Best running back plays for Wild Card round DFS

Derrick Henry has the highest running back price on the wild card slate at $8,200. He’s worth that price of course, but his matchup is a little sticky, as the Patriots have allowed the fewest DraftKings points to running backs in the league. They have played an easy schedule and have given up big yardage on the ground to Nick Chubb, Mark Ingram and Joe Mixon in the second half of the season, so he is still very much on my radar, but I’m leaning toward a little cheaper and more targeted backs this weekend.

Alvin Kamara, Saints ($7,400)

Kamara is $800 less than Henry and has higher upside due to his touchdown and receiving numbers. Yes, he’s had a huge drought int touchdowns this season, but he’s gotten back on track in a big way with four touchdowns in his last two games. The Vikings are no cake walk against running backs, ranking eleventh-best in DK points allowed to the position, but they rank seventh-worst since Week 6, allowing 4.7 yards per carry and a touchdown on average. Kamara has average 18.5 touches per game since returning to from his injury and should be used heavily against the Vikings, especially with their lockdown tight end coverage likely hurting Jared Cook.

Devin Singletary, Bills ($6,000)

Since Week 9, Singletary has averaged 18.9 touches per game and that’s been 19.8 touches over the last four games. Frank Gore saw work in Week 17 while Singletary rested for the playoffs. There’s no doubt that he’ll remain the top running back this week against the Texans.

Houston is the worst defense going this weekend at allowing DK points to running backs, as they rank sixth-worst in the category. They’ve also allowed the second-most receptions and receiving yards to the position. Singletary’s targets have been inconsistent, but he is the only running back on the team who gets work as a receiver, as he has 36 targets to Gore’s four from weeks 8 through Week 16. Those four targets per game aren’t huge, but this should be a week where the Bills up his work as a receiver in the plus matchup.

James White, Patriots ($5,700)

White is more of a speculative play, as he hasn’t gotten the workload in his last two games to garner much trust, but we know how important White is to the Patriots and right now, he’s their best receiver behind a gimpy Julian Edelman. He also gets a good matchup with the Titans, who have allowed the third-most receptions to running backs. In his games against the Chiefs and Texans, both who rank just ahead of the Titans in receptions allowed to running backs, White caught 13-of-18 targets in Week’s 13 and 14. Bill Belichick usually goes after a defense’s weakness and receiving backs are one of the Titans’ big weaknesses.