By: @Ryan_Humphries | LineStar Chat: @N1TRO

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It’s time for some NFL playoff action, baby! After what feels like the billionth consecutive bizarre week in the world, a weekend filled with postseason football will be a very welcomed distraction for many of us. Note that this particular newsletter will be directed towards the three-game slate for Saturday. However, for those looking to play the full weekend six-game slate, we’ll have a newsletter out tomorrow covering some plays to also consider for the games on Sunday. Let’s get after it!

Quarterbacks to Consider

Tom Brady | DK: $6.9k, FD: $8k | @ WAS | GPP Preferred

If you’re paying up at QB, it’s going to be pretty difficult to get away from Josh Allen ($7.5k/$9k), on this slate, especially in cash games. But this is the six-time Super Bowl champion we’re talking about here who enters the postseason with arguably his best arsenal of receiving weapons that he’s ever had in his career (though Mike Evans remains questionable to play as of Thursday). While Josh Allen has been putting up insane stats, the G.O.A.T. has also been no slouch either, especially down the stretch. Over Tampa Bay’s last five games, Tom Brady is averaging 335.6 YPG and three TDs per contest. Washington will be a tough test defensively (4th fewest FPPG allowed to QBs) but there is at least a moderately strong chance Brady ends the Saturday slate as the top scoring QB option and will probably check in at around half the ownership of Allen.

Philip Rivers | DK: $5.4k, FD: $6.9k | @ BUF | Cash & GPP

It’s not the flashy play but if you’re paying down at QB on the Saturday slate, Rivers can probably push for around 20 Fpts and return some decent 3x-4x value to lineups. The Colts head into this game as seven point road underdogs and likely won’t be able to lean super heavy on the run game. Rivers is going to have to sling it around a bit if the Colts hope to pull off the upset and this Buffalo secondary is certainly solid, but not an elite unit (14th most FPPG allowed to QBs). The emergence of rookie running back Jonathan Taylor could definitely help Rivers out on play action passes as well. After an absurd 253 yard game last week for Taylor, the Bills may get caught biting in on some of those PA play designs.

Running Backs to Consider

Chris Carson | DK: $5.9k, FD: $7k | vs. LAR | GPP Preferred

It’s a steep drop off from Jonathan Taylor ($7.9k/$8.8k) down to Carson, the second most expensive RB on the board. The Seahawks seemed mindful not to overwork Carson this season, perhaps to save him for an increased role in the playoffs. That’s the thinking here anyway. The Rams have one of the stingiest defenses in the league but the Seahawks hold the third highest projected team total on the slate and will be four point home favorites. I wouldn’t be shocked to see Carson push 20 touches in this game and if he happens to find the endzone, you’ve likely got a good pivot off of Jonathan Taylor here.

Cam Akers | DK: $5.1k, FD: $6.1k | @ SEA | Cash & GPP

On the opposite side from Carson, Akers checks in as a standout target in the mid-range. He clearly solidified himself as “the guy” down the regular season stretch in the Rams backfield. That should continue to be the case in the postseason, especially with Darrell Henderson Jr. on IR. Even after missing week 16 with an ankle injury and entering into week 17 with a questionable designation, Akers was in on 66% of the offensive snaps and handled a massive 25 touches. It wasn’t a super efficient or productive day, but volume trumps everything in the fantasy realm. Rams QB Jared Goff is just a couple of weeks removed from a dislocated thumb and, if he does suit up, it’s pretty questionable whether or not he’ll be capable of throwing accurate passes too far beyond the line of scrimmage. Akers could be in for another significant workload both on the ground and in the short passing game. If Goff is ruled out, the script probably doesn’t change much for Akers with backup QB John Wolford under center.

Nyheim Hines | DK: $4.7k, FD: $5.6k | @ BUF | GPP Preferred (Cash viable on DK)

Hines’ 63 receptions led the Colts offense this season and he was second on the team in targets (76) behind TY Hilton (93). He can oftentimes be the favored option in the redzone over Jonathan Taylor and he’s had three games on the year where he has turned in multi-touchdown performances. The belief here is that the Colts will need to be more a more balanced offense to hang with the Bills, which would clearly work in Hines’ favor. On DraftKings, he’ll be a cash viable target simply due to the full PPR scoring. On FanDuel, he may need to score a touchdown to return value, so perhaps he’s best reserved for GPPs.

