The divisional round of the NFL playoffs will prove tricky for DFS and requires close monitoring of status reports. Some of the potential top players this weekend remain on injured reserve as of Friday morning, but are likely to play.
With that being said, here are some players to consider for your DFS lineups this weekend.
Matthew Stafford, Rams QB ($6,200 on DraftKings, $7,400 on FanDuel)
Stafford is too cheap for his potential against the Buccaneers in the divisional round. As underdogs, the Rams will likely play from behind, and Tampa Bay has one of the best run defenses in the league. Both factors point to more pass attempts from No. 9 in this contest.
Derrick Henry, Titans RB ($7,500 on DK, $9,000 on FD)
NFL fans have long pointed to the divisional round as the spot for Henry’s likely return from a broken foot, but the Titans remain tight-lipped on the issue. For now, Henry remains on injured reserve, but he practiced this week and also spoke to the media on Wednesday. Both are good signs for him playing, but we won’t know for sure until Friday evening. A rested Henry could wreak havoc in the playoffs.
Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers RB ($5,700 on DK, $7,000 on FD)
Another player whose status remains a mystery is Fournette. He practiced this week, but still sits on injured reserve due to his bum hamstring as of Friday morning. Number 7 is trending toward returning on Sunday, and the Bucs are likely to lean on Fournette to grind out a win. They don’t call him Playoff Lennie for nothing.
Cooper Kupp, Rams WR ($8,600 on DK, $9,500 on FD)
Kupp had a down game by his standards in the wild-card round, catching five of seven targets for 61 yards and a touchdown. That 17.1 points on DraftKings was a great game for most receivers, but not for Kupp, who averages more than 27. But shelve him at your own risk in the divisional round against Tampa Bay. The savings for Stafford at QB better allows us to pair him with Kupp, who has the most expensive salary in the player pool.
Allen Lazard, Packers WR ($4,400 on DK, $6,000 on FD)
Lazard shouldn’t put up Kupp-esque numbers (or Davante Adams-esque numbers, for that matter), but he’s cheap and has shown solid production lately. In his past five games, Lazard has scored double-digit points on DraftKings four times. Lazard caught five touchdown passes during that span.
CJ Uzomah, Bengals TE ($3,400 on DK, $5,500 on FD)
You can spend up for Kelce or Gronk, but Uzomah provides nice value and great consistency lower in the salary list. He’s caught at least three passes in each of his past seven games, including a nice 6-64-1 stat line against the Raiders in the wild-card game.