Where did the season go? I can’t believe this is the last week of the regular season.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Carolina Panthers 1:05 p.m. EST
There are several scenarios for the Buccaneers to make the playoffs, but the easiest way in for them is to win and clinch the NFC South. One would think that they would lean on RB Rachaad White in both the running and passing game. Carolina struggles against the run, and 20+ touches are in order here. I prefer WR Mike Evans over WR Chris Godwin, as Evans needs less volume and has bigger play potential to score 20+ points. That’s it, keep it simple.
As for the Panthers, RB Chuba Hubbard scored 25.4 fantasy points in the first meeting against Tampa. That number should be considerably lower this week, as Tampa was missing four defensive starters in that matchup. I think I will take a shot on WR DJ Chark in a few lineups because he has 14 targets over the past two games. He was also in the milli-maker-winning lineup two weeks ago, and it is feasible that can happen again.
Cleveland Browns at Cincinnati Bengals 1:05 p.m. EST
I don’t have too much interest in the Browns’ side. They don’t care if they win and are benching starting QB Joe Flacco for Jeff Driskel. Driskel is dirt cheap, but I don’t know if he can break 15 points here. I would not expect much if anything from the running game either.
I think the Bengals are a bit interesting because they are seven-point favorites and are predicted to score 22 points. Cleveland will rest defensive starters throughout this game, but predicting who will benefit is difficult. I think I like WR Ja’Marr Chase the best and will stack him with QB Jake Browning. I would avoid RB Joe Mixon as he has an illness, and with the Bengals being out of contention, they may just play him sparingly. RB Chase Brown could be of great value if he gets the volume.
Minnesota Vikings at Detroit Lions 1:05 p.m. EST
The Vikings’ playoff hopes are still mathematically alive and they will play to win all the way through. Two weeks ago against the Lions, QB Nick Mullens threw for over 400 yards and receivers Justin Jefferson and K.J. Osborn went off. I think a Mullens to Jefferson stack can work again this week as the Lions’ pass defense isn’t very good. WR Jordan Addison could also have a big game and should be on the radar for those who play multiple lineups. RB Ty Chandler should not be on anyone’s radar as the Lions are great at stopping the run and the Viking offensive line will have trouble creating holes.
The Vikings’ defense is decimated and has been awful. I think Detroit will score at least 30 points if they want to push it, as they are much better at home. Coach Dan Campbell has mentioned that they are not holding back, so that is a good sign for all offensive weapons. WR Amon-Ra St. Brown is my first choice, and then RB Jahmyr Gibbs would be my second. TE Sam LaPorta is playing at home where he has his best games. A Detroit stack can easily take down a tournament.
New York Jets at New England Patriots 1:05 p.m. EST
There’s not much I like about this game. I don’t think anyone will stand out except for the defenses. Expect a low-scoring game here.
Atlanta Falcons at New Orleans Saints 1:05 p.m. EST
The Atlanta Falcons can win the NFC South with a win and a Tampa Bay loss. Saying that, I think they lose here and will struggle to put up a lot of points. This team is poorly coached and struggles with bad QB play. RB Bijan Robinson will get close to 20 touches, and there is always a chance that he breaks 20 points because of his ability. I don’t expect that on Sunday, but he will be low-owned. Everyone else on that offense is a pass.
The Saints can make the playoffs in a couple of different scenarios, so they will be playing to win. The problem with them, though is they have nobody to trust when it comes to fantasy. They rarely have players in winning lineups and the Falcons are tough defensively. Forget about last week in Chicago, Atlanta’s defense couldn’t get their hands on QB Justin Fields, something they won’t have to worry about with QB Derek Carr. TE Juwan Johnson has been picking it up as of late, coming off a 20-point performance, but it does feel like we are chasing points if we play him. Still, at his cheap price, he is worth a shot. I have no expectations for anyone else in this game, especially with RB Alvin Kamara trying to rehab an ankle sprain in a short time.
Jacksonville Jaguars at Tennessee Titans 1:05 p.m. EST
If the Jaguars win, they win the AFC South. QB Trevor Lawrence is improving, and I expect he will be ready for this one. Expect a lot of passing and solid games for WR Calvin Ridley and TE Evan Engram. These guys were paid the big money and better make the big plays in the big game. I know Tennessee is solid against the tight end, but Engram is playing very good ball right now. RB Travis Etienne is coming off a big game but most of that was on a 62-yard TD run. He doesn’t catch enough passes and the running game hasn’t been great as of late.
