Is It Too Early to Think Fantasy Playoffs?

No, it’s never too early to think about fantasy playoffs. Accordingly, below are the rankings for the teams with best playoff schedules for each position. The numbers in the parentheses are the sum of each team’s three playoff opponents’ defensive or offensive rankings from last season. For Overall the number is the sum of the three opponents’ overall defensive rankings; Rushing is the sum of the three opponents’ rushing defense rankings and should be used for RBs; and Passing/Receiving is the sum of the three opponents’ passing defense rankings and should be used for QBs, WRs, and TEs. Defense is the sum of the three opponents’ overall offensive rankings and should be used for Team Defenses. While it is never too early to think about the playoffs, these ranking should not factor into your decisions too heavily but are useful in breaking ties between similar players.

For instance, if you are choosing between Darrell Jackson and Chris Chambers for your WR2 position, you may want to side with Jackson because of his superior playoff schedule. There are numerous similar situations where you are deciding between two evenly matched players and the playoff schedule can function as a good tiebreaker. Another important thing to consider is potential shifts in the defensive rankings of any given team. An example of this would be the 49ers and Colts.

The 49ers had a terrible pass defense last year but should improve with the addition of Nate Celements at cornerback and the continued development of younger players, while the Colts ranked second last year in pass defense, but lost Mike Doss, Nick Harper, and Cato June. Also, check the rankings as the season progresses and look to trade for players with a soft late schedule so that your fantasy team can play its best ball when it matters most. Hope these help.

OVERALL :

1. Bengals: STL @SF, CLE (76)
2. Chargers: @TEN, DET, DEN (74)
2. Chiefs: @DEN, TEN @DET (74)
4. Buccaneers: @HOU, ATL, @SF (72)
5. Browns: @NYJ, BUF, @CIN (68)
6. Saints: @ATL, ARI, PHI (66)
7. Jets: CLE, @NE, @TEN (65)
8. Giants: @PHI, WAS, @BUF (64)
9. Vikings: @SF, CHI WAS (62)
10. Falcons: NO, @TB, @ARI (57)
11. Bills: MIA, @CLE, NYG (56)
12. 49ers: MIN, CIN, TB (55)
13. Texans: TB, DEN, @IND (52)
13. Cardinals: @SEA, @NO, ATL (52)
15. Rams: @CIN, GB, PIT (51)
15. Bears: @WAS, @MIN, GB (51)
17. Broncos: KC, @HOU, @SD (50)
17. Cowboys: @DET, PHI, @CAR (50)
19. Eagles: NYG, @DAL, @NO (49)
20. Titans: SD @KC, NYJ (46)
21. Ravens: IND, @MIA, @SEA (44)
22. Lions: DAL, @SD, KC (39)
23. Redskins: CHI, @NYG, @MIN (38)
24. Seahawks: ARI, @CAR, BAL (37)
25. Raiders: @GB, IND, @JAX (35)
26. Panthers: @JAX, SEA, DAL (34)
27. Patriots: PIT, NYJ, MIA (33)
28. Packers: OAK, @STL, @CHI (31)
28. Steelers: @NE, JAX, @STL (31)
30. Colts: @BAL, @OAK, HOU (28)
31. Dolphins: @BUF, BAL, @NE (25)
32. Jaguars: CAR, @PIT, OAK (19)

RUSHING :

1. Giants: @PHI, WAS, @BUF (81)
2. Bengals: STL @SF, CLE (79)
3. Browns: @NYJ, BUF, @CIN (67)
4. Jets: CLE, @NE, @TEN (64)
5. Chargers: @TEN, DET, DEN (63)
5. Chiefs: @DEN, TEN @DET (63)
7. Packers: OAK, @STL, @CHI (62)
7. Ravens: IND, @MIA, @SEA (62)
9. Texans: TB, DEN, @IND (61)
10. Cowboys: @DET, PHI, @CAR (58)
11. Falcons: NO, @TB, @ARI (56)
12. Cardinals: @SEA, @NO, ATL (54)
13. Vikings: @SF, CHI WAS (52)
14. Saints: @ATL, ARI, PHI (51)
14. Bills: MIA, @CLE, NYG (51)
16. Raiders: @GB, IND, @JAX (49)
16. Titans: SD @KC, NYJ (49)
18. Buccaneers: @HOU, ATL, @SF (48)
19. Eagles: NYG, @DAL, @NO (47)
19. Colts: @BAL, @OAK, HOU (47)
21. Broncos: KC, @HOU, @SD (45)
22. Bears: @WAS, @MIN, GB (41)
23. Steelers: @NE, JAX, @STL (40)
24. Jaguars: CAR, @PIT, OAK (39)
25. Panthers: @JAX, SEA, DAL (36)
26. Patriots: PIT, NYJ, MIA (35)
26. Dolphins: @BUF, BAL, @NE (35)
26. Lions: DAL, @SD, KC (35)
29. 49ers: MIN, CIN, TB (33)
30. Rams: @CIN, GB, PIT (31)
31. Seahawks: ARI, @CAR, BAL (29)
32. Redskins: CHI, @NYG, @MIN (21)

