This article is part of our DFS NFL series.
We have two great matchups for the AFC and NFC championships. Division rivals will battle in the NFC when the Eagles play host to the Commanders. The AFC features a heavyweight matchup between the Chiefs and Bills. These matchups also provide us with another opportunity to play DFS on FanDuel. Let's break down each position to help you build your lineups.
Quarterback
There is plenty of rushing upside with the quarterbacks in these games. That puts Patrick Mahomes ($7,700) at a bit of a disadvantage. He had just 301 rushing yards and two rushing touchdowns this season. Jayden Daniels ($8,300) rushed for 891 yards and six touchdowns, while Josh Allen ($8,700) and Jalen Hurts ($8,000) each had at least 12 rushing touchdowns.
While Daniels did not have a rushing touchdown against the Eagles during the regular season, he combined for six touchdown passes and 99 rushing yards in their two meetings. Dating to the regular season, Daniels has thrown at least two touchdown passes in seven of his last eight games. Hurts only had six games with at least two touchdown passes all season. Allen has six rushing touchdowns over his last six playoff games and might be the safest quarterback on the slate. However, those looking to fade him should strongly consider rolling with Daniels.
Running Back
The clear top running back option for this slate is Saquon Barkley ($9,800). During the regular season, the Commanders allowed the third-most yards per carry in the league. Barkley steamrolled them for 146 rushing yards and two touchdowns in Week 11, then ran for 150 yards and two more touchdowns against them in Week 16. Fade Barkley at your own peril.
Things get murky after Barkley. James Cook ($7,100) is the clear top option for the Bills, but the Chiefs allowed the sixth-fewest yards per carry this season. That included limiting Cook to 20 rushing yards in Week 11. Despite 18 carries against the Chiefs in the playoffs last year, Cook finished with a modest 61 yards.
The Chiefs have split running back duties between Isiah Pacheco ($5,500) and Kareem Hunt ($6,000), which limits both of their upsides. Give the slight edge to Hunt, who has recorded a touchdown in each of his last three games. Pacheco hasn't found his way into the end zone since Week 1.
On the Commanders side, Brian Robinson Jr. ($6,400) and Austin Ekeler ($5,600) also split the work out of the backfield. Robinson has a better opportunity to reach the end zone. He scored two touchdowns against the Lions last week and also scored a touchdown against the Eagles in Week 11. However, Ekeler is an interesting option in tournament play. He does more damage in the passing game and has been targeted seven times in the playoffs. When he played the Eagles in Week 11, he caught eight of nine targets for 89 yards.
Wide Receiver
The biggest names at wide receiver for this slate both come in the NFC championship. However, A.J. Brown ($8,200) has just three receptions for 24 yards in the playoffs. He was targeted three times against the Packers but then seven times last week against the Rams. With the Eagles relying so much on their running game, avoiding Brown at his hefty salary might not be a bad strategy. Terry McLaurin ($7,900) hasn't had the same issue in the playoffs for the Commanders, posting at least 87 yards and a receiving touchdown in both games. In his last eight games, he has nine touchdown receptions. For those willing to pay up at wide receiver, McLaurin should be considered.
The Bills and Chiefs don't usually get a ton of production out of one wide receiver. The top DFS option on the Bills side is Khalil Shakir ($6,400), who has at least six receptions and 61 receiving yards in both playoff games. Week 11 against the Chiefs, he caught eight of 12 targets for 70 yards. Xavier Worthy ($6,500) is the top wide receiver for the Chiefs and has at least five receptions in each of his last six games. However, he topped 70 receiving yards in a game just twice all season.
For those hunting for value, Dyami Brown ($5,400) is someone to consider. After catching five passes for 89 yards and a touchdown against the Buccaneers in the wild-card round, he caught six passes for 98 yards against the Lions. What's encouraging is that he has been targeted 13 times in the playoffs.
Tight End
Travis Kelce ($6,800) stepped up in the playoffs yet again, catching seven of eight targets for 117 yards and a touchdown against the Texans last week. He hasn't finished with fewer than 71 receiving yards in a playoff game since 2019. In his last three playoffs games against the Bills, Kelce has totaled 26 receptions, 289 receiving yards and five touchdowns. He's the top tight end for this slate, and it's not even close.
For those looking to fade Kelce, Dallas Goedert ($5,900) and Zach Ertz ($5,500) are the next best options. Since returning from injury, Goedert has recorded at least four receptions and at least 47 receiving yards in three consecutive games. Ertz is more of a threat to score a touchdown, coming away with at least one score in six of his last nine games.
The Chiefs struggled against tight ends during the regular season, allowing the most receiving yards and the second-most receptions to the position in the league. However, Dalton Kincaid ($5,200) and Dawson Knox ($4,700) continue to split snaps at the position for the Bills. That means that neither player should be considered as anything more than a dart throw in tournament play.
