In the latest edition of the Year of the Quarterback (see Part I in this series), the elite tight ends were historically prolific, too.

The top two in the rankings that follow -- the Patriots' Rob Gronkowski and the Saints' Jimmy Graham -- combined for 189 receptions for 2,637 yards and 28 touchdowns in the regular season. The combined totals for Gronkowski and Graham (JimRob Grahamkowski?) were very comparable to the top two receivers below -- Wes Welker and Jordy Nelson, who combined for 190 catches, 2,832 yards and 24 TDs.

As is the case with the quarterbacks, the tight ends have a few no-doubt-about-it choices, followed by a huge gap. After the Packers' Jermichael Finley and the 49ers' Vernon Davis, there is a future Hall of Famer (the Falcons' Tony Gonzalez) who will be lucky if he plays more than one playoff game, followed by the Steelers' No. 3 or 4 receiving option (Heath Miller).

On to the rankings (note that we ranked only one receiver from each team, since most pools only allow you to select one player from each NFL playoff team):

WIDE RECEIVERS
1. Wes Welker, Patriots
2. Jordy Nelson, Packers
3. Marques Colston, Saints
4. Mike Wallace, Steelers
5. Victor Cruz, Giants
6. Roddy White, Falcons
7. Anquan Boldin, Ravens
8. A.J. Green, Bengals
9. Calvin Johnson, Lions
10. Michael Crabtree, 49ers
11. Andre Johnson, Texans
12. Demaryius Thomas, Broncos

TIGHT ENDS
1. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots
2. Jimmy Graham, Saints
3. Jermichael Finley, Packers
4. Vernon Davis, 49ers
5. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons
6. Heath Miller, Steelers
7. Jermaine Gresham, Bengals
8. Brandon Pettigrew, Lions
9. Owen Daniels, Texans
10. Ed Dickson, Ravens
11. Jake Ballard, Giants

More on the tight ends

If we could somehow have the option of choosing a team's tight ends, the Patiots would be a must-have with Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. The latter, if included in the above rankings, would be No. 4, ahead of the 49ers' Davis, after catching 79 passes for 910 yards and seven TDs in the regular season. ... After Gonzalez, I would avoid the other tight ends if at all possible. The Texans' Daniels and the Giants' Ballard have both been limited by a knee injury, and the run-happy Broncos don't even have a tight end worth mentioning.

Notes on the wide receivers

Welker is an easy top choice in point-per-reception formats after racking up 122 catches for 1,569 yards and nine TDs. That is, if you want to select him instead of two of his teammates (Tom Brady or Gronkowski). ... I selected Nelson over stud teammate Greg Jennings because Nelson had 277 yards and five TDs in his last two games, and Jennings missed the Pack's last three contests with a knee injury. He is expected to play next week in the divisional round. If we were ranking more than one receiver on a team, I would put Jennings fourth, behind Colston. ... The Steelers' Wallace also has a very productive teammate at the same position (Antonio Brown, who had 69 catches for 1,108 yards), but Wallace has eight TDs to Brown's two. ... The Falcons' White is a narrow choice over teammate Julio Jones, who has reached the end zone six times in his last four contests. ... The Giants' Cruz had 82 catches for 1,536 yards and nine TDs in the regular season. I'd take him over Hakeem Nicks (76 receptions, 1,192 yards and seven TDs). ... Boldin is expected to play following late-season knee surgery. Teammate Torrey Smith (50 catches, 841 yards and seven TDs) is a tempting choice in his place. ... The great Calvin Johnson is ranked so low because we don't expect him to play more than one game, and the once-great Andre Johnson has been a shell of himself because of a hamstring injury.

PREVIOUS: Quarterbacks and running backs

NOTE: If you're hoping for defense/special teams and kicker rankings, a few words of advice: Fill out the remainder of your lineup, then take the best two options from the remaining five playoff teams. Selecting the best quarterback, running back, wide receiver and tight end combination (usually a total of seven spots) is infinitely more important.

Good luck, and may you follow the wise words of Mike Holmgren: Stay the course.

It was -- for what seems like the third consecutive season -- the Year of the Quarterback.

Drew Brees shattered Dan Marino's single-season record by throwing for 5,476 yards. Tom Brady also handily beat Marino's former mark of 5,084 by throwing for 5,235 yards, and Detroit's Matthew Stafford nearly reached Marino's 1984 record, finishing 46 yards shy.

