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NFL playoffs power rankings for fantasy football playoff leagues (Divisional Round). He ranks postseason teams with top lineup picks for FFPC Playoff Challenge 2 contests.
You can still enter an NFL playoff league for fantasy football, as the Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC) Playoff Challenge 2 begins with this week’s Divisional Round matchups. When constructing your fantasy football playoff rosters for this bonus contest, the first step is to project how far each team can advance through the rest of the NFL playoffs. This exercise is essential for the FFPC Playoff Challenge 2, as you can only choose one player from every NFL team. I rank all the teams here based on my postseason forecasts for games played and potential fantasy production in the next three rounds.
My NFL Playoff Power Rankings for the FFPC Playoff Challenge 2 can be used as a loose guide for any ongoing fantasy football playoff format. Because you can select only one player per team, and the FFPC format elevates TE scoring to 1.5 points per reception, the rankings of players by team are customized specifically for FFPC Playoff Challenge purposes. The roster requirements and scoring for the FFPC Playoff Challenge 2 can be found here.
These Power Rankings include my detailed scouting reports on each team from NFL and fantasy perspectives, so you can then further evaluate the postseason potential of every team in the field to make ideal picks.
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Detroit Lions
The Lions have the best odds to win the Super Bowl at DraftKings (+275), and if they can continue to overcome defensive injuries, might end the second-longest championship drought in NFL history, Detroit boasts the most unstoppable offense in the league and the thrashing of Minnesota in the regular season finale was a reminder that they truly may be the best team in the NFL.
The challenge here is to determine which Lions player to pick for the FFPC Playoff Challenge 2 because you can only select one. Jared Goff has a legitimate shot to win the Super Bowl MVP award if Detroit plays three games, but fantasy-wise, we have to lean to Lamar Jackson or Josh Allen. If you go with multiple entries, Goff should certainly be rostered on one or two teams.
Jahmyr Gibbs has become the total package for the Lions offense. Great vision and burst on this run. Folks, he's just different. #OnePride pic.twitter.com/KxeTTjx1gz
— Russell Brown (@RussNFLDraft) January 9, 2025
Jahmyr Gibbs is the top upside play among running backs in the remaining NFL playoff field, but his TD production will be sliced into by the return of David Montgomery, who has a lot of appeal himself for consistent end-zone visits. Amon-Ra St. Brown might raise his production during the postseason, and Jameson Williams is a nifty play for multiple entries.
Ultimately, when competing against the rest of the FFPC field, you should go for the player with the highest ceiling on a single pick, and that is Gibbs. Goff and St. Brown are the top pivots, as Montgomery is coming off a significant layoff.
The Rams won’t be an easy out in the Divisional Round, but the Lions carry the aura of an authentic championship team. If they can overcome the Philadelphia defense in a projected NFC Championship Game, then you will get three games and double-point scoring in the Super Bowl in the FFPC Playoff Challenge 2 from whoever you pick from the Detroit roster.
Best Lineup Picks (In Order of Preference): Jahmyr Gibbs, Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, David Montgomery, Jameson Williams, Sam LaPorta.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are the sexy pick to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl right now, because the Baltimore offense looks the best it ever has with Lamar Jackson on the roster, and the defense fixed its issues from earlier in the season.
Do keep in mind, however, that the Ravens must win at both Buffalo and Kansas City to get the maximum three-game return. Baltimore, however, may have the best balance of offense and defense in the AFC right now. There is tremendous statistical potential for Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry in what could be higher-scoring matchups with the Bills and possibly the Lions.
Making your pick from the Baltimore roster is not as simple as picking between Jackson and Henry, though. The FFPC scoring format awards 1.5 points per reception to tight ends, which makes Mark Andrews a prime lineup play at the thinnest position. If you don’t roster Andrews or Travis Kelce, you are settling for a less comfortable pick at TE. Andrews caught a career-high 11 TDs during the regular season.
You can get fantasy shares of all three of Jackson, Henry, and Andrews with multiple entries. Jackson was the best QB in fantasy football during the regular season, averaging three more points per game than Josh Allen. With other top RBs available besides Henry and the option to roster Kelce from the Chiefs, the possible three-time MVP is the preferred pick from the Ravens for a single-entry team.
Best Lineup Picks: Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Mark Andrews, Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers (he is uncertain for the Divisional Round matchup at Buffalo and should only be a multi-entry gamble if activated).
Buffalo Bills
Unfortunately for fantasy football playoff purposes, one team between Buffalo and Baltimore isn’t going to play more than one game. The one that survives might play three. The Bills are actually 1.5 underdogs to the Ravens on their home turf, and that might be taken as a collective insult.
Let’s not forget that Buffalo was the only team to beat both Detroit and Kansas City during the regular season, and the Bills averaged 30.9 points per game during the regular season, which was second only to Detroit. The defense also ranked second in the AFC in takeaways.
