We made it! Another fantasy football season in the books. Hopefully you fared well, but either way, we’ve got another season to make some fake teams — the playoffs! As usual, there are a multitude of playoff fantasy leagues out there. Of course, there are plenty of different types of settings, but for these rankings we’ll work off the “best ball” type of game, where you draft a team for the who playoffs and then let the chips fall where they may.
For these rankings, we’ll need to guess who will win the games since we’re not drafting each week of the playoffs. So, with the Broncos and Seahawks as the No. 1 seeds, they get no fantasy points in the first round, but they have home field advantage and an extra week to heal up. But, our No. 1 seeds this year aren’t quite as dominant as they have been in the past, so their odds of getting beaten earlier than later are also better.
We’ll take a look at the odds below here, but we know how fraught picking the playoffs can be. Sometimes you just have to go with your gut.
Injuries and news heading into 2026 NFL Playoffs
Quarterbacks
Justin Herbert, Chargers
Herbert has taken a beating this season with the o-line injuries for the Chargers, but did get Week 18 off to rest. He should be good to go in Foxboro on Sunday night.
Jordan Love, Packers
Love missed Week 17 with a concussion, but was cleared ahead of Week 18. But, since the Packers were locked into the 7th seed, they rested most of their starters. Love should be good to go when they travel to Chicago on Saturday night for the Wild Card round.
Brock Purdy, 49ers
Purdy took a hard hit at the end of their Week 18 loss to the Seahawks. The good news is that he didn’t suffer a significant injury to his non-throwing shoulder. He should be able to go against the Eagles on Sunday.
Josh Allen, Bills
Allen is dealing with a foot injury, but was able to get Week 18 off to rest and should be as healthy as possible when they travel to Jacksonville on Sunday.
Running backs
Josh Jacobs, Packers
Jacobs has been playing through knee and ankle issues for the last month or so, but was able to get Week 18 off to rest for the playoffs. He likely won’t be 100%, but he has been playing well despite the injuries.
JK Dobbins, Broncos
Dobbins was put on I.R. with a foot injury, but it sounds like his rehab is going well and he has a shot to play in the AFC Championship game if the Broncos make it. Probably not worth drafting in most playoff leagues, but if you have deep benches, he might be.
Jawhar Jordan, Texans
Jordan had been playing decently with Nick Chubb and Woody Marks dealing with injuries, but then he was forced from Week 18’s game with an ankle injury. British Brooks saw the most work behind Jordan with Nick Chubb inactive. Marks is still the lead back, but whoever can get that backup job should see enough work to have some value in deeper playoff leagues.
Wide receivers
Rome Odunze, Bears
Odunze is dealing with a stress fracture in his foot, but was able to return to practice last week and get a questionable designation. We’ll need to keep an eye on his practices this week, but he at least has a chance to play against the Packers on Saturday.
Davante Adams, Rams
Adams returned to practice last week and got a questionable designation as he deals with a hamstring injury. It seems like the team was being extra cautious with him so he’d be ready for the playoffs. Head coach Sean McVay also told reporters on Monday that he expects Adams to play.
Ricky Pearsall, 49ers
Pearsall got a questionable designation, but was unable to play in Week 18 with back and knee injuries. He reportedly was close to playing, so his chance of playing this week against the Eagles is decent.
Dontayvion Wicks, Packers
Wicks is in concussion protocol, but got an extra week due to the Packers resting guys in Week 18. His chances of being cleared should be good.
Tight Ends
Terrance Ferguson, Rams
Ferguson was held out in Week 18 with a hamstring injury. It’s tough to know how bad the injury is, as the team could have been extra cautious with him since they already had a playoff spot locked up. But, even if he can go for the playoffs, the return of Tyler Higbee to the active roster will cut into his opportunities.
Super Bowl odds
Seattle Seahawks +420
Los Angeles Rams +440
Denver Broncos +650
Philadelphia Eagles +850
New England Patriots +1000
Buffalo Bills +1000
Houston Texans +1100
Jacksonville Jaguars +1400
Green Bay Packers +1700
Chicago Bears +1900
San Francisco 49ers +2500
Los Angeles Chargers +3000
Pittsburgh Steelers +6000
Carolina Panthers +22500
The odds favor the NFC’s No. 1 seed, the Seahawks. Getting a bye always helps your Super Bowl odds, as it should. But, we see that the Rams are still second in the odds despite playing a wild card game on the road. They have a longer road to travel, but it’s easy to see who Vegas thinks is the best team of the bunch and that team has Matthew Stafford at the helm.
The AFC feels completely wide open, which helps the No. 1 seed Broncos, who don’t have to face any NFC West teams unless they get to the Super Bowl. The Rams look like the best team going into the playoffs, while the Broncos have the easiest path through the playoffs.
My picks for the big game are the Rams vs. the Bills. So, with both teams playing in the Wild Card round, they will max out their possible games (4), while the Seahawks and Broncos would be finished with one or two games played. Of course, if I’m wrong, these rankings are also very wrong. If you disagree with my picks, then be sure to move up your Super Bowl players in the rankings.
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