Which Players Should You Start in the Wild Card Round?
Jayden Daniels, QB, Washington Commanders (at TB)
The first round is simultaneously the easiest and the most difficult. We have plenty of options at every position, especially at quarterback. Plenty of managers will look to Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, or Jalen Hurts since they are the three best quarterbacks on the slate.
My pick, however, is Jayden Daniels.
The Washington Commanders/Tampa Bay Buccaneers game carries the highest total of the weekend at 50.5 points. When these teams last met, the Bucs won 37-20 — that’s 57 points scored.
Daniels finished his rookie season averaging 21.1 fantasy points per game and was the overall QB4. Meanwhile, Tampa Bay allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.
While this game could go either way, the Bucs are small home favorites and the more likely team to win. Hopefully, we get a big game out of Daniels in a losing effort, keeping Baker Mayfield on the board for future rounds.
Joe Mixon, RB, Houston Texans (vs. LAC)
The first running back pick of the week is the easiest.
There is some concern that Joe Mixon continues his late-season struggles against a Los Angeles Chargers defense allowing the third-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs, but he still averaged 18.2 fantasy points per game this season and was the overall RB6.
After playing just one drive in the regular-season finale, Mixon should be ready to go on Saturday. With next week no longer promised, he should see as much work as he can handle.
Mixon undoubtedly let managers down in the fantasy playoffs, but he also got us there. From Weeks 1-13, he scored at least 16.6 fantasy points in all but two games, one of which he left early due to injury (Week 2).
Despite being at home, the Houston Texans are underdogs. I also do think they will lose, which would make this the only time we get to use Mixon. If he duds, that obviously won’t be great, but hopefully, he can get us at least 15 points and not cost us any players we might want to use in future weeks.
Pro Football Network’s Who Should I Start Optimizer
The Pro Football Network Who Should I Play for Fantasy Football tool allows the user to input multiple players from their fantasy football roster to determine who the best players to start that weekend would be. By utilizing a start/sit optimizer, you can see how those players are valued by our experts based on their respective matchups.
Our team of fantasy experts have over 35 years of fantasy experience. We regularly review our projections and rankings to ensure they are up to date with the latest news from around the NFL, which can give you the edge you need in your fantasy football league.
Where Do the Start/Sit Fantasy Rankings Come From?
Pro Football Network’s start/sit fantasy football rankings are generated primarily from our consensus fantasy projections. These projections take into account projected pass/rush attempts, team-implied point totals from Vegas odds, opposing defensive difficulty, and much more.
All of these data points are compiled into one top-secret formula to generate the closest player projections possible to help make your lineup decisions easier with just a few clicks.
How To Use the Who Should I Start Fantasy Football Tool?
Whatever dilemma you are facing for your fantasy football lineup, our Who to Start Fantasy tool can help guide you to a decision. Simply select your scoring system, the number of players you need to start, and enter in your options. Then let our experts’ projections recommend who you should start each and every week.
Which Fantasy Formats Are Supported By the Who Should I Start Tool?
Our Who Should I Start tool supports scoring systems of non-PPR, half-PPR, and full PPR, as well as having the option to decide between four points or six points per passing touchdown.
How To Use the Fantasy Advice?
While we’re confident these projections are as accurate as they can possibly be, fantasy football isn’t an exact science. These projections are meant to be utilized as a guide versus a hard-and-fast rule, so the decision is still ultimately yours to make!
FAQs
How Many Players Can I Compare at Once?
Our PFN Start/Sit Optimizer gives you the ability to compare a total of six players to find out who the best player to plug into your starting lineup would be. Additionally, you can easily compare across all positions to find the best FLEX option for the upcoming week to help dominate your fantasy football matchup!
In A Flex Position, Should I Start a Wide Receiver or a Running Back?
Unsurprisingly, there is no objectively correct answer to this question of which position to play in the FLEX spot. The objectively correct answer is you should start your best players. Whether those end up being running backs or wide receivers depends on how you constructed your roster.
How Does the Who Should I Start Tool Calculate Its Recommendations?
Pro Football Network’s start/sit fantasy football rankings are generated primarily from our consensus fantasy projections. These projections take into account projected pass/rush attempts, team-implied point totals from Vegas odds, opposing defensive difficulty, and much more.
How Do I Determine Which Player to Start for My Lineup?
Whatever dilemma you are facing for your fantasy football lineup, our Who to Start Fantasy tool can help guide you to a decision. Simply select your scoring system, the number of players you need to start, and enter in your options. Then let our experts’ projections recommend who you should start each and every week.
While we’re confident these projections are as accurate as they can possibly be, fantasy football isn’t an exact science. These projections are meant to be utilized as a guide versus a hard-and-fast rule, so the decision is still ultimately yours to make!