FantasyScore has a $2 Masterball 50/50 GPP this week with 300 total entries up for grabs and also there is a $20 Go for 2 GPP that has a total of 70 entries available.
TOP STACKS
Arizona Cardinals -- QB Carson Palmer ($9,200) and WR Michael Floyd ($7,400)
Carson Palmer has been healthy all season and it has been the main reason why the Cardinals have been so successful this season and earned a first round bye in the playoffs. Palmer has recorded 4,671 passing yards and 35 passing touchdowns this season and with a home game against the Packers he will be in line for another very productive day. He has a great core of wide receivers in Michael Floyd, Larry Fitzgerald and John Brown and now has an explosive back in David Johnson out of the backfield. The Cardinals have all the weapons on offense and it is Carson Palmer leading the charge and distributing the ball at a high rate. Since Week 8 Michael Floyd has had 5 games in which he has recorded over 100 yards receiving and has been a big part of the Cardinals success down the stretch. Floyd finished up the season with a 52/849/6 statline on 89 targets and he has already had a successful game versus Green Bay this season as he went 6/111/0 in Week 16 against the Packers on 8 targets.
New England Patriots -- QB Tom Brady ($8,800) and TE Rob Gronkowski ($8,400)
Tom Brady got off to a rapid start this season and took that momentum with him throughout the season. He ended the year with 4,770 passing yards and 39 total touchdowns. This was all done with injuries to some of his key running backs and wide receivers but Brady and the Patriots would continue to move forward no matter the injuries on offense as they took a next man up approach. With Julian Edelman back in the fold, defenses are once again going to have to put some extra attention on him and that could open up a few more lanes and plays for the big tight end Rob Gronkowski. Gronkowski has been dominant this season with a 72/1176/11 statline on 120 targets and he remains to be Brady's favorite target no matter where the Patriots are on the field. In Gronkowski's 7 total playoff games in his career he has 37 receptions for 527 yards and 6 touchdowns. So predicting a 6/80/1 statline this week seems like a good floor for Gronkowski and going with the Brady/Gronkowski stack locks in both the QB and TE positions giving you plenty of upside.
Seattle Seahawks -- QB Russell Wilson ($8,700) and WR Doug Baldwin ($8,300)
Russell Wilson has turned his game up over the second half of the season and is rolling right into the playoffs with some confidence that has helped him over the past couple of years in the playoffs. In the last 7 games of the season Wilson has 25 total touchdowns and only scored less than 3 touchdowns once in that span. In his game against the Panthers in Week 6, Wilson completed 18 of 30 passes for 241 passing yards and a touchdown and also had 53 yards rushing. Last week against the Vikings on the road Wilson didn't have the opportunity to put up the big statistics but he still did manage to find Doug Baldwin for a touchdown. On paper both the Seahawks and the Panthers defenses look very good and this could be more of a back and forth grind it out game but if either team gets an early touchdown it also could turn into more of an offensive back and forth game and Wilson and Baldwin have been the hottest QB/WR duo in the entire NFL over the second half of the season and with added playoff experience they look like a very strong play this weekend. Over the last 8 games of the season Russell Wilson has been in love with Doug Baldwin as he has scored 12 touchdowns to him in that span alone and add in another touchdown last weekend in the playoff game to the Vikings and you have to think Baldwin finds the endzone once again this weekend.
VALUE STACKS
Carolina Panthers -- QB Cam Newton ($9,000) and WR Devin Funchess ($2,100)
On the opposite side of the Seahawks you have the Panthers and Cam Newton and his MVP season. Newton finished the season with 35 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing touchdowns. He was the fantasy quarterback to own this year and never seemed to disappoint week to week throughout the season. He had 13 games in which he scored multi touchdowns and in Week 6 against the Seahawks he had a passing and a rushing touchdown. The price is high for Newton at $9,000 but when you pair him with Devin Funchess at just $2,100 it gives you the top QB in the league this year and a competent wide receiver that has the ability to make a few plays. Funchess finished his rookie season with a 31/473/5 statline and had all 5 of his touchdowns scored over the final 9 games this season. He has been slowly building some chemisty with Newton as the season has progressed and if he can find the endzone this weekend he will be well worth the $2,100 price.
FADES
There are not many fades this week as there are only 4 games on the slate and with that almost everyone is in play especially in GPPs.
OWNERSHIP PERCENTAGE
FantasyScore gives away there ownership percentage stats before the contest begins so it gives you a good idea of what players will be higher owned and lower owned. I will give the top player owned at each position and will also include a key lower owned player.
HIGHEST OWNERSHIP
Quarterback
Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals ($9,200) = 21.85%
Running Back
David Johnson, Arizona Cardinals ($7,900) = 53.64%
Wide Receiver
Devin Funchess, Carolina Panthers ($2,100) = 57.95%
Tight End
Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots ($8,400) = 21.85%
Defense and Special Teams
Arizona Cardinals ($3,300) = 29.47%
LOW/VALUE OWNERSHIP
Quarterback
Alex Smith, Kansas City Chiefs ($8,400) = 4.64%
Running Back
C.J. Anderson, Denver Broncos ($7,800) = 1.99%
Wide Receiver
Randall Cobb, Green Bay Packers ($7,700) = 0.66%
Tight End
Richard Rodgers, Green Bay Packers ($6,000) = 4.64%
Defense and Special Teams
Seattle Seahawks ($3,400) = 0.99%
