Now is not the time to put your fantasy team on cruise control.
Whether you are fighting for a playoff spot or just fine-tuning your roster, it is important to closely examine the fantasy football playoff schedule. Fantasy championships are won by acquiring targets with favorable playoff schedule matchups. Last season, it was obvious that having New Orleans fantasy players at home against Jacksonville in Week 16 was key to securing a championship. Whether available on the waiver wire or via trade, here are the players you should be targeting for the fantasy playoffs weeks 12 through 16.
Quarterbacks
Player: Philip Rivers (San Diego)
Fantasy Points Per Game: 18.3 (No. 16)
Upcoming Schedule: 1.17 (No. 4)
Playoff Schedule: Tampa Bay, @Carolina, Oakland, @Cleveland
Available Via: Trade
Rationale: The best thing that happened on Sunday was Philip Rivers throwing four interceptions against Miami. This may actually make him acquirable via trade in your fantasy league. Rivers end of season schedule is pure fantasy euphoria. He faces the No. 29, No. 24, No. 25, and No. 28 friendliest defenses to opposing quarterbacks. Rivers statistics this year are amazing: first among quarterbacks in Red Zone Attempts (77), third in passing yards (2890), and fifth in air yards (1,528). He has produced a remarkable season even with Melvin Gordon producing a top three fantasy RB season. The Chargers offense with coordinator Ken Whisenhunt has been wonderful, and Rivers promises to be a championship winner. If he is somehow available, target aggressively.
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Player: Tyrod Taylor, Buffalo
Fantasy Points Per Game: 18.5 (No. 15)
Upcoming Schedule: +1.08 (No. 5)
Playoff Schedule: @Oakland, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Miami
Available Via: Waiver Wire/Trade
Running Backs
Player: Jonathan Stewart, Carolina
Fantasy Points Per Game: 11.7 (No. 27)
Upcoming Schedule: +2.87 (No. 1)
Playoff Schedule: @Seattle, San Diego, @Washington, Atlanta
Available Via: Trade
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Player: Frank Gore, Indianapolis
Fantasy Points Per Game: 15.4 (No. 15)
Upcoming Schedule: -0.01 (No. 19)
Playoff Schedule: @Jets, Houston, @Minnesota, @Oakland
Available Via: Trade
Rationale: If Stewart is a “just a dude guy,” then Gore is a “just an old dude guy.” But look past the age, and look closer at the metrics on PlayerProfiler.com. His offensive line run blocking efficiency rating? 140.1 (second in the league). Total touchdowns? Seven (Seventh among running backs). Opportunity Share? 71.8 percent (11th among running backs). Coming off his bye week, he is home for back to back games against Tennessee and Pittsburgh. While his playoff schedule includes three road games, Gore posted 21.1 fantasy points at Green Bay which was the brutally tough for opposing fantasy running backs. The most attractive thing about Gore? He is easily attainable. The Frank Gore owner will not be married to a 33 year old running back who is coming off a bye week. The competition in the Colts backfield is Robert Turbin, Josh Ferguson, and Jordan Todman. Seriously? Gore’s 11.02 Agility Score (84th percentile) and incomparable work ethic will guarantee an RB2 rest of the season in PPR or standard leagues.
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Player: Damien Williams, Miami
Fantasy Points Per Game: 8.3 (No. 40)
Upcoming Schedule: 0.19 (No. 17)
Playoff Schedule: @Baltimore, Arizona, @Jets, @Buffalo
Available Via: Waiver Wire
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Player: Kenneth Dixon, Baltimore
Fantasy Points Per Game: 2.0 (No. 90)
Upcoming Schedule: 0.58 (No. 11)
Playoff Schedule: Miami, @New England, Philadelphia, @Pittsburgh
Available Via: Waiver Wire
Rationale: Believe what your eyes tell you. If you watched last Thursday Night’s game against Cleveland, you witnessed the changing of the guard. In an absolute plum of a running back matchup, starter Terrance West rushed for 65 yards on 21 carries (3.09 yards per carry) against the second worst defense for opposing fantasy running backs. Meanwhile, rookie Kenneth Dixon rushed for 38 yards on six carries (6.33 yards per carry), and added five receptions for 42 yards. Dixons’s Opportunity Share has risen each of the last three weeks: 10.3-percent, 13.3-percent, 36.7-percent. Expect Dixon to take a lead role in Baltimore starting this week at Dallas. He follows that game with two consecutive home games against Cincinnati and Miami. Dixon boasts a 90th percentile College Dominator Rating and 70th percentile College Target Share while at Louisiana Tech. Now is the time to pickup Kenneth Dixon, before he supplants Terrance West in the Ravens backfield.
