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You can still join an NFL playoff league for fantasy football, as the Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC) Playoff Challenge 2 starts with this week’s Divisional Round matchups. When building your fantasy football playoff rosters for this bonus competition, the first step is to forecast how far every team can advance through the remainder of the NFL playoffs. This exercise is very important in the FFPC Playoff Challenge 2, where you can only choose one player from every team. I have ranked all teams based on my postseason projections for games played in the next three rounds.
My NFL Playoff Power Rankings for purposes of the FFPC Playoff Challenge 2 can be used as a loose guide for any fantasy football playoff format that is still ongoing. Because you can pick only one player per team, and the FFPC format boosts TE scoring to 1.5 points per reception, my rankings of players by team are customized specifically for FFPC Playoff Challenge purposes. 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 judge the postseason potential of every team in the field and make ideal picks accordingly. Each team breakdown features my preferred picks from that roster.
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San Francisco 49ers
The elimination of the Cowboys and Eagles makes San Francisco’s road to Super Bowl 58 a more favorable one to navigate. The 49ers will not be shocked like the Cowboys were, as they will be ready to stop the run with their No. 3 ranked run defense and can force the Packers to become more one-dimensional. Green Bay will not be able to control the clock and keep the San Francisco offense off the field for longer spells as it was able to against Dallas.
Christian McCaffrey will then get to tear holes in a run defense that ranked 28th during the regular season. McCaffrey had 100+ scrimmage yards and a TD in seven of his seven home games this season and he should get two home games after the Niners take care of business against the Packers. Even on a team equipped with key playmakers everywhere and a top TE in a premium scoring format for the position, McCaffrey stands out as the clear best pick and he is a cut above all others at running back.
If you want to veer away from a guy who may be widely rostered or intend to submit multiple entries, there are other prime picks from the top NFC team. You can get three games out of a TE such as George Kittle, who led all players at his position with 1,020 receiving yards during the regular season. Deebo Samuel had 12 scrimmage TDs during the regular season and Brandon Aiyuk had 100+ receiving yards in five of seven home games. Brock Purdy ranked third in the NFL with 31 TD passes.
The 49ers have a very good chance of playing three postseason games, and in the FFPC Playoff Challenge 2 format, that means double the points in the Super Bowl week. San Francisco’s offense ranked third in points per game (28.9) and had four players with 1,000 scrimmage yards.
Recommended Lineup Picks (In order of preferred usage): Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle, Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk, Brock Purdy
Baltimore Ravens
This is the team with the second-best chance to play three playoff games. But Buffalo or Kansas City could prove to be a tougher out in a conference championship game than Detroit, a very likely opponent for San Francisco in the NFC title game. Lamar Jackson still has yet to make a deep playoff run in his career. The Bills have a more explosive offense than the Ravens, and the Chiefs have the best postseason body of work in recent seasons among the remaining AFC playoff teams.
Baltimore also does not have a playmaking crew that can rival those of San Francisco or Buffalo. That does make trimming to one pick from the team easier, as Jackson is the obvious fantasy standout from the roster. He had a career-high 3,678 pass yards in 2023 and led all QBs with 821 rushing yards. The choice to use him or Josh Allen for the rest of the NFL playoffs comes down to which AFC QB has a better shot to advance to the Super Bowl.
Allen gets the edge in fantasy upside over Jackson, but I will take the Ravens to win the AFC. They have convincingly beaten other playoff teams this season, recently downing Miami by 37 points and rolling past the 49ers on the road. They also beat Detroit by 32 points. So Jackson is my preferred pick in a close call over Allen.
131 seconds of Zay Flowers making plays pic.twitter.com/JnfQwxhGdj
— Ian Hartitz (@Ihartitz) January 16, 2024
Gus Edwards has seven rushing TDs in his past seven home games, but the yardage numbers have been regularly mediocre. Zay Flowers caught a TD pass in four of his final five regular season games and is the second-best pick from the Ravens roster. Odell Beckham Jr. can be boom or bust. While Mark Andrews is trending towards a return soon, how effective he can be is very uncertain, and he depresses the fantasy playoff value of Isaiah Likely.
Recommended Lineup Picks: If you have just one entry, Lamar Jackson is the surefire best pick. But you also must consider that he may be widely rostered, so Zay Flowers is a viable alternative. The rest in order are Mark Andrews, Gus Edwards, Odell Beckham Jr., Justice Hill, and Isaiah Likely.
Buffalo Bills
Buffalo does have a legitimate shot to reach the Super Bowl for the first time in 30 years. The Bills have the best offense in the AFC and have reemerged as a true contender with six consecutive wins, including the playoffs. I expect a win over a less formidable Kansas City team this week, and then Bills-Ravens might be a hotly contested AFC Championship Game.
If you believe Buffalo will beat Baltimore, then Allen could boost an FFPC entry to a strong overall finish. He is the best fantasy QB remaining in the NFL playoffs and his 16 rushing TDs overall are the most-ever by QB in a season, including the playoffs. He has a rushing TD in six of his past seven games.
James Cook had 84 scrimmage yards in the Wild Card round, and he ranked third among all RBs with 1,537 scrimmage yards during the regular season. Allen has been spreading the ball around well, making his pass-catchers less predictable. Stefon Diggs continued to not meet expectations in the first round, with seven receptions for 52 yards. Dalton Kincaid, who had three catches for 59 yards and a TD vs. Pittsburgh, does stand out more in a TE premium format.
