Fantasy Football Divisional Round FantasySP Expert Picks: Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Terry McLaurin, Dallas Goedert, Kareem Hunt, and More

Into the second round of the playoffs, the fantasy football options are beginning to dwindle. That means the best players are usually the ones still alive, but the best defenses often hang around as well, making things tough.

For those sifting through for gold nuggets, the FantasySP experts have you covered. Brant Tedeschi, Morgan Rode, Mark Morales-Smith, and Daniel Hepner got together to answer five questions in advance of the Divisional Round of the NFL playoffs and give their game picks at the bottom.

Give us your top fantasy quarterback of the second round

Brant: To me, this is a toss up between Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson, but I am going to go with Allen in a game fans will remember as a shootout. It won’t be quite a six-touchdown performance like he had against the Rams in Week 14, but he will have at least three or four total touchdowns.

Morgan: I have Allen as my top fantasy QB for this week but will make a case for Jayden Daniels. He’s going to have to do it all to keep the Commanders close with the Lions. It should help Daniels post a monster fantasy score.

Mark: I’m going with Jackson. The Ravens are going to win and win convincingly while Jackson shows why he deserves to be the MVP and is the best quarterback in the league this season.

Is there a running back who is going to struggle this week?

Brant: Joe Mixon is not going to have a fun week at Kansas City. The Chiefs are tough during the regular season against the run, but come playoff time, it gets even tougher. C.J. Stroud is going to have to make plays to make up for it.

Morgan: There’s a number of running backs who I think will struggle. Instead of giving one guy, I’ll say to avoid the backs from the Chiefs and Commanders. Split backfields will lead to average-or-worse fantasy showings across the board.

Mark: It’s Kyren Williams for me. That Philly defense is brutal, and the game script can hurt him as well.

How about a wide receiver ready for a huge week?

Brant: Terry McLaurin will have to have a huge week for the Commanders to even stay competitive against the Lions, so I am going to go with him. He will have at least 10 targets and will need his best.

Morgan: I’ll say Xavier Worthy surprises lots of people this weekend. He was a pretty good fantasy option late in the season, and I think he keeps things rolling against the Texans - he had 65 yards and a touchdown on seven grabs and 11 targets against Houston during the regular season.

Mark: Amon-Ra St. Brown is going to remind everyone why he’s a top-five wideout in this league. Washington and Detroit should be a high-scoring game, and St. Brown will dominate the Washington defense.

Who is your tight end pick to score a touchdown?

Brant: I am going to go with a sleeper here and pick Noah Gray. He had five touchdowns on just 40 receptions in the regular season, and I think he may get overlooked in the red zone. 

Morgan: Give me Dallas Goedert. He’s my top fantasy tight end this week, and I think he gets there with at least one touchdown.

Mark: It’s Mark Andrews. He has been a TD machine in the second half of the season, and they’ll need him this week against the Bills with a limited-at-best Zay Flowers.

Which flex player is going to have the best week in the Divisional Round?

Morgan: I’ll go with Khalil Shakir, if I can classify him as a flex option. He went for 62 yards on four receptions and five targets in the first regular season meeting against Baltimore and could be even more involved this time around.

Mark: Kareem Hunt could have a big game. We still don’t know how healthy Isiah Pacheco is, and Hunt could get a lot of work in what should be a comfortable win for the Chiefs.

Picks for the Week

Brant: Unfortunately, the Chiefs will win over the Texans, but it will be closer than people think. I would take Houston with the spread. Detroit will easily pull away from the Commanders. I am picking the Rams over the Eagles. Do not sleep on this Rams team now that they are healthy. I am taking the Bills over the Ravens in a nailbiter and cannot wait for this game to start.

Morgan: Give me the Chiefs over the Texans, pulling away late and covering the spread. I have Detroit over Washington, but with the Commanders covering the spread in a tighter game. I have the Rams over the Eagles as well. Give me Buffalo over Baltimore in what I believe will be the game of the season.

Mark: The Chiefs, Ravens, Eagles, and Lions will all win by double digits. The Chiefs will win a low-scoring game against a Texans offense that will look useless. The Bills will hang around, but the Ravens will pull away in the second half. The Commanders will get blown out. Philly will also pull away late for the win in a game that will be closer than the score makes it look.

Daniel: Kansas City in a low-scoring game seems likely given the defenses involved (and the struggles both offenses faced at times). Lions and Commanders should be fun, but Detroit is too strong and will win this one. The Rams are a fun pick I’ve seen a lot this week, but the Eagles might have the best defense in football. Philadelphia will take this one in a snowy game. The Ravens look like the best team in football, and I have trouble picking against them; I just hope that’s a fun one throughout.