DIVISIONAL Weekend Outlook
Teams will continue to ride their best returners through the playoffs when possible. Weather might play a role in some of the games as early forecasts have a chance of precipitation for all four games, with the contests in Seattle and New England the most likely to see rain.
As always, good things tend to happen to returners facing the Chargers due to their low percentage of touchbacks. Although the game is in Denver where the thinner air tends to lead to longer kickoffs, expect Trindon Holliday to get plenty of opportunities. He returned four of six kickoffs when San Diego played on the Broncos home field earlier in the season.
Job Changes and Injuries of Note
The Patriots put Josh Boyce on Injured Reserve, slightly reducing the log jam of possible returners the team has. LeGarrette Blount and Shane Vereen have seen the most action the last few weeks of the season.
Though Wes Welker might be active for Denver's first playoff game of the year, do not expect to see him touching a return unless Trindon Holliday puts the ball on the turf.
Percy Harvin needs to make it through practice before he will play, but even then Seattle would likely keep Harvin on a play count. Do not expect him to see any returns this week from the elite kickoff returner.
DIVISIONAL WeekEND Team Return Projections
| Receiving Team | KR yards | KR TDs | PR yards | PR TDs | Total Yards | Total TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Broncos | 94 | 0.05 | 17 | 0.04 | 111 | 0.09 |
| Carolina Panthers | 69 | 0.02 | 23 | 0.06 | 91 | 0.07 |
| New England Patriots | 65 | 0.02 | 22 | 0.03 | 87 | 0.04 |
| New Orleans Saints | 74 | 0.02 | 11 | 0.03 | 84 | 0.04 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 52 | 0.01 | 14 | 0.02 | 66 | 0.03 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 43 | 0.01 | 18 | 0.02 | 61 | 0.03 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 28 | 0.01 | 26 | 0.03 | 54 | 0.04 |
| San Diego Chargers | 38 | 0.01 | 13 | 0.02 | 51 | 0.03 |
DIVISIONAL WeekEND Player Return Projections
| Player | Team | Position | KR yards | KR TDs | PR yards | PR TDs | Total Ret Yards | Total TDs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trindon Holliday | Denver Broncos | WR | 86 | 0.04 | 16 | 0.04 | 102 | 0.08 |
| Ted Ginn Jr | Carolina Panthers | WR | 62 | 0.02 | 22 | 0.05 | 83 | 0.07 |
| Darren Sproles | New Orleans Saints | RB | 70 | 0.02 | 10 | 0.03 | 80 | 0.04 |
| LaVon Brazill | Indianapolis Colts | WR | 47 | 0.01 | 3 | 0.00 | 50 | 0.02 |
| LaMichael James | San Francisco 49ers | RB | 26 | 0.01 | 23 | 0.03 | 49 | 0.04 |
| Shane Vereen | New England Patriots | RB | 33 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.00 | 33 | 0.01 |
| LeGarrette Blount | New England Patriots | RB | 32 | 0.01 | 0 | 0.00 | 32 | 0.01 |
| Golden Tate | Seattle Seahawks | WR | 11 | 0.00 | 16 | 0.02 | 27 | 0.02 |
| Robert Turbin | Seattle Seahawks | RB | 21 | 0.01 | 2 | 0.00 | 23 | 0.01 |
| Julian Edelman | New England Patriots | WR | 0 | 0.00 | 22 | 0.03 | 22 | 0.03 |
| Ronnie Brown | San Diego Chargers | RB | 15 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 15 | 0.00 |
| Danny Woodhead | San Diego Chargers | WR | 15 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 15 | 0.00 |
| Keenan Allen | San Diego Chargers | WR | 0 | 0.00 | 12 | 0.01 | 12 | 0.01 |
| Griff Whalen | Indianapolis Colts | WR | 0 | 0.00 | 12 | 0.01 | 12 | 0.01 |
| Doug Baldwin | Seattle Seahawks | WR | 11 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 11 | 0.00 |
| Anthony Dixon | San Francisco 49ers | RB | 3 | 0.00 | 3 | 0.00 | 5 | 0.00 |
| Cassius Vaughn | Indianapolis Colts | DB | 5 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 5 | 0.00 |
| Eddie Royal | San Diego Chargers | WR | 4 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.00 | 5 | 0.00 |
| Kenjon Barner | Carolina Panthers | RB | 3 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.00 | 5 | 0.00 |
| Travaris Cadet | New Orleans Saints | RB | 4 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.00 | 4 | 0.00 |
| Andre Caldwell | Denver Broncos | WR | 4 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 4 | 0.00 |
| Lavelle Hawkins | San Diego Chargers | WR | 4 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 4 | 0.00 |
| Omar Bolden | Denver Broncos | DB | 4 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 4 | 0.00 |
| Armond Smith | Carolina Panthers | RB | 3 | 0.00 | 0 | 0.00 | 3 | 0.00 |
| Eric Decker | Denver Broncos | WR | 0 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.00 | 1 | 0.00 |