Welcome to Wild Card Weekend! We get some pretty nice matchups for playoff football purposes however they are a little tricky when it comes to fantasy. With this playoffs article we will take a look at each team individually and look at players that I consider to be in decent spots order that could surprise.
Chiefs vs Texans
Taking a look at the Kansas City Chiefs and the Houston Texans game we have a game between two teams that have played extremely solid defensively over the last month or so Kansas City is definitely rocking an impressive win streak ever since they lost to the Bears. The DFS Players that I like the most are both defenses in this game as they have been playing extremely solid, I prefer the the Chiefs defense. The Texans defense could be sneaky as their price makes them a bit more intriguing than Kansas City however Kansas City generally does not turn the ball over that much. I am not quite sure how to break down the running back situation for either team. If you really wanted a running back from this game I think I am going to lean towards Spencer Ware as he seems to be getting the most looks for the Chiefs and is coming off a pretty solid game. When it comes to the passing game I believe you can definitely look at Jeremy Maclin as hes been extremely solid. DeAndre Hopkins is in a shaky spot because of the Kansas City secondary so he could be an underowned guy who is a decent play for GPPs this weekend. When it comes to Travis Kelce I’ve been burned by him way too much lately that I think I’m going to look elsewhere especially because there a couple tight ends that are in excellent spots.
Steelers vs Bengals
The second game on Saturday between the Steelers and the Bengals is definitely an interesting matchup and one that will have the highest ownership among its players this weekend. I think there is a lot to love in this game as the Steeler pass offense is one of the top units in the NFL while their defense is one of the worst defending the pass in the NFL. Both quarterbacks in this game are in play and if you want to go with a cheap quarterback I think AJ McCarron is in a solid spot even though he has not come up with a big game yet. Big Ben is going to be relied upon heavily as DeAngelo Williams will be out of the game. AJ Green and Antonio Brown are elite options at the wide receiver position this weekend. I think Heath Miller is in a great spot as he had double digit catches in each game vs the Bengals. Tyler Eifert could be a sneaky tight end option as most people will be on Miller and Jordan Reed. I am most likely avoiding the running back situation for both teams. The Steelers run defense is pretty legitimate and the Steelers running offense is in shambles.
Seahawks vs Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings and Seattle Seahawks game is going to be extremely cold which should benefit both running offenses. I am looking somewhat at Russell Wilson mostly because he has been on fire. I would expect both Adrian Peterson to be full go on Sunday. First reports indicated Lynch would be able to play but that does not appear to be likely now. When it comes to the passing game I would only look at utilizing the Seahawks. Doug Baldwin has been on another planet over the last month and that includes having torched this Vikings defense already. I actually believe that due to the weather both defenses are in an excellent spot. The Seahawks defense will be the most popular play of the weekend.
Packers vs Redskins
The last game of the weekend features the Packers and the Redskins. I think there’s a lot to love in this game as I can see both pass offenses doing work. I really like a Redskins stack this weekend Kirk Cousins, DeSean Jackson and Jordan Reed could carry you to a GPP victory. I think Alfred Morris could surprise slightly as Matt Jones is looking iffy to play. When it comes to the Packers there going to be a lot of people avoiding the pass offense because of how they have looked recently. As much as I dislike the Packers I think Aaron Rodgers could bounce back from a lackluster second half of the season. None of the receivers stand out over the others and at this point it boils down to personal preference. I think I lean Randall Cobb however Davante Adams seems to be the target favorite. Lastly, I think Eddie Lacy is a sneaky but very risky play as he has been dealing with a rib injury.
