QB Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Prior to his last touchdown drive, Ben Roethlisberger was a fantasy football disappointment. Even after getting his first touchdown pass of the game on his final throw, he still didn’t produce at the level many expected out of him, especially fantasy-wise.

RB Tim Hightower, Arizona Cardinals
During the regular season, Tim Hightower led the Cardinals in rushing touchdowns. By the end of the season, it appeared as if he had won the starting spot. But in the Super Bowl, he did next to nothing as he watched Edgerrin James get most of the touches.

WR Hines Ward, Pittsburgh Steelers
Coming into the Super Bowl with an injury, there was some question about how well Hines Ward would be able to perform. While he appeared to be running well, Ward didn’t put up many stats. He was held to two catches for a total of 43 yards.

TE Leonard Pope, Arizona Cardinals
While no one was expecting Leonard Pope to have a huge game, it is somewhat surprising that he ended the Super Bowl without a catch. That is especially true considering that he had two grabs in Arizona’s previous game.

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RB Mewelde Moore, Pittsburgh Steelers
When Willie Parker was injured earlier in the season, Mewelde Moore came up huge and led the Steelers to a number of victories. Although his role is now reduced, he definitely has big play potential as a runner, receiving and a returner.

WR Steve Breaston, Arizona Cardinals
With Anquan Boldin still not 100% and Larry Fitzgerald demanding a huge amount of attention, Steve Breaston could find himself more open than usual. Breaston is a threat in Arizona’s vertical passing game and is also big enough to be an end zone threat.

WR Santonio Holmes, Pittsburgh Steelers
Hines Ward has stated that he will play in the Super Bowl but it’s unknown how healthy he will be. With that in mind, Santonio Holmes has a chance to be the featured offensive player for Pittsburgh. In the playoffs so far, Holmes has been extremely explosive and has illustrated his vast potential.

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RB Willie Parker, Pittsburgh Steelers
Speaking of knowing about Super Bowls, Willie Parker has fond memories of his lone Super Bowl appearance. He was big in that game and could come up huge again for Pittsburgh.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
The most talented player in the Super Bowl has to be Larry Fitzgerald. He’s living up to his potential and is showing why he might become the best WR in the league sooner rather than later.

TE Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers
Ben Roethlisberger trusts Heath Miller and if Hines Ward is banged up at all, there’s a chance that Miller will become Big Ben’s go-to receiving option.

K Neil Rackers, Arizona Cardinals
Not only is Neil Rackers kicking well, he has a strong leg and will likely be called upon a lot if the Cardinals are moving the ball. Rackers finishing with two or three field goals is somewhat likely.

D Pittsburgh Steelers
Despite going against a high-powered offense, the Steelers have the best fantasy football defense in the Super Bowl. They are aggressive, stout and make plays on a consistent basis.

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It doesn’t hurt Warner that he has two fantastic wide receivers at his disposal. Larry Fitzgerald is one of the most talented wideouts in the NFL and has been playing outstanding football in the postseason. Anquan Boldin is banged up a bit but he is also an extremely talented wide receiver who can use his brute strength to overpower opponents. Even third wide receiver Steve Breaston is a quality player.

On the ground, Arizona has two decent pieces. Even though Edgerrin James isn’t as good as he used to be, he’s playing his best football as of late and can still make plays. Rookie Tim Hightower has been a touchdown machine this year and is the Cardinals’ running back of the future.

Pittsburgh Steelers
In 2005 when the Steelers last won the Super Bowl, they did so even though quarterback Ben Roethlisberger didn’t have a very good outing. This time around, the Steelers need Roethlisberger to show up and lead their offense. Against the Baltimore Ravens, he showed that he’s more than capable of making big plays.

As for his wide receivers, Pittsburgh has to hope that Hines Ward is healthy. He got hurt against the Ravens and missed most of the action. If he’s healthy, he’ll be Roethlisberger’s go-to option in the Super Bowl. The big play option is undoubtedly Santonio Holmes, who has great speed and natural playmaking ability.

On the ground Willie Parker brings a successful Super Bowl resume to the table. In the 2005 Super Bowl, he had a game-changing 75 yard touchdown that helped Pittsburgh win the game. Although he was held in check by the Ravens, Parker should find more holes against Arizona’s defense.

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RB Willis McGahee, Baltimore Ravens
Though he wasn’t the starter for the Ravens much at all this season, Willis McGahee got the bulk of the carries in their most important game of the season. He finished with two touchdowns and 60 yards on the ground. But it wasn’t enough for the Ravens and McGahee didn’t get to finish the game as he got knocked out near the end of the game.

WR Larry Fitzgerald, Arizona Cardinals
There’s no player who has risen his stock further during the playoffs than Larry Fitzgerald. He seems to have finally reached his vast potential and is putting up insane numbers. Against the Eagles, Fitzgerald had nine catches for 152 yards and three touchdowns.

TE Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles
Those who rolled the dice with Celek got paid off in a big way. The Philadelphia tight end finished with ten catches for ten catches for 83 yards and two touchdown grabs. Although the Eagles were eliminated, Celek could very well be draftable next season after proving his worth in the playoffs.

Photo credit: Newscom

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Baltimore Ravens D
Although the Ravens are the underdog in this game, don’t overlook their defense. Baltimore boasts a number of playmakers who can take a turnover and return it to the end zone. Considering this will undoubtedly be a low scoring affair, feel confident starting Baltimore’s D.

Philadelphia Eagles D
The Eagles might have the hottest defense in the NFL but they dipped in these rankings due to the fact that the Cardinals have an explosive offense. Chances are the Eagles D will be worth a healthy amount — but there’s a chance that Kurt Warner and the Cardinals have something to say about that.

Arizona Cardinals D
On paper, the Cardinals have the worst fantasy defense for this week of playoff fantasy football. That said, their defense is playing well as of late and Donovan McNabb isn’t exactly known as the best big game quarterback of all time.

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Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers
Although Heath Miller doesn’t always get the targets, he’s a talented tight end who is capable of having a big game. At different points in his career, he’s appeared to be on the brink of really breaking out. This weekend, he has a decent shot of scoring a touchdown.

Todd Heap, Baltimore Ravens
Not too long ago, Todd Heap was one of the best fantasy tight ends in the entire NFL. This year, he started slow and then slowly started to produce better once Joe Flacco got comfortable with him. This week he doesn’t have a high ceiling but he should see at least a few passes thrown his way.

LJ Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
Although Celek has been the more productive tight end as of late, don’t forget about LJ Smith. He’s talented, he has experience and he’s always seemingly been a McNabb favorite. Around the goal line, the Eagles have a tendency to look at their tight ends — which makes Smith a decent enough start.

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Willie Parker, Pittsburgh Steelers
Willie Parker is going against a very difficult defense but he was fantastic last week and has proven he can produce in big games. The Steelers love to run the ball and will give Parker carries continuously as long as he’s producing halfway decently.

Willis McGahee, Baltimore Ravens
Though he’s been inconsistent for virtually the entire season, it’s now or never for the Ravens to use Willis McGahee. He was the team’s best running back last game and he’ll likely get an extended look against the Steelers. He’s not a very good start but he has touchdown potential.

Tim Hightower, Arizona Cardinals
Speaking of touchdowns, that’s what you would be hoping if you start Tim Hightower. His rushing yards per attempt number has been down recently but he’s still the back the Cardinals give the rock to near the goal line. That alone makes him viable.

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2. Kurt Warner, Arizona Cardinals
Although Kurt Warner has played very well in the last few weeks, his matchup against the Eagles is a scary one. They’ll be blitzing him non-stop and if they get a few hits on him, Warner may start to feel his age. That said, Warner has the most potential this week. If his line can keep the blitz away from him, Warner could make Philadelphia pay via the long pass.

3. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
With Super Bowl experience and a few quality receivers, Ben Roethlisberger is a relatively safe start this week. He’s going against a great defense but the Steelers will need him to pass more than usual. He probably won’t get very many yards but he has a decent shot to finish with at least two touchdown passes.

4. Joe Flacco, Baltimore Ravens
It’d be difficult to find a bright spot about the prospect of starting Joe Flacco this week. He’s a rookie, he’s going against the best defense in the NFL and he’ll be on the road. While he has shown great poise and has come up with a few big plays, it would be somewhat shocking to see him have a big game this weekend.

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Philadelphia Eagles @ Arizona Cardinals
Sunday, January 18th – 3:00 PM Eastern
Both teams were able to win a pair of road games to make it to this point. Not too long ago, both squads were struggling but they’ve turned it around. That said, the Eagles should be able to win this game and advance to the Super Bowl. The Cardinals will be at home but the Eagles have the better defensive unit and the better defense.

Baltimore Ravens @ Pittsburgh Steelers
Sunday, January 18th – 6:30 PM Eastern
Arguably the two most physical teams in the NFL will play against each other in Week 3 of the fantasy football players. While this game should definitely be low scoring, the Steelers have the edge due to having the better offense. The Ravens have a rookie quarterback at the helm and that will likely come back to haunt them at some point in these playoffs.

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