RADIO
Who should I start for the Divisional Round? Fantasy football outlooks for C.J. Stroud, Matthew Stafford, and Patrick Mahomes. Our expert fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em picks.
The fantasy football season might be over, but that doesn't mean fantasy is over altogether. That's because you can join a DFS contest each week of the playoffs and still root for your favorite players in fantasy.
In this article, we'll determine if C.J. Stroud, Matthew Stafford, and Patrick Mahomes are great starts in the Divisional Round. All three quarterbacks have had their struggles in fantasy throughout the year. However, they could all be solid plays in DFS contests this weekend.
So, are Stroud, Stafford, and Mahomes solid fantasy plays this week? Let's dive in and find out.
Should I Start C.J. Stroud for Fantasy Football?
Stroud was one of the biggest quarterback busts in fantasy in the regular season. After going as a top-six fantasy option at the position in drafts, the second-year quarterback has scored under 19 fantasy points in 12 straight games. As a result, it's going to be hard to trust him in DFS contests this weekend against the Chiefs.
LEGEND: #Texans QB C.J. Stroud became the sixth quarterback in #NFL history to win a playoff game in each of his first two career seasons.
🤯
Hell of a start to his career for Stroud. pic.twitter.com/kcDHkF5nnW
— MLFootball (@_MLFootball) January 16, 2025
Kansas City has allowed over 19 fantasy points to the position just three times since Week 8, and Stroud has struggled in fantasy for most of the year. Although he scored 18.1 fantasy points against this Chiefs secondary a couple of weeks ago, there are better quarterbacks to roll with in fantasy in the Divisional Round.
Should I Start Matthew Stafford for Fantasy Football?
Stafford has an extremely tough matchup in the Divisional Round against the Eagles. Philadelphia gave up the fifth-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in the regular season, and only four quarterbacks have scored above 16 fantasy points against this secondary since Week 5.
Matthew Stafford outdoors in the rain or snow:
1-8
54.6 completion %
14 TD
11 INT
76.0 rating(via @TBagleySports)
— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) January 16, 2025
As a result, the Rams quarterback will be a riskier option in DFS contests this weekend. Even though the veteran scored 19.2 fantasy points the last time he faced this Eagles secondary back in Week 12, there are expected to be snow showers in Philadelphia on Sunday. That means things will be even tougher for Stafford in the passing game.
Should I Start Patrick Mahomes for Fantasy Football?
Mahomes wasn't the best fantasy quarterback option in the regular season. However, he was a strong fantasy play down the stretch, scoring over 23 fantasy points in both Week 16 and Week 17. With a matchup against the Texans in the Divisional Round, the Chiefs quarterback is a fine play in some DFS contests this weekend.
"If they go for the 3-peat, and get the 3-peat, Patrick Mahomes is the GOAT." @PriscoCBS pic.twitter.com/8K6p9PAo9I
— NFL on CBS 🏈 (@NFLonCBS) January 14, 2025
He scored 23.7 fantasy points against this Texans secondary back in Week 16, and Houston has allowed over 23 fantasy points to a quarterback in two of the past four games. Given Mahomes' playoff success and the fact that he has had two weeks of rest, he will be one of the better plays at the position this week.
More Fantasy Football Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Picks
Rashod Bateman - Start or Sit?
BALLER MOVE: Start in 14-Team Leagues POSITIONAL VALUE: WR4 ANALYSIS: Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman is about to get a lot more targets, according to Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson. Bateman looked solid in training camp, though then again, so do players like WR Elijah Moore, and they end up not doing much in real games. […]
Quentin Johnston - Start or Sit?
BALLER MOVE: Start in 12 + Team Leagues POSITIONAL VALUE: WR3 ANALYSIS: Many fantasy managers, myself included (regrettably), expected new Los Angeles Chargers offensive coordinator Mike McDaniel to get wide receiver Quentin Johnston more involved on plays where he could utilize his skill set -- running after the catch -- better. That didn't happen in Week […]
Devaughn Vele - Start or Sit?
BALLER MOVE: Start in 12+ Team Leagues POSITIONAL VALUE: WR3/FLEX ANALYSIS: Vele's performance in Week 1 was shocking. In the absence of WR Jordyn Tyson (hamstring), he served as the team's WR2, and caught seven of his nine targets for 69 yards and a touchdown, finishing with 19.9 PPR fantasy points. He played 91 percent […]
Deebo Samuel Sr. - Start or Sit?
BALLER MOVE: Start in 12-Team Leagues POSITIONAL VALUE: WR3 ANALYSIS: San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. was expected to play an ancillary role with his team when he was signed in the offseason. Then 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee) had surgery to correct his PCL issues and was ruled out for the […]
Caleb Douglas- Start or Sit?
Baller Move: Bench in standard leagues, mid-end FLEX in deeper leagues Positional Value: WR4 Analysis: One of the big mysteries in fantasy football this offseason was how the Miami Dolphins’ offense would look in 2026. Miami signed quarterback Malik Willis to a big contract in free agency, but his pass-catching group was filled with unproven […]
Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App
Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!
