Jets vs. 49ers: Monday Night Football Picks for DFS

Football is back in full swing and to end NFL Week 1, we have a star-studded matchup on Monday Night Football between the Jets and 49ers.

The New York Jets, now led by a healthy Aaron Rodgers, travel to the west coast to face the 2023 NFC champion San Francisco 49ers.

Below, we’ll take a look at some of the best Monday Night Football picks on PrizePicks for the Jets vs. 49ers showdown, including a demon pick to boost your payout, and a goblin pick if you’re looking for something safe.

Jets vs. 49ers: Time, TV, Location

Date: Monday, September 9, 2024

Time: 8:20 p.m. ET kickoff

Location: Levi’s Stadium, Santa Clara, Ca.

TV: ABC, ESPN, ESPN+ (streaming)

These two teams' seasons went completely different directions in 2023, although both brought their fans pain in the end. 

The Jets were left with uncertainty all season after QB Aaron Rodgers went down four snaps into the season. They finished the season 7-10 and missed the Playoffs. 

San Francisco was unable to complete its championship due to being bested by the Kansas City Chiefs in the Super Bowl.

Sign up on PrizePicks with promo code “Playbook” and get $50 instantly when you play your first $5 NFL lineup

‍

Jets vs. 49ers: Monday Night Football DFS Picks

RB Christian McCaffery: 75.5 Rush yards — MORE

Christian McCaffery is the most dominant running back in the NFL. The New York Jets have a stout defense, but the sole focus of this 49ers offense is the consensus first overall fantasy football draft pick this year. 

The 49ers have one of the most skilled offensive units in the league, so the odds of San Francisco jumping out to a large lead remains highly likely. This will allow McCaffery to get additional touches on top of his expected carries as they try to close out the game on the ground.

This seems to be a fairly easy projection for McCaffery to cash, as he reached this projection in 14 of 19 games in 2023, including the playoffs. With tackle Trent Williams back at practice and leading the offensive line, McCaffery should have a very successful game on his way to another big time season.

WR Deebo Samuel: 21.5 Receiving yards in first 2 receptions — MORE

One of the biggest beneficiaries of the 49ers having such a stacked offense is Deebo Samuel. Samuel is the WR2 on the 49ers’ roster as Brandon Aiyuk ended his holdout after signing a four-year deal to stay on the team. Complementing the run game, all the attention should be off of Samuel to have a strong start to the season.

Although the Jets have the third-best defense in the league in passing yards per game allowed, Samuel should see some snaps against Qwan’tez Stiggers. Stiggers is listed as the LCB2 on the Jets’ depth chart and most of the coverage I expect to be in man given the skill players. 

The 49ers might look to bust this game open early so look for Samuel to find some open space in the defense.

Demon Pick: Garrett Wilson — 0.5 Rush+Rec TDs

Garrett Wilson headlines the wide receiver room for the Jets. There was concern that Wilson and Aaron Rodgers might not be on the same page earlier in the preseason, but I don’t see that being a problem now. 

The quarterback upgrade from Zach Wilson to Rodgers should automatically improve the Jets’ offense and give Wilson plenty of opportunities to score. The 49ers defense is top tier, but I think the Jets will make sure to get him involved on Monday, especially around the end zone.

Note: Demon picks add a payout boost to your lineup on PrizePicks, as they are more difficult projections to hit.

Goblin Pick: Aaron Rodgers 199.5 Passing Yards

My Goblin pick for this Monday is Aaron Rodgers passing yards. The 49ers defensive line will likely overpower the offensive line of the Jets — even with their offseason improvements — and stuff the run game, causing them to pass more. 

Rodgers hit this mark 12 times in the 2022 season in 17 games. Combined with Garrett Wilson on the outside, Breece Hall has proven to be a receiving threat which will allow Rodgers to hit multiple dump off passes for big yards to combat the pass rush of Javon Hargrave and company.

Note: Goblin picks reduce your payout on PrizePicks, as they are easier projections to hit.

Game Prediction: 49ers 27, Jets 17

As seen by the picks above, I doubt the Jets offense will be able to keep up with the explosive offense of the 49ers. Unless Mike Williams can step up to the challenge and have a crucial game on Monday, I believe San Francisco’s defense is just too impactful in the long run.

49ers QB Brock Purdy needs to find ways to get playmakers like McCaffery and Aiyuk in open space and let them work.

Rodgers and Wilson will likely capitalize more in garbage time once the 49ers have jumped out to a multiple touchdown lead. The Jets defensive unit may hold their own for the beginning of the game, but they will eventually give up too many big plays for Rodgers to stay in the mix.

Build Your Monday Night Football Lineup on PrizePicks

The picks are in, and the Monday Night Football board awaits on PrizePicks. The 49ers are primed for a show in Santa Clara, but can Rodgers and the Jets spoil the party in his return to the field? 

With two teams battling it out and players getting their first chance to shine on primetime, you get your chance to make the most of Week 1 of Monday Night Football on PrizePicks by choosing more or less on player projections.

It's all on the line: your knowledge, your picks, your chance to win real money. Lock in your lineup, sit back, and enjoy your first Monday Night game of the NFL season.

Sign up on PrizePicks with promo code “Playbook” and get $50 instantly when you play your first $5 NFL lineup

‍