We've made it. Well, some of us at least. Those who drafted well, managed the waiver-wire, negotiated savvy trades and (perhaps most importantly) were blessed by the fantasy gods with good injury luck are now entering the fantasy postseason.
Each lineup decision and start/sit question carries more weight than usual, as a loss now means someone else in your league will hoist the championship trophy. In an effort to offer you, our wonderful readers, as many tools as possible to set the best lineup, below are the playoff schedules for each main player from every team, ranked according to positional fantasy points against (FPA). DISCLAIMER: This should not be your end all, be all for setting your playoff lineup. FPA is a flawed, but somewhat useful statistic. It doesn't paint the whole picture, but can offer some general clues and insights. You should not take the rankings below as gospel. Don't, for instance, drop Andrew Luck and add Matt Barkley because the latter has a better FPA playoff schedule. Our research team was kind enough to compile this data for us, and since it is the season of giving, I felt I'd share it with you all as well.
HOW and WHY to use this guide: As the fantasy playoffs roll along, we'll have much more detailed analysis on many of these players and matchups at NFL.com/fantasy, so be sure to stay tuned in for our daily content. However, bookmark this page and use it as a reference for planning ahead on which players to stash off waivers, or use it to break ties you can't otherwise decide. FPA should simply be one utensil in your fantasy football toolbox. Hopefully this helps some of you finish building a fantasy champion.
Note: Not every player is listed at each position for a team. So if you're looking, say, for Emmanuel Sanders, just find the Broncos portion in the wide receiver list. Simply searching for the team name should bring you to the information you need.
QUARTERBACKS
Player, team: Wk 14, Wk 15, Wk 16 -- FPA average
Philip Rivers, Chargers: at CAR, OAK, at CLE -- 20.39
Jameis Winston, Buccaneers: NO, at DAL, at NO -- 18.79
Tyrod Taylor, Bills: PIT, CLE, MIA -- 18.45
Brock Osweiler, Texans: at IND, JAX, CIN -- 18.33
Colin Kaepernick, 49ers: NYJ, at ATL, at LA -- 18.19
Matt Ryan, Falcons: at LA, SF, at CAR -- 18.04
Dak Prescott, Cowboys: at NYG, TB, DET -- 17.99
Matt Barkley, Bears: at DET, GB, WAS -- 17.87
Cam Newton, Panthers: SD, at WAS, ATL -- 17.53
Bryce Petty, Jets: at SF, MIA, at NE -- 17.45
Eli Manning, Giants: DAL, DET, at PHI -- 17.24
Derek Carr, Raiders: at KC, at SD, IND -- 17.07
Jared Goff, Rams: ATL, at SEA, SF -- 16.89
Sam Bradford, Vikings: at JAX, IND, at GB -- 16.89
Carson Palmer, Cardinals: at MIA, NO, at SEA -- 16.75
Andy Dalton, Bengals: at CLE, PIT, at HOU -- 16.73
Robert Griffin III, Browns: CIN, at BUF, SD -- 16.31
Kirk Cousins, Redskins: at PHI, CAR, at CHI -- 16.09
Matthew Stafford, Lions: CHI, at NYG, at DAL -- 15.86