Wide Receivers
Player: Tyrell Williams, San Diego
Fantasy Points Per Game: 12.8 (No. 30)
Upcoming Schedule: 1.36 (No. 4)
Playoff Schedule: Tampa Bay, @Carolina, Oakland, @Cleveland
Available Via: Trade
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Player: Jamison Crowder, Washington
Fantasy Points Per Game: 14.4 (No. 24)
Upcoming Schedule: +0.38 (No. 17)
Playoff Schedule: @Carolina, @Philadelphia, Carolina, @Chicago
Available Via: Trade
Rationale: I am not quite sure what Jamison Crowder needs to do in order to be properly lauded. He is currently 23rd among all wide receivers in fantasy points, and in the two games before the bye week, Crowder received a total of 22 targets. He is eighth among all wide receivers with an average of 41.6 pass plays per game, 10th in yards after catch (4.3 p/tgt), and 12th in Red Zone receptions (six). However, the most convincing argument for acquiring Crowder is that the Redskins rest of year schedule is the worst among all fantasy running backs. Washington will need to throw to stay competitive, and a slot receiver on a must-pass offense is fantasy gold. Both DeSean Jackson and Jordan Reed have missed time with injuries, which makes Crowder’s appeal even greater. In a tough matchup with Minnesota last week, Crowder still managed a touchdown catch. Actively look to add Jamison Crowder for the fantasy playoff drive.
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Player: Cameron Meredith, Chicago
Fantasy Points Per Game: 11.0 (No. 45)
Upcoming Schedule: +0.07 (No. 21)
Playoff Schedule: San Francisco, @Detroit, Green Bay, Washington
Available Via: Waivers
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Player: Eli Rogers, Pittsburgh
Fantasy Points Per Game: 9.8 (No. 58)
Upcoming Schedule: +0.59 (No. 12)
Playoff Schedule: New York Giants, @Buffalo, @Cincinnati, Baltimore
Available Via: Waiver Wire
Rationale: William Shakespeare coined the phrase, “Better three hours too early than a minute late.” If you failed to pick up Eli Rogers after last week’s six receptions/103 yard performance than you almost missed out on a fantasy playoff gold mine. While Rogers grabbed a touchdown this week against Dallas, he still will be under the radar with only 42 receiving yards. Now is the time to pounce, as Rogers will continue to thrive with Ben Roethlisberger back under center. Rogers has that nuanced feel for the game, as evidenced by his 95th percentile college Breakout Age on PlayerProfiler.com. His 90th percentile Agility Score is a huge advantage as well for a slot receiver on a high-powered offense. A fantastic end of season schedule combined with man to man coverage opposite Antonio Brown, makes Rogers a top waiver wire acquisition for any fantasy team regardless of record.
Tight Ends
Player: Zach Ertz, Philadelphia
Fantasy Points Per Game: 8.0 (No. 24)
Upcoming Schedule: +0.48 (No. 11)
Playoff Schedule: @Cincinnati, Washington, @Baltimore, New York Giants
Available Via: Waiver Wire/Trade
Rationale: The second best thing that happened on Sunday was Zach Ertz having a subpar game (6 rec, 55 yards). Ertz broke his ribs earlier in the season, and he isnow completely healed. In Week Nine he totaled eight receptions (on eight targets) for 97 yards. In 2015, Ertz finished the season with the most tight end targets in the second half of the season. He has the fourth best Catch Rate (82.1-percent) among all tight ends, including a 33.3-percent Red Zone Catch Rate. In the year of tight end mediocrity, a healthy Ertz also brings a great fantasy playoff schedule.
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Player: Austin Hooper, Atlanta
Fantasy Points Per Game: 7.2 (No. 28)
Upcoming Schedule: -1.40 (No. 30)
Playoff Schedule: Kansas City, @Los Angeles, San Francisco, @Carolina
Available Via: Waiver Wire