The NFL regular season has come to a close and the playoffs are set. In the AFC, it’s the Patriots, Broncos, Steelers, Colts, Bengals and Ravens. The NFC teams to make the playoffs are the Seahawks, Packers, Cowboys, Panthers, Cardinals and Lions. Each of those teams have key players who have been instrumental in helping them reach the postseason, but who are the top 25 players set to take part in the playoffs?
25. A.J. Green WR Cincinnati Bengals
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25. A.J. Green WR Cincinnati Bengals
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He finished with 1,041 receiving yards (20th) and 69 receptions (tied for 34th) with six TDs (tied for 29th). He may not have had his best season and he’s going through concussion protocol right now, which leaves his status for the Wild Card game in doubt. But Green is still a receiver defenses have to game plan for, and he can make any catch. The Bengals and their fans hope that Green is ready to go on Sunday against the Colts.
24. Patrick Peterson CB Arizona Cardinals
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24. Patrick Peterson CB Arizona Cardinals
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He finished the regular season with three INTs and 50 combined tackles. His season may have not started off all that great, but Peterson turned things around and began playing some really excellent football. With all of the injuries to their QBs and not knowing if Drew Stanton’s knee will allow him to play, the Cardinals will lean on their defense and Peterson a lot in the playoffs.
23. T.Y. Hilton WR Indianapolis Colts
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23. T.Y. Hilton WR Indianapolis Colts
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Hilton made fantasy owners and Colts fans very happy for most of the 2014 regular season. He finished with 1,345 receiving yards (6th) on 82 receptions (21st) and seven TDs (tied for 25th). He suffered a late-season injury which hurt his numbers and only played in the first-half of the Colts Week 17 game, but he is undoubtedly QB Andrew Luck’s favorite target. Indy is happy Hilton will be 100 percent for the Colts’ Wild Card game.
22. Joe Flacco QB Baltimore Ravens
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22. Joe Flacco QB Baltimore Ravens
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Flacco didn't finish the regular season in the top 10 in some important categories — throwing for 3,986 yards (12th) with 27 TDs (12th) and 12 INTs and finishing with a completion percentage of 62.0 (22nd) and a QB rating of 90.9 (16th). But Flacco has a cannon of an arm, and he can make all of the throws. He knows what it takes to win a Super Bowl and is more than capable of getting hot for a playoff run.
21. Randall Cobb WR Green Bay Packers
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21. Randall Cobb WR Green Bay Packers
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Cobb was QB Aaron Rodgers’ second favorite target in 2014, and he finished the regular season with 12 receiving TDs (4th) and 1,287 yards (11th) on 91 receptions (tied for 9th). He is a receiver opposing defenses know they have to work to stop. Rodgers will certainly be looking for Cobb a lot in the playoffs.
20. Richard Sherman CB Seattle Seahawks
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20. Richard Sherman CB Seattle Seahawks
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Sherman, who is highly entertaining, finished the 2014 regular season with four INTs (tied for 8th) and 57 combined tackles. There were some games this season where opposing QBs didn’t even bother throwing to Sherman’s side of the field. Having a CB as talented as that can be a real advantage in the playoffs.
19. Greg Olsen TE Carolina Panthers
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19. Greg Olsen TE Carolina Panthers
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Olsen is one of the best TEs in the NFL, even if he doesn’t always receive the recognition he may deserve. He finished the regular season with 1,008 receiving yards (21st overall, 2nd for TEs), 84 receptions (tied for 17th overall, 3rd for TEs) and six TDs (tied for 29th overall, 7th for TEs). QB Cam Newton will probably lean heavily on Olsen in the Panthers’ Wild Card game.
18. Russell Wilson QB Seattle Seahawks
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18. Russell Wilson QB Seattle Seahawks
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Wilson threw for 3,475 yards with 20 TDs (16th) and seven INTs with a completion percentage of 63.1 (20th). He finished the 2014 regular season with a QB rating of 95.0 (10th). Wilson’s numbers may not be as impressive as some other QBs in the NFL, but he is an extremely talented player. Wilson knows what it takes to win games and the Super Bowl, and he is extremely adept at taking care of the football.