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: at BUF, at CIN, BAL -- 15.74
Trevor Siemian, Broncos: at TEN, NE, at KC -- 15.68
Alex Smith, Chiefs: OAK, TEN, DEN -- 15.44
Tom Brady, Patriots: BAL, at DEN, NYJ -- 15.19
Drew Brees, Saints: at TB, at ARI, TB -- 15.14
Andrew Luck, Colts: HOU, at MIN, at OAK -- 14.68
Marcus Mariota, Titans: DEN, at KC, at JAX -- 14.66
Carson Wentz, Eagles: WAS, at BAL, NYG -- 14.64
Joe Flacco, Ravens: at NE, PHI, at PIT -- 14.47
Russell Wilson, Seahawks: at GB, LA, ARI -- 14.40
Ryan Tannehill, Dolphins: ARI, at NYJ, at BUF -- 14.23
Aaron Rodgers, Packers: SEA, at CHI, MIN -- 13.75
Blake Bortles, Jaguars: MIN, at HOU, TEN -- 13.34
RUNNING BACKS
Player, team: Wk 14, Wk 15, Wk 16 -- FPA average
Jeremy Hill, Bengals: at CLE, PIT, at HOU -- 22.97
Jonathan Stewart, Panthers: SD, at WAS, ATL -- 22.34
Doug Martin, Buccaneers: NO, at DAL, at NO -- 22.32
Latavius Murray, Raiders: at KC, at SD, IND -- 22.04
LeSean McCoy, Bills: PIT, CLE, MIA -- 21.37
Todd Gurley, Rams: ATL, at SEA, SF -- 21.33
Isaiah Crowell, Browns: CIN, at BUF, SD -- 21.15
Lamar Miller, Texans: at IND, JAX, CIN -- 20.33
Melvin Gordon, Chargers: at CAR, OAK, at CLE -- 19.95
Devonta Freeman, Falcons: at LA, SF, at CAR -- 19.38
Mark Ingram, Saints: at TB, at ARI, TB -- 19.04
Matt Forte, Jets: at SF, MIA, at NE -- 18.92
David Johnson, Cardinals: at MIA, NO, at SEA -- 18.86
Terrance West, Ravens: at NE, PHI, at PIT -- 18.86
Frank Gore, Colts: HOU, at MIN, at OAK -- 18.68
Carlos Hyde, 49ers: NYJ, at ATL, at LA -- 18.59
Spencer Ware, Chiefs: OAK, TEN, DEN -- 18.16
Le'Veon Bell, Steelers: at BUF, at CIN, BAL -- 17.99
Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys: at NYG, TB, at DET -- 17.85
DeMarco Murray, Titans: DEN, at KC, at JAX -- 17.43
Jerick McKinnon, Vikings: at JAX, IND, at GB -- 17.09
Ryan Mathews, Eagles: WAS, at BAL, NYG -- 16.78
Chris Ivory, Jaguars: MIN, at HOU, TEN -- 16.61
Jay Ajayi, Dolphins: ARI, at NYJ, at BUF -- 16.14
LeGarrette Blount, Patriots: BAL, at DEN, NYJ -- 16.04
Devontae Booker, Broncos: at TEN, NE, at KC -- 15.86
Rob Kelley, Redskins: at PHI, CAR, at CHI -- 15.48
Jordan Howard, Bears: at DET, GB, WAS -- 15.42
Rashad Jennings, Giants: DAL, DET, at PHI -- 15.19
Theo Riddick, Lions: CHI, at NYG, at DAL -- 14.46
Christine Michael, Packers: SEA, at CHI, MIN -- 14.24
Thomas Rawls, Seahawks: at GB, LA, ARI -- 13.16
WIDE RECEIVERS
Player, team: Wk 14, Wk 15, Wk 16 -- FPA average
Tyrell Williams, Chargers: at CAR, OAK, at CLE -- 26.41
Julio Jones, Falcons: at LA, SF, at CAR -- 25.62
Jordan Matthews, Eagles: WAS, at BAL, NYG -- 24.95
Golden Tate, Lions: CHI, at NYG, at DAL -- 24.83
Cameron Meredith, Bears: at DET, GB, WAS -- 24.74
Jeremy Kerley, 49ers: NYJ, at ATL, at LA -- 24.65
Dez Bryant, Cowboys: at NYG, TB, DET -- 24.64
Brandon Marshall, Jets: at SF, MIA, at NE -- 24.50
Mike Evans, Buccaneers: NO, at DAL, at NO -- 24.45
