Its conference championship Sunday in the NFL, so we have just two games to consider for this week’s DFS contests. This is a slate that seems to beg for “stars and scrubs†lineups, as some players cry out for paying up for (cough, cough, Derrick Henry and Patrick Mahomes), which requires very cheap salaries for some other spots. Here are some suggestions for this Sunday.
Quarterback
Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs ($7,700 on DraftKings, $9,500 on FanDuel) – Kansas City’s high-octane offense centers on the arm of its quarterback, and Mahomes proved why he’s the reigning MVP by completing 23 of 35 passes for 321 yards and five touchdowns as the Chiefs put up 51 points on the Texans last week. He also added 53 rushing yards on seven carries. The Titans have been weak in their passing defense, ranking just 28th this season against opposing QBs in DFS.
Running backs
Derrick Henry, Titans ($8,700 on DK, $9,800 on FD) – I read one post on a DFS forum this week where the author suggested that readers “fade Henry at your own risk.†I have to agree. In the first two playoff games, he faced defenses that were supposed to stop him – or at least slow him down – and that didn’t happen. Now the Chiefs are faced with that daunting task, and they have proven to be beatable on the ground in 2019 — as the Titans showed earlier in the season.
Raheem Mostert, 49ers ($4,300 on DK, $5,800 on FD) – After Tevin Coleman’s two-touchdown game last week, his salary shot up while Mostert’s shot down. It seems to be the classic overreaction in pricing, and I hope DFS players follow suit. Mostert left the divisional game against the Vikings suffering from cramps, but appears to be healthy this week. He’s averaged 14 touches per game over the last six contests, and is a nice salary saver this week.
Wide receivers
Tyreek Hill, Chiefs ($7,200 on DK, $7,400 on FD) – If we’re playing Mahomes, we may as well pair him up with his deep threat. I’m hoping that Hill is under-owned due to having several underwhelming games recently, combined with his higher price tag. He could have a big game against Tennessee’s poor pass defense.
Kendrick Bourne, 49ers ($4,200 on DK, $5,400 on FD) – Bourne only catches about two passes per game, but he’s a popular option for Jimmy Garoppolo in the end zone. He’s caught six TD passes this year on his 33 receptions, including one last week against Minnesota.
Tight end
Jonnu Smith, Titans ($3,400 on DK, $5,600 on FD) – We need another salary saver, and I like Derrick Henry’s teammate Smith this week against the Chiefs, who rank just 28th in the NFL against opposing tight ends in DFS this season. Ryan Tannehill will likely look for his big receiver in the red zone, and a TD catch for this salary will be huge for our lineups. Travis Kelce is an obvious play, of course, if you can fit him into your lineups. This is definitely a week I will use some tight ends in the flex spot, due to so many strong options at the position.
Defense
49ers ($2,900 on DK, $4,600 on FD) – Green Bay has the lowest implied team total among the conference championship teams at 18.5, according to oddsmakers, so the 49ers have that going for them. They also have the ability to lock down teams and create turnovers, as the Vikings can attest in their 27-10 divisional round loss.
