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Jackson's top NFL DFS lineup picks for FanDuel, DraftKings - Bengals-Chiefs AFC Championship showdown slate on 1/29. His Conference Championship daily fantasy football advice.
We're onto the Conference Championship Round of the NFL playoffs, so there are only a few opportunities left for fantasy football enthusiasts to take part in single-game DFS contests. Joe Burrow is looking to improve to 4-0 all-time against potential two-time MVP Patrick Mahomes. The two stud quarterbacks met last season in the AFC Championship game, as the Bengals punched their ticket to the Super Bowl.
However, this Bengals-Chiefs contest features plenty of big-name fantasy superstars outside of just the signal-callers. As always, the superstars carry hefty price tags, so we'll have to dive deep into this slate. The Chiefs opened as around a 3-point favorite, but the line shifted to Cincinnati before settling at Chiefs -1.5. Ultimately, it's expected to be a nail-biter, but the projected total of 48.0 is a sign of a fun DFS single-game tournament.
I will be providing you with daily fantasy football picks on FanDuel and DraftKings for the Bengals vs. Chiefs NFL DFS showdown slate on January 29th. These NFL DFS lineup picks can vary from higher-priced players and elite options to lower-priced players and value picks on both DraftKings and FanDuel. If you have any questions, sign up for a premium RotoBaller NFL package and chat with our NFL DFS analysts or find us on Twitter!
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MVP/Captain Plays
Patrick Mahomes - QB, $17,100 (DK), $16,500 (FD)
Key Stats
- 2022 Stats: 5,250 passing yards, 41 passing touchdowns, 11 interceptions, 358 rushing yards, and four rushing touchdowns.
- 26.4 DK points per game.
- The Bengals allow the fifth-fewest DK points to QBs.
Mahomes is dealing with a high-ankle sprain, has limited weapons, and is facing a fierce defense that has proven to slow him down in the past, so why would I roll with him in my MVS/Captain slot? Because he's Patrick Mahomes. He's proven throughout his young career he can rise above the concerns and deliver for DFS and his team in the postseason. If some of the DFS field is going to fade him because of the things I listed, I'm more than happy to trust the former MVP and Super Bowl champion in this single-game slate. Fade the noise -- trust the talent.
Ja'Marr Chase - WR, $15,600 (DK), $14,500 (FD)
Key Stats
- 2022 Stats: 134 targets, 87 receptions, 1,046 receiving yards, and nine touchdowns (13 regular season games).
- 20 targets, 14 receptions, 145 yards, and two touchdowns in two postseason games (2022).
- 24 receptions, 417 yards, and four touchdowns in three career games against the Chiefs.
- Chiefs rank 27th against fantasy wide receivers (DraftKings).
As you can see above, Chase has straight-up dominated Kansas City in his three chances to square off with them. In his first game against KC last season, Chase hauled in 11 passes for 266 yards and three touchdowns. Sure, it's not as simple as chalking him up for that kind of performance again, but since he's racked up at least 97 yards or scored a touchdown in every game against Kansas City, I like his chances in Round 4 of the matchup. Chase has consistently outproduced Tee Higgins and has established himself as the clear-cut No. 1 for Joe Burrow.
Other Captains/MVPs: Joe Burrow, Travis Kelce, Tee Higgins
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DFS Flex Plays
Joe Burrow - QB, $15,900 (DK), $16,000 (FD)
Key Stats
- 2022 Stats: 4,475 passing yards, 35 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions, 257 rushing yards, and five rushing touchdowns.
- 23.6 DK points per game.
- Chiefs allow the second-most fantasy points to QBs (DraftKings).
There has been plenty of debate this week on whether Burrow has dethroned Mahomes as the NFL's best quarterback, but either way, they're both studs "in real life" and fantasy football. Burrow has done nothing less than show up in the big moments during his two postseason runs as a pro, and Kansas City is always going to be a generous defense against the pass. We dove into Chase's success against Kansas City, so naturally, Burrow has had some of his best moments against the Chiefs, too. Burrow is an obvious option in the MVP/Captain chair, but he's a must-start in a flex spot if you go in another direction there.
Travis Kelce - TE, $11,000 (DK), $14,000 (FD)
Key Stats
- 2022 Stats: 152 targets, 110 receptions, 1,338 yards, and 14 touchdowns.
- 20.6 DK points per game.
- 17 targets, 14 receptions, 98 receiving yards, and two touchdowns vs. Jaguars last week.
Kelce is far and away the most dominant pass-catcher at Patrick Mahomes' disposal in the post-Tyreek Hill era, and we saw it last week as Kelce was the passing offense. JuJu Smith-Schuster, Marquez Valdes-Scantling, and Jerick McKinnon have all stepped up at times in the regular season, but when it matters most with a trip to the Super Bowl on the line, expect ole' reliable Kelce to be force-fed early and often once again.
Other Flex Options: Tee Higgins, Isiah Pacheco, Jerick McKinnon, JuJu Smith-Schuster
DFS Value Plays
Kadarius Toney - WR, $4,800 (DK), $8,500 (FD)
Key Stats
- 2022 Stats: 20 targets, 16 receptions, 171 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
- Season-high seven targets vs. Jaguars in AFC Divisional Round.
If Mahomes is limited at all, could Toney see more action in the quick passing game after a season-high in targets last week? It's possible. The second-year man out of Florida has yet to truly break out since landing in Kansas City, but Andy Reid and company likely have a few tricks up their sleeve and featured packages for the dynamic-in-space Toney. He's far from a bust-proof DFS choice, but you're going to have to take chances on bargain-bin players to make this lineup work.
Marquez Valdes-Scantling - WR, $3,600 (DK), $7,000 (FD)
Key Stats
- 2022 Stats: 81 targets, 42 receptions, 687 receiving yards, and two touchdowns.
- 14.6 average target distance (seventh), 16.4 yards per reception (eighth).
Valdes-Scantling is the picture-perfect DFS bargain as one of the premier boom-or-bust options in the NFL. While MVS saw just 4.8 targets per game in his first year in Kansas City, he's been a few inches away from scoring deep touchdowns on several occasions this season. His role is pretty clear -- stretch the defense and score on a long ball if it's open. With Travis Kelce and JuJu Smith-Schuster operating in the middle of the field, I like the dart throw on MVS to deliver on a long ball and deliver at his price tag. Again, there's no way out of taking risky dart throws in this superstar slate.
Other Value Plays: Samaje Perine, Trenton Irwin, Skyy Moore
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