We have finally made it to the NFL Playoffs, and while your fantasy season may be over, DFS is still here for the NFL Wild Card Weekend. As I mentioned last week, I will be playing more tournaments as we go through the playoffs. Essentially, I want to lean into the high variance that occurs during the playoffs, which is beneficial for tournaments but creates challenges for Cash.
While this week’s article is still focused on NFL DFS Cash, I will mention which players I think are solid tournament picks in the player blurbs. This article can be used to build lineups for the full six-game main slate, the Saturday slate, or the Sunday slate. If you want advice on the Showdown slates, go check out our breakdown of all six games on our YouTube channel.
Let’s get into our Wild Card Weekend NFL DFS Cash picks.
Cash is in session.
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NFL DFS Wild Card Weekend
Teacher’s Pet
Courtland Sutton (DraftKings: $6,600 / FanDuel: $7,100)
There are few receivers with as safe of a role as Courtland Sutton. He has continued being Bo Nix’s favorite target. With that volume, he has finally produced the type of fantasy season that many have expected from him. Now, he gets the best matchup for receivers among playoff teams. The Buffalo Bills have allowed the most points to receivers, by far, since Week 14. For tournaments, I will have a Bo Nix double stack that includes Sutton.
Honor Roll
Puka Nacua (DraftKings: $7,600 / FanDuel: $8,700)
Perhaps the only player with more guaranteed targets than Courtland Sutton is Puka Nacua. Since Week 10, Nacua has averaged over 10 targets per game, easily becoming the Rams’ number-one pass catcher. While he is clearly the pick for DFS Cash, in tournaments I will sprinkle in some Cooper Kupp. While Kupp has truly fallen off, he is coming off a rest week and will give you plenty of leverage on the field. If you are uncomfortable with Kupp, consider Tutu Atwell as another way to get different. I still recommend playing Nacua because he is that good, but if he fails and another Rams player pops, it will benefit DFS players to have exposure elsewhere.
Baker Mayfield (DraftKings: $6,800 / FanDuel: $7,900)
As good as Baker Mayfield has been this year, it still shocked me that he now has five consecutive games with over 20 DraftKings points. He has been a consistent DFS Cash consideration throughout the season and continues to be so on Wild Card Weekend. I also think he is an interesting tournament play. Jayden Daniels is likely to be highly targeted because of his dual-threat ability. But Mayfield can still produce ceiling outcomes without running. Plus, there are many creative ways to stack his players, including various combinations of Bucky Irving, Mike Evans, Jalen McMillan, and Payne Durham. It is also hard to avoid stacking a Cash lineup with Bucs players. They have been too good down the stretch. Speaking of…
Jalen McMillan (DraftKings: $5,200 / FanDuel: $6,400)
The Buccaneers have managed to get meaningful production out of their rookies this year. Jalen McMillan is in the middle of an incredible five-game touchdown streak and will look to make that six on Sunday. Even without the touchdowns, McMillan has become a certified stud in this offense, getting plenty of volume. For those Baker Mayfield tournament lineups, he is going to be a key consideration. That said, do not overlook stacks with Mike Evans. The Marcus Lattimore hype is going to be all the rage this weekend, and if Evans is able to get the better of Lattimore this weekend, Evans could be the leverage play you need.
Check the Chalkboard
Saquon Barkley (DraftKings: $8,500 / FanDuel: $9,600)
The Philadelphia Eagles have perhaps the chalkiest player this weekend, regardless of format. Saquon Barkley has been absolutely incredible this season and deserves to be the offensive player of the year. If you are playing DFS Cash, he is an absolute must. In tournaments, I recommend taking a more balanced approach. There is certainly a pathway for Barkley to break the slate, and to be the player, you need to be relevant. But, in a single game sample size, there’s also the possibility he only scores 15 to 20 points and that other players were more valuable at their price point. With so few teams on the slate, it will be easy to get fixated on specific players, so make sure to challenge your priors to avoid missing out on other opportunities.
