Fantasy Football: Jalen Hurts, Jerick McKinnon, CeeDee Lamb among Divisional Weekend DFS plays

And then there were eight; here are the best divisional DFS options

Jalen Hurts was playing like the NFL MVP before he hurt his shoulder in Week 15 at Chicago, and he was a Fantasy star. He's healthy now for the divisional round of the NFL playoffs against the Giants, and we'll see if he can regain his mojo to help DFS players on DraftKings and FanDuel.

Hurts (DraftKings: $7,600/FanDuel: $9,000) scored at least 33 Fantasy points in four games in a row prior to getting hurt against the Bears. He missed two games with the shoulder injury, but he returned in Week 18 against the Giants and looked mediocre. He completed 20-of-35 passes for 229 yards, no touchdowns and one interception, and he ran for just 13 yards. 

Needless to say, we expect more from Hurts, and I expect him to deliver in the playoffs. He's not on the injury report heading into Saturday's game against the Giants, and he beat up New York in Week 14 with 21 of 31 completions for 217 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, along with 77 rushing yards and a touchdown.

That's the Hurts we should see again this weekend, and he's someone I plan to use in a variety of lineups. When healthy, there aren't many defenses that are going to stop Hurts, and I expect him to tear apart the Giants at home.

Now, let's take a look at some good buys and bad buys on DraftKings and FanDuel for the divisional round. Enjoy the games -- and hopefully make it a profitable weekend.

Quarterback

Good Buys

• DraftKings: $6,100/FanDuel: $7,500

Outlook: I'm not sure anyone expected Prescott to do what he did against the Buccaneers in the wild-card round when he completed 25 of 33 passes for 305 yards, four touchdowns and no interceptions, and he also rushed seven times for 24 yards and another score. That was the first time since Week 11, a span of seven games, where Prescott didn't have an interception. The 49ers have an interception in four games in a row, but three quarterbacks over that span have scored at least 20 Fantasy points. I'm expecting a lot of passing from Prescott in this matchup to give him the chance for a big outing, especially if he can remain turnover free.

• DraftKings: $6,000/FanDuel: $7,600

Outlook: Lawrence is easily my favorite quarterback this weekend, and he'll be popular given the matchup. Kansas City is No. 3 in most Fantasy points allowed to quarterbacks this season at 22.1 points per game, and four of the past six opposing quarterbacks against the Chiefs have scored at least 23 points. Lawrence already faced Kansas City in Week 10 and was 29-of-40 passing for 259 yards and two touchdowns, along with 26 rushing yards. He should be able to replicate a similar stat line, and he just threw four touchdowns against the Chargers in the wild-card round after starting the game with four interceptions. Hopefully, his momentum in the second half from last week carries over to this matchup on the road.

• DraftKings: $5,400/FanDuel: $7,000

Outlook: Purdy just had his best Fantasy performance in his amazing six-game run as the starter for the 49ers when he completed 18 of 30 passes for 332 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions while rushing four times for 16 yards and another score against the Seahawks. That's good for 38 Fantasy points, and he has scored at least 20 points in all but one start, with a low of 19. The Cowboys are a tougher test than the Seahawks, but three of the past five opposing quarterbacks against Dallas have scored at least 26 Fantasy points. It's easy to bet on Purdy at this point given his track record, even in a limited sample size, and what the 49ers offense looks like around him. Hopefully, he can deliver another solid outing this week.

Bad Buys

• DraftKings: $7,800/FanDuel: $9,000

Outlook: I don't expect the Bengals to completely shut down Allen this week, and Cincinnati has allowed three of the past four opposing quarterbacks to score at least 21 Fantasy points. But no quarterback has scored more than 22 Fantasy points against the Bengals this season, and you need Allen to crush that number to justify his price. Now, if there's anyone who could do that it's Allen, who has scored at least 26 Fantasy points in four games in a row. However, if he gets turnover prone like he did against the Dolphins last week with two interceptions and a fumble -- he was also sacked seven times -- then Allen could be a disappointing Fantasy option in this huge game.

• DraftKings: $6,500/FanDuel: $8,000

Outlook: I didn't expect Burrow to have a big game against Baltimore in the wild-card round, and he was just OK with 22 of 32 completions for 209 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. He also threw a two-point conversion while adding 9 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on five attempts. But he has a bad history against the Ravens, who held Burrow to fewer than 220 passing yards for the third time this season. He should do better than that against the Bills -- but not by much. Buffalo has held seven quarterbacks in a row to 21 Fantasy points or less, and only two quarterbacks this season have eclipsed 21 points against the Bills. Burrow has offensive line issues headed into this game with left tackle Jonah Williams (knee) and right guard Alex Cappa (ankle) out, and it's hard to pay up for Burrow under these circumstances.

