FanNation weekly fantasy football: Best picks for conference title games
A fantasy owner essentially has to be perfect to win a daily game in conference championship week. With just four teams at our disposal, there are only so many possible combinations available to the fantasy community. Chances are the winner in any format is going to find the one that would beat all others.
• Way-too-early 2015 player rankings | FanNation daily games
Just like last week, it’s important to first decide who you think will win on Sunday. The two teams that end up advancing to the Super Bowl will certainly have a few of the most lucrative fantasy performers on Sunday. You’re limited to one player per team on FanNation, but you definitely want to make sure the two teams you believe will win are represented on your roster. Make your team and then compete directly with me by clicking here, or hit up another available contest on the FanNation platform.
Here’s my Championship Round lineup.
Quarterback: Aaron Rodgers (projected points: 23)
Also considered: Russell Wilson (19)
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Call me crazy, but I think the Packers are going to pull the upset in Seattle and win the NFC Championship. Patriots over Packers was my Super Bowl prediction in the preseason, and I’m sticking with it, especially after seeing Rodgers last week. Despite an obviously injured calf, Rodgers carried the Packers with a second-half performance that will be remembered for a long time if they eventually go on to win their second Super Bowl with him at the helm. The matchup with Seattle is obviously daunting, but Cam Newton had a decent fantasy game in a losing effort last week. Rodgers may not be able to get outside the pocket the way he can when he’s healthy, and Seattle’s defense is in a completely different weight class than the unit Rodgers saw last week, but he’s going to be instrumental in getting the Packers back into the Super Bowl.
Wilson is an attractive option as the starting quarterback on the biggest favorite of the weekend, and he is the cheapest of the four quarterbacks this week. Even though I believe the Packers will win, I came close to going with Wilson here and Eddie Lacy or Randall Cobb at running back or receiver.
Running Back: Dan Herron (projected points: 12)
Also considered: Eddie Lacy (15), Marshawn Lynch (19)
With Rodgers slotted as my quarterback, I knew I’d be going with Rob Gronkowski at wide receiver/tight end. That meant I had to take a Colt or Seahawk here, and Herron won out over Lynch thanks primarily to their projected points. If Herron gets in the end zone once, he’ll easily outpace the 12 points FanNation projects him to score on Sunday. Say what you will about the Colts’ chances in Foxboro, but they’ve been putting up points all season long. The Patriots very well may cover the seven-point spread, and the Colts could still end up scoring somewhere in the neighborhood of 28 points. I’m betting on the Colts offense to help carry Herron to a profit.
Lacy is a decent second option here, but I’d rather go with Rodgers, Jordy Nelson or Cobb if I’m deploying a Packer this weekend. As for Lynch, he’s the highest-priced running back for a reason. He is definitely the best pure fantasy choice on the board, but he has to get two touchdowns or one score and 120 total yards before he can start turning a profit.
Wide Receiver/Tight End: Rob Gronkowski (projected points: 13)
Also considered: Randall Cobb (15), T.Y. Hilton (14)
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With the Patriots my choice to win the AFC, I knew I wanted to get a Patriot in my lineup. The only realistic choices are Tom Brady, Julian Edelman and Gronkowski. That Gronk is actually projected for one fewer point than Edelman made him an easy choice in this spot. I could be talked into Brady at quarterback and a different receiver here, but Gronkowski is a WR1 in a tight end’s body. If he were listed as a receiver, his projection would likely be right up at the top of the list with Nelson’s. Rostering Gronk was the easiest call for my FanNation lineup.
I considered Cobb and Hilton inasmuch as I thought about going with Brady at quarterback. Both receivers are good choices, and are three and four points cheaper, respectively, than Nelson. Hilton was actually my second choice in this spot since I believe the Colts will at least put up a decent amount of points this weekend. Had I gone with Brady, Hilton would have been my receiver.
