The 2021 fantasy football season went by in a flash. With the regular season over, fantasy players have to shift their mindset towards DFS. Wild Card weekend kicks off on Saturday with two excellent matchups for fantasy players. The first game is the Las Vegas Raiders at the Cincinnati Bengals, followed by a matchup between the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills. With only two games available for the Saturday slate, fantasy players have limited options when setting their lineups. However, let’s see which players belong in your lineups.
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Core Plays
Josh Allen (QB – BUF): $8,800 vs. NE
Since the first matchup against the Patriots, Allen has been on fire. He has scored at least 21.8 FanDuel fantasy points in five straight games, including 30.96 fantasy points against the Patriots a few weeks ago. A critical part of Allen’s fantasy value is his rushing ability. Over the past five weeks, he has averaged 9.4 rushing attempts and 68.2 rushing yards per game. If the Bills are going to win this game, Allen will need to have a big performance.
Joe Mixon (RB – CIN): $8,500 vs. LV
Mixon sat out Week 18 because of COVID protocols. However, Mixon averaged 20.3 FanDuel fantasy points per game over the previous two games. Furthermore, he has played well when facing a poor run defense. Mixon has scored 28.5 or more FanDuel fantasy points in two of the past four games against bottom 10 run defenses. With a matchup against the Bengals, the third-friendliest fantasy run defense, Mixon is a must-play in all DFS lineups.
Darren Waller (TE – LV): $6,300 at CIN
Waller returned last week after missing the previous five games with a knee injury, finishing with only two receptions for 22 receiving yards. However, he led the team in targets with nine and played 78 percent of the snaps. If he hadn’t gotten hurt, Waller wouldn’t be available at this price. With a decreased cost, you need to lock Waller into your lineups, as the Bengals surrendered an average of 5.7 receptions and 63.7 receiving yards per game to tight ends this season.
Other Possible Options: Josh Jacobs ($7,200), Devin Singletary ($6,900)
Cash Game Targets
Stefon Diggs (WR – BUF): $8,000 vs. NE
Diggs has been one of the better fantasy wide receivers this season, averaging 13.8 FanDuel fantasy points per game. He has averaged 14.8 FanDuel fantasy points per game over the past three weeks, scoring 18 or more fantasy points twice, including against the Patriots in Week 16. While some will be afraid to play him with the matchup against J.C. Jackson, Diggs is an excellent option for this slate. He is the focal point of the Buffalo offense and averaged 9.6 targets per game this season, seventh-most in the NFL. Diggs should be heavily involved in this game.
Hunter Renfrow (WR – LV): $7,300 at CIN
Few wide receivers were more dependable than Renfrow this season. He scored at least 10 FanDuel fantasy points in 12 games this season, including six of the past seven games. Despite getting labeled a PPR cheat code, Renfrow has scored at least one touchdown in four of the past five games, including two Sunday night against the Los Angeles Chargers. Furthermore, he finished ninth in the NFL with 103 receptions this season. Renfrow will need to see a high target share in this game if the Raiders are going to pull off the upset victory.
Josh Jacobs (RB – LV): $7,200 at CIN
Despite dealing with a rib injury, Jacobs had his best fantasy performance of the year in Week 18. He had 132 rushing yards on 26 rushing attempts and scored 21.4 FanDuel fantasy points against the Chargers. Many will use Damien Harris in their lineups after rushing for 214 yards in the two games against the Bills this season. However, the smart move is to save $300 and roll with Jacobs.
Other Possible Options: Joe Burrow ($7,800), Devin Singletary ($6,900)
GPP Targets
Tee Higgins (WR – CIN): $6,900 vs. LV
Many will put Ja’Marr Chase in their lineups after his performance two weeks ago against the Kansas City Chiefs. However, Higgins caught 12 of his 13 targets for almost 200 receiving yards, two touchdowns, and scored 37.4 FanDuel fantasy points a week earlier. Higgins has scored at least 20.4 fantasy points in three of the past six games. The Raiders will likely try to hold Chase in check like they did Keenan Allen last week. If that happens, Higgins could see double-digit targets in this game.
Tyler Boyd (WR – CIN): $6,000 vs. LV
Somehow, Boyd is only $100 more expensive than Jakobi Meyers despite having the better matchup and quarterback. Boyd has scored at least 11 FanDuel fantasy points in four of the past five games. He has also scored a touchdown in three straight games. Much like Higgins, Boyd is an excellent pivot option as many other players will put Chase in their lineups, especially if this game becomes a shootout.
Rhamondre Stevenson (RB – NE): $5,200 at BUF
As the sixth-most expensive running back for this slate, Stevenson has plenty of upside. Even with Harris expected to play against the Bills, Stevenson will see plenty of work. He had double-digit rushing attempts in three of the past four games, including a career-high 24 rushing attempts against the Bills in early December. Stevenson has been excellent this season when finding the end zone, averaging 20.6 FanDuel fantasy points per game when he scores a touchdown. If Harris leaves the game early because of that hamstring injury, Stevenson might turn into a contest winner.
Other Possible Options: Zay Jones ($5,300), DeSean Jackson ($4,900)
Value Plays
Zay Jones (WR – LV): $5,300 at CIN
My favorite value play for this slate is Jones. Not only is he the 10th most expensive wide receiver on the slate, but he has seen an uptick in targets lately. Over the past seven weeks, Jones has seen 54 targets (7.7 per game), only one less than Renfrow. If the Bengals slow down Waller and Renfrow, Derek Carr will lean on Jones.
C.J. Uzomah (TE – CIN): $5,200 vs. LV
Outside of big performances against the Baltimore Ravens and Jacksonville Jaguars, Uzomah hasn’t been fantasy-relevant this season. However, he has seen six or more targets in four of his past five games. Meanwhile, the Raiders gave up 10 touchdowns to tight ends this season, the third-most in the NFL. Uzomah is an excellent value play if you are tight on salary.
Jalen Richard (RB – LV): $4,700 at CIN
As great as he has played lately, Jacobs has dealt with injuries in his entire career. Last week, Richard played 24 snaps compared to zero for Peyton Barber. He has also seen an uptick in the receiving game, receiving two or more targets in three of the past seven games. Whether in a two-minute situation or if Jacobs gets hurt, Richard is a cheap option with upside to fill out your lineup.
Other Possible Options: Isaiah McKenzie ($4,800), Kristian Wilkerson ($4,700)
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