When the dust had settled and we presented our lineups to each other, we ran into an interesting problem. Despite having similar reads on the games and almost the same expectations across-the-board, our fantasy rosters were quite different. That proved to be the running theme for Wild Card Weekend. There are a handful of playable options from each matchup, but not a single game that we felt worth stacking. Therefore, we trimmed the list to the players that fit both of our frameworks.
Based on our expected Wild Card Round DFS game flow analysis published earlier, we can carry our thoughts into actual lineup positions. The long list of players that fit the requirements set forth by the projected flow of the game was cut dramatically by the requirements set forth by salaries.
Below are Sporfolio’s DFS Wild Card Round Plays:
Quarterback
Josh Allen – When first looking at the playoffs and potential fantasy plays, the Buffalo Bills and Josh Allen were definitely not the first to jump off the page. After some deeper review, the matchup between Buffalo and the Houston Texans seemed like one that had potential to surprise. The Texans have shown throughout the year that they are capable of producing points against tough defenses, and we’ve grown to like the Texans’ odds in this game. With our high expectations for Houston, that sets up Josh Allen for a busy afternoon on Saturday. While volume alone isn’t the only thing that matters, Allen has arguably the best matchup of any quarterback as this Texans defense has been downright terrible. They ranked 29th in the league in both passing yards allowed per game as well as fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks. Allen is far from elite, but he has been a reliable fantasy commodity for most of the season thanks to his rushing ability including an impressive nine rushing touchdowns. Add that to his tremendous matchup and expected game flow, and Allen profiles as one of the top quarterback targets of Wild Card Weekend.
Carson Wentz – Despite us, as a whole, not expecting a major offensive performance from the Philadelphia Eagles, Carson Wentz still has the potential to deliver in a big way. For starters, his legs bring extra value in that he can find his way into the end zone, if needed. Otherwise, he has possibly the best game flow setup of the quarterbacks. The Eagles will almost certainly have to throw to either win the game or keep pace with the Seattle Seahawks, and Wentz finished the year with only seven interceptions on the season. He threw a total of one in the final five games. He may not put up astounding numbers, but Wentz can deliver for some slight savings in cap space.