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Heroes and Zeroes - Conference Championship Fantasy Football Picks

It's hard to believe we have only one more weekend before the Super Bowl matchup is set. It could very well be a showdown between the top two seeds, which is something that hasn't happened since... well, it happened two years ago actually.

For all the unpredictability the NFL brings, especially in the fantasy realm, talent usually supersedes storylines or engaging narratives. Sure, there could be an upset in the works, but when you are playing daily fantasy or money leagues of any kind, you can't worry about the headlines - you need to focus on the stats and the matchups.

Now, let's get to my fantasy "heroes" and "zeroes" at each position for the NFL Conference Championship Round Playoffs. For a full set of rankings, look no further than our very own RotoBaller consensus weekly rankings.

Editor's Note: The FFPC Baby Gorilla Tournament is now open, featuring a $100,000 grand prize and a $675,450 total prize pool! This 12-team, Tight End Premium contest uses a 20-round draft format, with the overall winners determined by total points scored during Weeks 15–17. Get $25 to use toward your first entry by signing up through our link. Grab your team now! Sign Up Now!

 

Conference Championship Lineup Heroes

QUARTERBACK

Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars - For the record, I do not have Bortles as my top QB this week. That honor will go to Mr. Tom Brady regardless of opponent, so long as the Patriots are playing. Maybe even if they lose, who knows? After Brady, you're left with his opponent on the other side, Blake Bortles (a.k.a. the Lebron James of the NFL, or at least Jacksonville). Bortles didn't put up very good numbers last week with 214 passing yards, one touchdown and 35 rushing yards, but that's because he didn't have to. Conversely, Ben Roethlisberger's jaw-dropping numbers came as a result of his team getting absolutely kicked around the field throughout the first half and the Jaguars coasting in the second half. Unless we want to hitch our wagons to the Jaguars bandwagon and believe that they can jump ahead of the defending champions early and control the game, it might be a different scenario for Bortles this weekend. The Pats clamped down on Derrick Henry and forced the Titans to pass, allowing Marcus Mariota to put up decent numbers and Corey Davis to suddenly go off. Imagine what the Patriot gameplan might be for Jacksonville? Bortles is highly unlikely to throw for 300+ yards, but it's certainly possible; he did it three times in the final five games of the season. Moreover, his scrambling ability will be key to generating yards when the play breaks down. Remember, he ran for 88 yards against Buffalo in the Wild Card game. Bortles faces the least resistance in terms of opposing defenses and could have the most favorable fantasy game script in the second half, which is why I would put my money on him over Case Keenum or Nick Foles.

RUNNING BACK

Jerick McKinnon, Minnesota Vikings - In the Vikings' first playoff game of 2017, Latavius Murray was the preferred play and proved to be the featured back as expected. Murray outrushed McKinnon 19-8 and outgained him both on the ground (50-34) and even through the air (17-6). It's time to flip the (game) script, however, as McKinnon might be forced into more action against the Eagles. While Minnesota owns the best overall run defense in the NFL, Philadelphia actually allowed the fewest rushing yards to RB and was the only team to hold opposing running backs under 1,000 total yards (949). They clamped down on several star runners throughout the year, so Murray will find tougher sledding. McKinnon's role in the passing game makes him more valuable, as he not only brings a higher floor with him, but could get more touches if the Vikings have to shift toward the passing game more than they'd like. The Eagles also gave up five receiving touchdowns to running backs, which is tied for second-most among all teams. While others are chasing Murray's stats from last week, you can save a few hundred dollars on DraftKings and get the better point producer in this matchup.

WIDE RECEIVER

Danny Amendola, New England Patriots - Who plays matchups better than the Pats? Brandin Cooks and Chris Hogan will be tangling with two of the best corners in the game all afternoon, which means we'll see a lot of ball control offense through the run game and short passes. Gronk aside, if there's a New England receiver you could see dividends from, it might be forgotten slot man Danny Amendola. He gets the easiest of the WR/CB matchups with Aaron Colvin on the other side. Colvin was beaten deep twice last week and the safeties will have to pay extra attention to Gronk down the middle, so Amendola could be left free on multiple occasions. He put up 112 yards against Tennessee, which follows up his 8-78-1 line in last year's Super Bowl. He's been targeted 24 times in New England's last two playoff games. That seems like a pretty high floor for an AFC Championship game.

