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The Bo Nix era has gotten off to a promising start in the Mile High City with the Denver Broncos advancing to the playoffs for the first time since the Peyton Manning days, but they face an early test on the road against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills.
Here is a closer look at the top 5 DFS options from the Broncos vs. Bills Wild Card matchup.
1. Josh Allen
From a fantasy perspective, Josh Allen simply continues to be Josh Allen.
For a fifth straight year, Allen has finished the year as a top 2 fantasy producer at the QB position. Keep in mind, this excellent 2024 campaign came without the services of Stefon Diggs or Gabe Davis this year, which makes his most efficient year through that much more impressive.
Allen’s fantasy ceiling is as high as any other player in any slate, no matter who the opponent happens to be. What could produce even better DFS optimism is some late season struggles from the Bills defense, which could produce game scripts that force the Bills to rely on Allen to be a one-man show.
For a second straight year, Allen has topped 25 passing touchdowns and 10 rushing scores – which easily makes him a surefire dual threat machine at quarterback.
The Broncos defense is a very formidable unit, but I’m not willing to fade Allen at home in this contest with how well he has played this season.
2. James Cook
In many ways, James Cook finishing as the RB8 overall in fantasy football confirms he produced is a career year in 2024 – but hasn’t always receiving the adoration for his jump in production many would expect.
That narrative has simply been flipped on it’s head in his third year. Cook scored a combined four rushing touchdowns through the first two seasons of his career. He has 16 rushing touchdowns in his second full campaign as the leading ball carrier of the Bills offense.
Cook’s overall volume on the ground dropped a touch with the addition Ray Davis and consistent presence of Ty Johnson in a complementary role, but Cook’s 18 total scores speaks to his explosive playmaking ability when he touches the ball – which could yield huge returns in a DFS type format.
3. Bo Nix
Jayden Daniels isn’t the only dual threat rookie quarterback set to take the field this weekend. Nix has consistently proven you should not overlook him as a legitimate fantasy option in DFS contests.
Nix’s QB7 overall finish without a true stud WR makes for a pretty compelling case for the Oregon product.
Nix 3,775 yards and 29 scores through the air to go with his underrated contributions as a runner – which totaled 430 yards and four scores – made him a solid QB1 for DFS enthusiasts.
Admittedly, Nix ran a bit hot and cold throughout the year, which is to be expected for a rookie, but his pair of 300-yard and four TD passes through the air this season showcased he is capable of breaking the slate for your DFS lineup.
Sure, a date with the Bills in Buffalo in the Wild Card Round isn’t exactly a cake walk, but they have gotten torched by teams like the Los Angeles Rams this season – which makes Nix a very viable DFS option entering Wild Card Weekend.
4. Courtland Sutton
The Broncos may not have had a loaded receiver room, but Courtland Sutton managed to emerge as a very reliable fantasy producer as Nix’s go-to guy in the passing attack.
Sutton posted a career high 81 receptions in 2024 while securing his second 1,000-yard receiving campaign in his first year with Nix at the age of 29 – which likely exceeded the expectations of many entering the year.
Sutton profiles as a solid contested catch and red zone option and should still see a healthy volume of targets as a consistent perimeter threat in Sean Payton’s offense this postseason.
5. Khalil Shakir
Khalil Shakir has been one of the most consistent fantasy producers of the 2024 NFL season, scoring 10+ fantasy points in 11 of his 15 games in full-PPR formats.
Shakir’s role in the offense has been in the slot as a consistent chain mover and YAC producer – where he ranks second behind Deebo Samuel with 7.9 yards after the catch per reception for players with 50+ receptions on the season.
Shakir’s volume doesn’t exactly rival some of the other top options on this weekend’s slate, but his role, efficiency, and playmaking ability make him worth consideration in a win or go home situation – which could see Allen turn to reliable options in the passing game a bit more frequently.
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