Participation Grade
Mack Hollins (DraftKings: $3,800 / FanDuel: $5,100)
And this is why it is worth questioning whether or not to play Saquon Barkley. Look, I love Mack Hollins. He is an intriguing player who has popped for huge games before. But let’s be honest, it isn’t particularly exciting to click the button for Hollins. That said, he is one of these low-volume, high-upside players I love to target in DFS, especially in tournaments. In Cash, I think he is a solid punt play that has the volume to still produce a safe floor. But, when considering playing Barkley, it is worth contemplating your comfort with starting someone like Hollins. As mentioned before, it could be worth it because Barkley is that good, but it is also worth getting different in tournament contests.
Back of the Classroom Studs
Jaylen Warren (DraftKings: $5,200 / FanDuel: $5,600)
How to manage running backs is going to be a key decision point this week. It is going to be very hard to fit two expensive running backs in your lineup, especially given the dearth of quality cheap receivers. Jaylen Warren provides a solid way to save some money, allowing us to play guys like Puke Nacua and Courtland Sutton. Warren has frequently been the pass-catching back in Pittsburgh, providing him a safe floor. That is perfect for what we need in DFS Cash. In tournaments, I feel mixed on his upside. The Ravens could very well dominate this matchup and make it so that no Steelers players perform well in DFS. Outside of Warren, Pat Freiermuth has the best chance of a solid performance whether or not the Steelers win.
Payne Durham (DraftKings: $3,100 / FanDuel: $4,900)
One thing to consider when spending up at running back and receiver this week is that it increases the odds of playing Payne Durham. He is a cheap tight end who has been heavily utilized, so he is likely to be highly rostered. For DFS Cash, that is totally fine. Durham has a safe floor. In tournaments, he can still be a good play, especially in Baker stacks, but it is also worth looking for places to get different. While I am not avoiding Durham, I will also look for opportunities to spend up at tight end for players like Mark Andrews and Pat Freiermuth as a way to get leverage on people focused on Durham.
Los Angeles Chargers (DraftKings: $3,200 / FanDuel: $4,400)
Look, defense is going to be hard this week. The good news is that defense rarely matters in DFS Cash. In those contests, I will typically pick the best defense I can with the salary I have left over. In this case, it is the Los Angeles Chargers who face a struggling Houston Texans offense. Now, in tournaments, I am interested in going after the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Ravens have been known to turn the ball over, and with no Zay Flowers this week, there’s more opportunity for mistakes to creep in and the Steelers’ defense to make splash plays.
Report Card
DraftKings
Scoring System
- A: Scored over three times their price
- B: Scored over two times their price
- C: Matched their price
- F: Scored lower than their price
| Player | Price | Points | Grade |
| Bijan Robinson | $8,500 | 34.30 | A |
| Jayden Daniels | $7,800 | 4.22 | F |
| Brian Thomas Jr. | $7,300 | 20.30 | B |
| Michael Pittman Jr. | $5,200 | 13.20 | B |
| Blake Corum | $5,600 | 3.20 | F |
| Noah Gray | $3,800 | 0.70 | F |
| Demario Douglas | $4,300 | 6.40 | C |
| Michael Carter | $4,700 | 15.90 | A |
| New York Giants | $2,400 | 3.00 | C |
| Overall | $49,600 | 101.22 | B |
| Season Long | $842,900 | 2,051.20 | B |
FanDuel
Scoring System
- A: Scored over two times their price
- B: Scored over one and a half times their price
- C: Matched their price
- F: Scored lower than their price
| Player | Price | Points | Grade |
| Bijan Robinson | $9,200 | 33.30 | A |
| Jayden Daniels | $8,700 | 4.22 | F |
| Brian Thomas Jr. | $8,000 | 16.80 | A |
| Michael Pittman Jr. | $6,200 | 10.20 | B |
| Blake Corum | $5,500 | 2.70 | F |
| Noah Gray | $5,500 | 0.20 | F |
| Demario Douglas | $5,100 | 4.90 | F |
| Michael Carter | $5,800 | 13.90 | A |
| New York Giants | $3,200 | 3.00 | F |
| Overall | $57,200 | 89.22 | B |
| Season Long | $1,003,700 | 1,809.20 | B |
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