X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

Five Strategies To Help You Win In Fantasy Playoff Leagues

If you won a fantasy football title in the regular season and are looking for more hardware, or if you want redemption after a bad year, the fantasy football season isn't over just yet. You can add to the excitement of the NFL playoffs by assembling a team of your own in an attempt to win extra cash or good old-fashioned bragging rights amongst your friends.

As if 2020 wasn't wacky enough, this year's NFL postseason will have a new twist. Instead of six postseason teams per conference, there will be seven. That means just two teams (one per conference) -- the Chiefs and Packers -- will have first-round byes in the wild-card round.

Just like with fantasy leagues during the regular season, knowing your league's scoring settings and roster requirements is of utmost importance. Is your playoff league a one-and-done league, salary cap format, normal snake draft or best-ball setup? Is it point-per-reception scoring, half-point PPR or six points per passing touchdown? Fantasy playoff strategy will depend on the specific settings in your league, but here are a few that will put you ahead of your competition.

Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2025:

 

1) Decide which teams you like to make a deep playoff run

If you're convinced that a particular team will make it deep into the postseason, then it makes sense to have at least a few players from that squad. You won't need to worry about that if you can reset your roster for each week of the postseason -- mainly salary cap setups.

In best-ball formats -- where you set one lineup at the beginning of the playoffs and ride it out until the Super Bowl -- the winning team will be the one without many players that aren't eliminated in the wild-card and divisional rounds. So choose wisely.

Here's the schedule for wild-card weekend:

  1. Indianapolis Colts (No. 7 seed in AFC) @ Buffalo Bills (No. 2 seed in AFC)
  2. Los Angeles Rams (No. 6 seed in NFC) @ Seattle Seahawks (No. 3 seed in NFC)
  3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 5 seed in NFC) @ Washington Football Team (No. 4 seed in NFC)
  4. Baltimore Ravens (No. 5 seed in AFC) @ Tennessee Titans (No. 4 seed in AFC)
  5. Chicago Bears (No. 7 seed in NFC) @ New Orleans Saints (No. 2 seed in NFC)
  6. Cleveland Browns (No. 6 seed in AFC) @ Pittsburgh Steelers (No. 3 seed in AFC)

In leagues that reward multipliers for each week your player advances, you'd receive double the points in the divisional round, triple the points in the conference championship and quadruple the points if your player advances to the Super Bowl.

That makes stud players on the Chiefs and Packers particularly attractive. While they won't garner points this weekend because they'll be on bye, you're guaranteed to receive double the points when they play their first game in the divisional round. For superstars like Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Davante Adams, Tyreek Hill and Travis Kelce, the thought of doubling or tripling their points sounds really nice.

 

2) Quarterbacks reign supreme

Quarterbacks typically score the most fantasy points, regardless of format, so they become even more vital to your team's success in a four-week playoff format. In normal postseason snake drafts, the QBs should all come off the board first.

In leagues where you must start at least one player from each team in a best-ball format, finding the right quarterback is absolutely paramount. At the most important position, you'll want your quarterback spot to be maximized to the fullest.

In those setups, you'll certainly want to pick a QB that you think has a fighting chance to make it all the way to the big game, which would allow them to play in three or four games, depending on whether they have a first-round bye, thus maximizing your potential points. The signal-callers with the top seeds -- Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers, Josh Allen, Drew Brees -- will likely be the most attractive this year.

 

3) Choose key players on potential losing teams

This strategy is especially important in salary cap and one-and-done leagues. In these setups, you'll live to fight another week, so choosing a player whose team gets eliminated won't cost you as much.

Don't avoid an entire team just because you are convinced that they won't advance past the first round. Instead, your goal should be to capitalize on great matchups, even if you aren't sold on that team moving past wild-card weekend.

Basically, it's all about the matchups and potential game flow. For instance, even if you've made up your mind that the Bills will beat the Colts on Saturday, don't shy away from rookie running back Jonathan Taylor, who finished the regular season as the No. 6 fantasy RB in PPR leagues, in salary cap formats. He's coming off a 253-yard, two-touchdown performance and Indy will likely try to control the clock to keep a high-scoring Bills offense off the field.

Not many folks are giving Washington much of a chance against Tom Brady and the Bucs. With the WFT likely forced to throw the ball in that matchup, there might be nice value in taking receiver Terry McLaurin or pass-catching running back J.D. McKissic in salary cap leagues. Finding value on teams that are being overlooked is key. Zig when others zag.

 

4) Play the matchups

We all have had to make tough decisions on a weekly basis in season-long leagues, and it usually always comes down to the matchups. As you look to maximize value in salary cap and one-and-done leagues, it's all about the matchups.

