Studs and Duds: Divisional Round

Mon Jan 23 8:14am ET
By JEFF PAUR
Sr Fantasy Writer

Related photo caption below

Kelce comes up huge for Chiefs


The games were good this past weekend, but not quite as entertaining as the previous week. Some of the games just weren’t very close. Just two of the games were one-score games and both those games were seven-point wins. And there were some big games this year, but not a lot of huge performances. The games were a little more defensive minded, leading to lower fantasy scores. Here is to hoping you had those players that scored big this week. 

Chiefs 27, Jaguars 20

Fantasy Stud: Travis Kelce. Kelce had an absolutely monster performance. He had 14 receptions for 98 yards and two touchdowns. He was leaned on early and often throughout the game. This could be a theme for the entire playoffs for the Chiefs passing game, leaning on their best player in the passing game as much as possible. Kelce scored a season-high 35.8 fantasy points in the game. He had season highs in receptions and targets (17). 

Fantasy Dud: JuJu Smith-Schuster. Smith-Schuster did not get much work, catching two passes for 29 yards. He had fewer touches than fellow receiver Kadarius Toney. Smith-Schuster hasn’t been very good down the stretch, though. He has fewer than 40 yards four straight games and six of eight. He hasn’t been the same playing since returning from injury in Week 12. 

Game Notes: The big news in this game is Patrick Mahomes suffered an ankle injury. He left the game for a few series but was able to return. He clearly wasn’t 100 percent, though. He finished the game 22-of-30 for 195 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. 

Isiah Pacheco had a great showing in his first playoff game, topping 100 total yards. He ran 12 times for 95 yards, averaging an impressive 7.9 yards per carry. He also had on reception for six yards, giving him 101 total yards. 

Eagles 38, Giants 7

Fantasy Stud: Jalen Hurts. Hurts looked a lot healthier this week and it showed in his play. He was 16-of-24 for 154 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He also ran nine times for 34 yards and a touchdown, giving him three total scores. Hurts had 25.1 fantasy points, producing good numbers for all his fantasy owners. Hurts might not be 100 percent recovered from his shoulder injury, but he looked a lot closer in this one. 

Fantasy Dud: Daniel Jones. The Eagles did a great job of holding a red-hot Daniel Jones in check. He failed to score a touchdown. He was 15-of-27 for 135 yards with an interception. And he ran six times for just 24 yards. He had 25-plus fantasy points three straight games before this one. He scored just 8.2 fantasy points, his worst number for the entire season. 

Game Notes: The Eagles ground game dominated with Kenneth Gainwell and Miles Sanders producing big. Gainwell didn’t start, but had 12 carries for 112 yards and a touchdown. Sanders had 17 carries for 90 yards. 

Richie James led the way at receiver for the Giants. He had seven receptions for 51 yards.  James had at least seven catches four of his last six games. 

Bengals 27, Bills 10

Fantasy Stud: Joe Mixon. Mixon was leaned on often in this game and produced big with his chances. He ran 20 times for 105 yards and a touchdown. He also caught two passes for 18 yards. Mixon was really quiet in the Bengals playoff opener, so it was good to see hi get it going again. It was his first 100-yard rushing game since Week 9 of the regular season. 

Fantasy Dud: Josh Allen. Allen picked a bad time to have one of his worst showings of the season. He failed to score a passing touchdown. He was 25-of-42 for 265 yards with an interception. He led the Bills in rushing, but managed just 26 yards on eight carries. He did find the end zone on the ground, which was a positive for his fantasy production. Allen had a great year and will be on of the first three quarterbacks off the board in next year’s fantasy drafts. 

Game Notes: Joe Burrow played a strong game in tough, snowy conditions. He was 23-of-36 for 242 yards and two touchdowns without a turnover. He also ran six times for 31 yards. 

Stefon Diggs had a down showing for his standards. He had just four catches for 35 yards. It was just his fourth game all season with fewer than 50-receiving yards. 

49ers 19, Cowboys 12

Fantasy Stud: CeeDee Lamb. Lamb didn’t score but was huge in this game. He had 10 receptions for 117 yards. He also ran twice for six yards, giving him 123 total yards. This was his fourth game this season with double-digit receptions. Lamb had a huge season as the top receiver in the Cowboys offense and seems poised for huge things going forward in that role. 

Fantasy Dud: Deebo Samuel. Samuel got his touches but couldn’t break a big play. He had four catches for 45 yards and ran four times for 11 yards. The Cowboys did a great job of containing the top playmaker. Samuel was held to fewer than double-digit fantasy points after having 28.5 his previous playoff game. 

Game Notes: Tony Pollard suffered a fractured left fibula during the game. He had six carries for 22 yards before the injury. Ezekiel Elliott got most of the work the rest of the way and ran 10 times for 26 yards.

Christian McCaffrey was slowed by a calf injury and had four fewer carries than Elijah Mitchell. McCaffrey still produced pretty well when on the field. He ran 10 times for 35 yards and a touchdown. He also caught six passes for 22 yards. 

Jeff Paur is a two-time finalist for FSWA Fantasy Football Writer of the Year and won the FSWA award for Best Fantasy Football Article on the Web in 2011. He also was the most accurate expert in 2012, winning the FSTA Fantasy Football Accuracy Award. If you have any questions for Jeff, email him at jeff@rtsports.com. Follow Jeff on Twitter @jeffpaur.

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Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Chris Godwin is reportedly feeling his explosiveness coming back. The speedy wideout tore his ACL in 2021, but still ended up playing in 14 games last season. Godwin mentioned that he feels completely different during his second offseason post-surgery. Fantasy managers still received 104 receptions, 1,023 yards, and three touchdowns from Godwin last season. He looked the same on the field, but his 9.8 yards per reception was the worst of his career. Also, the three touchdowns were his lowest since his rookie campaign. The Bucs are hopeful to see more from Godwin next season, but that also depends on the reliability of the quarterback under center.

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Michael Gallup May 28 8:40pm ET
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Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Michael Gallup is reportedly feeling good again at recently team workouts. The 27-year-old is now 18 months removed from a torn ACL that he suffered in the later part of the 2021 season. Gallup was healthy for a majority of last season, but didn't contribute as much as many thought he would. He finished with 39 receptions, 424 yards, and three touchdowns in 14 games. It sounds like Gallup is feeling better now and could be in for a bounce back campaign. However, he'll have to compete with Brandin Cooks and CeeDee Lamb for targets in Dallas. The expectation is that Gallup will be the starting slot receiver to begin the season. He could have some late-round value, assuming he's truly back to full health.

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Tracy Walker May 28 8:40pm ET
Tracy Walker

Detroit Lions safety Tracy Walker (Achilles) is expected to return in full for training camp. The 28-year-old tore his Achilles in Week 3 and missed the rest of the season because of it. He has been able to participate on a limited basis during recent OTAs. It sounds like the team is going to ease Walker back into things coming off a serious injury. His return to the field would be a huge boost to the Lions defense. Walker is a former third round pick who has two 100-tackle seasons under his belt. The Lions could have a scary secondary with C.J. Gardner-Johnson and Walker back there.

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Travis Etienne May 28 8:30pm ET
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Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. took 74 percent of the snaps in the backfield last season. It sounds like the Jaguars would like to reduce that amount next season, according to ESPN's Michael DiRocco. Recently, head coach Doug Pederson praised the depth this team has at running back. They've added D'Ernest Johnson and Tank Bigsby to their backfield to play alongside Etienne. The expectation is that both of those players are going to have a role as the backups to Etienne. It remains to be seen how the Jaguars decide to split up the snaps. The organization believes that having a committee at running back will help keep everyone fresh and healthy. Fantasy managers don't need to panic, but Ethienne's value could be taking a hit, assuming the Jaguars do go with a three-back committee next season.

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Quinnen Williams May 28 1:20pm ET
Quinnen Williams

According to Brian Costello and Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post, there's "still confidence" the Jets and defensive lineman Quinnen Williams will get a deal done, possibly by "mid-June." The 25-year-old is coming off a fantastic season, totaling 55 tackles and two forced fumbles. He also had a career-high 12 sacks and made the Pro Bowl. Williams is expected to command well over $20 million per season in a new contract. But with the Jets looking to make a deep postseason run, keeping him happy may be in the team's best interest.