17. Von Miller LB Denver Broncos
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17. Von Miller LB Denver Broncos
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Miller finished the 2014 regular season with 14.0 sacks (6th) and 59 combined tackles. He is a player opposing QBs, head coaches and offensive coordinators know they must game plan for and be aware of. He can disrupt opposing offenses all by himself.
16. Andrew Luck QB Indianapolis Colts
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16. Andrew Luck QB Indianapolis Colts
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Luck, who is one of the best young QBs in the NFL, threw for 4,761 yards (3rd) and 40 TDs (1st) with 16 INTs and a QB rating of 96.5 (7th). He is one of the most intelligent QBs in the league, and what he has been able to do so far in his short NFL career is impressive. But before he can move up any higher he needs to have success in the playoffs.
15. Peyton Manning QB Denver Broncos
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15. Peyton Manning QB Denver Broncos
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Manning threw for 4,727 yards (4th) and 39 TDs (2nd) with 15 INTs in 2014. Those are impressive numbers, but he has had more success in the regular season than in the playoffs and didn’t look all that impressive down the stretch this season. In the final four weeks Manning threw three TDs and six INTs, and he’s also dealing with a hip injury. But Manning has a tremendous amount of talent and intelligence, so he can’t drop out of the top 15.
14. Calvin Johnson WR Detroit Lions
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14. Calvin Johnson WR Detroit Lions
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Megatron may have had only eight TDs (tied for 18th) and 1,077 yards (16th) on 71 receptions (31st) this season, but he is still a marquee receiver in the NFL. Opposing defenses and defensive coordinators know he is the guy on the Lions’ roster they must stop. QB Matthew Stafford knows he can throw into double coverage on any play and Johnson has a great chance at coming down with the football.
13. Glover Quin FS Detroit Lions
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13. Glover Quin FS Detroit Lions
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With other great DBs in the NFL, it was Quin who led the league with seven interceptions this season. He also had 73 combined tackles along with 10 passes defended. Dallas will try to run the ball with Murray a lot against the Lions, but don’t be surprised if Quin comes away with an INT when the Lions visit Dallas.
12. Marshawn Lynch RB Seattle Seahawks
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12. Marshawn Lynch RB Seattle Seahawks
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Lynch may not be great with the media, but he is one of the best RBs in the NFL. He finished the regular season with 1,306 rushing yards (4th) and 13 rushing TDs (tied for 1st). He also averaged 81.6 rushing yards per game (5th). Lynch is incredibly talented at running the football, and this helps to take pressure off of Wilson and the rest of the Seahawks offense.
11. Le’Veon Bell RB Pittsburgh Steelers
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11. Le’Veon Bell RB Pittsburgh Steelers
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Bell was arguably the Steelers’ MVP this season. He finished with 1,361 rushing yards (2nd), averaging 85.1 rushing yards per game (3rd), and he had eight rushing TDs (tied for 8th). He also finished with 854 receiving yards on 83 catches and had three receiving TDs. He would have been ranked even higher, but he hyperextended his knee in Week 17, and it’s not known yet if he’ll be able to play against the Baltimore Ravens in the Wild Card round.
10. Darrelle Revis CB New England Patriots
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10. Darrelle Revis CB New England Patriots
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Even though Revis has only two INTs this season, he may have been the best free agent acquisition this past offseason. Revis is capable of shutting down opposing team’s best receivers or an entire side of the field, so he gives the Patriots more freedom on defense. The Patriots’ secondary has been much improved this season and that is largely due to Revis. When he has his “Revis Island” form, he takes the pressure off the rest of the defense.
9. Demaryius Thomas WR Denver Broncos
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9. Demaryius Thomas WR Denver Broncos
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He finished with 11 TDs (tied for 10th) and 1,619 yards (2nd) with 111 receptions (2nd). Both the yards and receptions were career highs for Thomas. He may have had some drops this season, but he was one of the most dominant receivers in 2014 and finished strong, catching eight passes for 115 yards in Week 17. That was his 10th 100-yard game of the 2014 season, and Manning will certainly be looking his way in the playoffs.
