DraftKings NFL: Sunday-Monday Wild Card Breakdown

This article is part of our DraftKings NFL series.

The Steelers-Bills wild-card game scheduled for Sunday was moved to Monday because of severe winter weather, but DraftKings kept it's original three-game slate together, with Packers-Cowboys and Rams-Lions. So, the wild-card contest will span Sunday and Monday now.

The Games

Quarterback

• Dak Prescott vs. GB ($7,600)

Quarterback ownership will be relatively spread out, but I'm expect Prescott to be the most popular given that he projects best from both a raw points and point-per-dollar standpoint. It's uncharacteristic to see him projecting better than Josh Allen ($8,000) but the Cowboys implied total is more than a touchdown higher than the Bills. The Pittsburgh-Buffalo matchup is set for inclement weather, with snow and wind expected. The total has dropped all the way to 33.5 points and that will keep most from rostering Allen. For that reason, he's an intriguing option for GPPs, but if you're spending up in cash games, Prescott is the answer. You could argue he's been the best QB in the league this season and the Cowboys have a favorable home matchup against a Green Bay defense that's been mostly bad this season. 

• Jared Goff vs. LAR ($6,200)

Of the cheaper QBs, Goff will be the most popular and that makes him the safest option in this range for cash games. The Lions have a 27.25 implied total for their matchup against the Rams indoors at Ford Field. That game has shootout written all over it with two offenses who score in bunches and two defenses better at stopping the run than the pass. Matthew Stafford ($6,500) looks like a good option for tournaments. Stafford led the Rams to an improbable playoff birth after starting the season 3-6. He might have a point to prove heading back to Detroit, where he spent 10-plus years as the Lions starter. Jordan Love ($6,300) will go overlooked but maybe he shouldn't be after finishing the season with at least 22 fantasy points in three consecutive games. The Packers seem to have found their QB of the future, and I wouldn't put it past him to hang around with Cowboys and put up some points. You'd figure they'll be playing from behind and upping the tempo/pass-rate. Pairing him with Jayden Reed ($5,700) makes most sense in tournaments. 

Running Back

• Aaron Jones at DAL ($6,300)

Healthier than he's been all year, Jones is peaking just when the Packers need him most. He finished the season with three consecutive games of 20-plus carries and 100-plus rushing yards. He's coming off a season-high five catches in last week's must win against the Bears. Green Bay was without AJ Dillon and likely won't have him available against Dallas either, meaning Jones will see almost all of the meaningful work. 

• Tony Pollard vs. GB ($6,100)

It was a disappointing season for Pollard as he lacked the explosiveness and big-play ability that we'd seen in previous years. Nevertheless, and for no apparent reason, DraftKings has decided to slash his salary to a season low. That combined with Dallas having a 29-point implied total has Pollard projecting neck and neck with Jones for the best point-per-dollar value at the position. I plan on rostering both in cash games. 

I don't mean to overlook Kyren Williams ($7,300), who projects for most raw points. But the salary relief that Jones and Pollard offer is important on a slate that includes multiple expensive WRs worth paying for. That said, I wouldn't argue with anyone who made Williams a priority in any format. He had a fantastic season and he's cheaper than he's been in recent weeks. Jahmyr Gibbs ($6,500) and David Montgomery ($6,200) are decent options for tournaments if you're looking for exposure to the highest-totaled game. If you're looking for leverage at the position, consider James Cook ($6,600), who will be considerably less popular than Williams, Jones, Pollard and Gibbs. The weather is turning most people off of that game, but RBs can still succeed in those conditions. That's why I'm considering Najee Harris ($5,400) and Jaylen Warren ($5,100) as well. They also allow you to upgrade at WR. Harris is coming off back-to-back 100-yard games while Warren has drawn 26 targets in his last five while catching at least four passes in all. 

Wide Receiver

• CeeDee Lamb vs. GB ($9,000)

It's hard to overstate how good Lamb has been and he's putting up ceiling scores with remarkable consistency. Since Week 8, he's topped 30 fantasy points on six occasions, including his last two games in which he caught 13 passes a piece in. Those are massive numbers, but there are other good WRs on this slate and there's always a chance the Packers could hold him in check. Star cornerback Jaire Alexander would tell you as much. Easier said than done, of course, but maybe you can tell yourself that story if you're considering fading Lamb in GPPs. He's essentially a lock for cash games given the cheap value. 

• Amon-Ra St. Brown vs. LAR ($8,000)

St. Brown finished the regular season on a tear, with a touchdown catch in each of his last four games and 100-plus receiving yards in three. The Lions matchup against the Rams has serious shootout potential. Pairing Brown with one of the Rams WRs would make perfect sense in tournaments. Puka Nacua ($7,200) projects the best and will be more popular, but I have just as much interest in an overlooked Cooper Kupp ($7,500). The Lions have given up big scores to WRs all season and that should happen again if the game goes back and forth as expected.

The midrange will be forgotten, but Jayden Reed ($5,700) stands out. The talented rookie has emerged as the Packers best WR as he finished the season with at least 15 fantasy points in seven of the last eight games. He'll go overlooked because there's better cheap value than we're used to seeing. Demarcus Robinson ($3,600) will be the most popular after six catches in back-to-back games. Jameson Williams ($3,500) seems primed for a breakout game after drawing 16 targets in his last three. Khalil Shakir ($3,400) is coming off six catches for 105 yards against the Dolphins last week and will see continue to see an uptick in snaps with the news that Gabe Davis (knee) is out. That reminds me, I haven't mentioned Stefon Diggs ($7,400). He doesn't project very well because of the weather and low total but almost no one going to roster him, which makes him intriguing at least from a leverage perspective. 

Tight End

• Jake Ferguson vs. GB ($4,700)

Tight End is pretty straightforward for cash games. Ferguson projects as the top point-per-dollar value by a substantial margin and will be chalky as a result. There isn't much else to say as Dallas have a soft matchup and the highest implied total. Ferguson's expected popularity makes Dalton Kincaid ($4,600) stand out for tournaments at a third of the ownership. He caught seven of eight targets last week and likely will be a focal point of the offense again to help mitigate the weather and the absence of Davis. I don't have much interest outside of Ferguson and Kincaid, but Dawson Knox ($2,900) is cheap and is always live to catch a touchdown. He'd also allow for a different type of lineup construction. So would Brock Wright ($3,000), who would get the start if Sam LaPorta ($6,000) can't go. It's news worth monitoring, but we might not know until Sunday afternoon. 

Defense/Special Teams

• Buffalo Bills vs. PIT ($3,500)

I'm expecting the Bills ($3,500) to be by far the most popular choice at D/ST. I've mentioned a few times that the conditions are expected to be horrible and Pittsburgh's implied total has dropped all the way to 11.75 points as a result. The other two games have 50-point totals, which doesn't bode well for the defenses. The Cowboys ($3,600) would be leverage off the Bills at a fourth of the ownership. The Steelers ($2,600) make sense if you're looking to save salary and that will probably make them the second-most popular option.