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Here’s a breakdown of playoff fantasy rankings for Super Bowl XLIV.

Quarterbacks
1. Peyton Manning
2. Drew Brees

Running Backs
1. Pierre Thomas
2. Joseph Addai
3. Donald Brown
4. Reggie Bush

Wide Receivers
1. Reggie Wayne
2. Marques Colston
3. Austin Collie
4. Pierre Garcon
5. Devery Henderson
6. Robert Meachem

Tight Ends
1. Dallas Clark
2. Jeremy Shockey
3. David Thomas

Kickers
1. Matt Stover
2. Garrett Hartley

Defenses
1. Indianapolis Colts
2. New Orleans Saints

Here’s a breakdown of playoff  fantasy rankings for the Conference Finals. You can also check out my Conference Finals Picks.

Quarterbacks
1. Drew Brees
2. Brett Favre
3. Peyton Manning
4. Mark Sanchez

Running Backs
1. Adrian Peterson
2. Shonn Greene
3. Joseph Addai
4. Thomas Jones
5. Reggie Bush
6. Pierre Thomas
7. Donald Brown
8. Chester Taylor

Wide Receivers
1.  Sidney Rice
2. Marques Colston
3. Reggie Wayne
4. Austin Collie
5. Devery Henderson
6. Robert Meachem
7. Percy Harvin
8. Pierre Garcon

Tight Ends
1. Dallas Clark
2. Visanthe Shiancoe
3. Dustin Keller
4. Jeremy Shockey

Kickers
1. Garrett Hartley
2. Ryan Longwell
3. Matt Stover
4. Jay Feely

Defenses
1. Indianapolis Colts
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. New York Jets
4. New Orleans Saints

Here’s a breakdown of playoff  fantasy rankings for the divisional round. You can also check out my Divisional Round Picks.

Quarterbacks
1. Kurt Warner
2. Drew Brees
3. Philip Rivers
4. Peyton Manning
5. Tony Romo
6. Brett Favre
7.  Joe Flacco
8. Mark Sanchez

Running Backs
1. Adrian Peterson
2. Ray Rice
3. Thomas Jones
4. Joseph Addai
5. Felix Jones
6. LaDainian Tomlinson
7. Beanie Wells
8. Marion Barber III
9. Willis McGahee
10. Pierre Thomas
11. Tim Hightower
12. Darren Sproles

Wide Receivers
1.Larry Fitzgerald
2. Miles Austin
3. Sidney Rice
4. Marques Colston
5. Reggie Wayne
6. Vincent Jackson
7. Jerricho Cotchery
8. Austin Collie
9. Early Doucet
10. Derrick Mason
11. Roy Williams
12. Steve Breaston

Tight Ends
1. Dallas Clark
2. Antonio Gates
3. Visanthe Shiancoe
4. Jason Witten
5. Dustin Keller

Kickers
1. Nate Kaeding
2. Ryan Longwell
3. Matt Stover
4. Neil Rackers
5. Shaun Suisham

Defenses
1. San Diego Chargers
2. Minnesota Vikings
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Baltimore Ravens
5. Dallas Cowboys
6. New York Jets
7. Arizona Cardinals
8. New Orleans Saints

Here’s a breakdown of fantasy rankings for the Wild Card round. Click here for my complete 2009-10 NFL Playoffs fantasy football rankings.

Quarterbacks
1.  Tom Brady
2.  Donovan McNabb
3.  Aaron Rodgers
4.  Tony Romo
5.  Joe Flacco
6.  Kurt Warner
7.  Carson Palmer
8.  Mark Sanchez

Running Backs
1.  Cedric Benson
2.  Ray Rice
3.  Thomas Jones
4.  LeSean McCoy
5.  Ryan Grant
6.  Marion Barber III
7.  Sammy Morris
8.  Beanie Wells
9.  Brian Westbrook
10.  Tim Hightower
11.  Laurence Maroney
12.  Felix Jones

Wide Receivers
1.  Randy Moss
2.  Larry Fitzgerald
3.  DeSean Jackson
4.  Greg Jennings
5.  Miles Austin
6.  Derrick Mason
7.  Julian Edelman
8.  Donald Driver
9.  Chad Ochocinco
10.  Jeremy Maclin
11.  Roy Williams
12.  Steve Breaston

