In FanDuel preparation for the NFL playoffs, I'm ranking all the viable options by fantasy intrigue.
Fantasy football advice, Wild Card weekend: FanDuel tight ends, kickers and defenses
Just because they aren’t the most important positions doesn’t mean you shouldn’t give them due thought.Click here to get a 100% deposit bonus on FanDuel
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That means we’re taking salaries into account. Getting the exact same production from two guys in FanDuel is all well and good, but if one has a price tag two-thirds that of the other, he’s giving you way more value than his more expensive counterpart.
At quarterback, running back and wide receiver, there are a lot of ways to go. At tight end, there are slightly fewer, but there are still ways to get creative. At kicker and defense, it gets lighter, but you still have to pick someone.
Below are my rankings of those last three position, followed by a few brief thoughts at each spot. These are the afterthought positions, but neglecting them is a really easy way to lose your weekend FanDuel. Carolina's defense last weekend, for example, had a monster game against Atlanta in the Panthers' playoff-clinching win. Sure, some people probably selected Carolina's defense as a "who cares, pick any defense" option, but the ones who consciously chose them had a better go of it.
On to the rankings:
Tight ends
| Rank | Tight End | Team | Opponent | Salary |
| 1 | Greg Olsen | CAR | ARI | $6,400 |
| 2 | Heath Miller | PIT | BAL | $5,000 |
| 3 | Jason Witten | DAL | DET | $5,400 |
| 4 | Coby Fleener | IND | CIN | $5,500 |
| 5 | Dwayne Allen | IND | CIN | $5,000 |
| 6 | Rob Housler | ARI | @CAR | $4,500 |
| 7 | Owen Daniels | BAL | @PIT | $5,000 |
| 8 | Eric Ebron | DET | @DAL | $4,500 |
| 9 | Jermaine Gresham | CIN | @IND | $5,300 |
| 10 | Daniel Fells | ARI | @CAR | $4,500 |
| 11 | John Carlson | ARI | @CAR | $4,500 |
| 12 | Crockett Gillmore | BAL | @PIT | $4,500 |
| 13 | Gavin Escobar | DAL | DET | $4,500 |
| 14 | Ed Dickson | CAR | ARI | $4,700 |
- Olsen is easily the most appealing option at tight end, the only member of the position's upper tier playing this weekend. Even at his higher price tag, I would find it hard to be excited about any of the cheaper guys.
- With Le'Veon Bell out for Pittsburgh, the Steelers will lean on the pass. That means good things for Antonio Brown and Martavis Bryant, sure, but Miller should see a boost as well.
- With Allen likely back for the Colts, Fleener's value isn't as high as it was. I still like him more of the team's two tight ends, but he's no longer a super high-end option.
- The position falls from usable guys to complete dart-throws with a quickness. Once you get past, say, Dwayne Allen, you're hoping. Daniels has had his moments, but fewer of late. Gresham has looked good, but he's also injured. Some of these guys probably shouldn't even be listed, but here we are.
Kickers
| Rank | Kicker | Team | Opponent | Salary |
| 1 | Adam Vinatieri | IND | CIN | $4,900 |
| 2 | Shaun Suisham | PIT | BAL | $4,900 |
| 3 | Justin Tucker | BAL | @PIT | $4,700 |
| 4 | Graham Gano | CAR | ARI | $4,800 |
| 5 | Dan Bailey | DAL | DET | $5,000 |
| 6 | Matt Prater | DET | @DAL | $4,900 |
| 7 | Mike Nugent | CIN | @IND | $4,600 |
| 8 | Chandler Catanzaro | ARI | @CAR | $4,700 |
- Vinatieri's lone missed kick of the season came in Week 17, and I'm not remotely holding it against him. In a game I expect Indianapolis to control handily, he's a fine option.
- Bailey is the highest-priced kicker on the board, and, sure, I think he'll do fine. I just don't feel great about spending the money on a kicker against an elite defense, even in a game I expect his team to win.
- The crumbling Arizona offense has really robbed Catanzaro of any/all value late in the season.
Defenses
| Rank | Defense | Opponent | Salary |
| 1 | Carolina | ARI | $5,300 |
| 2 | Indianapolis | CIN | $4,800 |
| 3 | Detroit | @DAL | $4,900 |
| 4 | Dallas | DET | $5,000 |
| 5 | Arizona | @CAR | $4,900 |
| 6 | Cincinnati | @IND | $4,500 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh | BAL | $5,100 |
| 8 | Baltimore | @PIT | $5,100 |
- Just like, well, basically all the other positions, the woefulness of the Arizona offense really makes a difference here, as the Carolina defense goes from a good unit to a theoretically great one.
After that, there are highs and lows to all the units. In general, I’m putting the highest-priced units at the bottom, because the two teams (Pittsburgh and Baltimore) play one another and neither is expected to have a stellar offense in the Wild Card round.
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