• DraftKings: $5,800/FanDuel: $7,400

Outlook: Jones is coming off a huge game against the Vikings with 31 Fantasy points when he completed 24 of 35 passes for 301 yards, two touchdowns and no interceptions, and he added 17 carries for 78 yards. He has now scored at least 20 Fantasy points in four of his past five games, and he was good against the Eagles in Week 14 with 18-of-27 completions for 169 yards and one touchdown, along with 26 rushing yards and a score. Jones could have the chance to make plays with his legs this week since Philadelphia has allowed six quarterbacks to rush for at least 40 yards, but Jones' passing stats could be limited. My biggest concern for Jones is Fantasy managers chasing his production from last week, which will be hard to replicate going from his matchup against the Vikings to this one against the Eagles.

Running backs

Good Buys

• DraftKings: $8,000/FanDuel: $9,200

Outlook: McCaffrey didn't have a dominant game against the Seahawks, but it was certainly good enough with 15 carries for 119 yards and two catches for 17 yards and a touchdown on two targets. It was a blowout 41-23 victory for the 49ers, who were able to give 13 total touches to Elijah Mitchell and Jordan Mason. McCaffrey should be around 20 total touches against the Cowboys, and he has scored a touchdown in seven games in a row, which coincides with every game Brock Purdy has played. The Dallas run defense is tough and hasn't allowed a running back to score in five games in a row, but I'm still spending the money on McCaffrey given his upside in this offense.

• DraftKings: $6,000/FanDuel: $7,000

Outlook: We'll see if McKinnon can stay hot this week against the Jaguars, and he comes into the postseason having caught a touchdown in six games in a row, with eight receiving scores over that span. He has five games this season with at least five catches, including Week 10 against Jacksonville when he had six receptions for 56 yards on eight targets. The Jaguars were one of three teams in the regular season to allow 100 receptions to running backs, so McKinnon should be a valuable weapon for Patrick Mahomes once again. I also like Isiah Pacheco this week as well, and he has scored a rushing touchdown in each of his past two games. He also had 16 carries for 82 yards against Jacksonville in Week 10.

• DraftKings: $5,700/FanDuel: $7,200

Outlook: The last time Sanders had a big game was in Week 14 against the Giants when he had 17 carries for 144 yards and two touchdowns, along with one catch for 11 yards. Since then, he's struggled with no touchdowns and no games over 65 rushing yards or 71 total yards. But I like his chances this week to get back on track with Jalen Hurts (shoulder) healthy again, and star right tackle Lane Johnson (groin) seems likely to play. Sanders might not replicate his earlier performance against the Giants from Week 14, but he is a good play this week given his price, especially on DraftKings.

Bad Buys

• DraftKings: $6,000/FanDuel: $7,700

Outlook: Mixon had a rough game against Baltimore in the wild-card round with 11 carries for 39 yards and three catches for 17 yards on four targets. The Ravens run defense is among the best in the NFL, so that's no surprise. The Bills run defense isn't as stout, but the Bengals now have offensive line issues with Jonah Williams (knee) and Alex Cappa (ankle) hurt. And Mixon hasn't exactly been dominant with only one touchdown since Week 9. I love his recent involvement in the passing game with 20 catches on 24 targets in his past four games, but his price tag makes him risky, especially with the offensive line all banged up.

• DraftKings: $5,400/FanDuel: $6,500

Outlook: Elliott might be one of the easiest players to fade this week. The 49ers finished the regular season No. 1 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs, and Elliott has been struggling of late. He's been at 37 rushing yards or less in each of his past three games, and he's now gone two games in a row without a touchdown. Against the Buccaneers in the wild-card round, Elliott had 13 carries for 27 yards and one catch for 9 yards on two targets. I'm slightly concerned about Tony Pollard as well, but Pollard (as usual) looked much better against Tampa Bay with 15 carries for 77 yards and three catches for 12 yards on three targets. You can avoid Pollard also, but Elliott is a huge risk on either site given his recent performances and the matchup at San Francisco.

• DraftKings: $5,200/FanDuel: $5,900

Outlook: Singletary and James Cook are frustrating, and you might want to avoid both this week against the Bengals. In the wild-card round against Miami, Singletary had 10 carries for 48 yards, and Cook had 12 carries for 39 yards and a touchdown. Neither one had a catch. Singletary still played 55 percent of the snaps, so he remains the lead running back, but this is definitely a tandem. And it's a tough matchup for both this week against the Bengals, who finished the regular season No. 8 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to running backs. Without any work in the passing game -- and Singletary has just seven catches on 12 targets in his past six games -- it's hard to even consider him a viable option on either site.

Wide receivers

Good Buys

• DraftKings: $7,300/FanDuel: $7,800

Outlook: Lamb had four catches for 68 yards and a touchdown on six targets in the wild-card round at Tampa Bay, and he now has either a touchdown or 100 receiving yards in five games in a row. I expect the Cowboys to be throwing a lot in this game, and the 49ers secondary is the weak spot in their defense. San Francisco finished the regular season No. 5 in most Fantasy points allowed to receivers, and DK Metcalf just dominated the 49ers last week with 10 catches for 136 yards and two touchdowns on 13 targets. And in the past four games for San Francisco, six receivers have combined for eight touchdowns. Michael Gallup is also someone to consider this week given the matchup.

• DraftKings: $6,000/FanDuel: $7,600

Outlook: Kirk and Zay Jones are both worth using this week given the matchup with the Chiefs, who finished the regular season No. 8 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. In Week 10 at Kansas City, both Kirk and Jones did well against this defense. Kirk had nine catches for 105 yards and two touchdowns on 12 targets, and Jones had eight catches for 68 yards on 10 targets. Kirk now has consecutive games of solid production, combining for 22 targets, 14 catches, 177 yards and two touchdowns against the Titans and Chargers. And Jones was also good against the Chargers with eight catches for 74 yards and a touchdown on 13 targets. I'm using both this week in plenty of lineups, with a slight lean toward Kirk even though he's more expensive.

• DraftKings: $4,100/FanDuel: $5,800

Outlook: I'm playing Toney in a few lineups this week against Jacksonville with the hope he becomes more than a gadget player for the Chiefs. Toney only had two targets in Week 18 at Las Vegas and finished with two catches for 18 yards, but he also rushed three times for 26 yards and a touchdown. And the week before in Week 17 against Denver he had four catches for 71 yards on four targets. He could be ridiculously explosive, and the Chiefs might give him more work coming off a bye. It also helps that Mecole Hardman (pelvis) is still banged up. Toney's low price and potential reward could be amazing in the divisional round.

• DraftKings: $3,900/FanDuel: $5,900

Outlook: James was outplayed in the wild-card round at Minnesota by Isaiah Hodgins (eight catches for 105 yards and a touchdown on nine targets) and Darius Slayton (four catches for 88 yards on eight targets) when he finished with four catches for 31 yards on six targets. But he should rebound this week against the Eagles, who have struggled with slot receivers, including James in Week 14. He had seven catches for 61 yards and a touchdown against Philadelphia, and I like James the most of the Giants receivers in the divisional round. Hodgins is worth playing as well given his recent run of success, but I would avoid Slayton as you'll see below. 

Bad Buys

• DraftKings: $5,100/FanDuel: $6,600

Outlook: I hope Smith-Schuster breaks out of his funk in the playoffs, but he's been struggling coming into the divisional round against the Jaguars. In his past three games in the regular season, Smith-Schuster had just seven catches for 83 yards and no touchdowns on nine targets. He suffered a concussion in Week 10 against Jacksonville, which is why he finished that game with two catches for 33 yards. The Chiefs have been relying more on Kadarius Toney of late, and he has more targets than Smith-Schuster (6-5) in the past two outings. Since Smith-Schuster plays with Patrick Mahomes, there's always the chance for him to stand out, but his recent struggles have me slightly concerned about his production.

• DraftKings: $5,000/FanDuel: $6,500

Outlook: Aiyuk is risky now that everyone is healthy for the 49ers. In three games without Deebo Samuel from Weeks 15-17, Aiyuk was a star for San Francisco. In two games without Samuel against Washington and Las Vegas, Aiyuk had 19 targets for 14 catches, 182 yards and a touchdown. Samuel returned in Week 18 against Arizona, and Aiyuk had four catches for 59 yards on five targets. Then against the Seahawks in the playoffs, Aiyuk had three catches for 73 yards on five targets. I love Aiyuk's talent, but his ceiling is capped if Christian McCaffrey, Samuel and George Kittle are all healthy.

• DraftKings: $4,800/FanDuel: $6,600

Outlook: Davis was great against the Dolphins in the wild-card round with six catches for 113 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. He clearly loves playing in the postseason, and he now has six touchdowns in his past three playoff outings going back to last year. But I'm concerned that the Bengals will take him away, and Cincinnati finished the regular season at No. 9 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing receivers. And to close the regular season, Davis struggled with just two touchdowns in his final seven games and five outings with 45 receiving yards or less over that span.

• DraftKings: $4,200/FanDuel: $5,700

Outlook: Slayton is coming off a solid game in the wild-card round against the Vikings with four catches for 88 yards on eight targets, but he's the No. 3 receiver for the Giants behind Isaiah Hodgins and Richie James. Slayton hasn't scored a touchdown since Week 10 and has just two games with more than 42 receiving yards in his past five outings. He also struggled against the Eagles in Week 14 with two catches for 42 yards on three targets, and he will likely have another down game this week given his role on the perimeter. Hodgins also could struggle, but he's been on fire with a touchdown in five of his past six games, including the Week 14 game against Philadelphia when he had four catches for 38 yards and a touchdown on six targets.

