The playoffs are here, and that means fantasy football needs are different. I’m approaching things this weekend from a roster construction standpoint for DFS.
Divisional Round DFS rewards conviction. In my full slate breakdown, I covered multiple stacks to fit different game scripts — but this one deserves a closer look.
Looking for more DFS advice for the entire weekend? Head on over to Kyle Soppe’s DFS Cheat Sheet for the Divisional Round where you can find more stacks to consider.
The Case for Tripling Down on Buffalo vs. Denver
The Broncos defense will scare most players away from heavy Bills exposure, and that’s the opportunity. Josh Allen’s supporting cast has consolidated:
Khalil Shakir logged 12 catches against Jacksonville while no other receiver topped three, and James Cook handled every carry after Ray Davis’s fumble. When usage patterns concentrate like this on a short slate, you either lean all the way in or pivot entirely.
This lineup bets on Buffalo delivering against a defense that suppresses ownership. Here’s how to make the salary math work.
QB | Josh Allen (at DEN)
RB | James Cook (at DEN)
RB | RJ Harvey (vs BUF)
WR | Puka Nacua (at CHI)
WR | Khalil Shakir (at DEN)
WR | Jayden Higgins (at NE)
TE | Jake Tonges (at SEA)
Flex | Kayshon Boutte (vs. HOU)
D/ST | Los Angeles Rams (at CHI)
To do the Josh Allen thing, I think you either have to lean all the way into his teammates or all the way out. On a short slate, I think you’re threading a thin needle to the latter, so let’s focus on the former.
MORE: PFSN’s FREE DFS Optimizer
In the win over the Jags last weekend, Khalil Shakir (12 catches) was the only Bill with more than three receptions, and James Cook was the only running back with a carry (Ray Davis losing a fumble only helps this usage pattern gain credibility in my eyes).
The Denver defense is great, that much we know, and that’s likely to make a triple Bill stack unique in a major way. How often do you get to roster a talent like this with a condensed touch share at this rate and little concern about duplicating your lineup?
Some are worried about the altitude in DEN & whether Buffalo should travel early or not.
In the 48-19 win back in 2020, they traveled their normal time & had no issues.
Allen 28/40 359 yds 2 TD 0 INT – 3 car 33 yds 2 TD
Moss 13 car 81 yds
Diggs 11 rec 147 yds
Beas 8 rec 112 yds pic.twitter.com/mke4Ve1FmL— Renaissance Man (@Billsfandiehard) January 15, 2026
The story we are telling here is one of RJ Harvey hitting for a big play early, and I’m fine with that. Buffalo’s run defense has been a serious weakness all season long, and things didn’t look fixed against the Jags over the weekend with Travis Etienne and Bhayshul Tuten picking up 118 yards on their 14 carries.
It’s hard to feel great about volume at the running position as a whole on this slate, so betting on a lead back that Sean Payton has put in position to thrive in valuable spots this season (12 TDs on 193 touches) is a perfectly reasonable approach.
RELATED: Fantasy PPR Rankings for Divisional Round
Our script in Denver is expensive (especially with Puka Nacua in the lineup), and that requires some creativity down the board.
Tonges has run 25+ routes on six occasions this season, and he’s cleared 11.5 DK points in four of them. I think he’s good chalk this week, and because I think we are already off the beaten path with our approach to the Bills, I’m receptive to the idea of adding a popular piece.
The Jayden Higgins play qualifies as such should Nico Collins (head) sit, but even if that’s not the case, the rookie has scored 12.4% over fantasy expectations this season and would likely avoid Christian Gonzalez.
I like him if we know the role is going to be there, and assuming ownership pivots, I might like him even more as a game-theory option if Collins suits up.
