Fantasy Football: Aligning Your QBs for the Playoffs

Now is a good time to look ahead at the playoff weeks in your fantasy football league. Most leagues have their championship game in Week 16, with the preliminary rounds in Weeks 14 and 15, depending on the size of the league.

We will look at the quarterback position and identify some players that you should target for the playoff games and others that you should avoid. With this information, you might be in good position to try to make some trades to help you win your league. 

One important consideration is the location of the games, since December games outdoors in the Northeast, for example, can be tough on quarterbacks. Another consideration is the quality of opponents, as late-season games between contenders and pretenders can quickly turn into a blowout.

So what we look for here is a player whose current value might be higher or lower than it should be during the playoff weeks, and then try to make the appropriate move.

Trade Mark Sanchez

If you have Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets on your team, he is likely to be your backup quarterback. He won't be of much value to you during the playoffs. He has has two games in bad weather locations against two teams, the Philadelphia Eagles and New York Giants, who could be fighting to get into the playoffs.

So here is my suggestion for you. If the Jets win this weekend, find a Jets fan in your league, and offer him Sanchez. The manager will be giddy about two consecutive wins by the Jets, and might just accept your offer.

Target Ben Roethlisberger

Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers is probably ranked No. 20 or so among quarterbacks in your league. So this means he is sitting on someone's bench. During the playoff weeks, two of his three games will be against poor teams, the Cleveland Browns and the St. Louis Rams, so you want Big Ben on your team at that time.

I wouldn't worry that these two games will be in the wintry Northeast, since little things like weather never seem to bother the Steelers in general.

Trade Eli Manning

Eli Manning of the New York Giants should be around No. 6 on the quarterback rankings in your league, but I don't like him for the playoffs.

Manning will be up against two teams likely to be fighting for the playoffs (the Cowboys and the Jets), and could play two of the three playoff weeks in cold and windy conditions. This latter point is important because Manning does not throw a tight spiral, and he can be impacted by strong winds.

During the magical playoff run in 2007, Manning was great while playing three of the four playoff games in weather-friendly places. But the very next season, in a windy Giants' stadium, Manning thew two interceptions without a touchdown pass in the playoff game lost to the Philadelphia Eagles.

You don't want Manning as your starting quarterback in the playoffs, so try to trade him and make some upgrades at other positions.

Target Joe Flacco

Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens is probably ranked around No. 13 among quarterbacks in your league as of Week 6. During the playoff weeks he should be more valuable to you than this.

He gets to play Weeks 14 and 15 in weather friendly locations: the domed stadium in Indianapolis and then in sunny San Diego. Week 16 will be at Cleveland and by that time the Browns will be wanting the season to end quickly.

In addition, with the extra games under his belt, Torrey Smith will have developed into a legitimate and consistent deep threat.

Since Flacco might be a backup QB in your league, you should be able to get him in a decent trade.

Target Josh Freeman

The Tampa Bay Bucs' Josh Freeman is probably about No. 12 on the quarterback rankings in your league. This might put him on the fence between being a starter or backup on the team that owns him.

Freeman will get to play all three playoff weeks in weather-friendly locations. Two of the games will be against teams that will be out contention and just finishing out the season, the Jacksonville Jaguars and the Carolina Panthers. So this is a good combination.

I wouldn't spend a lot to get him, but go ahead and make a low ball offer and see what happens.

Target Tony Romo

Through six games Tony Romo of the Dallas Cowboy is probably ranked just inside the top 10 among quarterbacks in your league. But during the playoff weeks he should be more valuable than that.

Romo will have the advantage of playing all three playoff weeks in weather-friendly locations. He will have two home games in Dallas and one road game at Tampa Bay. His receiving corps is among the best in the league.

On the flip side, Romo will be facing three teams potentially fighting to get into the playoffs: The New York Giants, the Philadelphia Eagles and the Tampa Bay Bucs. And Romo does have the history of difficulty in big games.

However on balance, if you can make a fair-value trade for Romo now, you could be pleased to have him on your team for the playoffs.