Go against grain in final full-roster DFS week

Life is so much more fun when there are no obviously bad choices. Crab or lobster? Steak or sea bass? New Batman or old Batman? A nap on the couch or a nap on the recliner?

All great options. Sort of like this weekend’s conference championship DFS slate. Which game or team to stack?

Jets’ Tyler Conklin finding more of a rhythm with Aaron Rodgers

Ex-Colorado coach went to Saudi Arabia in attempt to secure NIL funds

The 49ers were the third-highest-scoring team in the league. The Ravens were fourth. The Lions fifth. Of the four remaining, only the Chiefs averaged fewer than 27 points per game. But they also happen to have this generation’s most accomplished quarterback, and they have looked sharp in both postseason games.

So which do you choose? And remember, this is the last full roster opportunity of the season — come Super Bowl week, the only options broadly available will be the single-game caption/showdown formats rather than a full roster. With that in mind, we want to go against the grain.

Of all four teams left, the most obvious one to fade is Detroit. The Lions face a 49ers defense that was stout against quarterbacks and running backs. Plus, they are on the road and outdoors, where they often don’t fare as well, particularly QB Jared Goff.

But here’s the thing: None of these facts are secret. Everyone interested know these things, too. And that could prompt most others to go a different direction. And if everyone else is turning away from Goff, we’ll turn toward him.

With Goff ($6,300 at DraftKings) in tow, we’ll add some receiving options, and we’re going to give him his two favorites: WR Amon-Ra St. Brown ($7,900) and tight end Sam LaPorta ($5,400), hoping LaPorta’s questionable tag scares off a few.

We think Christian’s McCaffrey’s $9,000 price tag limits his upside; plus he is facing a strong Lions run defense. All reasons to avoid him, so instead we’ll use him. Gus Edwards ($5,500) doesn’t catch passes, which caps his ceiling at DraftKings. We’ll go against the grain again and snap him up.

Go against grain in final full-roster DFS week — Christian McCaffrey has a high price tag in the NFC Championship game against the Lions. AP

Brandon Aiyuk is going to be hugely popular because of the Lions’ recent struggles defending top wideouts. Instead, we’ll pivot to super-cheap Jauan Jennings ($4,600). Ravens tight end Mark Andrews was activated, and that almost certainly will limit Isaiah Likely’s opportunities. But all he needs is a few catches and a score at his price point, so we’ll take him as our Flex for $4,300. Throw in Odell Beckham Jr. ($4,400) and that leaves us just enough to scoop up the cheapest defense/special teams, the Lions ($2,600).

If the Super Bowl is an end-of-game field goal to the fantasy season, this week is a final Hail Mary, the last chance to run a real play. We don’t need to go out with a bang. We’ll gladly settle on going out with a cha-ching!

Championship calls

Key picks you should consider for this weekend’s FanDuel and DraftKings contests:

Brock Purdy QB, 49ers, vs. Lions (FanDuel $7,700/DraftKings $6,400)

Look, Lamar Jackson and Patrick Mahomes are otherworldly talents, and it is hard to argue against using either. But Purdy does have the week’s best matchup, and he has outscored Mahomes over the course of this season.

David Montgomery RB, Lions, at 49ers (FD $6,000/DK $5,600)

We suspect most DFS entries will opt for Jahmyr Gibbs in the battle of Motown RBs this week. Plus, Montgomery is significantly cheaper than Gibbs at both sites.

Betting on the NFL?

Clyde Edwards-Helaire RB, Chiefs, at Ravens (FD $4,600/DK $4,500)

Isiah Pacheco is expected to play, but dealing with a sore toe can be tricky. CEH is cheap option who could spell Pacheco more often and stands to inherit a healthy workload if Pacheco suffers a setback.

Brandon Aiyuk WR, 49ers, vs. Lions (FD $7,800/DK $6,900)

The Lions haven’t held an opposing WR1 below 141 yards since Week 5 vs. the Broncos. That’s great for Aiyuk. Every other DFS player knows this, and that is bad for Aiyuk’s usage rate. However, with Deebo Samuel coming off the injury report, that negates some of those usage worries.

Mark Andrews TE, Ravens, vs. Chiefs (FD $5,700/DK $5,000)

We’re normally shy abut players’ first game back after an extended absence. But Andrews and Jackson have history, and Andrews has been practicing for a couple of weeks now. Our worries of rust are minimal.