The NFL Playoffs have arrived! Although league play formats have packed it in for the season, DFS lineups remain live and well. Options will be limited, but there is still value to be had in this week’s four-game slate. Here’s a look at this week’s suggested plays in the Wild-Card edition of the NFL DFS DraftKings GPP Plays.
NFL DFS DraftKings GPP Plays for Wild-Card Weekend
DailyFantasyNerd DraftKings GPP Play of the Day
RB Jay Ajayi (MIA) @ PIT $6,800
Everyone knows what Le’Veon Bell is capable of, but at over $10,000 this week on DraftKings, fantasy players may have to look elsewhere. They can look no further than Jay Ajayi. Ajayi exploded against the Steelers in Week 6, a game that helped put him and the Dolphins on the map. His 204-yard rushing and two touchdown performance started a six-game winning streak for Miami that, eventually, turned into 9 out of 10 and a playoff berth. Ajayi has had two 200-yard games since then, but he’s had some fantasy misses in between them as well. This game has the look for a shootout, and Ajayi should find similar success to what he had in Week 6.
Quarterbacks
Russell Wilson (SEA) vs. DET $7,000Â
Wilson has been a fantasy disappointment for most of the season. However, he could live up to his preseason hype at least for one week when the Lions come in to town. Personally, I believe the Lions blew it down the stretch of the regular season, and will now see an early exit after a trip to Seattle. I predict this game will be a blowout in favor of the Seahawks, featured by a solid game from Wilson.
Matt Moore (MIA) @ PIT $5,100
The Dolphins are in the playoffs for the first time since 2008, and Matt Moore is a big reason why. Moore has been terrific in place of Ryan Tannehill. He’s thrown multiple touchdown passes in every start since Tannehill’s injury, and there’s a good chance that continues this week in a game featuring two suspect secondaries.
Other Notables:Â Eli Manning (NYG) @ GB $6,100, Brock Osweiler (HOU) vs. OAK $5,100
Running Backs
Lamar Miller (HOU) vs. OAK $6,100
In the playoffs, options at RB are rather thin. Unless you are willing to risk on a low-priced player that would be lucky to receive 10 touches throughout the game, chances are there will be a very high ownership regardless of who you choose. A strong majority of lineups will have Bell and/or Ajayi in their lineups, and budget around those players.
There is value to be had, however, outside of those players. Miller is the next best option, and although he’s had an up-and-down season, has found success in recent weeks. In addition to scoring in each of the past two weeks, Miller had one of his better games this year in Oakland back in Week 11. Osweiler is back under center, but don’t rule out 20+ touches for Miller on Saturday.
Love our content? Check out the GoingFor2 Live Podcast Network!
Latavius Murray (OAK) @ HOU $5,000
Murray has fallen out of place these past few weeks, becoming a concern for fantasy owners. His five carries last week were a season low, but I believe it was to give Murray some form of rest for the playoffs. The Raiders are now left with their 3rd quarterback, Connor Cook, and are almost certain to lean very heavily on the run game. It’s a logjam at running back, especially with DeAndre Washington and Jalen Richards playing well, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the Raiders give Murray workhorse duties in their first playoff appearance since Super Bowl XXXVII.
Other Notables:Â Zach Zenner (DET) @ SEA $4,500, Alex Collins (SEA) vs. DET $4,500
Wide Receivers
DeAndre Hopkins (HOU) vs. OAK $6,700
It only took 17 weeks but Brock Osweiler finally found the chemistry with DeAndre Hopkins that fantasy owners were anticipating for when they took Hopkins in the 1st & 2nd rounds of preseason drafts. It has to be noted that it did come against the Titans, who finished the season as one of the worst pass defenses in the league. The pairing was still a good sign though, and Oakland’s defense is nothing to be concerned about. At a fairly reasonable price, Hopkins is in great position to replicate last week’s performance.
Davante Adams (GB) vs. NYG $5,600
Adams fell just three yards short of 1,000-yards receiving, but his 12 touchdowns shows how much of an asset Adams has been for the Packers down the stretch. He has become one of Aaron Rodgers favorite targets, even more so in the red zone. So despite not exceeding 44 yards in the Packers last three games, Adams has three touchdowns in that span. In their earlier matchup against the Giants, Adams accumulated five receptions for 85 yards and a TD.
Eli Rogers (PIT) vs. MIA $4,000
My gut instinct tells me this game will end in a shootout with a plethora of players exceeding their value. One that sticks out the most to me is Eli Rogers. Rogers has at least 61 yards in the last three games, but remains priced relatively low. The Dolphins defense has a ton of injuries, and it’s started to show in the past couple of games. Believe it or not, they’ve given up more yards this season than the Miami team that went 1-15 in 2007. Rogers could find space and reel off huge chunks in Sunday’s matchup.
Other Notables:Â Jarvis Landry (MIA) @ PIT $5,100, Sterling Shepard (NYG) @ GB $4,800
Tight Ends
Ladarius Green (PIT) vs. MIA $4,500
Head coach Mike Tomlin has stated that Green is still under the concussion protocol, but it looks like he’ll be able to play Sunday afternoon. If he does, he’ll be in a great matchup against the Dolphins. With injuries piling up for Miami, the defense has been exposed these past few weeks, particularly against tight ends. Charles Clay and Martellus Bennett, respectively, had a field day against the Dolphins in their recent matchups. With no adjustments likely to be made, Green may be in for a similar performance.
Other Notables:Â C.J. Fiedorowicz (HOU) vs. OAK $4,200, Jared Cook (GB) vs. NYG $3,600
Defense
Houston vs. OAK $3,800
Taking Houston against a 3rd-string quarterback seems like the logical choice here with only a few games to choose from. Unfortunately, that will result in an extremely high ownership for Houston. Taking a shot with a team like Green Bay or Pittsburgh as contrarian plays might be a better play.
However, Houston’s defense has continued to do great, even without their star J.J. Watt. With quarterback issues of their own, the defense is who led the Texans to a division title. Their pass defense is superb, and they now get to face a QB making his first NFL start. Connor Cook is almost certain to struggle against the Texans, and that could lead to drastic mistakes. Without Derek Carr, scoring will be much harder to come by for Oakland.
Other Notables:Â Seattle vs. DET $3,700, Green Bay vs. NYG $3,200
[wysija_form id=”10″]ATTN Dynasty Commissioners: Do you want to do something cool for your league? How about a 1-hour live show dedicated to YOUR league? Team-by-team breakdowns, rankings, and more. For details and to book a show, visit: GoingFor2.com/plp.
