Over the last couple of days, we posted team-by-team looks at the four participants in the conference championship games coming up on Sunday. Now's the time to put all the players together and see how the rankings shake out.
Not surprisingly, if you read the text, the Saints grade out most favorably. They're at home and favored, they're facing a defense that was statistically soft against both the run and the pass, and they're playing indoors. Put their game in Kansas City this weekend and move that one into a domed stadium, and things would look quite different. But these are the games we have.
Three of the top 6 players are Saints: Drew Brees, Michael Thomas and Alvin Kamara. If you're playing in a PPR format, Thomas looks like the week's top player.
Some minor tweaking has occurred since the initial postings. Most notably, Rob Gronkowski looked a little high, given that he's a washed-up fossil creaking about the field. His projection has been ratcheted down some, with those numbers being assigned to other players.
Standard rankings in the first table; PPR in the second. Feel free to let me know where you think the rankings are off, and we can discuss between now and Sunday.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RANKINGS (STANDARD SCORING) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pos | Player | Team | Pass | Rec | Run | Total | TD | Points |
QB | Drew Brees | NO | 304 | 0 | 3 | 306 | 2.65 | 26.6 |
QB | Patrick Mahomes | KC | 277 | 0 | 17 | 294 | 2.3 | 24.9 |
QB | Tom Brady | NE | 257 | 0 | 1 | 259 | 1.83 | 20.5 |
QB | Jared Goff | LAR | 267 | 0 | 8 | 275 | 1.55 | 20.4 |
RB | Alvin Kamara | NO | 0 | 43 | 65 | 108 | 1.06 | 17.2 |
WR | Michael Thomas | NO | 0 | 121 | 0 | 121 | 0.81 | 17.0 |
RB | Todd Gurley | LAR | 0 | 38 | 69 | 107 | 0.99 | 16.6 |
RB | Damien Williams | KC | 0 | 45 | 60 | 105 | 0.9 | 15.8 |
WR | Tyreek Hill | KC | 0 | 95 | 7 | 103 | 0.67 | 14.3 |
RB | Sony Michel | NE | 0 | 5 | 92 | 98 | 0.69 | 13.9 |
WR | Julian Edelman | NE | 0 | 75 | 3 | 78 | 0.51 | 10.9 |
RB | Mark Ingram | NO | 0 | 19 | 49 | 67 | 0.59 | 10.3 |
RB | James White | NE | 0 | 42 | 20 | 62 | 0.48 | 9.0 |
WR | Robert Woods | LAR | 0 | 68 | 1 | 69 | 0.3 | 8.7 |
PK | Wil Lutz | NO | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.7 |
TE | Travis Kelce | KC | 0 | 53 | 0 | 53 | 0.56 | 8.7 |
WR | Brandin Cooks | LAR | 0 | 65 | 3 | 67 | 0.3 | 8.5 |
PK | Harrison Butker | KC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.0 |
WR | Ted Ginn | NO | 0 | 53 | 0 | 53 | 0.41 | 7.7 |
RB | C.J. Anderson | LAR | 0 | 3 | 49 | 52 | 0.38 | 7.5 |
D/ST | Kansas City | KC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.20 | 7.0 |
PK | Stephen Gostkowski | NE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 6.9 |
TE | Rob Gronkowski | NE | 0 | 46 | 0 | 46 | 0.35 | 6.5 |
PK | Greg Zuerlein | LAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.5 |
D/ST | New England | NE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.18 | 6.5 |
WR | Sammy Watkins | KC | 0 | 50 | 0 | 50 | 0.22 | 6.3 |
D/ST | New Orleans | NO | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.15 | 6.3 |
WR | Josh Reynolds | LAR | 0 | 42 | 0 | 42 | 0.28 | 5.9 |
WR | Phillip Dorsett | NE | 0 | 40 | 0 | 40 | 0.20 | 5.1 |
WR | Chris Hogan | NE | 0 | 30 | 0 | 30 | 0.22 | 4.4 |
D/ST | Los Angeles | LAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.12 | 4.2 |
TE | Gerald Everett | LAR | 0 | 27 | 0 | 27 | 0.2 | 3.9 |
RB | Spencer Ware | KC | 0 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 0.21 | 3.7 |
TE | Benjamin Watson | NO | 0 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 0.3 | 3.6 |
RB | Rex Burkhead | NE | 0 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 0.18 | 3.4 |
