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

Bold Predictions for Fantasy Football Divisional Round: Jalen Hurts, Derrick Henry, Terry McLaurin, Dalton Schultz, Dallas Goedert

Jalen Hurts - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Mike Fanelli gives his fantasy football bold predictions for the Divisional Round of the 2024-25 NFL season. Should you start or sit Jalen Hurts, Derrick Henry, Terry McLaurin?

The NFL playoffs are underway, and I’m back with another edition of fantasy football bold predictions. This week’s list of bold predictions will include Jalen Hurts, Derrick Henry, Terry McLaurin, Dalton Schultz, and Dallas Goedert.

Every week, I will provide some fun and bold fantasy football predictions. While these bold predictions aren’t the most likely outcomes, they are things I believe could happen this week.

Let’s look at my five bold predictions for the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

Jalen Hurts

Struggles against the Los Angeles Rams

Last week, Hurts had a solid performance in the Wild Card win over the Green Bay Packers. The star quarterback completed 61.9% of his 21 pass attempts for 131 yards and two touchdowns. However, his on-the-field play was far from elite.

More importantly, Hurts struggled in the Week 12 matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. He completed 68.2% of his pass attempts for 179 yards, a touchdown, 12 rushing attempts for 39 yards, and 15.1 fantasy points. The former Oklahoma star ended the week as the QB15.

The star quarterback didn’t have an impressive fantasy performance because of Saquon Barkley. The likely Offensive Player of the Year Award winner had his best fantasy outing of the year. He had 26 rushing attempts for 255 yards, two touchdowns, and four receptions for 47 receiving yards, totaling 44.2 half-point PPR fantasy points against the Rams.

Meanwhile, Los Angeles made life awful for Sam Darnold. The veteran quarterback completed 62.5% of his pass attempts for 245 yards, one touchdown, an interception, and a fumble recovered for a touchdown. Fantasy players should avoid starting Hurts this week, instead building their lineups around Barkley.

 

Derrick Henry…

Has his first game with 200 or more rushing yards this season

While some fantasy football experts labeled Henry a bust candidate heading into the 2024 season, the future Hall of Famer had one of the best years of his career. The superstar ended the season as the RB3, averaging 19.2 half-point PPR fantasy points per game. Furthermore, he finished second in the NFL with 1,921 rushing yards.

Despite being on the wrong side of 30 this year, Henry had the second-highest rushing total of his career. The veteran has six career games with 200 or more rushing yards. Yet, none of them came this season. Instead, his season-high in rushing yards was 199 in Week 4.

Henry had that 199 rushing-yard performance against the Buffalo Bills, his same opponent for Sunday night’s playoff matchup. The superstar averaged 8.3 yards per rushing attempt in the Week 4 win over the Bills, totaling two touchdowns.

Last week, Henry had 186 rushing yards and two touchdowns on 26 attempts against a talented Pittsburgh Steelers defense. Don’t be surprised if the future Hall of Fame running back has over 200 rushing yards on Sunday night, especially given the expected weather conditions in Buffalo.

 

Terry McLaurin…

Finishes with over 100 receiving yards and a touchdown

In my bold predictions article last week, I predicted McLaurin would have his way with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers secondary. While the Pro Bowl wide receiver didn’t have a massive performance, the former Ohio State star played well in the win.

McLaurin finished the Wild Card Weekend matchup with seven receptions for 89 receiving yards and a touchdown, scoring 18.4 half-point PPR fantasy points. The veteran had an excellent regular season, ending the year as the WR6, averaging 13.3 fantasy points per game.

Furthermore, McLaurin had a career season in several categories, including receiving touchdowns. The Pro Bowler had 13 receiving touchdowns in 17 games, a career high. He also broke the franchise record for most receiving touchdowns in a year, previously owned by four players with 12, with the most recent being Ricky Sanders in 1988.

Unfortunately, the Washington Commanders and Detroit Lions didn’t face off during the regular season. However, McLaurin had four receptions for 75 receiving yards in his last meeting against the Lions, coming in 2022 with Carson Wentz under center. More importantly, Detroit gave up the most receiving yards to wide receivers during the regular season.

 

Dalton Schultz…

Is the second-highest-scoring tight end this week

The Houston Texans dealt with several significant injuries on offense this year. They lost Stefon Diggs to a torn ACL in the Week 8 win over the Indianapolis Colts and Tank Dell to a significant knee injury in the Week 16 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs.

Unfortunately, the Texans will be without two of their top weapons for the rematch against the Chiefs on Saturday. While Nico Collins is C.J. Stroud’s clear-cut favorite option in the passing game, expect Schultz to step up this week.

Last week, the veteran tight end had a quiet performance against the Los Angeles Chargers. However, that won’t be the case this week against Kansas City. The Chiefs were one of the worst teams defending opposing tight ends during the regular season.

Kansas City surrendered 12.5 half-point PPR fantasy points per game to tight ends this year, the seventh-most in the NFL. They gave up five receiving touchdowns to tight ends, the 11th-fewest in the league. However, the Chiefs allowed opposing tight ends to average 70.1 receiving yards per game, the most in the NFL.