TIGHT END

Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings - This position serves as the sternest reminder that we're talking conference championships now. The only defense that didn't finish in the top 10 against tight ends this season was Philadelphia. That doesn't mean Rudolph will go off, but that and the fact he was targeted eight times last week makes him the safest TE on the slate. The other choice is to just punt this position altogether and hope that Brad Koyack scores again. Not saying that's what you should do, but maybe that's what you should do.

 

Conference Championship Lineup Zeroes

QUARTERBACK

Nick Foles, Philadelphia Eagles - Before piling on Foles any more, he should get credit for leading his team to victory against the defending NFC champs after starting just three games in the regular season. He completed 76% of his passes and didn't turn the ball over at all. He also didn't throw any touchdowns, but a win is a win, right? Foles will have a much tougher time against a Vikings defense that picked off the most efficient QB in the league, Drew Brees, twice in the first quarter and shut down the Saints for three quarters before succumbing to a furious comeback attempt. Foles does not have the same caliber of weapons or the experience to draw back on if things get tough. This could be a low-scoring game all around, so putting money on the Eagles in any respect is a big risk.

RUNNING BACK

Jay Ajayi, Philadelphia Eagles - At the risk of sounding overly simplistic, Ajayi has the worst matchup and is the least reliable among all "starting" running backs this week. We know Minnesota has the best rush defense in the game - they showed that by swallowing up Mark Ingram (25 yards) and Alvin Kamara (43 yards) on the ground. While Kamara did some damage on the receiving end of things, we know that he is a far superior pass-catcher than Ajayi. If only we'd known that before the season started... Anyway, Ajayi may be taken away from the offense early on, leaving the team to grind it out with LeGarrette Blount or utilize Corey Clement as a passing-down back.

WIDE RECEIVER

Marqise Lee, Jacksonville Jaguars - The potential to exploit New England's secondary is there. The potential for garbage time production is there. The potential for a WR1 game is not. Lee might seem like a sneaky play this week, but he's simply not a high-volume receiver and may never be. He was targeted a team-high six times last week, but only came down with three catches for 28 yards. Despite the year-long absence of Allen Robinson and a tissue-soft strength of schedule, Lee never even broke the 90-yard mark in a game and scored three touchdowns all season. The return of Allen Hurns and ascension of Keelan Cole and Dede Westbrook make Lee nothing more than another low-end receiving option in a run-first offense. Even if Bortles puts up big numbers, it won't all go to one or two receivers. If you want a Jags receiver on the cheap in DFS, save a little money and go with Keelan Cole in hopes that he gets free for a deep ball.

TIGHT END

Trey Burton, Philadelphia Eagles - Look, there aren't too many fantasy-viable tight ends in this particular week, so putting Gronk, Rudolph, or Ertz here would just be bad advice. If you want to find a sleeper at the position or simply punt and forget (which I'm totally not sort of recommending above), then don't opt for Burton. He's an athletic tight end who has shown glimpses of his receiving ability, but he is the least effective blocker of the three Eagles tight ends. Moreover, Brent Celek has out-targeted Burton 7-4 in the weeks since Carson Wentz went down, and Burton didn't see a single target last week versus Atlanta. If you're not even the TE2 on your own team, you just can't compete with James O'Shaughnessy.

