This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.
The divisional round of the NFL playoffs begins Saturday at 4:35 p.m. EST and features four games spanning two days. Saturday's action kicks off with the Rams visiting the top-seeded Packers in the NFC followed by Baltimore-Buffalo in the AFC, while Sunday starts off with the Chiefs playing their first game of the postseason at home against the Browns before Buccaneers-Saints concludes the slate. Among the recommended options for this slate are a quarterback-receiver duo that has experienced plenty of recent postseason success, a running back set for a heavy workload in what has been a split backfield for most of the year and a tight end facing a defense that has been unable to guard the position all season.
QUARTERBACK
Patrick Mahomes, KC vs. CLE ($42): Game script dictated a pass-heavy approach for the Steelers after falling behind 28-0 last week, but the Browns knew the pass was coming and still allowed Ben Roethlisberger to pile up 501 yards and four touchdowns. While Cleveland's secondary could benefit from getting some pieces back from the reserve/COVID-19 list, the gulf in ability between Mahomes and Roethlisberger at this point in their respective careers can't be papered over by a few personnel changes. Look for the Chiefs to be aggressive through the air and for Mahomes to live up to his lofty valuation.
RUNNING BACK
Cam Akers, LAR at GB ($29): The Rams will likely go with a run-heavy approach to keep the clock moving and the defense rested, as Jared Goff trying to go toe to toe with Aaron Rodgers in a shootout is a recipe for disaster. Akers excelled in a run-heavy game script against Seattle in the wild-card round, racking up 176 scrimmage yards and a touchdown on 30 touches. The rookie second-round pick emerged as the Rams' workhorse back down the stretch, and that role should produce results against a Packers defense that struggled to defend running backs in the regular season -- Green Bay's 19 scrimmage touchdowns allowed to the position tied for sixth most in the league.
Leonard Fournette, TB at NO ($17): If Ronald Jones (quadriceps) is out or limited, Fournette would be in line to handle the majority of touches out of Tampa Bay's backfield in New Orleans. Fournette excelled in such a role against Washington in the wild-card round, rushing 19 times for 93 yards and a touchdown while catching all four of his targets for another 39 yards. The Saints were stout against the run for most of the season but showed some vulnerability down the stretch. New Orleans allowed 505 yards and five touchdowns on the ground in Weeks 14-16 before bouncing back with a pair of stingier efforts in the regular-season finale against a Panthers team that was missing its top two running backs, and in the wild-card round against a Bears offense that looked dysfunctional on all fronts.
WIDE RECEIVER
Tyreek Hill, KC vs. CLE ($37): Whether you pair him with Mahomes or grab him on his own, Hill should be worth paying up for against the Browns. Hill scored 15 times through the air and twice more on the ground this season, while Cleveland allowed the eighth-most yards (2,805) and fifth-most touchdowns (20) to wide receivers in the regular season, plus three more scores to the position last week. With Davante Adams ($35) likely to be slowed to some extent by Jalen Ramsey, Hill's in position to lead all wide receivers in scoring this week and has astronomical upside thanks to his elite speed.
Jarvis Landry, CLE at KC ($21): The Chiefs will attack the line of scrimmage defensively, sending extra bodies to try to contain the run and fluster Baker Mayfield. Landry should work as Mayfield's safety blanket in such situations, and Cleveland's top receiving option has the ability to make men miss after the catch and turn a short pass into a big play, like he did on his 40-yard touchdown against the Steelers in the wild-card round. He got off to a slow start this season while playing through a broken rib, but a fully healthy Landry excelled down the stretch. He has at least five catches and more than 50 yards in each of his last six games, totaling 39 catches on 52 targets for 461 yards (76.8 yards/game) and four touchdowns over that stretch.
Deonte Harris, NO vs. TB ($14): If you're looking for a bargain option with upside, Harris fits the bill. The diminutive wideout saw modest usage in the regular season, but the Saints made sure to get him involved in the wild-card round, as Harris paced the team in catches (seven) and receiving yards (83). He excels in space and could also do damage as a rusher on gadget plays and as a return man on special teams against a Buccaneers defense that allowed the fifth-most catches to wide receivers (236) in the regular season. Expect New Orleans to dial up plenty of short passes to Harris and Alvin Kamara in lieu of running the ball against the stout Tampa Bay front, which allowed the fewest rushing yards in the regular season.
TIGHT END
Mark Andrews, BAL at BUF ($24): Defending tight ends has been the Achilles heel for Buffalo's defense all year. The Bills allowed the most receptions (92), second-most receiving yards (993) and 12th-most touchdowns (eight) to the position in the regular season, and the Colts trio of Jack Doyle, Trey Burton and Mo Alie-Cox combined for 14 catches, 136 yards, a touchdown and a two-point conversion against Buffalo in the wild-card round. Andrews is one of the league's best tight ends regardless of opponent, and his outlook is especially rosy in this favorable matchup. He has at least four catches in each of his last seven games played, totaling 36 receptions on 50 targets for 445 yards (63.6 yards/game) and two touchdowns. While his trips to the end zone have been limited recently, Andrews is also a premier red-zone threat, having scored 17 times in the last two seasons.
DEFENSE
Green Bay Packers, GB vs. LAR ($13): An injured Goff is by far the least scary quarterback left, and the Rams had by far the worst regular-season offense of the eight teams remaining, scoring just 23.3 points per game. The Browns come next at 25.5 points per game, while the other six offenses all finished among the top seven with 29.3 or more. Given that context, the Packers are the best defense to target from a matchup perspective, and the frigid conditions at Lambeau Field will likely make offense even harder to come by, especially for a quarterback in Goff who's used to playing in sunny Los Angeles. Green Bay was also much more proficient at getting to the quarterback at home in the regular season, ranking fifth in home sacks per game (3.4) and 21st in road sacks (1.8).
Honorable Mentions
QB: Lamar Jackson (BAL, $33), Tom Brady (TB, $28), Baker Mayfield (CLE, $26)
RB: Nick Chubb (CLE, $36), J.K. Dobbins (BAL, $21), Alvin Kamara (NO, $37)
WR: Mike Evans (TB, $27), Stefon Diggs (BUF, $31), Michael Thomas (NO, $33)
TE: Travis Kelce (KC, $34), Rob Gronkowski (TB, $17)
DST: Baltimore Ravens (at BUF, $17), Kansas City Chiefs (vs. CLE, $13)
