X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Heroes and Zeroes - Wild Card Fantasy Football Picks

Pierre Camus outlines his favorite picks at each position and players to fade for Wild Card Weekend of the 2017 NFL season for fantasy football lineup prep.

Let's get straight to the point: you don't care that the NFL regular season is over because you're a fantasy football junkie and you need your fix. Who am I to deny you more fantasy goodness? There are several variations of playoff leagues, including best available, one-and-done, and salary cap style. Regardless of how you play, here are a variety of picks that could suit your needs.

If you're here for DFS advice, you've also come to the right place. While I won't get too detailed into prices and game types, I will recommend some viable tournament plays that could help you cash out, in a week where the choices are slim.

Now, let's get to my fantasy "heroes" and "zeroes" at each position for NFL Wild Card Weekend. For a full set of rankings, look no further than our very own RotoBaller consensus weekly rankings.

Featured Promo: Get any DFS Premium Bundle for for 30% off using code NEW! Win more with expert advice from proven winners and exclusive DFS tools. Get instant access to RotoBaller's Lineup Optimizers, Research Stations, daily picks and VIP chat rooms across 10 sports! Go Premium, Win More!

 

Wild Card Weekend Lineup Heroes

QUARTERBACK

Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints - It's odd to say, but Drew Brees hasn't played like a top-five fantasy QB all season. We all know the numbers by now: 23 TD, his fewest-ever as a Saint, only one game over two TD, and only three 300+ yard games. However... that one three-TD game came against the Panthers in Week 3. Of course, he only tossed one TD against them later in the year, but he also didn't turn the ball over in either game. Let's face it, unless you think Alex Smith will put up better numbers, Brees is the default QB1 for Wild Card weekend. He's got the most weapons, but also faces a Panthers defense that got worse toward the end of the season. Carolina allowed 282 pass yards per game after their Week 11 bye, including 326 and 311 in their final two games. Brees has by far the highest floor of any quarterback going in the Wild Card round. He's also somehow only the third-most expensive QB out of eight playing in DK. Don't get cute at this position and stick with the sure thing.

RUNNING BACKS

Kareem Hunt, Kansas City Chiefs - Let's start with the obvious play. For the somewhat reasonable price of $8100, you can own Hunt on DraftKings this week. He's no Todd Gurley, but there isn't any other RB that should see more touches than Hunt and you can save about 2K by opting for Hunt instead. After going MIA for a while, Hunt finished strong with 362 rushing yards and four total touchdowns in Weeks 14-16. Tennessee has the fourth-ranked rush defense in the league, so this might seem like a counterintuitive play, but they allowed the most receiving yards to running backs of all teams. Hunt is the do-it-all back for KC, so even if he struggles on the ground, he'll make his way in the passing game.

Marcus Murphy, Buffalo Bills - LeSean McCoy is still a big question mark for this weekend, but if you watched him leave the game in agonizing pain with tears on the sideline, you know it's not likely he'll play. When his coach simply says there's "a chance" he will play, he isn't playing. Murphy hasn't played much at all in his NFL tenure, other than as a return man. He served well in limited time last week, rushing seven times for 41 yards. It remains to be seen what he can do in an RB1 capacity, but it's worth the risk to find out. Mike Tolbert presents a decent floor because he will catch some passes and get any potential goal-line work, but Murphy is the one to roll out in tournaments. He doesn't stand out physically, nor does he have a great matchup, but this is all about opportunity.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Demarcus Robinson, Kansas City Chiefs - My original pick was Albert Wilson here, but he's questionable with a knee injury. If he doesn't play, try Robinson if you're doing a Stars and Scrubs lineup. This is strictly a punt play, but keep in mind that he could step in as WR2 for KC in a game that they are expected to win. P.S. - I don't really love any other receivers this week that aren't totally obvious, so in pretty much every other scenario, you're better off just going with Michael Thomas and either Julio Jones or Tyreek Hill and calling it a day.

