Fantasy Football Matchups We Love: The Fantasy Matchmaker for Divisional Round

The best Divisional Round fantasy football matchups, predictions from Joey Pollizze. Strong start/sit matchups that he loves for fantasy football playoff lineups and DFS plays.

Super Wild Card Weekend did not feature many close games last week. The only contest that was close from start to finish was between the Los Angeles Rams and Detroit Lions. But many teams did score plenty of offensive points, which translated to big fantasy days.

That was key for anyone playing in daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests or in a playoff fantasy challenge. I highlighted many quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, and tight ends last week that had great matchups in the first round. Players like Baker Mayfield, Puka Nacua, and Tony Pollard made that list.

This week, I will go through the same positions to figure out which players have the best and worst matchups in the Divisional Round. So, let's dive in and find out which players make the list below.

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Divisional Round: Quarterback Matchups We Love

Baker Mayfield - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Opponent: at DET
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 30th

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield is coming off a dominant performance against the Philadelphia Eagles in the Wild Card round. He totaled 337 yards and three touchdowns behind a 27.08 fantasy points day, his second-best fantasy game of the entire season. A similar game could be in store in a very favorable matchup in the Divisional Round against the Detroit Lions.

The Lions secondary has struggled to stop the pass all season, and they have given up the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. Opposing signal-callers have also been able to light up this defense, especially as of late. Detroit has allowed at least 350 pass yards and two touchdowns in four straight games. Matthew Stafford was able to throw for 367 yards and two touchdowns in the Wild Card round against this secondary. Mayfield should be in for a nice fantasy day this weekend.

Jared Goff - Detroit Lions
Opponent: vs. TB
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 25th

We don't have to travel far to find another quarterback who has a great matchup in the Divisional Round. That's because Detroit Lions quarterback Jared Goff has the second-best matchup of the week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Now, the Buccaneers secondary has really improved over the past month. But don't forget, this is the same unit that allowed C.J. Stroud to throw for 470 yards and five touchdowns in Week 9.

Last week, Goff didn't score a ton of fantasy points (14.78). But he was really efficient through the air, completing 22-of-27 passes for 277 yards and one touchdown. A better fantasy day, though, could be on the horizon -- especially since the Buccaneers run defense ranks top-five. Outside of a few big plays, Tampa's secondary held Jalen Hurts in check in the Wild Card round. However, at home and in a dome, the Lions quarterback should be in for a big game.

Back in Week 6, Goff threw for 353 yards and two touchdowns against this Buccaneers secondary. That line is certainly possible to happen again this week.

Divisional Round: Quarterback Matchups to Avoid

C.J. Stroud - Houston Texans
Opponent: at BAL
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 3rd

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud proved me wrong last week. He was on this exact same matchup to avoid list against the Cleveland Browns. Then, he wound up throwing for 274 yards and three touchdowns while helping Houston blowout the Browns in the first round. However, I'm doubling down on the rookie against the Baltimore Ravens in the Divisional Round.

I know Stroud has come a long way since he last played the Ravens back in Week 1. But in that game, he threw for just 242 yards and zero touchdowns. Baltimore's defense is legit and has been the best all season; I'm worried for the rookie in his first road playoff start. The Ravens have only allowed five teams all year to throw for at least two touchdowns in a game, and only one (Matthew Stafford) has thrown for three scores against them in 2023.

Divisional Round: Running Back Matchups We Love

Christian McCaffrey - San Francisco 49ers
Opponent: vs. GB
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 21st

San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey injured his calf in the team's Week 17 win over the Washington Commanders. But with three full weeks of rest, McCaffrey will be good to go against the Green Bay Packers in the Divisional Round. The 27-year-old running back will be priced high in DFS contests this weekend; however, it might be worth the price.

The Packers have allowed the 12th-most fantasy points to running backs this year, including 21.5 fantasy points to Tony Pollard last week in the Wild Card round. McCaffrey averaged 24.5 fantasy points per game in the regular season and should be able to have his way on the ground behind an elite offensive line.

Divisional Round: Running Back Matchups to Avoid

Rachaad White - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Opponent: at DET
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 1st

I've been avoiding this Lions run defense in fantasy for weeks now, and that won't change in the Divisional Round. Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White has been a fantasy superstar this year. But he is someone I am avoiding in all contests this weekend.

