I look forward to the playoffs every season. Not only is the best football played at this time, but for obvious reasons, my workload dwindles significantly, so I have more time to actually enjoy the football.
But I always have another itch to scratch… because fantasy football isn’t over.
Every year, I use MyFantasyLeague to run a one-and-done playoff contest for me and my friends (many of whom you know through Fantasy Points).
The rules are simple.
You pick a starting lineup of 10 players every week: 1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 2 RWT FLEX, 1 PK, and 1 DST. PPR scoring with 4 points per TD and -2 per INT. You get 3 points per field goal and 1 per XP, and return TDs (but not yards) count.
You can pick any player from any team for your lineup every week… except you can only use a guy ONCE throughout the playoffs. So if you use Josh Allen this week, you can’t use him again. So you want to both maximize your score any given week… but make sure you have enough good players left for each subsequent week. And we dwindle from 14 teams available in Playoff Week 1… to just 2 for the Super Bowl.
THIS YEAR IN MY POOL, I’VE MADE SCORING IN THE SUPER BOWL 2X… SO IT’S MORE IMPORTANT TO HAVE PLAYERS WHO ADVANCE.
In other words, you have to predict both this week’s games and next week’s games. And much like DFS, you want to avoid being too chalky to create variance on the field. So there’s a lot of strategy involved.
I also pay out weekly prizes in addition to the playoff-long grand prizes.
So, I figured I’d write a quick article about my strategy in this contest for those of you doing something similar. Some of the other guys on staff who participate will follow with their picks, as well.
Joe Dolan
Quarterback (Start 1, Max of 1)
I used an AFC QB in each of the first three rounds. That saved me Jalen Hurts for the Super Bowl.
Already Used: Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Patrick Mahomes
Running Back (Start 2, Max of 4)
I have every notable RB available for this game.
I’m going to use Saquon Barkley and Kareem Hunt, because I don’t think Isiah Pacheco will find a ton of room
Already Used: Josh Jacobs, Bucky Irving, Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs, Kyren Williams, James Cook, Brian Robinson, Austin Ekeler
Wide Receiver (Start 2, Max of 4)
DeVonta Smith has eaten up Steve Spagnuolo defenses in his career. I think he has an advantageouys matchup in the slot.
It’s impossible to pick which Chief receiver could go off, but at least I have three of them — JuJu Smith-Schuster, DeAndre Hopkins, and Hollywood Brown (sorry John, not using Skyy Snore).
Already Used: Puka Nacua, Justin Jefferson, Terry McLaurin, Nico Collins, Rashod Bateman, Khalil Shakir, Jameson Williams, AJ Brown, Xavier Worthy, Olamide Zaccheaus
Tight End (Start 1, Max of 3)
Dallas Goedert is the leading receiver left in the postseason with 188 yards. He has 41 yards to go to catch… Dyami Brown?!?
Already Used: Isaiah Likely, Mark Andrews, Travis Kelce
Kicker and DST (Start 1 Each)
Harrison Butker is the only kicker I have left.
I don’t have a defense available because of previous strategy errors. What a dope.
Graham Barfield
Quarterback (Start 1, Max of 1)
Patrick Mahomes (KC) – I used all of the NFC QBs to save the AFC side for the Super Bowl.
Players used: Jayden Daniels (Was), Jared Goff (Det), and Jalen Hurts (Phi)
Running Back (Start 2, Max of 4)
Isiah Pacheco (KC) – After using Saquon Barkley in the Championship Round, I have to ride or die with the Chiefs running backs.
Kareem Hunt (KC)
Already used: Josh Jacobs (GB), Bucky Irving (TB), Kyren Williams (LAR), James Cook (Buf), Derrick Henry (Bal), Saquon Barkley (Phi), and Austin Ekeler (Was)
Wide Receiver (Start 2, Max of 4)
DeVonta Smith (Phi) – No brainer.
JuJu Smith-Schuster (KC) – Without A.J. Brown, Xavier Worthy, and Marquise Brown to choose from, we’re left thin at WR. I’m leaning in on the Mahomes-Chiefs stack out of necessity, so please use all of those receivers ahead of Smith-Schuster or Hopkins. These two veteran WRs are rotational players and will split anywhere from 30-60% of the routes.
