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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

NBA

Hawks Promote Onsi Saleh to President of Basketball Operations
Jalen Williams

Listed as Questionable for Game 6
Ajay Mitchell

Ruled Out for Game 6
Michael Penix Jr.

Not Cleared for 11-on-11 Work
Jacoby Brissett

Still Absent From OTAs This Week
George Kittle

Still Hoping to be Ready for Week 1
Micah Parsons

Expected to Open Training Camp on the PUP List
Tucker Kraft

Packers Hopeful Tucker Kraft Will Participate in Training Camp
Jacory Croskey-Merritt

Held Out of OTAs on Wednesday
Jayden Daniels

Participating in Commanders OTAs
Chris Bell

No Timetable for Chris Bell's Return from Knee Surgery
De'Von Achane

Limited in OTAs Due to Recovery From Shoulder Injury
MarShawn Lloyd

Participating in Packers OTAs
Josh Jacobs

No Criminal Charges Filed Against Josh Jacobs
Eury Pérez

Eury Perez Pulled Early on Wednesday With Hamstring Issue
Daniel Jones

Present at OTA Practice on Wednesday
CFB

Drew Mestemaker a Top Big 12 Quarterback Right Away?
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Dynasty Stock Continues to Trend Down
Jordan Addison

Is Jordan Addison a Clear Buy-Low Candidate Ahead of 2026?
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Continues to Offer Depth in Dynasty Leagues
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Sungjae Im Remains Boom-or-Bust at Colonial
Jared Goff

Continues to Have Dynasty Appeal at 31 Years Old
Tez Johnson

No Clear Path to Fantasy Relevance for Tez Johnson in Tampa Bay?
PGA

Michael Thorbjornsen Trending in Wrong Direction Entering Colonial
Zach Ertz

Could Still Contribute in Dynasty Leagues
De'Aaron Fox

Limited to Nine Points in Game 5 Loss
Russell Henley

a Top Option at Colonial
Dyami Brown

Holds Little Dynasty Value in His Return to Washington
Harry Hall

Hoping Putter Carries Him at Colonial
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Notches 22 Points With Four Triples Tuesday
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Could Still Find Dynasty Relevance After Quiet Rookie Season
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Leads Spurs in Scoring Tuesday Night
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Looks to Regain Momentum at Colonial
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Struggles in Game 5 Loss to Thunder
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Dynasty Value Has Run Dry in Crowded Running Back Room
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a Difference-Maker Again in Game 5
Pierceson Coody

Looking to Stay Hot at Colonial
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Produces 20 Points in First Playoff Start
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Scores Game-High 32 Points in Game 5 Win
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Collects an Assist in Game 4 Loss to Golden Knights
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Scores Only Avalanche Goal in Season-Ending Loss
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Finishes Series-Clincher With 20 Saves
Dylan Coghlan

Continues Unlikely Success Story
Cole Smith

Scores Series-Clincher Tuesday Night
Mark Stone

Nets Another Goal as Golden Knights Finish Off Avalanche
Ludvig Aberg

Looking to Exchange Momentum for a Victory in Fort Worth
Stephan Jaeger

Trending Upward as PGA Heads to Fort Worth
Max Homa

Comes Off Awful Putting Performance at PGA Championship
Tony Finau

Faces Different Test at the Colonial
Robert MacIntyre

Seeks Better Beginning in Fort Worth
Tom Hoge

Ups and Downs Could Continue at Colonial
Brian Harman

Not Having the Best Golf Season in 2026
Austin Eckroat

Struggling Too Often Heading to Charles Schwab Challenge
Zach Bauchou

Tries to Keep Momentum Rolling at Colonial
Keegan Bradley

Looking to Rebound at Colonial
Jared McCain

Moves into Starting Five
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Joe Mazzulla Wins Coach of the Year
Jalen Williams

