Fantasy Football Projections for the 2012 NFL Playoffs: Quarterback Rankings

Can't get enough fantasy football? Or are you looking to redeem yourself after a 3-11 record during the regular season?

Then join a fantasy league for the 2012 NFL playoffs. It will make the postseason even more exciting.

Playoff fantasy leagues require more strategy than the regular season. It takes the perfect balance of drafting the best talent along with who will go the farthest

In playoff leagues, once your player's team is eliminated, you no longer receive stats from him.

For example, Roddy White is certainly better than Robert Meachem (1,296 yards to 620), but the Saints will most likely play more games and make a deeper run.

But, someone like Calvin Johnson might put up huge numbers in a losing effort (he's had 24 catches for 560 yards and four TDs the last three weeks).

So who do you pick? Here are the rankings for the quarterback position.

Predicting the Winners

The most important thing with playoff fantasy football is determining who you think is going to win. It's logical to think that the players who play more games will earn more points.

Here are my predictions for the playoff games.

NFC

(3) Saints over (6) Lions

(4) Giants over (5) Falcons

(1) Packers over (4) Giants

(3) Saints over (2) 49ers

(1) Packers over (3) Saints

AFC

(3) Texans over (6) Bengals

(5) Steelers over (4) Broncos

(1) Patriots over (5) Steelers

(2) Ravens over (3) Texans

(1) Patriots over (2) Ravens

Super Bowl

(1) Packers over (1) Patriots

Quarterback Rankings

Unlike the regular season, the quarterback position should be the first need you address. QBs, on average, get you the most points, so you want a guy who you can ride all the way to the Super Bowl.

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay: What's there not to love about Rodgers? I haven't seen a quarterback on fire for this long of a time. He put up insane numbers in the regular season (45 TDs, 6 INTs), so expect the same from the pass-happy Packers offense. Plus, the Packers are the favorite to win the Super Bowl.

2. Tom Brady, New England: Of course Brady would be at the top of the list. It's just like clockwork: Brady and Patriots look primed to make a deep run in the playoffs. Brady's 5,235 yards and 39 TDs make him an MVP candidate again, and the Pats have locked up home-field advantage. Look for New England's juggernaut offense to reach the Super Bowl.

3. Drew Brees, New Orleans: Fresh off breaking Dan Marino's 27-year-old passing record, Brees will look to continue the momentum into the playoffs. The Saints offense is just as good as the Packers and Patriots, so expect Brees to thrive in the postseason. You can't go wrong with a guy who had 5,476 yards and 46 TDs. Plus, if the Saints make it to the Super Bowl, it certainly wouldn't be a surprise.

4. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh: Big Ben is a warrior. He's been to the Super Bowl three times (won twice) in seven years. Even if he's banged up, he'll still find a way to get the job done. With a solid defense, the Steelers could make a good run. With Mendenhall out, expect the Steelers to throw a lot more.

5. Eli Manning, New York: You can't spell elite without ELI right? Manning doesn't put up the prettiest numbers, but he seems to come up big in the clutch. The Giants could play two games against sub-par defenses, so he could put up some big numbers.

6. Joe Flacco, Baltimore: The Ravens have a solid team, but they've had some baffling losses (Titans, Jags and Seahawks). Flacco has been a Jekyll and Hyde QB this year. Plus, they are just 4-4 on the road this year. The Ravens could go far, but Flacco won't light up the scoreboard.

7. Matt Ryan, Atlanta: Ryan threw for over 4,000 yards for the first time in his career this season. He's got explosive weapons in Roddy White and Julio Jones. The Falcons play a spotty pass defense, so Ryan could end up with a three-plus TD game.

8. Matthew Stafford, Detroit: He was healthy for the first time in his career this season, and he showed why he was a No.1 overall pick. The Lions have virtually no running game, so look for Stafford to be chucking it all over the field. Even if the Lions go out early, Stafford could easily have over 300 yards and three TDs.

9. Alex Smith, San Francisco: Smith won't wow you with any numbers, but at least he won't kill you either. His 17 TDs are nothing special, but he only threw five INTs. I predict the 49ers losing their first game, so Smith won't be that big of a factor.

10. T.J. Yates, Houston: Yates is a third-string, rookie QB. He's been able to manage the game since taking over, but by no means is he a fantasy standout. If Houston advances, it's going to be on the strength of their running game and defense.

11. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati: The Red Rifle has held his own during his rookie season. His 20 TDs are pretty solid, and he did a decent job of protecting the ball. Either Dalton or Yates will play two games.

12. Tim Tebow, Denver: Tebow is a decent fantasy option because he's going to get a bunch of rushing yards. Plus, with the ball on the goal line, the chance of a QB keeper is high. I just don't think Tebow will do much against a stout Pitt defense.