Hey there RotoBallers! Welcome back to the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs. In this article, I will be taking a look at some of my favorite FantasyAces DFS lineups picks for the Divisional Round slate.
These daily fantasy football lineup picks are based on a multitude of factors including matchup, talent, recent performance and pricing on Fantasy Aces. Let's get to the picks.
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Quarterback Plays for Fantasy Aces
Matt Ryan (vs. SEA, $7,200)
After Aaron Rodgers shredded a tough Giants pass defense last weekend, it's going to be hard to fade him against a much weaker Dallas secondary. Rodgers still has as much upside as any quarterback on the slate, but he's going to be hard to fit into lineups at $7,850. Instead, consider Matt Ryan at home against the Seahawks. Many owners will likely shy away from Ryan when they see that he's taking on the Seahawks, but I like him in this spot for a few reasons. First, the Falcons have the highest implied team total on the slate. Vegas doesn't seem too concerned by Seattle's defense, projecting the Falcons to score 27.75 points. Furthermore, the Seahawks haven't been nearly as good on the road this season and will take on an Atlanta offense that was dominant during the 2016 season, ranking first in points per game and second in yards per game. Seattle's loss of Earl Thomas back in early December also has made their pass defense much more vulnerable. This game has sneaky shootout potential.
Dak Prescott (vs. GB, $6,600)
Prescott will be at the helm for the Cowboys in the first playoff game of his career. Taking on a suspect Green Bay defense, the Cowboys are home favorites with a healthy implied total of 28 points. While Dallas' dominant running game surely has something to do with that, keep in mind the Packers' run defense is a much better unit than their pass defense. That should serve to funnel additional chances Prescott's way. At just $6,600 on Aces, Prescott shapes up as the top quarterback value on the slate.
Running Back Plays for Fantasy Aces
LeVeon Bell (@ KC, $6,850)
Bell didn't disappoint in the first round of the playoffs, roasting the Dolphins for 167 rushing yards and two touchdowns. While the Chiefs represent a tougher challenge for Pittsburgh's all-world running back, he has proven to be matchup-proof and needs to be considered in all lineups you make this weekend. The Chiefs showed that they can be beaten on the ground this season as their run defense ranked just 26th in the league in DVOA. As Ben Roethlisberger has struggled mightily on the road as of late, expect Pittsburgh to lean heavily on Bell to move the chains. He is expensive, like usual, but worth every penny.
Dion Lewis (vs. HOU, $4,500)
You are going to need a cheaper running back if you aim to fit Bell into those lineups. Lewis is definitely worth considering, especially in tournaments this weekend. The Patriots eased Lewis back into action upon his return from an ACL injury as Lewis split passing down work with James White over the second half of the season. White is a nice player, but he is nowhere near the threat that Lewis is, so don't be surprised if Lewis takes the lion's share of the passing down work now that the playoffs have begun. As always, predicting the Patriots' backfield plans can be a fool's errand, but throwing Lewis into some tournament lineups could be beneficial. If you are looking for a cash game play from the Patriots, LeGarrette Blount should also have a successful outing against a Texans defense ranked 17th in DVOA.
Wide Receiver Plays for Fantasy Aces
Dez Bryant (vs. GB, $5,350)
The emergence of Dak Prescott and the dominant running of Ezekiel Elliot has made Bryant's fantasy production a bit more volatile than it was in the past, but he still possesses as much multi-touchdown upside as anyone on the slate. There's a good chance that Aaron Rodgers and the red-hot Packers offense continue their high-scoring ways, which would then force the Cowboys to throw the ball more often than they would prefer. Green Bay's pass defense ranked just 22nd in the league in DVOA this past season and has no one who can cover Bryant.
Doug Baldwin (@ ATL, $5,600)
Baldwin came through for those who rostered him last week as he went off for 11 catches, 104 yards, and a touchdown against the Lions. Seattle's star receiver will have another plus matchup in the Divisional Round as he will face off against Atlanta slot corner Brian Poole on most of his routes. With the Seahawks playing a road game as underdogs, Baldwin should have a favorable game script this weekend in a game that could turn into a shootout.
Tight End Play for Fantasy Aces
Jared Cook (@ DAL, $4,250)
Cook sets up as one of the top tight end values on the slate. The veteran tight end finished last week's Wild Card game against the Giants with five catches for 48 yards. He could have had a much bigger game, but he dropped at least one pass where he was wide open. With Jordy Nelson looking extremely unlikely to suit up, Cook should take on a featured role in the Packers' passing game. Dallas' defense, by the way, was one of the least effective in the league against opposing tight ends. The Cowboys finished the year allowing the second-most fantasy points per game to the position, behind only the Browns.
Defense/Special Teams Play for Fantasy Aces
New England Patriots (vs. HOU, $3,400)
The Patriots' defense is far and away the best fantasy option this weekend. While most of the teams left in the playoffs have dangerous offenses, the Texans will head into New England with the much beleaguered Brock Osweiler under center. Osweiler threw 16 interceptions in 15 games this past season, resulting in the Texans being one of the top offenses to target with opposing defenses in fantasy. The Patriots are huge -15 point home favorites in a game where the Texans are only projected to score 14.25 points.