Fantasy Rankings & Tiers To Answer All Your Start/Sit Questions For the Playoffs

Fantasy Rankings & Tiers To Answer All Your Start/Sit Questions For the Playoffs article feature image
Credit:

Getty Images. Pictured: Calvin Ridley, Dalvin Cook

  • Sean Koerner -- the No. 1 in-season fantasy football ranker in three of the past five seasons -- is here to walk you through your start/sit decisions for Week 14.
  • With fantasy football playoffs kicking off in many leagues, Koerner outlines his tiers so you can answer questions for these must-win matchups.
  • Find his rankings for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, kickers and defenses below.

Fantasy football playoffs are here!

To help you make your Week 14 start/sit decisions, I've outlined the latest version of my fantasy football rankings into tiers so you can better visualize the drop-off in expected production at each position. Note that these are as of Saturday evening and final inactives could still impact certain players, so be sure to check my updated rankings before making your final decisions.

Fantasy Rankings & Tiers

Jump To
QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF

Quarterbacks

Tier 1

Patrick Mahomes (@ MIA)
Russell Wilson (vs. NYJ)

Tier 2

Aaron Rodgers (@ DET)

Tier 3

Deshaun Watson (@ CHI)
Josh Allen (vs. PIT)

The ultimate NFL betting cheat code

Best bets for every game

Our NFL model's biggest weekly edges

Profitable data-driven system picks

Tier 4

Kyler Murray (@ NYG)
Ryan Tannehill (@ JAX)
Taysom Hill (@ PHI)
Justin Herbert (vs. ATL)
Tom Brady (vs. MIN)

Tier 5

Lamar Jackson (@ CLE)

Tier 6

Matt Ryan (@ LAC)
Ben Roethlisberger (@ BUF)
Philip Rivers (@ LV)

Tier 7

Matthew Stafford (vs. GB)
Teddy Bridgewater (vs. DEN)
Kirk Cousins (@ TB)
Jared Goff (vs. NE)
Derek Carr (vs. IND)
Mitchell Trubisky (vs. HOU)

Tier 8

Andy Dalton (@ CIN)
Mike Glennon (vs. TEN)
Cam Newton (@ LAR)
Tua Tagovailoa (vs. KC)
Jalen Hurts (vs. NO)
Daniel Jones (vs. ARI)

Tier 9

Nick Mullens (vs. WAS)
Drew Lock (@ CAR)
Brandon Allen (vs. DAL)
Alex Smith (@ SF)
Baker Mayfield (vs. BAL)

Tier 10

Sam Darnold (@ SEA)

Return to the table of contents

Running Backs

Tier 1

Derrick Henry (@ JAX)
Dalvin Cook (@ TB)

Tier 2

James Robinson (vs. TEN)
Aaron Jones (@ DET)

Tier 3

Austin Ekeler (vs. ATL)
Chris Carson (vs. NYJ)

2019-fantasy-football-tiers-rankings-grades-koerner
Steven King/Icon Sportswire. Pictured: Chris Carson, Russell Wilson

Tier 4

David Montgomery (vs. HOU)
Ezekiel Elliott (@ CIN)
Mike Davis (vs. DEN)
Nick Chubb (vs. BAL)
Alvin Kamara (@ PHI)

Tier 5

Jonathan Taylor (@ LV)

Tier 6

Giovani Bernard (vs. DAL)
James Conner (@ BUF)
Wayne Gallman (vs. ARI)
Duke Johnson Jr. (@ CHI)
Ronald Jones II (vs. MIN)
Kenyan Drake (@ NYG)

Tier 7

Josh Jacobs (vs. IND)
Melvin Gordon (@ CAR)
Clyde Edwards-Helaire (@ MIA)
J.D. McKissic (@ SF)

Tier 8

Kareem Hunt (vs. BAL)
DeAndre Washington (vs. KC)
Devin Singletary (vs. PIT)
Raheem Mostert (vs. WAS)
Nyheim Hines (@ LV)
Miles Sanders (vs. NO)
Cam Akers (vs. NE)

Tier 9

Chase Edmonds (@ NYG)
Leonard Fournette (vs. MIN)
Peyton Barber (@ SF)
Todd Gurley (@ LAC)
J.K. Dobbins (@ CLE)
D'Andre Swift (vs. GB)*

*Swift could move way up or down in the rankings based on any news we get on expected workload if he returns.

nfl-prop-bets-picks-falcons-vs-panthers-thursday-night-football-2020_
Todd Kirkland/Getty Images. Pictured: Todd Gurley

Tier 10

Damien Harris (@ LAR)
Latavius Murray (@ PHI)

