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When building your fantasy football playoff lineups, the first step is to forecast how far you believe every team can potentially advance. This exercise is highly critical in the Fantasy Football Players Championship (FFPC) Playoff Challenge, where you can only choose one player from every team.
To help you build out your squad, I have constructed my NFL Playoff Power Rankings for purposes of the FFPC Playoff Challenge. You can also use this as a loose guide for any fantasy football playoff format. But 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 can be found here. My full Top 70 rankings for the FFPC Playoff Challenge are featured here.
These Power Rankings include my scouting reports on each team from NFL perspectives, so you can then further judge the postseason potential of every team in the field and then make your picks accordingly. Each team breakdown features my preferred picks from that roster.
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1. Kansas City Chiefs
Even if they do not win the Super Bowl, the Chiefs have the best chance of playing the most postseason games and maximizing the overall fantasy playoff output of their top guys. Kansas City is aiming to become just the fourth NFL team to play in three consecutive Super Bowls. Considering they host Pittsburgh to start the journey, you already have to like their chances to begin on the path. The Chiefs beat the Steelers 36-10 on Dec. 26th. Kansas City ranked third in the NFL in total offense at 396.8 yards per game. Patrick Mahomes is our No. 1 overall ranked player, as QB is arguably the most important position in playoff fantasy football. Travis Kelce finished nearly 40 points behind the No. 1 TE fantasy spot in the regular season but is still the best in a thin playoff field, especially in the FFPC format, where 1.5 points are awarded for a reception. Byron Pringle could be a sneaky play in some playoff leagues as the best possible pick of the secondary Kansas City WRs. The Chiefs had only 31 sacks, so in a format where you can only pick one unit, they may get bypassed often.
Best Lineup Choices (in order of preferred selection): Patrick Mahomes, Travis Kelce, Tyreek Hill, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Darrel Williams, Byron Pringle.
2. Green Bay Packers
Green Bay is well-positioned to advance to its first Super Bowl in 11 years, as Aaron Rodgers looks to snap a four-game losing streak in NFC Championship Games. The Packers were fourth in the NFL with 39 TD passes but ranked just 18th in rushing yards per game. They were ninth in total defense and sixth in interceptions with 18. The clear advantage for Green Bay is a playoff-tested superstar QB. Rodgers is the most proven and accomplished QB in the NFC other than Tom Brady. His postseason experience can be a decisive factor in any matchup. The RB duo of Aaron Jones and A.J. Dillon may shine more brightly come playoff time, as Jones can be hard to catch and Dillon can wear the opposition down.
Best Lineup Choices: Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Aaron Jones, A.J. Dillon, Allen Lazard, Marquez Valdes-Scantling.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Winning the NFC may come down to which QB can make the most important play at the most important time, and no one is more capable of delivering when it counts more than Brady, as we all know. The Buccaneers ranked second in the NFL in scoring offense at 30.1 points per game and in total offense at 405.9 yards per game. They appear less formidable without two of their top WRs and one playing through a hamstring injury. But they also get Leonard Fournette back for the playoffs, and Rob Gronkowski is clearly the best TE in the field after Kelce. Tampa Bay also led the NFC in rushing defense at 92.5 yards per game and was seventh in the NFL in sacks with 47. The Buccaneers still may have the best QB/defense balance in the entire playoff field, so their key fantasy choices are capable of making a deep postseason run and providing max output in terms of games played.
Best Lineup Choices: Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski, Leonard Fournette, Mike Evans, Breshad Perriman, Ke'Shawn Vaughn.
4. Tennessee Titans
Tennessee survived the loss of its best player and still wrapped up the top seed in the AFC. Derrick Henry is returning and I won’t be concerned about using him in fantasy playoff formats if the Titans medical staff clears him with no limitations. Henry gives Tennessee the best shot of knocking off the Chiefs, and much credit must be given to this somewhat unsung team that overcame significant adversity and may be primed for any postseason challenges based on such an intangible edge. Ryan Tannehill can play better with Henry in the mix, as we saw last season, and A.J. Brown finished the season strong. This is a good team that is looking even better at the most important time of the year. Mike Vrabel has done a heck of a coaching job. The Titans will also avoid the Chiefs or Bills until the AFC Championship Game. So you can get Henry or Brown for two games.
Best Lineup Choices: Derrick Henry, A.J. Brown, Ryan Tannehill, Julio Jones.
5. Los Angeles Rams
Matthew Stafford is the wild card here. He could either boost the team to the Super Bowl or quickly get the Rams eliminated with some head-scratching errors. He was second in the NFL in TD passes and third in yardage, but also led the league in interceptions. Cooper Kupp can be an obvious huge key to a deep playoff run and Odell Beckham Jr. came on strong late, just like the Rams drew it up when they traded for him. He scored all five of his TDs between Weeks 12 to 17. Sony Michel has significant playoff experience, as he set an NFL record for the most rushing TDs in the postseason in his rookie campaign. The Rams ranked third in scoring offense (27.1 points per game) and third in rushing defense (103.2 yards per game). They were third in sacks with 50 and tied for third with 19 INTs. Stafford has an 0-3 lifetime record in the playoffs. This is a risk/reward squad that also lost top safety Jordan Fuller.
