It’s the Conference Championship this Sunday and we only have two games to choose from in our FanDuel contests. Plus, you can’t stack every position from the same team (four players, maximum). So, you need to dive even deeper this week.
As for players who are already listed as “out” for this Sunday, Benjamin Watson (TE for the Saints) will not be available nor will Keith Kirkwood (WR for the Saints).
These write-ups are posted every Saturday before the final injury report comes out. If important news comes out prior to kickoff, look for updated advice and suggestions on my Twitter page, @CharlieSideHstl.
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Quarterbacks
Drew Brees (NO): $8,800 vs. LAR
The price difference between the most-expensive starting quarterback and the least-expensive starting quarterback is $1,000. Thankfully, Brees isn’t even the priciest option on the board, yet his Saints are projected to score the most points on the slate (30 points). In the Week 9 matchup, Brees threw for 346 yards and four touchdowns. At home this season, Brees has been brilliant. He’s thrown 21 touchdowns and only one interception (11 TDs, 4 INT on the road).
Other notables:
- Tom Brady (NE): $8,400 @ KC
- Jared Goff (LAR): $8,000 @ NO
Running Backs
James White (NE): $7,700 @ KC
White didn’t record a single carry in the Divisional Round matchup against the Chargers, yet he’s the third-most expensive running back in the player pool. Why? Well, his 15 receptions on 17 targets for 97 yards are a big reason for the ranking. As for his opponent this week, the Chiefs have allowed the third-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in half-point PPR formats. In the Week 6 meeting, White was only targeted seven times (five receptions) and tallied 53 receiving yards. However, he also ran the ball six times for 39 yards, tallying 92 total yards.
Sony Michel (NE): $7,500 @ KC
Yes, I’m going with two running backs from the New England stable on Sunday. Michel was a major part of the Patriots offense last week, as he rushed for 129 yards on 24 carries, finding the end zone three times. Also, in that mid-October meeting with the Chiefs, Michel ran for 106 yards on 24 carries and scored two touchdowns.
Other notables:
- Damien Williams (KC): $7,200 vs. NE
- C.J. Anderson (LAR): $6,500 @ NO
Wide Receivers
Michael Thomas (NO): $8,800 vs. LAR
We went with Thomas last week and it paid off. He caught 12 of his 16 targets for 171 receiving yards and one touchdown against the Eagles. Against the Rams, he produced his best stat-line of the year: 12 receptions (15 targets), 211 receiving yards, and one TD. Plus, with Brees as our FD quarterback, I’ll gladly pair him with Thomas in the Conference Championship weekend.
Josh Reynolds (LAR): $5,400 @ NO
Time to cut back on costs. The Saints allow the most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in half-point PPR formats, so we have to choose one of the three WRs from Los Angeles. I’ll save some money and go with Reynolds on Sunday. He’s notched at least 40 receiving yards in three of the last four games, with two touchdowns during that span.
Cordarrelle Patterson (NE): $4,800 @ KC
In another cost saving option, I’ll take the secret weapon from New England. Patterson can attack defenses as a running back or a wide receiver. He wasn’t needed much last week, but he ran the ball four times and accumulated 66 rushing yards in Week 16 (vs. Buffalo). He’s also caught at least two passes in three of the last five games and notched 50 receiving yards twice during that time.
Other notables:
- Julian Edelman (NE): $7,900 @ KC
- Robert Woods (LAR): $7,100 @ NO
- Brandin Cooks (LAR): $6,900 @ NO
Tight Ends
Rob Gronkowski (NE): $5,600
Kelce is the strongest option, but I’ll roll the dice with Gronk. This season, Kansas City is allowing the most fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Gronk caught three of his four targets for 97 yards in the regular season game. He hasn’t caught more than two passes in a game since Week 14 (@ Miami), but if not now, when. The Chiefs can’t cover TEs and the Patriots have one of the best in the game (when healthy).
Other notables:
- Travis Kelce (KC): $7,400 vs. NE
- Benjamin Watson (NO): $4,800 vs. LAR
Defense
Saints (NO): $4,600 vs. LAR
I wish I didn’t have to take a defense this week. Both games have an over/under of at least 56 total points. Thankfully, the “top” defense is only $600 more than the last defense in the pool. The Rams are projected to score a “slate-low” 26.5 points. I guess I’ll take New Orleans, with the hope that Jared Goff will continue to struggle on the road. This season, Goff has thrown only 10 touchdowns on the road, with nine interceptions. He has a 22/3 touchdown-to-interception ratio at home.
Other notables:
- Chiefs (KC): $4,400 vs. NE
- Patriots (NE): $4,000 @ KC
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Adam Meyer is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Adam, check out his archive and follow him @CharlieSideHstl.
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