Welcome back to the best NFL PrizePicks predictions, conference championship edition. We’ve reached the final four, and we have two great games to watch on Sunday. Chiefs-Ravens will kick off the action at 3 p.m. ET in Baltimore with temperatures in the 40s and a chance of rain. The Ravens are favored by 3.5 points in a game with a total of 44.5. Lions-49ers will kick off at 6:30 p.m. ET in San Francisco with temperatures near 70 and dry. The 49ers are favored by 7.5 points, and the total is 51.5.
Selecting the right projections may be challenging, but with the assistance of OddsShopper’s NFL PrizePicks optimizer and thorough research, we’ve got you covered. Let’s dive into the best PrizePicks NFL picks and player predictions for Jan 28, starting with Christian McCaffrey. Need more action? Our PrizePicks optimizer has plenty more picks waiting for you to view, and our PrizePicks guide can help you make the sharpest plays possible.
PrizePicks NFL Player Predictions: Christian McCaffrey & More
Christian McCaffrey M/L 0.5 Rushing Yards
PrizePicks is giving us a shot at easy money with this Christian McCaffrey free square. All he needs to do is rush for 1 yard, and this pick is a winner. Luckily it’s only 1 yard because the Lions have a stout run defense. They allowed just 88.8 rushing yards per game this year and held the Rams to 68 rushing yards in the Wild Card round and the Buccaneers to 89 rushing yards last week.
Does any of that matter when it comes to Christian McCaffrey? Maybe, maybe not. He led the NFL with 1,459 rushing yards on 5.4 yards per attempt. His 91.2 rushing yards per game were second only to Kyren Williams of the Rams. If you’re looking for other McCaffrey plays, though, I would likely go under on his 89.5 projection, as most books have this line at 86.5. Remember, you can wager up to $25 on discounted entries on PrizePicks. Let’s take this free square and see who we can pair it with.
Best PrizePicks NFL Player Prediction: Christian McCaffrey More Than 0.5 Rushing Yards
If you’re looking for some more pick’em action this weekend, Underdog Fantasy has a new customer special for Christian McCaffrey. All he needs to do is gain one total yard and this pick is a winner! Remember, you need at least two picks for a successful Underdog Fantasy entry, and if you’re looking to find the highest-EV Underdog Fantasy picks, OddsShopper Premium has the No. 1 pick’em projections out there! Click here to see if Underdog Fantasy is legal in your state.
Mecole Hardman M/L 9.5 Receiving Yards
Mecole Hardman is on the struggle bus right now. After playing 27 snaps in the divisional round against Miami, he logged just 19 snaps last week against Buffalo. He’s been used as a kick returner and also the Chiefs’ fourth receiver at times. He saw just one target last week but had two fumbles! With so much on the line this weekend, I don’t know if Patrick Mahomes will trust him to make a play and throw the ball in his direction.
Even if Hardman does see a target or two, this is not a good matchup for wide receivers. The Ravens ranked eighth in pass defense this season, allowing just 139.9 yards to wide receivers. C.J. Stroud is not Mahomes, but the Ravens held Stroud to just 175 yards passing and just 19 completions. If we take a look at OddsShopper, we are getting a 4% EV with -130 true odds on less than for this play.
Best PrizePicks NFL Player Prediction: Mecole Hardman Less Than 9.5 Receiving Yards
Brandon Aiyuk M/L 80.5 Receiving Yards
Brandon Aiyuk averaged 83.9 yards per game this season and led the 49ers with 78 receptions and 107 targets. The Packers contained him last week, as he recorded just three receptions on six targets for 32 yards. However, the 49ers won that game with defense and running the ball behind McCaffrey, who finished with 128 total yards and two touchdowns. The matchup with the Lions is a bit different than the Packers. The Lions funnel offenses to pass with their stout run defense that ranked fifth in the NFL this season. The Lions allowed Mike Evans to record 147 receiving yards last week, while Puka Nacua tallied 181 yards in the Wild Card round.
This game has a healthy total of 51.5 points, and the 49ers are favored by 7.5 points in San Francisco. The Lions defense allowed 181.2 receiving yards per game to wide receivers this year, the third most in the NFL. This is a great matchup for Aiyuk, and with Deebo Samuel banged up, we could see Aiyuk play a larger role this week.
Best PrizePicks NFL Player Prediction: Brandon Aiyuk More Than 80.5 Receiving Yards
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