Yahoo Sports Fantasy football wild card playoff cheat sheet: PPR rankings, sleepers
The fantasy football regular season may be complete, but that doesn't mean the competition has to end. Fantasy football playoff leagues are forming with the NFL postseason ready to kick off on Saturday. And of course, there are always daily fantasy contests available.
So if things didn't quite work out over the course of the first 18 weeks of play, perhaps there's a redemption story just waiting to be written between now and Super Bowl LIX.
NOTE: Although most fantasy playoff leagues draft rosters you'll keep for the entire postseason – putting a premium on figuring out which NFL teams are most likely to advance – these rankings are just for this weekend's wild card round and do not contain players from the top-seeded Kansas City Chiefs or Detroit Lions, who have first-round byes.
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Rankings are compiled by Daniel Dobish, TheHuddle.com.
(*-check status before kickoff)
Fantasy football wild card quarterback rankings
Jalen Hurts (concussion/finger) did not play in Week 17 or 18, but he practiced on a limited basis on Wednesday and is expected to be ready for Sunday's game.
On bye: Patrick Mahomes, K.C.; Jared Goff, Det.
Rank | Player | Team | Opp |
1 | Lamar Jackson | Bal. | vs. Pit. |
2 | Josh Allen | Buf. | vs. Den. |
3 | Baker Mayfield | T.B. | vs. Was. |
4 | Justin Herbert | L.A.-C | at Hou. |
5 | Matthew Stafford | L.A.-R | vs. Min. |
6 | *Jalen Hurts | Phi. | vs. G.B. |
7 | Sam Darnold | Min. | at L.A.-R |
8 | Jordan Love | G.B. | at Phi. |
9 | Russell Wilson | Pit. | at Bal. |
10 | Jayden Daniels | Was. | at T.B. |
11 | C.J. Stroud | Hou. | vs. L.A.-C |
12 | Bo Nix | Den. | at Buf. |
Fantasy football wild card running back rankings
Justice Hill (concussion) practiced in full on Wednesday. He's missed the past two games with concussion symptoms and has also been battling an undisclosed illness.
Gus Edwards (ankle) was a limited participant in practice on Wednesday.
On bye: Jahmyr Gibbs, David Montgomery, Det.; Isiah Pacheco, Kareem Hunt, Samaje Perine, K.C.
Rank | Player | Team | Opp |
1 | Saquon Barkley | Phi. | vs. G.B. |
2 | Derrick Henry | Bal. | vs. Pit. |
3 | Kyren Williams | L.A.-R | vs. Min. |
4 | James Cook | Buf. | vs. Den. |
5 | Josh Jacobs | G.B. | at Phi. |
6 | Bucky Irving | T.B. | vs. Was. |
7 | Joe Mixon | Hou. | vs. L.A.-C |
8 | J.K. Dobbins | L.A.-C | at Hou. |
9 | Aaron Jones | Min. | at L.A.-R |
10 | Najee Harris | Pit. | at Bal. |
11 | Brian Robinson Jr. | Was. | at T.B. |
12 | Rachaad White | T.B. | vs. Was. |
13 | Cam Akers | Min. | at L.A.-R |
14 | Javonte Williams | Den. | at Buf. |
15 | Dameon Pierce | Hou. | vs. L.A.-C |
16 | *Justice Hill | Bal. | vs. Pit. |
17 | Jaylen Warren | Pit. | at Bal. |
18 | Kenneth Gainwell | Phi. | vs. G.B. |
19 | *Gus Edwards | L.A.-C | at Hou. |
20 | Ray Davis | Buf. | vs. Den. |
21 | Audric Estime | Den. | at Buf. |
22 | Emanuel Wilson | G.B. | at Phi. |
23 | Keaton Mitchell | Bal. | vs. Pit. |
24 | Austin Ekeler | Was. | at T.B. |
25 | Ty Johnson | Buf. | vs. Den. |
Fantasy football wild card wide receiver rankings
Zay Flowers (knee) has been ruled out for Saturday's game. Rashod Bateman moves up to the Ravens' top wideout.
Romeo Doubs missed last week's game with an illness, but has returned to practice and does not have an injury designation.
Joshua Palmer (foot) was inactive last week and has not practiced so far this week. If he can't go, D.J. Chark will likely see more work once again.
On bye: Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jameson Williams, Det.; Xavier Worthy, DeAndre Hopkins, Hollywood Brown, JuJu Smith-Schuster, K.C.
