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Wild Card weekend has arrived in the NFL and we have a nice three-game slate to tackle over on DraftKings. These playoff matchups will be tighter games than what we are used to so finding the right pieces for your lineups will be critical in both cash games and tournaments. When looking at the slate as a whole, the Bucs appear to be the largest favorites as they are an eight-point favorite while the Rams and Seahawks game looks to be the tightest game with the lowest total.
In this article, I will be providing you with daily fantasy football picks on DraftKings for the Saturday NFL football slate on January 9th (Wild Card Round). These lineups can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on DraftKings.
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Saturday Wild Card Weekend
Indianapolis Colts vs. Buffalo Bills (-6.5), 52 O/U
Los Angeles Rams vs. Seattle Seahawks (-4.5), 42.5 O/U
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-8) vs. Washington Football Team, 45.5 O/U
DFS Quarterbacks
Tom Brady, QB - vs. WFT ($6,900)
If there is one quarterback on the slate that is ready to make a playoff run, it is Tom Brady. Brady has been on fire as the season came to a close as he threw 12 touchdown passes over his last four games played and threw for over 300+ passing yards in three of those games. Brady finished the season with over 4,600 passing yards and threw 40 passing touchdowns while only throwing 12 interceptions. Brady flashed a tremendous ceiling from a fantasy standpoint this season as he eclipsed 25+ DK points in seven games this season while throwing double-digit touchdown passes in 13 out of 16 games. The matchup against Washington is tough as they have the toughest pass defense in the league (allowing 212.1 pass yards per game) and limit opposing offenses to 19.8 points per game. Brady has some of the best weapons in the league on offense and while the matchup is tough, he provides a solid enough floor that can be used in all formats.
Russell Wilson, QB - vs. LA ($6,600)
Russell Wilson is one of the strongest fantasy quarterbacks to roster but he has had a quiet second-half of the 2020 season. Since Week 10, Wilson has produced 20+ DK points only twice but all of that could change this weekend against the Rams. The Seahawks will need Wilson to be at an MVP-caliber level against a tough Rams Defense and Wilson is certainly due for a big game. Wilson comes into this game at $6,600 which is the cheapest price tag that he has been all season long. When looking over his last four games played, Wilson has averaged two passing touchdowns per game and is averaging over 30 passing attempts per game. Down the stretch, Wilson has faced some tough defenses (WFT, LAR, SF) so it does make sense as to why his numbers have been down as he has closed out the season. The Rams are sporting the second-best passing defense (212.6 passing yards allowed) and are limiting opposing offenses to just 17.4 points per game so Wilson will need to bring his "A" game for Seattle to pull out the win.
DFS Running Backs
Jonathan Taylor, RB - vs. BUF ($7,900)
If we are wanting to spend up at the running back position, the best option is Jonathan Taylor. Taylor has been on fire over the last six games that he has played as he is averaging 123.5 rushing yards per game and has found the end zone seven times during that six-game stretch. In addition, Taylor is seeing a heavy volume of carries which only tells us that the running game is solely going through him at this point in time. The matchup against the Bills is the best one on the slate as they rank 17th in the league when it comes to rushing yards allowed per game (119.6) and allow 1.3 rushing touchdowns per game over the course of the season. The Colts will look to establish the run early as that is their bread and butter of their offense and if they are able to get it going early on, it could be a good day for those that rostered Taylor.
Cam Akers, RB - vs. SEA ($5,100)
The Rams running attack has been running through Cam Akers down the stretch and he should be heavily involved in the ground game against the Seahawks. Akers has seen 20+ rushing attempts in three out of his last four games of the season and with Darrell Handerson Jr. going on IR, Akers should absorb the majority of the rushing attempts throughout the playoffs. The matchup against the Seahawks is a tough one as they rank fifth in the NFL against the run as they limit opposing teams to just 95.6 rushing yards per game. Akers has been getting used more in the passing game as he is seeing close to four targets per game over his last four games played which bodes well for Akers from a fantasy standpoint. This game should be a tight one and while the matchup is tough, the workload that Akers should see is hard to ignore in all formats.
J.D. McKissic, RB - vs. TB ($4,800)
Even though Antonio Gibson is the starting running back for the Washington Football Team, McKissic could be a valuable piece in this game that could be heavily involved. Tampa is the largest favorite on the slate and Washington is expected to fall behind early in this game. If that holds true, the running game could be abandoned which means McKissic could certainly see more snaps and more targets as the game progresses. McKissic doesn't offer much upside on the ground as he rarely sees the rushing volume but in this 2020 season, he has been one of the most reliable pass-catching backs in the entire league. He has seen 110 targets on the season which is the highest target number of all running backs in the NFL while also being the second-highest targeted player on his own team. For his price point of under 5k, McKissic is a strong value play that should pay off with ease.
