FanDuel Tournament Pivots for the Divisional Round
Tight End
Chalk
You might as well say it with me. One. Two. Three....GRONK! Yes, the DFS gypsum king this week at tight end should, without question, be Rob Gronkowski. We could sit here and list the littany of reasons why, but sometimes these things speak for themselves.
There will certainly be a handful of players that move to Zach Ertz, but he clearly does not have the same upside with Foles as he did with Wentz, despite their decent rapport. To Gronk, or not to Gronk. That is your question this week.
Pivot
Delanie Walker, (at New England)
While Gronk is clearly the top play, there is reason to avoid him. The Patriots are such big favorites that it is entirely plausible we see them run up the score early and limit his work in the second half. His absence in the playoffs would dramatically lower the Pats' Super Bowl chances, and there would be little risk to use him late if they were up, say, three scores. New England is also getting back Chris Hogan and (likely) Rex Burkhead, both of whom will draw attention in the short- to mid-range passing game, lowering Gronk's opportunities.
You obviously want some exposure to the best tight end in the game, but there is reason to pivot. If you do, consider looking at Delanie Walker.
Walker has been a consistent weapon for Marcus Mariota and the Titans this year. He hasn't busted out for a huge 20-plus point game, but he has consistently returned solid value at a price point that has hovered in the mid-$5,000 range throughout the season. His price did jump for this week's matchup, but he will likely need to be relied upon more often as Tennessee may be playing from behind for most of the day. He doesn't have a 100% catch rate like Mariota does (both of Mariota's career catches have been for touchdowns), but he is easily the most reliable option if the Titans are to stay in this game.
The Patriots love to take out an opponent's star player. While this could be Walker, it is more likely that they first try to shut down Derrick Henry and force Mariota to beat them through the air in a game expected to be played in balmy 25-degree weather. If you aren't going Gronk, then Walker offers an intriguing, decent-upside play that will allow you some more wiggle-room to spend at other positions.
Ian Goldsmith is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Ian Goldsmith also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username zoidbergs_revenge. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his/her personal views, he/she may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his/her personal account. The views expressed in his/her articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.