The Rams and Steelers had two of the best overall defenses in the NFL in 202o. With the Seahawks offense struggling and quarterback Russell Wilson slowing down after an MVP start in the first half, he's probably being faded by most. I certainly wouldn't bet against him in the postseason and at home, even without the 12th man on his side.

Can the Browns offense survive without head coach Kevin Stefanski (COVID-19) and beat Pittsburgh two consecutive weeks? Don't rule out Cleveland offensive skills players such as Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt or Jarvis Landry as contrarian plays in case they spring the upset.

The Bears, the seventh seed in the NFC, probably aren't getting a lot of love against the No. 2 seed in the Saints. Running back David Montgomery has been THE offense in recent weeks. No. 1 receiver Allen Robinson II could see plenty of targets if Chicago falls behind early. Consider them as sleepers.

 

5) Pair a quarterback with his top receiver

This strategy is often successful in season-long leagues as well, and it makes more sense for those playing in a total points or multiplier leagues. If you're confident that a specific team will advance deep into the postseason, pairing a quarterback-receiver combination could yield big results.

The best combinations this year include Patrick Mahomes-Tyreek Hill/Travis Kelce, Aaron Rodgers-Davante Adams, Josh Allen-Stefon Diggs and Tom Brady-Mike Evans. Those combinations could easily be the difference if their team advances to the Super Bowl.

In salary cap or one-and-done leagues, a less popular combination of Ryan Tannehill-A.J. Brown, Drew Brees-Michael Thomas or even Ben Roethlisberger-Diontae Johnson could get it done, even in a losing effort if it's a high-scoring affair.



Download Our Free News & Alerts Mobile App

Like what you see? Download our updated fantasy football app for iPhone and Android with 24x7 player news, injury alerts, rankings, starts/sits & more. All free!




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Draft Rankings
Draft Simulator
Enter League Settings
Value Picks
Compare Any Players
News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Chet Holmgren14 mins ago

Tagged As Questionable For Friday
Isaiah Hartenstein18 mins ago

To Sit Out Friday's Game
Devin Duvernay18 mins ago

Jaguars Release Devin Duvernay
Jalen Williams23 mins ago

Will Not Play On Friday
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander28 mins ago

Resting On Friday
Precious Achiuwa36 mins ago

Out On Thursday
Mitchell Robinson41 mins ago

Active Against Lakers
OG Anunoby45 mins ago

Ready To Take On Lakers
Jordan Mason51 mins ago

Drawing Trade Interest
Alec Burks55 mins ago

Questionable For Friday Due To Back Issue
Jaime Jaquez Jr.1 hour ago

Questionable To Play On Friday
Kel'el Ware1 hour ago

Not Ready To Return Against Minnesota
Brandon Aiyuk1 hour ago

49ers Unlikely To Trade Brandon Aiyuk?
Andrew Wiggins1 hour ago

Iffy For Friday's Game
Sam Darnold1 hour ago

Vikings Continue To Want Sam Darnold Back
Tyler Herro1 hour ago

Considered Questionable For Friday
DK Metcalf1 hour ago

Seahawks Talking To A "Ton Of Teams" About DK Metcalf
Austin Reaves1 hour ago

Good To Go Thursday
Ben Simmons1 hour ago

Remains Out On Friday
Luka Dončić2 hours ago

Luka Doncic Upgraded To Available Thursday
Washington Commanders2 hours ago

Commanders Re-Sign Bobby Wagner
Derrick Jones Jr.2 hours ago

Returning On Friday
LeBron James2 hours ago

Cleared To Play Thursday
Kawhi Leonard2 hours ago

Available For Friday
Rudy Gobert2 hours ago

Questionable For Friday's Game
Zeke Nnaji2 hours ago

Expected To Play On Friday
Mike Conley2 hours ago

Ready To Return Friday
Oscar Colás3 hours ago

Oscar Colas Exits On Thursday With Wrist Injury
Sean Reid-Foley3 hours ago

Clears Waivers
Carlos Estévez3 hours ago

Carlos Estevez Throws "Best" Bullpen Session
Alec Marsh3 hours ago

Facing Live Hitters On Sunday
Salvador Perez3 hours ago

Set To Return To Lineup On Friday
Evan Engram4 hours ago

Jaguars Release Evan Engram
Tyler O'Neill4 hours ago

Scratched With Rib-Cage Soreness
Curtis Mead4 hours ago

On A Tear In Spring Training
Dougie Hamilton4 hours ago

Remains Under Evaluation
Taylor Ward5 hours ago

Back In Thursday's Spring Lineup
Mattias Ekholm5 hours ago

John Klingberg Out Against Canadiens
Tyler Naquin5 hours ago

Guardians Re-Sign Tyler Naquin As A Pitcher
Brandon Tanev5 hours ago

Will Not Play On Thursday
Atlanta Falcons5 hours ago

Nate Landman Won't Receive Tender Offer From Falcons
Colton Parayko5 hours ago

To Miss Rest Of Regular Season
Cincinnati Bengals5 hours ago

Bengals Grant Trey Hendrickson Permission To Seek A Trade
Nico Sturm5 hours ago

Picked Up By Panthers
Christian Kirk5 hours ago

Texans Acquiring Christian Kirk From The Jaguars
Reilly Smith5 hours ago

Returns To Vegas
Jack Leiter5 hours ago

Showing Increased Velocity
Sean Burke6 hours ago

Expected To Be Part Of Rotation?
Junior Caminero6 hours ago

Probably "Day-To-Day"
Justin Steele6 hours ago

Scratched With Illness
Jac Caglianone6 hours ago

Could Play Outfield To Accelerate His MLB Debut
Grayson Rodriguez6 hours ago

Dealing With Triceps Soreness
Zebby Matthews6 hours ago

Leaves Outing On Thursday With Injury
Jordan Westburg6 hours ago

Returns To Spring Lineup
Seattle Seahawks7 hours ago

Seahawks Re-Sign Josh Jobe
Junior Caminero7 hours ago

Leaves Early With Back Tightness
Atlanta Falcons8 hours ago

Cornerback Dee Alford Will Hit The Open Market
Cristopher Sánchez8 hours ago

Cristopher Sanchez Adds Cutter, Throwing Harder
Minnesota Vikings8 hours ago

Theo Jackson Agrees To Two-Year Extension With Vikings
Tennessee Titans8 hours ago

Mike McCoy Joins Titans Coaching Staff
Sandy Alcantara8 hours ago

Will Be On Innings Limit Early On
Buffalo Bills8 hours ago

Mitch Morse Announces Retirement After 10 Seasons
Durham Smythe8 hours ago

Bears Officially Sign Durham Smythe
Matt McLain8 hours ago

Generating Buzz In Camp
Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen9 hours ago

Starting on Thursday
Mackenzie Blackwood9 hours ago

Facing Former Team On Thursday
Pittsburgh Steelers9 hours ago

Steelers, Cole Holcomb Agree To Revised Contract
Josh Manson9 hours ago

Returning On Thursday
Zane Gonzalez9 hours ago

Commanders Re-Sign Zane Gonzalez
Jason Zucker9 hours ago

Not Playing On Thursday
Michael Bunting9 hours ago

Not Expected To Play This Weekend
Brian Dumoulin9 hours ago

Traded To New Jersey
Tutu Atwell11 hours ago

Back With Rams On One-Year Deal
Tommy DeVito11 hours ago

To Sign His Tender This Weekend
Tee Higgins11 hours ago

Bengals Telling Teams Tee Higgins Isn't Available Via Trade
Vincent Desharnais15 hours ago

Shipped To San Jose
Adin Hill15 hours ago

Extends Winning Streak To Four Games
Luke Schenn15 hours ago

Thomas Novak, Luke Schenn Traded To Pittsburgh
Michael Bunting15 hours ago

Traded To Nashville
John Gibson15 hours ago

Exits Early On Wednesday
Thomas Chabot16 hours ago

Exits With Illness
Mattias Ekholm1 day ago

Iffy For Thursday Due To Illness
Steven Lorentz1 day ago

Back In Action Wednesday
Oliver Bjorkstrand1 day ago

Lightning Acquire Oliver Bjorkstrand
Sahith Theegala1 day ago

Looking To Keep Spark From Last Event Alive At Bay Hill
Robert MacIntyre1 day ago

An Interesting Play At Arnold Palmer Invitational
Max Homa1 day ago

Hoping His Course History At Bay Hill Can Help Turn Season Around
Tommy Fleetwood1 day ago

Looking To Get Back Into Good Graces At Bay Hill
Michael Kim1 day ago

One Of The Hottest Players In Golf Heading To Bay Hill
Xander Schauffele1 day ago

Making Long-Awaited Start Since Rib Injury At Bay Hill
Sepp Straka1 day ago

Needs Accuracy At Arnold Palmer Invitational
Collin Morikawa1 day ago

Looking For Better Form On And Around The Greens At Bay Hill
Justin Rose1 day ago

