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Wild Card, Playoff Challenge fantasy football rankings

Did your fantasy football season end at the hands of Aaron Rodgers, David Johnson or Jordy Nelson? Did you start Julio Jones over Adam Thielen in Week 16? (All right you made the right move, but still ... 32.6 fantasy points!) I feel for you, but the pain of defeat can be eased (at least somewhat) with a new challenge. The NFL Playoff Challenge! You can set up your own league with friends and family, or you can join my league and compete against me. You can even win a trip to Super Bowl LII scheduled to take place in February 2018 in Minneapolis, Minnesota!

So what is the NFL Playoff Challenge?

Well, Alex Gelhar gives a great description here so check that out. Unlike daily fantasy leagues, a player's value also includes how far you project his team to advance in the postseason. We all know Odell Beckham Jr. is a much better fantasy wideout than Julian Edelman, right? Well that's not the case in the NFL Playoff Challenge, at least not if you believe that the Patriots will advance a round or two further in the postseason than New York. That's where you'll see a difference in the player rankings below. One set is for the Wild Card Weekend alone (DFS), and one is for the entire duration of the postseason (NFL PC).

I'll be updating these suckers all throughout the postseason, so check back after each round. Enjoy!

Quarterbacks -- Wild Card Round (DFS)

Quarterbacks -- NFL Playoff Challenge

  1. Tom Brady, Patriots
    1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
    2. Dak Prescott, Cowboys
    3. Russell Wilson, Seahawks
    4. Matt Ryan, Falcons
    5. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
    6. Alex Smith, Chiefs
    7. Eli Manning, Giants
    8. Matthew Stafford, Lions
    9. Matt Moore, Dolphins
    10. Brock Osweiler, Texans
    11. Connor Cook, Raiders

Running backs -- Wild Card Round (DFS)

  1. Le'Veon Bell, Steelers
    1. Lamar Miller, Texans
    2. Jay Ajayi, Dolphins
    3. Latavius Murray, Raiders
    4. Ty Montgomery, Packers
    5. Paul Perkins, Giants
    6. Thomas Rawls, Seahawks
    7. Zach Zenner, Lions
    8. Rashad Jennings, Giants
    9. Alex Collins, Seahawks
    10. DeAndre Washington, Raiders
    11. Damien Williams, Dolphins
    12. Jalen Richard, Raiders
    13. Alfred Blue, Texans
    14. DeAngelo Williams, Steelers
    15. Kenyan Drake, Dolphins
    16. Christine Michael, Packers
    17. Dwayne Washington, Lions
    18. Aaron Ripkowski, Packers
    19. Marcel Reece, Seahawks

Running backs -- NFL Playoff Challenge

  1. Ezekiel Elliott, Cowboys
    1. LeGarrette Blount, Patriots
    2. Le'Veon Bell, Steelers
    3. Devonta Freeman, Falcons
    4. Lamar Miller, Texans
    5. Jay Ajayi, Dolphins
    6. Spencer Ware, Chiefs
    7. Ty Montgomery, Packers
    8. Thomas Rawls, Seahawks
    9. Tevin Coleman, Falcons
    10. Latavius Murray, Raiders
    11. Paul Perkins, Giants
    12. Dion Lewis, Patriots
    13. James White, Patriots
    14. Zach Zenner, Lions
    15. Rashad Jennings, Giants
    16. Charcandrick West, Chiefs
    17. Alex Collins, Seahawks
    18. DeAndre Washington, Raiders
    19. Alfred Blue, Texans

Wide receivers -- Wild Card Round (DFS)

  1. Antonio Brown, Steelers
    1. Odell Beckham Jr., Giants
    2. Jordy Nelson, Packers
    3. Doug Baldwin, Seahawks
    4. Davante Adams, Packers
    5. Golden Tate, Lions
    6. Jarvis Landry, Dolphins
    7. Amari Cooper, Raiders
    8. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans
    9. Sterling Shepard, Giants
    10. Michael Crabtree, Raiders
    11. Kenny Stills, Dolphins
    12. Anquan Boldin, Lions
    13. DeVante Parker, Dolphins
    14. Eli Rogers, Steelers
    15. Marvin Jones, Lions
    16. Jermaine Kearse, Seahawks
    17. Will Fuller, Texans
    18. Victor Cruz, Giants
    19. Paul Richardson, Lions

Wide receivers -- NFL Playoff Challenge

  1. Antonio Brown, Steelers
    1. Julian Edelman, Patriots
    2. Dez Bryant, Cowboys
    3. Jordy Nelson, Packers
    4. Odell Beckham Jr., Giants
    5. Julio Jones, Falcons
    6. Doug Baldwin, Seahawks
    7. Davante Adams, Packers
    8. Tyreek Hill, Chiefs
    9. Taylor Gabriel, Falcons
    10. Amari Cooper, Raiders
    11. DeAndre Hopkins, Texans
    12. Michael Crabtree, Raiders
    13. Jeremy Maclin, Chiefs
    14. Sterling Shepard, Giants
    15. Golden Tate, Lions
    16. Jarvis Landry, Dolphins
    17. Malcolm Mitchell, Patriots
    18. Cole Beasley, Cowboys
    19. Mohamed Sanu, Falcons

Tight ends -- Wild Card Round (DFS)

  1. Jimmy Graham, Seahawks
    1. Ladarius Green, Steelers
    2. Eric Ebron, Lions
    3. C.J. Fiedorowicz, Texans
    4. Jared Cook, Packers
    5. Dion Sims, Dolphins
    6. Will Tye, Giants
    7. Clive Walford, Raiders

Tight ends -- NFL Playoff Challenge

Kickers -- Wild Card Round (DFS)

  1. Steven Hauschka, Seahawks
    1. Mason Crosby, Packers
    2. Chris Boswell, Steelers
    3. Nick Novak, Texans
    4. Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders
    5. Matt Prater, Lions
    6. Robbie Gould, Giants
    7. Andrew Franks, Dolphins

Kickers -- NFL Playoff Challenge

  1. Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots
    1. Matt Bryant, Falcons
    2. Dan Bailey, Cowboys
    3. Steven Hauschka, Seahawks
    4. Cairo Santos, Chiefs
    5. Mason Crosby, Packers
    6. Chris Boswell, Steelers
    7. Nick Novak, Texans
    8. Sebastian Janikowski, Raiders
    9. Robbie Gould, Giants
    10. Matt Prater, Lions
    11. Andrew Franks, Dolphins

Defense/special teams -- Wild Card Round (DFS)

  1. Seattle Seahawks
    1. Houston Texans
    2. Pittsburgh Steelers
    3. Green Bay Packers
    4. Oakland Raiders
    5. New York Giants
    6. Detroit Lions
    7. Miami Dolphins

Defense/special teams -- NFL Playoff Challenge

  1. New England Patriots
    1. Seattle Seahawks
    2. Kansas City Chiefs
    3. Dallas Cowboys
    4. Atlanta Falcons
    5. Pittsburgh Steelers
    6. Green Bay Packers
    7. New York Giants
    8. Houston Texans
    9. Oakland Raiders
    10. Detroit Lions
    11. Miami Dolphins

Michael Fabiano is an award-winning fantasy football analyst on NFL.com and NFL Network and a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association (FSWA) Hall of Fame. Have a burning question on anything fantasy related? Tweet it to **@Michael_Fabiano** or send a question via **Facebook**!