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DFS Studs: Our Best DFS Lineup Picks for Fantasy Football (Playoffs)

Each week here at RotoBaller, we provide the subscribers of our DFS Lineup Picks of the Week Newsletter with some of the highest quality advice for salary cap fantasy football for DFS weekly league sites.  We also have lots of great DFS analysis weekly, so be sure to check back.

 

Looking for An Edge?

By Larry Maurer [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia CommonsIf you play salary cap leagues on any of the leading DFS sites, then our expert picks can give you the edge you need to win. Each week we analyze the player matchups, and the associated pricing across the sites to identify the sleepers and value picks to put together a winning lineup. With each newsletter, you will receive our well-researched weekly picks for each position, with both a “Strong Play” and a “Value Play”, and we will also include two or three budget buster tournament plays for each position. All in all, you will be receiving a minimum of 12 of our expertly hand-picked recommendations for your gaming pleasure during the regular NFL season & Playoffs!

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

We’ve reprinted some of RotoBaller’s lineup picks from the last 2 week’s of our subscribers-only exclusive newsletter to give you an idea of the DFS analysis that we put forward each and every week. As you can see below, our experts had some sweet recommendations for the past 2 playoff rounds, so hopefully you got in on the action! And if not, no worries, there’s still plenty of time for the NFC/AFC Championship round. (Also stay tuned for more DFS fun because the MLB season is right around the corner and we do this 3 times a week for the entire season!)

 

A Recap of Some DFS Lineup Picks from The Playoffs

QB (Deep Value) - Russell Wilson
FanDuel $8,200, DraftKings $7,800

He's short on weapons and a bit on stature, but he also has the ability to put up 30+ fantasy points at any given moment, as evidenced by his several big performances this season.

The Panthers are also allowing an average of 17.09 fantasy points per contest to the opposing quarterback and if the Seahawks are going to advance, it will take a vintage game from both their defense and Mr. Wilson.

We're not gonna go bonkers here and tell you that he is a must start in all formats, but he can certainly be used as a contrarian short slate sleeper.

Result: 185 passing yards, 35 rushing yards, 2 TDs - BULLSEYE

 

QB - Cam Newton
FanDuel $8,300, DraftKings $7,600

You can't get a more limited slate of games (until next week of course), but we ain't complaining over here at RotoBaller, we're getting ready to cash in. There are 8 quarterbacks to choose from in the NFL's wild card round, so let's not go blowing our wad on the biggest names just because the options are more limited.

Out of all the signal callers going to work in Week 18, Killa Cam Newton gets face off against the Cardinals defense that has allowed an average of 17.80 fantasy points per contest to opposing quarterbacks in the regular season. Not only is that 10th worst in the league, but the Cardinals defense finished weak allowing 36.36 fantasy points to Russell Wilson in Week 16 and then closing it up in Week 17 by allowing young Colin Kaepernick to put up a fat 22.46 fantasy point masterpiece.

Clearly you don't need us to choose the most expensive, big name players, so trust us when we say nobody named Luck or Romo will be in our DFS mix unless all of these three options can't go this weekend. Simply put, you'll need the big WRs and RBs if you wanna win big in the playoffs and saving money with Cam will help you fulfill that goal.

Result: 185 passing yards, 35 rushing yards, 2 TDs - BULLSEYE

 

QB - Joe Flacco $8,200
FanDuel $8,200, DraftKings $6,700

The Steelers are allowing the 6th most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, a hellacious 18.51 per contest. Flacco is going to need to throw the ball because his secondary is world class putrid, and the Steelers offense is sure to put up some numbers with their juggernaut offense.

Get this former Super Bowl MVP into your DFS lineup and pair him up with one of his WRs listed below for some optimal scoring opportunities. With value like this there is no reason to spend the big coin on Andrew Luck and Tony Romo who have less favorable matchups.

Result: 259 passing yards, 8 rushing yards, 2 TD  - BULLSEYE

 

Antonio Brown / Martavis Bryant
FanDuel $7,400, $5,600 /DraftKings $8,900, $4,100

We're going to recommend wide receivers a bit differently for the wild card round of DFS action. Let's pick on the 3 worst defenses versus fantasy wide receivers and let you decide how you want to get them into your lineup.

First up we are going to pick on the Baltimore Ravens secondary that grades out among the worst in the league based on Pro Football Focus, and are allowing a healthy 25.38 fantasy points per contest to opposing wide receivers. That's enough points to go around for both Antonio Brown and or Martavis Bryant to have a big day, so we recommend trying your darn hardest to make sure you get our number one man Antonio into the mix. But if you can't budget him in, be sure our favorite big play rookie Martavis Bryant is ready to be plugged into your WR3 or Flex slot.

