Snow is starting to fall. Christmas music is playing. Finals are in full swing as schools start closing for winter vacation. Clearly, only one thing should be on your mind: fantasy football playoffs.
Win, and you’re one step closer to that glorious title. Lose, and you’re waiting over 250 days for your next shot. Lineups need to be 100% perfect if you want to avoid saying hello to the darkness for another week, check out The Wolf’s thoughts to make sure you’re fully stocked for a win.
Note – As of Wednesday, Jordan Reed was participating in individual drills. Still, he remains a huge question mark, and these ranks assume he is NOT playing. Should he be active, Vernon Davis would no longer be startable and Reed would fill in as the #4 guy below Jimmy Graham.
Tier 1 – Potential Top Scorers
1) Tyler Eifert (CIN) @ CLE
2) Travis Kelce (KC) vs. OAK
3) Jimmy Graham (SEA) @ GB
Tier 2 – Remaining TE1s
4) Greg Olsen (CAR) vs SD – Normally a shoe-in Top Scorer, Olsen’s been ice cold since the Week 7 bye. Harvard’s Cameron Brate just lit San Diego up for 86 yards and a TD, so this could be the week he finally reemerges. But another dud would be even less surprising.
5) Delanie Walker (TEN) vs. DEN
6) Cameron Brate (TB) vs. NO
7) Ladarius Green (PIT ) @ BUF
Tier 2.5
8) C.J. Fiedorowicz (HOU) @ IND
9) Zach Ertz (PHI) vs. WAS
10) Antonio Gates (SD) @ CAR
11) Kyle Rudolph (MIN) @ JAC
12) Eric Ebron (DET) vs. CHI
Tier 3 – Startable TE2s
13) Vernon Davis (WAS) @ PHI
14) Coby Fleener (NO) @ TB
15) Vance McDonald (SF) vs. NYJ – Hopefully a “Vance” isn’t in your playoff lineup, but if you’re desperate the Jets don’t cover tight ends + he’d been playing well prior to last week’s clunker.
16) Martellus Bennett (NE) vs. BAL QUESTIONABLE – As of Wednesday, Bennett has not practiced. He also hasn’t crushed it in Gronk’s absence yet, and a date with a stingy Ravens defense doesn’t help.
17) Jason Witten (DAL) @ NYG – Tough to trust after failing to log a reception for the first time in 130 games, but the matchup is right.
18) Dennis Pitta (BAL) @ NE – Huge 9-90-2 TD explosion in Week 13 covers up just how useless he’d been for 10 weeks prior.
19) Hunter Henry (SD) @ CAR – Could totally see him sneak in for a TD against the sluttiest defense for tight ends.
20) Lance Kendricks (LA) vs. ATL – The matchup is there. The talent and quarterback are not.
Tier 4 – Good luck in the consolation bracket
21) Dwayne Allen (IND) vs. HOU
22) Gary Barnidge (CLE) vs. CIN
23) Daniel Brown (CHI) @ DET
24) Austin Hooper (ATL) @ LA
25) Will Tye (NYG) vs. DAL
Author
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Founder of Roto Street Journal. Lover of workhorse backs, target hog wideouts, and Game of Thrones. Aspiring to be the "Brady" and "Leo" of the fantasy universe.