It only makes sense, then, that if you play in a fantasy playoff league -- one in which you can select no more than one player from each NFL playoff team -- that you have to start with the quarterback.

Unless you believe the Steelers will make another Super Bowl run -- and to do so, they would likely would have to win at Denver, at Baltimore and at New England, in some order (well, we know the order starts with the Tim Tebows on Sunday) -- there are only three choices at QB.

Aaron Rodgers, Brees and Brady.

Take your pick.

We'll go with Rodgers for two reasons: 1. Despite sitting out the regular-season finale (and thus starting the Possibly Irrational Matt Flynn Is Going To Be A Free Agent! Frenzy), he accounted for 48 touchdowns (45 passing and three rushing) -- one more than Brees (46 passing, one rushing) and six more than Brady (39 passing and three rushing). 2. He plays for the team that seems most likely to win it all.

With that in mind, here are our rankings for the quarterbacks and running backs in playoff pools:

QUARTERBACKS
1. Aaron Rodgers, Packers
2. Tom Brady, Patriots
3. Drew Brees, Saints
4. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers
5. Eli Manning, Giants
6. Joe Flacco, Ravens
7. Matt Ryan, Falcons
8. Alex Smith, 49ers
9. Matthew Stafford, Lions
10. Andy Dalton, Bengals
11. Tim Tebow, Broncos
12. T.J. Yates, Texans

RUNNING BACKS
1. Ray Rice, Ravens
2. Darren Sproles, Saints
3. Arian Foster, Texans
4. Frank Gore, 49ers
5. Michael Turner, Falcons
6. Isaac Redman, Steelers
7. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Patriots
8. James Starks, Packers
9. Ahmad Bradshaw, Giants
10. Cedric Benson, Bengals
11. Willis McGahee, Broncos
12. Kevin Smith, Lions

More on the quarterbacks

Roethlisberger is banged up and isn't playing his best, but he does have the chance to play three times, even if the Steelers fall a game short of the Super Bowl. That possibility makes him the only real "sleeper" pick outside the top three. ... Brees is ranked third because of the combination of a second-round game at San Francisco and, should the Saints make it that far, an NFC championship matchup with the Packers at Lambeau. Advantage: Rodgers and Brady. One disadvantage for the latter: The Pats could face the Steelers and Ravens back-to-back, though both games would be at home. ... Stafford has the numbers, but his Lions, who play at New Orleans on Saturday, likely will be one-and-done. ... One outside-the-box candidate, if you believe the Giants can make a run in the NFC: Eli Manning, who finished 67 yards shy of 5,000 and threw for 29 scores.

Notes on the running backs

Rice likely will be the choice at one of the running back spots in the vast majority of playoff leagues. He has the numbers (a combined 2,068 rushing and receiving yards, and 15 TDs), and his team doesn't leave many other viable options aside from its defense and kicker Billy Cundiff. ... Sproles is a tempting choice in any league that awards a point for a reception. He had nine total TDs, rushed for 603 yards and caught 86 passes for 710 yards in the regular season. ... Foster is the best back other than Rice, but he will only play two games if his hobbled team can beat the Bengals on Saturday. ... Gore (1,211 yards rushing, eight TDs) and Turner (1,340 yards, 11 TDs) are the next-best selections. After that, it gets so dicey we ranked Redman No. 6. The latter is the Steelers' replacement for Rashard Mendenhall. You might remember him for fumbling twice against the Browns last week, but he was productive in a backup role prior to those miscues (479 yards, 4.4 yards per carry, three TDs).

NEXT: Wide receivers and tight ends

First, the links:

-- Part I: Rankings of the top quarterbacks and running backs.

-- Part II: Wide receivers and tight ends.

On to the afterthoughts -- the kickers and the defenses/special teams.