The Titans’ offense is just a big NO THANK YOU for those all involved. They struggle running and passing. RB Derrick Henry could get a huge tribute as this may be his last game in Tennessee, but the Jaguars play the run well. WR DeAndre Hopkins will have little motivation in a final game that does not matter.
Seattle Seahawks at Arizona Cardinals 4:25 p.m. EST
The best scenario for Seattle to make the playoffs is to win and have the Packers lose to the Bears. The Cardinals, though, are playing much better than everyone anticipated and are coming off a shocking win vs. the Eagles. When you look at this game, you think that the entire Seattle offense is in play, but not so fast. The Cardinal pass defense has been much better lately and has held some star receivers like A.J. Brown, Puka Nacua, and Cooper Kupp in check. So, I am not into the Seattle passing game. The way to beat Arizona is to run the ball and to throw to the backs out of the backfield but we have a problem. Who is going to be the starting running back? RB Kenneth Walker would be a great choice but he aggravated his shoulder and is questionable this week. Even if he does start, can you trust him to finish the game? He missed most of the second half vs. the Steelers last week. I hope that Walker is out and they turn to RB Zach Charbonnet who can do it all and would be a free square for me. If Walker gets the nod, then I have to play him in some capacity just because of the big point potential.
Arizona also has a running back who projects very well, and that is James Conner. He has averaged 23 points over his last four games and has been quietly winning tournaments. He continues to be fairly priced, and the Steelers did run for over 200 yards on Seattle last week, so I would expect a big game here. QB Kyler Murray has been solid, but I think he will have to rush one in here to be DFS relevant. Seattle’s pass defense is fairly good and the Cardinals do not have the type of receivers who can make the unbelievable catches the Steelers made last week. TE Trey McBride has tapered off as of late. His price may be a bit inflated, but a 20-point game is always in his range because he is a big, athletic target.
Chicago Bears at Green Bay Packers 4:25 p.m. EST
The Bears have nothing to play for as far as playoffs go, but you can bet they would love nothing more than to eliminate the Packers from reaching the playoffs. They have lost to the Packers nine times in a row and want to get the monkey off their back. It helps that they have been playing much better football lately, winning five of their last seven. QB Justin Fields should have a solid game vs. a so-so Packer defense that is dealing with injury. I think Fields will have a lot of open lanes if he chooses to run and could easily approach 100 yards. WR D.J. Moore is a solid threat, and I don’t think CB Jaire Alexander will follow him exclusively. TE Cole Kmet could be a sneaky option at TE; I think he scores a touchdown. RB Khalil Herbert has been getting the volume, but the Packer run defense has been playing much better so he is risky.
QB Jordan Love has proved the naysayers wrong by having a tremendous second half to the season. There are a few mechanics he needs to clean up, but he’s been fantasy-viable. On the other hand, the Bears’ defense will be a bit of an upgrade over what he has been facing and the Packer receivers have been dealing with a ton of injuries. It may be an uphill climb for Love this week. Receivers Jayden Reed and Christian Watson have been limited in practice; I expect them to play, but will they finish the game? I think RB Aaron Jones has shown that he has a lot of juice still but can he last an entire game either? He is coming off his second 120-yard rushing performance, but he hasn’t scored and was seen limping at the end of the last game. It scares me that he won’t finish the game, yet he is a bargain if reaches the end zone. TE Tucker Kraft is a punt option, but can he score?
Kansas City Chiefs at Los Angeles Chargers 4:25 p.m. EST
The Chiefs are in the same situation as the Browns. They will be resting their starters, mainly QB Patrick Mahomes and TE Travis Kelce. Expect a low-scoring output and pump up the Charger defense a bit.
Will the Chargers push for a ton of offense here? Are they capable with QB Easton Stick? WR Joshua Palmer has been limited in practice and if he goes to full practice, I would be interested in him against a Chief team that doesn’t care about this game. Nothing else excites me here.
Denver Broncos at Las Vegas Raiders 4:25 p.m. EST
I think we can pass on this game except for Raider running back Zamir White. With very little to play for, I can’t see the Raiders starting RB Josh Jacobs, even if he is healthy enough to play. White did get 25 touches last week, and Denver is a team that can be run on. I think he reaches 100 yards and a touchdown.