Tight Ends
1.  Brent Celek
2.  Jermichael Finley
3. Jason Witten
4.  Todd Heap
5.  Benjamin Watson

Kickers
1.  Steven Gostowski
2.  David Akers
3.  Mason Crosby
4.  Shayne Graham
5.  Jay Feely

Defenses
1.  Cincinnati Bengals
2.  Philadelphia Eagles
3.  New England Patriots
4.  Baltimore Ravens
5.  Green Bay Packers
6.  New York Jets
7.  Dallas Cowboys
8.  Green Bay Packers

Before you start to break down the rankings for the playoffs, you need to decide who you think will be in the Super Bowl. I’m predicting a Patriots-Vikings Super Bowl. As I pave their path to the big game, I not how many games I expect each playoff team to play in.

Here’s the breakdown. Click here for Wild Card round rankings.

New England Patriots (4)
Minnesota Vikings (3)
Philadelphia Eagles (3)
Cincinnati Bengals (2)
Green Bay Packers (2)
Indianapolis Colts (2)
Arizona Cardinals (1)
Baltimore Ravens (1)
Dallas Cowboys (1)
New Orleans Saints (1)
New York Jets (1)
San Diego Chargers (1)

Here are my top players per position based on my above playoff projections.

Quarterbacks
1.  Tom Brady
2.  Donovan McNabb
3.  Brett Favre
4.  Peyton Manning
5.  Aaron Rodgers
6.  Carson Palmer
7.  Philip Rivers
8.  Drew Brees
9.  Kurt Warner
10.  Tony Romo
11. Joe Flacco
12.  Mark Sanchez

Running Backs
1.  Adrian Peterson
2.  LeSean McCoy
3.  Sammy Morris
4. Joseph Addai
5.  Ryan Grant
6.  Cedric Benson
7.  Brian Westbrook
8.  Laurence Maroney
9.  LaDainian Tomlinson
10.  Marion Barber III
11.  Ray Rice
12.  Thomas Jones

Wide Recievers
1.  Randy Moss
2.  DeSean Jackson
3.  Sidney Rice
4.  Reggie Wayne
5.  Julian Edelman
6.  Donald Driver
7.  Greg Jennings
8.  Larry Fitzgerald
9.  Chad Ochocinco
10.  Percy Harvin
11.  Jeremy Maclin
12.  Bernard Berrian
13.  Austin Collie
14.  Vincent Jackson
15.  Miles Austin
16.  Marques Colston

Tight Ends
1.  Brent Celek
2.  Visanthe Shiancoe
3.  Dallas Clark
4.  Jermichael Finley
5.  Benjamin Watson
6.  Antonio Gates
7.  Jason Witten
8.  Todd Heap
9.  Jeremy Shockey

Now that my second Super Bowl pick (Carolina) went bust I have to adjust my rankings yet again.

Before you start your playoff rankings you need to figure out how many games you expect each team to play.  I’m going with Baltimore and Philadelphia now in the Super Bowl so here is how my new breakdown goes:

Baltimore – 2
Philadelphia – 2
Arizona – 1
Pittsburgh – 1

Here are my top players per position based on my above playoff projections:

QB
1.  Donovan McNabb – McNabb and Warner are the best QBs remaining.  One of the two will be playing two games.  Since Baltimore-Pittsburgh is no gimme, I like taking a risk by employing one of the NFC QBs.  If you’re right, you’re golden.  If not, just take the other one next week. 
2.  Kurt Warner – See above.
3.  Ben Roethlisberger – This matchup will be a war.  I like Big Ben better this week.  Either way, I’d prefer an NFC QB in the Super Bowl.
4.  Joe Flacco – If he makes it to the Super Bowl, he could have a decent game.  I don’t see big things from him in Pittsburgh though.

RB
1.  Brian Westbrook – Easily the most electric back left in the playoffs.  Gets to face the weakest D (tell that to Carolina though).
2.  Le’Ron McClain – He’s basically here because I think he’ll play twice.  He’ll be a better bet in the Super Bowl if he makes it than this week against Pittsburgh.
3.  Willie Parker – Willie Parker came up huge against San Diego.  Things get tougher for him this week, but with their D, he has a good shot of playing twice.
4.  Edgerrin James – The Cards have turned to the Edge at the right time. 
5.  Tim Hightower – The RB most likely to punch one in next week.
6.  Willis McGahee – The best of the backups.
7.  Correll Buckhalter – If Philly gets up big on Arizona again, he could finish them off.
8.  Gary Russell – Perhaps the second most likely to score a TD.

