So we’re past Thanksgiving.
That not only means fewer than 30 shopping days until Christmas, but also that the fantasy football playoffs are essentially upon us.
In the majority of leagues, postseason play kicks off Week 14 and runs through Week 16 when the majority of 2020 champions will be crowned.
With that very stretch in focus, this week’s TT&T is referencing The Huddle’s extremely useful Fantasy Strength of Schedule tool and looking at the easiest and toughest postseason itineraries for each of the five main fantasy positions: quarterback, running back, wide receiver, tight end and team defense/special teams. The 10 easiest and 10 toughest are listed for each, followed by quick thoughts on what jumps out from the rankings.
All statistics and rankings are through Week 12 play Monday night.
Quarterback
Easiest Week 14-16 fantasy QB schedules
1) Rams, 2) Buccaneers, 3) Washington, 4) Packers, 5) Chargers, 6) Broncos, 7) Jets, 8) Lions, 9) Bears, 10) Falcons
Notable
- Chargers rookie QB Justin Herbert had his first sub-20-fantasy-point game with 19.6 in Buffalo on Sunday, but he still currently ranks fifth among healthy quarterbacks with an average of 27.9 points per outing. According to the strength of schedule tool, the Chargers have faced the fifth-easiest fantasy QB slate so far this season (Weeks 1-12), and it’s not going to get any tougher in the fantasy playoffs with matchups against the Falcons, Raiders and Broncos, so plan to keep riding the rookie.
- Grizzled veterans Aaron Rodgers (sixth among QBs with a 27.5-fantasy-point average) and Tom Brady (eighth with 24.7 points) should continue to defy Father Time, at least through the fantasy postseason, with top-four fantasy QB schedules that feature a combined three positive matchups (opposing teams in the top eight of average QB fantasy points allowed), three neutral contests (opposing defenses ranked ninth through 24th) and no negative matchups (25th and below).
- The Rams’ Jared Goff is going to be tough to trust coming off his season-worst 11-point dud Sunday against the 49ers, but the fantasy postseason schedule is juicy, particularly matchups against two of the four most favorable fantasy defenses (Seahawks and Jets) in Weeks 15 and 16 if you get that far and still need a streaming or a QB2 option in a two-quarterback league.
- The Lions’ Matthew Stafford and Falcons’ Matt Ryan also are set up as favorable streaming options, but definitely keep an eye on the health of their respective receiving weapons (namely WRs Kenny Golladay and Julio Jones) before rolling with either in a win-or-go-home fantasy playoff contest.
Toughest Week 14-16 fantasy QB schedules
1) Bills, 2) Texans, 3) Bengals, 4) Cardinals, 5) Colts, 6) Jaguars, 7) Panthers, 8) Vikings, 9) Eagles, 10. Cowboys
Notable
- You’re almost assuredly still going to keep riding top-seven fantasy QBs Kyler Murray (first), Josh Allen (fourth), and Deshaun Watson (seventh) in the fantasy playoffs, but don’t expect smooth sailing with a combined nine-game postseason itinerary that features five minus matchups, four neutrals and no plus fantasy contests.
- The Vikings’ Kirk Cousins is sixth among QBs (two-start minimum) with an average of 26.6 fantasy points over the last three weeks, and that should continue with favorable matchups against the Jaguars (third best for fantasy QBs) and Bucs (fifth best) ahead the next two week. But games against the Bears (third stingiest vs. fantasy QBs) and Saints (seventh) in Weeks 15 and 16 are cause for concern if you’re trying to map out possible streaming plans for the coming month.
Running back
Easiest Week 14-16 fantasy RB schedules
1) Titans, 2) Packers, 3) Bears, 4) Lions, 5) Broncos, 6) Buccaneers, 7) Dolphins, 8) Colts, 9) Ravens, 10) Panthers
Notable
- League rushing leader Derrick Henry (1,257 yards) is already crushing with an average of 20.1 fantasy points (point-per-reception scoring) — and that’s despite only 23.3 total receiving points (14 catches for 93 yards and no TDs). And here’s predicting King Henry will be the crown jewel on a number of league championship teams with a fantasy postseason schedule that consists of plus matchups against the Jaguars, Lions and Packers — all top-six defenses in terms of average fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs.
