Weekly Rankings: Conference Championship Value Meter

Written by

Updated on January 22, 2025 4:38AM EST

Welcome to the Weekly Value Meter Rankings. This is a guide to help you decide who to start and sit in a given week. It's is not a season-long ranking nor a draft guide, and it's also not really intended as a free agent guide. While I appreciate that you want my opinion on pickups, every league is different, and your decision on whether to add/drop a particular player might also be dictated by other factors than who is rated higher in a given week.

For rankings to cover the duration of the playoffs, please see Jim Coventry's playoff rankings.

Here are my operating assumptions for the rankings:

- The RB/WR/TE position rankings are for PPR leagues.
- The Flex rankings are for Standard leagues.
- 1 point per 10 rushing/receiving yards.
- 1 point per 20 passing yards.
- 4 points per passing touchdowns.

These are the rankings I use when I make my start/sit decisions. Please consult the rankings first before asking "Should I start Patrick Mahomes or Bryce Young?"

These are my particular rankings. If you want a second opinion elsewhere on the site, you can see our Weekly Projections.

I will do a set of updates before kickoff on Thursday, and again before kickoff on Saturday morning.

When setting your lineups, make sure to refer to the NFL inactives to ensure all of your players are set to receive snaps.

I welcome debate on the rankings in the comments. Please keep it friendly.

Quarterbacks

For rankings to cover the duration of the playoffs, please see Jim Coventry's playoff rankings.

Here are my operating assumptions for the rankings:

These are the rankings I use when I make my start/sit decisions. Please consult the rankings first before asking "Should I start Patrick Mahomes or Bryce Young?"

These are my particular rankings. If you want a second opinion elsewhere on the site, you can see our Weekly Projections.

I will do a set of updates before kickoff on Thursday, and again before kickoff on Saturday morning.

When setting your lineups, make sure to refer to the NFL inactives to ensure all of your players are set to receive snaps.

I welcome debate on the rankings in the comments. Please keep it friendly.

Quarterbacks

1.	Josh Allen BUF at KC
2.	Jayden Daniels WAS at PHI
3.	*Jalen Hurts PHI vs. WAS Note: Hurts was banged up in the second half last week against the Rams. His status bears watching this week.
4.	Patrick Mahomes KC vs. BUF

Running Backs

1.	Saquon Barkley PHI vs. WAS
2.	James Cook BUF at KC
3.	*Brian Robinson WAS at PHI Note: Robinson ran much better against an injury-wracked Lions defense than he did the previous week against the Bucs.
4.	Kareem Hunt KC vs. BUF
5.	Austin Ekeler WAS at PHI
6.	Ty Johnson BUF at KC
7.	*Isiah Pacheco KC vs. BUF Note: Pacheco still doesn't look like he's fully back even though his knee has healed.
8.	*Ray Davis BUF at KC Note: Davis was able to clear concussion protocol in time for the Divisional Round game against the Ravens and scored a touchdown.
9.	Kenneth Gainwell PHI vs. WAS
10.	Jeremy McNichols WAS at PHI
11.	*Chris Rodriguez WAS at PHI Note: Still inactive in the Divisional Round.

Wide Receivers

1.	Terry McLaurin WAS at PHI
2.	A.J. Brown PHI vs. WAS
3.	DeVonta Smith PHI vs. WAS
4.	Khalil Shakir BUF at KC
5.	Xavier Worthy KC vs. BUF
6.	Dyami Brown WAS at PHI
7.	Keon Coleman BUF at KC
8.	Hollywood Brown KC vs. BUF
9.	Olamide Zaccheaus WAS at PHI
10.	*Amari Cooper BUF at KC Note: Cooper's Game Log with the Bills is wild. He had 14 targets in the shootout against the Rams, but no more than three targets in any game since.
11.	DeAndre Hopkins KC vs. BUF
12.	Curtis Samuel BUF at KC
13.	Jahan Dotson PHI vs. WAS
14.	Jamison Crowder WAS at PHI
15.	Mack Hollins BUF at KC
16.	JuJu Smith-Schuster KC vs. BUF

Tight Ends

1.	Travis Kelce KC vs. BUF
2.	*Dallas Goedert PHI vs. WAS Note: Goedert was the Eagles' leading pass-catcher in the win over the Rams, catching four passes for 56 yards and had another long play called back.
3.	*Zach Ertz WAS at PHI Note: Ertz briefly left for a concussion check but later returned.
4.	Dalton Kincaid BUF at KC
5.	Noah Gray KC vs. BUF
6.	Grant Calcaterra PHI vs. WAS
7.	Dawson Knox BUF at KC

Flex (RB/WR/TE)

1.	Saquon Barkley PHI vs. WAS
2.	James Cook BUF at KC
3.	Travis Kelce KC vs. BUF
4.	Terry McLaurin WAS at PHI
5.	A.J. Brown PHI vs. WAS
6.	DeVonta Smith PHI vs. WAS
7.	Khalil Shakir BUF at KC
8.	*Brian Robinson WAS at PHI Note: Robinson ran much better against an injury-wracked Lions defense than he did the previous week against the Bucs.
9.	*Dallas Goedert PHI vs. WAS Note: Goedert was the Eagles' leading pass-catcher in the win over the Rams, catching four passes for 56 yards and had another long play called back.
10.	Kareem Hunt KC vs. BUF
11.	Xavier Worthy KC vs. BUF
12.	Dyami Brown WAS at PHI
13.	Keon Coleman BUF at KC
14.	Hollywood Brown KC vs. BUF
15.	*Zach Ertz WAS at PHI Note: Ertz briefly left for a concussion check but later returned.
16.	Dalton Kincaid BUF at KC
17.	Austin Ekeler WAS at PHI
18.	Ty Johnson BUF at KC
19.	*Isiah Pacheco KC vs. BUF Note: Pacheco still doesn't look like he's fully back even though his knee has healed.
20.	DeAndre Hopkins KC vs. BUF

Kickers

1.	Harrison Butker KC vs. BUF
2.	Tyler Bass BUF at KC
3.	*Jake Elliott PHI vs. WAS Note: Elliott had a mixed bag on Sunday - three clutch field goals in the snow, but his two missed extra points had the potential to cost the Eagles the game.
4.	Zane Gonzalez WAS at PHI

Defenses

1.	*Philadelphia Eagles vs. WAS Note: Quinyon Mitchell (shoulder) left the win against the Rams, but the injury isn't considered to be serious.
2.	*Kansas City Chiefs vs. BUF Note: S Bryan Cook (head) was checked for a concussion on Saturday but later returned to the game.
3.	*Buffalo Bills at KC Note: Christian Benford is in the concussion protocol, and Taylor Rapp (hip) is day-to-day.
4.	Washington Commanders at PHI