NFL DFS Picks for Conference Championship Games

With only four teams to choose from, there are still plenty of spend up, mid-tier and value choices to build a winning lineup.

There are only two games on the slate Sunday, but there are still hundreds of ways to build a DFS lineup!

The No.1 seed Baltimore Ravens will host the No.3 seed and reigning Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs for Sunday’s AFC championship. The game total is set at 44.5

The No. 1 seed San Francisco 49ers host the No. 3 seed Detroit Lions for the NFC championship game. That game total is higher, at 50.5.

All the usual suspects will be in play, and you should feel comfortable spending up for any stud player this weekend. Regular season stats don’t give us the whole picture.

Let’s look at some options by position and salary point.

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Quarterbacks

Spend up

Lamar Jackson, Ravens

Jackson accounted for four total touchdowns last week vs. the Texans, two of which came on the ground. He also rushed for 100 more yards and looked every bit a star at home on Saturday. He’s the likely NFL MVP, and even with a tough Chiefs defense, he should be expected to play like a superhero.

Mid-Tier

Brock Purdy, 49ers

Purdy has the best matchup on paper, as only the Commanders have allowed more DFS points to opposing passers this season than the Lions. We saw Baker Mayfield pass for 349 yards and three touchdowns last weekend in the divisional game.

Patrick Mahomes, Chiefs

Is there anyone better in the postseason? O.K., maybe Tom Brady, but Tom has left the chat. The matchup isn’t ideal on paper but it’s hard to fade playoff Mahomes.

Value

Jared Goff, Lions

The Lions are considered long shots to win it all at +750 odds to win the Super Bowl. However, if you are backing the blue here, Goff will be a good value play. The Lions love to pass the ball and he has an incredible array of pass-catchers.

Here is where I am also required by fantasy law to disclose that Goff has not played as well on the road or in open-air stadiums this season.

Running Backs

Spend Up

Christian McCaffrey, 49ers

Even though the Lions’ defense is elite vs. the run, McCaffrey isn’t just any running back: He’s the centerpiece of this San Francisco offense. Look for McCaffrey to also make a mark in the receiving game. With Deebo Samual banged up, McCaffrey should have even more opportunities on Sunday.

Isiah Pacheco, Chiefs

Second-year back Isiah Pacheco has emerged in this postseason as a potential superstar :: Jay Biggerstaff/USA TODAY Sports

The Ravens defense has been tough this year, but they did allow six different running backs 100-plus yards during the regular season. They also allowed six catches and 61 receiving yards to Houston running backs last weekend. Pacheco has already logged 39 carries for 186 yards and two touchdowns in two playoff games while playing 71% of the snaps. Pacheco has had 15-plus touches in his last eight consecutive games.

Mid-Tier

Jahmyr Gibbs, Lions

Gibbs averaged more than eight yards per carry last week vs. the Bucs white also catching all four of his targets for 40 yards and scoring a touchdown. If the Lions are smart, Gibbs will be heavily involved in this game plan. The Niners just allowed 108 rushing yards to Aaron Jones just last weekend.

Value

Justice Hill, Ravens

Hill led the Ravens' backfield vs. the Texans while matching his highest carry total of the season. He’s also seen 20 targets across his last four games played.

Wide Receivers

Spend Up

Amon-Ra St. Brown, Lions

St. Brown is probably the most talented receiver remaining in the playoffs. He has been targeted 25 times in two playoff games and he has hauled in 15 catches for 187 yards and one touchdown. St. Brown had the same number of catches as Tyreek Hill in the regular season (119) and logged the third-most receiving yards in the league for an average of 95 yards per game. The Lions are expected to be playing from behind, and the Sun God should get plenty of targets again on Sunday.

Brandon Aiyuk, 49ers

In case you haven’t heard, Deebo Samuel is banged up. That should leave plenty of opportunity for Aiyuk, who averaged 85 receiving yards per game during the regular season. We saw Mike Evans burn Detroit for eight catches, 147 yards and a score last week, and the Lions have allowed an average of 189 yards and 13.7 catches per game this year to opposing wideouts.

Mid-Tier

Zay Flowers, Ravens

Flowers is the clear number one in Baltimore and he should have more opportunities in a closer game where the Ravens are unlikely to control as much of the clock.

Value

Jameson Williams, Lions

Big-play receiver Jameson Williams has the ability to put up a solid DFS line with one play :: Junfu Han/USA TODAY Sports

Williams has the kind of speed and big-play ability that the Lions will need to try to exploit if they are trailing by a lot. He’s seen an average of 4.5 targets per game across his last five games played.

Tight Ends

Spend Up

Travis Kelce, Chiefs

Kelce is Mahomes’s favorite target, and the Ravens have allowed a few top tight ends to be successful this season, though overall they have been fairly tough on the position for DFS. I’m fading Kelce this week with the other options at the position who present more value. If you believe in the Mahomes-Kelce playoff connection, you’ll have to spend up.

Mid-Tier

George Kittle, 49ers

Of the remaining playoff teams, the Lions have allowed the most DFS points to the tight end position. Kittle averaged 63.8 receiving yards per game during the regular season, and he racked up 81 yards and a touchdown vs. the Packers last weekend. This week he gets a Lions secondary that just allowed 65 yards and a touchdown to Cade Otton in the divisional round.

Sam LaPorta, Lions

LaPorta averaged seven targets and 4.7 receptions per game this year when away, and he caught nine of his 11 targets at home vs. the Buccaneers last week. The Niners have allowed the most catches to tight ends this season of all remaining playoff teams -- an average of 5.2 per game. Especially with no Brock Wright, LaPorta should be a safety valve for Goff when Nick Bosa brings the pressure.

Value

Isaiah Likely, Ravens

Mark Andrews is trending toward playing, but I’m not counting out Isaiah Likely. Likely has been Lamar’s favorite red zone target lately, with six touchdowns across the last six games.

Noah Gray, Chiefs

This is a dart-throw play. If the Ravens do all they can to stop Kelce, that means if Mahomes has to dump off a few passes, they are more likely to go Gray’s way. Gray has seen an average of three targets per game across the last five contests. 

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