DeAndre Hopkins (KC)
Already used: Justin Jefferson (Min), Puka Nacua (LAR), Nico Collins (Hou), Amon-Ra St. Brown (Det), Terry McLaurin (Was), A.J. Brown (Phi), Xavier Worthy (KC), Khalil Shakir (Buf), Dyami Brown (Was), and Marquise Brown (KC)
Tight End (Start 1, Max of 3)
Dallas Goedert (Phi) – No brainer.
Noah Gray (KC) – Maybe he gets a designed red-zone target?
Already used: TJ Hockenson (Min), Mark Andrews (Bal), Travis Kelce (KC), and Zach Ertz (Was)
Kicker and DST (Start 1 Each)
Harrison Butker (KC) and Chiefs D/ST
Already used: Cam Dicker (LAC), Jake Bates (Det), Jake Elliott (Phi) Ravens D/ST, Eagles D/ST, and Commanders D/ST
Tom Brolley
> 395.5 points, 72.2 behind first.
Quarterback (Start 1, Max of 1)
Jalen Hurts (Phi) — Hurts has accounted for 36+ rushing yards in 10 of his last 12 games and 18 rushing TDs in his 18 games. He completed 27/38 passes for 304 yards and 1 TD against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII, adding 15/70/3 rushing.
Players used: Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Jayden Daniels
Running Back (Start 2, Max of 4)
Saquon Barkley (Phi) — Barkley ripped off a 60-yard touchdown run on his first carry of the NFC Championship Game on his way to posting 15/118/3 rushing and a 4-yard reception on 2 targets. He’s scored 5 TDs in his last two contests and hit 119+ scrimmage yards in five straight games. He’s hit 84+ rushing yards and 111+ scrimmage yards 16 times in 19 tries. James Cook posted 13/85/2 rushing and 3/49 receiving in this matchup in the AFC Championship Game.
Kareem Hunt and Isiah Pacheco (KC) — Hunt once again paced Kansas City’s backfield with 17/64/1 rushing and a 6-yard reception on a 58% snap share against the Bills. Hunt has scored rushing TDs in four straight games Pacheco added just 5/12 rushing and 2/12 receiving on a 29% snap share. Pacheco has yet to top 8.1 FP in seven games since returning to the lineup.
Players used: James Cook, Austin Ekeler, Derrick Henry, Jahmyr Gibbs, Kyren Williams, Bucky Irving, J.K. Dobbins
Wide Receiver (Start 2, Max of 4)
A.J. Brown (Phi) — Brown busted out of a mini-slump for 6/96/1 receiving on 8 targets against the Commanders. He has reached 5+ receptions in 11-of-16 games and 84+ yards nine times. Brown posted 6/96/1 receiving on 8 targets against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
DeVonta Smith (Phi) — Smith has turned in 4 receptions on 4 targets in each of his first three postseason games, but this is a matchup he could exploit. The Chiefs give up the most YPRR (102.6) and the second-most YPRR (2.14) to receivers aligned in the slot. Smith turned in 7/100 receiving on 9 targets against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
JuJu Smith-Schuster (KC) — Smith-Schuster stayed ahead of DeAndre Hopkins in route share (56% to 29%) for the second straight postseason game. JuJu finished with 2/60 receiving on 3 targets against the Bills.
Players used: Marquise Brown, Dyami Brown, Olamide Zaccheaus, Rasod Bateman, Khalil Shakir, Xavier Worthy, Puka Nacua, Nico Collins, Terry McLaurin, Jalen McMillan
Tight End (Start 1, Max of 3)
Dallas Goedert (Phi) — Goedert has logged 19/243/1 receiving on 24 targets and 76 routes over the last four games. He’s averaging 3.20 YPRR and .32 TPRR in that span. The Chiefs gave up the most receiving YPG (70.1) and the second-most receptions per game (6.2) to TEs in the regular season. Goedert posted 6/60 receiving on 7 targets against the Chiefs in Super Bowl LVII.
Players used: Travis Kelce, Dalton Kincaid, Sam LaPorta, Mark Andrews
Kicker and DST (Start 1 Each)
Harrison Butker and Philadelphia Eagles D/ST
Players used: Jake Bates, Joshua Karty, Zane Gonzalez Baltimore Ravens D/ST, Kansas City Chiefs D/ST, Buffalo Bills D/ST
