Fantasy-Football-First

It’s a bit sad to be winding down our first season on Fantasy-Football-First. Monday night I actually found myself watching a show titled Conveyor Belt of Love as opposed to the Monday Night game. Just didn’t feel right. We have some things to feel proud of so far. I made my fantasy league, the 12 Angry Men, Super Bowl only to lose by 4 points when Peyton Manning and Reggie Wayne were foolishly taken out in the 3rd quarter. I went a perfect 17-0 in my Survivor Pool picks and split the pot with one other person which is pretty remarkable considering I had to publish my picks on Wednesday nights and not know the latest weather and injury updates. I finished the regular season 133-118-5 in my Point Spread Picks which isn’t great but not too bad.

But we’re not done yet.

Many people play Fantasy Football for the Playoffs. There are so many different types of these leagues it’s tough to give specific advice. What I will do in this column is rank the players as I see them for the entire playoffs and at the top of the page under Player Rankings, I will rank players for that given week. I will also continue to give Survivor Pool rankings and Point Spread Picks weekly.  If you need a specific opinion on something that I haven’t covered, feel free to email me at the top of the page or you can find me on Twitter which you can link to on the right of the page.  I do enjoy getting emails and do respond to each one. 

Let’s pick a team.

Here are my rankings for the playoffs at each position.  Picking a team like this is challenging because not only do you have to pick players that do well but also teams that will win and play multiple games.  Last year, for example, the people that won had Kurt Warner who played in 4 playoff games.  As with most things fantasy related, we need to be smart but mostly lucky.

Quarterbacks

1. Aaron Rodgers ( Green Bay )
2. Phillip Rivers ( San Diego )
3. Peyton Manning ( Indianapolis )
4. Drew Brees ( New Orleans )
5. Tony Romo ( Dallas )
6. Brett Favre ( Minnesota )
7. Tom Brady ( New England )
8. Donovan McNabb ( Philadelphia )
9. Kurt Warner ( Arizona )
10. Joe Flacco ( Baltimore )
11. Carson Palmer ( Cincinnati )
12. Mark Sanchez ( NY Jets )

Running Backs

1. Adrian Peterson ( Minnesota )
2. Ryan Grant ( Green Bay )
3. LaDainian Tomlinson ( San Diego )
4. Joseph Addai ( Indianapolis )
5. Pierre Thomas ( New Orleans )
6. Marion Barber ( Dallas )
7. Cedric Benson ( Cincinnati )
8. Ray Rice ( Baltimore )
9. Thomas Jones ( NY Jets )
10. Chris Wells ( Arizona )
11. Darren Sproles ( San Diego )
12. Felix Jones ( Dallas )
13. Kevin Faulk ( New England )
14. Willis Mcgahee ( Baltimore )
15. Brian Westbrook ( Philadelphia )

Wide Receivers

1. Vincent Jackson ( San Diego )
2. Miles Austin ( Dallas )
3. Reggie Wayne ( Indianapolis )
4. Sidney Rice ( Minnesota )
5. Randy Moss ( New England )
6. Greg Jennings ( Green Bay )
7. Donald Driver ( Green Bay )
8. DeSean jackson ( Philadelphia )
9. Marques Colston ( New Orleans )
10. Larry Fitzgerald ( Arizona )
11. Pierre Garcon ( Indianapolis )
12. Derrick Mason ( Baltimore )
13. Percy Harvin ( Minnesota )
14. Julian Endelman ( New England )
15. Robert Meachem ( New Orleans )

Tight Ends

1. Dallas Clark ( Indianapolis )
2. Antonio Gates ( San Diego )
3. Jermichael Finley ( Green Bay )
4. Brent Celek ( Philadelphia )
5. Jason Witten ( Dallas )
6. Todd Heap ( Baltimore )
7. Visanthe Shiancoe ( Minnesota )
8. Jeremy Shockey ( New Orleans )
9. Donald Lee ( Green Bay )
10. Ben Watson ( New England )

Kickers

1. Mason Crosby ( Green Bay )
2. Ryan Longwell ( Minnesota )
3. Nate Kaeding ( San Diego )
4. Garrett Hartley ( New Orleans )
5. Shaun Suisham ( Dallas )

Defenses

1. San Diego
2. New Orleans
3. Indianapolis
4. Minnesota
5. Green Bay

Let’s dive into the Survivor Pool.

We have 4 games which means 8 teams to choose from.  No spread is larger than 4 points right now so in Vegas’s eyes, these are all toss ups.  These games are interesting because each match up has already taken place this season.  Two of these games were played last week and one of these games is the third time the teams have faced each other this season.

Nothing stands out as the obvious pick so we are going to have to use the process of elimination.  I am immediately throwing out Dallas and Philadelphia as NFC East teams are unpredictable.  I’m not sold on Cincinnati and although the Jets have a lot of confidence, I am not picking a rookie quarterback.  New England and Baltimore are too close to call.  I like Green Bay to beat Arizona.  This may be a shocker but I am going with an underdog as my Survivor Pick of the Week.  My pick is Green Bay.

Here are my top 3 Survivor Pool Picks:

1. Green Bay
2. New England
3. Dallas

Point Spread Picks

NY Jets at Cincinnati ( -2.5 )

Both teams will try to run the ball and the team that does it the most will win.  The Jets magic number needs to be 40 carries.  The Jets are playing with a lot of confidence and it’s going to be interesting to see if the Bengals can just turn it on after sleepwalking through their game last week.  I believe in momentum in the wild card round and the Jets have it.  The early game on Saturday starts the weekend off with an upset.  Take NY Jets.

Philadelphia at Dallas ( -4 )

Is there anything better than a Saturday night playoff game?  These two teams know each other very well which is a handicapper’s nightmare.  Sooner or later Tony Romo is going to roll through a January.  I would lean towards the sooner and once again go with the team that is playing better late in the season.  Take Dallas.

Baltimore at New England ( -3.5 )

I am not sure what the Patriots were doing last week.  If they were trying to win the game, they didn’t.  If it didn’t really matter than why play Tom Brady the whole game except for one series?  Up until this season, I very rarely have questioned coaching decisions but this year I find myself questioning everything it seems.  The 4th and 2 play, all the challenges they never seem to win, the predictable fullback hand off on short yardage plays that never gets anything.  I don’t feel it with the Patriots this year at all.  They started the season trading their best defensive player for a 2011 draft pick and I don’t think they have ever recovered.  I do think they survive this week though with a huge game from Kevin Faulk.  Take New England.

Green Bay at Arizona ( -1 )

Don’t you just have the feeling that we are going to see a Brett Favre against the Packers in the playoffs this year?  Well for that to happen then the Packers need to win this game, which I think they will.  I like Green Bay a lot in this game.  Take Green Bay.

Good Luck.