2019 Fantasy Football Playoff Schedules
The Playoff Primer of The Fantasy Footballers Podcast was an important one as the fantasy playoffs approach! Week 10 marks the trade deadline for many leagues and this episode is going to help you with the guys you should be targeting or holding on to when making your final offers.
This article will provide you with charts showing the schedules for the Week 14-16 schedules for every team. Matchups in Green are a good matchup, meaning they give up the most points to that position. Yellow are middle of the pack and Red means they do not give up a lot of points to that specific position. To make your research even easier, we have including their full rankings and points allowed in separate charts. We want you to win that #FootClanTitle!
Watch or Listen to the Fantasy Playoff Primer episode for a full breakdown
Based on 4pt per passing TD / Half PPR scoring
QB Playoff Schedules & Points Allowed
One thing that is almost common knowledge in fantasy football is that QBs score the most points and a bunch of them will score every week. That means there are a ton of guys you are going to want to start. There are also a handful of guys with just terrible fantasy playoff schedules. To start, Patrick Mahomes faces three defenses that are in the bottom-7 in points allowed to QBs. You’re going to start Mahomes but might need to temper your expectations. It’s also hard to bench Dak Prescott, Jared Goff, or Aaron Rodgers but their playoff matchups are far from ideal. Matt Ryan has looked bad this season and things likely won’t get better in the playoffs.
Now, if you can’t start your studs, who should you start? This group breaks down into two segments:
1) Players likely owned that you would have to trade for
2) Players that may be on waivers
Guys like Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, and Carson Wentz all have great playoff schedules but are all top-10 fantasy QBs and will be hard to get a hold of if you don’t have them. But hope is not lost. There are a few guys that may be on waivers right now that have excellent schedules in the fantasy playoffs. Five names that lead the target list are Jameis Winston, Jimmy Garoppolo, Tom Brady, Daniel Jones, and Nick Foles. Jameis is both a fantasy machine and nightmare at the same time. He is the QB13 on the year and currently has the #1 and #2 fantasy WRs but also has three games with multiple INTs. Every team he plays in the fantasy playoffs falls in the Yellow or Green category. Garoppolo and Jones are in similar situations. Brady has two beautiful matchups to start the playoffs but has Buffalo in Week 16. Foles starts with the Chargers, who are in the bottom 6 when it comes to points surrendered to QBs, but then he gets Oakland and Atlanta, two of the three best matchups for fantasy QBs. He is a great option for those with a 1st round bye.
There are a few other, riskier, options that have nice schedules. The list starts with everyone’s favorite 2019 bust, Baker Mayfield. If the Browns can turn it around, he has an excellent playoff schedule. Others with similar risk attached to their names are Kyle Allen and Ryan Fitzpatrick. Both have nice schedules but just don’t feel right in the fantasy playoffs.
Target Recap: Russell Wilson, Lamar Jackson, Kyler Murray, Carson Wentz, Jameis Winston, Jimmy Garoppolo, Tom Brady, Daniel Jones, Nick Foles, Baker Mayfield, Kyle Allen, Ryan Fitzpatrick
RB Playoff Schedules & Points Allowed
By far the teams that have the best schedules for RBs in the fantasy playoffs are Chicago, Denver, Green Bay, Minnesota, New England, and Seattle. Of that group, Montgomery is the best buy-now candidate but his price may have climbed after his great Week 9 performance. Other great targets are Leonard Fournette, Aaron Jones, Chris Carson, and either Patriots RB. All have byes either this week on in the next two, so their owners may be willing to part with them.
While not as great as the teams mentioned above the Cardinals, Ravens, Panthers, Browns, Jaguars, Eagles, and Steelers also have nice matchups. You may not be able to get the starters for any of these teams but it may be time to add the handcuffs. Guys like Alexander Mattison, Ryquell Armstead, Jamaal Williams, Rashaad Penny, Jaylen Samuels, and Kareem Hunt could instantly become an RB1 if the starter were to get hurt. Speaking of hurt starters, James Conner‘s owner is likely frustrated and may be willing to move him and the Steelers have three nice matchups in the playoffs.
On the other side of the coin, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, and Kansas City all have tougher schedules. You’re not trading Zeke away but the guys like Marlon Mack, Carlos Hyde, and Damien Williams may need to be shipped out.
