Wide Receiver Matchups to Target in Wild Card Week: Keenan Allen, Richie James Jr., Stefon Diggs, Chris Godwin, CeeDee Lamb

We made it. Finally, the NFL Playoffs will officially begin this weekend, and we are sure it will be full of exciting and unexpected games like the NFL has given us all year.

The NFL has been full of surprises this season, between the Brock Purdy breakout and the Seahawks-Rams OT thriller last weekend, which saw Seattle win to keep their playoff hopes alive. Hopefully, this DFS article will help you win some money while we watch our favorite teams and players this week.

Matchups for the wide receiver position aren't always as black and white as they can be for other positions. Receivers sometimes move around the formation or may face shadow coverage, meaning these matchups need to be broken down deeper based on that data. Now, here are the top WR vs. CB matchups for Wild Card Week. Use these to set season-long lineups, as well as gain a competitive edge in the DFS games. The matchup data used in this article is from PFF.

Keenan Allen, Los Angeles Chargers

DraftKings $7000 / FanDuel $8400 - vs. Tre Herndon

Keenan Allen has been one of the most consistent players in the NFL. Since Week 11, when he returned from his hamstring injury, he has averaged 7.4 receptions and 82 yards per game. He boasted a 27% target share in that span, with 10.3 targets per game. Last week against the Denver Broncos' stout pass defense, Allen finished with eight receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns.

This week, he takes on Tre Herndon and the Jacksonville Jaguars. Tre Herndon has allowed 14.8 yards per reception this year and has been a bit of a liability on defense. Mike Williams left early last week with a back injury and has a possibility of being ruled out. Whether or not Williams suits up, Allen should see a steady stream of targets like he has all year and should put together a nice outing this Saturday.

Richie James Jr., New York Giants

DraftKings $3900 / FanDuel $6100 - vs. Chandon Sullivan

With Sterling Shephard and Wan’Dale Robinson tearing their ACLs this year, Richie James Jr. has been one of the players who have stepped up for the weak Giants wide receiver corps. Since Week 11, James has averaged 5.3 receptions and 54 yards, and 0.6 touchdowns per game. Those numbers may not stand out, but that’s great value for $3900 on DK.

The Giants have the Minnesota Vikings on deck this week, who, on average, allowed the second most PPR fantasy points to wide receivers this year. In the last matchup between these two teams in Week 16, James finished with eight receptions for 90 yards (17 PPR points). He might not be the sexiest name in your DFS lineup, but he could provide great value this weekend.

Stefon Diggs, Buffalo Bills

DraftKings $7600 / FanDuel $8600 - vs. Xavien Howard

Stefon Diggs has been having a spectacular year, led by a career-high 11 touchdowns. He remains one of the best receivers in the game, playing on one of the most explosive offenses in the league. This year, he averaged 6.8 receptions, 89.3 receiving yards, and 0.7 touchdowns per game.

He is coming off a huge game last week where he finished with seven receptions for 104 yards and a touchdown against the New England Patriots, in a win that brought Miami into the playoffs. Diggs will take on Xavien Howard and the Dolphins this week, who have played Buffalo twice already this year. Miami has been good about holding Diggs from doing too much damage this year, as he averaged just 67 yards per game.

This time around, Miami will be with their third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson in a playoff game in Buffalo. Not only will the playoff experience and home-field give Diggs an advantage, but he is also coming off a great game and has huge momentum. Even though Miami held him in check this year, he could be a good bet this weekend against Xavien Howard, who has allowed 15.3 yards per reception this year.

Chris Godwin, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

DraftKings $6400 / FanDuel $7200 - vs. DaRon Bland

Chris Godwin had a great season up to this point, finishing with a career-high 104 receptions off a career-high 142 targets. Since Week 12 specifically, he has averaged eight receptions and 78.3 yards per game, with a team-high 22% target share.

DaRon Bland will likely be the primary defender in this contest, who currently boasts a solid 76.8 PFF coverage grade this season. The defense will be solid, but Godwin should remain the target leader on the Buccaneers' offense. Tampa Bay had a 67% pass-play rate this year, the highest among all teams in the NFL. Even against a tough defense, Tom Brady will let it fly, and Godwin will be one of the beneficiaries.

CeeDee Lamb, Dallas Cowboys

DraftKings $7700 / FanDuel $8100 - vs. Antoine Winfield Jr.

CeeDee Lamb has proved all his doubters wrong this year, proving he is a true alpha receiver. Lamb finished the regular season with career-highs in yards (1359) and touchdowns (9). Over the last three games, especially, he has been on a roll. Since Week 16, he has averaged 8.7 receptions, 90.7 yards, and one touchdown per game. This week, he takes on Antoine Winfield Jr. and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Monday night.

Winfield has allowed 10.5 yards per reception this year, while Tampa Bay has allowed the eighth most fantasy points (average) to wide receivers. CeeDee Lamb should see heavy usage as he has all season and should be able to perform well above expectations during Wild Card Week.

All data is from PFF, FantasyData, and RotoViz. Thanks for reading, and good luck with your DFS contests!

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