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FFL: Offseason | NFL: Wildcard

NFL wild-card roundup: Commanders beat Bucs at buzzer

Mon Jan 13 12:44am ET
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Zane Gonzalez caromed a 37-yard field goal off the inside of the right upright and through the goal posts as time expired to give the Washington Commanders a 23-20 victory over the host Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday night in an NFC wild-card game.

Jayden Daniels completed 24 of 35 passes for 268 yards and two touchdowns for the sixth-seeded Commanders, who will face the top-seeded Detroit Lions on Saturday in the divisional round.

The postseason victory is Washington's first since the 2005 season when Hall of Famer Joe Gibbs was head coach. That win also came against the Buccaneers.

Terry McLaurin caught seven passes for 89 yards and a touchdown and Dyami Brown had five receptions for 89 yards and a score for Washington. Bobby Wagner had a key fumble recovery in the fourth quarter.

Baker Mayfield completed 15 of 18 passes for 185 yards and two touchdowns for Tampa Bay, which ran just 44 plays and was dominated in time of possession by nearly 11 minutes. The Commanders ran 69 plays.

Bills 31, Broncos 7

James Cook rushed for a season-high 120 yards and a touchdown, Josh Allen threw two touchdown passes in the second half and host Buffalo won in the AFC wild-card round for the fifth straight year, beating Denver in Orchard Park, N.Y.

Allen was 20-for-26 passing for 272 yards and added 46 rushing yards as Buffalo improved to 9-0 at home between regular season and playoffs. The second-seeded Bills will host the third-seeded Baltimore Ravens in the divisional round next Sunday.

The seventh-seeded Broncos scored on the game's opening drive, but it was all Buffalo the rest of the way. Running back Ty Johnson (24-yarder) and receiver Curtis Samuel (55) caught long touchdowns to put the game out of reach. Broncos rookie quarterback Bo Nix completed 13 of 22 passes for 144 yards and a touchdown. He also guided the rushing attack with 43 yards.

Eagles 22, Packers 10

Jalen Hurts passed for 131 yards and two touchdowns and Philadelphia eliminated visiting Green Bay.

Jahan Dotson and Dallas Goedert each caught a touchdown for the second-seeded Eagles, who will host an NFC divisional round game next Sunday against the winner of the Vikings-Rams game set to play Monday night. Saquon Barkley had 25 carries for 119 yards, and Oren Burks set the tone by forcing a fumble on the opening kick return, recovered by Jeremiah Trotter Jr.

Josh Jacobs scored the only touchdown for the seventh-seeded Packers, who ended the season with three straight losses. He had 121 yards from scrimmage. Jordan Love completed 20 of 33 passes for 212 yards and three interceptions.

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Player Notes
Baker Mayfield Jan 13 1:13am ET
Baker Mayfield

Dynasty | Bucs quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 15-of-18 passes for 185 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a playoff loss to the Commanders. Dynasty Analysis: Baker was efficient in this one, but the game will likely be remembered for a costly fumble in the second half when Mayfield and wide receiver Jalen McMillan botched a hand-off that resulted in a lost fumble and seven quick points for Washington. Regardless, Mayfield cemented himself as the long-term answer in Tampa Bay and an easy QB1 in dynasty leagues this season. He may still be undervalued.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Bucky Irving Jan 13 1:00am ET
Bucky Irving

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Bucky Irving rushed for 77 yards on 17 carries during Sunday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. He also caught two passes for an additional six yards through the air. In the loss, Irving averaged his lowest yards per carry since Week 9 (excluding his injury-shortened Week 14), which is not an indictment on his performance but rather a testament to just how well he's been running the football lately. He carved out the lead-back role once again on Sunday, registering 17 carries to Rachaad White's one. White has essentially been delegated to pass-catching situations, and even then, he continues to lose opportunities to Irving. It has been fascinating to watch this backfield dynamic develop throughout the season, with White slipping way down from the RB1 tier in fantasy football while Irving becomes one of the top running backs in dynasty fantasy football (and a mid-range RB1 in redraft leagues, too). Barring an unexpected change or addition within the Buccaneers' backfield, Irving should remain their primary ball carrier entering 2025.