Target Recap: David Montgomery, Leonard Fournette, Aaron Jones, Chris Carson, Sony Michel/James White, Alexander Mattison, Ryquell Armstead, Jamaal Williams, Rashaad Penny, Jaylen Samuels, Kareem Hunt
WR Playoff Schedules & Points Allowed
The WRs pretty much go hand in hand with the QBs. The groups that jump off the page are the Colts, Jaguars, Dolphins, Giants, Buccaneers, Titans, and, the Redskins. Dede Westbrook can be found on a lot of waiver wires right now and he was supposed to be Foles’ favorite target before the injury. TY Hilton needs to get healthy but he and Zach Pascal have great playoff schedules. Terry McLaurin is a great target but can you trust their QB? Both Titans’ WRs are likely available, so while it’s no fun trusting Ryan Tannehill, A.J. Brown and Corey Davis could be nice plays. Brown has far more upside. With the Dolphins losing Preston Williams, DeVante Parker becomes a very interesting target. Miami plays the Jets, Giants, and Bengals, and that may be the best playoff schedule for any WR.
Just like their QB, the Chiefs WRs have capped upside in the playoffs but you cannot bench Tyreek Hill. However, Sammy Watkins may need to be cut come playoff time. Other WRs with tough schedules that are too good to bench are Julian Edelman and Cooper Kupp but in that same breath, you can sit their counterparts, Mohamed Sanu, Robert Woods, and Brandin Cooks. A tough schedule and bad QB make Allen Robinson hard to trust as well.
Target Recap: Dede Westbrook, T.Y. Hilton, Terry McLaurin, A.J. Brown, DeVante Parker
TE Playoff Schedules & Points Allowed
O.J. Howard and Greg Olsen have great playoff schedules but there is no way you can play O.J. come playoff time. Olsen is an intriguing play with three games against teams that are in the top-12 in points surrendered to the TE. Jason Witten, Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson and Hunter Henry are other names to watch.
Mark Andrews‘ early success will make this a tough pill to swallow but he may not be playable come playoff time. Austin Hooper is another guy that has been great this year but has a brutal playoff schedule. Vance McDonald has been up and down but will likely be unplayable in the playoffs.
Target Recap: Greg Olsen, Jason Witten, Noah Fant, T.J. Hockenson, Hunter Henry
Team DEF/ST & Points Allowed
The only team with a “perfect” schedule, based on matchups, is Miami. Since there is no way you are trusting your championship hopes with the Dolphins, let’s look at some realistic plays. To start, after what we saw from the Ravens in Week 9, they are the DEF to target for the fantasy playoffs. They start with Buffalo, who currently gives up the 10th most points to fantasy D/ST. Then in weeks 15 and 16, the Ravens play the Jets and Browns, the best and 5th best matchups for fantasy defenses. If you didn’t land the Ravens, the Steelers are a great consolation prize. They are a great DEF and have Arizona, Buffalo, and the Jets to end the year.
Not everyone will be able to get the Ravens or Steelers so let’s look at others, starting with Week 14, Philadelphia is a DEF to watch. They get the Giants, 3rd best matchup for DEF, and then get the Redskins in Week 15, 4th best for fantasy DEF. Green Bay starts with Washington and then follows up with Chicago, both of which are top 10 matchups for fantasy defenses. If you are going to have a Week 14 bye, there are a few more defenses to add to your targets. First and foremost, the rich get richer. Those that rode the Patriots D/ST to a first-round bye get the Bengals in Week 15 and Buffalo in Week 16. The Giants D/ST is a risky play, but the matchups, Week 15 vs MIA and Week 16 @ WAS, could not be better.
Those holding out hope for the Chicago Bears defense, they have the worst playoff schedule for any fantasy defense. It will also be hard to trust the Bills, Chargers, or 49ers based on their schedules.
Target Recap: BAL, PIT, PHI, GB, NE, NYG
Watch or Listen to the Fantasy Playoff Primer episode for a full breakdown!
Comments
Actually, it’s not fixed in the rankings, but it appears to be correct in the matchup calendar. Oh well
Since they don’t have an answer yet to the people who mentioned the typo with Dallas and Cleveland, it’s been fixed, no need to worry.
Not having Dallas at all and having CLE twice ruins this for me :-/ now i dont know if i can trust it and dont want to take the time to see if it’s trustworthy.
Browns are seen twice under ‘Team DEF/ST & Points Allowed.’
Ranked 28th and 1st.
Do you trust Sony Michel going forward or would you go and try to trade for another running back?
How much is Mark Andrews dinged? Would you trade him for Hockenson+WR upgrade?
SO this is awesome. I really love it but I got two things. The big one is that you don’t have DAL on any of the ranking charts. You have CLE twice instead. That’s confusing.
The other thing is why are some only red for top 1-4 (RB) while the others are 1-7 (WR) or even 1-8 (D/ST)?
They hav CLE listed twice but no DAL on any of them
I am also color blind and find it difficult to decipher.
I didn’t see Dallas in none of your rankings yet you have 32 teams.
Your defensive PPG lists dont have Dallas listed at all, but all have CLE listed twice.
Hey Guys,
Love the site and podcasts but as a colourblind guy, It’s really hard to make out the greens and reds in your charts.