Start 'Em & Sit 'Em is the ultimate weekly look at the NFL matchups and how they'll affect your fantasy football team. This article focuses on the NFL Playoffs and is based on Draft Kings values.
Quarterbacks -- Start 'Em
Patrick Mahomes vs. Houston Texans (Sunday, 3:05pm ET): Mahomes is the second-most expensive quarterback, but he has the best matchup of the weekend at the position. The Texans have struggled against quarterbacks all season, allowing 33 touchdown passes and the fourth-most fantasy points to the position. Home field generals have averaged over 21 points a game against them.
Russell Wilson at Green Bay Packers (Sunday, 6:40pm ET): Wilson doesn't have a great matchup this weekend, but the numbers don't bode well for more than half of the quarterbacks. So, consider Wilson is "just" fourth in terms of cost at the position, and he is the Seahawks offense. It also wouldn't be the first time Wilson overcomes a tough postseason matchup and puts up a nice stat line for fans.
Quarterbacks -- Sit 'Em
Jimmy Garoppolo vs. Minnesota Vikings (Saturday, 4:35pm ET): Most folks like the Niners to come out of this game on top, but it doesn't guarantee a big stat line for Garoppolo. The Vikings allowed just 14.1 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks during the regular season, and Jimmy G averaged fewer than 15 fantasy points per game on his home turf, including a pair of stinkers in his last two games.
Kirk Cousins at San Francisco 49ers (Saturday, 4:35pm ET): Cousins came out of his big-game "shell" in a surprising win over the Saints, but what can he do for an encore? The matchup suggests it won't be much. The 49ers surrendered just 10 touchdown passes and gave up an average of a mere 13.1 fantasy points per game to enemy field generals on their home field during the regular season.
Running Backs -- Start 'Em
Damien Williams vs. Houston Texans (Sunday, 3:05pm ET): Williams came up huge for fantasy fans during the postseason, and it looks like he's back to be the preferred backfield option for coach Andy Reid. He's a nice start against the Texans, who allowed an average of 6.4 catches, a combined 17 total touchdowns and the fifth-most fantasy points to running backs during the regular season.
Gus Edwards vs. Tennessee Titans (Saturday, 8:15pm ET):Mark Ingram is dealing with an injured calf and is listed as "day to day" according to Ravens OC Greg Roman. If Ingram were unable to suit up versus the Titans, Edwards and Justice Hill could end up being nice DFS values. The Ravens aren't afraid to give Edwards a big workload, so a game with 20-plus carries is possible if Ingram were out.
Running Backs -- Sit 'Em
Travis Homer at Green Bay Packers (Sunday, 6:40pm ET): Homer and Marshawn Lynch combined for just 1.1 yards per rush last week, but Lynch found the end zone for the second straight game. So while the matchup against the Packers is a good one on paper, I'd rather start Lynch over Homer, who is a bit more expensive, as Beast Mode will get all of the goal-line chances in the ground game.
Carlos Hyde at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, 3:05pm ET): Hyde continues to dominate the backfield touches in Houston, but I'd fade him against the Chiefs. He's averaged a mere 2.6 yards per rush over his last three games, and he's become more touchdown dependant from a fantasy perspective. The Chiefs have allowed just two rushing scores to backs in their last four games, so Hyde is a tough sell.
Wide Receivers -- Start 'Em
Tyreek Hill vs. Houston Texans (Sunday, 3:05pm ET): Hill is going to cost -- he's the second-most expensive wideout on Draft Kings this week -- but he should be worth the cost. The last time he faced Houston, Hill produced five catches for 80 yards and found the end zone twice. His ceiling is high in this contest, so I wouldn't hesitate to foot the bill and get Hill into your DFS lineups this weekend.
Deebo Samuel vs. Minnesota Vikings (Saturday, 4:35pm) pm ET): Samuel is in the second tier of wide receivers in terms of price, but he could produce solid total in what is a plus matchup against the Vikings. During the regular season, their defense allowed 14 touchdown catches and the second-most fantasy points to perimeter receivers. Samuel could end up being a nice value pick this weekend.
Wide Receivers -- Sit 'Em
Tyler Lockett at Green Bay Packers (Sunday, 6:40pm ET): Lockett has been tough to trust, scoring fewer than nine fantasy points in five of his last seven regular-season games and just 10.2 in Wild Card Weekend. With the emergence of D.K. Metcalf and the Packers allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points to the slot during the regular campaign, Lockett is a fade for me in this battle at Lambeau Field.
Adam Thielen at San Francisco 49ers (Saturday, 4:35pm ET): Thielen looked like his old studly self a week ago, posting seven catches on nine targets for 129 yards in a win over the Saints. While that's obviously a positive, this week's matchup against the Niners and CB Richard Sherman clearly isn't all that attractive. I'd rather spend on potential sleeper candidates like Allen Lazard or Tajae Sharpe.
Tight Ends -- Start 'Em
Mark Andrews vs. Tennessee Titans (Saturday, 8:15pm ET): Andrews is dealing with an ankle ailment, so keep tabs on his status. If he's a full go, meaning no potential snap limitations, he's worth a start against the Titans. Their defense allowed nine touchdowns to enemy tight ends during the regular season, not to mention the seventh-most receiving yards and the sixth-most fantasy points.
Tight Ends -- Sit 'Em
Kyle Rudolph at San Francisco 49ers (Saturday, 4:35pm ET): Rudolph did score a touchdown last week, but he posted just 31 yards and has now logged 50 or fewer yards in every game he's played since Week 13. The Niners were tough on tight ends during the regular season too, allowing just 34.2 yards per game and the sixth-fewest fantasy points to the position. Rudolph is a hard fade for me here.
Flex -- Start 'Em
Will Fuller at Kansas City Chiefs (Sunday, 3:05pm ET): Fuller is slated to return from an injured groin this week. That's good news for Deshaun Watson's value and the DFS world, as Fuller could be a nice bargain in a game that's projected to be the highest scoring of the week. All the veteran needs is one big field-stretching connection with Watson to become a potential winner in DFS formats.
Defenses -- Start 'Em
Seahawks D/ST at Green Bay Packers (Sunday, 6:40pm ET): If you don't want to spend your loot on a D/ST, go with the Seahawks this week. Their defense produced seven sacks last week (I know it was Josh McCown, but still), and the Packers can be inconsistent on offense. In fact, three of the last five defenses to face them during the fantasy season finished tied for 11th or better in fantasy points.
Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL Media and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. You can follow Michael on **Twitter**, **Facebook**, **YouTube** and **Instagram** for all of the latest fantasy news, notes and analysis!