From RotoBaller

Rachaad White Jan 13 1:00am ET
Rachaad White

Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back Rachaad White rushed for one yard on one carry during Sunday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. He also caught two passes for an additional 14 yards through the air. White's usage as a ball carrier continues to dwindle, and he now has just 10 carries over his last four contests. His passing game usage has been a little more promising he had seven catches in Week 16 and had more receiving yards than Bucky Irving this past Sunday but it's still not enough to put him back on the fantasy radar in most leagues. White's fall from fantasy stardom has been nearly unprecedented, and his role will likely remain the same as Irving leads the backfield in 2025. As a result, White will rank as a high-end RB4, assuming he remains with Tampa Bay.

From RotoBaller

Jalen McMillan Jan 13 12:40am ET
Jalen McMillan

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Jalen McMillan caught two of his four targets for 41 yards during Sunday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. It was a below-average performance from the rookie receiver, who snapped a five-game touchdown streak in the defeat. He had found the end zone seven over during this five-game window, ranking as the overall WR7 in half-PPR leagues during that span. McMillan did a great job filling in for Chris Godwin (ankle) down the stretch, and the rookie's emergence is likely enough to convince the Buccaneers that re-signing Godwin isn't a high priority. The University of Washington product offers a nice complement to Mike Evans, and the two should continue to form a solid one-two punch for years to come. McMillan remains a strong fantasy WR3 going forward, especially if he can prove that his nose for the end zone in 2024 wasn't a fluke.

From RotoBaller

Cade Otton Jan 13 12:40am ET
Cade Otton

Tampa Bay Buccaneers tight end Cade Otton caught two passes for 32 yards during Sunday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. The 25-year-old returned from a three-game absence this weekend, but he didn't have a major impact as the Buccaneers threw the ball just 18 times. Otton was once again overlooked as Baker Mayfield preferred throwing to wide receivers Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan. The 25-year-old finished as the overall TE14 in 2024, which was the best mark of his career and was also impressive given that he missed a trio of contests. Otton, who had 600 yards and four touchdowns during the regular season, will look to build on his production even further as he pushes to be a top-12 tight end. Fantasy managers should treat him as such, albeit on the fringe around No. 12. Managers who draft Otton in 2025 should feel comfortable with him in their starting tight end slot.

From RotoBaller

Mike Evans Jan 13 12:30am ET
Mike Evans

Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Mike Evans caught all seven of his targets for 92 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's loss to the Washington Commanders. He once again established himself as the top target for Baker Mayfield, but it wasn't nearly enough as the Buccaneers fell to the Commanders on a last-second field goal. Evans is coming off a storybook 2024 campaign in which he delivered his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season despite missing three games due to injury. The 31-year-old has cemented himself as a high-end WR2 on a yearly basis, with plenty of weekly appearances in the WR1 range throughout his career. Even as he enters his 12th NFL season with time not on his side, Evans remains a top wide receiver and should be regarded as a high-end WR2 heading into 2025 fantasy football.

From RotoBaller

Baker Mayfield Jan 13 12:20am ET
Baker Mayfield

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield completed 15 of 18 pass attempts for 185 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Sunday's playoff loss to the Washington Commanders. He also took one sack and rushed for 23 yards. It was an uncharacteristically quiet showing for Mayfield, who hadn't completed fewer than 18 passes since Week 2 of the regular season. With that said, fantasy managers and bettors have to be pleased with his high completion rate and overall clean performance as he didn't turn the ball over. Mayfield finished the 2024 campaign with the NFC's most passing touchdowns, but he also led the whole league in interceptions. His high passing output keeps him in the mid-range QB1 conversation for 2025 fantasy football.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Hurts Jan 13 12:13am ET
Jalen Hurts

Dynasty | Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts completed 13-of-21 passes for 131 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a playoff win over Green Bay. Dynasty Analysis: He added 36 yards rushing. It was a slow passing day for Hurts, but he still produced a decent stat line and, more importantly, left the game healthy. While not as dominant as he was last year, he still produced at a borderline elite-level this season and his rushing ability is going to keep him up towards the top of our QB rankings in the off-season.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Jayden Daniels Jan 13 12:13am ET
Jayden Daniels

Dynasty | Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels completed 24-of-35 passes for 268 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in a playoff win against Tampa Bay. Dynasty Analysis: He added 36 rushing yards to lead the team. Daniels has been nothing short of amazing as a rookie and has now added the first playoff win for the franchise in nearly 20 years to his resume. Daniels has cemented himself as a QB1 in fantasy and reality and should be a solid player to build a dynasty team around moving forward.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Zach Ertz Jan 13 12:00am ET
Zach Ertz

Washington Commanders tight end Zach Ertz brought in two of his four targets for 23 yards during their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the wild-card round. Ertz took the backseat in this contest as Terry McLaurin and Dyami Brown did most of the damage through the air. However, Ertz's four targets tied him for the fourth-most on the team. The 34-year-old was carrying a two-game touchdown streak into Sunday's playoff game. Over the final seven games of the regular season, the veteran tight end found the back of the end zone six times and averaged 39 yards per game. Ertz will look to rebound next weekend when the Washington Commanders travel to Detroit to face the top seed in the NFC.

From RotoBaller

Zane Gonzalez Jan 13 12:00am ET
Zane Gonzalez

Washington Commanders kicker Zane Gonzalez went 3-for-3 during their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday evening. Gonzalez was also perfect (2-for-2) on extra points. His first field goal of the evening came in the second quarter from 52 yards out. In the third quarter, he would convert his second attempt of the evening from 22 yards out. Then, in the final seconds, Gonzales would convert his third field goal of the evening to snap Washington's 19-year playoff victory drought with a 37-yard field goal. Gonzalez has replaced the injured Austin Seibert (groin) and has gone perfect on all attempts over his previous four games. He will look to extend this streak during their next game in Detroit on Saturday evening.

From RotoBaller

Dyami Brown Jan 12 11:50pm ET
Dyami Brown

Washington Commanders wide receiver Dyami Brown enjoyed one of the best games of his career during their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round. Brown brought in all five of his targets for 89 yards and a score. Brown's 89 yards were tied for the most on the team, alongside Terry McLaurin. His five targets and receptions were both the second-most on the team. Brown found the back of the end zone on a ten-yard pass from Jayden Daniels in the second quarter. This was Brown's most productive outing of the season and second-highest yardage total of his career, only below the 108 yards he tallied during Week 5 of the 2022 NFL Season. Brown should once again carry sneaky flex appeal in DFS formats, facing a struggling Detroit secondary next weekend.

From RotoBaller

Olamide Zaccheaus Jan 12 11:50pm ET
Olamide Zaccheaus

Washington Commanders wide receiver Olamide Zaccheaus had a quiet showing during their wild-card victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. In this game, Zaccheaus brought in all three of his targets for just 19 yards. His three targets were the lowest among other Washington wide receivers. The 27-year-old found a role in the passing attack late in the season with Noah Brown (kidney) on the injured reserve. During the final three weeks of the season, Zaccheaus averaged a solid 68.7 yards per game and found the end zone three times but hit a skid in the wild-card game. Zaccheaus should have a good opportunity to bounce back next Saturday evening, facing a struggling Detroit secondary that has allowed the second-most PPR points to opposing wideouts this season.

From RotoBaller

Terry McLaurin Jan 12 11:40pm ET
Terry McLaurin

Washington Commanders wide receiver Terry McLaurin caught seven of his ten targets for 89 yards and a touchdown during their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. His ten targets and seven catches were the most on the team. His 89 yards tied him for the most alongside Dyami Brown. McLaurin was Jayden Daniels' go-to option all evening. McLaurin found the back of the end zone in the fourth quarter on a five-yard strike from Daniels. The 29-year-old wideout has now scored in back-to-back games and eight times over the past seven games. During this seven-game stretch, McLaurin has tallied at least 60 yards in all but one game. He should be viewed as a high-end WR1 in DFS formats, facing a struggling Detroit secondary next weekend.