 

More Conference Championship Round Lineup Prep




REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

MLB

Orioles-Tigers Game Postponed on Saturday
RJ Harvey

to be Relegated to Third-Down Role After Rookie RB Addition?
Baker Mayfield

A Lot of Uncertainty Surrounding Baker Mayfield Going into Fourth Year in Tampa
Brian Robinson Jr.

a Must-Have Handcuff in Dynasty Leagues?
Sam LaPorta

Could be Excellent Buy-Low Candidate for Risk-Tolerant Managers
Jordyn Tyson

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Kenneth Walker III

One of Dynasty's Biggest Risers for 2026
D'Andre Swift

an Underappreciated Dynasty Buy Candidate
Ray Davis

Still a Dynasty Stash Despite a Lack of Standalone Value
Travis Kelce

Now a Low-Cost Dynasty Rental
DJ Moore

a Reasonable Buy Candidate Now That Dynasty Market Has Cooled
MLB

Rays-Yankees Postponed on Saturday
Devin Vassell

Posts 20 Points in Game 3 Loss
De'Aaron Fox

Struggles From Deep in Friday's Loss
Victor Wembanyama

Held to Four Rebounds in Game 3 Loss
Jaylin Williams

Catches Fire From Deep Friday
Jared McCain

Drops Playoff-High 24 Points in Game 3
Nazem Kadri

Contributes an Assist in Losing Effort
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Guides Thunder to 2-1 Series Lead
Ajay Mitchell

Does Not Return in Game 3 Win
Ross Colton

Nets Lone Avalanche Goal Friday Night
Rasmus Andersson

Extends Assist Streak to Four Games
Pavel Dorofeyev

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Jack Eichel

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Ivan Barbashev

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Jordan James

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Mickey Moniak

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Victor Wembanyama

Headlines 2025-26 All-Defensive First Team
Ajay Mitchell

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Dylan Harper

Available for Game 3 Against Thunder
De'Aaron Fox

Returns to Action Friday
Jalen Williams

Won't Play Friday Night
Derrick Henry

Remains in RB1 Discussion
Ladd McConkey

is Solid Buy-Low Candidate
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an Intriguing Dynasty Stash Option
Jalen Nailor

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Frederik Andersen

Hurricanes Keep Faith in Frederik Andersen
Devon Levi

Attracting Interest From Senators
Jacoby Brissett

Cardinals Not Close to a Reworked Deal
Scott Wedgewood

Starting Game 2 Against Golden Knights
Ben Hutton

Scratched for Game 2 Against Avalanche
Mark Stone

Won't Play Friday
Jackson Merrill

has Sore Ribs, Expected to Avoid Injured List
Cale Makar

Remains Out Friday
CFB

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Looking to Take Sophomore Leap
CFB

Jadan Baugh Primed to Lead Florida Offense in 2026
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LSU Hires Ed Orgeron As Special Assistant
NFL

Evan Stewart Pushing Oregon Receiving Corps
CFB

North Carolina and South Carolina Cancel Home-And-Home Series
CFB

Confidence High in Mississippi State's Kamario Taylor
MLB

Reds-Cardinals Game Postponed on Friday
New York Giants

Giants, GM Joe Schoen Agree on a Multi-Year Extension
Andrew Thomas

Giants Managing Multiple Injuries for Andrew Thomas
Cam Ward

Loses 10 Pounds in the Offseason
Trevor Story

has Hernia Surgery, Expected to Miss 6-10 Weeks
Roman Anthony

Dealing With Sprained Ligament in his Finger
Tucker Kraft

a Top Trade Target in Dynasty Leagues?
Evan Mobley

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James Harden

Held to Two Assists Thursday
Donovan Mitchell

Leads Cavaliers in Scoring in Game 2 Defeat
Karl-Anthony Towns

Records Double-Double in Game 2 Win
Sebastian Aho

Picks Up an Assist in Series-Opening Loss
Mikal Bridges

Adds 19 Points as Knicks Grab 2-0 Lead
Jalen Brunson

Hands Out 14 Assists in Game 2 Win
Seth Jarvis

Needs 33 Seconds to Score in Game 1 Loss
Josh Hart

Erupts for Playoff Career-High 26 Points in Game 2
Jaccob Slavin

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Jakub Dobes

Sharp in Game 1 Victory
Cole Caufield

Bags Two Points in Impressive Road Win
Juraj Slafkovsky

Opens Conference Finals With Three-Point Performance
Nick Suzuki

Notches Three Assists in Game 1 Win Over Hurricanes
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Exits Early, X-Rays Come Back Negative
Jrue Holiday