Philadelphia Eagles at New York Giants 4:25 p.m. EST
The Eagles have been a bit of an inconsistent mess on offense lately. It is difficult to trust anyone outside of QB Jalen Hurts, but his price is so high that we really need him to score 30 points here. WR A.J. Brown hasn’t had a monster game in months, but WR DeVonta Smith is most likely out and I think Brown should break 20 fantasy points. I think people may play WR Julio Jones this week, but he only had two targets last week, granted they were both touchdowns, but that seems more like an anomaly. I have good feelings that TE Dallas Goedert might be the play here, as I think he will get volume. RB D’Andre Swift isn’t playable at this point. He’s only scored 15 points once in his last six games.
Last week QB Tyrod Taylor gave us amazing value and would have been in the milli-maker lineups if it was not for the outstanding performance by Lamar Jackson. He figures to have a chance to get us tremendous value again this week playing against the worst pass defense in the league. I only worry that Taylor has been limited in practice, but he has been named the starter. TE Darren Waller does not have an injury designation and is in a good spot coming off a five-catch 51-yard performance last week. I think a Giant receiver will be needed this week. Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson lead the charge and are coming off good weeks. They are cheap, and I think one will score close to 20 points. RB Saquon Barkley is in a good spot, but I don’t think he is going to want to push it here. He is a free agent, and he can only cost himself money by playing.
Los Angeles Rams at San Francisco 49ers 4:25 p.m. EST
This is another game where teams will be resting players, but I think this game has a chance to be higher scoring than the other games where players will be sitting.
For the Rams, sure QB Matt Stafford will be out, but QB Carson Wentz has a ton of experience and has had some big games. He will be facing a defense that will be resting some players, and trust me, Wentz wants to have a good performance. He wants to prove that he can be a backup for next season. Who is he going to throw the ball to? WR Cooper Kupp is already out, and I can’t imagine WR Puka Nacua getting a whole lot of reps either. Will they play third receiver Demarcus Robinson for an entire game? Both Tutu Atwell and Ben Skowronek figure to get a lot of playing time, and maybe the ball just gets spread around. I think it would be best to play Wentz naked and pay up for receivers who you know will get the volume. As for the running game, RB Ronnie Rivers will likely get more touches than RB Royce Freeman and can be a punt option. Let’s hope we get more info before game time to see who the best option is to play.
The 49ers are also going to rest key players, making way for QB Sam Darnold to get the start. He, too, can be played naked as he figures to spread the ball around. Receivers Brandon Aiyuk and Deebo Samuel are listed as playing for now, but I would not be shocked if they were held out or played sparingly. Receivers Ronnie Bell and Chris Conley should see significant action, with my preference going to Bell. For their running game, the great CMC will be out and Elijah Mitchell has been limited. There is no reason to play Mitchell, making RB Jordan Mason the player who should get a ton of volume. He is the type of player that could make or break your lineup. He is going to be 40% owned because of his price, which makes him fade material, but if he finds a way to score 18+ fantasy points and you don’t have him, then you can’t win. This is why I like to play many lineups so I can have it both ways. I don’t think TE George Kittle or TE Ross Dwelley will play much, if at all. Don’t reach for Charlie Woerner if he starts, as he is just going to block.
Dallas Cowboys at Washington Commanders 4:25 p.m. EST
The Cowboys will be trying to lock up the second seed and home-field advantage for at least their first two playoff games. They played in Washington to end the season last year when playoff positioning was on the line and came out flat. I think that may be on their minds this time around, and I expect a much better performance. QB Dak Prescott has the projected highest ceiling according to several optimizers I use, and I think a 300-yard, three-TD performance is a big possibility. He is expensive but should be reliable. WR CeeDee Lamb should be the biggest beneficiary and 100 yards and a TD is in order. I think that you have to stack them both. WR Brandin Cooks doesn’t have the big games away from home. I think the second option could very well be TE Jake Ferguson, as I think he will score on Sunday. RB Tony Pollard isn’t a player I will use at this point because he just doesn’t seem to have it. It is a good matchup for him but I will just pass.
Can Washington show some fight to stay in this one? QB Sam Howell will get the start but has played poorly during the second half of the season. WR Terry McLaurin is their best option, but I don’t think he or any other receivers will do enough to win a tournament, so the Commanders are a pass for me.
