Wild Card Round Fantasy Football Matchups We Love: The Fantasy Matchmaker

The best Wild Card round fantasy football matchups, predictions from Joey Pollizze. Strong start/sit matchups that he loves for fantasy football playoff lineups and DFS plays.

The fantasy football season is over, but that doesn't mean you can't still play fantasy sports. Whether you are in a fantasy playoff challenge or play in daily fantasy sports (DFS) contests, this article can be a big help in identifying which players have the best and worst matchups on Super Wild Card Weekend.

There are some big matchups on the horizon in the first round of the playoffs. Matthew Stafford will return to Ford Field to take on his former team, the Detroit Lions. Dallas Cowboys head coach Mike McCarthy will face off against his former team, and wide receiver Tyreek Hill will go back to Kansas City for the first time.

All this makes for an exciting Wild Card round. So, let's dive in and see which players have the best and worst matchups in the first round.

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) rankings
• Quarterback (QB) rankings
• Tight end (TE) rankings
• Defense (D/ST) rankings
• Kicker (K) rankings
• FLEX rankings
• Dynasty rankings

Wild Card Round: Quarterback Matchups We Love

Baker Mayfield - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Opponent: vs. PHI
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 31st

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield arguably played his worst game of the season back in Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles. In that game, Mayfield threw for just 146 yards with one touchdown and one interception. But a lot has changed for both teams since then.

Mayfield has played well down the stretch, throwing for over 280 yards and at least two touchdowns in three straight games from Week 15 to Week 17. As for the Eagles secondary, they have allowed the second-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season. On the year, they have given up 35 pass touchdowns and 4,551 pass yards. A major bounce-back game against this Philadelphia unit could be on the horizon.

Matthew Stafford - Los Angeles Rams
Opponent: at DET
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 30th

Matthew Stafford will be returning to Ford Field for the first time this weekend to take on a Lions team that he spent 12 seasons with. The emotions will be high, the adrenaline will be higher, and everyone knows Stafford will want to play his best football against his former team.

On top of that, the matchup is almost perfect for Stafford and the Rams. The Lions have allowed the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this season and have been trending in the wrong direction in recent weeks. Over the past three games, they have given up at least 340 pass yards and two touchdowns in every contest, including 396 yards to Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens last week. 

Wild Card Round: Quarterback Matchups to Avoid

C.J. Stroud - Houston Texans
Opponent: vs. CLE
Opponent Rank vs. QB: 4th

Houston Texans rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud will make his postseason debut on Saturday after a fantastic regular season. He threw for 4,108 yards and 23 touchdowns. But now he'll face an extremely tough Cleveland Browns defense in the first round of the playoffs.

Stroud didn't play due to a concussion back when these two teams faced off in Week 16. So, we haven't seen him against this Browns defense yet. However, Cleveland has allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks this season, while allowing just two quarterbacks to throw for over 275 yards in a game (Matthew Stafford & Gardner Minshew).

Wild Card Round: Running Back Matchups We Love

Tony Pollard - Dallas Cowboys
Opponent: vs. GB
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 21st

Dallas Cowboys running back Tony Pollard hasn't had the season everyone envisioned. But he'll get a Packers defense that has had their struggles in 2023. This Green Bay run defense has been better in recent weeks, allowing under 2.9 yards per carry in both Week 16 against the Carolina Panthers and Week 18 against the Chicago Bears.

However, there have also been plenty of rough days for this front seven. From Week 10 to Week 15, Green Bay gave up 100-plus rush yards in five of six games with opposing running backs averaging over five yards per carry during that span. The ground game will be key for the Cowboys on Sunday.

James Cook - Buffalo Bills
Opponent: vs. PIT
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 20th

Buffalo Bills running back James Cook hasn't put up big numbers over the past three contests. However, the first round of the playoffs could help Cook get back on track against a Pittsburgh Steelers defense that will be without All-Pro pass rusher T.J. Watt. Watt is out on Sunday due to a knee injury he suffered in Week 18. 

The Steelers have given up their fair share of big games on the ground this season, including 170 total rush yards to the Indianapolis Colts backfield in Week 15. They've been better as of late, but they're still allowing over 4.24 yards per carry on the season. With Watt also out, Cook should have a nice day.  

