Fantasy Football Playoff Report: AFC North

The playoffs are either upon us or one week away in the majority of fantasy football leagues. With this in mind, Fantasy FanHouse is examining what you can expect from the fantasy relevant players on each team.

Baltimore Ravens

The opposing defenses: vs. WAS (7th against pass, 7th against run), vs. PIT (1st against pass, 1st against run), at DAL (11th against pass, 10th against run)
The skinny: Baltimore really got the short end of it when it came to scheduling weeks 14 through 16. With three staunch defenses, nothing is looking very safe in terms of offensive starters. The backfield is a committee at this point and the passing game is in the hands of a rookie. Joe Flacco has three multiple touchdown games in his last four outings, but his yards and attempts are still low and the consistency is not there to risk a playoff start. The Ravens do expect a bigger role from Willis McGahee down the stretch, so he could return to form soon. The only true every-game starter on the Ravens, when it comes to the fantasy playoffs, is the defense.
The must-starts: D/ST
The likely start: Willis McGahee
The spot-start: Joe Flacco, Le'Ron McClain, Mark Clayton, Derrick Mason
The no-starts: Ray Rice, Todd Heap
The D/ST: The Ravens defense is just owning fantasy land as the season winds down. Start them every week without question from here on out

Cincinnati Bengals

The opposing defenses: at IND (6th against pass, 25th against run), vs. WAS (7th against pass, 7th against run), at CLE (17th against pass, 26th against run)
The skinny: This offense is hopeless. Ryan Fitzpatrick has only passed for over 200 yards once in his eight games this season . TJ Houshmandzadeh is a star, but he is not 100% and he'll see tough coverage situations given the poor other threats on the team. The running game is bad, but Cedric Benson could be used in a jam if absolutely necessary against Indy or Cleveland. Last week, the Bengals had the ball for a whopping 21 minutes total, so nobody on this offense looks very tempting.
The must-start: None
The likely starts: TJ Houshmandzadeh
The spot-starts: Cedric Benson, Chad Johnson
The no-start: Chris Perry, Kenny Watson, Ryan Fitzpatrick
The D/ST: Giving up an average of 26 points per game; you can do better.

Cleveland Browns

The opposing defenses: at TEN (4th against pass, 12th against run), at PHI (9th against pass, 8th against run), vs. CIN (20th against pass, 24th against run)
The skinny: With both Derek Alexander and Brady Quinn done for the remainder of 2008, that leaves Ken Dorsey to fill the void down the stretch. In other words, you are playing with fire plutonium if you stake anything on this passing game. You might see an addition by subtraction scenario for Braylon Edwayds or Kellen Winslow akin to the Calvin Johnson situation in Detroit, but I would not bank on it. At least wait to see Dorsey in action before starting anyone involved -- unless there are no other options. The downfall of the passing game bodes very well for Jamal Lewis and potentially Jerome Harrison.
The must-start: None
The likely start: Jamal Lewis, Braylon Edwards
The spot-start: Jerome Harrison
The no-start: Ken Dorsey, Kellen Winslow (high ankle sprain)
The D/ST: Do we really have to comment on this? Never. Nunca. Nie. Nooit.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The opposing defenses: at (4th against pass, 12th against run), at BAL (2nd against pass, 3rd against run), at TEN (4th against pass, 12th against run)
The skinny: Even though Willie Parker's knee continues to improve, it looks like Pittsburgh will stick with a committee backfield. Last week, Mewelde Moore carried twelve times to Parker's 16. Plus, Gary Russell scored the only touchdown on the ground. Hence, this backfield looks spotty at best for the fantasy playoffs. Big Ben has not been reliable as of late, so avoid starting him given the tough defenses coming in the next three weeks. The wide receiver tandem and Heath Miller at tight end are all decent starts at best, but not particularly consistent.
The must-start: None
The likely start: Hines Ward, Santonio Holmes, Willie Parker
The spot-starts: Ben Roethlisberger, Mewelde Moore, Heath Miller
The no-starts: Rashard Mendenhall,
The D/ST: The D/ST is a good start against anyone.