TAP FOR 6 MONTHS OF PREMIUM FREE 💰
X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

NFL Divisional Weekend Daily Fantasy Football Stacks

That was fun, wasn't it? Wild-card weekend is a wrap, and jeez, was it wild.

It started with a kickoff return for a touchdown, ended with the Green Bay Packers completing the first-ever wild-card weekend sweep for road teams, and in between we had a shutout in Houston, a self-inflicted collapse and near riot in Cincinnati, and Blair Walsh's infamous 27-yard shank in Minnesota.

Some of our top projected daily fantasy stacks worked out (Kirk Cousins-Jordan Reed), and some didn't (Russell Wilson-Doug Baldwin), but that's just how it goes sometimes. Trust the numbers and trust your own process. Here's how we rank the potential stacks for the divisional round games, sorted in order of appeal rather than price.

Happy New Year! Save 30% on any Premium Pass using discount code NEW. Win more with our DFS, Betting and Season-Long Pass, get expert tools and advice from proven winners! GAIN ACCESS

 

Strong DFS Stacks

Arizona QB Carson Palmer and WR Larry Fitzgerald vs. Green Bay

The Cardinals' passing attack, led by the veteran MVP candidate Palmer, represents the safest floor for fantasy production this weekend. The trick here will be finding the receiver(s) that Palmer connects with the most. The hunch here is that Fitzgerald will be on the receiving end of at least Palmer touchdown strike.

The Packers' defense allowed Kirk Cousins to throw for 329 yards in the wild-card round, albeit with large chunks of those yards coming late in the fourth quarter. Cousins' longest completion was 38 yards on a dump-off to running back Chris Thompson. Green Bay held deep threat DeSean Jackson to just 17 yards on two receptions. If the Packers similarly defend John Brown and Michael Floyd, that should leave plenty of room for Fitzgerald to operate over the middle. This game also has the highest over/under (50) of the weekend, so Las Vegas expects plenty of points.

Carolina QB Cam Newton and TE Greg Olsen vs. Seattle

What more can be said about Newton's season? It's simply one of the greatest final stat lines we've ever seen -- 3,837 passing yards, 636 rushing yards, 45 total touchdowns. However, there are a few things to consider in this particular matchup against the Seahawks. Newton is just 1-4 in five career starts against Seattle, with a 4-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio. On the whole, that's simply not good.

Of course, the one win came earlier this season, when Newton engineered three 80-yard scoring drives in the fourth quarter, including the game-winning drive that culminated with a touchdown pass to Olsen. The Panthers will be able to move the ball against Seattle, and Olsen (seven catches, 131 yards in Week 6 meeting) will play a major role. The Seahawks have struggled defending tight ends all season, and a 24-yard catch-and-run by Kyle Rudolph almost cost them dearly against Minnesota.

Seattle QB Russell Wilson and WR Doug Baldwin at Carolina

The wild-card win against the Vikings wasn't pretty for Wilson and the Seahawks' offense. For most of the game, it was downright ugly. But in the fourth quarter, that turned around. First, Wilson turned a botched snap into a scramble-drill, 35-yard completion to Tyler Lockett. Two plays later, he connected with Baldwin on the game's only touchdown.

Baldwin led Seattle with five catches for 42 yards on seven targets. The biting cold of Minneapolis clearly had an effect on both teams, so it's reasonable to chalk the low offensive numbers up to the weather. With temperatures projected for the mid-40s in Charlotte this Sunday, weather shouldn't be a factor. Wilson moved the ball well in the first meeting back in Week 6, finishing with 241 passing yards, 53 rushing yards and a touchdown. A similar performance in the divisional round rematch is a fair expectation.

 

Risky DFS Stacks

Green Bay QB Aaron Rodgers and WR James Jones at Arizona

Rodgers' placement in the "risky" category is less an indictment on him than it is on the entire Packers offense. Which one will see in the divisional round? Will it be the offense that used a balance attack to score 17 straight points in the first half and 18 straight in the second half against Washington? Or will it be the unmitigated disaster that scored just eight points and allowed nine sacks in a 38-8 throttling by Arizona just three weeks ago?

The safe bet is that it'll fall somewhere in the middle. If Green Bay is going to have any chance of upsetting the Cardinals in Arizona, Rodgers must have a great game. That means 300-plus yards and two, maybe three touchdowns, and if that happens, expect Jones to be heavily involved. His seven receptions, 11 targets and 81 yards were all team highs in the wild-card round, and there's little evidence to suggest he isn't Rodgers' top target at this point.

New England QB Tom Brady and WR Julian Edelman vs. Kansas City

Mandatory disclaimer: Make sure Edelman is active and in the lineup Saturday before deploying him. The assumption here is that the shifty wide receiver will play for the first time since suffering a broken bone in his foot back in November. Brady will look to Edelman early and often against an imposing Chiefs front seven that includes Justin Houston and Tamba Hali, among others.

Rob Gronkowski is always a viable pairing with Brady, but the Chiefs rank No. 1 overall in fantasy points allowed to tight ends. A sneaky pairing could be running back James White. To combat Kansas City's formidable pass rush, a healthy dose of screens and short passes to White could do the trick.

Pittsburgh QB Ben Roethlisberger and WR Antonio Brown at Denver

This will be the trickiest play of the week. As of Tuesday evening, the statuses of both Roethlisberger and Brown remain unclear. Roethlisberger confirmed Tuesday that he suffered a sprained AC joint and torn ligaments in his throwing shoulder in the wild-card win over Cincinnati. Brown remains in the league's concussion protocol.

At this point, it would appear Roethlisberger is a safer bet to play than Brown, but even if he does, how effective will he be? Denver's defense has allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this season, so the matchup was tough for Roethlisberger to begin with. The upside here, of course, is that this could represent a major contrarian play. The injuries and substantial cost associated with this duo could drop their ownership numbers significantly. Just make sure to proceed with caution.

Denver QB Peyton Manning and WR Demaryius Thomas vs. Pittsburgh

It's been two months since we've seen Manning start a game, and even longer since we've seen him start and finish a game. Manning came on in relief of Brock Osweiler in the regular-season finale and finished a modest 5-of-9 for 69 yards. He'll likely have to produce more than that against Pittsburgh, which can be beaten through the air on defense.

Thomas is one of the NFL's premier receivers and his value shouldn't change much with the switch from Osweiler to Manning. His consistency gives him a relatively safe floor -- he's had at least five catches and 59 yards in five straight games (with four total touchdowns). Emmanuel Sanders is also a fine play, as he torched the Steelers for 181 yards and a score on 10 catches in Week 15.

 

DFS Stacks to Avoid

Kansas City QB Alex Smith and TE Travis Kelce at New England

We don't have anything personal against Smith, we swear! He perfectly fits what the Chiefs need from him, but from a fantasy perspective, there's just not much to like. Case in point: Kansas City has now won 11 straight games, including a 30-rout of Houston this past weekend, and Smith has thrown for more than 200 yards in just four of those games.

He does offer upside with his running ability, but it's not enough to offset the lack of yards and touchdowns. If you're digging for a low-owned dart throw for a GPP, Smith certainly fits the bill. But if he's without Jeremy Maclin (ankle), Kelce stands as his only proven, productive target.

 

NFL & Fantasy Football Chat Room

[iflychat_embed id="c-0" hide_user_list="yes" hide_popup_chat="no" height="400px"]

POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Projections
Articles & Tools
Weekly Planner
24x7 News and Alerts

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Isaiah Hartenstein

Available Thursday
Russell Westbrook

Questionable to Play Thursday
Zach LaVine

Returns From Two-Game Absence
Paul George

Expected to Play Against Kings
Joel Embiid

Probable Thursday
Steven Adams

Undergoes Season-Ending Ankle Surgery
Egor Demin

Won't Play Versus Denver
Cam Thomas

Resting on Thursday Night
Aaron Judge

Appears to be Past his Elbow Issues
Bo Nix

Expected to Resume Training in 4-6 Weeks
Dan Vladar

Returns to Flyers Crease
Denton Mateychuk

Back in Action Wednesday
Stephen Halliday

Unavailable Versus Avalanche
Ross Colton

Won't Play Wednesday
Devon Toews

Still Out Wednesday
Simon Holmstrom

Expected to Return Wednesday
Ryan Pulock

a Game-Time Call Wednesday
Michael Penix Jr.

