NFL Playoffs Rankings: Cheat Sheets by Position

Fantasy Football Playoff Cheat Sheet

There are many types of formats for fantasy football playoff leagues. The most common are those that operate like a typical fantasy draft or those that allow players to be rostered on multiple fantasy teams.

The cheat sheet below is based on PPR scoring with one point per 20 passing yards, one point per 10 rushing/receiving yards, four points per passing TD and six points for rushing/receiving TD. 

The Key to Success

There are upsets almost every year in the playoffs. It's tempting to target players on the No. 1 seeds from each conference. And sometimes that pays off. But often, the edge is finding players from teams with lower seeds that will play three or four games.

That said, in this specific season, the 49ers and Ravens rested key players in Week 18 and both teams earned first-round byes. The expectation is that these two juggernauts will be close to full health when they first play in the second round. 

In addition, this is one of those rare seasons in which neither of the conference leaders will deal with opponents that were serious challengers for the top seeds. There certainly will be values from the teams that make the conference championship games. However, I am going to recommend drafting as many 49ers and Ravens as possible. Either team can lose, but it will be difficult for that to happen. Of course, it is football. We see crazy outcomes every week.

So, before ranking players as you would for a season-long draft, it's crucial to project how you think the games will go through the entire bracket. Once you've completed the bracket, note how many games you expect each player to play.

At that point, a useful cheat sheet can be created.

Advice on "One and Done" Players

Be careful when projecting players you think will play just one game.

In the NFL playoffs, game planning is often extremely specific. With seasons hanging on the result of one game, defenses will often be much more extreme in their approach than they are in the regular season. This is especially true if the defense faces perceived one-dimensional offense. In those cases, the game plan is often to sell out to stop that one thing. It forces the opposing offense to try to win by leaning on their areas of weakness.

My Process for Creating This Cheat Sheet

Here's my quick evaluation of the strengths and weaknesses of the playoff teams. Once I broke down each team, I was ready to move to the cheat sheet.

The Chalk

• The 49ers are unlikely to face any defense in the NFC that can remotely slow them. With four elite weapons in Christian McCaffrey, Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle, most defenses cannot take more than one or two of them away. On defense, when San Francisco plays with a lead, it has an outstanding pass rush. In that scenario, an opposing offense that has to play one dimensional may be in for a long day.
• There's probably not much to say about the Ravens. They have had a top offense and defense all season. Lamar Jackson might not always put up eye-popping numbers, but he is playing at an elite level. In addition to the talent on both sides of the ball, Baltimore is extremely well coached.

The Biggest Challengers

• We've heard the narratives about the Cowboys. These narratives may be true. Yes, Dallas has struggled on the road. They also haven't looked great when facing top teams in the league. In terms of coaching, many are concerned about Mike McCarthy when a game is on the line. Narratives aside, we should consider that football is a small-sample sport. Also, any talented team could get hot for a month. Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb lead an offense that can hang with most teams in a shootout. On defense, Micah Parsons can wreck an offense. For a team that could have two home games, the Cowboys are dangerous.
• Almost every year, we hear the buzz about the hot wild-card team. This year, that team is the Rams. In my opinion, both Sean McVay and the entire organization have done a masterful job with a team that was written off before the season began. Matthew Stafford has been rejuvenated. With Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua at receiver, good luck slowing them both. In the running game, Kyren Williams has been a force. What's the weakness? It has to be the defense. The defensive line has been very good. However, the pass defense will find it difficult to slow the better offenses.

So, You're Telling Me There's a Chance!

• Does defense still win championships? The Browns have a unit that could keep them in each game. Also, Joe Flacco has been perfect for the Kevin Stefanski offense. Imagine if the Browns beat the Texans and play any future games in nasty weather. If that happens, the Cleveland defense could be an even bigger factor.
• Is there any team entering the playoffs in worse shape than the Eagles? Although I don't think the defense will correct its errors, there is hope on offense. Offensive coordinator Brian Johnson has been unable to create an offense that runs smoothly. However, with weapons like A.J. Brown, Jalen Hurts, Dallas Goedert, DeVonta Smith and D'Andre Swift, would it surprise anyone if they went on a three-game hot streak? It doesn't seem likely, but the talent they have is incredible.
• Why would I have Buffalo on this list and not with the biggest challengers? The Bills have the No. 2 seed in the AFC. They also have won five consecutive games. Frankly, they haven't been overly impressive in recent wins against the Chargers, Patriots and a banged-up Miami squad. The offense hasn't hit 28 points in four of its last five games. The defense gave up at least 21 points to teams led by Bailey Zappe and Easton Stick. That said, the defense is well coached and has strong veteran leadership, especially at safety. On offense, if Josh Allen can avoid making catastrophic errors, this offense can heat up quickly. It's a longshot that they could hang with the Ravens, but crazier things have happened. Still, in a vulnerable AFC, they may not be a big threat to Baltimore but still play in three games.

One-Dimensional Teams that May Need Some Breaks

• I love the Lions. It's been incredible to see this franchise playing well. I see a few issues. First, their pass defense has fallen apart.The Vikings' Nick Mullens averaged more than 400 yards against them in the Weeks 16 and 18. The strength of this team is offense. Unfortunately, it looks like Sam LaPorta (knee) might miss time or be far less than 100 percent healthy. If the tight end is unavailable, defenses could spend more resources on Amon-Ra St. Brown. That could become problematic. Finally, Detroit has not been a great road team. As the No. 3 seed, there is a good chance they would max out at one home game.
• The rise of Jordan Love rightly has the Packers' faithful excited. I have no doubt that the offense can make some noise in the postseason. The defense is another story. Defensive coordinator Joe Barry has caught a lot of heat from football fans. As good as the Green Bay offense can be, it's likely not going to be enough to overcome the poor defensive play.

Teams That Are Tough To Invest In

• Yes, the Dolphins have had recent injuries on offense. Regardless, the Miami offense averaged 18 points the last three games. Two of those games were at home, which is where the offense was supposed to be lethal. Sure, Miami edged Dallas a few weeks ago, but this team is 0-4 against AFC teams in the playoff field. In addition, it will be on the road, and likely playing in winter weather. I'm not ready to buy into Tua Tagovailoa in that scenario. In terms of the defense, the Dolphins lost their two best edge rushers, Jaelan Phillips and Bradley Chubb. That's not going to help them when they face a strong offense. 
• I know the company lines. Never count out Patrick Mahomes. Travis Kelce is superman. Andy Reid is a genius. Look, I can only report on what I see. Aside from a meaningless Week 18 game, the Chiefs dropped four of their last seven games. The offense is not dangerous. There are too many mistakes and dropped passes. The offensive tackles are not protecting the quarterback consistently. The game against Miami is a coin flip. Put that all together, and I have little confidence that Kansas City will fix its issues.
• It's been exciting to see the Texans go from being the worst team in the league to a division winner in one season. In my mind, there's little doubt that C.J. Stroud is a star. I also think we'll be talking about Nico Collins as a second-tier superstar in the near future. So what's the issue? I don't trust the running game, and I believe the loss of Tank Dell makes this offense easier to defend. On the other side of the football, the pass defense is likely to have issues defending strong passing attacks.
• With third-string quarterback, Mason Rudolph, having led the Steelers to three consecutive wins, it seems they have no other option than to use him in the playoffs. Also, with T.J. Watt suffering a knee injury, the Pittsburgh defense seems far less imposing. It seems improbable that this team will win a road game. Should the Steelers pull a first-round upset, winning two games seems extremely unlikely.
• The Buccaneers have been a great story this year. Baker Mayfield has made them fun to watch. Regardless, the running game is far from dominant with Rachaad White. Also, defenses have held Mike Evans to 70 yards or fewer in four of his last five games. Overall, the offense has significant flaws. In addition, the defense has a number of big names, but it's hard to imagine it will slow down any above average offense. They could beat the Eagles and play two games, but that doesn't mean we'll see big fantasy scoring from this team.

Notable Injuries

• Christian McCaffrey suffered a calf strain in Week 17. From the time of the injury, he'll have almost three weeks to recover. Without knowing the severity of the injury, there is some potential for risk.
• A.J. Brown (knee) left the Eagles' last game. If he misses time, an inconsistent offense loses its best player.
• Sam LaPorta (knee) faces an uphill battle to be ready for the playoffs. If the rookie can't suit up, the Lions offense takes a big hit.
• Miami has been without Raheem Mostert (knee/ankle) and Jaylen Waddle (ankle) the past two weeks. However, both were limited in practice going into Week 18, so there could be optimism that both are back for the playoffs.
• Amari Cooper (heel) missed the Browns' last two games. Hopefully, the receiver was sidelined to get him healthy for the playoffs. Otherwise, the Browns offense could be doomed without him.
• Also on the Browns, Elijah Moore was hospitalized after suffering a concussion in Week 17. He has to be cleared by an independent neurologist to play.
• Christian Watson has missed the last five games with a hamstring injury. It's unclear if he will suit up.
• Texans' wide receiver Noah Brown missed Week 18 with a back injury. His depth is needed on an offense that's been without Tank Dell (knee/IR).
• Tyler Higbee didn't practice ahead of Week 18 with a shoulder injury. It's unclear if he'll practice this week.
• Gabe Davis sprained his PCL (knee) in the regular-season finale, but he might play.

Projected Games 

3 Games - Ravens, 49ers, Bills, Cowboys

2 Games - Rams, Eagles, Browns, Dolphins

1 Game - Packers, Lions, Texans, Chiefs, Buccaneers, Steelers

Playoffs Cheat Sheet