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

Deeper DraftKings DFS Sleepers for Wildcard Weekend

Deeper daily fantasy sleepers for DraftKings and Wildcard Weekend of the NFL season. Justin Carter finds DFS sleepers for fantasy football owners to target.

The regular season is behind us and your season-long fantasy leagues are done, but that doesn't mean you're ready to give up on fantasy sports, right? You've got a month left to play in daily fantasy leagues and playoff leagues! And you've got an incredibly interesting slate of games coming up this weekend, including Buffalo's return to the postseason and a pair of  NFC South teams playing each other.

During the regular season, this column focused on season-long formats, with ownership numbers drawn from Yahoo. That isn't necessarily helpful anymore. Instead, I've gone into DraftKings and identified players who cost $4,000 or less. These are guys who definitely come with risk, but have enough upside that they make for good bargain plays and allow you spend more on the big name players. Are you ready to take some risks in this playoff round? Yeah? Yeah??? Alright!

Let's look at deeper DFS targets and DraftKings sleepers for Wildcard Weekend.

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

 

Deeper DraftKings DFS Targets for Wildcard Weekend

QUARTERBACKS

Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans - $5,500 (DraftKings)

So, the quarterback position is obviously the place where you can't get super sneaky with how you use your salary. The cheapest starter is Tyrod Taylor ($4,700), but that's a really scary move to make since the Bills are playing Jacksonville. Marcus Mariota is a good option against the Chiefs, a team that has allowed more fantasy points to the quarterback position than any other defense that's playing on Wildcard Weekend. Mariota didn't have a great regular season, but he's mobile and accurate and he saves you some money.

 

RUNNING BACKS

Marcus Murphy, Buffalo Bills - $3,700 (DraftKings)

The good news for the Buffalo Bills is that they made the playoffs for the first time since 1999. The bad news is that LeSean McCoy hurt his ankle and may not be available against the Jaguars. If McCoy is even close to ready, he'll play. If he isn't? Someone has to run the ball for Buffalo and that someone could be Marcus Murphy, who had seven carries for 41 yards in Week 17 in relief of McCoy and added two catches for seven yards. There's literally no other information I can give you about Murphy aside from the fact that he is in his third year and his nine touches against Miami represent all but two of his career touches. He's a risk, but he should lead the Bills backfield if McCoy is out.

Mike Tolbert, Buffalo Bills - $3,600 (DraftKings)

Or go with Buffalo's other back! Tolbert isn't likely to have a huge yardage total, but he's more likely than Murphy to see touches down near the goal line. He's a very touchdown dependent option.

Jonathan Stewart, Carolina Panthers - $3,500 (DraftKings)

Stewart missed Week 17 with a back issue. If he's back this week, he's a decent option. The veteran back ran for 45 yards and a touchdown the last time he played against the Saints. He followed that game up with a 103 yards and three scores against Minnesota, but he struggled in Weeks 15 and 16. There's a lot of risk with Stewart, but he has plenty of upside.

 

WIDE RECEIVERS

Corey Davis, Tennessee Titans  - $3,600 (DraftKings)

If--and this is a big IF--we ignore that Davis didn't have a catch in Week 17 against a strong Jaguars pass defense, there's a case to be made for the rookie against a Chiefs pass defense that has struggled at times this season. Not counting this past week, Davis was targeted at least four times in every game he played. He played well in Week 16, catching six passes for 91 yards.

Eric Decker, Tennessee Titans  - $3,500 (DraftKings)

I'm not trying to pick on the Chiefs defense here, but DraftKings has a lot of Titans players available at a good cost and the match-up isn't bad for Tennessee. Decker has played well over the past month, though he hasn't found the end zone since Week 9. Still, he's a reliable option for Marcus Mariota and should have a little bit higher floor than Corey Davis.

Albert Wilson, Kansas City Chiefs  - $3,300 (DraftKings)

Wilson had a huge Week 17 with the rest of Kansas City's weapons sitting out, finishing with 10 receptions for 147 yards. He's obviously not going to repeat that, but Wilson was targeted eight times in Week 16 and seven times in Weeks 13 and 15. Alex Smith will look his way at times, and he's going to feel more confident doing so after watching what Wilson did against the Broncos.

 

TIGHT ENDS

Austin Hooper, Atlanta Falcons - $2,900 (DraftKings)

There's a big drop-off after the first four tight end options this weekend. You might think that means you should grab one of those guys, but there are enticing players down the list. The Falcons play the Rams, who allowed the 12th-most points to opposing tight ends, the worst of any playoff team. Hooper is a VERY boom-or-bust option, but this could be a week to give him a shot.

Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars - $2,500 (DraftKings)

If you're grabbing a long shot, touchdown-dependent tight end to save your salary space for someone like Todd Gurley, there are worse places to look than Marcedes Lewis. The Bills are only slightly better against tight ends than the Rams are and Lewis found the end zone two more times than Hooper. (Okay, yes, three of those came in the London game I KNOW I KNOW.) Lewis has a shot to produce this week. (Also, though, maybe it's a good idea to pick up the players I wrote about in the other three sections of this article and not skimp on tight end too much, because there really isn't much consistency beyond Travis Kelce and Delanie Walker. Even Greg Olsen is a scary option, and DraftKings has Charles Clay as their fourth guy.)

 

More NFL Playoffs and DFS Analysis




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

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

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Alexander Romanov

Expected to Miss Two More Games
Pierre Engvall

Ruled Out for the Season
Luguentz Dort

Questionable for Thursday Versus Pacers
Adin Hill

Out Week-to-Week
Patrik Laine

Sits Out Another Game Wednesday
Caris LeVert

Cleared for Wednesday's Game
Marco Rossi

Available Wednesday Night
Cody Glass

Out on Wednesday
Ryan Kalkbrenner

Starting on Wednesday
Stefan Noesen

Makes Season Debut Wednesday
Jaylen Brown

Available Versus Philadelphia
OG Anunoby

Available to Play in Season Opener
Alex Caruso

Placed in Concussion Protocol Wednesday
Joel Embiid

on a Minutes Cap Versus Boston
Kel'el Ware

Available for Season Opener
De'Andre Hunter

Absent on Wednesday
Karl-Anthony Towns

to Play in Season Opener
Jaylen Waddle

Dolphins Don't Have Plans to Trade Jaylen Waddle
Francisco Lindor

has Elbow Surgery, Expected to be Ready for Spring Training
Mike Conley

Moves to Bench to Start Season
Aaron Jones Sr.

Considered Questionable to Play on Thursday
Donte DiVincenzo

Opening Season as a Starter
Giannis Antetokounmpo

Dowgraded to Probable on Wednesday
Karl-Anthony Towns

Upgraded to Questionable For Season Opener
PGA

Alex Noren is a Smash Play at Bank of Utah Championship
Jalen Suggs

Good to Go on Wednesday Night
Karl-Anthony Towns

Now Doubtful for the Opener
Mike Evans

Could be Back in Under Eight Weeks
Bucky Irving

Will Not Play in Week 8
Jayden Daniels

Will Not Play on Monday Night Against Chiefs
Darren Waller

Dolphins Place Darren Waller on Injured Reserve
Maverick McNealy

Look Out For Maverick McNealy This Week in Utah
Justin Lower

Unlikely to Flip The Script at Bank of Utah Championship
Stephan Jaeger

Looking for Repeat Performance in Utah
CFB

Behren Morton Will be Listed as Questionable on Wednesday
Max McGreevy

a Longer Shot to Contend in Utah
Jackson Suber

on the Bubble for the PGA in 2026
Greyson Sigg

Improving at the Right Time This Fall
Seamus Power

Hopes to Make More Birdies This Week
Patton Kizzire

May Struggle Once Again in Utah
Beau Hossler

Up and Down Heading to Bank of Utah Championship
Adam Hadwin

Looking to Find the Weekend in Utah
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Enjoying the Fall Golf Season
Grant Williams

Sidelined for Start of Season
Dante Exum

Unavailable Wednesday
Robert Williams III

Ruled Out for Wednesday
Kelly Olynyk

Not Ready for Spurs Debut Wednesday
Ace Bailey

Questionable for Season Opener
Brad Marchand

Delivers Two Assists on Special Night
Adrian Kempe

Lifts Kings to Victory Tuesday
Justin Brazeau

Records Three Points Against Canucks
Jack Hughes

Pots Third Career Hat Trick
TOR

Chris Tanev Could Miss Time With Upper-Body Injury
Jack McBain

Evaluated for Upper-Body Injury
Tom Hoge

Sputtering into Bank of Utah Championship
Sahith Theegala

On the Upswing Heading into Utah
Andrew Putnam

Looks to Find Form in Utah
Matt McCarty

Looks to Defend Title in Utah
Ben Kohles

a Strong Value Play at Bank of Utah Championship
Max Homa

Trending Up Entering the Bank of Utah Championship
Nick Dunlap

Searching for Spark at Bank of Utah Championship
Quade Cummins

Struggling to Find Form Ahead of Bank of Utah Championship
Maxx Crosby

Raiders Won't Trade Maxx Crosby
Jonathan Marchessault

Remains Absent Against Ducks
Darcy Kuemper

Available Tuesday
Corey Perry

Makes Season Debut Tuesday
Matt Duchene

Misses Tuesday's Action
Alexander Romanov

Unavailable Versus Sharks
Brock Boeser

Remains Out Tuesday
Jared McCann

Out on Tuesday
Jason Day

Making a Spot Start at Bank of Utah Championship
Los Angeles Angels

Kurt Suzuki to be the Angels' Next Manager
Bo Bichette

Plans to be Ready for World Series
Tyrod Taylor

Aaron Glenn "Moving Toward" Naming Tyrod Taylor the Starting QB
Zach Charbonnet

Finds the End Zone Twice on Monday Night
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Continues Elite Production
Chris Godwin