Recommended Lineup Picks: Josh Allen, James Cook, Dalton Kincaid, Stefon Diggs, Khalil Shakir, Gabe Davis (check status, knee), Dawson Knox
Detroit Lions
After battling hard against a very tough Rams team to score an emotional win in the NFC Wild Card round, the Lions are strong favorites to advance to the conference championship game and provide fantasy playoff leaguers with at least two games of production. Detroit has much offensive promise in the Divisional Round against a Tampa Bay pass defense that ranked 24th during the regular season.
Amon-Ra St. Brown Last 5 Games:
• 7 catches, 110 yards
• 7 catches, 144 yards (TD)
• 6 catches, 90 yards (TD)
• 12 catches, 106 yards (TD)
• 7 catches, 112 yards (TD)He leads all WRs in efficiency during this time… pic.twitter.com/206pqe5uPC
— SAL VETRI (@SalVetriDFS) January 16, 2024
Amon-Ra St. Brown has 10 games of 100+ receiving yards overall, including the playoffs, which is the most in the NFL. He is the No. 1 WR remaining in the playoff field. Sam LaPorta had a TD catch in the Wild Card round and might be more productive vs. Tampa Bay. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery became the first pair of teammates in NFL history with 1,000+ scrimmage yards and 10+ rush TDs each in the same season. There’s a lot to like here for at least two games.
Recommended Lineup Picks: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs, Sam LaPorta, David Montgomery, Jared Goff, Josh Reynolds
Kansas City Chiefs
Kansas City may have two recent Super Bowl wins to its credit and a defense that is capable of taking the team further than the Divisional Round. But the offense is not as explosive as in its championship years and averaged 20.8 points per game on the road during the regular season. Playing as an away team is new for Patrick Mahomes and he lacks the receiving depth that Allen has, or enough to upend the Ravens if the Chiefs can get past the Bills.
Travis Kelce had seven receptions for 71 yards in the Wild Card round and is still a quality pick from this roster. Rashee Rice, who has emerged as a breakout WR, had eight receptions for 130 yards and a TD against the Dolphins last week and is the best upside play. Isiah Pacheco rushed for 89 yards and a TD last week and he is a safe play for good production. Mahomes has thrown one TD pass in five of his last six games overall and should be faded with single entries.
Recommended Lineup Picks: Rashee Rice and Isiah Pacheco are the first two picks here. Travis Kelce can give you a solid floor, but Kittle, Kincaid, and LaPorta have better chances to play more than one game. Patrick Mahomes ranks fourth among the Chiefs picks and I would avoid all other skill position players.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If any team is going to pull off a Divisional Round upset, it might be Tampa Bay. The Buccaneers confirmed they were a legitimate playoff team by thrashing the skidding Eagles. That is how a true postseason team should dispose of an opponent that stumbled into the playoffs.
You will get at least one good outing from Mike Evans against a pass defense that allowed Puka Nacua to roll up 181 receiving yards. He has a TD catch in two of three career road playoff games. Rachaad White has 75+ scrimmage yards in each of his first two career playoff games. Baker Mayfield had three TD passes vs. Philadelphia and he has 2+ TD passes in four of his last five games overall.
Recommended Lineup Picks: Mike Evans, Rachaad White, Baker Mayfield, Chris Godwin, Cade Otton, Trey Palmer, David Moore
Houston Texans
The Ravens don’t want a repeat of the 2019 playoffs when as a No. 1 seed, they were abruptly eliminated by the Titans. Baltimore ranked first in Fantasy Points Per Game allowed to QBs during the regular season, which does not bode well for another good C.J. Stroud performance. I don’t expect much upside at all as the Ravens might simply dominate another playoff team and you will have to see what numbers can be posted by Houston in catch-up mode.
Preferred Lineup Picks: Nico Collins, C.J. Stroud, Devin Singletary, Dalton Schultz. All others are very unreliable. Kicker Ka'imi Fairbairn can be a quality pick for one round.
Green Bay Packers
The 49ers will be ready to quickly dispatch the Packers and squash their hopes of another upset. Green Bay is drawing an opponent on a higher tier this week, and Aaron Jones might not see much running room, as containing him will be a primary defensive goal. All of the Packers WRs are capable of having a good game, but they have been hard to project on a week-to-week basis.
I am not liking Jones much this week, but he can be utilized if you have multiple entries. Jordan Love has performed very well in recent weeks, but you don’t want just one game out of your QB, or one out of the TE in the FFPC, which makes Tucker Kraft a less appealing option. Picking a Packers player will be a case of which WR has the most upside if you pass on Jones. Pro Football Focus gives Dontayvion Wicks the best WR/CB matchup grade against the 49ers CB group.
Jordan Love is DEALING!!!
Dontayvion Wicks for 6!!!
Dallas Cowboys in shambles!!! pic.twitter.com/WjzrKG2jzl
— PlayerProfiler (@rotounderworld) January 14, 2024
Recommended Lineup Picks: Dontayvion Wicks, Aaron Jones, Jayden Reed (for a bounce-back game), Romeo Doubs, Tucker Kraft, Jordan Love, Christian Watson.
Scott Engel's fantasy and betting analysis is also featured at The Game Day.
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