Running Back Matchups to Target in Wild Card Round - Saquon Barkley, Kyren Williams, Bucky Irving

It's another week where we have a solid group of running backs in good matchups for our NFL DFS contests. We can only play up to three in any given lineup, but I'm going to offer up my top four matchups at multiple price points to give you some more options to consider.

Some players have better values on FanDuel than DraftKings or vice versa, so I included the pricing for both sites. Remember that FanDuel rewards those backs that find paydirt multiple times, while pass-catching backs can still post a big score on DraftKings without a touchdown.

Now, let's take a closer look at some of our favorite running back matchups for Week 17.

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Saquon Barkley ($8,500 DK, $9,600 FD)

Philadelphia Eagles vs. Green Bay Packers

It's not all that complicated this week to find the best back in the best spot. Barkley had a historic season in 2024 - his first in Philadelphia - running behind easily the best group of blockers he has ever had in his career.

Barkley handled 23 touches per game this season for the Eagles and averaged over 24 DK points. He wasn't a huge factor in the passing game, but he was one of the most efficient runners in the league this year as well as one of the most explosive - averaging over 20 yards on his touchdown runs.

Sunday can’t come soon enough. In the meantime, enjoy some highlights from Saquon Barkley’s Eagles debut against the Packers. #FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/AS3uTNZHYA

— Barstool Philly (@BarstoolPhilly) January 10, 2025

The Packers' defense is respectable, but they will have their hands full trying to stop Barkley. They've improved against the run since getting gashed by Barkley for three touchdowns back in Week 1, but they'll still likely be overmatched in the trenches against an elite run-blocking unit from Philly.

The Eagles are going to feed Barkley as much as possible in this game with their QB coming out of the concussion protocol and their best receiver nursing an injury, too. I expect him to push up towards 30 touches, especially if the Birds are playing from in front and trying to protect a lead.

Kyren Williams ($7,400 DK, $8,600 FD)

L.A. Rams vs. Minnesota Vikings

The matchup on paper looks like one we would normally avoid. The Vikings have the third-best run defense (DVOA) and allow the third-least fantasy points to opposing backs. However, Kyren Williams isn't just any old back in this offense; he's proven to be one of the best in the league, and Sean McVay knows exactly how to get the most out of him.

Kyren Williams (350) had MORE touches than Derrick Henry (344)

Despite Henry playing 1 MORE game

And weighing 45 MORE pounds

— Josh Larky (@jlarkytweets) January 9, 2025

Williams, like Barkley, should be fresh as he was rested in Week 18 after handling 22 touches per game in the first 16 games. He fared quite well against the Vikings in the Rams' first meeting with Minnesota, rushing 23 times for 97 yards and catching another five passes for 19 yards and a touchdown.

While a lot of the rostership is going to get sucked up by Barkley and Derrick Henry, Williams is worthy of investing in this weekend, too, as he was every bit as much of a bell-cow back as the other two. Don't be surprised if he finds the end zone again once - or even twice for the Rams in this one.

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Bucky Irving ($7,000 DK, $7,600 FD)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Washington Commanders

The Tampa-Washington game is certainly one that should pique the interest of DFS players. Both offenses have been very productive down the stretch despite dealing with injuries to starters, and both defenses have shown some pretty glaring weaknesses.

While Tampa has shown a weakness against opposing pass games, it's been the opposite for Washington. The Commanders rank 26th in rushing defense (DVOA) and have struggled to stop teams with strong running games.

Bijan Robinson went for 90 two weeks ago, and Barkley lit them up for 146 and 150 in two meetings this season. Derrick Henry ran for 132 yards in Week 6, while Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren combined for 119 yards when they faced Pittsburgh.

RBs with 600+ rushing yards and 200+ receiving yards over the final seven games of the season:

Jahmyr Gibbs
Bucky Irving pic.twitter.com/luymDoDuuU

— StatMuse Football (@statmusefb) January 9, 2025

Back to Bucky, though, he's been simply fantastic down the stretch for the Bucs, who finished the regular season with the seventh-rated running attack. He doesn't see as many touches as guys like Barkley, Henry, and Williams but he's been incredibly efficient on a per-touch basis this season. And he can be a factor in the passing game, too.

His price makes him very attractive this week as he brings the same type of ceiling of those aforementioned backs at a significant discount.

Thanks for reading, and good luck with your DFS contests!

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