KICKERS

1. Matt Bryant, Falcons: 128 points, 8.0 per game, 28 field goals.

2. Shayne Graham, Patriots: 71 points, 8.9 average, 12 field goals.

3. David Akers, Eagles: 143 points, 8.9 average, 32 field goals.

4. Shaun Suisham, Steelers: 61 points, 8.7 average, 14 field goals.

5. Adam Vinatieri, Colts: 129 points, 8.1 average, 26 field goals.

6. Robbie Gould, Bears: 110 points, 6.9 average, 25 field goals.

7. Billy Cundiff, Ravens: 117 points, 7.3 average, 26 field goals.

8. Garrett Hartley, Saints: 100 points, 7.1 average, 20 field goals.

9. Mason Crosby, Packers: 112 points, 7.0 average, 22 field goals.

10. Nick Folk, Jets: 127 points, 7.9 average, 30 field goals.

11. Olindo Mare, Seahawks: 106 points, 6.6 average, 25 field goals.

12. Ryan Succop, Chiefs: 102 points, 6.4 average, 20 field goals.

DEFENSES AND SPECIAL TEAMS

1. Steelers: 14.5 points per game allowed (No.1 in league), 32 turnovers forced.

2. Patriots: No. 8 in points allowed, 36 turnovers forced.

3. Falcons: No. 5 in points allowed, 29 turnovers forced.

4. Ravens: 16.9 points allowed (No. 3), 22 turnovers forced.

5. Bears: No. 4 in points allowed, 33 turnovers forced.

6. Packers: No. 2 in points allowed (15.0), 30 turnovers forced.

7. Saints: No. 7 in points allowed, 23 turnovers forced.

8. Colts: No. 23 in points allowed, 20 turovers forced.

9. Eagles: Tied for 21st in points allowed, 20 turnovers forced.

10. Jets: No. 6 in points allowed, 24 turnovers forced.

11. Chiefs: No. 11 in points allowed, 22 turnovers forced.

12. Seahawks: No. 25 in points allowed, 21 turnovers forced.

If you missed Part I of these rankings -- or if you have no idea what a fantasy playoff pool is -- click here.

Otherwise, it's time for Part II -- the diva section.

WIDE RECEIVERS

1. Roddy White, Falcons: With 115 receptions, 1,389 yards and 10 touchdowns in the regular season, he's the slam-dunk choice. My only concern: If the Eagles and Saints win in Round 1, New Orleans will visit Atlanta in the divisional round, increasing the odds that the top-seeded Falcons could be one-and-done in the postseason.

2. Wes Welker, Patriots: He has had only one game with more than 90 receiving yards this season, but he is the top target for the Super Bowl favorites.

3. Mike Wallace, Steelers: He has 209 yards and two TDs in his last two games, and he averaged 21 yards per catch and scored 10 times in the regular season.

4. Marques Colston, Saints: He sat in Week 17, but is expected to be fine after an 84-catch campaign.

5. Pierre Garcon, Colts: He has five TDs in his last five games and gets the nod over Reggie Wayne because the latter likely will be matched up with Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis on Saturday night.

6. Reggie Wayne, Colts: He had 111 receptions for 1,355 yards and six TDs in the regular season, but Revis has a tendency to crush fantasy hopes faster than Dwayne Bowe.

7. Jeremy Maclin, Eagles: In point-per-reception formats, he is a better play than DeSean Jackson after catching 70 passes and reaching the end zone 10 times in the regular season.

8. DeSean Jackson, Eagles: He had 1,056 yards and six TDs, but caught only 47 passes and tends to be big-play-or-bust.

9. Greg Jennings, Packers: He has better numbers than almost everyone on this list (76 receptions, 1,265 yards and 12 TDs), but if you take him, you better be certain the Pack will win at Philadelphia on Sunday.

10. Anquan Boldin, Cardinals: He's the Ravens' big-play threat, but in his last four regular-season contests, Boldin had eight catches for 67 yards and zero TDs.

The rest: 11. Dwayne Bowe, Chiefs; 12. Deion Branch, Patriots; 13. Lance Moore, Saints; 14. Johnny Knox, Bears; 15. Santonio Holmes, Jets; 16. Braylon Edwards, Jets; 17. Hines Ward, Steelers; 18. Mike Williams, Seahawks.

TIGHT ENDS

1. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons: He had 70 receptions and six TDs in the regular season, but you're probably better served taking Roddy White or Michael Turner as your only Falcon.

2. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots: He had 10 TDs as a rookie (four in his last four games), but has to be overshadowed by teammates Tom Brady, Welker and BenJarvus Green-Ellis.

3. Jacob Tamme, Colts: Because of the top two's teammates, Tamme likely will be many owners' selection at tight end after he racked up 67 catches for 631 yards and four TDs in Indy's last 10 games.

4. Heath Miller, Steelers: A possible sleeper pick after tallying nine catches for 128 yards and a TD in Pittsburgh's final two games.

