Fantasy
1/12/23
9 min read
Matthew Hill's 2023 Super Wild Card Weekend DFS Rankings
Super Wild Card Weekend is here, and while traditional leagues have concluded and champions have been crowned, there are still DFS lineups to be crafted.
With that in mind, this article includes both my complete rankings for the wild-card round as well as player blurbs highlighting those I will be targeting in DFS this week. The Saturday – Monday slate is deep with talented players in good matchups, so the temptation would be to cast a big net, highlight a high percentage of the player pool in order to ensure some “good calls.” Instead, I will be limiting the write-ups to a few players at each position from different price points that I will be considering for my single-entry lineup. All prices are from DraftKings.
Quarterbacks
Rank | Name | Team | Position | Opp | Kickoff | |
1 | Josh Allen | BUF | QB | vs MIA | Sun 1 pm ET | |
2 | Joe Burrow | CIN | QB | vs BAL | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
3 | Justin Herbert | LAC | QB | @ JAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
4 | Kirk Cousins | MIN | QB | vs NYG | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
5 | Trevor Lawrence | JAC | QB | vs LAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
6 | Brock Purdy | SF | QB | vs SEA | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
7 | Daniel Jones | NYG | QB | @ MIN | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
8 | Dak Prescott | DAL | QB | @ TB | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
9 | Tom Brady | TB | QB | vs DAL | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
10 | Geno Smith | SEA | QB | @ SF | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
11 | Skylar Thompson | MIA | QB | @ BUF | Sun 1 pm ET | |
12 | Anthony Brown | BAL | QB | @ CIN | Sun 8:15 pm ET |
- The most expensive quarterback on the slate ($7,900 DK) should also be one of the highest-owned. Josh Allen finished as the overall QB2 and QB3 in his two matches with Miami this season, throwing for a combined 704 yards with six touchdowns and adding another 124 yards on the ground. There is little reason not to expect his dominance to continue as a double-digit favorites against a Dolphins team that limped into the playoffs, losing five of its last six games.
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- If I am not paying up for Allen, I will be going all the way down to Daniel Jones ($5,600). The Vikings have allowed a quarterback to pass for over 300 yards and/or throw multiple touchdowns ten times this season, including in Week 16 when Jones threw for 334 yards with a score. Jones stacked with Richie James ($3,900) or Isaiah Hodgins ($4,100) is an inexpensive start to a lineup.
Running Backs
Rank | Name | Team | Position | Opp | Kickoff | |
1 | Christian McCaffrey | SF | RB | vs SEA | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
2 | Austin Ekeler | LAC | RB | @ JAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
3 | Joe Mixon | CIN | RB | vs BAL | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
4 | Saquon Barkley | NYG | RB | @ MIN | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
5 | Travis Etienne Jr. | JAC | RB | vs LAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
6 | Tony Pollard | DAL | RB | @ TB | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
7 | Dalvin Cook | MIN | RB | vs NYG | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
8 | Leonard Fournette | TB | RB | vs DAL | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
9 | Ezekiel Elliott | DAL | RB | @ TB | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
10 | Kenneth Walker III | SEA | RB | @ SF | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
11 | J.K. Dobbins | BAL | RB | @ CIN | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
12 | James Cook | BUF | RB | vs MIA | Sun 1 pm ET | |
13 | Devin Singletary | BUF | RB | vs MIA | Sun 1 pm ET | |
14 | Elijah Mitchell | SF | RB | vs SEA | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
15 | Jeff Wilson Jr. | MIA | RB | @ BUF | Sun 1 pm ET | |
16 | Rachaad White | TB | RB | vs DAL | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
17 | Alexander Mattison | MIN | RB | vs NYG | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
18 | Samaje Perine | CIN | RB | vs BAL | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
19 | Joshua Kelley | LAC | RB | @ JAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
20 | JaMycal Hasty | JAC | RB | vs LAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
21 | Gus Edwards | BAL | RB | @ CIN | Sun 8:15 pm ET |
- Christian McCaffrey ($8,900) has logged top-4 PPR finishes in four of his past six games and has been an RB1 in eight of 10. McCaffrey brought in six of eight targets and finished with 134 total yards and a score in Week 15 vs Seattle. McCaffrey is the most expensive player on the slate but has slate-breaking upside if you can get him in your lineup.
- Travis Etienne ($6,300) offers the best combination of volume and matchup of the mid-priced running backs. The Chargers have allowed a 100-yard rusher in five of their past seven games. In a game that is expected to be both close (LAC favored by two) and high-scoring (47.5 total), Etienne has 20+ touch upside and should be active in the passing game and inside the red zone.
- Leonard Fournette's ($5,300) matchup vs. Dallas is not ideal, but it does seem like Tampa Bay is preparing to lean on the veteran back, limiting him to three snaps in Week 18 after having seen 57 total touches in Weeks 14-17.
- James Cook ($4,800) out-snapped Devin Singletary 56%-40% in Week 18 and has 23 touches the past two games. How touches will be divided between Singletary and Cook this week is anyone’s guess, but Cook being priced lower than backup running backs like Matt Breida and Joshua Kelley, in a game where Buffalo might lean on its running game in the second half, makes him interesting.