From RotoBaller

Brian Robinson Jr. Jan 12 11:30pm ET
Brian Robinson Jr.

Washington Commanders running back Brian Robinson Jr. tallied just 16 yards on 10 attempts during their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Robinson was deployed as the top option in the backfield but could not get any rhythm going in the running game. He performed better as a receiver, bringing in four of his five targets for 22 yards. Later in the game, the Commanders opted to give Austin Ekeler starting opportunities, which could suggest that Robinson may have a smaller workload in next weekend's game against the Detroit Lions. During Weeks 16 through 18, the Alabama product also struggled, averaging an underwhelming 31.3 yards per game. DFS players should opt to fade Robinson next weekend, as he will face a Detroit defense that has allowed the third-fewest PPR points per game to opposing RBs.

From RotoBaller

Austin Ekeler Jan 12 11:30pm ET
Austin Ekeler

Washington Commanders running back Austin Ekeler tallied 27 yards on eight attempts during their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday evening. Ekeler also brought in three of his four targets for 26 yards. While Brian Robinson Jr. was deployed as the top option early on, Ekeler saw his role increase during the final quarter. On the final offensive drive of the game, Ekeler played the hero as he brought in a 19-yard reception, which set up Zane Gonzalez's game-winning field goal. Given Robinson's struggles in this game, fantasy managers should expect Ekeler to have an even more significant role in next weekend's game against the high-flying Detroit Lions. Ekeler should carry high upside in a projected high-scoring affair next weekend, given his skills as a pass catcher.

From RotoBaller

Jayden Daniels Jan 12 11:20pm ET
Jayden Daniels

Washington Commanders rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels went 24-for-35 with 268 yards and two scores during their victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the wild-card round. Daniels added 36 yards on 12 rushing attempts. Daniels threw his first touchdown pass to Dyami Brown from ten yards out in the second quarter. Later in the fourth, he would throw his second score of the game, this time to Terry McLaurin. He relied on his top wideout all evening as McLaurin saw a team-high ten targets. The rookie continued his late-game heroics as he led the Commanders downfield to set up the game-winning field goal. The LSU product has now thrown at least two passing scores in each of his previous six complete games. In three of these, he threw for three or more. Daniels will now face the No.1 seed Detroit Lions next weekend in what should be a high-scoring affair.

From RotoBaller

Jordan Love Jan 12 11:13pm ET
Jordan Love

Dynasty | Packers quarterback Jordan Love completed 20-of-33 passes for 212 yards with no touchdowns and three interceptions in a playoff loss to the Eagles. Dynasty Analysis: Love had a sore right elbow and wasn't quite as bad as the box score indicates, but he wasn't good, either. This was an interesting year for Love, who wasn't quite as effective as he was in his breakout season last year. He did, however, deal with some nagging injuries, so he's likely earned some grace from dynasty managers. He'll enter next year as a QB1 but his grasp on that will be a little more slippery than it was going into this season.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Saquon Barkley Jan 12 11:13pm ET
Saquon Barkley

Dynasty | Eagles running back Saquon Barkley rushed for 119 yards in a playoff win against the Packers. Dynasty Analysis: If this game was a week ago, Barkley would now own the record for most yards rushing in a season. Alas, it wasn't meant to be as he was held out last week. Still, Barkley did what we simply expect at this point - dominate touches and churn out yards. While he didn't score, it was still much of the same we've seen all season. Barring an injury, Barkley looks like a prime candidate to be the overall RB1 next season and a top trade target for contenting dynasty teams.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Jamel Dean Jan 12 10:50pm ET
Jamel Dean

According to the team, Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive back Jamel Dean (knee) has been downgraded to out for the remainder of Sunday's wild-card match against the Washington Commanders. Dean carried a questionable tag into today's game and reaggravated this knee injury during the second half. Before exiting, Dean tallied three tackles and one pass deflection. For the remainder of the contest, Josh Hayes should see an increase in playing time.

From RotoBaller