UNFAVORABLE Fantasy Football Playoff Schedules

Below, you will find a ranking of those teams with UNFAVORABLE schedules for Weeks 14 – 16 and Weeks 15 – 17, the weeks of most fantasy football leagues’ playoffs, for each primary fantasy position: QB, RB, WR, TE, and DST.  This ranking is based on fantasy points allowed up to Week 10 by opponents of each team by position. The rankings are in ascending order meaning the team listed at the top has the most unfavorable schedule.

In terms of the rankings below, what you see may surprise you as to which team has the leastfavorable schedule by position.  A team could be ranked top ten in Weeks 14 – 16 but then disappear from the top ten in Weeks 15 – 17.  The opposite is true as well where there are teams that are not ranked top ten in Weeks 14 – 16 but then appear as a top ten in Weeks 15 – 17.  The explanation is simple.  There is either an awfully difficult game or an easy game, as the case may be, that shows up on the schedule in one of the two sets of weeks that skews the numbers for or against that team.  As a way to gauge your players remaining schedule and why they show up or why they do not show up in the top ten, be sure to check out each team’s NFL schedule for Weeks 14 – 17.The schedules can be found by going to the homepage, looking under “Categories,” and then choosing “NFL Schedules.” By looking at the schedule, you will understand why the teams below are ranked as they are.   

That said, there is three to four weeks of fantasy football to play depending on your league’s schedule. So, you should NOT run out and drop your defense just because it does not have a favorable playoff schedule and dump your No. 1 QB who may be ranked as among the worst for the playoffs.  A lot can happen.  Plus, many times, the schedule doesn’t affect the play of the player.  Yet, if you have the roster room to plan ahead, there would be nothing wrong with adding a quality player that you could use during the playoffs.

As usual, please don’t forget to post your comments and questions in the chat box below. They are very much appreciated and will be responded to.

Good Luck!

The Fantasy Greek

Quarterbacks 

Analysis:  The good news is most fantasy players don’t have the Cardinals quarterbacks (Kevin Kolb, John Skelton) on their rosters. Most interesting in the above referenced rankings are those teams with weekly starting fantasy football quarterbacks that have pulled some of the more difficult quarterback fantasy football schedules such as Robert Griffin III, Matt Stafford, Andy Dalton, Matt Ryan (Weeks 14-16), Tom Brady (Weeks 15-17), Eli Manning (Weeks 15-17), and Drew Brees (Weeks 15-17).  Now, while this likely does not mean that fantasy players should drop Robert Griffin III from their rosters or trade him for a lesser quarterback, it certainly suggests Robert Griffin III will have to be playing at his best against teams like the Ravens, the Browns, the Eagles, and the Cowboys, three of which rank top-twelve or better in fantasy football against opposing quarterbacks as of Week 10. 

In the end, take the rankings of the quarterbacks with less than favorable schedules for what they are: a barometer to see what fringe quarterbacks could likely struggle in fantasy football playoffs and what good quarterbacks may simply have a tougher time.

Running Backs 

Analysis:  Wow! Several premier fantasy football running backs did not pull favorable playoff schedules in most formats, including Frank Gore, Fred Jackson, CJ Spiller, Alfred Morris, Matt Forte, and Marshawn Lynch (Weeks 14-16). Add to that the fringe running backs that while not premier running backs per se, are running backs fantasy players have depended on as RB2 or flex-plays this season: Beanie Wells, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Mikel Leshoure, Joique Bell, Marshawn Lynch (Weeks 14-16), Michael Turner (Weeks 14-16), Chris Johnson (Weeks 14-16), Steven Jackson (Weeks 15-17), Ahmad Bradshaw (Weeks 15-17), Andre Brown (Weesk 15-17), and Stevan Ridley (Weeks 15-17). This having been said, players like Marshawn Lynch and Adrian Peterson, generally speaking, can play well even in tough match-ups.  

Wide Receivers  

Analysis:  Here too, there are numerous fantasy football wide-outs, or pairs of fantasy football wide-outs, that have some difficult schedules for the 2012 playoffs including AJ Green, Malcolm Floyd, Larry Fitzgerald/Andre Roberts, Greg Jennings/Jordy Nelson, Sidney Rice/Golden Tate, Hakeem Nicks/Victor Cruz (Weeks 15-17), Steve Smith (Weeks 14-16), Julio Jones/Roddy White (Weeks 14-16), Denarius Moore/Darrius Heyward-Bey (Weeks 14-16), Calvin Johnson/Titus Young, and Stevie Johnson/Donald Nelson. Still, several of the aforementioned receivers (not all) were difficult to bench in 2012 regardless of the match-up.   

Tight-Ends 

Analysis:  The good news here is several teams listed above hardly use the tight-end position in their offense or it has been so inconsistent in terms of production that fantasy players will likely avoid that team’s tight-ends altogether. These teams include the: Chiefs, Bears, Seahawks, Buccaneers, Redskins, and Cardinals. However, tight-ends Owne Daniels, Brandon Pettigrew, Greg Olsen, Martellus Bennett, Jermaine Gresham, Heath Miller, and Jared Cook could struggle at different points during the fantasy playoffs. As for Rob Gronkowski, Aaron Hernandez (if healthy), Jimmy Graham, and Tony Gonzalez, keep starting these top tight-ends in fantasy even though their playoff schedule is unfavorable.

Defenses 

Analysis:  When you look at defenses ranked toward the bottom of the fantasy football strength of schedule rankings for the playoffs, keep in mind that elite defenses like the Bears, 49ers, and Texans are must starts regardless of the strength of schedule. Also, several of the defenses noted above are likely not on fantasy radars to begin with. As for defenses like the Giants, Ravens, Falcons, and Cowboys, try to have a second defense handy to play the match-ups if you need to.