Start Em, Sit Em For Fantasy Football Wild Card Round

Michael Fabiano | 9 Hours Ago

Start Em, Sit Em: Wild Card Round / Sports Illustrate

Are you playing in a postseason fantasy football league, or maybe setting a DFS lineup? If you are, be sure to check out this week's edition of Start ‘Em, Sit 'Em ... the ultimate look at the best and worst matchups in a given week for fantasy football leagues. Each week, I'll examine players who could exceed or fail to meet expectations based on their opponent.

For your final lineup decisions, check out my fantasy player rankings. I update them daily!

Complete Wild Card Round fantasy football rankings

Wild Card Start ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Baker Mayfield vs. Commanders (8 p.m. ET, NBC): Mayfield has been on a hot streak in the stat sheets, scoring at least 19 fantasy points in five straight games including two with more than 28 points. And while the Commanders have been tough on quarterbacks in the second half of the season, DK Sportsbook has this game total at 50.5, expecting a higher scoring game. That makes Mayfield well worth a look in postseason fantasy formats.

Sam Darnold at Rams (Mon. 8 p.m. ET, ESPN): Darnold had a bad finish to the regular season, scoring just 7.6 points in a loss to the Lions. Still, he had posted 19-plus points in all but one of his previous seven games, and a matchup against the Rams could be more of a high-scoring contest. Their defense allowed an average of around 18 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks in the second half of the regular season, so I’d start Darnold.

Wild Card Sit ‘Em: Quarterbacks

Jordan Love at Eagles (4:30 p.m. ET, Fox): Love was anything but productive for fantasy fans down the stretch, scoring fewer than 15 points in four of his final five games. He’s also thrown one touchdown or fewer in all but one of those contests. I’d keep him on the fantasy sidelines against the Eagles, who allowed just nine touchdown passes and the third-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in Philadelphia this season.

Russell Wilson at Ravens (Sat. 8 p.m. ET, Prime Video): Wilson finished the regular year with a thud, scoring 11.5 points in a loss to the Bengals. He has failed to score more than 15.4 points in three of his last four games, during which time he’s thrown for multiple touchdowns just once. Wlson also struggled against the Ravens, scoring a combined 21.7 fantasy points in two meetings, so I’d keep the veteran on the sidelines in this contest.

Bucky Irving is the Wild Card Round RB Start of the Week. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Wild Card Start ‘Em: Running backs

Bucky Irving vs. Commanders (8 p.m. ET, NBC): Irving has taken over the lead running back role for the Buccaneers, as he’s seen more than 35 percent of the backfield touches in each of his last three games. I’d continue to start him against the Commanders, who allowed the second-most fantasy points to opposing running backs in the second half of the season among the remaining teams. Irving should be a top-five back this weekend.

Joe Mixon vs. Chargers (Sat. 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS): Mixon’s numbers fell off a cliff down the stretch of the regular season, as he scored fewer than 11 fantasy points in five of his last six games. During that time, he was held to single-digits four times.  Still, the Texans need to lean on Mixon if they’re to beat the Chargers. Their run defense has allowed five backs to beat them for 14 or more points since Week 11, so the matchup is positive.

Wild Card Sit ‘Em: Running backs

Najee Harris at Ravens (Sat. 8 p.m. ET, Prime Video): Harris struggled down the stretch of the regular season, scoring fewer than 12 fantasy points in four of his final five games. That includes a Week 16 matchup against the Ravens, when he was held to just 42 yards and 4.2 points. Baltimore was also tough on backs at home this season, allowing just four rushing touchdowns and the fourth-fewest points to the position among home teams.

Brian Robinson Jr. at Buccaneers (8 p.m. ET, NBC): Robinson Jr. had a bad finish to the regular season, scoring single digits in each of his final three contests. That sort of lack of production could continue against the Buccaneers, who surrendered the fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs in the second half of the season. In fact, no back had more than 10.9 points against them dating back to Week 12, so I’d beware Robinson Jr.

Wild Card Start ‘Em: Wide receivers

Ladd McConkey at Texans (Sat. 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS): McConkey has been very productive in the second half of the season, scoring no less than 14.3 fantasy points in his last seven games. In that time, he’s been targeted 58 times and has averaged 18.7 points per game. I’d keep the rookie in lineups this week too, as he faces a Texans defense that’s allowed the most fantasy points to opposing slot receivers in the second half of the season.

