Top DFS punt plays for Texans-Bills Wild Card Showdown

A punt play is a cheap player designed to give fantasy owners salary relief in an effort to spend elsewhere on their rosters, often to load up on more stud players. With the NFL playoffs here, punt plays may generally be more difficult to find, as value is often opened up through injuries during the regular season and teams will be taking an all-hands-on-deck approach in the postseason. With that said, here are some players with salaries below $6,000 in DraftKings’ Bills-Texans Showdown contests that fantasy owners can consider using for salary relief on Saturday:

Duke Johnson ($5,400 FLEX; $8,100 CP)

Johnson’s fantasy value is tied to his passing down role, which makes him best used in games where the Texans will be forced to pass a lot. This probably won’t be one of those games, as the Texans are home favorites on DraftKings Sportsbook and face a Bills offense that ranked in the bottom third in points scored. However, the Bills’ strong defense was below average through the air against running backs, ranking 18th in both catches allowed to RB and receiving yards allowed to RB. With DraftKings awarding one-point per reception, Johnson could see a respectable fantasy outing if the Texans elect to attack the Bills’ second ranked team defense with short passes to running backs.

Darren Fells ($2,800 FLEX; $4,200 CP)

Fells only averages three targets per game, so his fantasy value is not strong, but has punt play appeal due to touchdown upside. Fells ranks second in red zone targets on the Texans behind DeAndre Hopkins and scored seven TDs during the regular season, third most among all TE. A matchup against a tough Bills pass defense is not appealing, but Fells could be a TD threat inside the red zone, which would serve as a deodorant for low target volume.

Bills DST ($4,600; 6,900 CP)

The Bills’ defense finished the season ranked second best in points allowed and third best in yards allowed. The Bills also had better than average takeaway and sack numbers. A road matchup isn’t ideal given the Bills had better defensive numbers at home, but Houston’s offense allowed the eighth most sacks and turned the ball over slightly more often than average. There could be some point prevention upside with some sacks and turnovers mixed in for Buffalo’s DST.

Dawson Knox ($3,400 FLEX; $5,100 CP)

Knox is not heavily involved in the Bills’ passing game, as he averages only around four targets per start and peaked at six targets, but he sees steady playing time, generally playing on over 70% of the Bills’ offensive plays. The Texans have been weak at defending the pass and allowed more DraftKings fantasy points (DKFP) than average to tight ends during the regular season.