Thinks he'll be Ready by April
Evan Carter

Establishes a Goal to Steal 30 Bases
Edouard Julien

Traded to the Rockies
Cleveland Browns

Browns Hiring Todd Monken as Next Head Coach
Jack St. Ivany

to Miss Up to Eight Weeks After Surgery
Cody Glass

Exits Early Tuesday Night
Anton Lundell

Expected to Be Available Thursday
Jordan Kyrou

Jake Neighbours Knocked Out of the Lineup Tuesday
Elias Lindholm

Hurt in Tuesday's Win
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen

Exits With Injury Tuesday
Ondrej Palat

Devils Send Ondrej Palat to the Islanders
Collin Murray-Boyles

Listed as Questionable for Wednesday's Game
Jock Landale

Available for Wednesday's Tilt
Kel'el Ware

in Danger of Missing Another Game
Sahith Theegala

Off to Much Better 2026 Start
Davion Mitchell

Iffy for Wednesday
Gary Woodland

an Intriguing Option at Torrey Pines This Week
Norman Powell

Questionable Wednesday
Tyler Herro

Remains Out Wednesday
CJ Abrams

Giants Offer "Aggressive Pitch" for CJ Abrams
Andrew Putnam

Hopes to Keep Momentum Rolling This Week
Nikola Jokić

Nikola Jokic to Be Re-Evaluated in One Week
Matthieu Pavon

Seeks to Return to 2024 Form at Torrey Pines
Luke List

Still Looking For Birdies at Torrey Pines
Jake Knapp

Faces Stiff Challenge at Farmers Insurance Open
Rasmus Hojgaard

Needs to Play Better at Torrey Pines
Christiaan Bezuidenhout

Could Struggle at Farmers Insurance Open
J.J. Spaun

A Steady Option At Farmers Insurance Open
Andrew Novak

Looking For More Success At Torrey Pines
Denny McCarthy

A Wild Card At Farmers Insurance Open
Max Homa

Looks To Keep Resurgence Going At Torrey Pines
Joe Highsmith

Struggling Heading Into Torrey Pines
Wyndham Clark

Looks To Carry Momentum Into Farmers Insurance Open
Tony Finau

Aims To Turn Things Around At Torrey Pines
Darius Garland

Won't Be Available Wednesday
Akshay Bhatia

Looks to Bounce Back at Torrey Pines
Franz Wagner

Won't Play Wednesday
Draymond Green

Expected to Return Wednesday
Kawhi Leonard

Available Against Jazz
Jordan Goodwin

Starts Against Nets
Peyton Watson

Back for Nuggets Tuesday
Paul Goldschmidt

Yankees Expressing Interest in Re-Signing Paul Goldschmidt
Bo Bichette

Won't Play in World Baseball Classic
NFL

Bill Belichick Won't be First-Ballot Hall of Famer
Leo Carlsson

to Miss Olympics
Alex Turcotte

Unavailable Tuesday
Carlos Correa

Won't Play for Puerto Rico in World Baseball Classic
Dylan Holloway

Remains Out Tuesday
Marco Rossi

to Return After Olympics
Thatcher Demko

Won't Return This Season
Sam Malinski

Inks Four-Year Extension With Avalanche
Bryan Rust

Slapped With Three-Game Suspension
Si Woo Kim

Looks to Continue Incredible Run at Torrey Pines
Jason Day

has a Good Chance to Keep Momentum This Weekend
Keegan Bradley

has Good Course History at Torrey Pines
Billy Horschel

Isn't a Great DFS Option at Torrey Pines
Aaron Rodgers

Mike McCarthy Says he Wants Aaron Rodgers to Return
Will Zalatoris

Has a Shot to Challenge at the Farmers Insurance Open
Drake Maye

Expected to be Fine for Super Bowl
Tennessee Titans

Titans Set to Hire Brian Daboll as New Offensive Coordinator
Buffalo Bills

Bills Promote Joe Brady to Head Coach
CFB

Quarterback Brayden Fowler-Nicolosi Signs with Michigan
CFB

Darian Mensah Reaches Settlement with Duke, Expected to Land at Miami
Eugenio Suárez

Eugenio Suarez Not Drawing Interest on Open Market?
Shedeur Sanders

Named as Pro Bowl Replacement
Framber Valdez

Among Many High-End Pitchers on Free-Agent Market
Jose Altuve

Won't Participate in World Baseball Classic
Harrison Bader

Agrees With Giants on Two-Year Deal
Paddy Pimblett

Drops Decision
Justin Gaethje

Becomes the New Interim-Lightweight Champion
Song Yadong

Suffers Unanimous Decision Loss
MMA

Sean O'Malley Gets Back In The Win Column
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Extends His Win Streak
Derrick Lewis

Suffers Second-Round TKO Loss
Los Angeles Chargers

Chargers Officially Hire Mike McDaniel as Offensive Coordinator
Nathan Eovaldi

Doesn't Expect Any Limitations in Spring Training
Jaxon Smith-Njigba

Dominates in NFC Championship Game Win
Matthew Stafford

Plans to Return in 2026
CFB

Arthur Smith to Become Ohio State's Offensive Coordinator
Bo Nix

Sidelined for 12 Weeks With Broken Ankle
Jose Altuve

to Mainly Play Second Base
Yu Darvish

Considering Retirement
Pittsburgh Steelers

Steelers Finalizing Deal to Make Mike McCarthy Their Head Coach
José Ramírez

Jose Ramirez Signs Seven-Year Extension With Guardians
Gunnar Henderson

is Fully Healthy Heading into Spring Training
Tyreek Hill

Dolphins Expected to Release Tyreek Hill
Paddy Pimblett

Set For Interim Lightweight Title Fight
Justin Gaethje

An Underdog At UFC 324
Song Yadong

Looks To Win Back-To-Back Fights
MMA

Sean O'Malley Looks To Get Back In The Win Column
Derrick Lewis

Returns At UFC 324
Waldo Cortes-Acosta

Looks For His Third Consecutive Win
Philip Rivers

Interviewing for Bills Head-Coaching Job
NFL

Fernando Mendoza Officially Declares for NFL Draft
CFB

Arch Manning Undergoes Foot Surgery
Dalton Kincaid

Played Through Torn PCL
CFB

College Football Playoff Expected to Remain a 12-Team Field in 2026