5. Todd Heap, Ravens: He missed Weeks 14 to 16 with a hamstring injury, but returned to catch three passes for 53 yards last week.

6. Greg Olsen, Bears: He didn't score in the Bears' last five regular-season games, and he had exactly one catch in three of the five contests.

7. Brent Celek, Eagles: He might have been the biggest fantasy bust at his position (42 receptions, 511 yards and four TDs).

8. Dustin Keller, Jets: He has the numbers (55 catches, 687 yards, five TDs), but you would have to be confident of the Jets winning at Indy in the wild-card round.

The rest: 9. John Carlson, Seahawks; 10. Jeremy Shockey, Saints.

Maybe you're like me (if so, I apologize).

Maybe you want to keep the fantasy football season going, even if it ended as wacky as ever and left you questioning if the game is now much more about luck than skill.

If you're not ready for the season to end, you're likely in a playoff pool. If you're not, here is how it works: In standard postseason leagues, you select nine players -- one QB, two running backs, three wide receivers, a tight end, a kicker and a defense/special teams. You can only select one player from each playoff team, which leaves three teams unaccounted for and forces you to decide which teams you think will play two or three postseason games as much as you are deciding which players you prefer at each position.

Once the games start this weekend, the nine players you select accumulate points each time they play. Once their team is out, you obviously get no more points from that slot. The team with the most points from his or her nine players wins.

It sounds simple, and it is. The difficult part is choosing a nine-player team that isn't loaded with Patriots, Steelers and Falcons.

Here is one man's opinion on the top quarterbacks and running backs in playoff pools. We'll break down the best receivers and tight ends later in the week.

QUARTERBACKS

1. Tom Brady, Patriots: He's the obvious choice, which might make you decide to go in a different direction (see Welker, Wes).

2. Michael Vick, Eagles: He had 30 TDs (21 passing, nine rushing) in 12 games and, if the Eagles can beat the Packers at home in the wild-card round, you get at least two games out of him, with a decent chance at three.

3. Drew Brees, Saints: He threw 22 interceptions, but also had 4,620 yards and 33 TDs. The danger: To get more than two games out of Brees, New Orleans would have to win at Seattle, then likely at Atlanta.

4. Peyton Manning, Colts: You know he'll produce, but are you willing to select him as your QB and roll the dice that the Colts will win at Pittsburgh in Round 2?

5. Matt Ryan, Falcons: He has the numbers (3,705, 28 TDs), but Roddy White is the obvious Atlanta pick in leagues that award a point per reception.

6. Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers: He has two Super Bowl rings, but teammates Rashard Mendenhall and Mike Wallace might be the better plays.

7. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: He would be ranked much higher if not for the wild-card road game against Vick's Eagles.

8. Joe Flacco, Ravens: You have to like the Ravens' odds of winning at Kansas City this weekend, but if that's the case, running back Ray Rice is too good to pass up in favor of Flacco.

The rest: 9. Jay Cutler, Bears; 10. Matt Cassel, Chiefs; 11. Mark Sanchez, Jets; 12. Matt Hasselbeck or Charlie Whitehurst, Seahawks.

RUNNING BACKS

1. Ray Rice, Ravens: He ran for 322 yards and reached the end zone three times in Baltimore's last three games. If you can get at least two games from him, he's worth the pick.

2. Rashard Mendenhall, Steelers: He isn't the workhorse he was in Weeks 1-4, when Roethlisberger was suspended, but he finished with 13 rushing TDs (tied for second in the league).

3. Michael Turner, Falcons: He had 12 rushing TDs, and his 1,371 rushing yards are second among playoff backs to Jamaal Charles.

4. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Patriots: He might have been this season's most unlikely 1,000-yard rusher not named LeGarrette Blount, and he tied Mendenhall with 13 TDs. With Brady on his team, he would be a bold -- but potentially rewarding -- selection.

5. LeSean McCoy, Eagles: In PPR leagues, he is an intriguing possibility after rushing for 1,080 yards, catching 78 passes for 592 yards and scoring nine times.

6. Matt Forte, Bears: He has the stats (1,069 rushing yards, 51 catches for 547 yards, nine total TDs), but I'd be nervous about the one-and-done potential with Philadelphia as a possible division round opponent after Chicago's Round 1 bye.

