This is the Fantasy Football Postseason: FFPC NFL Playoff Contest – Rules and Strategy!
The Fantasy Football regular season ends yearly, and the postseason heats up. There is no league with larger prizes than the FFPC. The winner of this contest takes down $500K. That’s right- half a million dollars on a $200 entry. There is a prize pool of $1.4 million, and there are payouts up to 900th in the contest.
The FFPC also offers a $35 contest that pays $100K.
Sign up for the FFPC today! – https://myffpc.com/cms/public/25off?affid=rotounderworld
Both contests are incredibly challenging and also very simple. Fill out a lineup with one QB, two RBs, one TE, two WRs, four flexes, a kicker, and a defense. The only catch? You can only select one player per NFL team. There are also no lineup changes. Your lineup is set for the entire NFL playoffs.
Pick Teams That Will Make Deep Playoff Runs
With the locked-in lineups, it is important to identify teams that will make deep playoff runs. Getting three to four games of scoring from the right players can put your team in contention. But who are those teams?
Use the Super Bowl odds to help your decision-making. Here are the latest.
Super Bowl Odds
San Francisco +225
Baltimore +325
Buffalo +650
Dallas +750
Kansas City +900
Philadelphia +1300
Miami +1600
Detroit +2000
Cleveland +3300
Houston +4000
LA Rams +5000
Tampa Bay +6600
Green Bay +8000
Pittsburgh +12500
There is a massive disparity between the favorites and underdogs. Relying on a Pittsburgh Steelers player as a key part of your build is a wasted ticket. As much fun as a Green Bay Super Bowl run in Jordan Love‘s first year as starter would be, it won’t happen.
Who Will Go Far?
A great way to start your lineup build in the FFPC Playoff Contest is to project who you think will be in the Conference Championship games and what the Super Bowl matchup will be. The points you score in the Super Bowl matter the most- any point scored in that game counts double. If you think San Francisco will play Buffalo in the Super Bowl, build your team around the Bills and 49ers. If you think Dallas will play Baltimore, then using Dak Prescott or Lamar Jackson as your QB would make a lot of sense.
Quarterback is the most important position for you to nail in this contest as it will be the largest driver of fantasy points scored.
Defense and kicker points help, but they will not be a major driver of how your team does in this contest. Your choices here are from teams that will not go far.
TE Premium Scoring
The FFPC uses PPR scoring with 1.5 points per TE reception. This can lead some drafters to build TE heavy lineups. As a general rule in this contest, keep it at two TEs, or three if you are feeling spicy. Leaving valuable RB and WR scoring out of your lineup to chase TE points rarely pays off. Even with the premium scoring, the highest scoring players this season in FFPC scoring were Travis Kelce, Sam LaPorta, T.J. Hockenson, and Evan Engram. None would have finished in the top six at RB or WR.
The argument for positional disparity also takes a heavy knock as players like Isaiah Likely, Jake Ferguson, George Kittle, David Njoku, Dallas Goedert and Dalton Schultz are all capable of putting up a big scoring number in a particular game.
RB Resurgence
The playoffs are littered with strong RB options. In previous seasons, playoff contest RBs lacked depth, but this year there are some intriguing options. McCaffrey is joined by Kyren Williams, Jahmyr Gibbs, Devon Achane, Raheem Mostert, Rachaad White, Isiah Pacheco, James Cook, and David Montgomery. All of these players averaged 14 points per game or more in the regular season.
This list does not include Tony Pollard. Pollard was one of the biggest redraft disappointments, but he makes for an enticing lower rostered pivot to Prescott and CeeDee Lamb if Dallas were to make a deep Super Bowl run.
Eat the Chalk? Or Be Unique?
Do you think Christian McCaffrey will score a lot of fantasy points in the NFL Playoffs? Me too! My wife agrees. So does my neighbor. My co-worker thinks so. So, you should use him in your FFPC Playoff Contest entry, right? Yes and no. The answer is nuanced and complex.
Going with the chalk player who you cannot win without is one thing, but having too many chalk players will make your team common and unable to separate from the pack. If you choose to have McCaffrey or CeeDee Lamb, that is great. But once you have that combination in your lineup, it is time to start pivoting.
Using a non-chalk player can help you gain leverage against the field, especially if your player goes off for a game or two.
Chalk Picks Prediction
Darren Armani, the owner of FantasyMojo.com, and a highly successful FFPC Player made this prediction of the chalk picks. FantasyMojo is the most extensive site on FFPC information, and Armani has tracked years and years of FFPC Playoff Contests. Therefore, he knows a thing or two about the contest.
