NFL Playoffs Fantasy Picks: Start 'Em, Sit 'Em for Rams vs Seahawks Wild Card Game

The first matchup of the NFC playoff kicks off with a battle between the Los Angeles Rams and Seattle Seahawks. Even with Jared Goff's status up in the air, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks are slim 3.5-point home favorites in this one, per FanDuel Sportsbook's NFL playoff odds.

If you're still looking to get your fantasy football fix, there are plenty of formats available to keep playing throughout the NFL Playoffs. Here's some start 'em, sit 'em advice for this Rams-Seahawks clash.

Cam Akers Fantasy

Start Cam Akers, RB, Los Angeles Rams: It's tough to know what to do with the Rams' offense from a fantasy perspective. Even if Goff is active, he's not going to be anywhere near 100% so it's tough to trust this passing game. And the Seahawks' run D is stingy, allowing the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game. Don't expect Cam Akers to do too much on the ground, but he's clearly this team's feature back, and this game could lead to a ton of easy checkdowns to the RB. Akers caught 4 passes for 52 yards last week, which led the team, so he could make an impact through the air while also having a heavy-volume, inefficient game as a rusher. It might not be pretty, but Akers should be alright.

Chris Carson Fantasy

Start Chris Carson, RB, Seattle Seahawks: Similarly, the Seahawks' passing game might not be able to do much, as the Rams have been insanely strong against opposing QBs. There's just not much value to be had in this one, but Carson should see a nice mix of rushing and receiving work. He turned 19 touches into 79 yards from scrimmage the last time these two met and he appears to be the safest bet to produce on the offense. Start him, but don't expect a monster game or anything.

Cooper Kupp Fantasy

Sit Cooper Kupp, WR, Los Angeles Rams: Cooper Kupp missed Week 17 after testing positive for COVID-19, and that has taken a real toll on some players attempting to get back up to full speed this year. Plus, Goff is either going to be inactive or hobbled, and so much of Kupp's value is derived from having a great connection with his signal-caller. Against a Seahawks' secondary that has quietly turned things around, surrendering the third-fewest PPG from Week 9-16, this is not a good spot for Kupp.

DK Metcalf Fantasy

Sit DK Metcalf, WR, Seattle Seahawks: DK Metcalf has established himself as one of the best wide receivers in football, but it's tough to like his prospects here. He's faced off with Jalen Ramsey and the Los Angeles Rams twice this season, averaging 43.5 receiving yards per game across those two. To his credit that's better than most have fared against Ramsey, who is allowing just 23.6 yards per game in coverage in 2020. Playing Metcalf probably just isn't worth it this week.

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Max Staley is not a FanDuel employee. In addition to providing DFS gameplay advice, Max Staley also participates in DFS contests on FanDuel using his personal account, username mstaley1212. While the strategies and player selections recommended in his articles are his personal views, he may deploy different strategies and player selections when entering contests with his personal account. The views expressed in their articles are the author's alone and do not necessarily reflect the views of FanDuel.