NFL Playoff Cheat Sheet: By-Position Rankings

NFL Playoff Cheat Sheet: By-Position Rankings

This list is geared toward playoff leagues with standard fantasy scoring (4/6, 20/10, non PPR) and that draft only once before the playoffs and count all scoring through the Super Bowl. So it's a mix of per-game production and the number of projected games for a given team.

For PPR rankings, not much changes. You could bump up James White a couple slots, for example, but it's hard to think of anyone else who makes a significant move.

For postseason rankings for the upcoming week, check out Jeff Erickson's Weekly Rankings.

* = check status

QBTmWRTmTE
Tom BradyNEAntonio BrownPITRob GronkowskiNE
Russell WilsonSEADoug BaldwinSEAGreg OlsenCAR
Cam NewtonCARJulian Edelman*NETyler EifertCIN
Carson PalmerARZTyler LockettSEAJordan ReedWAS
Ben RoethlisbergerPITDemaryius ThomasDENTravis KelceKC
Peyton ManningDENEmmanuel SandersDENLuke WillsonSEA
Alex SmithKCMichael FloydARZHeath MillerPIT
Andy Dalton*CINLarry FitzgeraldARZOwen DanielsDEN
Kirk CousinsWASJohn BrownARZKyle RudolphMIN
Aaron RodgersGBA.J. GreenCINScott ChandlerNE
Brian HoyerHOUDeAndre HopkinsHOURichard RodgersGB
Teddy BridgewaterMINMartavis Bryant*PITVernon DavisDEN
AJ McCarronCINJeremy MaclinKCRyan GriffinHOU
Brock OsweilerDENBrandon LaFellNEDarren FellsARZ
RBTmDeSean JacksonWASJermaine GreshamARZ
David JohnsonARZTed GinnCARVirgil GreenDEN
Marshawn Lynch*SEAJermaine KearseSEAC.J. FiedorowiczHOU
DeAngelo Williams*PITJames JonesGBEd DicksonCAR
Jonathan Stewart*CARRandall CobbGBCooper HelfetSEA
C.J. AndersonDENMarkus WheatonPITAndrew QuarlessGB
Ronnie HillmanDENDevin FunchessCARJustin PerilloGB
Charcandrick WestKCStefon DiggsMIN
James WhiteNEPierre GarconWASKTm
Adrian PetersonMINDanny AmendolaNEStephen GostkowskiNE
Eddie LacyGBChris ConleyKCSteven HauschkaSEA
Jeremy HillCINKeshawn MartinNEChandler CatanzaroARZ
Alfred BlueHOUCorey BrownCARGraham GanoCAR
James StarksGBNate Washington*HOUChris BoswellPIT
Christine MichaelSEAMarvin JonesCINBrandon McManusDEN
Cameron Artis-PayneCARJamison CrowderWASCairo SantosKC
Giovani BernardCiNJerricho CotcheryCARMike NugentCIN
Andre EllingtonARZJaron BrownARZDustin HopkinsWAS
Steven JacksonNEDavante AdamsGBNick NovakHOU
Brandon BoldenNEMohamed SanuCINMason CrosbyGB
Fitzgerald ToussaintPITMike WallaceMINBlair WalshMIN
Spencer WareKCJarius WrightMINDTm
Alfred MorrisWASJ.J. NelsonARZSeahawksSEA
Mike TolbertCARDarrius Heyward-BeyPITPatriotsNE
Jonathan GrimesHOUAlbert WilsonKCPanthersCAR
Jordan TodmanPITCecil Shorts*HOUBroncosDEN
Jerick McKinnonMINCody LatimerDENCardinalsARZ
Bryce BrownSEAJordan NorwoodDENChiefsKC
Chris PolkHOUJeff JanisGBSteelersPIT
Pierre ThomasWASBengalsCIN
Matt AsiataMINTexansHOU
Kerwynn WilliamsARZRedskinsWAS
Juwan ThompsonDENPackersGB
Matt Jones*WASVikingsMIN


Notes:

I ranked the Patriots players as having the most projected games because the AFC is the weaker conference, i.e., while the Panthers, Cardinals and Seahawks might be the league's three best teams, they have to contend with one another. I ranked the Seahawks No. 2 because they have a chance to play four games, and though they have to travel, they're dangerous to the NFC's bye-week teams. The Steelers are the other Wild Card week team with Super Bowl upside, but their defense makes them vulnerable at Cincinnati in the first round, especially if Andy Dalton plays.

But my Pats preference is by a small margin, and if you preferred to bankroll the Seahawks, Panthers, Cardinals, Broncos or even Steelers, I wouldn't try to talk you out of it.

The running backs were the hardest to rank, especially with DeAngelo Williams' injury and Marshawn Lynch's and Jonathan Stewart's uncertain statuses. If Williams is out, bump up Fitzgerald Toussaint and Jordan Todman significantly.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Chris Liss
Chris Liss was RotoWire's Managing Editor and Host of RotoWire Fantasy Sports Today on Sirius XM radio from 2001-2022.
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