The Lions have allowed the fewest fantasy points to running backs this season and held fantasy league-winner Kyren Williams to just eight points in the Wild-Card round. Detroit's run defense has also only allowed one rushing touchdown since Week 14, and only the Ravens have rushed for over 100 yards in a game against this unit. White should see some volume in this contest, especially in the receiving game. But he might not do much with those chances.

Aaron Jones - Green Bay Packers
Opponent: at SF
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 2nd

I'd imagine everyone will want to have Green Bay Packers running back Aaron Jones in their DFS lineups this weekend. He just scored 32.1 fantasy points behind an impressive 118-yard, three-touchdown performance. Jones has also been red-hot on the ground recently -- with four straight games of 100 rush yards.

But the matchup isn't the best for Jones on Saturday. San Francisco has given up the second-fewest fantasy points to running backs this season. They have also only allowed four rushing touchdowns since Week 10. From Week 10 to Week 18, only one team (the Arizona Cardinals) has been able to rush for more than 65 yards in a game. The Packers running back is a riskier option in the Divisional Round.

Divisional Round: Wide Receiver Matchups We Love

Mike Evans - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Opponent: at DET
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 30th

Let's try this again. Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans was on this same list last week but didn't do much against the Eagles. However, he'll have another opportunity to bounce back in another favorable matchup against the Detroit Lions. 

Detroit just allowed Puka Nacua to have a career performance in the playoffs by giving up nine catches for 181 yards and one touchdown on Sunday. Shutting down WR1s has been a problem for the Lions over the past couple of weeks, which has included Justin Jefferson (141 yards & 192 yards) and CeeDee Lamb (227 yards) having monster games. Evans has a good chance to join that list this week. 

Amon-Ra St. Brown - Detroit Lions
Opponent: vs. TB
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 25th

Detroit Lions wide receiver Amon-Ra St.Brown has been one of the most consistent fantasy options this year, and he is in store for another great game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Divisional Round. Tampa Bay just allowed DeVonta Smith to post a season-high 148 yards on eight catches and has given up the eighth-most fantasy points to wideouts in 2023. 

The Buccaneers have primarily struggled against slot receivers this year, and that's where St. Brown plays the majority of his snaps. In Week 6 when these two teams faced off, the Lions wideout had one of his best games of the year. He totaled 12 catches for 124 yards and one touchdown. He finished as the WR1 that week and should be a safe fantasy option in the Divisional Round. 

Divisional Round: Wide Receiver Matchups to Avoid

Stefon Diggs - Buffalo Bills
Opponent: vs. KC
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 3rd

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Stefon Diggs hasn't been much involved over the past two-plus months. Since Week 10, Diggs has just one game over 16 fantasy points. In the Wild Card round against the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Bills playmaker had a solid line, catching seven passes for 52 yards. But he'll have his hands full against L'Jarius Sneed and the Kansas City Chiefs secondary. 

Sneed will likely shadow Diggs throughout the contest like he did back in Week 14. In that game, the veteran had just four catches for 24 yards. The Chiefs cornerback has been one of the top defensive backs all season and has done a great job taking away the opposing team's top wide receiver option. With that in mind, Diggs might struggle to get much going in the Divisional Round.

Divisional Round: Tight End Matchups We Love

Sam LaPorta - Detroit Lions
Opponent: vs. TB
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 31st

Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta had a fantastic rookie season, and that has carried over into the playoffs. LaPorta caught a touchdown pass in the Lions' Wild Card round win. He'll be looking to carry that into the Divisional Round against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a favorable matchup. 

The Buccaneers allowed 12.1 PPR fantasy points to Dallas Goedert last week, which seems like a safe floor for LaPorta this weekend. Prior to the playoffs, Tampa Bay gave up at least eight catches and 95 receiving yards to tight ends in three of the final five games of the regular season. 

Divisional Round: Tight End Matchups to Avoid

Dalton Schultz - Houston Texans
Opponent: at BAL
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 3rd

Houston Texans tight end Dalton Schultz had just one catch last week, which went for a 37-yard score. Schultz might have a hard time finding the end zone in the Divisional Round against the Baltimore Ravens. Baltimore has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to tight ends this year and only three tight ends have scored against them in 2023. 

Schultz also had a difficult matchup against Cleveland last week, and he wasn't utilized much with just two targets. He doesn't have a safe floor in fantasy DFS contests this weekend, as he caught just two passes for four yards back in Week 1 against the Ravens. 

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