 

Dallas Goedert…

Ends the week as the TE1

While fantasy players should have high hopes for Dalton Schultz this week because of his matchup, Goedert will be the highest-scoring tight end during the Divisional Round of the playoffs. The veteran struggled during the regular season, ending the year as the TE27, averaging 8.3 half-point PPR fantasy points per game.

Unfortunately, Goedert missed seven games because of multiple injuries, including the final four contests of the fantasy football season with a knee injury. However, he has played well over his past few outings. The veteran had seven receptions on 10 targets for 90 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 18.5 fantasy points over his final two regular-season contests.

More importantly, Goedert had a solid performance in the first-round playoff matchup against the Green Bay Packers. The former South Dakota State star had five receptions for 47 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 13.2 fantasy points. Fantasy players should expect even more production from him this weekend.

Goedert has an excellent matchup against the Los Angeles Rams. Last week, they gave up five receptions for 64 receiving yards, a touchdown, and 14.9 fantasy points to T.J. Hockenson. More importantly, the Rams surrendered 24 receptions on 30 targets for 243 receiving yards and three touchdowns to tight ends over their final two regular-season outings.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!

More Fantasy Football Analysis




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

Keandre Lambert-Smith

KeAndre Lambert-Smith Finds End Zone in First Training Camp Practice
Tyler Shough

Pushing for Fully Guaranteed Rookie Deal
Ar'Darius Washington

Goes on PUP List
Lamar Jackson

to be Even Better in 2025?
Tre Harris

Agrees to Terms on Rookie Deal
Justin Herbert

Off to Good Start at Training Camp
Jameson Williams

Earning Rave Reviews from Lions Coaches
Christian Mahogany

Expected to Start for Lions
Zach Allen

an Extension Candidate in Denver?
Zaire Franklin

May Miss Start of Training Camp
Portland Trail Blazers

Damian Lillard Returning to Portland
Mason Taylor

to Play "Crucial" Role in Jets' Offense
Paul Skenes

Pirates Could Preserve Paul Skenes in Second Half
T.J. Watt

Once Again Becomes Highest-Paid Non-QB
RJ Harvey

Reaches Agreement on Four-Year Rookie Contract
Rashee Rice

Chiefs Believe Rashee Rice Will Receive Two- to Four-Game Suspension
Brooks Barnhizer

Grabs 19 Points, Nine Boards in Summer League Win
Jack Kiser

Inks Rookie Deal With Jaguars
Mike Green

Expected to Sign Rookie Deal with Ravens on Thursday
Mike Williams

Retiring After Eight NFL Seasons
Jeremiah Fears

Scores 22 Points in Summer League Loss to Thunder
Jordan Addison

Pleads Guilty to Lesser Offense, Gets Fine and Probation
Jordan Mims

Titans Add Backfield Depth With Jordan Mims
Isaiah Collier

Collects 17 Points In Summer League Win
Anthony Richardson Sr.

Believed to be Recovered From Shoulder Injury
Najee Harris

Chargers Place Najee Harris on NFI List
Caleb Houstan

Joins Hawks
AJ Johnson

Erupts for 25 Points in Summer League Loss
Washington Wizards

Leaky Black Logs Double-Double in Loss to Jazz
Connor Norby

Undergoes Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-8 Weeks
Trey Alexander

Tallies 25 Points in Losing Effort
Johni Broome

Records Second Consecutive Double-Double
Jahmir Young

Has Historic Summer League Outing
Rob Dillingham

Plays Big Role in Wednesday's Win
Tyrese Proctor

Erupts for 35 Points Against Kings
Cody Williams

Leads Jazz to Victory Against Wizards
LeBron James

Mavs Not Interested in "Gutting its Roster" For LeBron James
Josh Hart

Undergoes a Procedure on Right Finger
Jake Burger

Goes on 10-Day Injured List With Quad Strain
Sal Frelick

Dealing With Grade 1 Hamstring Strain, TBD for Start of Second Half
Chris Sale

Plays Catch
Los Angeles Clippers

Bradley Beal Heading to Los Angeles to Join Clippers After Contract Buyout
Rayan Rupert

Scores 24 Points in Summer League Win
Derik Queen

Collects Third Consecutive Double-Double in Summer League Loss
GG Jackson II

Records 13 Points in Summer League Action on Tuesday
Johni Broome

Logs Double-Double Against Wizards
DaRon Holmes II

Records Double-Double in Summer League Loss to Raptors
Kyle Schwarber

Named All-Star Game MVP
Harris English

Takes Stellar 2025 Performance to The Open Championship
Aldrich Potgieter

Seeks Better Result in Northern Ireland
Cameron Young

Likely to Hang Around at The Open Championship
Cameron Smith

Just Trying to Make the Cut at Royal Portrush
Jordan Spieth

Is Jordan Spieth Still a Natural for Links Style Golf?
Patrick Reed

a Viable Option at The Open Championship
PGA

Sungjae Im Wants to Rebound from Last Experience at Royal Portrush
Xander Schauffele