8. Luke Kuechly LB Carolina Panthers
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8. Luke Kuechly LB Carolina Panthers
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Kuechly finished 2014 fourth in the league with 153 combined tackles. He also had 3.0 sacks with 11 passes defended and an interception. The Panthers’ defense may not be as impressive as it was in 2013, but Kuechly is still fantastic. He is one of the best defenders in the NFL and is the most important player on the Panthers’ defense.
7. Jordy Nelson WR Green Bay Packers
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7. Jordy Nelson WR Green Bay Packers
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Nelson was Rodgers’ favorite target in 2014, and he finished with 13 receiving TDs (tied for 2nd) and 1,519 yards (4th) on 98 receptions (7th). Those are impressive numbers, and the receptions and yards are career bests for Nelson. There is zero doubt that Nelson will be pivotal in the playoffs for Green Bay.
6. Antonio Brown WR Pittsburgh Steelers
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6. Antonio Brown WR Pittsburgh Steelers
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Brown had a heck of a season, and he made both Steelers fans and fantasy owners very happy. He finished 2014 with 1,698 receiving yards (1st), 129 receptions (1st) and 13 TDs (tied for 2nd). Leading the NFL in both yards and receptions and finishing second in TDs is incredibly impressive. With Bell’s status in doubt, Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers will most likely need a big game out of Brown when they host the Ravens.
5. Ben Roethlisberger QB Pittsburgh Steelers
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5. Ben Roethlisberger QB Pittsburgh Steelers
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Big Ben threw for 4,952 passing yards (tied for 1st) with 32 TDs (7th) and only nine INTs. His completion percentage 67.1 (3rd) is also impressive as is his QB rating of 103.3. It may be easier to be a QB in the NFL now than it used to be, since defenses are restricted by so many rules, but Roethlisberger was one of the best QBsin the NFL this season and they all benefit from the same rules.
4. DeMarco Murray RB Dallas Cowboys
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4. DeMarco Murray RB Dallas Cowboys
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Murray led the league in rushing yards (1,845), averaging 115.3 yards per game, and he rushed for 13 TDs (tied for 1st). Much of the success the Cowboys enjoyed in the regular season can be attributed to Murray. He allowed Dallas to control the game more than they have in recent years, which took a lot of pressure off of the Cowboys’ defense. QB Tony Romo and the entire team is hoping his left hand holds up in the playoffs.
3. Tom Brady QB New England Patriots
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3. Tom Brady QB New England Patriots
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Brady threw for 4,109 yards (10th) and 33 TDs with only nine INTs and a completion percentage of 64.1. He finished the regular season with a rating of 97.4 (5th). After the Patriots began the season with a 2-2 record, everyone said that Brady was finished. He then went on an incredible roll and was extremely impressive. He put up great numbers without having an incredibly talented receiving corps.
2. Aaron Rodgers QB Green Bay Packers
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2. Aaron Rodgers QB Green Bay Packers
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Rodgers put together a very emphatic case to be named the league’s MVP this season. He threw for 4,381 yards and had 38 TDs to only five INTs, with a completion percentage of 65.6. Every QB would love to have those numbers, and if he is named MVP, it will be well deserved. Rodgers is a huge reason why the Packers were able to finish as the second seed in the NFC. Almost any team would take him as their QB right now.
1. Rob Gronkowski TE New England Patriots
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1. Rob Gronkowski TE New England Patriots
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Gronk finished the season with 1,124 yards (1st among TEs) on 82 receptions (4th among TEs) and 12 receiving TDs (tied for 1st among TEs and tied for 4th overall). He may be the most difficult cover in the NFL because he is too big for most DBs and most LBs are not fast enough. The Patriots’ offense is far more dynamic when he is on the field. Fans of the Patriots are just hoping that he stays healthy for the entire postseason.
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