FanDuel Single-Game Daily Fantasy Football Helper: Divisional Round (Giants at Eagles)

The NFC Divisional Round opens with a Saturday night battle in Philly between the New York Giants and Philadelphia Eagles.

On FanDuel Sportsbook, the Eagles are 7.5-point favorites in a game with a 48.5-point total. That makes the implied score 28.0-20.5 in favor of the Eagles.

For those unfamiliar, single-game slates feature five flex spots with identical scoring to main slates. However, kickers are included in these contests, and there is an "MVP" roster slot. The MVP receives 1.5-times his total fantasy points, making this spot crucial.

Our Brandon Gdula has done a deep dive on single-game strategy, and we have projections for the single-game slate if you select the game from the slate tab. It's worth checking out both of those things before you make your lineups.

MVP Candidates

Much like Saturday's first game, there's a clear-cut top MVP option on this slate, and it's Jalen Hurts ($17,500 on FanDuel).

Hurts had an incredible regular season, and he was a touchdown machine, recording 22 passing scores in addition to 13 rushing tuds. He averaged 50.7 rushing yards per game, and Hurts' dual-threat ability gives him a truly elite ceiling. We project him for 24.7 FanDuel points, 5.7 clear of the field. The only negative with using Hurts at MVP is that he'll be a very popular multiplier pick.

Daniel Jones ($15,500) is a fun pivot off Hurts, and he probably won't be nearly as chalky as Hurts is. Jones averaged 44.3 rushing yards per game this season, and he scored seven touchdowns on the ground. That running prowess gives Jones MVP appeal on any single-game slate he's on. However, on the road against an Eagles D that gave up the fifth-fewest FanDuel points per game to signal-callers (14.7), this is a tough spot for him. Our model has Jones producing 19.0 FanDuel points.

By our projections, Saquon Barkley ($15,000) is the top non-quarterback. The Eagles are a run-funnel defense, per our metrics, ranking as the best pass D but sixth-worst against the run. While Barkley has big-play ability and will likely see good volume, he won't be a priority for me. I worry about the Giants' ability to keep this game close, and that exact scenario played out in the only regular-season meeting between these two in which Barkley played, resulting in him registering only 11 total touches.

If I'm taking a shot on a non-passer at MVP, I'll do it with A.J. Brown ($14,000). Over the final six games of the regular season, Brown amassed 59 total targets and averaged 110.8 yards per game. He's cooking right now and has shown the upside to lead this slate in scoring if he gets some touchdown luck.

Flex Breakdown

With the Eagles slightly more than a touchdown favorite, it looks like it'll be a game script that sets up well for Miles Sanders ($12,000). But it's tough to feel all that great about him right now. He's logged a snap rate of 55% or less in four consecutive games and was capped at 12 or fewer carries in three of those outings, with a total of three targets in that span. Yikes. Plus, Hurts has consistently hogged goal-line touchdowns.

With all that said, there are also reasons to be into Sanders. We oftentimes see lead backs get bigger workloads in the playoffs, and Big Blue ranks third-worst in run defense, per our numbers. Sanders rocked the Giants for 144 rushing yards and a pair of scores in Week 14. Our model projects him for 12.4 FanDuel points, and I think I'll have a good amount of him. I'm ready to be hurt.

DeVonta Smith ($13,000) and Dallas Goedert ($10,000) are quality pass-game pieces from Philly. Goedert has played at least 94% of the snaps in each of his three games since coming back from injury. The G-Men gave up the 12th-most FanDuel points per game to tight ends (10.5). Smith has been targeted either eight or nine times in each of Hurts' past seven starts. We have Smith and Goedert forecasted for 11.5 and 10.0 FanDuel points, respectively.

Switching over to the Giants, Isaiah Hodgins ($10,500), Richie James ($9,500) and Darius Slayton ($9,000) are a productive receiver trio. You can make a case for all three despite a difficult matchup versus the Eagles' pass defense. I prefer Slayton, and I would even if they were all salaried evenly. He paced the Giants in air yards share (27%) in the regular season, and his downfield ability gives him a path to a big game.

This slate lacks decent low-salary punts. I can sort of stomach Daniel Bellinger ($7,500). While he's offered very little upside, he's been targeted at least twice in six consecutive games and would benefit from the Giants getting into a hole.

Both kickers -- Jake Elliott ($9,500) and Graham Gano ($8,500) -- project as respectable point-per-dollar plays, according to our algorithm. Gano hasn't missed a kick (field goal or extra point) for six straight games. The same goes for Elliott, who is an impressive 5 of 6 from 50-plus yards this year.

The Philadelphia D/ST ($9,000) is plenty viable. Daniel Jones has taken much better care of the ball this year, but if the Giants get behind big, the Eagles' pass rush could make some noise. Jones has been sacked at least three times in five of his last seven games.