Result: 14 receptions, 178 receiving yards, 1 TD - HIT

 

WR (Strong) - Randall Cobb
FanDuel $8,600, $7,300 

We love this contest as it has the second highest Las Vegas projected scoring totals, a healthy 52 1/2. With that being said, we also love Aaron Rodgers even when he's gimpy. In fact, we don't truly believe he's that hobbled and we doubt that Dallas is buying that chunk of fool's gold.

Ultimately, Orlando Scandrick will be all over Jordy Nelson and that should leave the speedy and explosive wideout with a tremendous opportunity to have a huge game. Use him as a WR1 with reckless abandon and thank us later for this strong recommendation.

Result: 8 receptions, 116 receiving yards - BULLSEYE

 

WR (Strong Value) - Julian Edelman
FanDuel $7,300, DraftKings $6,400 

Although he's been out for a while, there's no denying the tremendous PPR impact this Tommy Terrific favorite brings to the DFS table. In the last 2 games that he played in, he caught a total of 15 passes for over 220 yards and 2 touchdowns.

The gaudy fantasy numbers we just described above are sure to hold true versus a Packers defense that is allowing an average of 24.56 fantasy points per game to wide receivers, good for 7th worst in the NFL. Feel confident in using Edelman as a WR2 or even lower end WR1 for this week's favorable matchup.

Result: 8 receptions, 74 receiving yards - HIT

 

RB (Budget Buster) - Justin Forsett
FanDuel $6,800, DraftKings $5,400 

He's been a bit slowed down of late because of a lower leg injury, but the fact remains that he is a great deal cheaper than the other RB1's going this week, and he faces a defense that is allowing an average of 17.76 fantasy points per contest.

Forsett is a great value play and will be owned way less than some of the other names on the board, but because we are limited in our viable choices of players on an 4 game slate, he is shaping up to be our strongest budget buster at the running back position.

He is best served as a tournament option, but can be relied upon as an RB2 in almost any lineup for this week's contest.

Result: 129 rushing yards, 2 rec, 17 receiving yards, 1TD - BULLSEYE

 

RB (Strong) - C.J Anderson
FanDuel $8,700, DraftKings $7,600

He's been a rock since the moment he was given the role of lead back, which coincided with the time period that Peyton Manning's age finally caught up with him.

Since it's become painfully obvious that the Broncos are now pretty much a run-first offense with a ground and pound team philosophy, C.J. Anderson is certainly the main man in Denver that is putting the ground into the pound.

He certainly looks like a powerfully dynamic runner and pass catcher, and also has the benefit of facing the Colts defense that is allowing a hellacious 19.73 fantasy points per game average. Even if this shapes up to be a the kind of game dominated by passing (which we doubt), then expect Anderson to be the beneficiary of a few more pass attempts. Either way, he is our RB1 for this week regardless of whether it's cash game or tournament.

Result: 80 rushing yards, 6 receptions, 29 receiving yards - HIT

 

RB (Value) - Eddie Lacy
FanDuel $8,400, DraftKings $7,200

Eddie "The Hammer" Lacy is facing off against the Patriots in this week's third highest projected scoring totals according to the Las Vegas bookmakers.

Although we are expecting plenty of passing, Lacy will surely be used as the goal line back if the Packers are anywhere close to the endzone. To make the case better, Rodgers is playing with an alleged hampered calf muscle and Dallas has allowed an average of 18.64 fantasy points per contest to the opposing running backs.

Feel confident in using him as your RB1 in any format, especially cash games for this divisional round.

Result: 1101 rushing yards, 1 reception, 10 receiving yards - HIT

 

TE (Value) - Dwayne Allen
FanDuel $5,000, DraftKings $3,500

Coby Fleener is the more expensive option versus the Broncos defense that is quite generous to fantasy tight ends, but Dwayne Allen is the guy we like to put the ball into the endzone this week. Denver is allowing an average of 9.21 fantasy points per week to opposing tight ends, so let's hope that's on the low side because we see plenty of action potential in the game with the highest projected Las Vegas totals for this week of playoff DFS action.

Result: 4 receptions, 30 receiving yards, 1TD - HIT

 

DFS Playoffs - Special Offer

For the last week of the NFL playoffs and DFS fantasy football season, RotoBaller is offering a ridiculously cheap price for our DFS lineup picks. Let's win some leagues!

Special Offer - Buy a 1 week newsletter subscription for only $1.99


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