This article is part of our King for a Day series.
Now down to just eight teams, the NFL season has one last week that will provide a daily gaming slate with more than two contests to choose from. To celebrate the last big fantasy football weekend of the season, DraftKings is offering a $2M Millionaire Maker Encore ($100 entry, $1M to 1st), along with the $700K Divisional Clash ($20 entry, $100k to 1st) and $300K Flea Flicker ($5 entry, $25k to 1st).
Here are my favorite players for the divisional round of the playoffs on DraftKings…
Quarterbacks
Tom Brady, NE (vs. BAL), $7800 – As far as playoff matchups against above-average defenses go, this one is pretty ideal for Brady's fantasy production. The Patriots should use a bunch of short throws to target the shaky Baltimore secondary, with such a strategy playing right into Tom Terrific's strengths as a passer. Rushing yards will likely be hard to come by in this one, so while both teams strive for a balanced offense, Brady and Joe Flacco should get plenty of volume. Tony Romo and Aaron Rodgers will probably be more efficient, but pass attempts will be hard to come by in a game with two strong running games and two weak front sevens.
Joe Flacco, BAL (at NE), $6900 – Flacco carries quite a bit more risk than Brady, as the New England secondary is among the NFL's best. Still, it's hard not to love the price tag in a week with excellent high-end options at running back, and I won't be surprised if Flacco ends up throwing 45-plus passes. With Steve Smith expected to see a whole lot of Darrelle Revis, a Flacco-Torrey Smith-Owen Daniels stack offers excellent upside while still allowing you to roster a pair of high-end running backs. I am a bit worried about the expectation of mid-teens temperatures in Foxboro, but out of all the quarterbacks in the NFL, Brady and Flacco may be least bothered by the cold.
Other options:Andrew Luck, IND (at DEN), $8700; Russell Wilson, SEA (vs. CAR), $7800
Notes: I'm worried about volume for Rodgers, Romo and Peyton Manning, but Luck is immune to such concerns when he's not playing a bottom-10 team. Wilson would probably be my last choice for a 50/50 or cash game, but he's a solid option for GPPs in any matchup, and he'll probably only be the fourth or fifth-most popular quarterback this week.
Running Backs
Marshawn Lynch, SEA (vs. CAR), $8000 – Lynch draws a tough matchup with the vastly improved Carolina defense, but nearly every other factor is working in Beast Mode's favor, as he's the workhorse back for a heavily favored, defensive-minded home team that's facing an opponent with a sub-par offense. While I wouldn't bank on great efficiency, Lynch is the best bet of any running back to reach 25 carries this weekend. He'll likely find the end zone at least once, and while his contributions through the air don't quite stack up to Eddie Lacy's or DeMarco Murray's, Lynch is more than capable of breaking off a huge run. I also don't expect Lynch to be overly popular on DraftKings this week, with Lacy, Murray, C.J. Anderson and Dan Herron all likely to sport ownership percentages that are equal to or higher than that of the game's premiere power runner. As a bonus, the Seahawks are expected to have star center Max Unger (ankle/knee) for the first time since mid-November.
Eddie Lacy, GB (vs. DAL), $7200 – The Packers were pretty conservative with Lacy's workload this season, until letting him loose for 26 carries in a crucial Week 17 game against the Lions. Now that preserving the big boy's health is no longer a concern, Lacy and the excellent Green Bay offensive line should have a field day against the middling to below-average Dallas front seven. It also helps that Rodgers seems to be nursing a pretty serious calf injury, though I wouldn't expect too much of a drop-off from the NFL's most efficient passer. What I do expect is to see a ton of carries in this game, as the Cowboys and Packers are both very good at running but not so good at stopping opponents from doing the same.
Other options:DeMarco Murray, DAL (at GB), $8400; Daniel Herron, IND (at DEN), $5300; Robert Turbin, SEA (vs. CAR), $3000
Notes: Murray and the Dallas offensive line should be far too much for Green Bay's front seven to handle, and the Cowboys probably won't abandon their running game unless they trail by more than two scores. Herron is the lone sub-$7200 back that I like, but I wouldn't expect much in terms of success on the ground -- He's best used with Lynch/Lacy/Murray/Anderson, Luck, and a cheap Indy pass-catcher. Turbin makes zero sense for 50/50s or cash games, but a Lynch-Turbin-Seahawks D/ST stack is intriguing if you expect Seattle to demolish the Panthers.
Wide Receivers
Julian Edelman, NE (vs. BAL), $6400 – In what should be a ground-heavy week of football, Edelman is easily my favorite option at wide receiver. As I've already mentioned quite a few times, the New England-Baltimore matchup has the best chance of turning into an air-it-out battle, with both teams sporting top-notch run defenses and above-average passing games. The Patriots would be wise to counter the fierce Baltimore pass rush with a ton of short passes, and while Brandon LaFell ($6000) is still a solid option, such a strategy would play right into Edelman's hands.
Doug Baldwin, SEA (vs. CAR), $4500 – I'm a bit hesitant to recommend anybody from the Seattle passing game this weekend, but Baldwin draws a favorable matchup while carrying a cheap price tag, which makes him an oddity among wide receivers in the divisional round. Baldwin runs a high percentage of his routes out of the slot, and while the Panthers have shored up their outside corner spots with some surprisingly strong play from Josh Norman and Bene Benwikere, the slot is manned by the less reliable Colin Jones. I don't expect the Seahawks to do much throwing, but Baldwin should still find his way to a solid performance.
Other options:Jordy Nelson, GB (vs. DAL), $8300; Emmanuel Sanders, DEN (vs. IND), $7100; Torrey Smith, BAL (at NE), $5600; Cole Beasley, DAL (at GB), $3900; Donte Moncrief, IND (at DEN), $3600; Reggie Wayne, IND (at DEN), $3500; Davante Adams, GB (vs. DAL), $3100
Notes: I initially was drawn toward Randall Cobb at $7300, but Cobb will likely see a whole lot of Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick, while Nelson figures to spend most of the game matched up with Brandon Carr and (perhaps) Sterling Moore. I think the Denver offense will have a spread-the-wealth type game, but Sanders won't be an overly popular choice, and he could easily blow up. With Steve Smith Sr. expected to draw Revis for much of Saturday's contest, the younger Smith should see more targets than usual. Terrance Williams will be the popular punt play among Dallas receivers, but Beasley quietly offers a better floor and similar ceiling for $200 less. Moncrief obviously has more big-play ability, but Wayne will likely see more targets, and the veteran figures to be a less popular option. It's been a while since Adams did anything, but he's a reasonable punt option, especially if you go with a Green Bay stack.
Tight End
Owen Daniels, BAL (at NE), $3600 – I love Rob Gronkowski at $7100 this week, but with running backs typically occupying a huge chunk of the budget, Daniels is an easier fit in most lineups. And, with Steve Smith likely to get the Revis treatment, Daniels should see plenty of targets, which hasn't exactly been the norm for him this year. Despite boasting an excellent pass defense, the Patriots surrendered the seventh-most receptions (80) and third-most receiving yards (1,006) to tight ends this season.
Other options:Rob Gronkowski, NE (vs. BAL), $7100; Jason Witten, DAL (at GB), $4800; Dwayne Allen, IND (at DEN), $3500
Notes: Gronk draws a reasonable matchup in a game that should have plenty of passing. Witten could be huge if the Cowboys play from behind, as his role in the offense has been much bigger over the last few weeks. Allen played more snaps than Coby Fleener ($4600) last week, and I'd expect the two Indianapolis tight ends to see a similar number of targets in Sunday's game.
Team D/ST
Denver Broncos vs. IND, $2900 – The Broncos and Panthers will likely be the two most popular choices, so while both figure to get a nice return on the dollar, there's an argument to be made for the Patriots ($3200), Ravens ($2900) or Panthers ($2700). Having said that, I prefer to differentiate elsewhere, as the expected points per $1000 of salary is much better with Denver or Seattle. Yes, Luck is always a good bet to pile up yards, but he's also rather prone to turnovers, as the Colts finished the regular season with the fourth-most giveaways in the NFL. Facing one of the NFL's best defenses, Luck will have a hard time avoiding sacks and turnovers, even if he has a big fantasy day.
Other options:Seattle Seahawks (vs. CAR), $3700
Notes: There's a lot to love about this matchup, so it's simply a matter of willingness to pay. If you can fit it in your budget, the Seattle defense is a safe choice with no shortage of upside.
