In today's Fantasy Life Newsletter, presented by Underdog:
Sharing My Favorite Super Bowl LIX Picks
OK, we’re entering crunch time.
The Super Bowl is now four days away, which means it’s time to get our house in order.
And by house … I mean locking in our picks for the game.
Luckily for you guys, I’ve been deep in the lab whipping up a basket of picks to sweat and enjoy throughout the game.
Let me be completely transparent before I share the goods:
The goal of this exercise wasn’t to find the picks with the greatest edge relative to our projections (you can consult our Pick ‘Em tools for that), but rather to put together a group of picks that maximizes entertainment equity throughout the entire game.
I put together a similar card for my college buddies during the Divisional Round action and it was a big hit, so I’ve decided to do the same for you all.
There are four Underdog Pick ‘Em entries and they each have a theme:
THE CORE: Two high-conviction picks that will be relevant throughout the entire game.
THE TUDDIES: Two players to score a TD. Clean and simple.
ONE PLAY: Two picks that can get home in a single play (longest rush, etc.).
THE HAIL MARY: Sliding two players capable of big games for a bigger payout.
For my core, I’m rolling with:
Travis Kelce—higher 6.5 receptions (1.1x)
Saquon Barkley—higher 22.5 rushing attempts (1.04x)
Both of these dudes are the engines of their respective offenses, so this entry gives you a solid rooting interest on every offensive snap.
For the rest of my picks (and links to tail), check out the full article up now on FantasyLife.com.
And if you are new to Underdog, be sure to check out an offer for a free pick below …
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A Tourist’s Guide To Super Bowl LIX
A Super Bowl in the Big Easy? Sounds like chaos, in all the best ways.
Whether you’re lucky enough to trek down to NOLA for the big game or enjoying it from the comfort of your couch like the majority of us, you’re going to get a kick out of cooterdoodle’s crash course on New Orleans culture.
Move aside Rick Steves, cooterdoodle is on the case …
Know The Enemies
No ATL Falcons Gear. Sorry, but the rivalry is real. Even if you're not a fan of the New Orleans Saints, everyone here knows we don't like the Falcons.
We Don't Like Those Guys. If you hear anyone talking about football, you'll probably want to make a disapproving stink face if anyone mentions the names Dennis Allen or Micky Loomis. Just trust me.
Know Your Eats
The Holy Trinity. Most of our delicious recipes have three ingredients in common. The Holy Trinity: Onions, bell peppers, and celery. NOM NOM NOM NOM.
The Gumbo Wars. The Gumbo Wars are real. Roux: Homemade or jar? Protein: Seafood or chicken and sausage? Tomatoes: Do they go in a gumbo? Yes or hell f*cking no. I can't tell you the right answer, because it depends on who you're asking. Just be aware that it's a touchy subject.
Potato Salad. It's totally A-OK to put your potato salad INTO your gumbo. Just like you would with your rice.
Jambalaya. This is more rice-y than a gumbo, and does not require a roux. Still yummy.
Etouffee. Man, we really have some good food. Don't we? An etouffee is more "gravy-like" than a gumbo and the protein is usually shellfish related.
GOOD FOOD. EVERYWHERE. Don't feel like you have to hit up the “big names” like Cafe Du Monde or any other highly praised restaurant. The food is good here. Like, almost anyone's home kitchen has something delicious cooking on the stove. Don't be afraid to try out a lesser-known hole-in-the-wall restaurant.
THE NOLA BEER SCENE, CULTURE SHOCK, AND MORE
The latest fantasy nuggets, silliness, and NFL gossip from our merry band of football nerds:
🎉📈 Everyone loves a Super Bowl party, and we have your shareable so you don’t show up empty-handed.
😋 Manzo and Coach Gene plan the perfect Super Bowl Party. Bring your appetite.
⚜️ Who will be under center for the Saints in 2025? That remains to be seen.
