Winners Club: Super Bowl MVP and Fantasy Plays, Plus NBA News and Reactions

Should you bet Stafford to win MVP? Or go with a value bet? Our writers discuss that and more ahead of Super Bowl LVI.

Happy Friday! What a week in sports it’s been, and we still have one more week until the Super Bowl kicks off. That’s where we begin the latest edition of Winners Club.

Super Bowl

Single-Game Fantasy Rankings

Jason Behnken/AP

Standing out in DFS became more and more difficult each week of the postseason. With so few options, it’s essential to have not only the top performer (for this week, Cooper Kupp) but also the dart throw of a lifetime (Kendall Blanton? Ben Skowronek?). Michael Fabiano ranks the top fantasy options ahead of Super Bowl LVI.

Super Bowl MVP Roundtable: Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is the favorite to win Most Valuable Player at +105. Our writers made their picks to win the most important award in the biggest game of the year and a few defensive players got some love.

Joe Burrow Speaks on Finger Injury: Cincinnati’s quarterback addressed his injured right pinky, which he originally hurt in Week 13. He said it doesn’t bother him when he’s throwing the ball anymore.

Super Bowl Odds: Visit SI Sportsbook to place all of your bets on the big game. There’s plenty of posted player props available from touchdowns and receiving yards all the way down to field goals and sacks.

NBA Action

All-Star Snubs and Surprises

Aaron Gash/AP

The Crossover staff discussed which players from the East and West deserved to be an All-Star reserve, which players didn’t and their biggest surprises about the final rosters (replacements aside).

Clippers beat Lakers on Last-Second Layup: The Clippers took the second meeting of the season with their crosstown rivals thanks to some late-game heroics by Reggie Jackson. For the NBA “SO/UP” betting crowd, the Lakers still covered +2.5.

Western Conference Futures: Unsure which team to bet to come out of the West? The Warriors are the favorites and the Suns are close behind. Is there a third, dark horse team worth picking? See what our writers have to say.

Essential Reading

March Madness Bracketology Update

Craig Lassig/AP

Check in with Kevin Sweeney to get a comprehensive picture of the Field of 68. Is your alma mater a lock? Or are they on the bubble? Sweeney has the answer along with regional breakdowns.

Winter Olympics Coverage: Some events have already begun, but the Opening Ceremony was aired early Friday morning. Keep up with all of the events in Beijing at si.com/olympics.

Pro Bowl Betting: If you cannot wait for the Super Bowl next week, there are odds out on SI Sportsbook for the Pro Bowl, which will be played on Sunday. The AFC is favored by 1.5 points and the Over/Under is set at 62.5.

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Thank you for reading Winners Club. I’ll be back in your inbox Monday morning. Enjoy your weekend!