Fantasy Football Rankings: Risers and fallers ahead of the first round of the playoffs

The fantasy football trade deadline has passed, but Justin Boone’s playoff rankings can help in your pursuit of a championship. This week, he released his final rest-of-season rankings and value charts. You can use them as a guide to help manage your roster, whether you’re debating waiver adds, drops or otherwise.

Below, he highlights some of the players who are rising or falling as the fantasy playoffs begin.

Rest-of-season rankings for the fantasy playoffs

RisersJoe Burrow, Bengals

Since returning from injury, Burrow has posted back-to-back QB1 fantasy finishes with 545 yards, six touchdowns and two picks over that span.

None of his opponents in the fantasy playoffs (Ravens, Dolphins, Cardinals) are cause for concern, which means there are only a small handful of quarterbacks you should consider starting over him.

Even with Tee Higgins’ status uncertain this week as he attempts to clear concussion protocol, Burrow remains a high-end fantasy option in what projects to be a high-scoring affair with Baltimore.

Other QB risers: Brock Purdy, 49ers

Saquon Barkley, Eagles

Barkley’s fantasy production finally came to life with 122 yards and a score on 20 touches last Sunday.

Star tackle Lane Johnson is expected back in the lineup soon, perhaps as early as this week, which will provide a massive boost to the Eagles’ entire offense.

His impact will also coincide with an extremely easy upcoming schedule during the fantasy playoffs with the Raiders, Commanders and Bills over the next three weeks.

From Barkley’s perspective, all three of those defenses rank inside the top eight for most fantasy points allowed to running backs.

While it’s been a disappointing season for the reigning NFL Offensive Player of the Year, there are plenty of signs pointing to a strong fantasy finish for Barkley.

Other RB risers: Travis Etienne Jr., Jaguars

Jauan Jennings, 49ers

Jennings hasn’t popped for many monster weeks, but he’s been very consistent lately with stat lines of 4-41-1, 6-71-1, 4-54-0, 5-41-1 and 4-39-1 over his last five outings.

While the touchdowns are doing some of the heavy lifting there, he was also producing in some tougher matchups.

Now, Jennings gets one of the easiest fantasy playoff schedules with the Titans, Colts and Bears defenses, which are all among the top-10 for fantasy points given up to wideouts.

We’ve seen Jennings get really hot for short stretches in the past and he’s set up to do it again at the most important time on the fantasy calendar.

Other WR risers: Jakobi Meyers, Jaguars

Harold Fannin Jr., Browns

Even though I’ve written and spoken about Fannin constantly this season, including in this week’s waiver wire column, the rookie is still available in 42% of Yahoo leagues.

That seems off for a player who’s the TE11 in fantasy points per game this year and has been the fourth-highest scoring player at his position over the past three weeks.

That rise in fantasy production matches up with an increase in playing time as teammate David Njoku battled through injuries. The veteran left with a knee issue last Sunday, which could cost him time.

If that happens, you can expect Shedeur Sanders to continue keying in on Fannin. The pair combined for 11 targets in Week 14 alone, connecting on eight of them for 114 yards and a score.

Not only am I starting Fannin as a TE1 in the fantasy playoffs, but I see top-five upside the rest of the way.

Other TE risers: Jake Ferguson, Cowboys

FallersJustin Herbert, Chargers

It was impressive to see Herbert suit up on Monday night, despite having surgery on his non-throwing hand earlier in the week.

He’s also been playing behind a banged-up offensive line that’s lost both its star tackles. While his presence helped the Chargers get a win, Herbert’s fantasy numbers continue to dwindle.

Herbert hasn’t topped 15 fantasy points in four straight games and he hasn’t finished higher than QB17 during that span. That’s especially surprising considering he ran for 66 yards in his most recent outing.

As a victim of circumstance, it’s hard to trust Herbert in the fantasy playoffs as anything more than a volatile QB2/streamer. Matchups on the road in Kansas City this week and at home versus the Texans in Week 17 are spots to avoid him.

Other QB fallers: Caleb Williams, Bears

RJ Harvey, Broncos

Am I really going to make a case against a player who finished as a top-five fantasy running back each of the last two weeks?

That’s correct.

In his first start before the recent surge, Harvey managed just 50 scoreless scrimmage yards in a tougher spot against the Chiefs.

Despite being set up well versus the Commanders in Week 13, he only amassed 62 yards in an overtime game, but saved his fantasy day thanks to two touchdowns.

There’s no doubt his Week 14 outing against the Raiders was his best performance yet, but again, that was another easy opponent like Washington.

Now the degree of difficulty will be ratcheted up when he has to face the Packers, Jaguars and Chiefs again. Those are all defenses inside the top 10 for fewest fantasy points allowed to running backs.

So, keep your expectations in check for Harvey, who is more of a riskier fantasy RB2 than the high-end RB1 he’s been delivering for the last two weeks.

Other RB fallers: Rico Dowdle, Panthers

Alec Pierce, Colts

Pierce has been a great story this season as a meaningful part of the Colts offense and an upside WR3 for fantasy. However, the loss of Daniel Jones to a season-ending injury completely changes the equation for Pierce moving forward.

With it looking more and more likely that 44-year-old Philip Rivers or unproven Riley Leonard could start for Indy, this passing attack is about to shift dramatically — leaning more on the run game and less on downfield throws where Pierce does his best work.

Overall volume is also in question as the team tries to get by without their starter.

To make matters worse, Pierce gets a Seahawks defense in Week 15 that’s allowing the fourth fewest fantasy points to his position.

Even after a great season so far, Pierce can only be viewed as a boom-or-bust WR4/flex.

Other WR fallers: Khalil Shakir, Bills

Oronde Gadsden II, Chargers

Gadsden’s struggles continued this week with his worst fantasy outing of the season, resulting in just one catch for seven yards on four targets.

That’s the latest in a string of poor performances that have netted him yardage totals of 13, 41 and 27 prior to this outing.

The player we were teased with from Week 6 to Week 9, who averaged the third-most fantasy points among tight ends during that month, is no longer around.

Instead, he’s been replaced with a minor contributor in a deflated passing attack.

The rookie has gone from weekly TE1 to low-end TE2/streamer. He doesn’t even have an easy matchup that we can target in fantasy playoffs.

The future is promising for Gadsden, but don’t expect much from him for the remainder of the 2025 fantasy campaign.

Other TE fallers: Hunter Henry, Patriots

Rest-of-season rankings for the fantasy playoffs

Fantasy Football Rankings: Risers and fallers ahead of the first round of the playoffs

Tags: