Welcome to the NFL Wild Card Weekend DFS RB Coach article!

The NFL’s regular season may be over, but we still have three straight days of great pro football playoff action to watch! 

 

 

 

NFL Wild Card Weekend DFS RB Coach For FanDuel & DraftKings Fantasy

While the NFL DFS RB landscape might be a bit limited because there are only six games on the slate, there are still plenty of viable options that you can use to create winning NFL DFS lineups. 

This weekend’s slate features two of this season’s best NFL DFS RBs, and while both should have big weeks, they’re DFS salaries are just as big.

 

 

 

NFL Wild Card Weekend RBs

You might want to insert one of those top two NFL DFS RBs in your lineups and then balance things out price wise by using a more moderately salaried alternative as your second back. 

There are several NFL DFS RBs that I’m avoiding this NFL Wild Card Weekend but at the same time, there are six RBs that I am very comfortable using in my NFL DFS lineups. Make sure to check out this full article because you don’t want to miss out on my NFL DFS RB play of the week! 

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Top-Tier Picks For NFL Wild Card Weekend

Saquon Barkley, RB Philadelphia Eagles - DraftKings: $8,500 | FanDuel: $9,600 

I don’t really have to sell you on using Barkley this week against the Green Bay Packers, do I? 

He’s coming off the best regular season of his career and despite the Eagles’ continued use of the “tush push” he still managed to rush for 13 TDs in 16 games. In Week 1 against the Packers he scored three TDs, two on the ground and one through the air, and averaged 4.54 YPC. 

Derrick Henry, RB Baltimore Ravens - DraftKings: $8,200 | FanDuel: $9,800 

All of that money that Henry is said to invest on his body maintenance, (some say it’s around $250,000) paid off. Henry was tied for the league lead with 16 rushing TDs and despite being an “old” RB, (he’s 31 years old) he finished the season strong. 

He averaged 149 rushing yards per game in his last three matchups. Henry faces the Pittsburgh Steelers this weekend and in two games against them this season he’s averaged 6.14 YPC. Henry rushed for 162 yards against them in Week 16. 

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Mid-Tier Picks For NFL Wild Card Weekend

Kyren Williams, RB Los Angeles Rams - DraftKings: $7,400 | FanDuel: $8,600 

Williams takes on the Minnesota Vikings who overall have been very good at stopping the run, however NFL DFS RBs have had good success against them lately. Over their last five games the Vikings have given up the sixth most rushing yards (561) and eight total TDs (7 on the ground and one through the air) to NFL DFS RBs. 

Williams has averaged 4.50 YPC and scored six rushing TDs in his last eight games and in his first game against the Vikings in Week 8, he rushed for 97 yards and had five receptions including a receiving TD.

Josh Jacobs, RB Green Bay Packers - DraftKings: $7,700 | FanDuel: $7,800 

Jacobs’ NFL Wild Card Weekend opponent, the Philadelphia Eagles, have been tough against the run this season. However, in Week 1 Jacobs rushed for 84 yards against them and averaged 5.25 YPC. 

Jacobs has been a TD scoring machine this season, rushing for the second most TDs (15) among NFL DFS RBs this season. Twelve of those have come in his last eight games. It should also be noted that he has scored at least one TD in each of those last eight games. 

Only two teams (the Eagles and the Ravens) ran the ball more than the Packers this regular season and no matter how difficult it might be, if the Packers are going to have a chance to win this weekend, Jacobs will need to continue to be a focal part of their offense.

 

 

 

NFL DFS RB Value Pick For NFL Wild Card Weekend

James Cook, RB Buffalo Bills - DraftKings: $6,700 | FanDuel: $8,000  

At first glance I was going to avoid recommending Cook as an NFL DFS RB option this weekend. However, taking a closer look at his 2024 regular season I changed my mind. On the surface he has a tough matchup against the Denver Broncos, who have given up the fourth fewest rushing yards (1329) to NFL DFS RBs this season. 

However, over their last four games the Broncos have been a bit more accommodating to NFL DFS RBs, having given up 4.22 YPC and three total TDs during that time frame. Cook has held his own against some of the NFL’s best run defenses this season. He ran for 105 yards (7.50 YPC) and scored two TDs against the Detroit Lions in Week 15 and Cook scored two TDs against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 11. 

Cook was tied for the NFL lead with 16 rushing TDs despite playing on the same offense with rushing TD vulture QB Josh Allen. Cook ended the season with a four game TD scoring streak that should stretch into the postseason.

 

 

 

NFL Wild Card Weekend RB Fades Of The Week 

Washington Commanders RB Brian Robinson Jr. just hasn’t been the same since he returned to action after sitting out in Weeks 9 and 10 due to a hamstring injury. Before Week 9 he averaged 4.56 YPC, and he scored six rushing TDs in seven games. 

From Week 11 on Robinson Jr. only averaged 3.93 YPC and he had just two rushing TDs in seven games. Robinson Jr. has a tough matchup against a very good Tampa Bay Buccaneers run defense. 

I’m also avoiding Pittsburgh Steelers RBs against a stout Baltimore Ravens run defense that has allowed the fewest rushing yards (1085) to NFL DFS RBs this season. 

Jaylen Warren and Najee Harris have basically been splitting carries out of the Steelers’ backfield over the last several weeks. For that reason, and because of their bad matchup, I can’t recommend either Steelers NFL DFS RB.

Unfortunately, the Denver Broncos don’t have a lead NFL DFS RB and split their carries between Audric Estime and Javonte Williams. I can’t trust either one of them. 

Although the Los Angeles Chargers love to run the ball, J.K. Dobbins’ availability (ankle) for Saturday’s game against the Houston Texans is still up in the air as this article is being written. 

I don’t love the Chargers’ matchup against the Houston Texans, but if Dobbins is out, Gus Edwards might be a cheap, risky, but sneaky play.

Houston Texans RB Joe Mixon won’t be in any of my NFL DFS lineups this week. He has only 40 carries in his last four games and is averaging just 3.23 YPC during that time span.

I’m also wary about putting Minnesota Vikings NFL DFS RB Aaron Jones in my NFL DFS lineups this week. He’s been limited in practice this week due to a quadriceps injury. 

 

 

 

NFL Wild Card Weekend RB Play of the Week 

Bucky Irving, RB Tampa Bay Buccaneers - DraftKings: $7,000 | FanDuel: $7,600 

Irving is a great moderately priced NFL DFS RB to add to your NFL Wild Card Weekend DFS Lineups. He finished the season strong, averaging 17.5 carries per game, 5.53 YPC, and close to three catches per game over the last four weeks of the season. 

He takes on the Washington Commanders this weekend and even though Irving had only nine carries and played just 31% of the Bucs’ offensive snaps when he first met them in Week 1, he averaged 6.89 YPC and also added two receptions for 14 yards. 

For the season, the Commanders have given up the fourth most rushing yards (1935) and they were tied for giving up the second most rushing TDs (16) to NFL DFS RBs.

 

 

 

NFL DFS Wild Card Weekend RB Projections