by Russ Bliss (11/13/12)


Week 10 is over and by now you're most likely looking ahead to your fantasy playoffs! Knowing the fantasy football rankings for each defense and the amount of fantasy points they allow per game vs. both the run and through the air is important so you not only know which of your players have favorable, or unfavorable matchups, but also it's a great guide to know who to target for acquisition from both your free agent wire, and also from other teams in your league via trades.

Below is a graph showing all 32 NFL teams and their receiving matchups in weeks 14-16. These are usually the fantasy playoffs weeks in most leagues. I have also included off the right, the matchups for weeks 13 and 17 for those whose leagues either start their playoffs early, or end them in the dreaded week 17, when so many teams with important fantasy players have determined their playoff seeding and will likely be resting their players. Some leagues still go thru week 17 despite this and therefore I have included them for you to see how each team's matchup is thru then if yours does.

Now just because a team has very favorable matchups does not mean you should definitely go out and get the QB or WR's from that team. As you can see from the graph, the Rams and Browns own the 3rd and 4th best schedules vs. the pass in weeks 14-16. I certainly wouldn't want to have to be relying on Sam Bradford as my starting QB, or Greg Little as a WR, but it may not be bad to Bradford as a fantasy backup, or as part of a tandem where my team lacks a true stud starting QB. It also means I would really like to have Danny Amendola or Josh Gordon on my roster in case injuries happened.

It also helps identify the buy low candidates that could be great for you when it comes to winning your championship. As you can see, the Eagles face the 30th, 16th, and 31st ranked fantasy pass defenses. Well, Jeremy Maclin and DeSean Jackson haven't been producing much, but they quite possibly could those weeks with those matchups! Target them now for acquisition! Torrey Smith of Baltimore doesn't get nearly the recognition he deserves. With his 3 matchups, he could be the difference maker in your Championship run. Having him as one of your WR's would certainly be better than having Brandon Lloyd, Sidney Rice, or Malcom Floyd (San Diego faces 3 top 10 fantasy pass defenses these 3 weeks).

Now it doesn't mean you trade away a stud like A.J. Green just because he has the second worst matchups those weeks. Green is a stud and can produce his numbers against any team any week. But it does mean you are prepared in case Green gets injured. Having great matchups to play when your studs are injured is a way to make sure you're still in position to win despite not having your best players.

Fantasy Football is about preparation and luck. And good prep puts you in the best position to have good luck. Bad luck will stomp all your good prep into the ground, but that's why there are no sure things in fantasy. But if you've done good prep, and you still lose, at least you know it wasn't because you slacked off.

By examining this list, you'll be able to figure out who you should be trading for, and who you should be avoiding. And remember, this list uses the simple generic formula of 1 point per every 10 receiving yards allowed and 6 points for every rushing TD allowed divided by the number of games each defense has played.

Overall	Receiving matchups	14	15	16	Totals		13	17
1	Philadelphia Eagles
	opponent	TB	CIN	WAS			DAL	NYG
	FP/PG	43.8	33.51	44.51	121.82		28.66	37.82
	Rank	30	16	31	77		4	25
2	Baltimore Ravens
	opponent	WAS	DEN	NYG			PIT	CIN
	FP/PG	44.51	34.81	37.82	117.14		25.4	33.51
	Rank	31	19	25	75		1	16
3	St. Louis Rams
	opponent	BUF	MIN	TB			SF	SEA
	FP/PG	37.97	34.94	43.8	116.71		26.32	26.75
	Rank	27	20	30	77		2	3
4	Cleveland Browns
	opponent	KC	WAS	DEN			OAK	PIT
	FP/PG	34.52	44.51	34.81	113.84		37.89	25.4
	Rank	18	31	19	68		26	1
5	Houston Texans
	opponent	NE	IND	MIN			TEN	IND
	FP/PG	42.48	34.37	34.94	111.79		39.61	34.37
	Rank	29	17	20	66		28	17
6	Tampa Bay Buccaneers
	opponent	PHI	NO	STL			DEN	ATL
	FP/PG	32.91	44.91	32.78	110.6		34.81	32.36
	Rank	15	32	14	61		19	12
7	New Orleans Saints
	opponent	NYG	TB	DAL			ATL	CAR
	FP/PG	37.82	43.8	28.66	110.28		32.36	31.93
	Rank	25	30	4	59		12	10
8	New York Giants
	opponent	NO	ATL	BAL			WAS	PHI
	FP/PG	44.91	32.36	32.36	109.63		44.51	32.91
	Rank	32	12	12	56		31	15
9	Jacksonville Jaguars
	opponent	NYJ	MIA	NE			BUF	TEN
	FP/PG	29.3	37.51	42.48	109.29		37.97	39.61
	Rank	6	24	29	59		27	28
10	Kansas City Chiefs
	opponent	CLE	OAK	IND			CAR	DEN
	FP/PG	36.58	37.89	34.37	108.84		31.93	34.81
	Rank	23	26	17	66		10	19
11	Denver Broncos
	opponent	OAK	BAL	CLE			TB	KC
	FP/PG	37.89	32.36	36.58	106.83		43.8	34.52
	Rank	26	12	23	61		30	18
12	San Francisco 49ers
	opponent	MIA	NE	SEA			STL	AZ
	FP/PG	37.51	42.48	26.75	106.74		32.78	29.99
	Rank	24	29	3	56		14	8
13	New York Jets
	opponent	JAC	TEN	SD			AZ	BUF
	FP/PG	31.67	39.61	35.07	106.35		29.99	37.97
	Rank	9	28	21	58		8	27
14	Carolina Panthers
	opponent	ATL	SD	OAK			KC	NO
	FP/PG	32.36	35.07	37.89	105.32		34.52	44.91
	Rank	12	21	26	59		18	32
15	Indianapolis Colts
	opponent	TEN	HOU	KC			DET	HOU
	FP/PG	39.61	29.84	34.52	103.97		32.12	29.84
	Rank	28	7	18	53		11	7
16	Dallas Cowboys
	opponent	CIN	PIT	NO			PHI	WAS
	FP/PG	33.51	25.4	44.91	103.82		32.91	44.51
	Rank	16	1	32	49		15	31
17	Atlanta Falcons
	opponent	CAR	NYG	DET			NO	TB
	FP/PG	31.93	37.82	32.12	101.87		44.91	43.8
	Rank	10	25	11	46		32	30
18	Washington Redskins
	opponent	BAL	CLE	PHI			NYG	DAL
	FP/PG	32.36	36.58	32.91	101.85		37.82	28.66
	Rank	12	23	15	50		25	4
19	Oakland Raiders
	opponent	DEN	KC	CAR			CLE	SD
	FP/PG	34.81	34.52	31.93	101.26		36.58	35.07
	Rank	19	18	10	47		23	21
20	Green Bay Packers
	opponent	DET	CHI	TEN			MIN	MIN
	FP/PG	32.12	28.86	39.61	100.59		34.94	34.94
	Rank	11	5	28	44		20	20
21	Chicago Bears
	opponent	MIN	GB	AZ			SEA	DET
	FP/PG	34.94	35.27	29.99	100.2		26.75	32.12
	Rank	20	22	8	50		3	11
22	Tennessee Titans
	opponent	IND	NYJ	GB			HOU	JAC
	FP/PG	34.37	29.3	35.27	98.94		29.84	31.67
	Rank	17	6	22	45		7	9
23	Detroit Lions
	opponent	GB	AZ	ATL			IND	CHI
	FP/PG	35.27	29.99	32.36	97.62		34.37	28.86
	Rank	22	8	12	42		17	5
24	Pittsburgh Steelers
	opponent	SD	DAL	CIN			BAL	CLE
	FP/PG	35.07	28.66	33.51	97.24		32.36	36.58
	Rank	21	4	16	41		12	23
25	Buffalo Bills
	opponent	STL	SEA	MIA			JAC	NYJ
	FP/PG	32.78	26.75	37.51	97.04		31.67	29.3
	Rank	14	3	24	41		9	6
26	Miami Dolphins
	opponent	SF	JAC	BUF			NE	NE
	FP/PG	26.32	31.67	37.97	95.96		42.48	42.48
	Rank	2	9	27	38		29	29
27	Seattle Seahawks
	opponent	AZ	BUF	SF			CHI	STL
	FP/PG	29.99	37.97	26.32	94.28		28.86	32.78
	Rank	8	27	2	37		5	14
28	Minnesota Vikings
	opponent	CHI	STL	HOU			GB	GB
	FP/PG	28.86	32.78	29.84	91.48		35.27	35.27
	Rank	5	14	7	26		22	22
29	New England Patriots
	opponent	HOU	SF	JAC			MIA	MIA
	FP/PG	29.84	26.32	31.67	87.83		37.51	37.51
	Rank	7	2	9	18		24	24
30	Arizona Cardinals
	opponent	SEA	DET	CHI			NYJ	SF
	FP/PG	26.75	32.12	28.86	87.73		29.3	26.32
	Rank	3	11	5	19		6	2
31	Cincinnati Bengals
	opponent	DAL	PHI	PIT			SD	BAL
	FP/PG	28.66	32.91	25.4	86.97		35.07	32.36
	Rank	4	15	1	20		21	12
32	San Diego Chargers
	opponent	PIT	CAR	NYJ			CIN	OAK
	FP/PG	25.4	31.93	29.3	86.63		33.51	37.89
	Rank	1	10	6	17		16	26