May Be Worth Avoiding This Week
Maverick McNealy1 day ago

Tries To Go One Step Further At Bay Hill
Shane Lowry1 day ago

Has Potential To Contend At Bay Hill
PGA1 day ago

Sungjae Im Trying To Snap Out Of Golfing Funk
Jacob Bridgeman1 day ago

Looking To Build Off Momentum At Arnold Palmer Invitational
Joe Highsmith1 day ago

Steps Up After Cognizant Classic Win
Max Greyserman2 days ago

Be Wary Of Max Greyserman At Bay Hill
Davis Thompson2 days ago

Very Iffy For Arnold Palmer Invitational
Tony Finau2 days ago

And Bay Hill Could Be A Battle
Cam Davis2 days ago

A Question Mark Heading To Arnold Palmer
Sam Burns2 days ago

Could Stick Around At Arnold Palmer
J.J. Spaun2 days ago

Could See Success At Bay Hill
PGA2 days ago

Byeong Hun An Seeks Answers And May Not Find Any
MMA3 days ago

Asu Almbayev Gets TKO'd At UFC Vegas 103
Manel Kape3 days ago

Gets TKO Win At UFC Vegas 103
Julian Marquez3 days ago

Loses Fourth Fight In A Row
Kyle Busch3 days ago

Falls Short Of Victory At COTA While Finishing Fifth
Kyle Larson3 days ago

Has A Day To Forget At COTA On Sunday
Cody Brundage3 days ago

Gets Back In The Win Column
Tyler Reddick3 days ago

Continues His Top-10 Streak At COTA With Third-Place Finish
NASCAR3 days ago

Bubba Wallace Has An Eventful Day At COTA That Ends In 20th-Place Finish
Esteban Ribovics3 days ago

Drops Decision At UFC Vegas 103
Noah Gragson3 days ago

Scores His First Career Road Course Top-10 Finish At COTA
Nasrat Haqparast3 days ago

Extends Win Streak At UFC Vegas 103
William Gomis4 days ago

Takes Split-Decision Loss
Hyder Amil4 days ago

Remains Undefeated
Sam Patterson4 days ago

Extends Win Streak To Three
Danny Barlow4 days ago

Suffers First Career Loss At UFC Vegas 103
Christopher Bell4 days ago

Wins At COTA, Ready To Keep Adding To It
Chris Buescher4 days ago

Finishes Seventh At COTA, Sees Room For Improvement
Todd Gilliland4 days ago

Nabs First Top-10 Finish Of Season After Bumpy COTA Race
Chase Elliott4 days ago

Recovers From Lap 1 Spinout To Finish Fourth
William Byron4 days ago

In Battle Between Last Two Race Winners, William Byron Comes Up Short
Shane Van Gisbergen4 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen Dominates First Two Stages But Fades In Third Stage
AJ Allmendinger4 days ago

A.J. Allmendinger Runs Well At Austin Until Late-Race Collapse
Alex Bowman4 days ago

Recovers From COTA Penalty To Finish Ninth
Tyler Reddick5 days ago

Wins Pole At COTA, Looking To Become First Repeat Winner
Chase Elliott5 days ago

Will Be A Top Threat For The Win At COTA
Shane Van Gisbergen5 days ago

Shane van Gisbergen the Favorite to Win at COTA
Kyle Larson5 days ago

Is One Of The Top Favorites To Win At COTA
Christopher Bell5 days ago

Will Be A Fantastic DFS Play For COTA Lineups
AJ Allmendinger5 days ago

Struggling At COTA Despite Strong Practice Speeds
Austin Cindric5 days ago

Is One Of The Top DFS Recommendations For COTA Lineups
Connor Zilisch5 days ago

Making Cup Series Debut This Weekend
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
DK Metcalf - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS and Betting Picks

DK Metcalf Landing Spots: Best Trade Candidates For Fantasy Football

The news broke recently that current Seattle Seahawks wide receiver DK Metcalf was granted permission to seek a trade away from his team. There were rumors of his discontent earlier in the season, but given that he still played at a very high level before a knee injury disrupted his 2024 season, it was still […]


Matthew Golden - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks, NFL Draft

Biggest Fantasy Football Rookie Winners Of The 2025 NFL Combine: NFL Draft Prospect Analysis

The NFL Scouting Combine has concluded. Outside of a few poor performances, fans were once again blown away by the level of talent and athleticism displayed by the top NFL Draft prospects. We must analyze these prospect performances to gain a stronger understanding of the fantasy football picture. While we know Scouting Combine results aren't […]


