The NFL Playoffs have arrived, starting with Wild Card weekend, which begins with a two-game slate on DraftKings on Saturday. This article will zero in on some of the Core plays, Cash game targets, GPP considerations, and Value options to help build lineups for the mini slate.
The key for success on small slates is to put extra weight into identifying who will score the touchdowns. Touchdowns become the difference makers between finishing above or below the cash line. So, while we still want to use players that get touches and targets, “Touchdowns are King” on a small slate.
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The players below are ones I’m looking at for the DraftKings Wild Card Saturday slate.
Core Plays
Josh Allen (QB – BUF): $7,900 vs. NE
The core play at quarterback will come down to Allen or Joe Burrow. Allen gets the nod for me due to his high rushing floor, expected passing volume, and his playoff experience. Whereas Burrow will be playing in his first playoff game in a matchup better suits the Bengals running game.
Even in weeks where Allen doesn’t put up the passing numbers, his rushing ability, and goal-line usage still allow him to find his way to over 20 DraftKings points which he exceeded in each of his last five games, including one against the Patriots.
Joe Mixon (RB – CIN): $7,100 vs. LV
As mentioned above, the Bengals matchup and expected game script against the Raiders favor the running game with Mixon. The Raiders have allowed 1.4 rushing touchdowns (32nd) per game to running back over the last five weeks. This season, they have given up 5.9 receptions (27th) and 0.4 touchdowns (31st) per game to running backs.
Mixon piled up 13 rushing touchdowns and three receiving scores this season. He also was heavily involved in the Bengals passing game during his last two games with 13 receptions on 14 targets. Mixon’s workload and role fit perfectly to succeed in this matchup.
Cash Game Targets
Devin Singletary (RB – BUF): $5,800 vs. NE
Singletary has become the lead back for the Bills down the stretch of the regular season, with at least 17 touches in each of the last four games. During that stretch, he averaged 99 total yards per game and scored a total of five touchdowns.
The Bills are a home favorite against the Patriots, who have been below average at stopping the run allowing 102 rushing yards (24th) per game on 4.51 YPC (25th) to running backs. Singletary has an attractive price tag on DraftKings for a lead back on a small two-game slate.
Tee Higgins (WR – CIN): $6,200 vs. LV
While Higgins has cooled off a little bit down the stretch, he is still coming off a run where he topped 100 yards in four of his last six games. While Ja’Marr Chase will get #1 WR attention from the Raiders secondary, Higgins should get the preferred matchup against the weaker outside cornerback.
Higgins also offers up $1,600 savings compared to Chase on DraftKings, which will come in handy in cash game lineups for the two-game slate where we want to jam in as many touches and touchdown potential as possible.
Darren Waller (TE – LV): $5,700 vs. CIN
While I expect many to “punt” at the tight end position in cash games, I think that is a mistake on this slate. Waller may have only caught two passes for 22 yards in his return to the field last week, but he still saw nine targets and played on 77 percent of the offensive snaps.
The best way for the Raiders to attack the Bengals’ defense is through the tight end. The Bengals have allowed 8.2 receptions (32nd) for 95 yards (31st) and 0.6 touchdowns (28th) to tight ends over the last five weeks. Waller put up seven grabs for 116 yards in their earlier meeting.
Other notables: Damien Harris (RB, NE): $6,400 vs. BUF, Stefon Diggs (WR, BUF): $7,500 vs. NE, Hunter Henry (TE, NE): $4,500 vs. BUF
GPP Targets
Joe Burrow (QB – CIN): $7,300 vs. LV
While I don’t trust Burrow enough to use him in cash games, he is the only other quarterback on the two-game slate capable of outscoring Josh Allen. If the game script goes sideways and the Raiders jump out to an early lead, Burrow could get the passing volume he needs to put up a big DFS score.
Be willing to get a bit different with the Bengals’ pass catchers that you stack with Burrow in GPP lineups. Consider using Burrow, Mixon, and Ja’Marr Chase, or pair Burrow up with Tyler Boyd and CJ Uzomah instead of their primary wide receivers.
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE): $5,100 vs. BUF
While I have a lot of confidence that Damien Harris will lead the way for the Patriots backfield this week, Stevenson is the only lower-owned running back that could put up a GPP winning score on Saturday.
If Harris aggravates his hamstring injury, or if Stevenson rips off some big runs and the Patriots decide to ride the hot hand, Stevenson could be the top-scoring Patriots back. Running back is not the position to get too cute with on Saturday’s two-game slate, even in GPPs.
Other notables: Ja’Marr Chase (WR, CIN): $7,800 vs. LV, Josh Jacobs (RB, LV): $6,600 vs. CIN, Tyler Boyd (WR, CIN): $4,600 vs. LV
Value Plays
Cole Beasley (WR – BUF): $4,200 vs. NE
Beasley has a way of stepping up in the playoffs for the Bills. He had two games with seven receptions during last year’s run. Now that Beasley is a couple of weeks removed from Covid and the Bills can’t just coast to victory as they did in the last two games of the season, Beasley should see his snap rates bump back up in a strong matchup working out of the slot against the Patriots.
Zay Jones (WR – LV): $4,000 vs. CIN
Jones has seen at least seven targets in each of the last five games and has registered at least five receptions in every one of those outings. With Hunter Renfrow facing the more difficult individual matchup out of the slot against the Bengals secondary, Jones could be the beneficiary of a few extra deep shots.
Other notables: Kendrick Bourne (WR, NE): $4,400 vs. BUF, Emmanuel Sanders (WR, BUF): $4,300 vs. NE, Cj Uzomah (TE, CIN): 3,500 vs. LV
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