Best Lineup Choices: Cooper Kupp, Matthew Stafford, Sony Michel, Odell Beckham Jr., Tyler Higbee, Van Jefferson, Cam Akers
6. Dallas Cowboys
Dallas may have the best balance on offense in terms of running and passing, and the defense has been surging. The Cowboys have to hope Mike McCarthy’s 18 games of playoff experience offset the lack of postseason accomplishments by its signature players. But Dallas led the NFL in scoring offense (31.2 ppg), total offense (407 ypg) and takeaways (34). Dak Prescott passed for a franchise record 37 TDs. Dalton Schultz ranked third among TEs in catches (78) and was sixth in receiving yards (808). Ezekiel Elliott looked healthier in the regular season finale. Trevon Diggs led the NFL with 11 interceptions and Micah Parsons had 13 sacks, the third-most by a rookie since 1982. This team is scary in terms of pure talent on both sides of the ball, but they still have something to prove in the postseason.
Best Lineup Choices: Dak Prescott, Ezekiel Elliott, Dalton Schultz, CeeDee Lamb, Amari Cooper, Cedrick Wilson Jr., Tony Pollard
7. Buffalo Bills
They don’t look as formidable as we expected, but the Bills still have the firepower to compete with the Chiefs and they are the only team to rank in the Top 5 in both offense and defense. Josh Allen has no interceptions in three of four postseason games. Stefon Diggs has a TD catch in three of his last four playoff games and has totaled 75-plus receiving yards in his last three. The Bills were 2-4 against playoff teams and there is a strong chance they could face the Chiefs in the divisional round, a road block to a deep playoff run.
Best Lineup Choices: Josh Allen, Stefon Diggs, Dawson Knox, Devin Singletary, Gabriel Davis, Cole Beasley, Emmanuel Sanders.
8. Cincinnati Bengals
Joe Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase finished the season with explosive performances that propelled the Bengals to their first AFC North title since 2015. Cincinnati should be able to hold off the Raiders and get two playoff games in for fantasy purposes. The Bengals ranked fifth in rushing defense (102.5 yards per game), which we continue to note, as stopping the run can be a key to postseason success. Burrow set franchise records in passing yards (4,611) and TD passes (34). Chase ranked fourth in the NFL with 1,455 receiving yards, the most by a rookie in the Super Bowl era, and was third with 13 receiving TDs. Joe Mixon ranked third in the NFL with a career-high 1,205 rush yards and fourth with a career-high 13 rushing TDs. Trey Hendrickson was fifth in the NFL with a career-high 14 sacks. These Bengals certainly have enough to immediately accomplish what Andy Dalton and Marvin Lewis could not, which is to win a playoff game.
Best Lineup Choices: Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, Joe Mixon, Tee Higgins, C.J. Uzomah, Tyler Boyd.
9. San Francisco 49ers
It would not be a shock to see the 49ers beat the Cowboys in the first round. Kyle Shanahan and Jimmy Garoppolo have already won an NFC Championship together. San Francisco ranked second in the NFC in total defense (310 yards allowed per game), third in total offense (375.7 yards per game), and fourth in sacks (48). Deebo Samuel ranked third in the NFL with 1,770 scrimmage yards.
Best Lineup Choices: Deebo Samuel, Jimmy Garoppolo, George Kittle, Elijah Mitchell, Brandon Aiyuk, Jauan Jennings.
10. Arizona Cardinals
They looked like an NFC favorite in the first half of the season, but now could be one and done. The Cardinals lost four of their final five games, although the one win was over Dallas. This is the point where you start considering who you will take from the teams that may not play more than one postseason game.
Best Lineup Choices: Kyler Murray, James Conner, Zach Ertz, Chase Edmonds (check injury status), Christian Kirk, A.J. Green.
11. New England Patriots
The Patriots may have a better chance to advance than San Francisco or Arizona, but there is an apparent serious lack of offensive appeal here. Best Lineup Choices: Damien Harris, Mac Jones, Rhamondre Stevenson, Hunter Henry, Jakobi Meyers.
12. Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have not won a playoff game since 2002. They did rank fifth in the AFC in total offense (363.8 yards per game) and sixth in total defense (337.2 yards allowed per game). They also became the second team ever to win four overtime games in a season, so Las Vegas has showed it can handle pressure. But the Raiders could be out after just one game and don’t offer too much offensively. Best Lineup Choices: Darren Waller, Derek Carr, Josh Jacobs, Hunter Renfrow, Zay Jones.
13. Philadelphia Eagles
Winning in Tampa Bay seems like too tall of a task, but you should get at least one good game from Jalen Hurts and Dallas Goedert. Best Lineup Choices: Jalen Hurts, Dallas Goedert, DeVonta Smith, Miles Sanders, Jordan Howard, Quez Watkins
14. Pittsburgh Steelers
Try to get one good game out of two or three of their best guys. Best Lineup Choices: Najee Harris, Diontae Johnson, Pat Freiermuth, Chase Claypool, Ray-Ray McCloud.
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