The second season is here, with way fewer players and way fewer choices. We previewed all the games in the Playoff Weekly, and there haven't been many developments since then. But I'll take quick look at all four games, and discuss some of the postseason challenges I'm participating in, as well.

I participate in two big national challenges, both the type where you set your entire roster before the playoffs start -- so, deadline of 4:30 Eastern time today. One is the FFPC ($200) entry, or there's a cheaper, Footballguys-sponsored ($35) version of the same game.

In this competition, you set your entire playoff lineup, 10 starters, where you're only allowed 1 player from each team, and then see how it performs over the next four weeks. By definition, you'll lose at lost two starters the first week (since there will be only eight teams left after Sunday), four more the next week, etc. If you have Lamar Jackson, you can't have any other Raven or any other quarterback.

I've done this twice in the past and never done particularly well. For one thing, you better have teams that will play three games in good spots in your lineup, and even better if you latch onto a four-game player. It's a tough game.

The other one I do is the RealTime Fantasy Sports playoff challenge. In this you pick a 14-player roster before the start of the playoffs and build an 8-player lineup out of it each week. You can set a lineup each week during the playoffs, but you are limited to those 14 players you chose initially. So there's a lot of strategy: you want to have some players going this week, but not so many that you have a lot of dead roster spots in the last couple of weeks. I (and I suspect many others) have a few Saints to get me some points this week, and I feel good about their chances of playing three games -- winning this week for sure, winning in Green Bay next week maybe. If those things happen, that's as many games as it's possible for the Ravens and 49ers to play even if they lose in the Championship game.

This one I won my league a few years back; it was the year of the Broncos-Panthers Super Bowl, and I had C.J. Anderson and a couple of Panthers on my roster, while I think most expected the Patriots to get there.

In addition to these games, I do a couple of smaller, friendly competitions, one where you pick a starting lineup each week but can only use each player once. So a good week to use Seahawks or Vikings players, if you think they'll put up good numbers this week but not advance. If you're confident the Saints will win, you don't want to waste Michael Thomas or Alvin Kamara this week; better to use them down the road.

OK, on to the games.

Bills at Texans: If Houston is tired of always getting put in the lame, early Saturday spot, they could maybe get out of it by not generally playing like garbage in these games. They got dominated by the Colts last year and the Alex Smith-led Kansas City team three years ago. And although I am a big believer in Deshaun Watson, I like the Bills to win this game. Better defense. Road tested, with convincing late-season wins in Dallas and Pittsburgh (granted those teams ultimately weren't that good) and a narrow loss in New England. Well coached. Facing a suspect defense, that's bringing J.J. Watt back from a pectoral injury after just two months, but I can't help thinking there's a decent chance he'll aggravate it and leave early.

Josh Allen, John Brown and Cole Beasley all look like viable players to me this week. Maybe Devin Singletary, but Allen scores almost all the rushing touchdowns, hurting his appeal. For Houston, I won't touch Will Fuller (gametime decision, but I see Ian Rapoport is guessing he won't play, for what that's worth), and am cool on the running back committee. DeAndre Hopkins and Watson will probably play some pitch and catch; Hopkins I'm using, Watson I like less than Allen (because of the tougher matchup). I'm going with a Buffalo 24, Houston 20 score.

Titans at Patriots: Like Ian, I find this the most compelling of the games (and probably so does the league, which is why it's on Saturday night). Team that's playing the best right now matched up with the league bully for most of the last two freaking decades. Would love to see the rest of the playoffs occur without any threat of New England somehow sneaking into the Super Bowl like they did a year ago. I'm just not confident it will happen, because Belichick and Brady are like a vampire you've got to kill and then cut the head off and fill its mouth with garlic and all that unpleasantness.

Back to the game. I'm so unsure who's going to win this game that I'm wary of using players from either team. If I take some Titans, and they win, I can' use them again. Or if I take their better players and they lose, I only get the one game out of them. Tricky stuff. I do, at least, like them getting the 5 points. I think that's primarily because of the national vote for New England, based on them nearly always outclassing some poor team that limps into Foxborough in its first playoff game. Thing is the Titans aren't limping but soaring, and maybe they can punch Derrick Henry into the line some 20 times and ultimately soften up this defense and win. New England will pull out all the stops with trick plays and clever formations and all that. I think we'll see more James White and Rex Burkhead on the field than Sony Michel, and lots of Julian Edelman. Will Tannehill, Henry and A.J. Brown be enough? Sure. I'll take Tennessee 27, New England 26. Maybe some wishful thinking at work, though. I'd bet money on Tennessee covering the spread, but not winning.

Vikings at Saints:It seems just about impossible that the Saints lose this week. They were a little unfortunate to even be playing in this game, rather than sitting on their couches with a bye, while the Vikings didn't much look like a playoff team down the stretch. Dalvin Cook is presumably healthy, at least, but Kirk Cousins was more off than on late in the season, Adam Thielen's last good game was in October or something, and Minnesota's strongest element, its defense, probably won't have much luck stopping Drew Brees and company at the SuperDome. Trick in these use-players-only-once type of competitions is do you use your Saints here, or wait? I've decide to use certain guys who I figure this will be their best matchup. Saints defense and Wil Lutz, for example -- I'd rather use them here than at Green Bay next week. And I'm considering Drew Brees, as this might be his only home game in the playoffs. Although no one can really say they'd be shocked if Seattle wins this week and also in San Francisco, because they've done it, and suddenly the Saints could be in position to host the NFC Championship Game.

Anyhoo. I'm using Dalvin Cook, because he'll be the focal point of the offense and he's too good a player not to get to use this postseason. And there's some garbage-time value in the Vikings passing game (which should include Cook catching 6-7 passes). But in general I'm thinking New Orleans 31, Minnesota 21.

Seahawks at Eagles: Call this the game of toughness and intangibles. Both teams are dealing with significant injuries at the skill positions. Both teams slipped into the playoffs late with a couple of wild wins and losses. Both teams have the veteran toughness and experience that they're very capable of going into San Francisco and winning -- if they get that first win.

Zach Ertz is apparently going to try and play, or the Eagles are just trying to keep Seattle guessing. Seems to me there's significant health and liability risk in the Eagles putting Ertz on the field, and I'm still of the mindset that they won't. This isn't like putting a guy out there on a gimpy ankle or anything. If he's active, I have a slightly reduced interest in Dallas Goedert. But especially if he's inactive, I think Goedert is the best Eagles pass catcher in this game. Greg Ward is second. And the running backs are third.

The game's essentially a pick em with a low point spread that's gone back and forth. Seattle, running back injuries and all, is probably the better overall team right now, and I think they'll win. But although both teams had suspect defenses for a lot of the season, I view this as a lower-scoring battle, with turnovers and field position probably playing a big role. I'm thinking it's Seattle 23, Philadelphia 20, but I won't pretend great confidence in it.

And that's it. We'll come back Monday and recap. Enjoy the games.

--Andy Richardson