Bucky Irving May Not Play This Week
Michael Penix Jr.

Expected to Be "Good to Go" for Sunday
Nick Foligno

Back With Blackhawks
Nico Collins

Ruled Out Late on Monday Night With Concussion
Nico Collins

Suffers Head Injury on Monday Night
Jahmyr Gibbs

Blows Up For 218 Total Yards, Two Touchdowns in Win
Mike Evans

to Miss Most of the Year With Broken Clavicle
Brandon Woodruff

Expects to Be Ready for Opening Day
Mike Evans

Ruled Out Monday With Concussion, Shoulder Injury
Mike Evans

Making his Return in Primetime Against Detroit
Emeka Egbuka

Officially Active on Monday Night
Michael Penix Jr.

Dealing With Bone Bruise in Foot, Considered Day-to-Day
Jayden Daniels

Avoids Long-Term Injury, Status Unknown for Week 8
Reinier de Ridder

Reinier De Ridder Suffers His First UFC Loss
Brendan Allen

Wins Back-To-Back Fights
Kevin Holland

Drops Decision
Mike Malott

Wins Third Fight In A Row
Marlon Vera

Loses Third Consecutive Fight
Aiemann Zahabi

Gets A Razor-Thin Split Decision Win
Jasmine Jasudavicius

Suffers First-Round TKO Loss
Manon Fiorot

Gets Back In The Win Column
Davey Grant

Suffers Submission Loss
Charles Jourdain

Gets First-Round Submission Win
Matt Frevola

Gets Dominated At UFC Vancouver
Matt Frevola

Kyle Nelson Dominates Matt Frevola
George Springer

Returns to Lineup for Game 6 of ALCS
CFB

Colorado State Fires Head Coach Jay Norvell After Four Seasons
CFB

Florida Fires Head Coach Billy Napier After Four Years
Chase Elliott

Can Chase Elliott Deliver Another Clutch Win to Make Championship 4?
William Byron

Seeks First Win at Talladega to Overcome Las Vegas Crash
Chase Briscoe

Likely to Finish Worse Than he Starts
Kyle Larson

Despite No Wins on Drafting Tracks, Kyle Larson is Improving
Tyler Reddick

Despite Winning at Talladega, Tyler Reddick's Drafting Record Is Not So Hot
Ross Chastain

Poor Qualifying Makes him a Strong DFS Option at Talladega
Chris Buescher

Excellent Crash Avoidance Could Reap Dividends at Talladega
Ty Gibbs

If Ty Gibbs' Team Executes a Better Strategy, he Could Win at Talladega
Daniel Suarez

Hopes for Clutch Talladega Win to Remain in the NASCAR Cup Series
Josh Berry

Might Contend at Talladega
Austin Dillon

Doesn't Lead Enough at Talladega to Contend for Wins
Brendan Donovan

Undergoes Sports Hernia Surgery
George Springer

Exits Game 5 Early After HBP on his Knee
Jackson Chourio

Back in Game 4 Lineup Against Dodgers
Iván Herrera

Ivan Herrera Has Bone Spurs Removed From his Elbow
Brendan Allen

Set For UFC Vancouver Main Event
Reinier de Ridder

Reinier De Ridder A Favorite At UFC Vancouver
Mike Malott

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Kevin Holland

Set For UFC Vancouver Co-Main Event
Aiemann Zahabi

Looks For His Seventh Consecutive Win
Marlon Vera

Returns At UFC Vancouver
Jasmine Jasudavicius

Looks To Extend Her Win Streak
Manon Fiorot

Looks To Bounce Back
Aoriqileng

Aori Aoriqileng Looks To Rebound
CFB

Curt Cignetti Signs Eight-Year, $11.6 Million Extension With Indiana
Carlos Rodón

Carlos Rodon Unlikely to Be Ready for Opening Day After Elbow Surgery
Anthony Santander

Removed From ALCS Roster With Back Injury
Jackson Chourio

Aggravates Hamstring, Pulled Early in Game 3 of NLCS

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP