The 2025 NFL Playoffs are here, and Wild Card Saturday promises an electrifying start to the postseason. With two must-watch matchups on the slate, fans and DFS enthusiasts alike are in for a treat. First, the Los Angeles Chargers, led by Justin Herbert’s dynamic offense, face off against the Houston Texans, who’ve surged into the playoffs behind their young talent and resilient defense. Later, the AFC North rivals clash in a primetime showdown as the Pittsburgh Steelers take on the Baltimore Ravens in a battle of grit, strategy, and playoff-tested teams. With so much at stake, these games offer incredible opportunities for DFS players to craft winning lineups while enjoying the drama of playoff football.

 

 

 

NFL Weather: NFL DFS Wild Card Saturday DFS Impact

  • No major weather concerns for Saturday's games. It will be cold with some potential for wind but nothing impactful.

 

 

 

NFL DFS Wild Card Saturday Picks & Preview For DraftKings & FanDuel: Saturday 1/11

 

NFL DFS Wild Card Saturday: Quarterback Picks

 

Justin Herbert, Los Angeles Chargers

It's a two game slate but for me there is a clear choice at the QB position for our lineup builds and that begins with Chargers QB Justin Herbert. 

While we think of a Greg Roman offense as a run first scheme, we've seen Herbert now throw for at least 280 yards and two scores in three straight weeks heading into the playoffs, finishing with at least 23 fantasy points in each of those three games.

A road matchup against a decent Texans team awaits but with the impact rookie WR Ladd McConkey has made along with the sudden emergence of last year's first round pick Quentin Johnston, the Chargers passing attack could be poised to make some noise in a game that many expect to see them win as the road team in Round 1. 

Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Losing Zay Flowers is a big blow, no doubt, but the Ravens still have Mark Andrews and Rashod Bateman at the receiver position to make some plays in this matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers.

We also know that we look for Jackson to utilize his rushing upside for his fantasy production as well.

Yes, the first game against the Steelers he was held in check but the most recent matchup saw him throw for 207 yards and three touchdowns.

He's the most expensive QB on the slate this week.

 

 

 

NFL DFS Wild Card Saturday: Running Back Picks

 

Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens

We don't often consider this to be a good matchup for running backs but Henry has had success this year against the Steelers. In that first matchup he may have only rushed for 65 yards but he averaged 5.0 yards per carry.

In that second game however he list them up for 162 yards and a 6.8 yards per carry average.

With the playoffs here I'd be willing to bet the Ravens give Henry a heavy workload.

 

Joe Mixon, Houston Texans

The way to beat the Chargers this season has been to do so on the ground given their strong pass rush and secondary. Joe Mixon has enjoyed a good first season with Houston, rushing for 1,016 yards and 12 touchdowns while adding 36 catches for 309 yards and a score.  

The struggles of the Texans offense down the stretch has done him no favors of late but if Houston hopes to pull off the Wild Card home victory, they should look to establish Mixon early in this game.

 

Jaylen Warren / Najee Harris, Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers like to use both running backs in their offense and both have had success against the Ravens this season on the ground and through the air. My lean is always towards Jaylen Warren. He is the more dynamic running back and has a bigger role in the passing game. He also usually gets more of the ownership which makes Harris a nice contrarian play on a small slate.

 

J.K. Dobbins / Gus Edwards, Los Angeles Chargers

So, Dobbins is questionable to play this weekend while Gus Edwards is off of the injured list and without an injury designation. When both were healthy this season this backfield was still led by Dobbins but we could end up seeing a split backfield if Dobbins is not at 100% capacity. I don't love either play but my lean of the two would be Dobbins.

 

NFL DFS Wild Card Saturday: Wide Receiver Picks

 

Los Angeles Chargers WRs

The playoffs can often present tough matchups and the Houston Texans do have a solid defense overall so this may not be a walk in the park but when looking at this two game slate the Chargers have the highest upside wide receiver duo in Ladd McConkey and Quentin Johnston. We've seen Justin Herbert really sling the football around lately and that production has directly benefited his top receivers.

With the Chargers road favorites agaisnt the Texans, we figure to see these wide receivers making some plays.

 

Pittsburgh Steelers WRs

The Steelers may have the best matchup for wide receivers this Saturday as they take on the Baltimore Ravens weak secondary. George Pickens and Calvin Austin would be the two receivers to target but many were burned by Pickens last week against the Bengals and I'd have to wonder if that keeps his ownership low this weekend which may be a mistake as Pickens torched the Ravens in his lone matchup against them this season, catching eight of 12 passes for 89 yards.

Austin is a nice value play who had benefited from Pickens being out of the lineup but saw just one target last week against the Bengals in what was an overall poor showing by the Steelers offense.

Baltimore Ravens WRs

Losing Zay Flowers is a huge deal but that moves Rashod Bateman into the top receiver spot for the Ravens this weekend. Bateman has really had a good season for the Ravens, catching 45 passes for 756 yards and nine touchdowns. He's not the primary target in this offense but with Flowers going down last weekend he stepped up to catch five of eight targets for 76 yards and a score. There was always high hopes for Bateman but injuries really derailed his career over the last few seasons. This year he was able to stay healthy and really become that WR2 this offense needed.

After Bateman, your guess is as good as mine. We saw Tylan Wallace play 70% of the offensive snaps but he saw just one target. Early reports suggest Nelson Agholor will be activated after missing the past few games with a concussion and he is the favorite to replace Flowers in the starting lineup.

Houston Texans WRs

So, we know that Nico Collins is an elite receiver but he is going to have a hell of a day matched up against Asante Samuel Jr. That said, he is still the top option for the Texans that you will want to roster in DFS this weekend. After Collins? John Metchie would likely be the play but he is currently questionable. We could see Diontae Johnson take a step forward. He made his Texans debut last week, playing 22 snaps and catching two of four targets for 12 yards. Robert Woods is also a potential option but all three of the WR's not named Nico Collins have a 0 catch floor.

 

 

 

NFL DFS Wild Card Saturday: Tight End Picks

 

Mark Andrews / Isaiah Likely, Baltimore Ravens

Without Zay Flowers I honestly think we will see BOTH tight ends used heavily in this matchup against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Andrews has really come on as the trusty safety net for Lamar Jackson in recent weeks and has caught a touchdown pass in six straight weeks. Given the tight end options on this two game slate he is likely the highest rostered at the position. I'm not sleeping on Likely though, he caught three of five targets for 38 yards last week and usually plays 60-to-70% of the offensive snaps.

 

Will Dissly, Los Angeles Chargers

Dissly has been a solid addition to the Chargers this season, catching 50 passes for 481 yards and two touchdowns would have likely had a bigger season if not for missing some time late in the year.

The Greg Roman offense often leads to productive tight ends and Dissly should see a share of targets here in this matchup against Houston.

 

Pat Freiermuth, Pittsburgh Steelers

For all the struggles the Steelers WR's had last week we did see Freiermuth dominate, catching eight of 11 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown. 

He has not found a ton of success against the Ravens this season, totaling just five catches for 30 yards in the two games but if the Steelers are going to pull off this upset they will need everyone to step up their game.

 

 

 

NFL DFS Wild Card Saturday: D/ST Picks

 

Baltimore Ravens Defense

Yes, the Ravens pass defense has not been good this season but it's playoff football, its a divisional matchup against the Steelers and the Ravens haven't allowed more than 18 points to the Steelers in the two games that they have played this season and if the Steelers offense that took the field last week against the Bengals shows up this week against the Ravens, I'm not sure they crack 18 points this week either.

 

Los Angeles Chargers Defense

The Texans offense has really struggled and honestly, if they played in a better division they might not have ended up as a playoff team. The Chargers defense on the other hand is really good against the pass, has a strong pass rush and can turn the football over. They are also playing some of their best football right now and it's rare to see a road wild card team being a favorite against a home divisional winner but thats what we got here with the Chargers taking on the Texans this weekend.

 

 

 

NFL DFS Example Lineups: NFL DFS Wild Card Saturday

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