📉 A QB dropping out of Round 1 after a turbulent Senior Bowl? Nobody’s stock may be falling faster …
📣 Kendall talked to an NFL insider and got the scoop on who could be the Saints’ new HC.
🤣 Jameis Winston stole the show at the Super Bowl. He’s too fun.
🗒️ Who still needs a coach? Handy sheet to reference.
📆 The Combine is around the corner. Here are the key dates.
🍋 How would you rank the top-5 Fantasy RBs for 2025? Matthew makes some hard decisions.
Will Kendrick Lamar Join The Best Of The Best?
As is tradition, many viewers will be just as eager for the Super Bowl halftime performance as they will be for the game itself.
With Kendrick Lamar set to headline the 15-minute intermission and SZA lined up to join him, we asked Chris Allen what he thought the BEST Super Bowl halftime shows of all time were.
While he ranked his top-10 performances of all time, there were a few of the rankings that stuck out more than others …
#9 (2017) Super Bowl LI
Lady Gaga
As she’s done throughout most of her career, Lady Gaga didn’t adhere to the norms.
I just laid out the components of a stereotypical, acceptable halftime show. Give me some pop music, fold in some rock, and keep me dancing for 15 minutes. The blueprint is pretty straightforward. And it works! However, I should’ve deferred to an actual artist.
Lady Gaga was the first solo headliner since 2010, when The Who took the stage, and the first woman solo headliner in over 20 years (Diana Ross, ’96). She still hit most of the high notes, though. Called out Texas (the game was at NRG Stadium in Houston) during “Poker Face.” Rocked out on a keyboard guitar during “Just Dance.” And she wound up with the fifth-highest viewership of all time by herself.
Credit where it's due for pulling off one of the best shows of the 2010s.
#5 (2013) Super Bowl XLVII
Beyonce, Destiny’s Child
“Oh, that’s Beyonce.” – My Wife
Through the fog and with only a superimposed outline, my wife knew who was performing before the music started. After the vocals stopped, both of us were exhausted just watching the choreography. She was either strutting or dancing at all times. But one of the best parts was she wasn’t up there doing it all by herself.
Beyonce up there with the rest of Destiny’s Child was like the final assembly of The Avengers in Endgame to some. They’d formally disbanded nearly a decade ago, but all it took was three songs for everyone to remember dominance in the early ‘00s. Combined with Beyonce wrapping up her set with “Halo,” football became the sideshow with her on stage.
#2 (1993) Super Bowl XXVII
Michael Jackson
I’ll be honest. I don’t think I want to have the power capable of just standing in place and people screaming.
Only one man had that kind of strength over a crowd.
I (briefly) forgot about Michael Jackson’s legacy, his influence, and his music, and I based my ranking of his halftime show on the first 90 seconds.
He just stood there.
The fans on the field are losing their minds, and the only thing moving around Jackson is the wind. He turns to his left. The noise increases. In the interest of being hyperbolic, in those two minutes, Michael Jackson got a standing ovation before saying a single syllable.
The data, because, of course, I had to bring evidence to a subjective (read completely objective) rankings piece, highlights Jackson’s 1993 show as the most-watched halftime event of all time. However, the choreography still has me in awe. He went from a standard band with backup dancers for “Jam” and “Billie Jean” to a children’s choir for “Heal the World,” with the entire stadium forming pictures of kids’ drawings. In retrospect, it was really nice of Jackson to allow the NFL to have a game around one of his concerts.
WHO HAD THE BEST? AND WHO WAS LEFT OFF THE LIST?
Super Bowl 59 week forges ahead, as does Fantasy Life Trivia.
As a reminder, we will include the correct answer to today’s trivia in tomorrow’s newsletter. Good luck!
Patrick Mahomes will make his fifth appearance in a Super Bowl on Sunday, putting him behind only Tom Brady’s 10 appearances. However, he’s not in sole possession of second. Who else has appeared in five Super Bowls at quarterback?
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