Wild Card Round: Running Back Matchups to Avoid

Kyren Williams - Los Angeles Rams
Opponent: at DET
Opponent Rank vs. RB: 1st

Los Angeles Rams running back Kyren Williams was a league winner in fantasy this year. He has scored over 20 PPR fantasy points in three of the past five games while crossing the goal line six times during that five-game span. However, he faces the toughest running back matchup against the Detroit Lions.

The way to beat the Lions is through the air because their ground game is legit. They have only allowed one team to rush for over 100 yards in a game this year -- the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7. Outside of that, opposing running backs are averaging just 3.47 yards per carry against this unit in 2023. Williams will see the volume, but he might struggle on the ground in this one.

Wild Card Round: Wide Receiver Matchups We Love

Mike Evans - Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Opponent: vs. PHI
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 32nd

Like his quarterback, Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans has a great matchup in the first round against the Philadelphia Eagles. Evans put together another 1,000-yard season in 2023 behind 79 catches for 1,255 yards and 13 touchdowns. Now, he'll get his best matchup in the playoffs.

Back in Week 3, Evans had a solid game against this Eagles secondary, catching five passes for 60 yards and one touchdown. That seems like a solid floor for the Pro Bowler this weekend. Philadelphia has given up the most fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season, which has included allowing over 150 receiving yards to that position in 11 of 17 games in 2023.

Puka Nacua/Cooper Kupp - Los Angeles Rams
Opponent: at DET
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 30th

There's a common theme here with both quarterbacks and their wide receivers on this list. Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp should both be great plays against the Detroit Lions on Super Wild Card Weekend. The Lions have given up at least 260 receiving yards and two touchdowns combined to wide receivers in three straight games.

Justin Jefferson totaled six catches for 141 yards and one touchdown in Week 16. CeeDee Lamb caught 13 passes for 227 yards and one touchdown in Week 17, and Jefferson dominated again in Week 18, posting 12 catches for 192 yards and one touchdown. The Rams' top two wideouts will feast in this game, and Demarcus Robinson could be a sneaky play in contests as well.

Wild Card Round: Wide Receiver Matchups to Avoid

Jaylen Waddle - Miami Dolphins
Opponent: at KC
Opponent Rank vs. WR: 2nd

The Miami Dolphins wide receivers have a tough matchup on Saturday against the Kansas City Chiefs. But since Tyreek Hill has proven to be matchup-proof, Jaylen Waddle makes this list instead. For starters, Waddle is dealing with an ankle injury that kept him out of action in Week 18. Head coach Mike McDaniel is optimistic that the wideout will play, but how effective will he be on the field?

The Chiefs secondary has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers this season and held Waddle to just three catches for 42 yards back in Week 9. The Dolphins wideout was limited in that game with an injury, but Kansas City has done a great job against opposing wideouts all year. They have not allowed 100-plus receiving yards to an opposing team in four of the past five contests.

Wild Card Round: Tight End Matchups We Love

Dallas Goedert - Philadelphia Eagles
Opponent: at TB
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 31st

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers pass defense has not played well this season, which certainly boosts Philadelphia Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert's value this weekend. In Week 3, Goedert caught five passes for 41 yards against this Buccaneers secondary, which is a solid fantasy floor. 

However, a bigger day could be in store for the Eagles playmaker. This Tampa Bay defense has allowed at least nine catches and 95 yards to opposing tight ends in three of the past five games. That makes Goedert a nice play on Monday. Opposing tight ends are also averaging 6.2 catches and 64.1 receiving yards against this defense in 2023.

Wild Card Round: Tight End Matchups to Avoid

Luke Musgrave/Tucker Kraft - Green Bay Packers
Opponent: at DAL
Opponent Rank vs. TE: 2nd

Luke Musgrave started the year for the Packers, and Tucker Kraft took over later in the year following Musgrave's lacerated kidney injury. Musgrave finally returned in Week 18 as both tight ends saw the field together for the first time since Week 11. However, both are not great plays in the first round.

Musgrave only saw nine snaps in Week 18 against the Chicago Bears, making him extremely hard to trust this weekend. Kraft winded up seeing 90% of the team's offensive snaps but reeled in only three passes for 31 yards. Now, they play a Dallas Cowboys secondary that has given up the fewest fantasy points to tight ends this season. They've allowed three catches or fewer in seven of the past 10 games.

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