Tier 11

Adrian Peterson (vs. GB)
Jamaal Williams (@ DET)
Ty Johnson (@ SEA)
Frank Gore (@ SEA)
Jeffery Wilson (vs. WAS)
Tony Pollard (@ CIN)

Tier 12

James White (@ LAR)
Zack Moss (vs. PIT)
Ito Smith (@ LAC)

Tier 13

Carlos Hyde (vs. NYJ)
Le'Veon Bell (@ MIA)
Darrell Henderson (vs. NE)
Patrick Laird (vs. KC)
Devontae Booker (vs. IND)
Phillip Lindsay (@ CAR)
Kerryon Johnson (vs. GB)
Rodney Smith (vs. DEN)
Lynn Bowden (vs. KC)

Return to the table of contents

Wide Receivers

Tier 1

Davante Adams (@ DET)
Tyreek Hill (@ MIA)

Tier 2

Calvin Ridley (@ LAC)
D.K. Metcalf (vs. NYJ)
Keenan Allen (vs. ATL)

Tier 3

Stefon Diggs (vs. PIT)
Adam Thielen (@ TB)
Justin Jefferson (@ TB)

nfl-injury-report-injuries-fantasy-football-week-13-2020
Dylan Buell/Getty Images. Pictured: Adam Thielen

Tier 4

Robby Anderson (vs. DEN)
Terry McLaurin (@ SF)
DeAndre Hopkins (@ NYG)
Allen Robinson (vs. HOU)
Tyler Lockett (vs. NYJ)

Tier 5

Robert Woods (vs. NE)
Curtis Samuel (vs. DEN)
A.J. Brown (@ JAX)
Diontae Johnson (@ BUF)
Michael Thomas (@ PHI)

Tier 6

Brandin Cooks (@ CHI)
Cooper Kupp (vs. NE)
Chris Godwin (vs. MIN)
Mike Evans (vs. MIN)
Cole Beasley (vs. PIT)
Juju Smith-Schuster (@ BUF)
Jarvis Landry (vs. BAL)
Corey Davis (@ JAX)
DeVante Parker (vs. KC)
Deebo Samuel (vs. WAS)
Marvin Jones (vs. GB)

nfl-prop-bets-picks-49ers-vs-rams-sunday-night-football-2020
Michael Zagaris/San Francisco 49ers/Getty Images. Pictured: Deebo Samuel.

Tier 7

Amari Cooper (@ CIN)
D.J. Chark (vs. TEN)
Brandon Aiyuk (vs. WAS)
CeeDee Lamb (@ CIN)
Tee Higgins (vs. DAL)

Tier 8

Keke Coutee (@ CHI)
Antonio Brown (vs. MIN)
T.Y. Hilton (@ LV)
Tyler Boyd (vs. DAL)
Chase Claypool (@ BUF)
Michael Pittman Jr. (@ LV)
Jamison Crowder (@ SEA)
Russell Gage (@ LAC)
Sterling Shepard (vs. ARI)
Tim Patrick (@ CAR)
Breshad Perriman (@ SEA)
Allen Lazard (@ DET)

Tier 9

Marquise Brown (@ CLE)
Jerry Jeudy (@ CAR)
Mike Williams (vs. ATL)
Christian Kirk (@ NYG)
Michael Gallup (@ CIN)
Nelson Agholor (vs. IND)
Jakobi Meyers (@ LAR)
Rashard Higgins (vs. BAL)
Darius Slayton (vs. ARI)
Gabriel Davis (vs. PIT)

nfl-betting-picks-spreads-totals-cowboys-seahawks-raiders-patriots-week-3-2020
Jim McIsaac/Getty Images. Pictured: Darius Slayton

Tier 10

Hunter Renfrow (vs. IND)
Chad Hansen (@ CHI)
Sammy Watkins (@ MIA)
Laviska Shenault (vs. TEN)
Golden Tate (vs. ARI)
Henry Ruggs (vs. IND)
Darnell Mooney (vs. HOU)
Emmanuel Sanders (@ PHI)
Anthony Miller (vs. HOU)
Damiere Byrd (@ LAR)
K.J. Hamler (@ CAR)
Danny Amendola (vs. GB)
Cam Sims (@ SF)
Willie Snead (@ CLE)

Return to the table of contents

Tight Ends

Tier 1

Travis Kelce (@ MIA)
Darren Waller (vs. IND)

Tier 2

T.J. Hockenson (vs. GB)
Mark Andrews (@ CLE)

Tier 3

Robert Tonyan Jr. (@ DET)
Evan Engram (vs. ARI)