Jamison Crowder, Redskins: at PHI, CAR, at CHI -- 24.10
Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: at MIA, NO, at SEA -- 23.87
Demaryius Thomas, Broncos: at TEN, NE, at KC -- 23.82
Doug Baldwin, Seahawks: at GB, LA, ARI -- 23.65
Sammy Watkins, Bills: PIT, CLE, MIA -- 23.64
Stefon Diggs, Vikings: at JAX, IND, at GB -- 23.37
Amari Cooper, Raiders: at KC, at SD, IND -- 23.32
Antonio Brown, Steelers: at BUF, at CIN, BAL -- 23.31
Jarvis Landry, Dolphins: ARI, at NYJ, at BUF -- 22.96
Kenny Britt, Rams: ATL, at SEA, SF -- 22.95
Kelvin Benjamin, Panthers: SD, at WAS, ATL -- 22.93
Odell Beckham, Giants: DAL, DET, at PHI -- 22.87
Michael Thomas, Saints: at TB, at ARI, TB -- 22.33
Terrelle Pryor, Browns: CIN, at BUF, SD -- 21.85
DeAndre Hopkins, Texans: at IND, JAX, CIN -- 21.58
Rishard Matthews, Titans: DEN, at KC, at JAX -- 21.16
Brandon LaFell, Bengals: at CLE, PIT, at HOU -- 20.89
Julian Edelman, Patriots: BAL, at DEN, NYJ -- 20.85
Jordy Nelson, Packers: SEA, at CHI, MIN -- 20.32
Steve Smith, Ravens: at NE, PHI, at PIT -- 19.65
T.Y. Hilton, Colts: HOU, at MIN, at OAK -- 19.39
Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs: OAK, TEN, DEN -- 19.18
Allen Robinson, Jaguars: MIN, at HOU, TEN -- 17.88
TIGHT ENDS
Player, team: Wk 14, Wk 15, Wk 16 -- FPA average
Antonio Gates, Chargers: at CAR, OAK, at CLE -- 12.24
Charles Clay, Bills: PIT, CLE, MIA -- 9.77
Austin Hooper, Falcons: at LA, SF, at CAR -- 8.90
Logan Paulsen, Bears: at DET, GB, WAS -- 8.67
Will Tye, Giants: DAL, DET, at PHI -- 8.58
Tyler Eifert, Bengals: at CLE, PIT, at HOU -- 8.53
Vance McDonald, 49ers: NYJ, at ATL, at LA -- 8.34
Travis Kelce, Chiefs: OAK, TEN, DEN -- 8.08
Greg Olsen, Panthers: SD, at WAS, ATL -- 8.06
Lance Kendricks, Rams: ATL, at SEA, SF -- 7.99
Cameron Brate, Buccaneers: NO, at DAL, at NO -- 7.96
Jason Witten, Cowboys: at NYG, TB, DET -- 7.80
Jordan Reed, Redskins: at PHI, CAR, at CHI -- 7.53
C.J. Fiedorowicz, Texans: at IND, JAX, CIN -- 7.51
Kyle Rudolph, Vikings: at JAX, IND, at GB -- 7.06
Austin Seferian-Jenkins, Jets: at SF, MIA, at NE -- 7.02
Eric Ebron, Lions: CHI, at NYG, at DAL -- 7.00
Clive Walford, Raiders: at KC, at SD, IND -- 6.95
Gary Barnidge, Browns: CIN, at BUF, SD -- 6.61
Jermaine Gresham, Cardinals: at MIA, NO, at SEA -- 6.59
Dwayne Allen, Colts: HOU, at MIN, at OAK -- 6.31
A.J. Derby, Broncos: at TEN, NE, at KC -- 6.24
Dennis Pitta, Ravens: at NE, PHI, at PIT -- 5.96
Martellus Bennett, Patriots: BAL, at DEN, NYJ -- 5.94
Ben Koyack, Jaguars: MIN, at HOU, TEN -- 5.78
Jimmy Graham, Seahawks: at GB, LA, ARI -- 5.51
Ladarius Green, Steelers: at BUF, at CIN, BAL -- 5.46
Jared Cook, Packers: SEA, at CHI, MIN -- 5.26
Delanie Walker, Titans: DEN, at KC, at JAX -- 4.93
Zach Ertz, Eagles: WAS, at BAL, NYG -- 4.92
Dion Sims, Dolphins: ARI, at NYJ, at BUF -- 4.54
Coby Fleener, Saints: at TB, at ARI, TB -- 4.48
-- Follow Alex Gelhar on Twitter @AlexGelhar
