Championship Sunday: Stidham Steps In, Bears Face Seahawks in Seattle

AFC Championship: Patriots @ Broncos (Stidham Starts)

The Jarrett Stidham Effect With Bo Nix out, Jarrett Stidham takes the reins against a Patriots defense that just forced five turnovers against C.J. Stroud.

Fantasy & Dynasty Impact:

• Courtland Sutton / Marvin Mims / Troy Franklin: MASSIVE DOWNGRADE. Stidham is a game manager at best. In DFS Showdown slates, fade the Broncos passing attack. In Dynasty, this might be a sell window for Sutton if you can find a believer in the "system."
• Broncos RBs (Javonte Williams): Expect a heavy box. The Patriots will dare Stidham to beat them. Volume might be there, but efficiency will tank.

Patriots Outlook:

• Drake Maye: He's playing with house money. The rookie has shown composure. His Dynasty Arrow is pointing strictly UP. A win here vaults him into the legitimate QB1 conversation for 2026.

NFC Championship: Bears @ Seahawks

The Immovable Object vs The Unstoppable Force The Bears defense vs the Seahawks offense is the marquee matchup.

Kenneth Walker III (SEA)

• Status: RB1 Overall. Even against the Bears, Walker is the engine. He gets the red zone work and the explosive play potential.
• Strategy: In DFS, he will be high-owned, but fading him is terrifying after last week's 3-TD explosion.

Dynasty Sleepers to Watch

• Rome Odunze (CHI): Returns to Washington (college roots). Narrative street? Perhaps, but keep an eye on his usage in this high-stakes environment.
• Jaxon Smith-Njigba (SEA): If the Bears bracket Metcalf, JSN becomes the safety valve. He is a PPR glue guy for this slate.