This article is part of our DFS NFL series.
The NFL playoffs get underway with two games Saturday. The Texans play host to the Chargers, and then it's a battle of the Steelers and Ravens. That also means we have a two-game slate to play on FanDuel. Let's break down each position and highlight some players to consider as you build your lineups.
Quarterback
The quarterback with the highest upside is Lamar Jackson ($8,700). The two-time MVP is coming off the best season of his career, throwing for 4,172 yards and 41 touchdowns. He also added 915 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns. While he didn't rack up many passing yards in two regular-season meetings against the Steelers, he combined for four touchdown passes and 68 rushing yards.
Another appealing option is Justin Herbert ($7,500). He caught fire down the stretch, throwing for at least 280 yards in each of his last three games. More important, he recorded at least two touchdown passes in each of his last four. That's noteworthy for this matchup because the Texans allowed the third-most passing touchdowns in the league this season.
Given his underwhelming regular season and the fact that the Chargers allowed the fewest points per game in the league, it might be best to avoid C.J. Stroud ($7,000). Russell Wilson ($6,900) is a viable option in tournament play because the Ravens allowed the second-most passing yards per game in the league. However, it's not encouraging that Wilson combined for 422 passing yards and two touchdowns against them in two regular-season meetings.
Running Back
Derrick Henry ($9,800) stands out as the safest running back option. He ran for at least 138 yards in each of the final three games of the regular season and had nine games with at least 100 rushing yards. He also racked up 16 rushing touchdowns. His salary will do a number on your budget, but he could be well worth it.
Najee Harris ($6,000) and Jaylen Warren ($5,600) split carries for the Steelers, making both risky options. It doesn't help them that the Ravens allowed the fewest rushing yards per game in the league this season.
Joe Mixon ($7,500) might be best to avoid, given his significant salary and his matchup against the Chargers. Mixon struggled mightily down the stretch, rushing for fewer than 30 yards in three of his last four games. He also hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 13. The Chargers allowed just seven rushing touchdowns this season.
Don't sleep on J.K. Dobbins ($7,100). In two games since returning from injury, he has combined for 37 carries, 139 rushing yards and one touchdown. He had nine touchdowns this season despite appearing in only 13 games. The concern is that he is listed as questionable with an ankle injury, although he was a limited participant in practice this week. If he can't play, then Gus Edwards ($5,000) could provide value.
Wide Receiver
The biggest news at the position is that Zay Flowers (knee) is out. Rashod Bateman ($6,000) should step into the Ravens' top wide-receiver role. He has received at least five targets in a game seven times this season. He finished with at least 53 receiving yards in five of those games. Although he only caught one pass against the Steelers in Week 16, it went for a touchdown. He finished with a career-high nine touchdowns during the regular season.
Nico Collins ($8,600) comes with a hefty salary and it's concerning that he finished with 60 or fewer receiving yards in each of his last four games. The Chargers allowed the seventh-fewest passing yards per game this season, so if Collins can't find his way into the end zone, he could end up being a bust in DFS.
Ladd McConkey ($7,500) might be the most appealing wide receiver for this slate. He has recorded at least five receptions and 83 receiving yards in six of his last seven games. The Chargers threw the rookie right into a prominent role, giving him 112 targets this season. His teammate Quentin Johnston ($6,200) comes with a lot of risk, but he did finish the regular season on a high note with at least five receptions and 45 receiving yards in four of his final five games. He's worth considering in tournament play.
George Pickens ($6,900) has not looked the same in two games since returning from a hamstring injury. After posting three receptions for 50 yards in Week 17, he only caught one of his six targets last week against the Bengals. He didn't even gain one yard on that reception. Still, don't completely bypass him when creating your lineups. The Ravens have given up a lot of yards through the air this season and Pickens had eight receptions for 89 yards against them in Week 11.
Tight End
The Ravens should rely even more on Mark Andrews ($6,200) with Flowers out. After a terrible start to the season, Andrews rebounded to score a touchdown in each of his last six games. Still, he is a mostly touchdown-dependent option because he didn't reach 70 receiving yards in any game this season.
The Steelers don't have a ton of talent at wide receiver behind Pickens. That has proved to be beneficial for Pat Freiermuth ($5,400), who has a touchdown reception in five of his last nine games. However, a concerning stat is that he only had five total receptions for 30 yards against the Ravens this season.
Will Dissly ($5,000) and Dalton Schultz ($5,500) don't come with much upside. Dissly has produced two games with at least 80 receiving yards this season, but he also had nine games with fewer than 30 receiving yards. Schultz posted a total of 12 catches and 108 receiving yards over his last four games. The Texans also allowed the seventh-fewest receptions to tight ends in the league, which doesn't help Dissly. Given their similar salaries, Freiermuth is the most appealing for those looking to fade Andrews.