is Ruled Out for Game 5 on Tuesday
Zion Williamson

to See More Versatile Role
Cleveland Cavaliers

Kenny Atkinson to Remain Cavaliers Head Coach Next Season
Claude Giroux

Planning to Return for 20th NHL Campaign
Carter Hart

Aiming for Sixth Consecutive Win Tuesday
Evgeni Malkin

Inks New One-Year Deal With Penguins
Mackenzie Blackwood

in Net for Game 4 Against Golden Knights
Valeri Nichushkin

a Game-Time Call Tuesday
Nathan MacKinnon

Will Suit Up Tuesday
Ben Griffin

Looking to Repeat This Week at Colonial
Rasmus Hojgaard

a Player to Avoid at Charles Schwab Challenge
Hideki Matsuyama

Needs Solid Driving Week at Charles Schwab Challenge
Justin Thomas

Trending Well Ahead of Charles Schwab Challenge
Akshay Bhatia

Lacking Driving Prowess Needed at Colonial Country Club
CFB

DJ Lagway Looking to Rebound at Baylor
CFB

Josh Hoover Tasked With Leading Indiana Back to the Playoffs
CFB

Braylon Staley the Next 1,000-Yard Tennessee Receiver?
CFB

Ahmad Hardy's Return Timeline Remains Unclear
Evan Mobley

Finishes Season-Ending Loss With 15 Points
James Harden

Wants to Stay in Cleveland
Donovan Mitchell

Remains Committed to Cavaliers
Mikal Bridges

Cools Off in Game 4 Against Cavaliers
OG Anunoby

Active on Both Ends in Blowout Win
Karl-Anthony Towns

Leads Knicks in Scoring During Series-Clincher
Ivan Demidov

Contributes an Assist in Losing Effort
Lane Hutson

Records Power-Play Goal in Game 3 Loss
Frederik Andersen

Enjoys Another Easy Night at the Office in Game 3
Shayne Gostisbehere

Scores First Postseason Goal
Taylor Hall

Ends Four-Game Goal Drought
Andrei Svechnikov

Scores Game 3 Winner in Overtime
Gage Jump

Athletics to Promote Top Pitching Prospect Gage Jump to Major Leagues
Tatsuya Imai

Two Relievers Combine to No-Hit the Rangers on Monday
Valeri Nichushkin

Nathan MacKinnon, Valeri Nichushkin Uncertain for Game 4
Oliver Kapanen

Sitting as Healthy Scratch Monday
Max Domi

Out Indefinitely Due to Offseason Surgery Complications
Dylan Cease

Heading to Injured List With Hamstring Injury
Daniel Suarez

Wins at Charlotte in Rain-Shortened Coca-Cola 600
Christopher Bell

Finishes as the Runner-Up in the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte
Denny Hamlin

Falls Short of Winning and Places Third at Charlotte
Tyler Reddick

Places Fourth After Leading Laps at Charlotte
Kyle Larson

Strong and Consistent Day Ends in Fifth at Charlotte
Dylan Cease

Removed From Sunday's Start With Hamstring Discomfort
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Exits Sunday's Game Early with Elbow Contusion
MLB

Reds-Cardinals Game Postponed on Sunday
Edward Cabrera

Cubs Place Edward Cabrera on the 15-Day Injured List
Denny Hamlin

the Favorite to Win at Charlotte
Tyler Reddick

on Pole for Coca-Cola 600
Christopher Bell

Could Break Out of Slump
Kyle Larson

May have A Solid Day at Charlotte
Ryan Blaney

Is A DFS Risk for Charlotte Lineups
William Byron

Could have A Great DFS Performance at Charlotte
Chase Briscoe

Is A Solid Tournament Option for Charlotte DFS Lineups
Ty Gibbs

May not be Worth his Salary for Charlotte DFS Lineups
Chris Buescher

May be a Sneaky Tournament Option for Charlotte Lineups
NASCAR

Bubba Wallace Has Favorable Upside for Charlotte DFS Lineups
Ross Chastain

Is A Strong Addition for DFS Lineups at Charlotte
Austin Dillon

Should Fantasy Managers Roster Austin Dillon for Charlotte DFS Lineups?
Chase Elliott

Should Be Strong at Charlotte
Carson Hocevar

Confident for Coca-Cola 600
Corey Heim

a Chalk DFS Pick at Charlotte
Michael McDowell

Is Michael McDowell A Tournament Option for Charlotte Lineups?
MLB

Orioles-Tigers Game Postponed on Saturday
MLB

Rays-Yankees Postponed on Saturday
Mickey Moniak

Heads to Injured List With Ankle Sprain
Jackson Merrill

has Sore Ribs, Expected to Avoid Injured List
CFB

Jaron-Keawe Sagapolutele Looking to Take Sophomore Leap
CFB

Jadan Baugh Primed to Lead Florida Offense in 2026
CFB

LSU Hires Ed Orgeron As Special Assistant
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
Trevor Story

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

Dealing With Sprained Ligament in his Finger
Ronald Acuña Jr.

Ronald Acuna Jr. Exits Early, X-Rays Come Back Negative
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF