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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.
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