So far, there has been no shortage of entertaining football in the Wild Card round. We saw big favorites Buffalo and Cincinnati pull out close wins against backup QBs. We saw the Jaguars pull off one of the best comebacks in NFL postseason history. Here’s hoping that the Dallas vs Tampa Bay showdown closes out the opening weekend with some fireworks. Dallas is listed as a 2.5-point favorite with a total of 45.5 points. Let’s make some cash!
Captain/MVP Plays
Tom Brady, Tampa Bay ($15,000 DraftKings, $15,000 FanDuel)
Betting against Brady is generally a losing proposition in the postseason. Talent-wise, the Cowboys should win this game, and they may very well do that. Regardless, the Bucs go as Brady goes. They have been scoring at a pathetic pace of late, but the Cowboys are serving up yards and points in bunches.
Brady put up his best performance of the season in his last full game, firing off 432 passing yards and four scores (one rushing). He also threw a trio of TD passes a few weeks prior against the Bengals. Brady may just be a lock in lineups for tonight. Win or lose, he will go out swinging.
CeeDee Lamb, Dallas ($15,900 DraftKings, $14,000 FanDuel)
Lamb has been scorching hot over the last month, totaling 22.7, 37, 24, and 16.2 DraftKings points. The Cowboys will need to be at their best if they are going to take down Brady in his own backyard. Lamb has been the most consistent member of the passing game, and I expect Dak to look his way early and often.
Tony Pollard, Dallas ($12,000 DraftKings, $12,500 FanDuel)
It’s Tony Pollard season, and I’m hoping it continues past tonight. The entire offense was pathetic at best last week against Washington, and I’m writing that one off completely. Prior to that, Pollard had shown consistency and upside all in one.
The three previous games, Pollard averaged 13 carries and six targets per contest. He parlayed those opportunites into nearly 250 yards and a pair of scores. Sure, Zeke will still command a good amount of touches, but Pollard’s involvement in the passing game puts him atop the list for me.
FLEX/AnyFLEX Plays
Leonard Fournette, Tampa Bay ($7,200 DraftKings, $10,500 FanDuel)
It’s playoff Lenny time! Rachaad White has carved out a nice role in this offense, but I’m riding the Fournette train tonight. The Cowboys have been serving up points in bunches of late, and Fournette is primed to take advantage.
He has massive upside here as well, as shown by his participation in the run and pass game. He is elite at the goalline as well, and if this game plays into Tampa Bay’s hands, he could see 20+ touches. Fire him up!
Dalton Schultz, Dallas ($6,400 DraftKings, $9,500 FanDuel)
Every QB needs a nice safety blanket, and Schultz has carved out that role with the Cowboys. Even in a week where the offense struggled, Schultz saw nine targets against Washington. In fact, he has nine or more targets in three of his last five games.
Dak Prescott needs to find a rhythm in this one and not force the ball into too many tight spots. Schultz should be a popular target tonight.
Other Options
If I have to choose a defense here, it’s the Bucs. Prescott has been wild since his return, and if he plays at all like he did in Week 18, the Cowboys are in trouble. I’m not prioritizing them, but they are in play. I think this one is fairly high scoring.
Mike Evans has a massive ceiling as usual, but I do expect his ownership to be high here. Pairing him with Brady could be an elite combo. From a strategy perspective, I think Chris Godwin is the move for the showdown slate.
Brett Maher hasn’t missed a FG since Week 12. He did miss an XP last week, but he is a solid option here in what should be a high scoring affair. I lean his way over Ryan Succop in this one.
Michael Gallup has 17 targets over the last three weeks, but the erratic Prescott has completed just seven of those attempts. He is a fine option for cheap.
I’m not going to talk anyone out of playing Dak Prescott by any means. If I’m playing one QB though, it’s Brady for me.
Good luck in the showdown slate, and we will see you at the top of the leaderboards!
