Skip to main content

DraftKings NFL Lineup Advice: Wild Card Sunday Slate (1/10)

DraftKings NFL Lineup Advice: Wild Card Sunday Slate (1/10)

Wild Card weekend brings two tripleheaders with it. I previously discussed my favorite options from the Saturday main slate at DraftKings. Below, the NFL’s leading rusher is joined by a four-man stack as my favorite plays on Sunday’s main slate.

Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool partner-arrow

Favorite Stud

Derrick Henry (RB – TEN): $9,200 vs. Ravens
In today’s pass-happy NFL, Henry just amassed the fifth-most rushing yards in a single season with 2,027 of them. He closed the regular season with a season-high 250 rushing yards, his second 200-plus yard effort in his last four games and third of the year. He bested 100 rushing yards in 10 of 16 games, rushed for at least one touchdown in 10 games, and scored multiple touchdowns in six games.

He’s been a beast, and this beast has been steadily fed weekly this year. He should eat again this week in a matchup that’s not terribly terrifying. The Ravens have allowed 4.48 yards per carry to running backs this year, according to Pro-Football-Reference. They’ve also ceded explosive runs with regularity, tying for the seventh-highest explosive run rate allowed, per Sharp Football Stats. In a Week 11 30-24 victory over the Ravens, Henry ripped off 133 rushing yards and a score on 28 carries. And, as many of you likely remember, he trounced them for 195 rushing yards with a couple of catches for seven yards in the playoffs.

The host Titans are three-point underdogs in a game that has shootout potential with a 54.5-point over/under total, according to the consensus line at BettingPros. Henry will be a chalky play, but he’s good chalk to eat.

Favorite Stack

The robust total in Tennessee and the expected shootout should lead to many of the key pieces — aforementioned Henry included — on a bunch of rosters, immediately adding to the appeal of pivoting to a high-upside stack featuring a back who tied the single-game record for rushing touchdowns with six in his last game played and a receiver who set the single-season high for receptions in 2019. Sure, Kamara and Thomas each have questions, with the former trending toward returning from a bout with COVID-19 and the latter returning from a three-week absence on Injured Reserve.

Kamara’s status for Sunday will need to continue to be tracked. Still, assuming he clears the COVID-19 protocol, his upside bests even that of Henry’s, thanks to his receiving chops and Brees’ propensity for targeting his electric back. In 11 games played with Brees this year, Kamara’s reached double-digit targets four times, been targeted no fewer than four times in a game, and hauled in three or more receptions in each of those games.

As for Thomas, this has been an injury-marred season, but he did best 100 receiving yards in two of seven games and could be the healthiest he’s been since Week 1 after resting the last three weeks. Thomas’s upside is undeniable, and he’s been at his best — like Brees — when at home. In eight home games last year, Thomas posted eye-popping per-game averages of 10.9 receptions and 128.4 receiving yards. He also added six receiving touchdowns.

Brees is the trigger man who’s set to pepper the Kamara and Thomas duo with targets, and he’s attached to a tasty implied total of 28.5 points. Additionally, he had little trouble carving up the Bears in Chicago in Week 8, completing 31 of 41 passes for 280 yards and a pair of touchdowns.

Brees wasn’t the only player in that contest who fared well; Miller did, too. The third-year receiver set single-game highs this year in that game with 11 targets and eight receptions, and his 73 receiving yards were his second-highest total. He’s failed to best 20 receiving yards in four straight games, but I suspect he’ll be forced into a heavier workload with the Bears serving as 10-point underdogs. The Bears utilized three-or-more-receiver personnel groupings on 68% of their plays for the season, per Sharp Football Stats. When trailing by six points or more, that percentage jumps to 73%. I’m expecting the Saints to hang points and the Bears to be forced into playing catch-up as the betting line suggests will be the case. With that in mind, Miller should have a clear path to providing value at his near-minimum salary, free up valuable salary-cap space without being a total dud.

Create Optimal DraftKings lineups using our DFS Lineup Optimizer tool partner-arrow


SubscribeApple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | SoundCloud | iHeartRadio

Beyond our daily fantasy football content, be sure to check out our Daily Fantasy Football Tools. From our Value Plays – which allows you to identify players who are projected to outperform their salaries – to our DFS Cheat Sheets – which helps you get a quick read on the day’s players – we’ve got you covered this fantasy football season.

Josh Shepardson is a featured writer at FantasyPros. For more from Josh, check out his archive and follow him @BChad50.

More Articles

3 Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Running Backs (2024)

3 Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Running Backs (2024)

fp-headshot by Anthony Corrente | 2 min read
Fantasy Football Mock Draft: FFPC Best Ball Picks (2024)

Fantasy Football Mock Draft: FFPC Best Ball Picks (2024)

fp-headshot by Tom Strachan | 3 min read
3 Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Avoid: Tight Ends (2024)

3 Fantasy Football Draft Picks to Avoid: Tight Ends (2024)

fp-headshot by Mike Fanelli | 2 min read
RB3s with RB1 Potential (2024 Fantasy Football)

RB3s with RB1 Potential (2024 Fantasy Football)

fp-headshot by TJ Horgan | 3 min read

About Author

Hide

Current Article

3 min read

3 Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Running Backs (2024)

Next Up - 3 Dynasty Fantasy Football Trade Targets: Running Backs (2024)

Next Article