The regular NFL season has come to an end, and that means this will be our last regular season daily fantasy football busts and diamonds updates. Now that the playoffs are about to begin, it’s still important to take a look at which players are performing at the top of their game going into the postseason, and which busts you should stay away from. Let’s take a look at week #17’s busts and diamonds, and see how these should affect your fantasy choices as the playoffs get underway.
The Final Busts
Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots
It’s not really a surprise that Tom Brady was a bust this weekend, but the magnitude of how poorly he performed was pretty surprising. He had 21 passing attempts and 12 completions, for a total of just 134 yards. There were no passing touchdowns and he was sacked twice. During the postgame interview, Brady was limping, and it was revealed the following day that Brady had sprained his ankle. This is not necessarily devastating news to the Patriots as they have a bye this next week, but it does explain the poor performance. Keep an eye on him as the Patriots reveal his status in team practices if you are interested in using him for your DFS roster this postseason.
There is Definitely Playoff Daily Fantasy at DraftKings
Jeremy Maclin, WR, Kansas City Chiefs
Maclin had a total of 54 yards last weekend and a single touchdown. He’s been averaging over 73 yards per game, so this was a bit below what was expected for him, although the TD was a welcome addition. The Chiefs will be playing against the Houston Texans, and they are a far weaker team than the Chiefs. This gives Maclin some nice momentum going into Wild Card weekend, and although he had a below average game last weekend, he should perform above average next game. Plus, he will be cheaper than normal, and that’s a nice little incentive to draft him.
Diamonds are Forever
Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Pittsburgh Steelers
There was a period of time this season when the Steelers had an uncertain drive to the postseason ahead of them. However, Big Ben’s reversal of his season has been quite impressive. He put up 349 yards with 24 completions on 36 attempts. He also had 3 passing touchdowns, despite the 2 interceptions that he did throw. The Steelers finished their season with a 10-6 record, thanks to Roethlisberger getting his act together after an early season injury. The Steelers take on the Cincinnati Bengals next week, and this could be a tough game for him thanks to how poorly Roethlisberger performed playing against them earlier in the season. He’s probably best to sit out next week.
Antonio Brown, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers played well last weekend, and Brown was a big reason behind this. He had a touchdown and 187 yards receiving. This was all done on just 13 receptions. Like with Ben Roethlisberger, Brown is not likely to play this well again next week in the playoffs, but he should still have a good game. Unlike Big Ben, Brown does have some value against the Bengals, and if you can find a cheap price for him, he’s worth drafting.
Ronnie Hillman, RB, Denver Broncos
First, realize that the Broncos have a bye next week, and their opponent is yet to be determined. Regardless, Hillman had an awesome game, putting up 117 yards and getting into the end zone for a touchdown. This was a great game from him, as he’s been averaging just 49.7 yards per game this season. However, with the difficulties that the Broncos have had with their QB situation this year, Hillman will likely see more running opportunities than normal in the postseason. His low numbers will enhance his value, too, making him a great buy on pretty much every daily fantasy roster you can put together. Strongly consider drafting him, depending upon the team that the Broncos are paired against, of course.
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