The Ravens can certainly be eliminated by the Bills this week. And you must pick a player from the Buffalo offense. It clearly comes down to Allen or James Cook. If you pick Allen, then there is a spot for Henry or Andrews on the roster. The Cook route allows for Jackson to be slotted in at QB.
Bills establishing their will behind that elite OL and James Cook.
Buffalo has 100 rushing yards on 15 carries in their 1st two drives: pic.twitter.com/YmYasdejZB
— Cameron Wolfe (@CameronWolfe) January 12, 2025
Baltimore’s run defense ranked No. 1 in the league during the regular season, and that matchup fact further confirms Allen as the best overall pick from the Buffalo roster. But the defense doesn’t always win the matchup, either, and Cook has emerged as a TD force. For single-entry lineup structuring purposes, I might lean to Cook to combine with Jackson. But an Allen/Henry pairing is just as appealing.
If the Bills do outpoint the Ravens and get past the Chiefs, let’s also remember that they dropped 48 points on the Lions in the regular season win over them. Allen has a very high potential ceiling over a possible three-game span.
Best Lineup Picks: Josh Allen, James Cook, Khalil Shakir, Dalton Kincaid.
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City is the top playoff seed in the AFC and starts out on a seemingly easier path to the conference championship game. The Chiefs just have to beat the Texans, and you will get two games from whoever is chosen from their roster.
K.C. ranks here, though, because it has the least explosive offense of any of the top five Super Bowl contenders that have the best chance to play in three games. Mahomes was not a top 10 QB during the regular season in overall points per game or average points per game. Isiah Pacheco hasn’t looked his better self since returning from a leg injury,
The Kansas WRs are not optimal single-lineup picks. Xavier Worthy is the upside play but can be boom or bust. DeAndre Hopkins lacks upside. Marquise Brown has looked good since returning, though, and is a sleeper multi-entry pick.
The most obvious selection from the Chiefs roster is Kelce, as he can turn up his production during the postseason, and he is a must-roster single-entry option in the FFPC TE premium scoring format.
Best Lineup Picks: Travis Kelce, Patrick Mahomes, Xavier Worthy, Isiah Pacheco, Marquise Brown, DeAndre Hopkins.
Philadelphia Eagles
This might be ranking the Eagles too low, but I view them as having slightly lesser chances to reach the Super Bowl than the other top four teams. The three AFC teams are all on the same level of potential to win the conference, while Philadelphia must beat the Lions on the road to play three games.
The Eagles defense was the best in the NFL during the regular season and forced four Green Bay turnovers in the opening round. It might be the best-equipped unit to handle the Lions in the playoffs. Philly may indeed be the best team in the postseason field in terms of featuring the best balance of offense and defense.
Even though Jalen Hurts is an elite fantasy QB, Jackson and Allen are preferred QB picks, and Saquon Barkley was the best RB in fantasy football during the regular season. He is the standout single-entry pick from this offense. A.J. Brown will hopefully produce better this week, but he is working through a knee issue that makes him more of a multi-entry guy. DeVonta Smith is not enough of a ceiling play to merit strong consideration in this FFPC playoff format.
Saquon Barkley had a monster game against the Rams in Week 12
• 255 Rushing Yards
• 47 Receiving Yards
• 2 Touchdowns🍿🍿🍿#FlyEaglesFly pic.twitter.com/rU5NTC8rb6
— The Philly Times 📰 (@the_phi_times) January 14, 2025
If you believe the Eagles will prevail at Detroit, go for three games of Barkley goodness.
Best Lineup Picks: Saquon Barkley, Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, Dallas Goedert, DeVonta Smith.
Los Angeles Rams
You can never fully doubt Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford. If they do pull off an unlikely upset at Philadelphia, you will get more than one game out of Puka Nacua or Kyren Williams. Realistically, though, I prefer to get one game out of Nacua, as he can post satisfying totals against any defense.
Best Lineup Picks: Puka Nacua, Kyren Williams, I won’t recommend anyone else, because you don’t want to risk one game from a QB who isn’t a top-level fantasy option and Cooper Kupp simply is not playable right now.
Washington Commanders
They were the best story of the first round, and Jayden Daniels is an apparent fantasy standout, But the Lions are simply not losing their playoff opener, so get one game from Terry McLaurin. ‘
Best Lineup Picks: Terry McLaurin, Jayden Daniels. Dyami Brown flashed in the playoff opener yet cannot be relied on to deliver two straight quality outings. I am fading Brown and Brian Robinson Jr. in a contest where you load lineups with one ideal play from every NFL playoff roster.
Houston Texans
Houston is very likely one and done and Nico Collins is the obvious play.
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