NFL Playoff Predictions: 4 Studs Who Will Shine in Wild Card Games

Teams that make it to the postseason are generally loaded with playmakers and that's certainly the case this year.

With four Wild Card games scheduled for this weekend, there are certain to be players on the field who will come up big for their respective teams.

In the following slides, I detail four players who have been exceptional throughout the regular season and should have difference-making performances this weekend.

WR Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions

If the Detroit Lions hope to defeat the New Orleans Saints on Saturday night, they will have to make sure star wideout Calvin Johnson is heavily involved in that effort.

Considering that Johnson is the regular season's receiving yardage leader, it's guaranteed he will be making a difference for his team this week as they look to win their first playoff game since 1991.

In the regular season, Johnson caught 96 passes for 1,681 yards and 16 touchdowns. He's been held without a score in just five games and has over 100 receiving yards in eight of his 16 games.

Johnson is tall, quick and has sure hands. He is quarterback Matthew Stafford's most reliable target and will need at least two touchdowns to his name if the Lions are to remain competitive against the high-scoring Saints.

WR Julio Jones, Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta Falcons rookie Julio Jones has quickly asserted himself as the team's best wide receiver and he'll make a huge impact when the team travels to take on the New York Giants in Sunday night's Wild Card NFL playoff matchup.

With Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan playing far better at home this season, he's going to need all the help he can get in order to win a road playoff game. Jones' speed and reliability gives the Falcons an excellent chance to defeat the Giants this week.

Jones played in just 13 regular season games, but still managed 54 receptions for 959 yards and eight touchdowns. He's had five games with 100 or more receiving yards and has only lost a single fumble—not bad for a rookie in a high-pressure position.

The Giants defense is far easier to pass on than to run on; if the Falcons are going to defeat New York on Sunday they'll have to do it in the air, making Jones likely to have yet another big game when it matters most.

RB Arian Foster, Houston Texans

Houston Texans running back Arian Foster has the third-most all-purpose yards this season, and if he would have been healthy throughout the entirety of the year, would likely have his second consecutive rushing title.

With rookie quarterback T.J. Yates in charge of the Texans offense, thanks to injuries suffered by starter Matt Schaub and his backup, Matt Leinart, the team will be relying heavily on Foster's running abilities and his usefulness in the short passing game to hopefully best the Cincinnati Bengals in their Wild Card playoff game on Saturday afternoon.

In the regular season, Foster carried the ball 278 times for 1,224 yards and 10 touchdowns and also caught 53 passes for 617 yards and two more scores.

Though the Bengals defense was effective in stopping Foster in Week 14, holding him to just 41 rushing yards and 33 receiving, it's not likely they'll be able to do it in a game as important as this one.

Foster is dangerous at home, with five of his seven 100-plus yard rushing games occurring in Houston. Look for him to put up triple-digit yardage this week.

QB Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

No quarterback has been as productive in the 2011 regular season as the New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees and there's little chance of him not making a major statement in his team's Wild Card playoff game against the Detroit Lions on Saturday night.

Brees has had a record-breaking season, completing 71.2 percent of his passes for 5,476 yards, 46 touchdowns and 14 interceptions. His talents are the reason why the Saints are in the playoffs for the third consecutive year and the fourth time since 2006.

While the success isn't Brees' alone—he has a slew of talented receiving targets who make his job considerably easier—it will be on the strength of his accurate arm and smart decision-making that will see his team make a deep run in the playoffs this year.