What Strategy Will Win The NFFC Post-Season Contest?

[Greg Ambrosius]

The unique thing about the NFFC Post-Season Contest is that you are limited on the number of players you can have on your roster from any one team during the NFL playoffs. To start out, you MUST take 1 player from each team, which sure makes it tough to load up on the team you expect to win Super Bowl LII.

But deciding what player to take right away and when to add the other players is the key to winning this contest and the $100,000 grand prize. In past years, owners who took the 6th seed quarterback in Ben Roethlisberger, Eli Manning and Aaron Rodgers won it all. Last year adding James White in Round 2 and getting 3x his Super Bowl points was the difference in winning it all. Who knows this year which player will be the difference-maker. Could it be Jared Goff or Alvin Kamara or Case Keenum?

We'll soon find out.

Let's start out by looking at the seeds in each Conference and the First Round matchups. Remember that the first game starts at 4:30 pm ET on Saturday and thus you must lock in your teams' rosters by 4:25 pm ET. We'll shut off Registration shortly before that. Now for the matchups:

NFC Seeds and Matchups:
No. 1 - Philadelphia
No. 2 - Minnesota
Atlanta (6) at Los Angeles Rams (3), Saturday 8:15 pm ET
Carolina (5) at New Orleans (4), Sunday 4:40 pm ET

AFC Seeds and Matchups:
No. 1 - New England
No. 2 - Pittsburgh
Buffalo (6) at Jacksonville (3), Sunday 1 pm ET
Tennessee (5) at Kansas City (4), Saturday, 4:35 pm ET

Las Vegas oddsmakers have the Patriots and the Vikings as the favorites to reach the Super Bowl in frigid Minneapolis, but as we've learned this year nothing goes as planned. One key injury or turnover could change everything. But the brackets do present some interesting matchups.

The chalk play in the AFC seems to be Brady at QB and Le'Veon Bell at RB, although Big Ben and maybe Dion Lewis will get a lot of First Round love. The big questions in the AFC are: 1) Can Jacksonville's Defense carry this team all the way to the Super Bowl? And 2) Can Kansas City return to its early season play when it looked unstoppable against New England and other top teams? Buffalo and Tennessee would have to win three games on the road to reach Minneapolis

In the NFC, is there even a chalk play? If you think Philadelphia reaches the Super Bowl, who is the chalk play? If you think Minnesota reaches the Super Bowl, who's the chalk play there? Is Todd Gurley, who carried so many fantasy teams to championship seasons, the chalk play in the NFC? If so, then who is the chalk play at QB? Case Keenum? Drew Brees? Jared Goff? A No. 6 seed like Matt Ryan?

All are interesting scenarios. Then who is the James White of 2018 when you need to pick up four more players in Round 2? That's where the big money is won because everyone is losing four players after Round 1 and everyone gets 2x their points from eight players. Can't wait to see the Ownership Percentages after games start on Saturday.

Best of luck everyone. This is the first time the NFFC Post-Season Contest has had a $100,000 grand prize and signups are rolling in. You should be able to pick your lineups shortly now that the playoff teams have been determined. Have fun with this and enjoy the competition. Live scoring is a blast in this format as you watch your team move up dozens of spots when the scoring is 3x and 4x for your top players.

Good luck and if you have a guess on the chalk plays, I'd love to see your thoughts. Should be interesting.

[Greg Ambrosius]

Okay, so that was an interesting day of playoff games. Who saw those two outcomes coming?

What will today bring? Are we going to see Buffalo and Atlanta in the Super Bowl? Let the Games Begin today.

[BigBlueNation]

I think it comes down to QB play in this weekends games.
Ryan v Foles (he's the backup)
Brady v Mariota (they shouldn't be in this game, KC gave them a gift)
Ben v Bortles (didn't he rush for more yards than he threw last week?)
Brees v Keenum (he's had a great year and will start somewhere next year)

Atlanta -2.5 @ Phil...Foles will suck. Atlanta advances and remains the most dangerous team in the playoffs.
NE -13 vs Tenn...This is such a mismatch. Brady, Gronk and Co. have a field day against a good run defense.
Pitt -7.5 vs JAX...Normally I'd worry about Pitt looking past these guys and towards NE. BUT, since Jax got them earlier, Pit will be rested and ready, but it will be a low scoring, close affair.
Min -4 vs NO...NO is the most balanced team. I like the Saints and Brees to prevail over CKeenum and their home field edge.

[Sandman62]

When will the site allow us to add this week's players? It's allowing drops and can add QB, DST, K; but can't add RB/WR. Thanks.

[ChiTwn]

Yup, not able to select RBs at all.