Puka Nacua, More Rams Hold Slate-Breaking DFS Value on DraftKings’ Wild Card Saturday

DraftKings’ Wild Card Saturday two-game slate funnels massive DFS value through the Rams’ passing game, tight end depth, and potential stack combinations.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Puka Nacua (12) warms up before the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images

On Saturday, DraftKings has a two-game slate with a $20 entry fee, and the winner takes home half a million dollars. I’m a fan of these types of contests, as long as I can narrow the player pool to three or four foundation players. Many times, the key to winning is finding the one low-priced player to fill the roster. Paying up for a defense tends to be a losing part of the equation.

The Los Angeles Rams have the best team on both sides of the ball based on points scored (518) and points allowed (346). Their offense runs through a top-tier passing game, two elite wideouts, and a heavy volume of chances for their tight ends. 

• Matthew Stafford (DK – $6,900) – 4,707 passing yards with 46 touchdowns and eight interceptions. He averaged 21.96 fantasy points per game at DraftKings. I have him projected to pass for 264 yards with 2.5 passing scores. He is the clear-cut advantage at quarterback on this slate, but a 4X outcome requires him to pass for over 300 yards with at least three touchdowns.
• Puka Nacua (DK – $8,700) – The best wide receiver in the NFL caught 129 passes for 1,715 yards and 10 touchdowns with 10 rushes for 105 yards and another score. He averaged 24.63 fantasy points per game at DraftKings. His floor almost ensures that Puka is a top-three wide receiver on this slate, but playing him requires finding value at multiple other positions.
• Davante Adams (DK – $6,500) – After a three-game vacation, Adams should regain his scoring ways against the Panthers. He tends to play second fiddle in targets in the LA’s offense, while being their top option at the goal line (14 TDs over 14 games). He averaged 16.14 fantasy points in DraftKings scoring.

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Davante Adams (17) against the Arizona Cardinals at State Farm Stadium. | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

Over the last 11 games, the Rams have featured their tight ends in the passing game, leading to 81 catches for 939 yards and 14 touchdowns on 150 targets. With Davante Adams on the sidelines, they had three active games (7/88/1, 8/107/1, and 9/127/3 on 38 combined targets). Here’s the breakdown of tight end success over the past 11 weeks:

• Colby Parkinson (DK – $3,700) – 39 catches for 397 yards and eight touchdowns on 51 targets.
• Terreance Ferguson (DK – $2,700) – 10 catches for 210 yards and three touchdowns on 24 targets.
• Tyler Higbee (DK – $3,200) – 15 catches for 179 yards and two touchdowns on 21 targets (six missed games).
• Davis Allen (DK – $2,500) – 17 catches for 153 yards and one touchdown on 24 targets.

Last week, the Rams running back took over the NFL lead in rushing yards (2,138) while ranking fifth in rushing touchdowns (17). They gained 5.0 yards per rush, but sit close to the bottom of the league in receiving stats (44/317/3 on 64 targets).

• Kyren Williams (DK – $6,400) – The Rams settled into a two-back rotation, with Williams on the field for 68.0% of their plays. He averaged 17.4 touches per game and 15.78 FPPG in DraftKings scoring, which paints only a 2X outcome. 
• Blake Corum (DK – $5,400) – Over the second half of the season, the Rams gave Corum a bump in playing time. Los Angeles had him on the field for 29.2% of their plays for the year, which was closer to 33% over their last nine games. He averaged 13.18 fantasy points over the Rams' final six contests.

Stacking the Rams’ passing game will be popular on this two-game slate. Adams and a tight end are most likely to score a passing touchdown. A running back split limits the ceiling of both players. If the Rams score four touchdowns, one of their backs has a higher chance of landing on the winning ticket.