Wide Receivers to Consider

Stefon Diggs | DK: $7.7k, FD: $8.7k | vs. IND | Cash & GPP

Diggs may be the “stud I can’t live without” on this Saturday slate, and I’d be hard-pressed to get away from him on the Sat-Sun slate as well. I’m not sure if it’s a personal bias, because the guy helped me snag a $20k payout a couple of weeks ago, or if it’s just common sense. Diggs has absolutely balled out this season, catching 127 passes on 166 targets for 1,535 yards and eight TDs. He is currently listed as questionable for this game with an oblique injury, but there’s very little concern that it will hold him out of this game. The Colts also set up as a plus match-up for Diggs as they have allowed the 5th most FPPG to WRs over their last four games.

DK Metcalf | DK: $6.7k, FD: $6.9k | vs. LAR | GPP Preferred

The match-up with Jalen Ramsey and the league’s stingiest pass defense is enough to put a big red ‘X’ over Seattle receivers. But, while the explosiveness dwindled considerably in the second half of the season for the Seahawks offense, Russell Wilson can re-light the grill for the “Let Russ Cook” movement at any time and we know how much of a freak athlete Metcalf is. He’s a worthy leverage play in GPPs.

Terry McLaurin | DK: $6.3k, FD: $7.1k | vs. TB | Cash & GPP

The Washington Football Team has somewhat become a lovable underdog of the postseason. If their season has any chance to continue past this weekend, Scary Terry is going to have to turn in a big game on Saturday. McLaurin’s 8.9 targets/gm will almost always provide him with a strong floor in cash games and his ceiling is certainly in the 4x territory, which is perfectly acceptable for GPPs. The Buccaneers secondary has been a tough one to figure out. At times they’ve looked like a top ten pass defense but in certain games, they’ve been completely demolished. Whichever version decides to show up, McLaurin is talented enough to perform well (as long as Alex Smith can show up as well).

John Brown | DK: $4.7k, FD: $5.7k | vs. IND | GPP Only

Due to various issues, Brown has missed essentially half of Buffalo’s games this season. However, after a five week hiatus, he got a nice tune-up performance last week when he brought in all four of his targets for 72 yards and a tuddy. He’s the speedy deep threat who can take the top off the defense and possibly come away with a big fantasy day… or he could catch one or two passes for 20-40 yards and bust completely. If you’re willing to roll the dice, Brown is a worthy contrarian play in tournaments.

Tight Ends to Consider

Rob Gronkowski | DK: $3.9k, FD: $6k | @ WAS | GPP Preferred

The cash tight end play is probably just going to be Logan Thomas ($4.9k/$6.4k) but if you opt to go with Gronk in this spot, I wouldn’t blame ya. No other 2020-21 playoff QB + receiver duo has as much postseason experience together as the Brady/Gronk connection (by a wide margin). The Bucs also had the 4th fewest rushing attempts among all NFL teams this season so it is no surprise that when Tampa Bay gets near the goal line, a short touchdown pass attempt to Gronkowski often times becomes the preferred play call.

Jacob Hollister | DK: $2.7k, FD: $4.7k | vs. LAR | GPP Only

If you’re going for more of a punt at the position, Hollister does at least have a couple of touchdowns in Seattle's previous three games. Between Hollister, Will Dissly, and the now healthy Greg Olsen, there’s really no bonafide way to project which guy ends up producing, if any, but the Rams are certainly more susceptible against the TE position than they are against WRs. Hollister also caught one of his touchdowns against them a couple of weeks ago and Russell Wilson targeted him six times.

Once again, if you have any questions DM me on Twitter @Ryan_Humphries or tag me in the LineStar NFL chat using @N1TRO. Good luck this week!

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