The NFL playoffs are finally here, and since all the teams in the postseason are good, there is no shortage of potential DFS stars taking the field on Saturday, Sunday, and, yes, even Monday. The six-game daily fantasy football slate consists of the Raiders, Bengals, Patriots, Bills, Eagles, Buccaneers, 49ers, Cowboys, Steelers, Chiefs, Cardinals, and Rams. Of course, we can't just pick all of the no-brainer stars in GPP tournaments since we don't want a chalky lineup (and we can't afford them all), so we'll have to find some sneaky boom-or-bust value, often found at WR. Seven out of nine selections in our wild card DraftKings tournament lineup are on teams who are projected to win, and ultimately, score a respectable amount of points.
Before we break down our picks, here are the most notable scoring rules for DraftKings contests: full-point PPR, four-point passing TDs, three-point bonuses for 100 rushing yards, 100 receiving yards, and 300 passing yards.
FULL-SLATE DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel
Wild Card Full-Slate DraftKings Picks: NFL DFS lineup advice for first round of playoffs
$50,000 budget
QB Joe Burrow, Bengals vs. Raiders ($6,800)
Burrow (knee) is dealing with a slight ailment, but we're hoping that keeps some of the field away from him. His upside rivals any quarterback in the league, and since the Raiders are just a middle-of-the-road defense against QBs in DK scoring, we're expecting another offensive explosion.
RB Darrel Williams, Chiefs vs. Steelers ($5,500)
We're still touting Williams even if Clyde Edwards-Helaire (shoulder) plays. Williams has proven to be the more efficient and explosive back in the receiving game, and we aren't expecting CEH to get anywhere close to a full workload. The Steelers allowed the most rushing yards per game (146.1) during the regular season, so Williams can do damage on the ground, too.
DRAFTKINGS SINGLE-GAME LINEUPS:
LV-CIN | NE-BUF | PHI-TB | SF-DAL | PIT-KC | ARI-LAR
RB Leonard Fournette, Buccaneers vs. Eagles ($5,900)
Fournette (hamstring) is expected to be activated from IR for this game, and we're more than happy to play him at his generous price. The field will likely shy away from him a bit thanks to his injury designation, and since the Eagles allow the eighth-most DK points to RBs, we're ready to fine him up. Tom Brady's pass-catching RB has been a valuable fantasy asset in full-PPR leagues for years, so we'll keep coming back to the well.
WR Ja'Marr Chase, Bengals vs. Raiders ($7,400)
You can also opt for Tee Higgins and save a little money here, but we're rolling with Chase to stack with Burrow thanks to his upside. He put up the most fantasy points in a single game of any WR this season, and since this is DFS, we're going for ceilings.
FANDUEL SINGLE-GAME LINEUPS:
LV-CIN | NE-BUF | PHI-TB | SF-DAL | PIT-KC | ARI-LAR
WR Van Jefferson, Rams vs. Cardinals ($4,700)
Here's where we can differentiate our lineups a bit. Cooper Kupp can obviously smash in any matchup, but we decided to pay up elsewhere, so we'll take Jefferson in a game that should be a high-scoring NFC West contest. He's tied to one of the best passing offenses in the league and possesses a volatile boom-or-bust profile perfect for this format.
WR Hunter Renfrow, Raiders @ Bengals ($6,000)
Renfrow continues to produce like an elite fantasy WR, but his price isn't moving up much, so it was an easy decision to include him here. He's the natural run-back for our Burrow-Chase stack, as he'll get a ton of volume if this game turns into the shootout it has the chance to be. Volume, efficiency, and touchdown upside are all working in Renfrow's favor as of late.
SUNDAY-ONLY DFS LINEUPS: FanDuel | DraftKings
TE Rob Gronkowski, Buccaneers vs. Eagles ($6,400)
Gronk is getting the premier tight end matchup against Philadelphia, and we've seen time and time again he's Tom Brady's top weapon when the playoffs roll around. He can produce a high number of catches and yards, and as always, a multiple-TD game is on the table.
FLEX (WR) Antoine Wesley, Cardinals @ Rams ($3,300)
Wesley will be the most unique selection we have. He's played at least 75 percent of offensive snaps in three of his past four games and caught three touchdowns during that span. He's not a high-volume stud, but at his price, he's worth a dart throw thanks to his newfound usage. Even if Rondale Moore (ankle) plays, Wesley will be involved.
Alternate consideration: Jauan Jennings, 49ers @ Cowboys ($3,800)
DEF Buffalo Bills vs. Patriots ($3,200)
Mac Jones will make his playoff debut against one of the elite defenses in football, and since the Bills are just the fourth-most expensive D/ST, we like the bargain, even though it could be chalky play.