The NFL’s Divisional Round continues on Sunday with a pair of games. The early contest is a rematch as the Jacksonville Jaguars travel to Pittsburgh for the second time this season. The 4:40 PM EST time slot belongs to the New Orleans Saints-Minnesota Vikings, which is a rematch of Week 1. With a chance to go to the Conference Championship on the line, expect each team to pull out all the stops in what many hope to be two highly competitive contests.
For the NFL fantasy fanatic out there, the Divisional Round is a great time to get into some DFS action. For the Sunday’s games, these players are all offering up good to great potential at a reasonable cost. Here are the best values for the two NFL Divisional Round games on Sunday.
QB – Blake Bortles $5000
Jacksonville Jaguars
Despite failing to top 100 yards passing in the Jaguars 10-3 win over the Buffalo Bills, Blake Bortles finished the game with 16.28 fantasy points. Bortles did the majority of his damage with his legs, picking up 88 yards on the ground. Bortles is an underappreciated runner. He ranks in the top-five all-time, amongst quarterbacks with at least 200 carries, averaging 6.28 yards per attempt.
The Jaguars played the Steelers earlier in the season. The Jaguars handily dispatched the Steelers, winning 30-9. Bortles threw 14 passes for 95 yards in that game. Bortles will need to do more this weekend, as it is unlikely the Ben Roethlisberger has another five-interception performance. As the cheapest option at quarterback, Bortles rushing abilities and the Steelers missing their top linebacker (Ryan Shazier) Bortles is worth a start on Sunday.
RB –Lavatius Murray $5400
Minnesota Vikings
Over the second-half of the NFL season, few running backs were as productive as Latavius Murray. Murray scored at least a touchdown in six of his final ten games of the season while rushing for 65 yards or more eight times. Murray’s numbers project out to a final season of roughly 1200 yards rushing and 13 touchdowns.
Murray only saw two carries for six yards in the Saints-Vikings game in Week 1. However, Murray was backing up Dalvin Cook back then. Now Murray is the Vikings primary ball-carrier (although he is still rarely targeted in the passing game). In games where Murray runs the ball at least 10 times, the Vikings are 11-0. Expect a great game from Murray as the Vikings will use a balanced offensive attack against the Saints. They’re going to work to protect Case Keenum and to keep the Saints offense on the sidelines.
WR – Brandon Coleman $3000
New Orleans Saints
For the second week in a row, Brandon Coleman is the best value at the wide receiver position on Sunday. Coleman had a good game on Sunday, catching four passes for 44 yards. In DraftKings league that equates 8.8 points (decent numbers for a $3000 player who did not score a touchdown).
Coleman should remain a part of the Saints passing offence on Sunday. The Vikings have a better secondary than the Panthers. However, their best defensive backs will be busy covering Michael Thomas, and Ted Ginn Jr. Coleman will find himself in more favorable matchups on Sunday than Thomas and Ginn, meaning Brees may target Coleman more frequently than risk throwing at All-Pro Xavier Rhodes and veteran Terrance Newman.
TE –Josh Hill $2600
New Orleans Saints
Josh Hill is coming off his best fantasy game of his entire career, a three catch, 49-yard performance with a receiving touchdown. The second best fantasy game of Hill’s career came against the Vikings (although back in 2014). Hill caught two passes for 48 yards and a touchdown that game. The Vikings, like the Panthers, have an excellent rush defense. This means the Saints could throw the ball more often as they did in their game last weekend. New Orleans will test things out on the ground but they are not a great road team and will likely have to move the ball through the air in this one. For low-cost tight ends on Sunday, no one is better than Hill.
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