TE | Tyler Higbee | LAR | 0 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 0.11 | 3.1 |
WR | TreQuan Smith | NO | 0 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0.19 | 2.7 |
WR | Cordarrelle Patterson | NE | 0 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 0.15 | 2.7 |
WR | Keith Kirkwood | NO | 0 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0.16 | 2.2 |
RB | James Develin | NE | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.26 | 1.8 |
QB | Taysom Hill | NO | 6 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 0.05 | 1.7 |
WR | Chris Conley | KC | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0.11 | 1.5 |
WR | DeMarcus Robinson | KC | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0.15 | 1.5 |
RB | Zach Line | NO | 0 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0.12 | 1.4 |
TE | Josh Hill | NO | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0.08 | 1.4 |
TE | Demetrius Harris | KC | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0.09 | 1.1 |
RB | Darrel Williams | KC | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0.06 | 0.9 |
WR | Tommylee Lewis | NO | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0.04 | 0.7 |
RB | Anthony Sherman | KC | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0.04 | 0.7 |
WR | KhaDarel Hodge | LAR | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.02 | 0.4 |
WR | Gehrig Dieter | KC | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.02 | 0.4 |
TE | Dwayne Allen | NE | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.02 | 0.4 |
QB | Teddy Bridgewater | NO | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.3 |
QB | Brian Hoyer | NE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 | 0.2 |
QB | Sean Mannion | LAR | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.2 |
WR | JoJo Natson | LAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.03 | 0.2 |
QB | Chad Henne | KC | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0.2 |
TE | Johnny Mundt | LAR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.01 | 0.1 |
RB | John Kelly | LAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.1 |
RB | Justin Davis | LAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.1 |
WR | Marcus Kemp | KC | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.01 | 0.1 |
RB | Charcandrick West | KC | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.1 |
WR | Matthew Slater | NE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.0 |
In table below, players get a point per reception. Defenses, incidentally, are scored based on 1 point for sacks, 2 for takeaways, and 6 for touchdowns.
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME RANKINGS (PPR SCORING) | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pos | Player | Team | Pass | Rec | Run | Total | TD | Points |
WR | Michael Thomas | NO | 0 | 121 | 0 | 121 | 0.81 | 27.6 |
QB | Drew Brees | NO | 304 | 0 | 3 | 306 | 2.65 | 26.6 |
QB | Patrick Mahomes | KC | 277 | 0 | 17 | 294 | 2.30 | 24.9 |
RB | Damien Williams | KC | 0 | 45 | 60 | 105 | 0.90 | 22.2 |
RB | Alvin Kamara | NO | 0 | 43 | 65 | 108 | 1.06 | 22.2 |
QB | Tom Brady | NE | 257 | 0 | 1 | 259 | 1.83 | 20.5 |
QB | Jared Goff | LAR | 267 | 0 | 8 | 275 | 1.55 | 20.4 |
WR | Tyreek Hill | KC | 0 | 95 | 7 | 103 | 0.67 | 20.2 |
RB | Todd Gurley | LAR | 0 | 38 | 69 | 107 | 0.99 | 19.8 |
WR | Julian Edelman | NE | 0 | 75 | 3 | 78 | 0.51 | 17.5 |
RB | Sony Michel | NE | 0 | 5 | 92 | 98 | 0.69 | 14.6 |
RB | James White | NE | 0 | 42 | 20 | 62 | 0.48 | 13.9 |
WR | Robert Woods | LAR | 0 | 68 | 1 | 69 | 0.30 | 13.5 |
WR | Brandin Cooks | LAR | 0 | 65 | 3 | 67 | 0.30 | 12.9 |
TE | Travis Kelce | KC | 0 | 53 | 0 | 53 | 0.56 | 12.8 |
RB | Mark Ingram | NO | 0 | 19 | 49 | 67 | 0.59 | 12.6 |
WR | Ted Ginn | NO | 0 | 53 | 0 | 53 | 0.41 | 11.8 |
WR | Sammy Watkins | KC | 0 | 50 | 0 | 50 | 0.22 | 10.2 |
TE | Rob Gronkowski | NE | 0 | 46 | 0 | 46 | 0.35 | 9.9 |
WR | Josh Reynolds | LAR | 0 | 42 | 0 | 42 | 0.28 | 9.0 |
RB | C.J. Anderson | LAR | 0 | 3 | 49 | 52 | 0.38 | 8.7 |
PK | Wil Lutz | NO | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 8.7 |
WR | Phillip Dorsett | NE | 0 | 40 | 0 | 40 | 0.20 | 8.6 |
PK | Harrison Butker | KC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 8.0 |
WR | Chris Hogan | NE | 0 | 30 | 0 | 30 | 0.22 | 7.0 |
D/ST | Kansas City | KC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.20 | 7.0 |
PK | Stephen Gostkowski | NE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 6.9 |
PK | Greg Zuerlein | LAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 6.5 |
D/ST | New England | NE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.18 | 6.5 |
TE | Gerald Everett | LAR | 0 | 27 | 0 | 27 | 0.20 | 6.4 |
D/ST | New Orleans | NO | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.15 | 6.3 |
TE | Benjamin Watson | NO | 0 | 19 | 0 | 19 | 0.30 | 5.3 |
TE | Tyler Higbee | LAR | 0 | 24 | 0 | 24 | 0.11 | 5.1 |
QB | Taysom Hill | NO | 6 | 3 | 6 | 16 | 0.05 | 4.8 |
RB | Spencer Ware | KC | 0 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 0.21 | 4.6 |
RB | Rex Burkhead | NE | 0 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 0.18 | 4.3 |
D/ST | Los Angeles | LAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.12 | 4.2 |
WR | TreQuan Smith | NO | 0 | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0.19 | 3.7 |
WR | Cordarrelle Patterson | NE | 0 | 10 | 6 | 16 | 0.15 | 3.5 |
WR | Keith Kirkwood | NO | 0 | 12 | 0 | 12 | 0.16 | 3.0 |
RB | Zach Line | NO | 0 | 6 | 1 | 7 | 0.12 | 2.6 |
WR | Chris Conley | KC | 0 | 8 | 0 | 8 | 0.11 | 2.3 |
TE | Josh Hill | NO | 0 | 9 | 0 | 9 | 0.08 | 2.2 |
RB | James Develin | NE | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0.26 | 2.0 |
WR | DeMarcus Robinson | KC | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0.15 | 1.9 |
TE | Demetrius Harris | KC | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0.09 | 1.5 |
RB | Anthony Sherman | KC | 0 | 4 | 0 | 5 | 0.04 | 1.2 |
RB | Darrel Williams | KC | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0.06 | 1.0 |
WR | Tommylee Lewis | NO | 0 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 0.04 | 0.9 |
TE | Dwayne Allen | NE | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.02 | 0.7 |
WR | Gehrig Dieter | KC | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.02 | 0.6 |
WR | KhaDarel Hodge | LAR | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0.02 | 0.6 |
QB | Teddy Bridgewater | NO | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 | 0.3 |
TE | Johnny Mundt | LAR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.01 | 0.2 |
QB | Brian Hoyer | NE | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 | 0.2 |
QB | Chad Henne | KC | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 | 0.2 |
WR | Marcus Kemp | KC | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.01 | 0.2 |
QB | Sean Mannion | LAR | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0.00 | 0.2 |
WR | JoJo Natson | LAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.03 | 0.2 |
RB | John Kelly | LAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 0.1 |
RB | Charcandrick West | KC | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0.00 | 0.1 |
RB | Justin Davis | LAR | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.1 |
WR | Matthew Slater | NE | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.00 | 0.1 |
--Andy Richardson