DFS Wide Receivers
Stefon Diggs, WR - vs. IND ($7,700)
Diggs has emerged as one of the best receivers in the league in his first year with Buffalo and it is hard to see him not get his normal share of targets as we enter Wild Card weekend of the NFL playoffs. Diggs has been one of the most consistent fantasy producers at the receiver position as he has had double-digit DK performances in every game this season which means he gives you a solid floor but also offers a high ceiling as he has gone for 20+ DK points in eight of his games played. Diggs ranks in the top-five in targets, receptions, target share, and yards which shows how well he has flourished with Josh Allen as his quarterback. The Colts Defense is stingy overall but can be attacked through the air as they allow over 250 passing yards per game. If the Bills are able to get the passing game going, Diggs could have a big-time game which is needed in your lineups to takedown tournaments.
Antonio Brown, WR - vs. WFT ($6,100)
The Bucs offense could be without star receiver Mike Evans for the first round of the playoffs and if Evans misses time, Brown should see an increased role and increased targets in their opening game against Washington. Evans was injured early on in the final game of the season against Atlanta as it looked like he hyperextended his knee. After the injury occurred, Brown really flashed as he finished the game with 11 catches on 14 total targets for 138 yards and 2 touchdowns. Brown has built a strong rapport with Brady and it has shown in the second half of the season. Brown has scored double-digit DK points in three out of four of his last games played and would make for a great stacking option if looking for a receiver to roster with Brady.
Cooper Kupp, WR - vs. SEA ($6,000)
Kupp was activated from the reserve/COVID-19 list earlier this week and should be good to go for his upcoming game against the Seahawks. Kupp has been a very reliable target in this Rams offense and for his price at 6k, he makes for a great all-around play in all formats. In this Rams offense, Kupp leads the way with 92 receptions and 974 receiving yards while being second with 124 receiving targets. In his two games against Seattle, Kupp has hauled in 13 receptions on 16 targets for 116 total receiving yards. While the ceiling might be limited for Kupp, he provides a solid floor that works out for both cash games and tournament lineups.
Zach Pascal, WR vs. BUF ($3,700)
Value could be needed on this slate and one receiver that could go overlooked on this three-game slate could be Zach Pascal. Pascal is only $3,7000 on the slate which seems awfully low for the third-most targeted Colts player on the season (71). Pascal has recorded the third-most receptions on the Colts (44) and is tied for first on the team with five receiving touchdowns. Pascal has seen the second-most targets over the last three games played and with this being the highest game total on the slate, he gets you cheap exposure to this game that also has some upside as well.
DFS Tight Ends
Logan Thomas, TE - vs. TB ($4,900)
While the matchup against the Bucs is extremely tough, Logan Thomas is a key piece to this Washington offense and should be heavily targeted in this game. Thomas has seen 50 targets over his last five games played and he truly emerged as a top receiving option for Washington. Thomas leads the team in targets over the last three games of the season and ranks third on the team with 72 receptions on the season. Thomas does the most damage in the red zone as he leads the team with six touchdown receptions and should be targeted if Washington is able to get into scoring position. The Washington Football Team is projected to be behind in this game and with how involved Thomas is in the passing game, he makes for a great play in all formats. The Bucs defense has struggled at times against opposing tight ends as they have allowed 86 receptions and nine touchdowns to the position so Thomas could find himself in favorable matchups throughout the game.
Rob Gronkowski, TE - vs. WFT ($3,900)
The Bucs offense is loaded but it is hard to ignore Rob Gronkowski at this price. Gronk has been a red zone target for Brady this season as Gronk has hauled in seven total touchdowns throughout the 2020 season. Gronk has hauled in three receiving touchdowns over his last four games played and could play a larger role in the red zone offense should Mike Evans miss some time throughout the playoffs. Gronk is averaging close to five targets per game and while he isn't the dominant tight end that he used to be in New England, he has carved out a nice role in this Bucs passing offense and could be used in tournament lineups just based on his high ceiling but somewhat low floor he offers.
DFS Defense/Special Teams
Tampa Bay Buccaneers, D/ST - vs. WFT ($3,300)
The Bucs are the largest favorites on the slate and at their price of just $3,300, they look to be one of the best overall values on this slate. The Bucs defense has generated 25 turnovers on the season and 48 sacks so they have shown their ability to get after opposing quarterbacks. The matchup against the Washington Football Team looks to be a good one as Washington is averaging 19.7 points scored per game (ranks 27th in the NFL) and averages 337.9 offensive yards per game which ranks 29th in the league. In addition, Washington has allowed 50 sacks on the season which is tied for the second-highest sack total in the entire league. While grabbing a piece or two from Washington offensively is viable, a full-on Washington stack would not be recommended since they could struggle against this tough Bucs defense.
Good luck, RotoBallers, and remember to mix it up and don't be afraid to be different in these large field GPPs!
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