TIGHT END

Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans - Travis Kelce will be the chalk play this week, but Walker can be had for significantly cheaper and may produce nearly as well. It's not as if the Chiefs are weak against tight ends--they actually allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points to the position in 2017--but Walker should be the primary target for his young quarterback when things start crumbling around him. Walker was Marcus Mariota's favorite target by far this season, leading the team with 116 targets. The next closest was Erick Decker with 86. The veteran isn't the most exciting pick to make, but in cash games he is the one to go with.

Josh Hill, New Orleans Saints - If you're going to pass on the top three tight ends, you might as well go straight to the value plays. Hill is a mere $2500, but he's actually the TE1 on his team, which can't be said for the likes of Logan Thomas, Eric Saubert, and the 20 other tight ends with the same salary. Hill is totally and completely TD-dependent, but try to name a tight end after the top three that isn't...

 

Wild Card Weekend Lineup Zeroes

QUARTERBACKS

Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars - You thought I was going to go with the QB on the other side of this matchup, didn't you? While I don't recommend starting Tyrod Taylor against the best defense in the league by any stretch of the imagination, I also can foresee a scenario in which Taylor outscores Bortles. In this case, it's all about game script. If the Bills are without leading rusher LeSean McCoy, they'll have little choice but to air it out more than they want. This is especially true if the Jags jump ahead early. Jacksonville is listed as an 8.5 point favorite so far, but if Shady is ruled out altogether, that could increase further. Simply put, a double-digit Jaguar lead means less passing for Bortles and more for Taylor. For a team that leads with its superior defense and running game, it's unlikely they'll give Bortles free reign to throw unless absolutely necessary. Avoiding turnovers has been key to their success, mainly because they ran the ball more than any other team in the league (525 rush attempts, 1st in NFL) and threw the ball the least (51.1% pass percentage, 32nd in NFL). Now, on top of all that, add in the fact that the Bills finished 29th in rush defense, yet have a pair of decent cornerbacks to support a pass defense that allowed a 14:18 TD:INT ratio to opposing QBs, and it's easy to see why Bortles should be the very last QB you choose this week.

RUNNING BACKS

Tevin Coleman, Atlanta Falcons - Despite a tough road matchup in L.A., we know the Rams defense has been susceptible to the run. Coleman may get close to 10 carries in a close contest, but that's about his ceiling, which promises to deliver no more than 50 yards on the ground. There were only three occasions where Coleman and Freeman shared duties this season in which Coleman went over 50 rush yards. Coleman will see some targets, but the Rams were just 18th in receiving yardage allowed to running backs. He's a volume-dependent player that should be bypassed in favor of Devonta Freeman, particularly around the red zone, where Freeman carried it 10 more times (33-23) and was targeted twice as much (8-4) this season, despite missing two games.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Corey Davis, Tennessee Titans - The player pool might be thin this week, but why Corey Davis is getting any love at all, even as a sleeper, is beyond me. By all accounts, it's been a disappointing rookie campaign for the fifth overall pick. Not a single touchdown and only two games with more than four receptions or 50 yards over the course of 11 games. The Chiefs' secondary may not be strong, but it'll take more than that to suddenly turn Davis into a viable fantasy player.

Keelan Cole, Jacksonville Jaguars - First of all, if you hate the QB you can't love his receivers. It's also time to remind everyone that Cole has not been a fantasy asset all season. The one week where he exploded for 186 yards and a touchdown, nobody was playing him! He had a nice follow-up with 108 yards against the 49ers, but quickly came back down to Earth. In Week 17, with some fantasy championships on the line, he caught four passes for 33 yards. Marqise Lee and Allen Hurns are both back in action, so Cole will be the third or fourth target at best on a team that is not going to be airing it out. Leave him off your roster, unless it's a dynasty league bench for next season.

TIGHT END

Gerald Everett, Los Angeles Rams - I'm not sure if Everett hit the rookie wall, because he never got up and running in the first place, but he looked downright lost in Week 17. He was running incorrect routes, dropping easy passes, and failed to make a difference despite seeing his highest target total of the year with six. Everett is talented, but far from seasoned and should be avoided in a playoff atmosphere, regardless of his cheap price tag.

 

More Wild Card Weekend Lineup Prep




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Luis Arraez20 mins ago

Carted Off In First Inning
Jayden Daniels1 hour ago

Focused On Improving In 2025
Isaiah Stewart2 hours ago

Iffy For Monday Night
Aaron Gordon2 hours ago

Listed As Probable For Game 2
Gabriel Vilardi2 hours ago

To Remain Out For Game 2
Logan Thompson3 hours ago

Could Be An Option Monday
Martin Fehérváry3 hours ago

Martin Fehervary Iffy For Game 1
Tanner Jeannot3 hours ago

Remains Week-To-Week, Out For Game 1
Tyler Glasnow3 hours ago

Exits Sunday's Start Early With Lower Leg Cramps
Zeev Buium3 hours ago

Makes NHL Debut In Playoff Opener
Anthony Stolarz3 hours ago

Makes First Career Postseason Start
Oliver Ekman-Larsson3 hours ago

Good To Go Sunday
Zach Agnos6 hours ago

Promoted To Major Leagues
Victor Vodnik6 hours ago

Placed On 15-Day Injured List
Josh Lowe6 hours ago

Takes 20 Dry Swings
Blake Treinen6 hours ago

Dealing With Low-Grade Forearm Injury
Jack Leiter6 hours ago

To Make Rehab Start On Tuesday
Eugenio Suárez7 hours ago

Eugenio Suarez Sitting On Sunday
Brayan Bello7 hours ago

Expected To Return On Tuesday
J.T. Realmuto7 hours ago

Getting Sunday Off
Chase Meidroth7 hours ago

Scratched With Thumb Injury
Ben Rice7 hours ago

Not Starting On Sunday
Wyatt Langford7 hours ago

Activated Off Injured List
8 hours ago

Washington Hosts Tre Harris
NFL8 hours ago

Will Johnson Visits With Seattle
NFL8 hours ago

Devon Key Sticking With Denver
Griffin Conine9 hours ago

Placed On 60-Day Injured List
Sean Murphy9 hours ago

Not In Sunday's Lineup
Brandon Marsh9 hours ago

Hits 10-Day Injured List
Oneil Cruz9 hours ago

Sitting On Sunday
Cody Poteet9 hours ago

Promoted To Major Leagues
Shohei Ohtani9 hours ago

Activated From Paternity List
Yegor Sharangovich11 hours ago

Recovering From Broken Foot
Corbin Carroll11 hours ago

Stays Hot Versus Cubs
Michael Busch11 hours ago

Continues Impressive Start To Season
Rasmus Andersson11 hours ago

Played With Broken Fibula
Semyon Varlamov12 hours ago

Expects To Be Ready For Next Season
Owen Power12 hours ago

Avoids Surgery
Rasmus Ristolainen12 hours ago

May Miss Start Of Next Season
Evander Kane12 hours ago

Close To Being Cleared For Action
Kyle Connor12 hours ago

Caps Off Three-Point Effort With Game-Winner
Nathan MacKinnon12 hours ago

Leads Avalanche To Game 1 Victory
Max Pacioretty1 day ago

Available For Playoffs
Jake McCabe1 day ago

Available For Sunday's Game 1
Oliver Bjorkstrand1 day ago

Will Not Play In Round 1
Matthew Tkachuk1 day ago

Logs Full Practice Saturday
Jonathan Drouin1 day ago

Available For Game 1
Miro Heiskanen1 day ago

Upgraded To Day-To-Day
Jaylen Brown1 day ago

Not Expected To Be Limited On Sunday
Irv Smith1 day ago

Houston Re-Signs Irv Smith Jr.
Ja Morant2 days ago

Cleared To Play Friday
Brandon Williams2 days ago

Available Against Grizzlies
Anthony Davis2 days ago

Will Play Friday Night
Gary Trent Jr.2 days ago

Available For Game 1 Against Pacers
Taurean Prince2 days ago

Returns To Bucks Lineup Saturday
NFL2 days ago

Justin Hardee Sr. Waived With Non-Football Injury
Isaiah Stewart2 days ago

To Return For Game 1
Ausar Thompson2 days ago

Available For Game 1
Rui Hachimura2 days ago

On Track To Play Saturday
Austin Reaves2 days ago

Ready To Go For Game 1
NFL2 days ago

Bills Release Armani Rogers, Branson Deen
Luka Dončić2 days ago

Luka Doncic Removed From Injury Report
LeBron James2 days ago

Listed As Probable For Game 1
Ben Sheppard2 days ago

Probable For Saturday's Game 1
NFL2 days ago

Kolton Miller Absent From Raiders' Voluntary Offseason Program
Kevin Durant2 days ago

