If you’re looking for Philadelphia Eagles vs. New York Giants DFS picks in Saturday’s Divisional Round faceoff, then you’ve come to the right place. We’ve analyzed each team’s highest-probability game scripts to assess the most likely outcomes, including which players are in line to thrive more than anticipated or fall short of expectations.
The following recommended fantasy football lineup (for tournaments, 50/50, or head-to-head competitions) aims to lock in a relatively high floor while maximizing upside.
Eagles Considerations
The last undefeated team hasn’t fared well in recent years. The 2021 Arizona Cardinals started 7-0 before collapsing, finishing 11-6, and getting crushed by the Los Angeles Rams in the first round of the playoffs. The year before, the 11-0 Pittsburgh Steelers lost four of their last five regular season games and then fell behind the Cleveland Browns 28-0 in the first quarter of their first playoff game, ultimately losing 48-37.
Only three times in the last 11 years has the final undefeated team even reached the Super Bowl, and that team lost all three times. The 2006 Indianapolis Colts were the most recent winners. No other team this century can stake that claim.
So while we marvel at the greatness of the 14-3 (and formerly 8-0) Eagles, we must also recognize historical reality. For whatever reasons (they vary from season to season), the last undefeated team has struggled to make it through the postseason gauntlet.
As we weigh DFS options, we must consider Jalen Hurts’ floor and ceiling. He’s played once in the last month — against a Giants team that was resting many of their starters. Hurts looked rusty, and he didn’t run well.
And there’s a ripple effect to all of this. Because Hurts is not a high-volume passer. it was already difficult to justify starting two of his receivers in the same DFS slate. Can we trust any of them at their steep prices? Presumably. But if it means taking A.J. Brown, is there a realistic chance for DeVonta Smith and/or Dallas Goedert to shine alongside him?
As for Miles Sanders, he’s averaging below 3.7 yards per carry over his last four games. Rarely used through the air, he brings extraordinary TD upside versus one of the weakest run defenses. But he needs volume to justify his high cost.
Giants Considerations
The Giants know a thing or two about defeating the final undefeated team. They did it 15 years ago in the Super Bowl, after having the luxury of facing the New England Patriots’ starters in the final week of the season. The things they learned in that matchup helped prepare them for the Big Game.
Similarly, this year’s Giants were able to face the Eagles’ starters in Week 18, as Philly needed a win to claim the NFC’s No. 1 seed. Despite being on the road, New York’s backups played their divisional rival much tougher than their starters did at home earlier in the season.
The Giants won’t be intimidated in this one. The question is how many of their starters we can trust. Daniel Jones and Saquon Barkley will eat heavily into our cap space. They have three wideouts with middling-to-significant upside.
Can we trust the high-flying Isaiah Hodgins? Or does this remain a spread-the-ball offense, where Richie James or Darius Slayton could take over?
Top NFL DFS Picks for Eagles vs. Giants
Today, we’re playing DraftKings “Showdown Captain Mode,” which includes one player who earns 1.5 times his scoring output, plus five Flex players.
The following NFL betting recommendations are based on proprietary PFN predictive analytics pulled from decades of NFL historical data. Using this data, I’ve built dozens of models showing actionable probabilities of better-than-expected and worse-than-expected outcomes.
Captain: QB Jalen Hurts, Eagles ($17,700)
Wouldn’t it be nice if we could invest in the Eagles’ top five playmakers . . . oh, and also Barkley or Daniel Jones? DFS doesn’t work that way — or at least, most contests don’t. There’s not much strategy with that approach.
MORE: NFL Divisional Round Predictions and Picks
We have to determine how much we trust the best players to perform at elite levels. Among every player in this contest, Hurts has the loftiest ceiling. Despite the obvious risks, for the Captain slot, I’m going with the guy who can get 30+ points.
Flex: RB Saquon Barkley, Giants ($11,200)
The way the rest of this slate is constructed, we can afford Barkley, Jones, or A.J. Brown. A great case could be made for any of them. My view: the Giants need Barkley more than Philly needs Brown. Barkley can thrive even in a negative game script.
In fact, he averaged more yards per carry this season when trailing (4.9) — while earning more attempts — than when leading (4.3) or tied (3.1). He also netted more than half of his receptions when trailing. With a monster contract awaiting, and only two wins from a shocking shot at a Super Bowl, Barkley should feature prominently.
Flex: WR Isaiah Hodgins, Giants ($6,800)
The next three guys are all “good” DFS options at reasonable prices. All three have 16+ point upsides. We could cut out two to land Jones or Brown and then scrape together a cheap flier for our other spot. But that doesn’t seem as promising. Instead, we’ll start Isaiah Hodgins, who’s on a tear as Jones’ de facto No. 1 receiver.
Flex: TE Dallas Goedert, Eagles ($6,200)
Let’s go with one of the game’s top after-the-catch receivers, who also happens to have some of the most reliable hands in the league, leading to a 79.7% catch rate and only one drop on 69 targets.
Flex: WR Richie James ($5,200)
I’m kicking myself for recommending Richie James last week in DFS instead of Hodgins. I was drawn to James’ solid target share and (literally, spanning the last five years) unparalleled catch rate. He’s the real deal — or at least has looked that way. I’m still all in.
Flex: RB Kenneth Gainwell ($2,600)
With $2,900 remaining, we’re rolling with Kenneth Gainwell. Not at all a safe pick, but he’s been pretty engaged in the passing game for most of the year. 5+ points seems realistic. He’s also a slight hedge if Philly jumps out to a big second-half lead, prompting the team to phase out Miles Sanders a bit.
Whatever you decide, good luck tonight.