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While Wild Card Weekend went pretty much as planned with the top seeds all advancing except the Cowboys (sorry Dallas fans), the Divisional round has the potential for some major fireworks with some awesome matchups. I think most football fans and experts agree that all four of these matchups this weekend could do either way and this game between the defending champion Bucs and the Rams is setting up to be one hell of a battle.
In this article, I will be providing you with daily fantasy football picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for the Rams-Bucs showdown slate on January 24th at 3:00 PM. These lineups can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on both DraftKings and FanDuel.
If you have any questions, you can follow me on Twitter @ThunderDanDFS and fire away, or sign up for a premium RotoBaller NFL package and chat with me and other NFL DFS analysts at any time you'd like in our Premium Slack Chat Rooms. Let's make some coin tonight gang, and let's get right to it!
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NFL DFS Captain Plays
Cooper Kupp ($17,100 DK, $15,500 FD)
I absolutely love Kupp in this game and I hope (though it may be a pipe dream) that somehow people talk themselves out of using him in the captain/MVP spot for these single-game contests. On FanDuel where there is no additional cost for putting him in the MVP slot, it's a no-brainer for me. As the most expensive captain on DraftKings, rostering him in the captain slot does hamstring you a bit in terms of fitting in some of the other top plays.
Kupp smashed in this spot against the Bucs back in their first meeting in September, catching nine passes, two of those for touchdowns. He has the best matchup of any receiver in the slot and you better believe that Stafford will be honing in on him in the biggest game of the year and McVay will surely be scheming him the ball any way they can. He's been their best offensive player all season and there's no reason to think they won't feed him in this game.
Matthew Stafford ($15,000 DK, $16,000 FD)
Stafford is probably the most important player on the field for the Rams in this one. As he goes, so goes this offense and the Rams' best chance at an upset is if Stafford has the type of game he had last week in L.A.'s dismantling of the Cardinals and doesn't revert back to his interception-prone stretch of games to end the regular season.
I expect the Rams to have to air it out in this game against a Bucs defense that has been pretty stout against the run. Whether you think the Rams are playing from in front or behind, it's likely that Stafford has to throw it quite a bit and we know the Bucs secondary has been one of their weak spots this season against better offenses. I like the 2k+ savings on Stafford on DraftKings and stacking him with Kupp and another pass-catcher makes a ton of sense.
Other Captains: Rob Gronkowski, Leonard Fournette
NFL DFS Flex Plays
Rob Gronkowski ($7,800 DK, $13,500 FD)
Gronk has been huge for the Bucs this season and has really emerged down the stretch with some huge games as Brady has had to rely on his best buddy quite a bit as Tampa lost Chris Godwin for the remainder of the year and Antonio Brown lost his mind.
This matchup doesn't jump off the page as the Rams have been middle-of-the-pack against tight ends this season. But I think we see Brady lean on Gronk a lot in this game as the Rams have an excellent pass rush and Tampa could end up missing their right tackle and center from their offensive line in this one. The Rams corners are tough and could lock up these Tampa receivers, but that would leave Gronk open to roam the middle of the field and he's simply a mismatch for any linebacker and most safeties who attempt to cover him.
Leonard Fournette ($9,000 DK, $13,000 FD)
So we are still awaiting official confirmation that Fournette will be active, but all signs are pointing to him returning for this game. And Tampa certainly needs their workhorse back in the lineup if they want to hold this Rams team off. Vaughn, Bell, and Bernard filled in admirably last week against the Eagles, but Fournette is the best runner of the bunch by far and was a huge asset in the passing game down the stretch in the regular season.
Fournette had a terrible game against the Rams in the first meeting, but I think his involvement in the passing game and his red-zone carries make him an ideal fantasy play. Tampa is going to score points in this game and Fournette is about as likely as any other Buc to be the guy who finds paydirt.
Cam Akers ($7,400, $11,000 FD)
Akers was impressive in the win against the Cardinals, carrying 17 times for 55 yards and catching one pass for 40 yards. He out-touched Sony Michel 18-13 and is the more dynamic back of the two, especially in the passing game. It's amazing he recovered as quickly as he did from his Achilles injury but Akers looks fresh and adds another dimension to this Rams' offense. If the Bucs stuff the Rams' running game between the tackles, look for McVay to get Akers the ball on outside run plays and passes.
Other Flex Plays: Odell Beckham Jr., Mike Evans
NFL DFS Value Plays
Matt Gay ($4,000 DK, $8,500 FD)
I say it all the time but people overlook kickers way too often, especially on DraftKings where they provide some nice value with their price points relative to the salary cap. On FD it can be hard to stomach using one of only five roster spots on a kicker, but Gay has been one of the most productive kickers in the league this year.
Tyler Higbee ($5,400 DK, $8,000 FD)
Higbee's production can be pretty hit-or-miss but just two weeks ago he caught 6 passes for 55 yards and two scores against the Niners. His targets are not necessarily secure each week, but he continues to play the vast majority of snaps for this offense and has shown that he can be a huge asset to their passing game in addition to a capable blocker.
The Bucs have allowed the 11th-most points to the tight end position this season and like I mentioned with Kupp earlier, I like the idea of targeting the interior of this Tampa pass defense because I think it's where they are the weakest.
Other Value Plays: Cyril Grayson, Ryan Succop
Now go win some money! Thanks for reading, everyone, and best of luck in your contests!
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