QUINIX Sport News: NFL Playoffs 2025 Fantasy Football Challenge: Position by position rankings, draft cheat sheet

The NFL playoffs are here, and I love doing playoff challenge leagues. Why stop setting Fantasy Football lineups if we don’t have to just yet?

Now, there are many different forms of playoff challenge leagues, so knowing your rules are important. There are total points leagues throughout the postseason, leagues where you can only use someone once in each round and Guillotine leagues, among others.

The way to approach any playoff challenge league is to map out the NFL postseason. Decide what teams you think will advance to Super Bowl LIX, and build out playoff scenarios.

For example, here is my playoff picture. In the AFC, I expect the Bills, Ravens and Chargers to advance past the wild-card round. I have Kansas City and Buffalo attending the championship round, and the Chiefs will advance to the Super Bowl.

In the NFC, I have the Eagles, Buccaneers and Rams winning in the wild-card round. Philadelphia and Detroit will advance to the championship round, and the Lions will play in the Super Bowl.

My playoff-challenge rankings are reflected in those predictions. Again, I encourage you to build your own path to the Super Bowl — and check your league settings. But this is how I expect the playoffs to go and which players will be around the longest in the upcoming NFL postseason.

Quarterbacks

1. Jared Goff

2. Josh Allen

3. Patrick Mahomes

4. Jalen Hurts

5. Lamar Jackson

6. Baker Mayfield

7. Justin Herbert

8. Matthew Stafford

9. Jayden Daniels

10. Sam Darnold

11. Jordan Love

12. Bo Nix

13. C.J. Stroud

14. Russell Wilson

Running backs

1. Jahmyr Gibbs

2. Saquon Barkley

3. James Cook

4. Derrick Henry

5. Kyren Williams

6. J.K. Dobbins

7. Bucky Irving

8. Josh Jacobs

9. Aaron Jones

10. Isiah Pacheco

11. Kareem Hunt

12. Joe Mixon

13. Brian Robinson Jr.

14. Rachaad White

15. David Montgomery

16. Jaylen Warren

17. Najee Harris

18. Austin Ekeler

19. Jaleel McLaughlin

20. Justice Hill

21. Javonte Williams

22. Ty Johnson

23. Audric Estime

24. Cam Akers

25. Samaje Perine

26. Ray Davis

27. Gus Edwards

28. Hassan Haskins

29. Kenneth Gainwell

30. Ronnie Rivers

Wide receivers

1. Amon-Ra St. Brown

2. A.J. Brown

3. Puka Nacua

4. Mike Evans

5. Ladd McConkey

6. Xavier Worthy

7. Khalil Shakir

8. Justin Jefferson

9. Jameson Williams

10. DeVonta Smith

11. Jalen McMillan

12. Jordan Addison

13. Terry McLaurin

14. Nico Collins

15. Courtland Sutton

16. Quentin Johnston

17. George Pickens

18. Romeo Doubs

19. Cooper Kupp

20. Jayden Reed

21. Rashod Bateman

22. Dontayvion Wicks

23. Zay Flowers

24. Marquise Brown

25. Amari Cooper

26. DeAndre Hopkins

27. Olamide Zaccheus

28. Marvin Mims

29. Keon Coleman

30. Demarcus Robinson

31. Mack Hollins

32. Calvin Austin III

33. Jalen Nailor

34. Joshua Palmer

35. Tylan Wallace

36. Devaughn Vele

37. John Metchie III

38. Sterling Shepard

39. Robert Woods 

40. Tutu Atwell

Tight end

1. Travis Kelce

2. Sam LaPorta

3. Mark Andrews

4. Dallas Goedert

5. Dalton Kincaid

6. Isaiah Likely

7. Cade Otton

8. Will Dissly

9. T.J. Hockenson

10. Zach Ertz

11. Tucker Kraft

12. Pat Freiermuth

13. Dalton Schultz

14. Tyler Higbee

Kicker

1. Jake Bates

2. Tyler Bass

3. Harrison Butker

4. Justin Tucker

5. Jake Elliott

6. Chase McLaughlin

7. Cameron Dicker

8. Josh Karty

9. Will Reichard

10. Brandon McManus

11. Zane Gonzalez

12. Wil Lutz

13. Chris Boswell

14. Ka’imi Fairbairn

D/ST

1. Eagles

2. Chiefs

3. Ravens

4. Bills

5. Lions

6. Chargers

7. Vikings

8. Buccaneers

9. Rams

10. Broncos

11. Packers

12. Commanders

13. Steelers

14. Texans