To Houston Already Losing Steam
Lauri Markkanen2 days ago

Wants To Stay With The Jazz
NFL2 days ago

Ross Blacklock Let Go By New York
Bennedict Mathurin2 days ago

Expected To Play In Game 1 Saturday
Pascal Siakam2 days ago

Available For Playoff Opener
Tyrese Haliburton2 days ago

Returning From Two-Game Absence Saturday
Cade Cunningham2 days ago

Available For Game 1 Against Knicks
NFL2 days ago

Raiders Considering Drafting A Quarterback
Irv Smith2 days ago

Sticking With Texans
NFL2 days ago

Texans Expected To Draft Wide Receivers
Greg Dortch2 days ago

Returning To Cardinals
Mark Andrews2 days ago

Could Be Traded Soon
NFL2 days ago

Raiders, Falcons Could Have Interest In Jalen Ramsey
2 days ago

Raiders Are High On Ashton Jeanty
Rome Odunze2 days ago

To Hopefully Get More Involved
NFL2 days ago

Dolphins Could Draft A Quarterback
James Cook2 days ago

Could Stay Away From Voluntary Workouts
Jake Tonges3 days ago

Signs Exclusive-Rights Tender
Denver Broncos3 days ago

Broncos To Focus On RB Position In Next Week's Draft
Lucas Glover4 days ago

Looks To Rebound After Poor Performance
Daniel Berger4 days ago

Looking To Continue Solid Play At RBC
Sepp Straka4 days ago

Looking To Bounce Back At RBC
Justin Thomas4 days ago

Looking To Shake Off Poor Masters At RBC Heritage
Xander Schauffele4 days ago

Still Looking For Year's First Win At RBC Heritage
Maverick McNealy4 days ago

Is An Intriguing Play At RBC Heritage
Shane Lowry4 days ago

Looks To Shake Off Poor Masters Sunday At RBC Heritage
Will Zalatoris4 days ago

Eyes A Bounce-Back At RBC Heritage
Gary Woodland4 days ago

Could Add Some Surprise At Hilton Head
Sam Burns4 days ago

Hoping For Better Times At RBC Heritage
Sahith Theegala5 days ago

Still Trying To Put It All Together
Aaron Rai5 days ago

Might Be That Guy For Hilton Head
Robert MacIntyre5 days ago

All Or Nothing At RBC Heritage
Tom Hoge5 days ago

Still Playing Solid Heading To Hilton Head
Nick Dunlap5 days ago

Continues To Have Rough Stretch
Keegan Bradley5 days ago

Looks To Move On From Masters Performance
Matt Fitzpatrick5 days ago

A Boom-Or-Bust Option At RBC Heritage
Patrick Cantlay5 days ago

A Strong Play At RBC Heritage
Jordan Spieth5 days ago

Targets Another Strong RBC Heritage Showing
Collin Morikawa5 days ago

Eyeing Victory At RBC Heritage
Max Homa5 days ago

Breaks Through At The Masters
Alexander Volkanovski6 days ago

Reclaims Featherweight Title
Diego Lopes6 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC 314
Paddy Pimblett6 days ago

Remains Undefeated In The UFC
Michael Chandler6 days ago

Suffers TKO Loss
MMA6 days ago

Patricio Freire Gets Dominated In His UFC Debut
Yair Rodriguez6 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Bryce Mitchell6 days ago

Gets Submitted At UFC 314
Jean Silva6 days ago

Gets Submission Win At UFC 314
Dominick Reyes6 days ago

Wins Third Fight In A Row
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF