The NFL Divisional Round is here, and fantasy football continues into the postseason. This week brings us a four-game slate on DraftKings that kicks-off on Saturday and carries into Sunday. Here are some plays to consider at each position.
QUARTERBACK
Drew Brees ($6,700) vs. PHI — I think Brees could go a little overlooked on this slate with some appealing value options and Patrick Mahomes ($7,000) generally the most popular QB to pay up for. Let’s not forget Brees averages 27.5 DKFP at home, including 33.5 against the Eagles back in Week 11. Brees should be fresh having rested the last two weeks.
Andrew Luck ($6,200) at KC — The Colts are a trendy pick in this one, and even with the weather concerns, they’ll likely need a lot of offense to keep up with KC. Nobody allowed more DKFP this season to QB than the Chiefs, and Luck’s playing as well as any QB right now.
RUNNING BACK
Ezekiel Elliott ($8,200) at LAR — Zeke is the safest play on the slate, as we can guarantee a huge workload for him. Dallas loves to pound the rock, which conveniently is the best way to attack the Rams’ defense. Look for Elliott to rack up yards on his typical 30 or so touches. He’s worth paying up for.
Damien Williams ($5,100) vs. IND — Williams is my favorite salary saver at any position. Spencer Ware could factor into a chance of pace role, but Williams has essentially been plugged into Kareem Hunt’s old role (and has been rewarded with a contract). Williams has a role at the goal line and in the passing game, which has him averaging 22.8 DKFP over his last four. This is a huge discount for a featured back in one of the league’s most dangerous offenses.
James White ($4,900) vs. LAC — New England’s backfield is now a three-way timeshare, but let’s not forget how vital White is to this offense. He can be the focal point of the passing game at times, but also provides a safe floor with his rushing ability. White reached as much as $8,800 this season, so this is a fantastic discount for someone who also happens to have scored touchdowns in each of his last four playoff games.
WIDE RECEIVER
Michael Thomas ($7,900) vs. PHI — If you’re playing Brees, it’d be a good ideal to stack him with Thomas. But even MT alone is an extremely strong play. In the seven home games he played with Brees on the field this season, Thomas averaged 26.5 DKFP.
T.Y. Hilton ($6,700) at KC — The only knock on Hilton is that he hasn’t played as well outdoors this season, but otherwise he’s in a smash spot. The KC defense has let up big plays all season, and Hilton is the exact type of WR that can rip those plays off.
Julian Edelman ($6,300) vs. LAC — Edelman’s been extremely consistent since he got on the field in Week 5, scoring double-digit DKFP in 11 of his 12 games. Much like White, Edelman’s a safe play because we know Tom Brady ($5,600) will be looking his way. The Chargers’ elite pass rush might help force Brady to get rid of the ball quickly, which would likely mean a lot of targets for JE11.
Robert Woods ($5,900) vs. DAL — You wouldn’t think of Woods in the same category as Edelman, but he’s essentially been the same player for Los Angeles. The only games he didn’t reach double-digit DKFP were Weeks 1 and 17, leaving a 15-game streak of 12-plus DKFP in-between. The Cowboys have a solid defense that can eliminate some of the big plays on the outside, so Woods could see more chances in the slot.
TIGHT END
Travis Kelce ($7,000) vs. IND — If you have the salary, Kelce is a really strong play. The Colts allowed the third-most DKFP to the TE position this season, the issue is simply affording Kelce. With Zeke and Thomas more popular plays, and TE value on the board, you should get low ownership here in tournaments.
Rob Gronkowski ($4,600) vs. LAC — Part of the reason I think Kelce will go overlooked is because you have Gronk at such a cheaper price tag. It’s been a rough season for Gronk, but coming off the bye it could be time for the Patriots to finally let him loose. If that’s the case, Gronk could be one of the top plays on the slate.
Gerald Everett ($2,700) vs. DAL — This is a nice spot to dig all the way down for value and open up the rest of your lineup. Obviously, Everett is nowhere close to the type of play Kelce and Gronk can be, but tossing Week 17 out the window, he’s seen 20 targets in his last three games. You can get 5-10 DKFP here and that could be welcomed.
DEFENSE
Rams D/ST ($3,000) vs. DAL — Look, these are all of the best teams in the NFL, so it’s tough to have confidence selecting any defense. Monitor the weather in both of the AFC games, because harsh conditions could make playing any of those D/ST the best value. Assuming no blizzards come through and change any of these situations, I have the most faith in the Rams. Dallas has been significantly worse on offense on the road this season, while the Rams are just bursting with talent on defense. This D/ST has the capability to put up points no matter what — they miraculously scored 21 DKFP in a game they allowed 51 real points to the Chiefs.