Jalen McMillan vs. Commanders (8 p.m. ET, NBC): McMillan has quietly been a fantasy star over the last five weeks, scoring a combined seven touchdowns while averaging an impressive 19.8 points per game. So, while this week’s matchup against Washington isn’t great on paper, I’d expect McMillan to remain productive in a game that has an over/under of 50.5 on DK Sportsbook. The talented rookie should be seen as a solid fantasy starter.

Wild Card Sit ‘Em: Wide receivers

Cooper Kupp vs. Vikings (Mon. 8 p.m. ET, ESPN): Kupp’s numbers went into the can late in the regular season, as he was held to single digits in each of his last three games and four of his last five. In fact, he was held without a point in a game during that stretch, and he hasn’t seen more than three targets in three straight games! I’d beware the veteran for those reasons, even in a game against the Vikings that could be a high-scoring affair.

Jayden Reed at Eagles (4:30 p.m. ET, Fox): Reed was one of my biggest misses of this past season, as he finished the season with an average of just 11.6 fantasy points. He also failed to score more than 11.1 points in all but one of his last eight games, and he put up single digits five times during that stretch. In what figures to be a difficult road game against the Eagles, Reed will be tough to trust as a fantasy starter in Wild Card weekend.

Mark Andrews is the Wild Card Round TE Start of the Week. / Scott Galvin-Imagn Images

Wild Card Start ‘Em: Tight ends

Mark Andrews vs. Steelers (Sat. 8 p.m. ET, Prime Video): After a very bad start to the season, Andrews finished strong in the stat sheets.  He scored 10-plus points in all but one of his final eight games, and he’s scored a touchdown in each of his last six games. That includes a Week 16 game against the Steelers where he finished with 13.8 points. Their defense has also allowed the third-most points to tight ends since Week 10.

TEs With Good Matchups

• Zach Ertz at Buccaneers (8 p.m. ET, NBC)

Wild Card Sit ‘Em: Tight ends

Cade Otton vs. Commanders (8 p.m. ET, NBC): Otton had been one of the best tight ends in fantasy football, but his numbers have gone sour since the emergence of Jalen McMillan.  Over his final five games, Otton was held to single digit four times and put up an average of just 6.6 fantasy points. I’d keep him on the sidelines against Washington, as their defense has allowed just 11.4 fantasy points per game to tight ends since Week 10.

TEs With Bad Matchups

• Dalton Schultz vs. Chargers (Sat. 4:30p.m. ET, CBS)

Wild Card Start ‘Em: Kickers

Cameron Dicker at Texans (Sat. 4:30 p.m. ET, CBS): Dicker was one of the top kickers in fantasy football during the regular year, and he finished strong with a combined 41 points in his final three games/ I’d start him against the Texans, who surrendered an average of more than nine fantasy points per game to the position over their final eight contests.

Ks With Good Matchups

• Chase McLaughlin vs. Commanders (8 p.m. ET, NBC)

Wild Card Sit ‘Em: Kickers

Brandon McManus at Eagles (4:30 p.m. ET, Fox): McManus finished the regular season on a high note, scoring 12 or more points in three of his final four games. Unfortunately, he could be hard pressed to find success when the Packers face the Eagles. Over the final nine weeks of the season, no team allowed fewer fantasy points to opposing kickers.

Ks With Bad Matchups

• Wil Lutz at Bills (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Wild Card Start ‘Em: Defenses

Ravens defense vs. Steelers (Sat. 8 p.m. ET, Prime Video): The Ravens defense played at a higher level down the stretch, and facing the Steelers struggling offense makes it a strong option. Over their last four games, Pittsburgh has averaged a mere 14.3 points and 258.5 yards of offense.  Their line has also allowed the third-most sacks in that time.

DSTs With Good Matchups

• Eagles defense vs. Packers (4:30 p.m. ET, Fox)

Wild Card Sit ‘Em: Defenses

Broncos defense at Bills (1 p.m. ET, CBS): Denver had one of the best defenses in all of fantasy football in the regular season, but I’d avoid it when it faces Josh Allen and the Bills. Only the Lions averaged more points among home offenses in the regular season, and no home team allowed fewer sacks. I’d keep the Broncos on the fantasy sidelines.

DSTs With Bad Matchups

• Packers defense at Eagles (4:30 p.m. ET, Fox)