QB- Lamar Jackson | Baltimore
RB- Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco
RB- Kyren Williams | LA Rams
TE- Travis Kelce | Kansas City
WR- Stefon Diggs | Buffalo
WR- CeeDee Lamb | Dallas
Flex- David Njoku | Cleveland, A.J. Brown | Philadelphia, Amon-Ra St. Brown | Detroit, Tyreek Hill | Miami
PK- Kai’Mi Fairbairn Houston
DEF- Tampa Bay
Notably, he predicts there will not be a Pittsburgh or Green Bay player to be included among the chalk, so immediately you could gain an early edge with a huge game from a player like George Pickens or Jayden Reed– albeit for one game.
Even more enticing would be Mike Evans or Rachaad White. Tampa Bay are short underdogs against Philadelphia. Having two 20-point games from either of these players would be an exciting start to your contest entry.
Here are some potential pivot plays that could help you gain leverage against the field.
Contrarian Non-Chalk Options
San Francisco
QB Brock Purdy
WR Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel
TE George Kittle
My Pick: Brock Purdy. I lean Purdy with the chance at three games of stats, including a potential shootout against Dallas in the NFC Championship game.
Detroit
RBs Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery
My Pick: Jahmyr Gibbs. If Detroit can get by The LA Rams, they will face off against Dallas- who they nearly beat recently. While St. Brown is enticing chalk- especially with Sam LaPorta banged up- Gibbs has the potential to go nuclear with multiple 20-point games.
Philadelphia
QB Jalen Hurts
TE Dallas Goedert
WR- Devonta Smith
Miami
RBs- De’Von Achane, Raheem Mostert
WR- Jaylen Waddle
My Pick: De’Von Achane. Look for Achane to be a significant part of Miami’s game plan against Kansas City. If Miami can win that game, they become a potential threat to make a deep AFC playoff run. Everyone will be using Tyreek Hill in a revenge game.
Dallas
QB Dak Prescott
RB Tony Pollard
My Pick: Dak Prescott. It is Dak’s year. Prescott has been sensational, and Dallas will have homefield advantage for at least two games. Dallas has four 40-point performances at AT&T Field this season.
Buffalo
QB Josh Allen
RB James Cook
My Pick: Josh Allen. I worry that Armani has this prediction wrong as I expect Allen to be the chalk pick.
But with Baltimore earning the Bye, there will likely be less Allen selections than in previous seasons. Buffalo is a legit title contender, and Allen is a potential Super Bowl MVP.
Other Players from non-Super Bowl Contenders – High Leverage Options
Players Who Will Most Likely Play One Game
WR Jayden Reed | Green Bay
WR George Pickens | Pittsburgh
Players Who Will Most Likely Play Two Games MAX
WR Nico Collins | Houston
TE Dalton Schultz | Houston
WR Mike Evans | Tampa Bay
RB Rachaad White | Tampa Bay
WR Puka Nacua | LA Rams (NOTE: I love Nacua as a pivot to Kyren Williams)
Super Bowl Sleeper Cleveland Browns (Houston Winnable, Baltimore in a Joe Flacco Revenge Game, Come On – Work with Me Everyone!)
RB Jerome Ford | Cleveland
WR Amari Cooper | Cleveland
(NOTES: Both Ford and Cooper are pivots to Njoku.)
Theo Gremminger’s Sample Lineup Build
Here is an actual lineup I am using in the $35 contest. I have a handful of chalk players along with some higher leverage pivots.
QB- Josh Allen | Buffalo
RB- Christian McCaffrey | San Francisco (CHALK!)
RB- Jahmyr Gibbs | Detroit
WR- Tyreek Hill | Miami (CHALK!)
WR- CeeDee Lamb | Dallas (CHALK!)
TE- David Njoku | Cleveland (CHALK!)
FLEX- Puka Nacua | LA Rams, Rashee Rice | Kansas City Chiefs, Mike Evans | Tampa Bay, Jayden Reed | Green Bay
PK- Jake Elliott | Philadelphia
DEF- Baltimore Ravens
My lineup projects a Buffalo-San Francisco Super Bowl, and a Ravens Round 2 upset loss to Cleveland. I will also have a Lamar Jackson lineup (or two) in other entries.
Good luck with your entries and enjoy the NFL Playoffs and the FFPC Playoff Contests!
