What to do with Deshaun Watson vs. Bills in playoff fantasy football

The last time we saw Deshaun Watson play, he left something to be desired. In the Week 16 match-up with the Buccaneers, Watson completed 19 of 34 passes for 184 yards, no touchdowns, and one interception. This uncharacteristically poor performance came against the 30th ranked pass defense in the NFL. Watson did appear to injure his ankle in that game, which may have contributed to his poor performance, though he downplayed the injury following the game. How will Watson fare this week against a much more formidable opponent in the Buffalo Bills and their fourth ranked pass defense? We break down the fantasy implications below.

Fantasy Football Advice: Houston Texans quarterback Deshaun Watson

Over the past three weeks the Buffalo Bills defense has allowed an average of 10.5 points to fantasy quarterbacks. The week prior to that, they allowed 19.8 points to Lamar Jackson, which is a solid fantasy performance by most standards. However, Jackson averages 27.7 points per game on the season and this was his second worst performance all year. Watson’s match-up is obviously a tough one and his most recent performance doesn’t do much to excite anyone to plug him into their line-up. That being said, we can not forget the raw talent possessed by Deshaun Watson, which led him to be the fourth ranked fantasy quarterback on the season, averaging 21.4 points per game.

If Bills cornerback Levi Wallace is unable to play, it would provide a definite boost to Watson’s value. Wallace was a limited participant in Wednesday’s practice and is an injury to monitor. On the Texans side, Will Fuller was also a limited participant in Tuesday’s practice and, if available, would boost Watson’s value due to his big play ability.

Of the eight quarterbacks playing this weekend, Watson ranks in the middle of the pack due to his tough match-up. He is certainly start-able in any standard leagues that are still going on at this point. With a salary of $6,400 in DFS contests, Watson is hardly a bargain this week. You are likely to get more production out of Watson’s opponent, Josh Allen, who is only $100 more and faces a much more susceptible Texans secondary.

Start/Sit Advice:

Start Watson in standard leagues.

Don’t target Watson in DFS contests, as better value exists.