Tier 4

Hayden Hurst (@ LAC)
Noah Fant (@ CAR)
Hunter Henry (vs. ATL)
Mike Gesicki (vs. KC)
Eric Ebron (@ BUF)
Rob Gronkowski (vs. MIN)

nfl-prop-bets-picks-broncos-vs-chiefs-sunday-night-football-2020-1
AAron Ontiveroz/MediaNews Group/The Denver Post via Getty Images. Pictured: Noah Fant

Tier 5

Logan Thomas (@ SF)
Dalton Schultz (@ CIN)
Jordan Reed (vs. WAS)
Dallas Goedert (vs. NO)

Tier 6

Jonnu Smith (@ JAX)

Tier 7

Irv Smith Jr. (@ TB)
Jordan Akins (@ CHI)
Tyler Higbee (vs. NE)
Gerald Everett (vs. NE)

Tier 8

Zach Ertz (vs. NO)
Austin Hooper (vs. BAL)
Tyler Eifert (vs. TEN)
Jacob Hollister (vs. NYJ)
Trey Burton (@ LV)
Drew Sample (vs. DAL)
Dawson Knox (vs. PIT)
Mo Alie-Cox (@ LV)
Cole Kmet (vs. HOU)

Return to the table of contents

KICKERS

Tier 1

Ryan Succop (vs. MIN)
Harrison Butker (@ MIA)
Rodrigo Blankenship (@ LV)
Jason Sanders (vs. KC)
Younghoe Koo (@ LAC)
Daniel Carlson (vs. IND)

Tier 2

Stephen Gostkowski (@ JAX)
Justin Tucker (@ CLE)
Matt Prater (vs. GB)
Joey Slye (vs. DEN)
Graham Gano (vs. ARI)
Wil Lutz (@ PHI)
Mason Crosby (@ DET)

The must-have app for NFL bettors

Custom scoreboard for your NFL bets

Free picks from experts

Live win probabilities for every game

Tier 3

Michael Badgley (vs. ATL)
Ka'imi Fairbairn (@ CHI)
Tyler Bass (vs. PIT)
Jason Myers (vs. NYJ)
Greg Zuerlein (@ CIN)
Brandon McManus (@ CAR)

Tier 4

Robbie Gould (vs. WAS)
Mike Nugent (@ NYG)
Chris Boswell (@ BUF)
Aldrick Rosas (vs. TEN)
Randy Bullock (vs. DAL)
Matt Gay (vs. NE)
Cairo Santos (vs. HOU)
Nick Folk (@ LAR)
Dustin Hopkins (@ SF)
Cody Parkey (vs. BAL)

Tier 5

Dan Bailey (@ TB)
Sergio Castillo (@ SEA)
Jake Elliott (vs. NO)

Return to the table of contents

DEFENSES

Tier 1

Seattle Seahawks (vs. NYJ)
New Orleans Saints (@ PHI)

Tier 2

Dallas Cowboys (@ CIN)
Los Angeles Rams (vs. NE)
Carolina Panthers (vs. DEN)
Arizona Cardinals (@ NYG)
Washington Football Team (@ SF)
San Francisco 49ers (vs. WAS)
Tennessee Titans (@ JAX)
Kansas City Chiefs (@ MIA)
Cincinnati Bengals (vs. DAL)

Leighton Vander Esch
Patrick McDermott/Getty Images. Pictured: Leighton Vander Esch

Tier 3

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (vs. MIN)
Baltimore Ravens (@ CLE)
Houston Texans (@ CHI)
Buffalo Bills (vs. PIT)
Green Bay Packers (@ DET)
Pittsburgh Steelers (@ BUF)
Chicago Bears (vs. HOU)

Tier 4

New York Giants (vs. ARI)
New England Patriots (@ LAR)
Atlanta Falcons (@ LAC)
Denver Broncos (@ CAR)
Los Angeles Chargers (vs. ATL)
Indianapolis Colts (@ LV)

Tier 5

Cleveland Browns (vs. BAL)
Las Vegas Raiders (vs. IND)
Philadelphia Eagles (vs. NO)
Minnesota Vikings (@ TB)

Tier 6

Miami Dolphins (vs. KC)
Jacksonville Jaguars (vs. TEN)
New York Jets (@ SEA)
Detroit Lions (vs. GB)

Return to the table of contents
The must-have app for bettors

The best betting scoreboard

Free picks from proven pros

Live win probabilities for your bets
About the Author
Sean is The Action Network's Director of Predictive Analytics. He was named the No. 1 fantasy football draft ranker of 2019 by FantasyPros, where he's also finished as the top in-season ranker in three of the past five seasons

Follow Sean Koerner @The_Oddsmaker on Twitter/X.

This site contains commercial content. We may be compensated for the links provided on this page. The content on this page is for informational purposes only. Action Network makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the information given or the outcome of any game or event.