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Jimmy Garoppolo May 28 1:00pm ET
Jimmy Garoppolo

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DeAndre Hopkins May 27 10:00pm ET
DeAndre Hopkins

According to Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, only the Bills and Cardinals had "substantive" talks with the Cardinals about trading for DeAndre Hopkins. Of course, nobody made a move, and Arizona released him on Friday. Since the multi-time Pro Bowler became a free agent, several teams have emerged as potential suitors. However, other clubs like the Browns appear uninterested, meaning a reunion between Hopkins and Deshaun Watson probably won't happen. The Chiefs have since expressed their faith in Kadarius Toney to become the top wideout on the depth chart, while the Bills may not have the cash to make a move, considering Hopkins could command more than the $15 million Odell Beckham Jr. received from Baltimore. Nonetheless, there will be plenty of updates and speculation moving forward. But it will be hard to tell how Hopkins will look from a fantasy standpoint until he officially inks a new deal

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Travis Etienne May 27 9:40pm ET
Travis Etienne

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. entered training camp last offseason working his way back from a foot injury that cost him his rookie year. However, the 24-year-old is healthy this offseason, so he's focused on "fine-tuning" his skills. "Last year was more about getting healthy and getting back," said Etienne during OTAs. "This year, I didn't have to worry about my foot. It's great. So I'm able to work on football, all football." Although Etienne got off to a slow start in 2022-23, he still finished with 1,125 yards and five rushing touchdowns off 220 carries. He also caught 35 passes for 316 yards. Nonetheless, the former Clemson Tiger is the top option on the depth chart, so he may easily surpass his ADP projections this season.

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Budda Baker May 27 9:30pm ET
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Joe Burrow May 27 2:30pm ET
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2023 is the last year that the Cincinnati Bengals will have quarterback Joe Burrow on the cheap via his rookie deal. While it does seem inevitable a deal will get done between the two sides, how big will it be? Per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk, Burrow should agree to a percentage of the salary each year to compensate for it going up. Nonetheless, the contract extension talks shouldn't impact Burrow's fantasy outlook for 2023. Even without a ton of rushing upside, Burrow should still be viewed as a Top 5-7 quarterback for fantasy in 2023. The Bengals ran 11 personnel at an 82% rate in 2022, good for the second-highest in the NFL. With Joe Mixon, Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and some improvements on the offensive line, it's hard not to see the Bengals' offense as a potent foe for 2023. In the two seasons combined Burrow has averaged 4500+ passing yards and 34+ TD passes per year.

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Bradlee Anae May 27 11:50am ET
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Chris Moore May 27 11:40am ET
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Dre Greenlaw May 27 11:40am ET
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Gary Brightwell May 27 11:30am ET
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Marquise Brown May 27 11:20am ET
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Mike McCarthy May 27 11:20am ET
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Dallas Cowboys offensive tackle Terence Steele (knee), who tore his ACL and MCL in his left knee in Week 14 of last season against the Houston Texans, was limited during organized team activities this week. The fourth-year offensive lineman has started 40 games in the last three seasons and is a valuable member of the team's O-line when he's healthy. "Terence isn't quite ready for some of that," head coach Mike McCarthy said. "We'll try to interject these guys the best we can." As long as the 25-year-old doesn't suffer any setbacks once training camp begins later this summer, he will open the 2023 regular season as Dallas' starting right tackle.

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Anthony Richardson May 27 11:13am ET
Anthony Richardson

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Elijah Moore May 27 11:10am ET
Elijah Moore

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Jordan Akins May 27 11:10am ET
Jordan Akins

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DeAndre Hopkins May 27 9:13am ET
DeAndre Hopkins

Dynasty | The Bills possess the best odds (+300) to sign DeAndre Hopkins according to DraftKings Dynasty Analysis: The next teams are the Chiefs (+400), Ravens (+650), and Jets (+750). Absent from the top four are the Patriots who were said to be in the mix when it became apparent the Cardinals were wanting to move on. The release of Hopkins clearly pegs the Cardinals as a team tanking for Caleb as they are absorbing the full cap hit ($22M) rather than waiting until after June 1 and halving the charge. Be the best or be the worst, don't be mediocre. The Cardinals are clearly choosing to clear the slate, removing those impact players that could potentially win games in hopes of securing a better draft position in 2024. As for Hopkins, look for the aging star to sign with a top contender, either Buffalo or Kansas City, neither of which are swimming in available cap room. Soon to be 31, Hopkins' decision could drag out as teams wrestle with contract terms and player restructuring to free cap room. He's found as DLF's WR41 and could have upside in 2023.

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