“Are you ready for some…” by velo_city is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0

For the 2019-2020 Divisional Round of the playoffs, I have chosen to chase players with high workloads in order to have a high floor. While some sacrifices have been made in order to afford more explosive players, the cheaper players will still see a good amount of targets and carries. I elected for Patrick Mahomes instead of a lesser-chosen QB because of Andy Reid’s tendency to be strong off a bye, with a master plan likely in store for Houston. While the lineup is dependant on a good performance from the Seahawks, the other players’ high floors should mean you stay in the top half of lineups this week.

QB: Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs vs. Texans ($37)

Patrick Mahomes has been a solid producer in fantasy this season. He faces a patchwork Houston secondary which has surrendered the 29th most passing yards per game this season. With a lethal deep threat in Tyreek Hill and a cannon of an arm to match, Mahomes has the opportunity to torch Houston’s defense with his 14% deep ball attempts per game.

RB1: Derrick Henry, Titans @ Ravens ($37) 

Derrick Henry has seemed nearly unstoppable this season and a jump start to a near-dead Titans offense. With over 20 touches a game and the league leader in rushing yards, he should see a similar workload in the Ravens game. This massive workload leaves many opportunities for big plays.

RB2: Damien Williams, Chiefs vs. Texans ($16)

Since I just dropped a third of the budget on two players, the following players are going to have to be cheaper. Damien Williams is a decent back with the highest share of touches in the Chiefs backfield, rushing 12 times with 4 catches in week 17. While he will likely not have a stat line like that in this game, you can expect him to go for 100 yards or one touchdown.

WR1: Deebo Samuel, 49ers vs. Vikings ($19)

It’s hard to find quality receivers in the $20 range but Deebo Samuel has played well in the past few games. He sees around 5 targets and 2 rush attempts a game, but ran a clinic against Seattle in week 17. He should have a decent game against Minnesota this week. 

WR2: Tyler Lockett, Seahawks @ Packers ($21)

Tyler Lockett has gone under 65 yards in the past 4 games of the season, but should see a turn around this week. The Packers will have to turn more attention to D.K. Metcalf, which should leave more room for Lockett to use. With 8 targets a game he should be able to get 10 fantasy points this week.

WR3: Allen Lazard, Packers vs Seahawks ($13)

I have to cheap out in some places in order to make room for the likes of Mahomes and Henry, but Lazard is still a decent receiver. His targets have slowly increased in the past few games and is the closest things Aaron Rodgers has for a WR2 under Davante Adams. He seems to have built some trust from Rodgers by coming down with some tough catches. He should get 60+ yards this week.

TE: George Kittle, 49ers vs. Vikings ($25)

George Kittle is in the conversation along with Travis Kelce for best tight end in the league right now. While the Vikings have given up the second least yards to tight ends this year, there are few tight ends like Kittle. He is a monster after the catch and should be able to put up good points this week.

FLEX: D.K. Metcalf, Seahawks vs. Packers($19)

D.K. Metcalf is a true physical specimen, lighting up the league with his speed and size, as one of the standout rookies of the year. The Packers cornerbacks are significantly shorter than Metcalf, allowing him to out muscle the Green Bay secondary and burn any linebackers matched on him. As a result, Russel Wilson will have greater confidence on deep passes to Metcalf and is likely to throw more. Expect good output for the price this week.

D/ST: Seattle Seahawks @ Packers ($12)

At this point in the playoffs there are no favorable matchups for defense. The offenses left are potent and most defenses solid as well. I just need to fill out the lineup with a cheap option, and the Seahawks are a decent choice for the price. In Weeks 10-15, Seattle posted 16 takeaways, nine sacks, and two TDs–and that included games against San Francisco, Minnesota, and the Rams. Ultimately, I’m just hoping for at least one big play, and Seattle has proven to be capable.

Optional Changes:

Travis Kelce ($26) for George Kittle ($25) or Adam Theilen ($20) for Deboo Samuel ($19).