Wide Receivers
Rank | Name | Team | Position | Opp | Kickoff | |
1 | Ja'Marr Chase | CIN | WR | vs BAL | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
2 | Justin Jefferson | MIN | WR | vs NYG | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
3 | Stefon Diggs | BUF | WR | vs MIA | Sun 1 pm ET | |
4 | Keenan Allen | LAC | WR | @ JAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
5 | CeeDee Lamb | DAL | WR | @ TB | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
6 | Tyreek Hill | MIA | WR | @ BUF | Sun 1 pm ET | |
7 | Chris Godwin | TB | WR | vs DAL | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
8 | Tee Higgins | CIN | WR | vs BAL | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
9 | Deebo Samuel | SF | WR | vs SEA | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
10 | Mike Evans | TB | WR | vs DAL | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
11 | Brandon Aiyuk | SF | WR | vs SEA | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
12 | Christian Kirk | JAC | WR | vs LAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
13 | DK Metcalf | SEA | WR | @ SF | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
14 | Jaylen Waddle | MIA | WR | @ BUF | Sun 1:00 pm ET | |
15 | Gabe Davis | BUF | WR | vs MIA | Sun 1:00 pm ET | |
16 | Richie James Jr. | NYG | WR | @ MIN | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
17 | Tyler Boyd | CIN | WR | vs BAL | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
18 | Tyler Lockett | SEA | WR | @ SF | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
19 | Zay Jones | JAC | WR | vs LAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
20 | Isaiah Hodgins | NYG | WR | @ MIN | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
21 | Joshua Palmer | LAC | WR | @ JAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
22 | K.J. Osborn | MIN | WR | vs NYG | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
23 | Demarcus Robinson | BAL | WR | @ CIN | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
24 | Adam Thielen | MIN | WR | vs NYG | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
25 | Isaiah McKenzie | BUF | WR | vs MIA | Sun 1 pm ET | |
26 | Darius Slayton | NYG | WR | @ MIN | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
27 | Russell Gage | TB | WR | vs DAL | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
28 | Michael Gallup | DAL | WR | @ TB | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
29 | Noah Brown | DAL | WR | @ TB | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
30 | Marvin Jones Jr. | JAC | WR | vs LAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
31 | Jauan Jennings | SF | WR | vs SEA | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
32 | Sammy Watkins | BAL | WR | @ CIN | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
33 | T.Y. Hilton | DAL | WR | @ TB | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
34 | Julio Jones | TB | WR | vs DAL | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
35 | Cole Beasley | BUF | WR | vs MIA | Sun 1 pm ET | |
36 | Khalil Shakir | BUF | WR | vs MIA | Sun 1 pm ET | |
37 | John Brown | BUF | WR | vs MIA | Sun 1 pm ET |
- Super Wild Card Weekend is loaded with high-end wide receiver talent. One can make the case for prioritizing any of the slate’s top 6-7 receivers. While it is hard to go wrong with anyone from the top price tier, Keenan Allen ($7,000) is likely to be my most-rostered wide receiver. Allen has reached double-digit fantasy points every game since returning from a three-week absence in Week 11. He has surpassed 20 fantasy points in four of his past six games, including his Week 18, 8/102/2 eruption. With Mike Williams looking iffy for Saturday, Allen may see even more volume and is a value as the sixth-most-expensive receiver.
- Chris Godwin ($6,400) was a picture of consistency this season, securing six or more receptions in 12 of 14 games. Dallas has allowed wide receivers to post monster numbers to close out the season, including Zay Jones posting a 6/109/3 line in Week 15 and DeVonta Smith going 8/113/2 in Week 16.
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- Richie James ($3,900) has quietly posted low-end WR1 numbers to close out the season, having reached double-digit PPR points in five of his last seven games. When he played at Minnesota in Week 16 he caught 8 of 11 targets for 90 yards.
- Marvin Jones ($3,400) has seen 23 targets over his past four games, and his matchup vs. the Chargers has the second-highest total on the slate. I am not prioritizing getting Jones in my lineups, but is worthy of consideration for those needing to find salary relief.
Tight End
Rank | Name | Team | Position | Opp | Kickoff | |
1 | George Kittle | SF | TE | vs SEA | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
2 | Mark Andrews | BAL | TE | @ CIN | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
3 | Dawson Knox | BUF | TE | vs MIA | Sun 1 pm ET | |
4 | T.J. Hockenson | MIN | TE | vs NYG | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
5 | Evan Engram | JAC | TE | vs LAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
6 | Dalton Schultz | DAL | TE | @ TB | Mon 8:15 pm ET | |
7 | Hayden Hurst | CIN | TE | vs BAL | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
8 | Gerald Everett | LAC | TE | @ JAC | Sat 8:15 pm ET | |
9 | Isaiah Likely | BAL | TE | @ CIN | Sun 8:15 pm ET | |
10 | Daniel Bellinger | NYG | TE | @ MIN | Sun 4:30 pm ET | |
11 | Noah Fant | SEA | TE | @ SF | Sat 4:30 pm ET | |
12 | Cade Otton | TB | TE | vs DAL | Mon 8:15 pm ET |
- George Kittle ($6,100) has scored seven touchdowns in his last four games. He gets a Seahawks defense that has struggled to stop tight ends all season, one that allowed Kittle to post a 4/93/2 line in Week 15.
- Dalton Schultz ($4,300) has seen 19 targets the past two games and is a high floor/ceiling play for those that cannot find the salary to roster Kittle.
- While he has not received the same amount of recognition as Kittle, Dawson Knox ($4,000) closed the season scoring in four consecutive games. His target share has been frustratingly inconsistent all season, but his red zone prowess makes him someone you will want to have exposure to in the small slate.
WATCH: Super Wild Card Weekend DFS Preview
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