincinnati.
The Bengals will be feeling the pressure to get back to the Super Bowl. Cincinnati will lean on its passing game to help them try to march on to the next round.
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