- The Packers, with Aaron Jones and Jamaal Williams, also are 3-for-3 in positive fantasy running back postseason matchups with games against the not-so-formidable run defenses of the Lions, Panthers and Titans.
- If you’ve been hanging tight through the ups and downs with rookie RBs D’Andre Swift (Lions), Jonathan Taylor (Colts) and K. Dobbins (Ravens), it could very well pay off in the fantasy postseason provided that Swift recovers from his concussion, which kept him out in Weeks 11 and 12, and Taylor gains clearance from COVID-19 issues.
- Those who spent the No. 1 overall draft pick on Christian McCaffrey have only received three games out of him so far due to injury, but they’ve yielded a whopping 90.4 fantasy points. And if you make it to the postseason despite CMC’s prolonged absence and he returns in Week 14, that top pick could very well pay off when it matters most as the Panthers face the 10th-most favorable fantasy RB postseason schedule with games against the Broncos, Packers and Washington.
Toughest Week 14-16 fantasy RB schedules
1) Vikings, 2) Chiefs, 3) Bills, 4) Cowboys, 5) Eagles, 6) Giants, 7) Seahawks, 8) Cardinals, 9) Texans, 10) 49ers
Notable
- Among running backs who have played at least four games, Minnesota stud Dalvin Cook leads the way with an average of 25.1 fantasy points per contest. But it’s interesting to note that, according to The Huddle SOS, the Vikings have played the easiest fantasy running back slate to date (Weeks 1-12). Minnesota will encounter the toughest running back road in the fantasy postseason with games against the Bucs, Bears and Saints. You’re still rolling with Cook, but temper expectations that he’s going to single-handedly carry your squad to a league title.
- Those fantasy general managers who have weathered the weekly roller coaster with high draft picks Ezekiel Elliott, Clyde Edwards-Helaire, Kenyan Drake and Miles Sanders need to be prepared for tough fantasy postseason itineraries and might need to seriously weigh other starting options come playoff time.
Wide receiver
Easiest Week 14-16 fantasy WR schedules
1) Rams, 2) Buccaneers, 3) Washington, 4) Bears, 5) Packers, 6) Lions, 7) Jets, 8) Ravens, 9) Chargers, 10) Titans
Notable
- The Rams’ Robert Woods and Cooper Kupp are both currently WR2s with 16.6 and 14.3 fantasy-point-per-game averages, respectively, and the going should be even more favorable in the fantasy playoffs with the easiest projected schedule for wide receivers, particularly the back-to-back matchups against the Jets and Seahawks in the Weeks 15 and 16. It’s a big reason why we just got done talking about Goff as a viable streaming option in the fantasy postseason.
- Despite continued far from ideal QB play, the Bears’ Allen Robinson ranks 13th among wideouts with an average of 16.7 fantasy points per game, and he should continue to shine with a fantasy playoff slate that consists of the Texans, Vikings and Jaguars, all of which ranks among the top third of most favorable fantasy wide receiver secondaries.
- The Lions’ Golladay has only played four full games — and none since Week 7 — this season due to injury issues, but if he can return in the coming weeks, he should be able to feast on a Week 14-16 slate that includes matchups against the Packers, Titans and Bucs.
Toughest Week 14-16 fantasy WR schedules
1) Panthers, 2) Jaguars, 3) Patriots, 4) Seahawks, 5) Texans, 6) Raiders, 7) Bills, 8) Steelers, 9) Dolphins, 10) Broncos
Notable
As mentioned with McCaffrey above, the Panthers’ fantasy postseason schedule is more of a run funnel, as the Carolina wideouts face the toughest playoff slate with games against the Broncos, Packers and Washington. That could mean an end-of-season damper for Panthers receivers Robby Anderson, D.J. Moore and the surging Curtis Samuel. To date, the SOS metrics say the Panthers have faced the easiest fantasy WR slate so far, but that’s about to change drastically.
