Vanek's Views: DraftKings NFL DFS Tips for Wild Card Weekend WRs
Using his experience as a former scout and staff member at Central Florida under Josh Heupel, Jordan Vanek takes an in-depth look at the upcoming NFL DFS main slate on DraftKings. Formerly of The 33rd Team and 4for4 Fantasy Football, Jordan will do a deep dive into the best ways to attack the wide receiver position to help you climb the leaderboards.
Wild Card Weekend is here, and keeping track with our NFL DFS optimizer, LineupHQ, will be crucial for ownership updates. We have a lot of injury news to pay attention to, and we will need the low-owned plays to take down smaller slates.
Playoff football is the best time for me because the recent trends for teams matter a lot more than the early season success. For example, I liked a lot of what I saw from the Texans in their only drive last week to find some rhythm offensively, and I think it carries into the playoffs against a young Chargers secondary.
Now let’s get into my views on the Saturday and Sunday slates!
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Vanek’s Views: DraftKings NFL DFS Tips for Wild Card Weekend WRs
Saturday Stack
CJ Stroud ($5,500, QB, Houston Texans)
Nico Collins ($7,800, WR, Houston Texans)
Dalton Schultz ($3,600, TE, Houston Texans)
Ladd McConkey ($6,800, WR, Los Angeles Chargers)
The season has been rough for Stroud, but at this price point, I’m willing to invest in him for the two-game Saturday slate. Stroud found his rhythm last week during the opening drive, completing 6 of 6 passes for 50 yards and a touchdown to Nico Collins. He’s being projected as the quarterback with the third-highest ownership, but I disagree with this ranking and believe he has the potential for a breakout game, especially playing at home in a dome.
Nico Collins will need to be the catalyst for this performance, with Dalton Schultz playing a critical role in extending drives and contributing near the red zone. While many are counting the Texans out, I’m optimistic about the talent this team has on offense. A turning point feels likely, and I expect it to come in this game.
The Texans are among the worst teams in the NFL at defending slant routes from the slot, and Ladd McConkey ranks second in the league this year in yards gained on such routes. McConkey’s skill set makes him difficult to defend, and given his strong connection with Justin Herbert, I anticipate another standout performance in this game.
Sunday Stack
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About the Author
Jordan Vanek has been playing DFS since 2016. He attended the University of Central Florida, where he joined the football staff as a player personnel intern and participated in the recruitment of Dillon Gabriel and Ryan O’Keefe. Formerly of The 33rd Team and 4for4 Fantasy Football, Jordan joined the RotoGrinders team in 2024 and will be providing College Football and NFL DFS content for Premium subscribers. Follow Jordan on Twitter – @JordanVanekDFS