7. Jamaal Charles, Chiefs: If we were going strictly by numbers, Charles would be No. 1 after rushing for 1,467 yards, catching 45 passes for 468 yards and scoring eight times. But do you believe the Chiefs will get by the Ravens?

The rest: 8. Joseph Addai, Colts; 9. LaDainian Tomlinson, Jets; 10. Brandon Jackson, Packers; 11. Marshawn Lynch, Seahawks.

Before we get to Part 3 of this four-part series for those of us who drag the fantasy football season out more than a network television producer, here are the links for the first two posts:

Monday, quarterbacks; Tuesday, running backs. Thursday, we'll rank the tight ends, kickers and defenses/special teams.

WIDE RECEIVERS

15. Anquan Boldin, Cardinals: He'd be ranked higher if a high ankle sprain and a sprained MCL didn't have his status for Sunday's wild-card game against Green Bay in question. The guess here is Boldin will play, but there's also a chance the Cardinals won't make it to the divisional round.

14. Malcom Floyd, Chargers: Yes, he has only 45 catches and one TD, but the fifth-year receiver had nine receptions for 140 yards in the regular-season finale, and he's the No. 2 wideout on a team that is as likely as any outside of Indianapolis and New Orleans to play in February.

13. Donald Driver, Packers: He wasn't at his best down the stretch (14 catches for 185 yards and zero TDs in the last four games), but he reached 70 receptions and 1,000 yards for the sixth straight year and still had better numbers than Greg Jennings.

12. DeSean Jackson, Eagles: If all teams were equal, the speedster who has nine TDs receiving, one rushing and two on punt returns would be in the top three, but Dallas seems to have Philly's number, and if the Eagles are eliminated after one game, Jackson better make it count. He had five catches for 76 yards and no scores in the Eagles' two losses to the Cowboys this season.

11. Robert Meachem, Saints: Like Floyd, his reception (45) and yardage totals (722) are about six games for Andre Johnson, but Meachem has 37 catches and seven TDs in his last nine games, and it doesn't hurt that he should play two games in a dome, possibly followed by the Super Bowl in Miami.

10. Percy Harvin, Vikings: The league's top offensive rookie has 60 catches and 135 rushing yards. The only danger: Would you be surprised if the Vikings lost to the Cowboys next weekend?

9. Greg Jennings, Packers: He gets the nod over Driver due to his six-game production from Weeks 11-16 (541 yards) and his big-play capability. The risk: His team is a wild-card underdog.

8. Austin Collie, Colts: He's Peyton Manning's third or fourth option, but the rookie has 60 catches and seven TDs. And did I mention he has Peyton Manning throwing to him?

7. Randy Moss, Patriots: This might seem too low, but consider these three things: 1. Moss is on a dubious streak of seven straight games with 75 or fewer receiving yards; 2. He doesn't have Wes Welker to take some of the heat off him; 3. Would you really be surprised if the Pats lost to the Ravens?

6. Larry Fitzgerald, Cardinals: His regular-season yardage total (1,092) was much lower than his average of 1,420 from the previous two years, but his 13 TDs were a career high. Again, he's not higher because of the one-and-done risk.

5. Miles Austin, Cowboys: In his last 12 games, he's been as good as anyone (76 receptions for 1,239 yards and 10 TDs). See Fitzgerald for my only concern.

4. Marques Colston, Saints: He tends to be all (20 of his 74 receptions, 385 of his 1,074 yards and four of his nine TDs were in three games) or nothing (six games with three or fewer catches, and as many contests with 46 or fewer yards). The positive: He's the top target on the best offense in the NFC, even if said offense spreads the wealth a little too much for many fantasy owners' liking.

3. Sidney Rice, Vikings: One of the year's most pleasant surprises, this Pro Bowl selection has 83 catches for 1,312 yards and eight TDs, with three of the latter coming in the last two weeks.

2. Vincent Jackson, Chargers: The negative (two TDs in his last eight games) is outweighed by his season stats (1,167 yards and nine scores) and the chance for him to play three postseason games.

1. Reggie Wayne, Colts: Think 100 receptions, 1,264 yards and 10 TDs are impressive? Imagine if he had been allowed to play more than a few quarters in the last two games.