PASSING/RECEIVING :

1. 49ers: MIN, CIN, TB (81)
2. Buccaneers: @HOU, ATL, @SF (77)
3. Chargers: @TEN, DET, DEN (73)
3. Chiefs: @DEN, TEN @DET (73)
5. Bears: @WAS, @MIN, GB (71)
6. Redskins: CHI, @NYG, @MIN (70)
7. Saints: @ATL, ARI, PHI (68)
7. Rams: @CIN, GB, PIT (68)
9. Vikings: @SF, CHI WAS (60)
10. Lions: DAL, @SD, KC (55)
10. Eagles: NYG, @DAL, @NO (55)
12. Jets: CLE, @NE, @TEN (54)
13. Broncos: KC, @HOU, @SD (53)
14. Browns: @NYJ, BUF, @CIN (52)
14. Falcons: NO, @TB, @ARI (52)
16. Panthers: @JAX, SEA, DAL (50)
17. Bengals: STL @SF, CLE (49)
18. Bills: MIA, @CLE, NYG (48)
18. Cardinals: @SEA, @NO, ATL (48)
20. Titans: SD @KC, NYJ (45)
21. Texans: TB, DEN, @IND (42)
22. Seahawks: ARI, @CAR, BAL (40)
23. Giants: @PHI, WAS, @BUF (39)
23. Patriots: PIT, NYJ, MIA (39)
25. Cowboys: @DET, PHI, @CAR (38)
26. Steelers: @NE, JAX, @STL (30)
27. Raiders: @GB, IND, @JAX (29)
27. Colts: @BAL, @OAK, HOU (29)
29. Dolphins: @BUF, BAL, @NE (25)
29. Jaguars: CAR, @PIT, OAK (25)
31. Ravens: IND, @MIA, @SEA (23)
32. Packers: OAK, @STL, @CHI (20)

DEFENSES:

1. Colts: @BAL, @OAK, HOU (77)
2. Chargers: @TEN, DET, DEN (70)
2. Chiefs: @DEN, TEN @DET (70)
4. Buccaneers: @HOU, ATL, @SF (66)
5. Bills: MIA, @CLE, NYG (65)
6. Jets: CLE, @NE, @TEN (63)
6. Bengals: STL @SF, CLE (63)
6. Browns: @NYJ, BUF, @CIN (63)
6. Jaguars: CAR, @PIT, OAK (63)
10. 49ers: MIN, CIN, TB (60)
11. Seahawks: ARI, @CAR, BAL (59)
12. Dolphins: @BUF, BAL, @NE (58)
13. Vikings: @SF, CHI WAS (54)
14. Texans: TB, DEN, @IND (53)
14. Packers: OAK, @STL, @CHI (53)
16. Redskins: CHI, @NYG, @MIN (52)
17. Broncos: KC, @HOU, @SD (48)
17. Falcons: NO, @TB, @ARI (48)
17. Cowboys: @DET, PHI, @CAR (48)
20. Bears: @WAS, @MIN, GB (45)
20. Titans: SD @KC, NYJ (45)
20. Giants: @PHI, WAS, @BUF (45)
23. Ravens: IND, @MIA, @SEA (42)
24. Panthers: @JAX, SEA, DAL (34)
24. Patriots: PIT, NYJ, MIA (34)
26. Cardinals: @SEA, @NO, ATL (32)
26. Saints: @ATL, ARI, PHI (32)
28. Steelers: @NE, JAX, @STL (27)
29. Lions: DAL, @SD, KC (25)
30. Rams: @CIN, GB, PIT (24)
31. Raiders: @GB, IND, @JAX (22)
32. Eagles: NYG, @DAL, @NO (20)