Rank | Player | Team | Opp |
1 | Justin Jefferson | Min. | at L.A.-R |
2 | Courtland Sutton | Den. | at Buf. |
3 | Terry McLaurin | Was. | at T.B. |
4 | Puka Nacua | L.A.-R | vs. Min. |
5 | Nico Collins | Hou. | vs. L.A.-C |
6 | A.J. Brown | Phi. | vs. G.B. |
7 | Mike Evans | T.B. | vs. Was. |
8 | Cooper Kupp | L.A.-R | vs. Min. |
9 | Jordan Addison | Min. | at L.A.-R |
10 | Ladd McConkey | L.A.-C | at Hou. |
11 | Rashod Bateman | Bal. | vs. Pit. |
12 | *Jayden Reed | G.B. | at Phi. |
13 | DeVonta Smith | Phi. | vs. G.B. |
14 | *George Pickens | Pit. | at Bal. |
15 | Quentin Johnston | L.A.-C | at Hou. |
16 | Jalen McMillan | T.B. | vs. Was. |
17 | Marvin Mims Jr. | Den. | at Buf. |
18 | *Romeo Doubs | G.B. | at Phi. |
19 | Khalil Shakir | Buf. | vs. Den. |
20 | Nelson Agholor | Bal. | vs. Pit. |
21 | Dontayvion Wicks | G.B. | at Phi. |
22 | Robert Woods | Hou. | vs. L.A.-C |
23 | Amari Cooper | Buf. | vs. Den. |
24 | Olamide Zaccheaus | Was. | at T.B. |
25 | Demarcus Robinson | L.A.-R | vs. Min. |
26 | Devaughn Vele | Den. | at Buf. |
27 | *Joshua Palmer | L.A.-C | at Hou. |
28 | Keon Coleman | Buf. | vs. Den. |
29 | Tutu Atwell | L.A.-R | vs. Min. |
30 | Jalen Nailor | Min. | at L.A.-R |
31 | *John Metchie III | Hou. | vs. L.A.-C |
32 | Calvin Austin | Pit. | at Bal. |
33 | Dyami Brown | Was. | at T.B. |
34 | Troy Franklin | Den. | at Buf. |
35 | Tyler Johnson | L.A.-R | vs. Min. |
36 | Curtis Samuel | Buf. | vs. Den. |
37 | Mack Hollins | Buf. | vs. Den. |
38 | Diontae Johnson | Hou. | vs. L.A.-C |
39 | Sterling Shepard | T.B. | vs. Was. |
40 | Bo Melton | G.B. | at Phi. |
Fantasy football wild card tight end rankings
After missing the past three games, Cade Otton (knee) is "trending in the right direction," according to coach Todd Bowles.
Rank | Player | Team | Opp |
1 | Mark Andrews | Bal. | vs. Pit. |
2 | Zach Ertz | Was. | at T.B. |
3 | Dallas Goedert | Phi. | vs. G.B. |
4 | Pat Freiermuth | Pit. | at Bal. |
5 | Tucker Kraft | G.B. | at Phi. |
6 | Will Dissly | L.A.-C | at Hou. |
7 | Tyler Higbee | L.A.-R | vs. Min. |
8 | *Cade Otton | T.B. | vs. Was. |
9 | T.J. Hockenson | Min. | at L.A.-R |
10 | Dalton Schultz | Hou. | vs. L.A.-C |
11 | Dalton Kincaid | Buf. | vs. Den. |
12 | Isaiah Likely | Bal. | vs. Pit. |
13 | Dawson Knox | Buf. | vs. Den. |
14 | Nate Adkins | Den. | at Buf. |
15 | Luke Musgrave | G.B. | at Phi. |
Fantasy football wild card kicker rankings
Rank | Player | Team | Opp |
1 | Chris Boswell | Pit. | at Bal. |
2 | Ka'imi Fairbairn | Hou. | vs. L.A.-C |
3 | Cameron Dicker | L.A.-C | at Hou. |
4 | Chase McLaughlin | T.B. | vs. Was. |
5 | Justin Tucker | Bal. | vs. Pit. |
6 | Wil Lutz | Den. | at Buf. |
7 | Will Richard | Min. | at L.A.-R |
8 | Tyler Bass | Buf. | vs. Den. |
9 | Jake Elliott | Phi. | vs. G.B. |
10 | Brandon McManus | G.B. | at Phi. |
11 | Zane Gonzalez | Was. | at T.B. |
12 | Joshua Karty | L.A.-R | vs. Min. |
Fantasy football wild card defense/special teams rankings
Rank | Team | Opp |
1 | Buffalo Bills | vs. Den. |
2 | Houston Texans | vs. L.A.-C |
3 | Los Angeles Rams | vs. Min. |
4 | Los Angeles Chargers | at Hou. |
5 | Denver Broncos | at Buf. |
6 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | vs. Was. |
7 | Baltimore Ravens | vs. Pit. |
8 | Philadelphia Eagles | vs. G.B. |
9 | Green Bay Packers | at Phi. |
10 | Pittsburgh Steelers | at Bal. |
11 | Minnesota Vikings | at L.A.-R |
12 | Washington Commanders | at T.B. |
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fantasy football wild card rankings: QB, RB, WR, TE, K, DST top plays
