Cheat Sheet! Play Offs

QUARTERBACKS Rank Tm Opp U/D Games 1 Drew Brees NO vs. Det 4 2 Aaron Rodgers GB BYE 2 3 Tom Brady NE BYE 2 4 Eli Manning NYG vs. Atl U 2 5 Joe Flacco BAL BYE U 3 6 Ben Roethlisberger PIT at Den 2 7 Matt Ryan ATL at NYGU 1 8 Matthew Stafford DET at NO 1 9 T.J. Yates HOU vs. Cin D 2 10 Andy Dalton CIN at Hou 1 11 Alex Smith SF BYE 1 12 Tim Tebow DEN vs. Pit 1

RUNNING BACKS Rank Tm Opp U/D Games 1 Ray Rice BAL BYE 3 2 Darren Sproles NO vs. Det 4 3 Arian Foster HOU vs. Cin 2 4 Pierre Thomas NO vs. Det 4 5 Chris Ivory NO vs. Det U 4 6 Ahmad Bradshaw NYG vs. Atl 2 7 Isaac Redman PIT at Den U 2 8 Michael Turner ATL at NYG 1 9 Frank Gore SF BYE 1 10 BenJarvus Green-EllisNE BYE 2 11 James Starks GB BYE 2 12 Ryan Grant GB BYE 2 13 Stevan Ridley NE BYE U 2 14 Brandon Jacobs NYG vs. Atl 2 15 Ben Tate HOU vs. Cin 2 16 Willis McGahee DEN vs. Pit 1 17 Cedric Benson CIN at Hou 1 18 Kevin Smith DET at NO 1 19 Danny Woodhead NE BYE U 2 20 Ricky Williams BAL BYE U 3 21 John Clay PIT at Den 2 22 John Kuhn GB BYE 2 23 D.J. Ware NYG vs. Atl 2 24 Kevin Faulk NE BYE 2 25 Mewelde Moore PIT at Den 2 26 Brandon Saine GB BYE 2 27 Derrick Ward HOU vs. Cin 2 28 Kendall Hunter SF BYE 1 29 Shane Vereen NE BYE 2 30 Bernard Scott CIN at Hou 1 31 Maurice Morris DET at NO 1 32 Jason Snelling ATL at NYG 1 33 Jacquizz Rodgers ATL at NYG 1 34 Lance Ball DEN vs. Pit 1 35 Keiland Williams DET at NO 1 36 Anthony Dixon SF BYE 1 37 Brian Leonard CIN at Hou 1 38 Spencer Larsen DEN vs. Pit 1 39 Cedric Peerman CIN at Hou 1 40 Jeremiah Johnson DEN vs. Pit 1 41 Joique Bell DET at NO 1

WIDE RECIEVERS Rank Tm Opp U/D Games 1 Marques Colston NO vs. Det 4 2 Wes Welker NE BYE 2 3 Jordy Nelson GB BYE 2 4 Greg Jennings GB BYE 2 5 Victor Cruz NYG vs. Atl 2 6 Hakeem Nicks NYG vs. Atl 2 7 Mike Wallace PIT at Den U 2 8 Andre Johnson HOU vs. Cin 2 9 Anquan Boldin BAL BYE U 3 10 Robert Meachem NO vs. Det U 4 11 Calvin Johnson DET at NO 1 12 James Jones GB BYE U 2 13 Antonio Brown PIT at Den U 2 14 Torrey Smith BAL BYE U 3 15 Roddy White ATL at NYGU 1 16 Julio Jones ATL at NYGU 1 17 A.J. Green CIN at Hou U 1 18 Deion Branch NE BYE U 2 19 Michael Crabtree SF BYE 1 20 Mario Manningham NYG vs. Atl 2 21 Donald Driver GB BYE U 2 22 Devery HendersonNO vs. Det U 4 23 Lee Evans BAL BYE 3 24 Titus Young DET at NO 1 25 Nate Burleson DET at NO 1 26 Hines Ward PIT at Den 2 27 Randall Cobb GB BYE U 2 28 Demaryius Thomas DEN vs. Pit 1 29 Kevin Walter HOU vs. Cin 2 30 Jacoby Jones HOU vs. Cin 2 31 Jerome Simpson CIN at Hou 1 32 Chad Ochocinco NE BYE 2 33 Eric Decker DEN vs. Pit 1 34 Lance Moore NO vs. Det D 4 35 Jerricho Cotchery PIT at Den 2 36 Kyle Williams SF BYE 1 37 Ted Ginn SF BYE 1 38 Tandon Doss BAL BYE 3 39 Andrew Hawkins CIN at Hou 1 40 Harry Douglas ATL at NYG 1 41 Matt Willis DEN vs. Pit 1 42 Eddie Royal DEN vs. Pit 1 43 Brandon Tate CIN at Hou 1

TIGHT ENDS Rank Tm Opp U/D Games 1 Jimmy Graham NO vs. Det 4 2 Rob Gronkowski NE BYE 2 3 Jermichael Finley GB BYE 2 4 Aaron Hernandez NE BYE U 2 5 Ed Dickson BAL BYE U 3 6 Owen Daniels HOU vs. Cin 2 7 Vernon Davis SF BYE 1 8 Brandon PettigrewDET at NO 1 9 Tony Gonzalez ATL vs. NYG 1 10 Jake Ballard NYG vs. Atl U/D 2 11 Dennis Pitta BAL BYE U 3 12 Heath Miller PIT at Den 2 13 Joel Dreessen HOU vs. Cin U 2 14 Jermaine Gresham CIN vs. Hou 1 15 James Casey HOU vs. Cin 2 16 Travis Beckum NYG vs. Atl 2 17 Tom Crabtree GB BYE 2 18 Tony Scheffler DET at No 1 19 Daniel Fells DEN vs. Pit 1 20 Virgil Green DEN vs. Pit 1 21 Dante Rosario DEN vs. Pit 1 22 Donald Lee CIN vs. Hou 1 23 Delanie Walker SF BYE D 1

Play Offs Draft Plan!

This year’s playoffs come down to four teams in my eyes: the Saints, Packers, Ravens, and Patriots. I could certainly be wrong because there are some other good teams in the tournament, but I’m pretty confident that our two Super Bowl teams will come from this foursome.

That said, the core of my draft plan centers around these four teams, and I may go “all in” on one of them if the draft flows well for me. I’d love to go all in on the Saints, since I’m projecting them to play in four games, but the flow of the draft may force me to become a fan of a team like the Packers or the Patriots.

Quarterback Plan

Obviously, if I get a crack at Drew Brees, he’s mine. Brees could easily be the MVP of this year’s playoff pool. I definitely see them playing at least three games, which will be the same number of games Aaron Rodgers plays if the Packers make it to the Super Bowl. Rodgers would be tough to pass up, for sure, as would Tom Brady.

My sleeper would be Joe Flacco, since I have to pick the Ravens to beat the Patriots in the AFC title game if that matchup comes to fruition. And if they do, that means the Ravens are in the Super Bowl and will play three games.

If not any of the QBs listed above, I’m going to make sure I get a QB who I think will play at least two games, and Eli Manning and Ben Roethlisberger are the next best choices. It’s certainly possible that the Giants or Steelers make a run, and both do get the Wild Card Round to boost their stats. I would prefer not to get a one-and-done candidate, but if it has to be, then Matthew Stafford and Matt Ryanat least have a chance to post large digits in a single game – and Ryan’s Falcons could certainly beat the Giants, which is why we have Ryan higher in our rankings than Stafford.

What I do not want to do at any cost is have to roll with T.J. Yates, Andy Dalton, Alex Smith, and Tim Tebow because that’s a recipe for disaster. Yates I think will play in two games, but that’s far from a lock, and he’s just a rookie dealing with an injured shoulder.

Running Back Plan

It’s not a good year for RBs in the playoffs, so if I get a crack at Ray Rice, even at #2 overall, that’s hard to pass up. It’s impossible to pass up after Brees and Rodgers are off the board, and, in fact, we have Rice over Rodgers, which is a little ballsy but just how we see it.

Otherwise, I’m investing in the Saints at this position, and there are three viable options. I’m going to make it my goal to get at least one of the following: Darren Sproles, Pierre Thomas, and Chris Ivory. Sproles is the sexiest pick, and Ivory is the best value.

