This article is part of our Yahoo DFS Football series.
The NFL playoffs continue with a three-game Sunday slate on Wild Card Weekend. The action kicks off with Broncos-Bills at 1:00 p.m. EST, followed by Packers-Eagles at 4:30 and Commanders-Buccaneers at 8:00. Yahoo will continue to run NFL DFS contests throughout the postseason, and Sunday's biggest contest is the $75K Sunday Baller, which pays out a guaranteed prize pool of $75,000 to the top 1,175 finishers, including $15,000 to the winner. You can submit up to 133 entries into this contest, which has a maximum total capacity of 4,450 entries but will still run if it doesn't fill, potentially providing you with enhanced odds of winning, also known as overlay.
Playing in guaranteed prize pool (GPP) contests is about chasing upside, while lineups geared toward head-to-head, 50/50 or double-up formats should prioritize high floors. The players you want to target for these different contest types aren't mutually exclusive, but winning a GPP tournament usually requires finding a hidden gem or going against the grain in a spot or two, while building a solid base of the same chalk plays you would use anywhere. Against-the-grain plays typically consist of big-name players in tough matchups or boom-or-bust types with uncertain roles.
Keep in mind that Yahoo DFS contests use 0.5 PPR scoring rather than full PPR, which lowers the comparative value of wide receivers and running backs (in that order) while especially affecting high-volume pass-catchers. Your NFL Sunday Baller lineup will consist of one QB, two RBs, three WRs, one TE, one FLEX (RB/WR/TE) and one D/ST unit. Sunday's suggested plays include a trio of rookies looking to build on impressive debut seasons, as well as buy-low opportunities at WR and TE.
QUARTERBACK
Jayden Daniels, WAS at TB ($35): Daniels demonstrated dazzling playmaking ability with both his arm and his legs in his rookie season. The second overall pick out of LSU produced a 25:9 TD:INT through the air and set a rookie QB record with 891 rushing yards. In the game with the highest over/under of Wild Card Weekend (50.5 points), Daniels will look to put Washington's offense on his back against a Buccaneers defense that allowed the third-most passing yards and third-most rushing TDs to QBs (six) in the regular season, but the fourth-fewest rushing yards to RBs.
Honorable Mentions:
Josh Allen, BUF vs. DEN ($38); Baker Mayfield, TB vs. WAS ($32); Jordan Love, GB at PHI ($21)
RUNNING BACK
Bucky Irving, TB vs. WAS ($32): Irving was efficient throughout his rookie season to lead this impressive rookie class with 1,514 scrimmage yards, but he was especially productive after being entrusted with the lead role in the second half of the season. Over the last eight games, Irving racked up 921 scrimmage yards and five TDs on 5.7 yards per carry, despite having an 18-yard outing in which he got hurt early during that stretch. Clearly ahead of Rachaad White in the pecking order at this point, Irving's poised to keep rolling against a Commanders defense that allowed the fourth-most rushing yards and fifth-most rushing TDs (18) to RBs in the regular season.
James Cook, BUF vs. DEN ($30): Cook will likely benefit from a favorable game script for the Bills, who are Sunday's biggest favorites (-8.5). Buffalo should run plenty if playing from ahead, and building that lead could involve utilizing Cook in the passing game against a Broncos defense that allowed 641 receiving yards to RBs (ninth-most) and tied for the second-most receiving TDs surrendered to the position with six. Cook came into this season with more receiving TDs (five) than rushing scores (four) in his career before tying for the league lead with 16 rushing TDs in 2024 while surpassing 1,000 yards on the ground for a second consecutive campaign.
Honorable Mentions:
Saquon Barkley, PHI vs. GB ($40); Josh Jacobs, GB at PHI ($28); Jaleel McLaughlin, DEN at BUF ($17)
WIDE RECEIVER
Terry McLaurin, WAS at TB ($33): McLaurin has been Daniels' favorite target all season, and the standout wideout makes for a strong play regardless of whether you stack him with Washington's rookie QB. Only Ja'Marr Chase caught more touchdown passes than McLaurin (13) this season, while the Buccaneers were among the 10 most generous defenses when it came to both yards and TDs given up to WRs. Tampa Bay's secondary is also badly banged up heading into the postseason.
Jalen McMillan, TB vs. WAS ($27): Irving isn't the only rookie who excelled down the stretch for Tampa Bay, as McMillan closed out the season on a five-game TD streak that featured seven scores. Valued at $10 less than Mike Evans, McMillan's easier to fit into lineups than his star teammate and provides similar scoring upside against a Commanders defense that allowed four TDs through the air when these teams met back in Week 1 -- including McMillan's only TD prior to this recent binge.
Jayden Reed, GB at PHI ($15): Reed's a low-risk, high-reward option for a Packers offense that will likely rely on his big-play ability in the absence of Christian Watson (knee). Despite a tough stretch run, Reed still has 17 total TDs through two seasons, two of which came in a 171-yard performance against the Eagles back in Week 1. Both teams have run-heavy offenses, and Reed can chip in there, too, as he led all NFL WRs with 163 rushing yards this season.
Honorable Mentions:
A.J. Brown, PHI vs. GB ($35); Courtland Sutton, DEN at BUF ($30); Amari Cooper, BUF vs. DEN ($17)
TIGHT END
Dallas Goedert, PHI vs. GB ($14): Goedert has performed well when available this season, making him a nice value against a Packers defense that gave up 970 receiving yards to TEs -- eighth-most in the NFL. The veteran TE dressed for only 10 games, and if you take out Week 6, when he played only three snaps, Goedert averaged 55.1 yards per game in the other nine. Only George Kittle, Trey McBride and Brock Bowers topped that average among all NFL TEs this season.
Honorable Mentions:
Zach Ertz, WAS at TB ($20); Tucker Kraft, GB at PHI ($16); Dalton Kincaid, BUF vs. DEN ($13)
DEFENSE
Philadelphia Eagles vs. GB ($16): Philadelphia allowed the second-fewest points per game (17.8) and fewest passing yards per game (174.2) this season, so the Packers will likely struggle to move the ball through the air, especially if Jordan Love's elbow isn't fully healthy. Love reached 250 passing yards only once in his last seven starts and has thrown just 10 touchdowns in his last 10. Josh Jacobs was hot to close out the season, but if the Packers fall behind and are forced to pass, Philadelphia's talented, young secondary will be tough to penetrate.
Honorable Mentions:
Buffalo Bills vs. DEN ($17); Denver Broncos at BUF ($14); Green Bay Packers at PHI ($13)
