Somebody's about to get fucked up.

If you are anything like me, then you’re preparing for your postseason NFL draft right now. When the NFL is putting out live games then I have a physical need to field a list of players and compare them to the list of players somebody else came up with and hopefully win some scratch. That’s just simple logic.

Defense and special teams are actually a very large part of post season fantasy. That’s because they usually have pretty consistent scoring, so the 4 game run of a #5 seed is immensely helpful. I think last year my best player overall on one of my squads ended up being the Arizona defense. Not only does that factoid illustrate my point, but it also points out how bad the rest of my team probably was.

QB – RB – WR – TE – K – DEF

Eight Five is hobbled but not forgotten.

If you are anything like me, then you’re preparing for your postseason NFL draft right now. When the NFL is putting out live games then I have a physical need to field a list of players and compare them to the list of players somebody else came up with and hopefully win some scratch. That’s just simple logic.

Wide receivers, the original boom or bust proposition. No matter how much running backs angle to take that title away. Every post season you’ll see some of the big names get knocked out early going out with a whimper. There will be one no-name guy who goes all the way and becomes the savior of somebody’s team. And there will be the guy who just goes off even if he only lasts one game.

The key to wide receivers? Not sure. I’d just try to luck into getting one of each.

QB – RB – WR – TE – K – DEF

It's uncomfortable for everyone when you send a team mate into a post game rape shower.

If you are anything like me, then you’re preparing for your postseason NFL draft right now. When the NFL is putting out live games then I have a physical need to field a list of players and compare them to the list of players somebody else came up with and hopefully win some scratch. That’s just simple logic.

Kickers simply don’t matter. Good ones are only marginally better than the bad ones. The best kickers in playoff fantasy will end up being whoever is in the Super Bowl. So if you are really, really, really good at picking who will end up in the Super Bowl, then what are you doing wasting time with this nickel and dime fantasy shit? Start plopping some real dough down on the futures betting market.

*Updated – Matt Stover moved up to Adam Viniateri’s slot.

QB – RB – WR – TE – K – DEF

Even just one game with Gates is probably better than 3 with the guys at the bottom of this list.

If you are anything like me, then you’re preparing for your postseason NFL draft right now. When the NFL is putting out live games then I have a physical need to field a list of players and compare them to the list of players somebody else came up with and hopefully win some scratch. That’s just simple logic.

A lot of postseason fantasy drafts will forgo the TE position and just throw it in with a WR/TE flex. In those leagues the tight end position is obviously minimized to the point of only 6 maybe 7 of these guys being draft worthy. Clark and Gates are a definite cut above the rest, with the second tier ending with Celek. After that it’s even more of a crap shoot than what you normally expect.

QB – RB – WR – TE – K – DEF

I'm diving head first into this Packer. That may have came out wrong.

If you are anything like me, then you’re preparing for your postseason NFL draft right now. When the NFL is putting out live games then I have a physical need to field a list of players and compare them to the list of players somebody else came up with and hopefully win some scratch. That’s just simple logic.

One common rookie mistake in a postseason draft is to overrate the top seeds. NFL parity has created a playoff system where somebody who plays on Wild Card weekend always seems to find their way into the Super Bowl. If you have players from that lucky team then you have a chance at 4 games with your stud, while the ceiling on Peyton Manning is 3 games. Don’t be afraid to take a flyer on a stud from a 6 seed.

It was a really weird year for running backs in the fantasy season. The NFL is now a passing heavy league where the dreaded running back by committee is becoming the rule instead of the exception. While a RB is still important, I still think that drafting 1-2 stud quarterbacks are more important to winning. In whatever order, I’m still looking at targetting a RB and QB in the first two rounds in which ever order.

QB – RB – WR – TE – K – DEF

If only Flacco could light up the Bears every week.

I never understood why fantasy football has to end with the regular season. If the NFL is putting out live games then I have a physical need to field a list of players and compare them to the list of players somebody else came up with and hopefully win some scratch. That’s just simple logic.

In some ways playoff drafts can be more interesting than the regular season since the number of games a team plays becomes a huge factor in who to draft. Huge. Take it from somebody who got dominated last year by a team including Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, and Santonio Holmes.

What does every playoff team except two have in common? Good to great quarterback play. The Jets and Ravens are the lone exceptions with rookie Sanchez and sophomore Flacco just playing the role of game managers. Every other team has a real man behind center that can take the entire team on his shoulders and carry them to victory. We’re seeing a golden age of good QBs in the NFL right now and there are a lot of future hall of famers in this playoff group.

So don’t miss out at QB in your draft. If you have a flex where you can start 2 of them, then do it. That gives you license to take a flyer early on a McNabb and hope the Eagles get hot at the right time to the tune of 4 games. If the parity era of the NFL has taught us anything it’s that there’s a very good chance a 5 or 6 seed will make it to the conference championship and into the Super Bowl.

QB – RB – WR – TE – K – DEF

Alex Smith at halftime getting into the San Francisco city theme song Y-M-C-A

NFL picks went 4-0 for +8.12 units yesterday bringing NFL picks on the season up to 14-20 for +1.62 units.  Winner, winner, chicken dinner.  We’re heating up as the record for the last 14 days in NFL is up to 7-5 for +9.92 units.  All lines and odds published are from matchbook.com and current as of the time of writing.  Home teams are capitalized.

The Cardinals have been monsters on the road this year posting a record of 5-1 and are 4-1 against the spread in their last 5 games overall.  The 49ers are getting better on offense under Smith, but that’s not saying a lot since before they probably couldn’t have won the Motor City Bowl.  I wish I could have gotten this number at -1, but I still see value at just over a FG favorites.

Arizona -3.5 over SAN FRANCISCO +104  (2 units)

Thank f'ing god the o-line is getting healthy.

NFL picks have been 6-7 for +3.3 units in the last 14 days pending tonight’s Vikings/Cardinals game.  Record could be better but at least we’re positive during this late season stretch of sharpened bookmakers.  All lines and odds published are from matchbook and current as of the time of writing.

Monday night football for week 13 finds Green Bay playing Baltimore at home.  This has already given Berman way too many opportunities to recycle the annoying “frozen tundra of Lambeau Field” line in his mock Facenda baritone.  At least Favre isn’t involved in this game, so the count of how many mentions he gets during the broadcast should be kept in the lower double digits.

Ah, but to the game.  The Packers offense line has been banged up all year but this week finally gets healthy.  Their defense stops the run and pass as good or better than Baltimore but doesn’t get the credit for it.  The Packer offense is much, much better than their peers on the Ravens sideline.  Packers roll at home with a short number.

GREEN BAY -3.5 over Baltimore +100  (3 units)

The Cardinals haven’t beaten a good team all year.  The Vikings qualify as one of those good teams.  I don’t see a clear path to victory for the Cardinals, especially with Kurt Warner questionable.

CAROLINA -3.5 over Tampa Bay +104  (2 units)

Tampa Bay is bad.  It’s not like the Panthers are world beaters, but should take care of business at home.  They won in week 6 against the same Buccaneers 28-21 and should be good for a touchdown difference again.

Virginia +4 over Boston College +105  (5 units)

California -2.5 over Arizona -107  (5 units)

Penn State -24.5 over Indiana +109  (3 units)

Central Florida +4.5 over Houston -111  (3 units)

Pittsburgh -6.5 over Notre Dame -103  (3 units)

Troy +13.5 over Arkansas (3 units)

Get after them like Charlie Weiss attacks a buffet.