Jayden Daniels - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Top Fantasy Football Risers For 2025 Drafts - Four Trending Players to Watch for Next Season

Welcome to the NFL offseason, RotoBallers! NFL players and coaches are perhaps enjoying some well-deserved time off; however, for us RotoBallers, there is no such thing as time off! As NFL owners and coaches prepare for the combine and offseason acquisitions, we RotoBallers get in the lab and look to provide our readers with the […]


Cooper Kupp - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

5 Aging Fantasy Football Wide Receivers to Trade in Dynasty Leagues Before They Decline (2025)

Wide receiver has become arguably the most important position in terms of building a championship dynasty fantasy football team. Like every other position, though, wide receivers do not stay at the top of their games forever. There comes a time when every successful pass-catcher starts to see their game decline. You’ll never be able to […]


Kyren Williams - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Dynasty Fantasy Football Sells - Top 2025 Trade Candidates: Terry McLaurin, Kyren Williams, and More

It's easy to adjust our expectations season by season for fantasy football players and base the majority of our opinions on how their previous season went. But sometimes, other factors at play might have given them a boost before they regress, which can leave you with an asset that falls greatly in value in dynasty […]


DK Metcalf - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS and Betting Picks

2025 NFL Trade Rumors: Ideal Landing Spots For DK Metcalf, Cooper Kupp, And More

The 2025 NFL offseason is underway, and the trade rumor mill is turning. Several big-name players could get moved over the next few weeks. While many trade rumors are nonsense, sometimes a blockbuster deal comes from a trade rumor. Let’s look at the ideal landing spot for nine of the biggest trade rumors in the […]


Christian McCaffrey - Fantasy Football Rankings, DFS and Betting Picks, NFL Injury News

Top 3 Boom or Bust Players to Target for 2025 Fantasy Football Drafts: High-Risk, High-Reward Picks

The completely risk-averse of the world's population might not be the best suited to play fantasy football. Boom-or-bust players can just as often get fantasy teams into the playoffs and win them championships as it can cause them to lose in the postseason or not make it past the regular season at all. The biggest […]


Joe Mixon - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

5 Aging Fantasy Football Running Backs to Trade in Dynasty Leagues Before They Decline (2025)

When it comes to dynasty fantasy football leagues, veteran players are often overlooked. Managers can be too quick to move off older players and sometimes fail to see their value. While veterans can help put a dynasty team over the top, there are also times when it’s better to cut your losses and move on […]


Shedeur Sanders - College Football Rankings, NCAA CFB DFS Lineup Picks

2025 NFL Mock Draft: Expert Two-Round Projections and Top Prospect Predictions

We are officially in NFL Draft season with the Senior Bowl and Super Bowl out of the way. Before we jump into this mock, one thing worth noting is that these predictions are not what I would do. These picks won't always follow my prospect rankings, either. If you want to see how I stack […]


Roschon Johnson - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, Draft Sleepers

2025 Fantasy Football Running Back Sleepers: Best RBs to Target in Drafts for Maximum Value

The 2024 NFL season is now behind us, and it's never too early to prepare for the 2025 fantasy football draft season. Although running backs should be drafted early and often, there are always a scant few late-round gems who can win you a championship. The running back cream of the crop in 2024 was […]


Deebo Samuel Sr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Deebo Samuel 2025 Fantasy Football Outlook & Draft Value: Washington Commanders Trade Impact

The Washington Commanders made a big trade to acquire wide receiver Deebo Samuel Sr. this offseason. The Commanders and the Houston Texans were two teams that reportedly showed interest in the veteran wideout, but Washington had the best offer for Samuel. In return, the San Francisco 49ers received a fifth-round pick. Acquiring Samuel was a […]


Dalton Kincaid - Fantasy Football, Tight End, Draft, Rankings, DFS

Biggest Fantasy Football Tight End Busts: 2025 Draft Risks and Player Outlooks

2024 was not a bad year for tight ends in the NFL and fantasy football. Three tight ends (San Francisco’s George Kittle, Las Vegas’ Brock Bowers, and Arizona’s Trey McBride) all had over 1,100 receiving yards. That had not happened since 2018. There was not even one 1,100-yard tight end in 2023, let alone three. […]


Bhaysul Tuten - NFL Draft Prospects, Rookie Rankings

2025 NFL Combine Results For Fantasy Football: Top Takeaways

The 2025 NFL Combine is now in the books. The first significant action of any kind we get to see after the Super Bowl, the combine is an exciting time for rookie prospects, who are getting their first chance to show their skills outside of their college play. It's also intriguing for dynasty fantasy football […]