There aren't many "scrubs" still alive in the NFL playoffs, so it might not be fair to call our full-slate divisional round FanDuel tournament strategy the "stars and scrubs" approach. Let's say, "studs and sleepers" instead. We have the highest-priced players at three different positions, as well as the second highest-priced players at two others. That forces us to find some major values elsewhere, but we think we pulled it off to create a winning DFS lineup.
The studs were mostly easy calls, though paying top dollar for Davante Adams is definitely risky. It's rare you're hoping for "differentiation" with a guy who scored 18 touchdowns this year, but we might actually get it with Adams. We know Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce will be popular, but there are so many stars on this slate that some owners might opt to pay down for another stud and avoid the risks we're taking elsewhere.
MORE DIVISIONAL ROUND DFS: Top values | Lineup Builder
Divisional Round FanDuel Picks: NFL DFS tournament playoff lineup
QB Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs vs. Browns ($9,200). You never need a reason to play Mahomes, but here's one: He has the best QB matchup of the weekend. Sure, you could opt to save some money with one of the other star QBs, particularly someone like Josh Allen ($8,800) or Lamar Jackson ($8,000), who have similar ceilings, but Mahomes is a proven playoff performer who will also add some points with his legs.
RB Taysom Hill, Saints vs. Buccaneers ($5,100). Hill is dealing with a knee injury that kept him out of practice early in the week, so we might have to pivot off this pick depending on the latest news, but if he plays, he's almost a no-brainer at this price (even more so if Latavius Murray is out). He's coming off a down game (six touches, 20 yards), but he scored in his previous three contests, totaling 83 yards (plus eight yards passing) on 14 touches (plus two pass attempts). In two games against the Bucs this year, he had 86 passing yards, 67 rushing yards, and 35 receiving yards. There's also the slight chance that Drew Brees gets injured early and you have a QB in your RB spot for a chunk of the game. When you put it all together, Hill is an excellent value, even if his ceiling is somewhat limited.
SATURDAY PLAYOFF DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings
RB Nick Chubb, Browns @ Chiefs ($8,200). Browns backs have the second-best RB matchup of the weekend against a Chiefs defense allowing the 10th-most FanDuel points to the position. Chubb has been an absolute beast all year, scoring or posting 100-plus yards in all but one of his full games. It makes sense for Cleveland to lean on the run, at least early, to try to keep the ball out of Mahomes' hands, so expect Chubb to be busy.
WR Davante Adams, Packers vs. Rams ($9,000). How many other people are willing to pay top dollar for a receiver being covered by Jalen Ramsey? Probably not many, so you have a chance to get arguably the best WR in the NFL at relatively low ownership. Yes, there's a risk here -- and, yes, it makes more sense to pay just $200 less for Tyreek Hill -- but sometimes you have to take a chance, and we're doing that Adams. He's been unstoppable virtually all year, so even though Ramsey will make life difficult for him, we trust the Packers can scheme him open at least a few times and Aaron Rodgers can get him the ball. At the very least, Adams will still be targeted in the end zone.
SUNDAY PLAYOFF DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings
WR Mecole Hardman, Chiefs vs. Browns ($5,200). Hardman busts more often than he booms, but the big-play potential is always there from the speedster, whether it's on a deep pass, a WR screen, or an end-around. He also gets opportunities in the return game. With its running game weakened, Kansas City's passing game should step up even more against Cleveland's lackluster secondary, and that could mean more opportunities for someone like Hardman. With Sammy Watkins (calf) ailing, Hardman has even more upside.
WR Josh Reynolds, Rams @ Packers ($5,200). Reynolds makes sense as a value receiver even if Cooper Kupp (knee) plays. He didn't have any targets last week, which will hopefully drive down his ownership and cause some to go for an even bigger value in Van Jefferson ($4,900), but in Week 16 when Kupp played Reynolds had 10 targets, and in Week 17 when Kupp was out he had six. Reynolds has proven to be a reliable receiver for L.A., and with Robert Woods likely receiving a lot of attention, he should get open at least a few times.
FULL-SLATE PLAYOFF DFS LINEUPS: DraftKings
TE Travis Kelce, Chiefs vs. Browns ($8,500). It's tough to pay up for Kelce, especially when you see some of the favorable matchups for much cheaper guys like Mark Andrews ($6,600), Jared Cook ($5,600), and Austin Hooper ($5,500), but Kelce isn't a normal TE and actually has the best matchup on the entire slate. Cleveland allowed the third-most FanDuel points to TEs this year, so you can bank the guaranteed production.
FLEX Malcolm Brown, Rams @ Packers ($5,000). This was a tough spot to fill after paying up for Adams, Kelce, and Mahomes, but with Darrell Henderson (ankle) out, Brown could approach or surpass 10 touches again. He tends to play more when the Rams fall behind early, and that's a distinct possibility in this game. If that happens, we could see him rack up some cheap receptions, and he's always a candidate to steal a short TD. If Clyde Edwards-Helaire (hip, ankle) is out, Darrel Williams ($4,800) is also a prime candidate for this spot, but for now, we're going with Brown.
D/ST Green Bay Packers vs. Rams ($4,600). We're playing the matchup with this pick, as Jared Goff's banged-up finger and cold-weather concerns make him an easy target to pick on, but all of these defenses have upside and can make big plays. If you want to save some bucks and upgrade the flex spot, look elsewhere.