- The Texans’ wideout duo of Will Fuller and Brandin Cooks has been a boon for Watson, but now Fuller has been suspended for the remainder of the season and the next three weeks are brutal with a matchup against the Bears (fourth toughest vs. opposing fantasy wide receivers) sandwiched between the divisional home-and-home contests against the Colts (seventh toughest).
- Seattle’s DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett are both WR1s, with a combined average of 37.3 fantasy points per outing — tops among wide receiver duos. But playoff matchups against two of the three toughest fantasy wide receiver secondaries (Washington, Rams) in Weeks 15 and 16 is brutal timing.
Tight end
Easiest Week 14-16 fantasy TE schedules
1) Broncos, 2) Vikings, 3) Jaguars, 4) Falcons, 5) Ravens, 6) Texans, 7) Steelers, 8) Jets, 9) Seahawks, 10) Bears
Notable
- Can Denver Noah’s Fant, currently 11th among active tight ends with an average of 9.6 fantasy points per game, finish with a florurish? A Week 14-16 schedule that consists of games against three top-third fantasy TE defenses (Panthers, Bills and Chargers) certainly throws the door wide open to that possibility.
- The Falcons’ Hayden Hurst and the Steelers’ Eric Ebron, both tied for 12th at the position with an average of 9.5 fantasy points per game, have been solid high-end streaming options for most of the season, and both definitely should be locked in with favorable fantasy postseason schedules ahead.
- Speaking of tight end streaming options with plus slates coming up, keep Vikings tight ends Irv Smith (if healthy) and Kyle Rudolph on the radar as Minnesota faces the Bucs, Bears and Saints — all beatable fantasy tight end defenses — in the fantasy playoffs.
Toughest Week 14-16 fantasy TE schedules
1) Bills, 2) Cardinals, 3) Raiders, 4) Colts, 5) Bengals, 6) Panthers, 7) Titans, 8) Washington, 9) Eagles, 10) Dolphins
Notable
- Thanks to his tight end-leading seven touchdown grabs (tied with Travis Kelce and Robert Tonyan), the Titans’ Jonnu Smith ranks eighth among still-active TEs with his average of 10.2 fantasy points per game. But Smith is tied for 16th at the position in both receptions (30) and yards (338) and faces two of the eight toughest fantasy tight end defenses (Lions and Packers) back-to-back in Weeks 15 and 16.
Team defense/special teams
Easiest Week 14-16 fantasy D/ST schedules
1) Cowboys, 2) Cardinals, 3) Seahawks, 4) 49ers, 5) Panthers, 6) Browns, 7) Texans, 8) Chargers, 9) Saints, 10) Rams
Notable
- This is where a fantasy strength of schedule lookahead is especially useful with the abundance of defensive/special teams unit streaming.
- An intriguing list to be sure as six of these 10 D/STs (Cowboys, Cardinals, 49ers, Panthers, Texans and Chargers) rank in the bottom half at this position in terms of average fantasy points per game. Dallas, which is ranked 27th among D/STs with an average of 4.2 fantasy points per outing, presents the biggest conundrum as it has three plus-matchups (opposing offenses ranked among the eight most charitable in terms of average fantasy defensive points surrendered), including the Bengals in Week 14 and Eagles in Week 16.
- Those already rostering the Browns, Rams and Saints — all current top-nine D/STs — will be wise to keep them locked in through the fantasy postseason.
Toughest Week 14-16 fantasy D/ST schedules
1) Lions, 2) Chiefs, 3) Colts, 4) Falcons, 5) Dolphins, 6) Packers, 7) Raiders, 8) Broncos, 9) Giants, 10) Jaguars
Notable
- Figuring out how to handle the Indy and Miami D/STs, both current top-five units, will be challenging as neither has a top-half postseason matchup with the Raiders’ offense (17th-most-favorable matchup) coming the closest.
- Stay away from streaming the Chiefs’ and Lions’ D/STs as they have five negative and one neutral fantasy playoff matchup between them in six combined games.