Otherwise, I’m just focusing on getting a RB who I think will play in two games, and Arian Foster, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Isaac Redman are clearly the best options. I’ll certainly consider usual fantasy starters Michael Turner and Frank Gore, but I don’t see their winning a game (especially Gore), so I’m going to make sure they are at least values when I take them. If not them, then it comes down to grabbing some secondary backs on teams I think can play at least two games, preferably teams I have playing three or more (although with the Saint guys gone that really leaves only backup Ricky Williams). The other options I’m looking at are BenJarvus Green-Ellis, James Starks, Ryan Grant, Stevan Ridley, Brandon Jacobs, and Ben Tate.

At some point, a starter on a shaky team will be a viable option, and I will hope for the best with Willis McGahee, Cedric Benson, and Kevin Smith – but not before I’ve exhausted all my solid options at the other positions (i.e. the secondary players on teams like the Saints, Packers, Ravens, and Patriots).

And finally, if I don’t fully address this position in the earlier rounds, I’ll be forced to take a flyer on a deep backup, but preferably someone on a good team with a legit chance to go deep into the playoffs, like Ricky Williams, John Clay, John Kuhn, D.J. Ware, and Kevin Faulk.

Wide Receiver Plan

The wide receiver group this year is pretty solid, and there is some nice depth here. Again, I’m investing in Saints whenever I can, so I’d love Marques Colston if that made sense, even in the top-10 overall. I took him 11^th overall in our 10-team PPR mock draft after taking Darren Sproles 10^th. 

Your best options otherwise are clearly the quality players who have a good chance to play in two games, and Wes Welker, Jordy Nelson, Greg Jennings, Victor Cruz, Hakeem Nicks, Mike Wallace, and Andre Johnson, and that is one fine group. Any of these would be nice #1 WRs for playoffs leagues. Anquan Boldin for the Ravens is a sleeper in my eyes, since I think the Ravens will make it to the Super Bowl.

The next group is interesting because it has some quality secondary players in great spots, like Robert Meachem, James Jones, Antonio Brown, and Torrey Smith, and some studs on teams that could be one-and-done, like Calvin Johnson, Roddy White, Julio Jones, and A.J. Green. I’d certainly consider those guys, but I’d be careful not to overvalue them based on name. Michael Crabtree is also in this mix, but I won’t go nuts on him because I don’t see the 49ers winning a playoff game. Other secondary guys on quality teams include Deion Branch and Mario Manningham.

Next up, you can either invest in some deeper backups on quality teams, like Donald Driver, Devery Henderson, Lee Evans, Hines Ward, and Randall Cobb, or you can swing for the fences a little more for a potential one-and-done guy who could come up big in a loss, like Titus Young, Nate Burleson, and Demaryius Thomas.

Tight End Plan

Obviously, since I’m all in on the Saints, I covet Jimmy Graham and I’d take him as high as 6^th overall. And Rob Gronkowski, Jermichael Finley, and Aaron Hernandez are all high-end options in good situations, so they’re certainly desirable. Your sleeper could be Ed Dickson, who I project to play in three games. Next up, you can role with a stud-like player like Vernon Davis and Tony Gonzalez, only you’re risking them going one-and-done, as I project them to go (especially Davis). Your alternative, if you’re still looking for a solid option would be Owen Daniels and Jake Ballard, who I think will play two games. Brandon Pettigrew would be your swing-for-the-fences option, and he could put up nice numbers in a single game.

Place Kicker Plan

Of course, I’m focusing on the kickers on the teams I think will advance to the Super Bowl, which explains why I have the immortal Billy Cundiff ranked #2 on my cheat sheet. And, of course, John Kasay is desirable. Otherwise, I need a good kicker on a team I think will play at least two games, but also a team that could certainly play in more games, and Mason Crosby, Stephen Gostkowski, Lawrence Tynes, and Shaun Suisham lead the list. Neil Rackers is the only guy otherwise I see playing in two games.

Team Defense Plan
While I’m all in on the Saints, I also like the Ravens to make it to the Super Bowl, and they have a better defense, so I’m rolling with them as my #1 fantasy D followed by the Saints, of course. And again, I otherwise want desirable option that will play in two games (according to me), and the best options are clearly GB, NE, Pit, and the NYG. If I didn’t get Bal or NO, I’d probably wait a little and grab one of them a little later and try not to overpay for them.