WR
1.  Larry Fitzgerald – The best receiver remaining by far.  Asante and the Eagles will have their work cut out for them.
2.  Derrick Mason – Flacco sure like Mason.  Why wouldn’t you?
3.  Hines Ward – He is such a complete WR.
4.  DeSean Jackson – Speedy rookie could get deep vs. Cards.
5.  Santonio Holmes – Big, play guy.
6.  Anquan Boldin – If he can go, he’ll bring it.
7.  Mark Clayton – Could get open deep against the Ravens.
8.  Kevin Curtis – Great route runner with sure hands.  McNabb will find him.

Well, my rankings took a nosedive when Indianapolis got knocked out.  I had them pegged for another Super Bowl title.  Instead they got sent packing because they couldn’t stop the little Big Man (Darren Sproles) and/or avoid costly penalties on Defense. 

Before you start your playoff rankings you need to figure out how many games you expect each team to play.  I’m going with Baltimore and Carolina now in the Super Bowl so here is how my new breakdown goes:

Baltimore – 3
Carolina – 3
New York – 2
Pittsburgh – 2
Arizona – 1
Philadelphia – 1
San Diego – 1
Tennessee – 1

Here are my top players per position based on my above playoff projections:

QB
1.  Jake Delhomme2. 
2.  Joe Flacco
3.  Eli Manning
4.  Ben Roethlisberger
5.  Kurt Warner
6.  Donovan McNabb
7.  Philip Rivers
8.  Kerry Collins

RB
1.  DeAngelo Williams
2.  Le’Ron McClain
3.  Brandon Jacobs
4.  Jonathan Stewart
5.  Willie Parker
6.  Brian Westbrook
7.  Derek Ward
8.  LenDale White

WR
1.  Steve Smith
2.  Derrick Mason
3.  Muhsin Muhammad
4.  Hines Ward
5.  Santonio Holmes
6.  Dominik Hixon
7.  Mark Clayton
8.  Larry Fitzgerald

These rankings are for last year’s playoffs. Click here for my 2009 NFL Playoffs fantasy football rankings.

Just because the regular season ended doesn’t mean you can’t keep playing fantasy throughout the playoffs.  Considering that fans of 20 NFL teams are on the outside looking in, why wouldn’t you want to keep rolling?

There is an entirely different strategy when selecting a fantasy team for the playoffs.  You can’t simply select the best players because if their team loses, you’re out a guy.  You have to take a look at the playoffs and decide how many games each team will play.

I am predicting a Indianapolis-Carolina Super Bowl so I’m figuring those teams to play at least four games.  Here is how the teams will break out based on how I see the playoffs going.

Indianapolis – 4
Baltimore – 3
Carolina – 3
Atlanta – 2
New York – 2
Philadelphia – 2
Arizona – 1
Miami – 1
Minnesota - 1
Pittsburgh – 1
San Diego – 1
Tennessee – 1

Here are my top players per position based on my above playoff projections:

QB
1.  Peyton Manning
2.  Jake Delhomme
3.  Donovan McNabb
4.  Joe Flacco
5.  Eli Manning
6.  Matt Ryan

RB
1.  DeAngelo Williams
2.  Joseph Addai
3.  Le’Ron McClain
4.  Michael Turner
5.  Brandon Jacobs
6.  Brian Westbrook
7.  Jonathan Stewart
8.  Dominic Rhodes

WR
1.  Reggie Wayne
2.  Steve Smith
3.  Marvin Harrison
4.  Roddy White
5.  Derrick Mason
6.  Muhsin Muhammad
7.  Anthony Gonzalez
8.  Dominik Hixon
9.  DeSean Jackson
10. Mark Clayton

Obviously your projected playoff picture could look different.  Go ahead and lay out the playoffs to see how many games each team will play.  Remember even if a guy has one huge week, if he’s gone, a guy who plays three games will score more points.  Don’t be afraid to stock up on several guys from the teams you expect in the Super Bowl.