The massive popularity of small DFS slates has propelled us to expand our DFS coverage. Today, I offer you a holiday present as a bonus money-making opportunity for the Christmas Day slate. So, let’s ho, ho, go, and unwrap all the loot under the tree.
Recommended Christmas Day DFS lineups
DK Lineup: QB Lamar Jackson ($8.0k), RB Derrick Henry ($8.2k), RB Kareem Hunt ($5.2k), WR Nico Collins ($8.3k), WR Rashod Bateman ($4.8k), WR Marquise Brown ($4.5k), TE Mark Andrews ($4.3k), FLEX Pat Freiermuth ($3.9k), DST Pittsburgh Steelers ($2.8k)
FD Lineup: QB Lamar Jackson ($8.6k), RB Derrick Henry ($9.2k), RB Isiah Pacheco ($5.9k), WR Nico Collins ($9.1k), WR Rashod Bateman ($6.2k) WR DeAndre Hopkins ($6.1k), TE Pat Freiermuth ($5.3k), FLEX Dalton Schultz ($5.5k), DST Pittsburgh Steelers ($4.0k)
FB Lineup: QB Lamar Jackson ($7.8k), RB Derrick Henry ($7.7k), RB Kareem Hunt ($5.3k), WR Nico Collins ($7.3k), WR Zay Flowers ($6.2k), WR/TE Marquise Brown ($4.3k), TE Mark Andrews ($4.4k), FLEX Travis Kelce ($5.4k), SUPERFLEX Patrick Mahomes ($6.6k)
Lamar Jackson is expensive, but deservingly so. He is the safest play on the slate. C.J. Stroud has arguably the best matchup, but he also will be without two of his three starting WRs from earlier this season. Stroud and Patrick Mahomes will be the pivot options. We can ignore Russell Wilson, the cheapest QB on the slate, unless George Pickens (hamstring) returns.
Choosing not to play Derrick Henry is certainly a decision. On a weak RB board, it’s a decision that was probably influenced by drinking some expired egg nog. If you fade Henry, Joe Mixon would be the pivot. Financially, rostering both of them is next to impossible, unless you get gross at WR. RB2 should be one of the Kansas City Chiefs. After last week, Kareem Hunt seems the safer option, but Isiah Pacheco is a fine choice as well. Their prices are virtually interchangeable. Jaylen Warren outproduced Najee Harris last week. That performance came against a stout run defense, which led to featuring Warren more in the passing game. KC also is tough against the run, suggesting Warren may outproduce Harris once again if you choose to use one of them at flex or RB2. A concussion knocked Justice Hill (concussion) out of last week’s game. Clearing the protocol in a short week seems impossible. This suggests that Rasheen Ali and Keaton Mitchell may see some play. Mitchell has been a healthy scratch the last three weeks, but he looked electric when presented with an opportunity last season. Either of them, Samaje Perine, or Cordarrelle Patterson could be punt options.
Saint Nico Collins should bring the presents as your WR1. There isn’t a pivot. He should have 100% ownership. WR2 will be a choice between Zay Flowers (shoulder), George Pickens (hamstring), and the three Chiefs (Marquise Brown, Xavier Worthy, and DeAndre Hopkins). If Flowers is a no-go, Rashod Bateman also can be a consideration. At WR3, I’m going to play one of the remaining Chiefs, Calvin Austin, or Robert Woods. The punt options include: Nelson Agholor (concussion), Tylan Wallace, Van Jefferson, John Metchie (shoulder), JuJu Smith-Schuster, Ben Skowronek (hip), Mike Williams, and Xavier Hutchinson. None of them are very appealing.
We have two stud TEs, Mark Andrews and Travis Kelce. We also have two solid TEs facing crappy TE defenses: Pat Freiermuth and Dalton Schultz. With the shortage of depth talent to choose from on this slate, I will probably choose one of these four as my flex. Noah Gray and Isaiah Likely should see enough volume to consider as punt plays.