Wants to Stay in Portland
Alex Tuch

Hopes to Remain in Buffalo
Sidney Crosby

Wants to Play for "as Many Years as Possible"
Robby Snelling

Will Undergo Tommy John Surgery
Jackson Merrill

Tweaks his Back on Wednesday, Pulled Early
CFB

Lincoln Riley Believes USC is Ready for Playoff Run
CFB

Notre Dame-Stanford Rivalry Renewed Through 2028
CFB

Ahmad Hardy Says He's "Back to the Road to Success"
CFB

Texas Tech Graduate Judge Recuses Himself from Brendan Sorsby Case
CFB

UCLA Tackle Jordan Davis Officially Eligible for 2026 Season
CFB

Bret Bielema Supports Significant College Football Playoff Expansion
Michael Thorbjornsen

Brings High Upside to CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Luke List

Carrying Poor Form Into CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Tom Kim

Hoping to Build on Strong Myrtle Beach Finish
PGA

Sungjae Im Brings Upside to TPC Craig Ranch
Billy Horschel

Looking for Turnaround at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Adam Hadwin

Difficult to Trust at TPC Craig Ranch
Tony Finau

Looking for Consistency at TPC Craig Ranch
Luke Clanton

Searching for Form at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Aaron Rai

Withdraws From CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Wyndham Clark

Can Wyndham Clark Find Form at CJ Cup?
Si Woo Kim

Looks To Stay Hot at CJ Cup
Scottie Scheffler

to Defend CJ Cup Byron Nelson Title This Week
Jordan Spieth

Looking For Victory at TPC Craig Ranch
PGA

Matti Schmid Looks to Keep Recent Momentum Going at TPC Craig Ranch
Brooks Koepka

a High-Upside Play at CJ Cup Byron Nelson
Yandy Díaz

Yandy Diaz Exits Early on Tuesday After Being Hit By Pitch
Chris Kirk

Continues Search For Putting Form at TPC Craig Ranch
Rasmus Hojgaard

Looking to Shake Off Poor Major Showing at TPC Craig Ranch
Joel Dahmen

is of No DFS Consideration This Week in Dallas
Pierceson Coody

is Not The Fun DFS Play He Used to Be
Gerrit Cole

to Make Season Debut on Friday Against Rays
Drake Baldwin

Braves Place Drake Baldwin on Injured List With Oblique Strain
CFB

Ezavier Crowell has Immediate Opportunity at Alabama
CFB

Mark Bowman a Day 1 Impact Player for USC?
CFB

Bill Belichick Says Relationship with First North Carolina Team "Wasn't Great"
CFB

Kemario Taylor a Breakout Candidate at Quarterback
CFB

Trinidad Chambliss the Undisputed Top SEC Quarterback Entering 2026?
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Rocco Becht The "Unifier" of Penn State's Roster
Jackson Holliday

Orioles Reinstate Jackson Holliday From Injured List on Monday
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Braves Reinstate Ronald Acuna Jr. From Injured List on Monday
Jose Altuve

Astros Put Jose Altuve on Injured List With Oblique Strain
Corey Seager

Going on Injured List With Back Injury
Jeremy Peña

Jeremy Pena Reinstated and Starting on Monday Against Twins
Melquizael Costa

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 117
Arnold Allen

Bounces Back
Daniel Santos

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
MMA

Dohoo Choi Wins His Third Consecutive Fight
Malcolm Wellmaker

Suffers His Second Loss In A Row
Juan Diaz

Scores Second-Round Submission
Christian Edwards

Defeated At UFC Vegas 117
CFB

Transfer Running Back Arnold Barnes Visiting Iowa State on Monday
Modestas Bukauskas

Gets Split-Decision Win
Jhostynxon Garcia

Expected to Join the Pirates on Tuesday
Colt Emerson

Mariners Promoting Top Prospect Colt Emerson to Major Leagues
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF