👉 TAP TO SAVE 30% WITH CODE NEW
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
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

Divisional Round NFL Matchups Analysis (Saturday) - Start/Sit

Welcome back, RotoBallers! Below you will find part one of our Divisional Playoff NFL matchups & fantasy football start/sit analysis for the 2016 NFL football season. Pierre Camus (@pfunk00) breaks down the Saturday games of the Divisional round matchups to help you prepare your lineups to win this week. Be sure to also check out part two of this week's matchups analysis by Ben Ruppert (@Ben_Ruppert_21).

Each week of the NFL season, we will be breaking down individual matchups and providing you with some fantasy football advice and lineup recommendations based on matchups that we love, matchups that we hate, and some high-risk/high-reward players, as well. It’s essential to analyze the weekly NFL match-ups to find lineup sleepers and gems, while also avoiding those players who may turn out to be busts.

Editor's Note: New users that sign up on FantasyAces, make a $20 deposit, and enter any game will receive BOTH our full season NFL and NBA Premium Passes for free, a $119.99 value. Just email [email protected] with your new FantasyAces username - and boom, that's it! We will email you with your Premium Passes.

Featured Promo: Looking for some more fantasy football action? Adopt a dynasty orphan team over at FFPC. Sign up today and get $25 off any FFPC league. Sign Up Now!

 

Seahawks @ Falcons - Saturday 1/14 @ 4:35 PM EST

Matchups We Love

Matt Ryan (QB, ATL) - Loving a QB against the Seahawks? Matty Ice lit up this same defense for 335 yards and three scores in Week 6. That game was played in Seattle, with Earl Thomas in the lineup. The Seahawks won't be a pushover by any means, but Ryan shouldn't be faded just because of their reputation. They showed signs of slippage late in the season, allowing 38 points to Green Bay, 34 to Arizona and 23 to San Francisco before shutting down the Lions in last week's Wild Card game. The Falcons don't do defensive battles, so expect this matchup to be high-scoring again. Ryan should be behind only Aaron Rodgers in QB rankings this weekend.

Julio Jones (WR, ATL) - Jones has already shown he is matchup-proof, but has also been inconsistent throughout the season. Seattle's vaunted secondary may scare away Jones owners, but they actually slipped to 15th in fantasy points allowed to WR by season's end. Jones showed no fear against Richard Sherman and DeShawn Shead earlier this season, going for 139 yards and a touchdown. If the running game is ineffective, which is a distinct possibility, Jones could see a ton of targets. He should be kept in all lineups as usual.

Jimmy Graham (TE, SEA) - The Falcons are among the worst at stopping the tight end, allowing 998 yards and eight TD on the season. Graham has been fairly successful against the Falcons in his career, mostly in his time with the Saints. In 11 games playing the Falcons, Graham has scored eight times with an average game of five catches for 66 yards. He caught six for 89 in Week 6, so there's good reason to make Graham one of the top tight end plays of the week. In a very thin position, only Travis Kelce could be valued higher than Graham for the Divisional Round.

Matchups We Hate

Russell Wilson (QB, SEA) - At first glance, a matchup against the second-worst pass defense against quarterbacks seems like money in the bank for Wilson owners. Wilson's numbers have simply been pedestrian away from home this season, with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in eight games. Truth be told, he's been downright unplayable on the road, save for two games (Week 4 vs the Jets and shockingly Week 10 vs the Patriots). He still isn't making plays with his feet, so it will take a big passing day for Wilson to pay off. Atlanta's secondary has stepped up in the absence of Desmond Trufant and aren't quite as bad as people think. Wilson has shown the potential for explosive games at unexpected times, but he appears to be more of a trap play this week. In the words of Planet Patrol, "Play at your own risk."

Tevin Coleman (RB, ATL) - Coleman was completely shut down the by 'Hawks in Week 6, totaling 17 yards. That shouldn't be surprising, since they are one of the best defenses against RB catching the ball out of the backfield. They haven't allowed a single receiving touchdown to a running back this season and allowed the fourth-fewest receptions. Even if this game becomes a shootout, there's sufficient reason to think Coleman won't be too involved.

Notable Players

Devonta Freeman (RB, ATL) - Like running mate Coleman, Freeman was also held in check by the Seahawks earlier this year. He carried the ball 12 times for 40 yards while adding 10 receiving yards. Freeman is always a threat to score, however, especially at home where 11 of his 13 touchdowns have come. His ceiling is limited in this game - the Seahawks haven't allowed a team to rush for 100 yards against them since Week 12 and have only allowed three players to run for as many as 90 yards all season (Carlos Hyde, Tim Hightower, David Johnson). Freeman is best used as a cash game option this week.

Thomas Rawls (RB, SEA) - Raise your hand if you expected Rawls to set a franchise record for playoff rushing yards last week. His performance against the Lions seemingly came out of nowhere as he gashed their defense repeatedly. Rawls did show the ability to put up huge games last season, running for 169 in Cincinnati and 209 against San Francisco, but it remains to be seen whether he can do it in consecutive weeks, much less in the Divisional playoffs. Atlanta allowed the eighth-fewest rushing yards to RB this year, but that is in large part a result of game flow, as their offense usually got out to big leads. The Falcons did allow 13 rushing TD, which places them in the bottom 10 defensively. Rawls has a good chance to find the end zone, but may be hard-pressed to break 100 yards. He projects to be the RB5 in fantasy scoring this weekend.

 

Texans @ Patriots - Saturday 1/14 @ 8:15 PM EST

Matchups We Love

LeGarrette Blount (RB, NE) - It seems Blount is the Rodney Dangerfield of the NFL (look it up, Millenials). He is the lead runner for the top seeded team and led the league with 18 rushing scores, yet he's often valued at half the price of other RB1 options in daily leagues. The problem is his complete lack of involvement in the passing game and relative dependence on finding the end zone. When you average a touchdown per game, however, it's hard to pass him up. Houston was simply average against the run this year and did allow two scores to Blount in Week 3, so Blount should be a good bargain once again.

Matchups We Hate

Brock Osweiler (QB, HOU) - Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Many people expected Osweiler to go down in flames in his first playoff start last weekend (including yours truly). While completing 14 passes for 168 yards and one TD is far from spectacular, he made for a decent fantasy play thanks to a rushing score. This time he won't be facing a rookie QB on the other side, nor can the Patriots defense be compared to Oakland's. New England finished 14-2 in large part thanks to a defense that allowed the fewest points in the league, including 21 passing TD in 16 games. Osweiler will need to scramble or sneak for another TD on the ground to scrap together any fantasy value in this matchup. Even so, last week's point total would seem to be his absolute ceiling this week. Avoid again.

Lamar Miller (RB, HOU) - We know Miller will get a huge workload once again, as the Texans try to keep the ball out of Brady's hands and alleviate pressure on Osweiler. It may result in another sub-3.00 Y/A game, just like last week. Including the Wild Card game against Oakland, where he ran the ball 31 times but produced just 73 yards, Miller has been struggling to make big gains late in the season. In the last five games, Miller is averaging exactly three yards per carry, only breaking 100 yards from scrimmage once (Week 14 against the Colts). On the plus side, he's scored a touchdown in three straight. That will be a tough streak to continue, as the Pats only gave up four rushing touchdowns all year. Expect eight man, maybe more, in the box throughout the first half of this game as the Patriots aim to take Miller out of the gameplan.

Malcolm Mitchell (WR, NE) - The rookie from Georgia became a hot commodity down the stretch, scoring four touchdowns between Weeks 11-14. He then combined for four catches and 43 yards with no scores the next two weeks before sitting out Week 17. It may be tempting to think that the Patriots will incorporate him into the gameplan this week, but it may not matter. Mitchell will be matched up mostly with A.J. Bouye, who continues to play shutdown corner. Expect Brady to lean on his veterans this game and look away from Mitchell.

Notable Players

Tom Brady (QB, NE) - Brady could very well be the MVP this year with only 12 games played. He has thrown only two interceptions and finished with a league-leading 83.1 QBR. His outstanding TD/INT rate actually dips to 2/1 when you look at career playoff stats (56/28 in 31 games). This year's Brady looks as sharp as ever, but Houston's strength is its pass defense. The Texans haven't allowed a 300-yard passer all year and have held three of the last four teams under 150 passing yards. A reasonable projection for Brady is 260 yards and two TD.

Dion Lewis (RB, NE) - It will be interesting to see how heavily Lewis is used in this game. He wasn't around the first time these teams met, but has rejoined the RB rotation. His snap count has held steady at 28, 27 and 27 the last three weeks of the regular season. It will be hard for him to carve out a big role, especially with the way Blount gashed these Texans in the first matchup. He will need to make a big play out of the backfield in order to produce a high point total. The Texans are in the top 10 defensively in regard to limiting catches and touchdowns by running backs, but have allowed 653 receiving yards to RB, which is in the bottom half of the league. He's risk/reward this weekend, making him more appealing in tournament games than regular formats.


Check out RotoBaller's famous fantasy football draft sleepers and waiver wire pickups list, updated regularly!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Ryan Rollins

Sidelined Friday Night
Isaac Paredes

Placed on Bereavement List
Moussa Diabaté

Moussa Diabate Out, Ryan Kalkbrenner Starting Friday
Joel Embiid

Suiting Up Against Timberwolves
Jordan Lawlar

Suffers Fractured Wrist, Set to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Alejandro Kirk

Having X-Rays on his Thumb
Guerschon Yabusele

Nick Richards Remains Sidelined Friday, Guerschon Yabusele Will Play
Obi Toppin

Ready for Action Friday
Tre Jones

Josh Giddey, Tre Jones Available Friday
Luka Dončić

Luka Doncic Out Indefinitely With Hamstring Injury
Pascal Siakam

Good to Go Friday
Noah Clowney

Will Play Friday
Nicolas Claxton

Active Against Hawks
Malik Monk

Won't Play Friday Night
Anthony Edwards

Available Against 76ers
Dejounte Murray

Won't Play Friday
Peyton Watson

Out Week-to-Week
Stephen Curry

Expected to Return Sunday
Cade Horton

Exits Friday's Start with Forearm Tightness
Kyren Williams

a Value RB1 in Dynasty Leagues?
Ben Sinnott

Breakout Might Not Happen in Washington
Sam Darnold

Worth Holding in Dynasty Leagues?
Jerry Jeudy

Dynasty Managers Losing Patience Ahead of Year 7
Justin Fields

a Short-Term Option in Kansas City
Chase DeLauter

Returns to Lineup on Friday After Injury Scare
Chris Duncan

Set For UFC Vegas 115 Main Event
Renato Moicano

An Underdog At UFC Vegas 115
Tabatha Ricci

Set For UFC Vegas 115 Co-Main Event
Virna Jandiroba

Looks To Bounce Back
Brendson Ribeiro

In Desperate Need Of Win
Abdul-Rakhman Yakhyaev

Looks To Remain Unbeaten
Ethyn Ewing

Set For His Second UFC Bout
Rafael Estevam

Looks To Remain Undefeated
Kayshon Boutte

an Offseason Riser in Dynasty Leagues
Dallas Goedert

Worth Selling High After Career-Best Campaign?
Theo Johnson

Trending Down in Crowded Offense?
Kyle Monangai

Pushing for More Opportunities
Amon-Ra St. Brown

One of the Most Dependable Dynasty Receivers
Xavier Worthy

Falls to WR50 in Dynasty Leagues
Patrick Kane

Becomes NHL's Highest-Scoring American
Elias Salomonsson

Lands in Concussion Protocol
Nick Lardis

Injures Left Hand Thursday
Jack McBain

Exits With Lower-Body Injury Thursday
Tyler Kleven

Exits Early Versus Sabres
Oliver Ekman-Larsson

Injured in Thursday's Loss
Justin Faulk

Suffers Lower-Body Injury Thursday
Ryan Rollins

Expected to Return Against Celtics
Bobby Portis

to Remain Out Friday
Daniel Gafford

Ready to Face Magic
Anthony Cirelli

Earns a Hat Trick
Jalen Brunson

Back in Action Friday
Isaiah Jackson

Clippers Will Re-Evaluate Isaiah Jackson in One Week
Karlo Matković

Karlo Matkovic Won't Play Thursday
Jayden Daniels

Could Benefit from Influx of Young Talent
Joe Burrow

Ceiling is Still QB1
Andrei Iosivas

Lacks the Standalone Value to Make Him More Than a Deep Bench Stash
Jaylen Wright

Role Could Be Secure for Foreseeable Future
Tyjae Spears

' Dynasty Value Linked to NFL Draft
Konnor Griffin

Secures $140M Deal; Pittsburgh Building Around Young Star
Carter Yakemchuk

in Concussion Protocol
NJ

Arseni Gritsyuk Done for the Season
Tyson Foerster

Available Against Red Wings
Zach Hyman

a Game-Time Decision Thursday
Bryan Rust

Will Play Thursday
Carter Hart

Returns to Action Thursday
Aaron Ekblad

to Be Out for "Weeks" With Broken Finger
NFL

Emmett Johnson's NFL Ceiling in Question?
Ollie Gordon II

Dynasty Value Rising Amidst Organizational Changes in Miami?
Colby Parkinson

Faces Heavy Competition for Targets in Los Angeles
Rashee Rice

Legal Issues Limit His Dynasty Value
Omarion Hampton

Remains a High-End Dynasty Running Back Despite Injury-Marred Rookie Season
Konnor Griffin

