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And then ... there were four. Only the Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Denver Broncos and New England Patriots remain alive in the chase for the Lombardi Trophy after a divisional round weekend that saw each home team emerge victorious.
Unless you have a rooting interest in one of the final four teams, this next tidbit will hit you even harder -- conference championship weekends marks the final fantasy football weekend in daily fantasy formats. Sure, you can bet away on the Super Bowl, or how long the national anthem lasts, or even enter one of those Super Bowl squares pools, but for a traditional DFS fix, you'll have to wait until next season.
But don't cry yet! We have a great slate this weekend with some interesting choices to make for DFS purposes. Which stack is the best? Who are the must-haves? Let's get started.
DFS Stacks for Conference Championship Weekend
Arizona QB Carson Palmer at Carolina
Pairings: WR Larry Fitzgerald (safe), WR Michael Floyd (risky), WR John Brown (contrarian)
The Cardinals had the NFL's second-most potent passing attack in the regular season, so a 349-yard, three-touchdown outing from Palmer in Saturday's wacky divisional round win over Green Bay was hardly unexpected. The Panthers' defense represents a more stern test than the Packers' unit did, but not stern enough to avoid Palmer in DFS.
Russell Wilson actually finished last weekend's loss to the Carolina with a monster stat line -- 366 yards, three touchdowns. Of course, the Seahawks were in desperation mode for the entire second half, but the point remains the same -- Arizona can move the ball on Carolina. The safest pairing with Palmer is Fitzgerald, the dependable veteran who just seems to shift to an extra gear in the postseason. Floyd and Brown are riskier options, but aren't without upside.
Floyd caught just three passes against Green Bay, but two were for touchdowns. Brown hauled in five passes for 82 yards on nine targets, which tied for second-most behind Fitzgerald (12). Both are deep threats, and Carolina was routinely beaten deep by Seattle in the second half. Again, keep in mind that Seattle was forced to throw deep, but that doesn't matter from a fantasy perspective. Fitzgerald could very well lead the team in targets and catches, but Floyd and/or Brown remain the deep ball threats.
Carolina QB Cam Newton vs. Arizona
Pairings: TE Greg Olsen (safe), WR Ted Ginn Jr. (risky/contrarian)
Olsen is the obvious stack with Newton, particularly in a week that is devoid of quality tight end options. Olsen finished with six receptions (on six targets) for 77 yards and a touchdown in the divisional round against Seattle, and there's little reason to think he won't lead the team in targets again this Sunday. The obvious caveat here is that Olsen, like his New England counterpart Rob Gronkowski, will be highly owned.
The bigger dice roll is Ginn. The Panthers' top receiver had zero receptions and was targeted just once this past Sunday, but that can be chalked up to the extreme game flow swing. Carolina should have to pass more versus Arizona and that's good news for Ginn. While it was in desperation time, the Packers burned the Cardinals on a handful of deep pass plays late in the fourth quarter. Ginn's specialty is deep speed and big plays, so expect Carolina to take a shot or two down the field to him. He'll certainly be lower-owned than Olsen, so there is contrarian upside there. Outside of Olsen and Ginn, there's not much to like from a fantasy perspective.
New England QB Tom Brady at Denver
Pairings: WR Julian Edelman and TE Rob Gronkowski (safe), WR Danny Amendola (risky), RB James White (contrarian)
The matchup isn't ideal, but Brady is arguably the safest quarterback option left from a fantasy standpoint. For one thing, we know the Patriots are going to throw, throw and throw some more. The lack of a consistent (and healthy) running game, and the confidence they have in Brady has cemented this pass-first approach.
While New England has no shortage of weapons, Edelman and Gronkowski stand above the rest. Edelman returned from a foot injury to tally 10 receptions for an even 100 yards in the divisional round win against Kansas City. Gronkowski finished with seven catches for 83 yards and a pair of touchdowns. If you're rolling with Brady, the smart move is to pair him with at least one of these guys, if not both.
If you're digging a little deeper for a potential lower-owned gem, Amendola and White are worth looks. Amendola's two-catch, 18-yard dud was predictable given Edelman's return, but White's two-catch, 39-yard outing was more disappointing. A few more short passes and screens to White could help neutralize Denver's strong front seven.
Denver QB Peyton Manning vs. New England
Pairings: WR Emmanuel Sanders (safe), WR Demaryius Thomas (risky), TE Owen Daniels (contrarian)
This is not the Manning we will remember as one of the game's greatest. The strong Denver winds didn't help in the divisional round game against Pittsburgh, but Manning at times looked uneven against a below-average defense. New England's defense is underrated and could pose problems for the 39-year-old, five-time MVP.
This could be Manning's final game in Denver, or final game period, if the Broncos lose. But as far as narratives go, they don't get much better than Manning walking off into the sunset after beating Brady and then winning Super Bowl 50. Unlike the past two games he's played, Manning will almost certainly need to throw a touchdown or two against New England.
The obvious pairings are his two Pro Bowl receivers in Thomas and Sanders. The two tied for the team lead with eight targets each, but Sanders (five catches, 85 yards) outperformed Thomas (four catches, 40 yards). Sanders also gashed the Patriots for six catches and 113 yards back in Week 12's overtime win. Thomas, meanwhile, had just one reception in that game, so past performances would seem to make Sanders the favorite stack with Manning. Outside of them, it's hard to find a solid contrarian play, but Daniels is usually good for three-to-five targets per game.
