PackersJermichael Finley - No Packers pass catcher was thrown to as often as Finley in the team's final six regular season games, nor as productive. Finley, a 6'5/247-pound athletic freak with 4.6 wheels, has added an entirely different dimension to Green Bay's already high-octane passing attack. Still just 22 years old after leaving Texas early, Finley will match up primarily with Cardinals safeties
Adrian Wilson and
Antrel Rolle on Sunday. Both are coverage liabilities.
Ryan Grant - Grant is averaging 4.7 yards per carry with eight touchdowns since Week 9. The unsung hero of Green Bay's on-fire stretch run also hit big contract incentives during Week 17 by going over 1,250 yards and finishing as one of the NFC's top-five rushers. Arizona's run defense is wildly inconsistent, having even surrendered 161 yards and a touchdown to replacement-level Lions backup
Maurice Morris in Week 15. Grant's in store for a big Sunday.
Clay Matthews - In the popular 3-4 defense, a right outside linebacker is essentially asked to do one job, and one job only. Rush the passer. Perhaps no ROLB has played the position as well as Matthews in the second half of 2009. The USC alum began the year as a backup, but has generated seven sacks and countless quarterback hurries since Week 10. He'll face off with Cardinals journeyman left tackle
Jeremy Bridges for most of Sunday.
Tramon Williams - Pressed to start after
Al Harris tore his ACL in Week 11, Williams has capitalized with three interceptions, a sack, and seven pass breakups since. The contract-year cornerback gets boatloads of action because opponents are afraid to throw at bookend CB
Charles Woodson. Whle Williams is not a true "shutdown" presence, he'll have a target on his back Sunday and plenty of opportunities for a game-altering play.
CardinalsSteve Breaston - A year after breaking out for 1,006 receiving yards, Breaston's numbers are way down. He wasn't overly impressive when asked to fill in during
Anquan Boldin's early-season injuries, and hasn't topped four catches in a game since Week 9. Boldin is now battling a left high ankle sprain and sprained left MCL, so Breaston may get the opportunity to break out of his season-long funk with a starting job.
Larry Fitzgerald - The Cards rested their front-line players at halftime of last week's loss, but All-Pro receiver
Larry Fitzgerald was still playing deep into the fourth quarter. Why? Coach Ken Whisenhunt revealed this week that Fitz wanted to pad his stats, which doesn't reflect especially strongly on this supposed "character guy." The situation has sparked controversy. Time will tell whether Fitzgerald's actions affected the locker room.
Calais Campbell - The Cardinals' co-leader in sacks fractured his thumb in the team's star-crossed, 33-7 loss to Green Bay in Week 17. Requiring surgery and sporting a sling this week, Campbell will essentially play with one arm if he's active on Sunday. 3-4 ends like Campbell need their hands to occupy offensive linemen or shove them aside. The breakout second-year defender's effectiveness is at risk, let alone his availability.
Adrian Wilson - Arizona's back-end intimidator became just the 10th player in league history to record 20 career sacks and 20 career interceptions earlier this season, but coverage has never been Wilson's strength. Prone to biting on play-action fakes, the Pro Bowler now must deal with the NFC's No. 3 passing attack and red-hot Packers tight end
Jermichael Finley. Wilson won't be able to "cheat" into the box as often as usual, which threatens to limit his impact on the game.
Rotoworld's Chris Wesseling and Evan Silva highlight the key players in each of the four wild card round matchups this weekend. Find out which players are primed for success or failure as the NFL playoffs take center stage.
Editor's Note: Evan Silva and Gregg Rosenthal break down the wild card games in detail, picking a winner for each matchup on NBCSports.com. Do the Bengals, Cardinals, and Eagles have what it takes to bounce back from last week's debacles?BengalsCarson Palmer - Palmer masked his erratic early-season passing with a streak of fourth-quarter comebacks. It's been all downhill since Week 12, however. Like a pitcher who isn't taking his best stuff to the mound, Palmer has lacked command, velocity and rhythm while being held under 140 yards in four of the past six games. With their ability to shut down No. 1 receivers, the Jets' forbidding secondary represents a worst-case scenario for the Bengals passing game.
Cedric Benson – Coming back from a hip injury, Benson averaged 98 rushing yards per game in Weeks 13 to 16 before resting in a meaningless Week 17 blowout. Since Benson's early-December return, the Bengals have morphed into a one-dimensional offense, overly reliant on grinding out tough yardage. If the Bengals are to move the chains this week, Benson has to control the clock against the machinations of Rex Ryan and his eighth-ranked run defense.
Chad Ochocinco – Since Palmer's Week 12 downturn, Ochocinco has accounted for 36 percent of the team's receiving yards and 63 percent of the touchdowns. The rest of the receiving corps has been a model of futility, failing to top 50 yards even once. Fresh from a twitter "war" with shutdown corner
Darrelle Revis, Ochocinco tweaked his knee in Week 17 and left without a catch. Though he's practicing this week, another daunting matchup with Revis looms on Saturday.
Domata Peko - The Bengals' gap-plugging run stuffer, Peko is expected to return at 100 percent after missing five games with a knee scope. Peko will be welcomed back with open arms, as the run defense plummeted from 84 to 122 yards per game during his absence. With Pro Bowl interior linemen
Nick Mangold and
Alan Faneca across the line, Peko will be a key to the Bengals' fortunes.
JetsMark Sanchez – While bloviating head coach Rex Ryan claims that his rookie quarterback's confidence is at an all-time high this week, there is plenty of reason for concern with a rookie on the road in a cold weather playoff contest. On the shortest leash possible, Sanchez has managed the past two games well after struggling with interceptions all season. Expect him to be limited to 20 attempts with the Jets daring teams to stop the run.
Thomas Jones – Defying the laws of aging running backs, Jones' unmatched work ethic keeps him in peak physical form at age 31. A bastion of consistency, the AFC's second leading rusher topped 100 yards or scored a touchdown in all but one game since Week 3. Tag-teaming with rookie
Shonn Greene, the Jets' ground game picked up steam late in the season, topping 175 yards in four of the final five games.
David Harris – A Pro Bowl snub along with fellow "Mad Backer"
Bart Scott, Harris is a key cog in Rex Ryan's esoteric defense just as
Ray Lewis was in Baltimore. The Jets' leading tackler and third-leading sacker sprained his ankle in last week's game, though he's expected to play at less than full strength in Saturday's rematch.
Darrelle Revis – The leading candidate for Defensive Player of the Year, the Jets' shutdown corner has put together one of the best seasons at his position in NFL history. "Revis Island" erases the opposing team's best receiver in one-on-one coverage, allowing his teammates to overplay the rest of the field. If
Chad Ochocinco manages to top 35 yards against Revis Saturday, he'll be the first elite receiver to do so all season.
PatriotsTom Brady – While he couldn't match the heights of 2007, Brady earned another Pro Bowl bid in the second best statistical season of his career. Showing trademark toughness, he reportedly played through broken ribs and a fractured finger in December on his way to Comeback Player of the Year honors. Now as healthy as he's been since mid-season, Brady will have to find a way to navigate the playoffs without vital security blanket
Wes Welker.
Randy Moss – Since making headlines with his controversial "dog" effort against the Panthers in Week 14, Moss has played the role of the good soldier. Highlighted by his playful antics with a fan sporting a Moss mask during this three-touchdown performance in Week 16, the Pats' most explosive weapon has his head back on just in time for the playoffs. His field-tipping ability becomes even more important with
Wes Welker out.
Julian Edelman – A quarterback at Kent State, Edelman has been a quick study at wide receiver as a rookie. While he can't touch
Wes Welker's route running and sure-handedness, Edelman boasts similar quickness and elusiveness. In the three games that Welker missed, his replacement in the slot has averaged seven catches for 74 yards. Edelman better be ready to shine because the spotlight will be bright this weekend.
Vince Wilfork – Arguably the best nose tackle in the NFL, Wilfork eats up defenders as the key to the Pats' run defense. Though he and defensive end
Ty Warren sat out last week's game with ankle injuries, both players are expected to start against the Ravens this week. With
Willis McGahee coming off his best game of the season to go along with the explosive
Ray Rice, Wilfork's healthy return is crucial.
RavensJoe Flacco – Courtesy of a strong first-half, Flacco has bettered his impressive rookie season in all categories. So why did he engender more confidence throughout last year's playoffs? After a mid-season funk, Flacco's confidence has waned, leading to inconsistent mechanics and a pocket presence in disarray. There's no telling which Flacco will show up Sunday, the one who threw four touchdowns in Week 15 or the one who was held to 102 yards last week.
Ray Rice – Second in the NFL in yards from scrimmage, Rice has been a dynamo in the passing game, leading all backs in receptions and receiving yards. He's no slouch on the ground, either, averaging a stout 5.3 yards per carry while establishing himself as one of the best all-around players in the league at his position. After pushing
Willis McGahee into a secondary role, Rice has taken over as the offensive focal point.
Ray Lewis - One of the best team leaders in all of professional sports, the 34-year-old is still an elite run defender and deserving of his 11th Pro Bowl bid. Unfortunately, he's also reached the point where he can no longer backpedal fast enough to cover opposing tight ends and running backs in the passing game. Matchup mastermind Bill Belichick will exploit Lewis' weakness with
Kevin Faulk and
Ben Watson this week.
Ed Reed – Nursing groin, hip and ankle injuries, Reed returned at an estimated 85 percent last week after sitting out a month. With the hip ailment still bothering him, the six-time Pro Bowler is expected to split time with
Tom Zbikowski on Sunday. The Ravens' secondary has been leaky with two starting corners lost for the season, so it's imperative that Reed plays at a high level.
Editor's Note: Looking for another way to keep the fantasy season going? Try playing Snapdraft. We have it set up just for the playoffs. Draft a team before the playoffs start!PackersJermichael Finley - No Packers pass catcher was thrown to as often as Finley in the team's final six regular season games, nor as productive. Finley, a 6'5/247-pound athletic freak with 4.6 wheels, has added an entirely different dimension to Green Bay's already high-octane passing attack. Still just 22 years old after leaving Texas early, Finley will match up primarily with Cardinals safeties
Adrian Wilson and
Antrel Rolle on Sunday. Both are coverage liabilities.
Ryan Grant - Grant is averaging 4.7 yards per carry with eight touchdowns since Week 9. The unsung hero of Green Bay's on-fire stretch run also hit big contract incentives during Week 17 by going over 1,250 yards and finishing as one of the NFC's top-five rushers. Arizona's run defense is wildly inconsistent, having even surrendered 161 yards and a touchdown to replacement-level Lions backup
Maurice Morris in Week 15. Grant's in store for a big Sunday.
Clay Matthews - In the popular 3-4 defense, a right outside linebacker is essentially asked to do one job, and one job only. Rush the passer. Perhaps no ROLB has played the position as well as Matthews in the second half of 2009. The USC alum began the year as a backup, but has generated seven sacks and countless quarterback hurries since Week 10. He'll face off with Cardinals journeyman left tackle
Jeremy Bridges for most of Sunday.
Tramon Williams - Pressed to start after
Al Harris tore his ACL in Week 11, Williams has capitalized with three interceptions, a sack, and seven pass breakups since. The contract-year cornerback gets boatloads of action because opponents are afraid to throw at bookend CB
Charles Woodson. Whle Williams is not a true "shutdown" presence, he'll have a target on his back Sunday and plenty of opportunities for a game-altering play.
CardinalsSteve Breaston - A year after breaking out for 1,006 receiving yards, Breaston's numbers are way down. He wasn't overly impressive when asked to fill in during
Anquan Boldin's early-season injuries, and hasn't topped four catches in a game since Week 9. Boldin is now battling a left high ankle sprain and sprained left MCL, so Breaston may get the opportunity to break out of his season-long funk with a starting job.
Larry Fitzgerald - The Cards rested their front-line players at halftime of last week's loss, but All-Pro receiver
Larry Fitzgerald was still playing deep into the fourth quarter. Why? Coach Ken Whisenhunt revealed this week that Fitz wanted to pad his stats, which doesn't reflect especially strongly on this supposed "character guy." The situation has sparked controversy. Time will tell whether Fitzgerald's actions affected the locker room.