Tight Ends

Good Buys

• DraftKings: $4,300/FanDuel: $6,000

Outlook: Engram did not play well in the first meeting with the Jaguars in Week 10 when he finished with three catches for 14 yards on four targets. Since then, he's had four touchdowns in eight games, three outings with at least 93 receiving yards and four games with at least seven catches. The Jaguars will likely be throwing a lot in this matchup, and Engram continues to be a go-to option for Trevor Lawrence with five games of at least seven targets in his past seven outings. The Chiefs have also allowed four touchdowns to tight ends in their past four games.

• DraftKings: $4,200/FanDuel: $6,400

Outlook: In his past three games, including the playoffs, Schultz has at least eight targets in every outing, two games with seven receptions and two games with two touchdowns. He was a star against Tampa Bay in the wild-card round with seven catches for 95 yards and two touchdowns on eight targets, and hopefully he can stay hot against San Francisco. It won't be easy since the 49ers have allowed just four touchdowns to tight ends all year, but I'll stick with Schultz this week given how much Dak Prescott is leaning on him of late.

Bad Buys

• DraftKings: $5,700/FanDuel: $7,100

Outlook: Kittle's hot streak to end the regular season, where he scored seven touchdowns in his final four games and had two outings with at least 93 receiving yards, did not carry over to the playoff win against Seattle. In that game, Kittle was held in check with just two catches for 37 yards on two targets, although he had a two-point conversion. The Cowboys finished the regular season No. 2 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to opposing tight ends, with only one touchdown allowed, and Kittle could have another down game. He's risky at his price given how well Dallas has defended tight ends this season.

• DraftKings: $3,200/FanDuel: $5,000

Outlook: Hurst had a solid game catching the ball in the wild-card round against Baltimore with four receptions for 45 yards on six targets, but he also lost a fumble. He might not do better than that this week at Buffalo, and the Bills were No. 3 in fewest Fantasy points allowed to tight ends in the regular season. Mike Gesicki in the wild-card round is the lone tight end to score against Buffalo this season, but he finished with just two catches for 15 yards on six targets. The Bills typically erase tight ends, and they should be able to keep Hurst in check this week.

Lineups

DraftKings

QB: Trevor Lawrence (at KC) $6,000
RB: Christian McCaffrey (vs. DAL) $8,000
RB: Jerick McKinnon (vs. JAC) $6,000
WR: CeeDee Lamb (at SF) $7,300
WR: Christian Kirk (at KC) $6,000
WR: Richie James (at PHI) $3,900
TE: Evan Engram (at KC) $4,300
FLEX: Kadarius Toney (vs. JAC) $4,100
DST: 49ers (vs. DAL) $3,300

I'll stack the Jaguars here with Lawrence, Kirk and Engram, and I expect all three of them to be fantastic at Kansas City. I'll come back with McKinnon and Toney, and they should have prominent roles against Jacksonville.

I'll spend the money on McCaffrey given his upside, and I love Lamb in the game as well. And I'm counting on a big game from James in his matchup against the Eagles.

Since I had enough money, I went with the 49ers DST against Dallas. Dak Prescott was turnover free at Tampa Bay last week, but prior to that he had 11 interceptions over his past seven games.

FanDuel

QB: Patrick Mahomes (vs. JAC) $9,200
RB: Jerick McKinnon (vs. JAC) $7,000
RB: Elijah Mitchell (vs. DAL) $5,400
WR: CeeDee Lamb (at SF) $7,800
WR: Christian Kirk (at KC) $7,600
WR: Richie James (at PHI) $5,900
TE: Travis Kelce (vs. JAC) $8,000
FLEX: Tyler Boyd (at BUF) $5,600
DEF: Bengals (at BUF) $3,400

Mahomes had one of his best games of the season in Week 10 against Jacksonville with 331 passing yards, four touchdowns and one interception, along with 39 rushing yards, and he should do well again in the rematch. I'll stack him with McKinnon and Kelce here, and Kelce had six catches for 81 yards and a touchdown on seven targets against the Jaguars earlier this year. 

I'll stick with the same receiving corps here of Lamb, Kirk and James, and I'll play Boyd in the flex. He didn't have a good game against Baltimore in the wild-card round with three catches for 26 yards on three targets, but he's still a valuable weapon for Joe Burrow at a cheap price.

And I'll also go with Mitchell as a cheap option at running back. In two games since coming back from a five-game absence with a knee injury, he has three total touchdowns, and hopefully he can find the end zone again this week against Dallas.