Divisional DFS Start/Sit: Play your Cards right

Here's a few DFS plays to cash in on this divisional playoff week, in addition to a few premium-priced players to avoid. And be sure to check back in on the key injuries (Rob Gronkowski, Jeremy Maclin, Marshawn Lynch, et al) all the way up to kickoff, as those players' participation (or not) this weekend could certainly have a significant impact on the DFS lineup you choose.

STARTS

QB - Russell Wilson, Sea at Car ($33 in DFS) - The weather is expected to be about 50 degrees warmer at game time this Sunday than it was for Wilson last week, which should make for much more accommodating conditions in the passing game. And Wilson is facing a Panthers squad that has lost two of its top three corners (Charles Tillman, Bene Benwikere) in the past few weeks. Wilson has a good shot at something in the neighborhood of 250-plus passing yards, 30-plus rushing yards and a couple TD tosses this weekend, which would be a very solid return on the investment.

[Yahoo Daily Fantasy: $10 could win you $20K in our $175K divisional-round contest]

 RB - David Johnson, Ari vs GB ($34) - Given the sorry state of the RB position in DFS this week, it makes sense to pony up for Johnson, easily the most bankable commodity at RB. Johnson tagged Green Bay for 127 yards from scrimmage (including 88 receiving yards) and a TD  in Week 16. And, save for a meaningless contest against Seattle in Week 17, no team has been able to hold Johnson down since he took over the lead role in the Arizona backfield.

 RB - C.J. Anderson, Den vs. Pit  ($17) - When healthy, Anderson has looked awfully good this season. And, with the observed first-round bye, there shouldn't be any health concerns this week. Anderson does have a tough draw against a stout Pittsburgh run defense, but Denver, with Peyton Manning behind center, is going to do everything it can to establish a run game so that it won't have to rely heavily on Manning's shaky arm to pull out victory. In his past nine games, Anderson is averaging a league-high 6.4 yards per carry. He gives the Broncos their best chance to get something going on the ground consistently, and I expect his workload to reflect that.

 WR - Michael Floyd, Ari vs GB ($21) -  Floyd, who went for 111 yards against the Packers a few weeks back, is the top-rated receiver in our DFS rankings this week. Yet you can have him in our DFS game as the ninth-highest priced wideout. Jump on that bargain.

WR - Tyler Lockett, Sea at Car ($17) - The loss of two of Carolina's top three corners (see Wilson above) should work to the benefit of the rookie Lockett, assuming Doug Baldwin sees a healthy amount of Josh Norman. And I think that's a fair assumption to make.

 TE - Owen Daniels, Den vs. Pit ($11) - Daniels scored all of his three touchdowns and posted his only 100-yard game this season with Peyton Manning under center. So with the elderly QB back as the starter for the Broncos this week, I like Daniels' upside (given the price) against a Pittsburgh defense that allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to the TE position during the regular season.

SITS

QB - Tom Brady, NE vs KC  ($36) - I'd much rather pay less for Carson Palmer, Cam Newton or Russell Wilson than spend top dollar on Brady this week. Yes, he'll get Julian Edelman back, but Rob Gronkowski currently looks iffy with a sore knee. If Gronk is limited in any way, that's going to be problematic for Brady, going up against a KC defense that closed out the '15 regular season allowing the second-fewest fantasy points per game to the QB position in the 11 games from Week 6 through Week 17. KC has one of the best pass rushes in the league and New England has issues on the offensive front that could make life difficult for Brady this weekend.

RB - Charcandrick West, KC at NE ($16) - As stated last week, Spencer Ware is the RB you should be targeting if you are shopping in the Chiefs backfield - West has delivered disappointing returns in six of his past seven games. And I'm not really fond of any Kansas City running back this week given that New England has handled opposing running backs well this season, and KC is very likely to be without its top threat in the passing game (Jeremy Maclin - ankle) to help stretch that defense out.

RB - Marshawn Lynch, Sea at Car ($30) - Lynch texted that "he's ready" to return to action this weekend in Carolina, but you probably don't want to be all about his DFS action, boss. Beast-Mode doesn't have a strong history against Carolina, averaging less than 59 total yards and scoring just one touchdown in his past four meetings. Given that he's been out of action since Week 10, this isn't the best spot for him to hit the ground running.

WR - Martavis Bryant, Pit at Den ($24) -  Bryant has averaged a little over 11 yards per game in his past three contests, he faces the league's stingiest secondary and he's doing it without teammate Antonio Brown (concussion), and with QB Ben Roethlisberger dealing with a bum shoulder.

WR - Larry Fitzgerald, Ari vs GB ($29) -  No offense to Fitzgerald, but he is not the Cardinals receiver you are looking for this weekend, especially as he's seven more dollars than Michael Floyd and John Brown, both players that I'd prefer to Fitzgerald even if they were all priced evenly. Fitzgerald did score in his previous meeting with Green Bay, but added just 29 yards to that total. He's gone six straight games with a tally of 66 yards or less.

TE - Richard Rodgers, GB at Was ($17) - The price for Rodgers continues to be ridiculously inflated. The fourth-highest tight end on the DFS board this week is coming off a two-catch, 11-yard effort in Washington last week. And in his Week 16 matchup against an Arizona team that he'll face this weekend, he hauled in just one pass for two yards.