Calais Campbell - The Cardinals' co-leader in sacks fractured his thumb in the team's star-crossed, 33-7 loss to Green Bay in Week 17. Requiring surgery and sporting a sling this week, Campbell will essentially play with one arm if he's active on Sunday. 3-4 ends like Campbell need their hands to occupy offensive linemen or shove them aside. The breakout second-year defender's effectiveness is at risk, let alone his availability.
Adrian Wilson - Arizona's back-end intimidator became just the 10th player in league history to record 20 career sacks and 20 career interceptions earlier this season, but coverage has never been Wilson's strength. Prone to biting on play-action fakes, the Pro Bowler now must deal with the NFC's No. 3 passing attack and red-hot Packers tight end
Jermichael Finley. Wilson won't be able to "cheat" into the box as often as usual, which threatens to limit his impact on the game.
CowboysJason Witten - When Witten scored one touchdown and topped 53 yards just twice in the Cowboys' first ten games, rumors circulated that he'd lost a step. His finish proved he hasn't. Witten, still just 27 even though it feels like he's been around forever, has rolled out an average of seven catches for 92 yards per game since Week 11, mixing in a 14-reception, 156-yard domination of the Giants for good measure. The Eagles will have their hands full.
Marion Barber - Barber's uninspired play has caused Dallas play-caller Jason Garrett to employ a running back committee.
Felix Jones received just 13 fewer carries than "The Barbarian" in the past month. Barber was decidedly mediocre down the stretch, averaging 3.88 yards per attempt with just one game over 63 yards rushing since Week 12. On the bright side, he gashed this same Eagles team for 105 total yards on 15 touches in Week 17.
Anthony Spencer - Lacking consistent pass rush, the Cowboys' defense was one of the league's most up-and-down units in the season's first half. Spencer's incredible stretch run arguably turned Dallas into the NFL's most dangerous team. The former Purdue defensive end piled up six sacks, two forced fumbles, and an average of seven tackles per game in the final six weeks. Spencer's emergence has fellow OLB
DeMarcus Ware seeing fewer double teams.
Mike Jenkins - Jenkins struggled as a rookie after being drafted in the 2008 first round, and opened 2009 in a rotation with
Orlando Scandrick. By midseason, Jenkins emerged as the Cowboys' top corner with opponents suddenly more willing to throw to bookend
Terence Newman's side. Jenkins will draw Eagles split end
Jeremy Maclin in primary coverage in the wild-card round and has cover skills to take the rookie out of the game.
EaglesBrian Westbrook - Limited to 455 all-purpose yards in just eight 2009 appearances, Westbrook hit the 30-year-old running back wall with a thud. He battled ankle and knee woes before back-to-back concussions knocked him out for seven games. Westbrook also appeared a step slower when 100 percent. He's since been medically cleared, but after seeing just 14 carries in the last two games it's unclear what sort of impact Westbrook will have on Saturday.
DeSean Jackson - The Cowboys minimized Jackson's impact during the teams' two regular season meetings, holding him to a combined 76 yards and no touchdowns on five receptions. Unfazed, the cocky second-year wideout wrote on Twitter this week that the Eagles are "gonna sting they a**...lil buddy." Jackson is a likely All-Pro, but he'd better come to play. His team lost both of its regular season meetings with the Cowboys.
Akeem Jordan - The Eagles have had a hole at middle linebacker since losing
Stewart Bradley to a torn ACL in training camp, forcing defensive coordinator Sean McDermott to play musical chairs at the position. Jordan is his latest trial. A natural weak-side 'backer, Jordan struggled at the new spot down the stretch and made no big plays. Philadelphia asks its inside 'backer to cover tight ends, so Jordan will be on
Jason Witten quite a bit Saturday.
Asante Samuel - Philadelphia's high-profile defensive back awaits a difficult matchup with Dallas top receiver
Miles Austin, who over the last month and a half is averaging eight catches for 107 yards per game. Samuel has played at a high level statistically, tying for the league lead in interceptions, but is a gambler as opposed to a shutdown corner and isn't a proficient tackler. He now squares off with the NFC's toughest receiver to bring down.