Fantasy football season is over, but there’s no reason we can’t have some fun in the playoffs. Here are some DFS suggestions (and possible prop plays) I’m looking forward to for Wild Card weekend.
Players to target
QB Jayden Daniels $35
Tampa Bay’s defense has been a funnel all year – stifling the run and getting caught by the pass. That puts the game in Daniels’ hands to begin with, and he’s been a dynamic runner for most of the year, with a brief exception when a rib injury bothered him. Daniels had 88 rushing yards in the matchup between these teams in September, and I expect another explosive running game from the rookie star.
QB Bo Nix $25
The Broncos did not hide Nix during the regular season, as the Broncos ranked sixth in success rate above expectations. Nix’s rushing stats have been up and down, but he has been a more proactive runner in his last four games. The weather forecast is also unseasonably mild for the Buffalo area, giving the Denver players some extra strength for one-off games.
QB Sam Darnold $29
The cost is seven dollars more than Matthew Stafford’s salary on Monday, but that’s a check I’m going to cut. Darnold was a breakthrough four months this year; I’m not going to throw that away because the Lions ate his lunch in Week 18. The Vikings already have tape on the Rams, Kevin O’Connell is a sharp coach I trust and the LAR defense is probably the worst of the teams running the play -offs.
RB Bucky Irving $32
It’s not a cheap ticket, but it’s also eight dollars cheaper than Saquon Barkley’s. Tampa Bay landed Irving when it returned from the bye week, and Washington has the worst run-defense DVOA (26th) among playoff teams.
WR Khalil Shakir $25
Buffalo has struggled to find consistent play from its outside receivers this year, and it’s pretty clear that someone in this matchup will essentially be sacrificed to Denver’s cover ace, Patrick Surtain II. But the look is usually clean for Shakir, who is the easiest to read and probably the best route if Allen needs to make a quick throw. Shakir is the one thing to put your watch on in this passing offense.
Subscribe Yahoo Fantasy Prediction on Apple podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.
WR Olamide Zaccheaus $16
Every DFS lineup needs money-saving play somewhere, and Zaccheaus can be that guy. Note that his role grew in the latter stages of the season: he had 51, 85 and 70 yards in his final three weeks. Skate to where the puck is going.
WR Jalen McMillan $27
With Mike Evans likely to match up with Marshon Lattimore, McMillan’s role will likely expand. And the rookie from Tampa improved significantly, scoring seven touchdowns in his last five games.
TE Tucker Kraft $16
The salary isn’t a giveaway, but the Packers currently have a cluttered wide receiver room and they’re finding ways to make Kraft appear most weeks. The athletic Kraft has catches of 20 yards or longer in five straight weeks, showing nifty run-after-catch ability and fitting well in Green Bay’s screen packages.
TE Isaiah Probably $11
Most weeks it’s tough to slot Likely into your lineup, but with star WR Zay Flowers out of the picture, the Ravens are incentivized to find a hybrid role for the uber-athletic Likely. This is a point game with a plausible advantage.
Players fade away
QB Russell Wilson $24
I understand, you see the cheap salary and you think about paying off at quarterback. I’m afraid it’s a trap. Pittsburgh has the lowest projected team total of the weekend, and Wilson has stumbled down the stretch (four straight losses and a YPA of 5.2 over his last two games). And it’s not like there’s an obvious receiver to associate with Wilson; George Pickens is also in trouble, and someone I’ll fade even for the reasonable price of $20.
QB Matthew Stafford $22
It hasn’t been a productive year for the older quarterbacks, and that includes Stafford, who turns 37 in February. His last three weeks may have scared you: 153 yards per game, just one touchdown, 5.6 YPA. Cooper Kupp is another Aries veteran I’m going to avoid.
WR AJ Brown $35
It was almost as if Brown was traded back to the Titans, averaging a modest 7.46 goals per game. The Eagles rank 30th in success rate above expectations; this is an offense that runs to set up more running. And we know that when Philadelphia gets close, Jalen Hurts owns all the touchdowns. Brown’s salary is too expensive for my Sunday builds.