Best schedules for the fantasy football playoffs

No matter how stacked your fantasy football team may appear on paper, if your players struggle in Weeks 15, 16 and 17, it'll be almost impossible to win a championship. Here are the best fantasy playoff schedules for quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and defenses that could offer the edge that puts you over the top.

Quarterback: Joe Burrow, Cincinnati Bengals

Matchups: vs. Minnesota Vikings (Week 15), at Pittsburgh Steelers (Week 16), at Kansas City Chiefs (Week 17)

While Burrow might not have the rushing upside of Jalen Hurts or Josh Allen to provide a safe floor and high ceiling, he's had exceptional performances in past matchups against two of his upcoming playoff opponents.  

Burrow hasn't faced Minnesota since 2021, but the Vikings' defense presents a favorable scenario, as the unit allowed the seventh-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks last season (308.44). With the Vikings boasting an explosive offense of their own, this may end up being one of the highest-scoring games of the opening round. 

A late-season road trip to Pittsburgh might not seem like ideal circumstances for a shootout, especially if there is inclement weather. However, Burrow proved last season that the Steelers aren't a terrible matchup. Burrow averaged 25.5 fantasy points across two games against Pittsburgh in 2022, which is even more impressive considering he posted a two-touchdown, four-interception outing in Week 1. 

Perhaps most importantly, Burrow is well-positioned to be the top overall performer during championship week. The Bengals will face the Chiefs in a rematch of their 2021 Week 17 clash that saw the teams combine for 65 points and Burrow record 34.8 fantasy points.  

Running back: Derrick Henry, Tennessee Titans

Matchups: vs. Houston Texans (Week 15), vs. Seattle Seahawks (Week 16), at Houston Texans (Week 17) 

The 29-year-old Henry has some injury concerns, though if he can maintain his health throughout the season and guide your team to the playoffs, he could single-handedly deliver a championship. Come the fantasy playoffs, Henry has a pair of matchups against Houston and a clash with Seattle sandwiched between.

Seattle will likely have the better defense of Henry's two opponents, but it still allowed the fourth-most fantasy points to opposing running backs last season (376.5). Although that matchup has the potential to make Henry a top producer at the position for the week, fantasy managers should be ecstatic to see Houston twice on the schedule. 

Over his last five encounters with the Texans, Henry has averaged 203.6 rushing yards and two touchdowns, which equates to 33.8 PPR points per game. There's no reason to believe the All-Pro won't continue his dominance over Houston next time around. 

Wide receiver: Jaylen Waddle, Miami Dolphins

Matchups: vs. New York Jets (Week 15) vs. Dallas Cowboys (Week 16), at Baltimore Ravens (Week 17)

If you're wondering why Miami's No. 1 weapon, Tyreek Hill, isn't the choice here, it's quite simple: defenses will be forced to put their top cornerback to cover him. Even though Hill is typically a matchup-proof talent, he'll have elite defenders Ahmad "Sauce" Gardner, Trevon Diggs and Marlon Humphrey lining up across from him down the stretch. 

Waddle, one of the NFL's most promising young wideouts, has already shown he can be an elite fantasy option alongside Hill, finishing as the WR8 last season. The Alabama product should easily be able to exploit teams' second-best cornerbacks, and he'll likely have more opportunities to put up points, as each opponent has a formidable offense of their own. 

Plus, with two home games to begin the fantasy playoffs, there shouldn't be any concerns about the weather slowing down offenses and, in turn, Waddle's production. Not to mention, Waddle decimated the Ravens' secondary in Week 3 of last season's 42-38 win, racking up 40.1 PPR points. If he achieves just half of that output during championship week, Waddle could be the piece that determines the outcome.

Defense: New Orleans Saints

Matchups: vs. New York Giants (Week 15), at Los Angeles Rams (Week 16), at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Week 17) 

New Orleans, a top-12 fantasy defense last season, will remain a decent streaming option throughout the season. If given the chance, though, consider stashing this unit on your bench in Week 15. In the opening round, the Saints host the Giants, which, despite being a winnable matchup, is a less exciting option to start if quarterback Daniel Jones continues to cut back on turnovers this season. 

Nonetheless, the Saints have been dealt two of the best matchups they could imagine in the second and third rounds, when they will take on the Rams and Buccaneers. According to OddsChecker, both the Rams and Buccaneers' win totals for this season are 6.5 games. If the teams struggle as expected, they'll likely tank for USC's Caleb Williams, making them more inclined to lose to New Orleans.