OTHERS TO CONSIDER

Chad Ochocinco, Bengals; Pierre Garcon, Colts; Julian Edelman, Patriots; Derrick Mason, Ravens; Steve Breaston, Cardinals; Devery Henderson, Saints; Jeremy Maclin, Eagles; Bernard Berrian, Vikings; Jerricho Cotchery, Jets; Roy Williams, Cowboys; Braylon Edwards, Jets

Quick slants: Ochocinco doesn't make the top 15 for one reason: Jets cornerback Darrelle Revis, who shut him out Sunday night. ... Mason has impressive stats, but he also has six games with three or fewer catches. ... Henderson's value has plummeted since the emergence of Meachem. The former has 11 catches for 106 yards and zero TDs in his last four games, after catching 40 passes for 698 yards in the first 12. ... Maclin, a promising rookie, hasn't reached the end zone in his last seven contests. ... Garcon, a Mount Union product who had 45 catches for 776 yards in 14 games before resting the last two weeks, is one to watch. ... Edelman, a Kent State product, is a possible sleeper. He had 21 receptions in the three games in which Welker didn't play or exited early, including 10 catches for 103 yards last week. ... Edwards and Cotchery should be considered last resorts for pools in which you draft more than a few receivers.

Fifteen players rushed for 1,000 yards this season -- tying the 2001 campaign for the lowest number of four-figure rushers since 1999.

Of the 15, only five made the postseason (think the game has changed?), which makes choosing the top backs for playoff pools difficult, especially considering four of the five play for teams seeded fourth or lower (Thomas Jones, Ray Rice, Ryan Grant and Cedric Benson) -- making them a risk to be one-and-done.

Before we get to the rankings, here is a link for the top quarterbacks, posted Monday.

RUNNING BACKS

10. Marion Barber, Cowboys: He ran for 932 yards and seven TDs, but didn't score in two games against the Eagles (Dallas' opponent Saturday night) and was outplayed by Felix Jones down the stretch.

9. Beanie Wells, RB, Cardinals: Prior to resting for much of last week's loss to the Packers, the rookie from Ohio State had a three-game stretch in which he tallied 319 total yards and three touchdowns.

8. Cedric Benson, Bengals: He has 1,362 total yards in 13 games, and he has a decent chance to play twice.

7. Thomas Jones, Jets: Between Benson and Jones, one will play in Round 2, and if it's the latter, he could be a threat to have a big game against the Colts. Jones finished third in the NFL with 1,402 yards rushing and had 14 TDs.

6. Ray Rice, Ravens: With 1,339 rushing yards, 78 receptions and 2,041 total yards, he has the best stats of any postseason back who doesn't go by All Day, but the Ravens will be lucky to play more than once in the playoffs. Rice, who has eight TDs, frequently loses goal-line carries to Willis McGahee.

5. Ryan Grant, Packers: He was a disappointment to many fantasy owners until the final four weeks, when he accounted for six of his 11 TDs. Grant was seventh in the league with 1,253 rushing yards.

4. Pierre Thomas, Saints: He failed to top 800 yards on the ground and barely broke a sweat as the Saints went into cruise control the last three games (12 total attempts), but Thomas scored eight times and caught 39 passes. Plus, there's the likelihood he'll play two home games for a team that could advance to the Super Bowl.

3. LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers: With 730 yards, L.T. didn't reach 1,000 for the first time in his nine-year career, but he did have 12 touchdowns -- 11 of which occurred in a nine-game stretch that ended in Week 16.

2. Joseph Addai, Colts: His rushing numbers (828 yards, 3.8 per carry) are less impressive than Jerome "Coach Mangini Held Me Back" Harrison, but Addai did have a TD in 11 of 15 games. He also caught 51 passes.

1. Adrian Peterson, Vikings: His 1,383 rushing yards ranked only fifth, but his 18 TDs on the ground were three more than the next-closest challenger (Maurice Jones-Drew), and Peterson also caught 43 passes (three more than his combined total from his first two seasons).

