Lions vs. 49ers: Daily Fantasy Sleepers, Lineup Picks for FanDuel, DraftKings

The daily fantasy football strategy on FanDuel and DraftKings for the NFC Championship Game is dependent on how effective Deebo Samuel is.

Samuel's absence hurt the San Francisco 49ers offense in the divisional round and it led to an even high volume for Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk and George Kittle.

Samuel should be targeted for DFS lineups because few players in the matchup with the Detroit Lions can match his output when healthy.

McCaffrey's DFS value will not change, but Aiyuk and Kittle could drop a bit in terms of lineup value for single-game contests and multi-game contests for championship Sunday.

Detroit's roster is easier to break down from a DFS perspective. David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs should earn a good share of carries, while Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown will get the bulk of Jared Goff's targets.

However, there are some potential sleepers within the Lions offense, especially as red-zone targets.

Start Lineup with Christian McCaffrey or Deebo Samuel

Michael Owens/Getty Images

SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - JANUARY 20: Deebo Samuel #19 of the San Francisco 49ers reacts as he takes the field prior to an NFL divisional round playoff football game between the San Francisco 49ers and the Green Bay Packers at Levi's Stadium on January 20, 2024 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Michael Owens/Getty Images)

Any DFS lineup should have at least one of Christian McCaffrey or Deebo Samuel in it.

Samuel was cleared to play earlier in the week after he suffered a shoulder injury in the win over the Green Bay Packers.

Samuel's absence boosted Aiyuk and Kittle into higher-volume roles, and the only way that continues is if the wide receiver is not effective.

So much of the San Francisco offense runs through either Samuel or McCaffrey through the air and on the ground. Samuel should be utilized in a handful of rushing plays.

Kyle Shanahan should trust his two top playmakers to tear apart the Detroit defense, and if that happens, they could both produce stratospheric DFS point totals.

If you have concerns about Samuel's effectiveness, you must add McCaffrey because he will have his normal rushing workload and earn a few more targets alongside Aiyuk and Kittle.

Trust Detroit's Rushing Attack

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

DETROIT, MICHIGAN - JANUARY 21: David Montgomery #5 of the Detroit Lions is brought down by K.J. Britt #52 of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers during the first quarter of the NFC Divisional Playoff game at Ford Field on January 21, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)

The 49ers are coming off a rare 100-yard concession to a running back.

San Francisco's concession of the triple-digit performance to Aaron Jones is a good sign for David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs.

Montgomery is the more trustworthy of the two when it comes to earning touches in the ground game.

He earned at least 10 carries in all but one of the games he appeared in this season.

Montgomery's yardage totals have not been ideal in some games, but at least you know the Lions will feed him on a regular basis.

Gibbs will be utilized more in the passing game. He had four receptions on four targets in each of his two playoff games.

The rookie running back also ran the ball on 17 occasions in those two games, but his true value comes with touchdowns. Gibbs scored in six of his last seven games.

At least one of the running backs should be rostered because of their volume and the potential game script in which Detroit uses the run to keep the ball away from the San Francisco offense.

Detroit's Wide Receivers Have Sleeper Potential

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DETROIT, MI - JANUARY 21: Jameson Williams #9 of the Detroit Lions carries the ball during the fourth quarter of an NFL divisional round playoff football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Ford Field on January 21, 2024 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Kevin Sabitus/Getty Images)

All of the sleeper potential in the NFC Championship Game comes from the Detroit offense.

San Francisco's offense will be comprised of McCaffrey, Samuel, Aiyuk and Kittle. It would be a total surprise if someone else was heavily involved without an injury.

Detroit's passing game at least has some potential for variety, whether it be through Josh Reynolds or Jameson Williams.

San Francisco could commit numbers to defending St. Brown, and if that is the case, the Lions could use Reynolds across the middle and Williams as the big-play threat.

Reynolds earned a touchdown catch last week despite LaPorta's return to the lineup. He had 80 yards on five catches in the wild-card round without the star tight end.

Reynolds' connection with Jared Goff could be vital in this spot and we should expect more than the three targets he earned last week.

Williams can be Detroit's offensive X-factor because of his speed, and while he may not have a large target volume, he has the potential to break one or two long plays that can make a massive difference on Sunday.

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