Being Promoted to MLB Roster Ahead of Friday's Contest
Brandon Hagel

Likely Out on Thursday
Damon Severson

Not Expected to Return During Regular Season
Igor Chernyshov

a Game-Time Call Wednesday
Radko Gudas

Out Wednesday
Cutter Gauthier

Questionable for Rest of the Week
Evander Kane

Unavailable Wednesday
Konnor Griffin

Pirates in "Deep" Negotiations for Long-Term Contract
Carlos Estévez

Royals Place Carlos Estevez on 15-Day Injured List
CFB

Gunner Stockton Looking "Great" After Offseason Injury
CFB

Sam Leavitt Showing "Encouraging Signs" at LSU Practice
J.J. Spaun

Needs the Putter to Cooperate in San Antonio
Thorbjorn Olesen

Trending Up in San Antonio
Denny McCarthy

Carrying Momentum into San Antonio
Jose Fernandez

Launches Two Home Runs in Historic MLB Debut
Chase DeLauter

Exits Tuesday's Game with Foot Injury, X-Rays Come Back Negative
Chris Kirk

Has Course History on His Side in San Antonio
Billy Horschel

a Volatile Option at the Valero Texas Open
Joe Highsmith

Still Searching for Form in San Antonio
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Looks to Find Form at the Valero Texas Open
Seiya Suzuki

to Begin a Rehab Assignment Soon
Jordan Spieth

a Horse for Course History at TPC San Antonio
Robert MacIntyre

Has One Flaw to Overcome at Valero Texas Open to be a Must-Play
Maverick McNealy

In Exceptional Form This Season
Michael Thorbjornsen

Playing Well But Still Searching For A Win
Hideki Matsuyama

Playing Well Heading to the Valero Texas Open
Si Woo Kim

Heads to Valero Texas Open For Final Tune-Up Before Masters
Cody Ponce

Diagnosed With ACL Sprain, to Miss "Significant Time"
Collin Morikawa

Withdraws From Valero Texas Open
PGA

Stephan Jaegar Still Looking For Consistency at Valero Texas Open
Nicolai Hojgaard

is Red-Hot Coming to TPC San Antonio
Tony Finau

a Risky Proposition at Valero Texas Open
Ludvig Aberg

Looks to Shake Off Collapse at Valero Texas Open
Jacob deGrom

Cleared for Season Debut on Tuesday
Colt Emerson

Signs an Eight-Year Extension with Mariners
Patrick Rodgers

Needs to Make More Birdies in San Antonio
Sepp Straka

Seeks Opportunity in San Antonio This Weekend
Nick Taylor

Could Again Struggle at the Valero Texas Open
Jose Altuve

Tallies Four Hits, Two Homers in Big Night
Miguel Vargas

Hits Grand Slam, Drives in Six in Win Over Miami
Tanner Bibee

to Start on Tuesday Against Dodgers
Chase Elliott

Takes Advantage of Pit Strategies for Second Career Martinsville Win
Denny Hamlin

Dominates but Finishes Second at Martinsville
Joey Logano

Bounces Back with Third-Place Finish at Martinsville
Ty Gibbs

Gains his Fourth Top-Five Finish of the Season at Martinsville
William Byron

Scores Another Top-Five Finish at Martinsville
Joe Pyfer

Extends His Winning Streak
Israel Adesanya

Loses Fourth Consecutive Fight
Maycee Barber

Suffers Her First Knockout Loss
Alexa Grasso

Scores Highlight-Reel Knockout
Niko Price

Retires After UFC Seattle Loss
Michael Chiesa

Victorious In His Retirement Fight
Julian Erosa

Suffers First-Round Knockout Loss
Lerryan Douglas

Scores First-Round Knockout Win In His UFC Debut
Alex Bregman

Clobbers First Two Homers in Sunday's Loss at Wrigley
Yandy Díaz

Yandy Diaz Records Five Hits, Drives in Four in Win Over Cardinals
Kyle Larson

Is Likely to Pay Off for DFS at Martinsville
Christopher Bell

Could Have Another Top-10 Performance At Martinsville
William Byron

Is A Threat to Win Again at Martinsville
Chase Elliott

is A Solid DFS Option for Martinsville Lineups
Chase Briscoe

has Plenty of Upside for DFS Lineups at Martinsville
Carlos Estévez

Carlos Estevez Unlikely to See High-Leverage Opportunities in Near Future
Ty Gibbs

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Ty Gibbs at Martinsville?
Ryan Preece

Is A Solid DFS Option for Martinsville Lineups
Josh Berry

Could Josh Berry Pay Off for Tournament DFS Lineups At Martinsville?
Carson Hocevar

May be Too Inconsistent to Start in Martinsville DFS Lineups
Austin Cindric

Is Austin Cindric Worth Rostering for DFS At Martinsville?
Denny Hamlin

the Favorite to Win at Martinsville
Ryan Blaney

Should Contend at Martinsville
Tyler Reddick

Should Come Back Down to Earth at Martinsville
Joey Logano

Will Be Strong at Martinsville
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Looking to Rebound at Martinsville
Shane Van Gisbergen

Shane van Gisbergen Showing Progress, Qualifies Fifth at Martinsville