OTHERS TO CONSIDER

Darren Sproles, Chargers; Reggie Bush, Saints; Felix Jones, Cowboys; LeSean McCoy, Eagles; Mike Bell, Saints; Laurence Maroney, Patriots; Sammy Morris, Patriots; Tim Hightower, Cardinals; Brian Westbrook, Eagles; Donald Brown, Colts; Willis McGahee, Ravens; Shonn Greene, Jets; Fred Taylor, Patriots

Quick slants: Sproles has seven total TDs and 45 catches. ... Good luck finding a consistent back among the Patriots' three-headed monster of confusion. Maroney was the best of the bunch until he was benched after fumbling in Week 16. ... Bush has eight TDs and 47 catches, and Bell has five scores for the Saints, who certainly like to share the wealth. ... The electric Felix Jones has 49 carries for 258 yards (5.3) and nine receptions in his last four games. ... McCoy, after a promising start to his rookie season, had only 32 carries for 109 yards (3.4) in his last five regular-season games. Westbrook returned from a concussion to carry 14 times for 49 yards in the last two weeks. ... McGahee has 14 TDs (12 rushing, two receiving), including five games with two or more scores. ... Greene, a rookie from Iowa, has 29 carries for 157 yards in his last two contests.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

Monday: Quarterbacks; Today: Running backs; Wednesday: Wide receivers; Thursday: Tight ends, kickers and defenses/special teams.

Sixteen weeks -- or if you're in a league that inexplicably plays its championship game in Week 17, aka The Game The Colts Refuse To Play -- weren't enough, so you entered a fantasy postseason pool.

Whether it's a league in which you have an actual draft or one in which you pick a certain amount of players, but not more than one from each playoff team, there are three questions to keep in mind.

1. How many games will Player X give you? 2. What is his likely lineup of opponents? 3. Do Mark Sanchez and Braylon Edwards really have to get selected?

With that in mind, here are my rankings for the top quarterbacks, with running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, kickers and defenses to follow later in the week.

QUARTERBACKS

12. Mark Sanchez, Jets: He's thrown eight more interceptions (20) than touchdown passes (12), and he hasn't accounted for a score in five games.

11. Carson Palmer, Bengals: Sanchez or Palmer will play into Round 2 at least, but neither should be much of an option unless you're in a 12-team league or you're forced to select two QBs. Palmer has had only five games with two or more touchdown throws.

10. Joe Flacco, Ravens: He's thrown one or zero TD passes in 10 of 16 games, and there's a strong chance his team will be one-and-done.

9. Donovan McNabb, Eagles: The good: He tallied 24 TDs (22 passing, two rushing) in 14 games. The bad: He had one TD in two losses to the Cowboys, whom the Eagles will play Saturday night on the road.

8. Aaron Rodgers, Packers: With 4,434 yards passing, 30 TD throws and five scores on the ground, he's much better than this ranking. But the Pack would have to win at Arizona and likely at New Orleans just for you to get more than two games from Rodgers.

7. Kurt Warner, Cardinals: Rodgers is better, but Warner would seem to be more likely to play a pair of games, and would you really be surprised if the Cardinals beat the reeling Saints in the divisional round?

6. Tom Brady, Patriots: Wes Welker's knee injury bumps Gisele's husband down a couple spots, and then there are the broken ribs and fractured ring finger from which Brady reportedly is suffering. Sixteen of Brady's 28 TD passes occurred in four games.

5. Tony Romo, Cowboys: If Dallas defeats Philadelphia for a third straight time, Romo would face a Vikings defense that has allowed 26 TD tosses. In his last six games, Romo has 1,859 yards passing, 11 touchdowns and two interceptions.

4. Brett Favre, Vikings: He finished the regular season by throwing for a combined 637 yards and six TDs, with no picks, in Weeks 16 and 17, and his NFC playoff opponents could be the Cardinals (No. 23 vs. the pass), followed by the Saints (No. 26).

3. Drew Brees, Saints: This might be one spot too low for an MVP candidate who plays for the NFC's No. 1 seed, but the next QB on the list is playing for a team that has won 11 straight. Brees had mediocre numbers in Weeks 15 and 16 (556 yards and two TDs), then rested in the regular-season finale -- all Saints losses.

2. Philip Rivers, Chargers: His likely Round 2 opponent, the Patriots, have given up 25 TD passes, and he seems to have as good of a chance of any QB to play three postseason games. Rivers accounted for a TD in 15 of 16 games.

1. Peyton Manning, Colts: When the Colts actually cared, Indy was 14-0 and Manning had 4,213 yards passing (300.9 per game) and 33 TDs. Indy's first-round opponent (the Ravens, tied for No. 8; Jets, No. 1; or Bengals, No. 6) is guaranteed to rank in the top eight against the pass, but, barring a huge upset next week, Manning will play two games at home -- and the Colts actually will be trying.

TUESDAY: Running backs