Looks to Defend His Claret Jug at Royal Portrush
Tony Finau

Trying to Turn Tide at Royal Portrush
Daniel Brown

Seeks a Rebound at The Open Championship
Rory McIlroy

Will be the Most Watched Player This Week at Royal Portrush
Daniel Berger

Trending Poorly as The Open Championship Looms
Clayton Kershaw

Retires Both Batters In ASG Appearance
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Hit In Pinky In All-Star Game, X-Rays Negative
MLB

NL All-Stars Win On Tie-Breaker Home Run Swing-Off
Robert MacIntyre

Hoping to Bounce Back at Open Championship
Shane Lowry

Hopes to Repeat at Royal Portrush
Brian Harman

Hopes to Rekindle Some Magic at the 153rd Open
UTA

Michael Carcone Returns to Utah on One-Year Contract
Bowen Byram

Signs Two-Year Deal with Sabres
Morgan Barron

Jets Re-Sign Morgan Barron for Two Years
PGA

Chris Gotterup Punches Ticket to Royal Portrush With Win at Scottish Open
Bryson DeChambeau

Hopes to Reverse Links Golf Struggle at the 153rd Open
Keegan Bradley

Needs to Find The Weekend at Royal Portrush for Ryder Cup Hopes
Oneil Cruz

Ties Home Run Derby Distance Record
Cal Raleigh

Wins 2025 Home Run Derby
Justin Thomas

Finishes Tied For 22nd at Genesis Scottish Open
Scottie Scheffler

Finishes Tied For Eighth at Genesis Scottish Open
Jon Rahm

Finishes in Second at LIV Andalucia
Tallison Teixeira

Suffers First-Round TKO
Derrick Lewis

Scores First-Round TKO
Michael Lorenzen

Royals Put Michael Lorenzen on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Stephen Thompson

Loses Controversial Split Decision
Gabriel Bonfim

Wins Controversial Split Decision
Calvin Kattar

Gets Outclassed At UFC Nashville
Steve Garcia

Extends His Win Streak
Nate Landwehr

Gets Knocked Out
Morgan Charrière

Morgan Charriere Scores Third-Round Knockout
Austen Lane

Suffers Submission Loss
Vitor Petrino

Scores First-Round Submission In Heavyweight Debut
Tuco Tokkos

Earns His First UFC Win
Junior Tafa

Unsuccessful in his Light-Heavyweight Debut
Chase Elliott

Charges to A Finish of Third At Sonoma
Chase Briscoe

Finishes Second With his First Career Road-Course Top-Five at Sonoma
Christopher Bell

Rollercoaster Day Ends With Top-5 Finish at Sonoma
William Byron

Maintains the Regular-Season Points Lead
Kyle Busch

Earns A Hard-Fought Top-10 Finish At Sonoma
Alex Ovechkin

Not Thinking About Retirement
PIT

Penguins Acquire Arturs Silovs
NHL

Nikolai Kovalenko Returns to Russia
Yoshinobu Yamamoto

Tosses Gem Against Giants
Shota Imanaga

Shuts Down Yankees on Sunday
Nathan Eovaldi

Dominant Again in Seventh Win
Tyler Reddick

Evades Near Upset to Remain Alive in In-Season Challenge
Ty Gibbs

One of Three Tylers to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinals
Kyle Larson

Curiously Mediocre at Sonoma Before Late-Race Crash
NASCAR

John H. Nemechek Edges Out Teammate to Make In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Alex Bowman

Ty Dillon Bumps Alex Bowman to Advance to In-Season Challenge Semifinal
Chicago White Sox

Billy Carlson Goes 10th Overall to White Sox
Cincinnati Reds

Steele Hall Selected Ninth by Cincinnati
Toronto Blue Jays

Blue Jays Select JoJo Parker with Eighth Overall Pick
Miami Marlins

Marlins Select Aiva Arquette With Seventh Overall Pick
Pittsburgh Pirates

Pirates Select Seth Hernandez with Sixth Overall Pick
Kyle Stowers

Punishes Former Team with Three-Homer Game
Shane Van Gisbergen

Can Anyone Beat Shane van Gisbergen at Sonoma?
Tyler Reddick

Better at Sonoma Than Record Shows
Chase Elliott

a Prime DFS Option at Sonoma
Michael McDowell

Struggling a Bit at Sonoma
NASCAR

Christopher Bell Has Never Finished Better Than Ninth at Sonoma
Ryan Blaney

Has Top-10 Upside at Sonoma
NASCAR

Sunday at Sonoma Will Likely Be a Long Race for Bubba Wallace
Kyle Larson

Is A Likely Top-Five Contender for Sonoma
Ryan Preece

Points Position Could Affect Race at Sonoma
Todd Gilliland

Struggling to Find Speed at Sonoma
Ty Gibbs

May be an Underrated Favorite to Compete for the Win at Sonoma
Erik Karlsson

Open to Move Away From Pittsburgh
Zach Hyman

Hopes to be Ready for Start of Next Season
SJ

Jeff Skinner Joins Sharks on One-Year Contract
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF