Is the season even over yet?
No.
Do you even know where everyone is going to be next season?
Not a clue.
Can you wait until summer to start thinking about your next Fantasy Draft?
HELL NO!
I promised ongoing positional rankings this year for Fantasy Football, and this is where I start. As players are released, Free Agents get signed, and draft picks are made, I’ll update the rankings as to how I value each player that I see worthwhile at every position.
Not sure if you noticed, but the quarterback position in 2015 across the league got thin in a hurry. The fact that Brian Hoyer and Matt Hasselbeck were relevant was a HUGE problem.
Most of the quarterbacks below got the job done in 2015 and should be poised to do the same or more in 2016. Some, like Andrew Luck and Tony Romo, are looking for a healthy comeback.
(You’ll notice that Joe Flacco isn’t one of them. Year 2 of Marc Trestman’s play-calling and a lack of talent at wide receiver keeps him out of the Top 20)
I’ve harped on it here enough in the past 4 months, but Cam Newton was winning you multiple weeks in fantasy by himself in 2015. His 35 touchdown passes were tied for 2nd in the league…and then he added 10 more rushing. Newton also gets at least one more weapon next season with Kelvin Benjamin returning.
Tom Brady is just a year younger than Peyton Manning, yet led the league in touchdown passes a year ago. Brady also chipped in nearly 300 yards per game, and made the most out of depleted receiving group. Heck, he even made Scott Chandler relevant for a week or two.
Almost as reliable as Brady was Carson Palmer. He didn’t look great in the post season, but his loaded offense allowed him to average 291 yards and at least 2 touchdowns per game. Another healthy year like 2015 would warrant a much higher pick than where he was drafted on average a year ago.
Russell Wilson is weird. Yes for those reasons you just thought of, but also because of his streaky production. Through the first 10 weeks of the season in 2015, Wilson had just one game of multiple touchdown passes. Then he gave you 5 straight weeks of no less than 3 TDs per game. As the Seahawks look to probably move past Marshawn Lynch, it would be much more beneficial for them to let Wilson throw it and have Thomas Rawls compliment him.
There are a lot of people who probably don’t like me having Aaron Rodgers this far down the list, but the truth is that the discount-double check got checked down last season. Rodgers was a different player without his old-reliable Jordy Nelson and his running game wasn’t bailing him out either when he needed it. Yes, the 2 Hail Mary’s proved he can still do whatever he wants when it matters most, but you should be able to get him with better value in the 3rd or 4th round…as of now.
Blake Bortles jumped from throwing just 11 touchdown passes his rookie season to 35 in his sophomore year. #BortlesKombat has some room to grow, and probably will with a pair of very consistent scoring receivers like Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns. The Jaguars are a team that plays in a lot of comeback situations and shootouts that make Bortles excellent for Fantasy garbage points.
Ben Roethlisberger led the league with 328 pass yards per game, and you’d think it’s hard not to replicate that kind of production when you have Antonio Brown, Martavis Bryant, Markus Wheaton, Le’Veon Bell and DeAngelo Williams to work with. The only question is whether or not he can stay in one piece.
I’m always skeptic about Eli Manning, as he seems to regularly fold in high pressure situations during the regular season. His 35 touchdown passes were no joke though, and having Odell Beckham Jr. there to make him look better is also hard to argue with. As his offensive coordinator from the past 2 years takes over the reigns as head coach, the offense shouldn’t look terribly different.
Andy Dalton was as good as anyone in the first half of the season last year. He likely went undrafted in most leagues and became the hottest free agent in a hurry in yours. He went from throwing 19 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 2014 to 25/7 in 2015. Had he been healthy down the stretch for the Bengals, there’s a good chance they would have beaten the Steelers over Wild Card weekend. His offensive coordinator, Hue Jackson, might be elsewhere but it’s hard to imagine he’ll take a step back with AJ Green and Tyler Eifert still there to throw to.
Drew Brees paired with Sean Payton as head coach will always get you the yardage. “Breesus” averaged 324 yards per game. The crazy numbers don’t kick in until around mid-season though, like ya know…7 touchdowns and 505 yards in Week 8. The fact Luke McCown made an appearance makes you nervous though and wonder if he can keep it up (NOT LIKE THAT, YA JERKS).
Derek Carr made solid strides in 2015, throwing multiple TDs in 11 of the 16 games he started. Throwing 32 touchdowns after 21 in his rookie season and growing with Amari Cooper makes his projection in 2016 even more exciting.
I don’t know which Kirk Cousins you’re going to get in 2016. The one that was just okay through Week 14, or the one that tossed 11 touchdowns in 3 games to will Washington to an NFC East title and will get him paid big time for it. The upside with a healthy Jordan Reed, and that 158.3 QB rating game in Week 10, has him ranked higher than he probably is….for now.
I don’t think there was a quarterback who did more with less than Jay Cutler.
Yet he still played one of his best seasons as a Chicago Bear. Having continuity in playcalling next year and healthy receivers makes me feel better about Cutler than most next season.
Andrew Luck probably went in the first or 2nd round in most leagues last year. Those who drafted him that high got 7 games, 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions to show for it. As of this moment, I’m not sure if you’re going to get the 40 touchdown guy from 2014 or the injury plagued/turnover happy QB of 2016. His talent and ability will keep him higher though.
For the first 8 games of the season, Philip Rivers averaged 344 yards and 2 touchdowns per game. Then he lost Keenan Allen for the year and it was 254 yards and 1.4 touchdowns per game the rest of the year. Rivers still got paid big money and his head coach Mike McCoy was extended through 2017, so the organization seems to be banking on next year looking like the first half of 2015.
There’s been more talk about who will replace Tony Romo than his potential production when he returns in 2016. If you draft Romo next season, it’s to backup your #1 guy and the possibility he stays upright for 34 touchdowns like he did in 2014. If the Cowboys pick up a DeMarco Murray-like running back, maybe he will.
I don’t know how you can trust Matt Ryan anymore, coming off the worst statistical year of his career since his rookie season. However, he does have arguably the best wide receiver in football, Julio Jones, and Devonta Freeman can set him up better if his offensive coordinator can figure out how to use play-action.
Before last season, Ryan Tannehill was improving every season. Then his coaches forgot how to coach. It’s cliche now, but Adam Gase worked wonders with Peyton Manning and Jay Cutler. So you can hold onto hope one more year with Ryan Tannehill as a backup.
I get a feeling Jameis Winston is going to jump up this list a bit, and could very well be a starter for you if Mike Evans can avoid dropping the ball. What’s going to be key is seeing how his newly elevated head coach, Dirk Koetter, does handling the personnel after getting Lovie Smith launched.
Ryan Fitzpatrick brought the “Fitzmagic” last season, throwing more than 30 touchdowns for the first time in his career. The Jets utilized their running game to set him up greatly in the red zone, and the Brandon Marshall/Eric Decker combo ate because of it. Can you bank on Fitzpatrick doing it again though when couldn’t any of the 10 years before?
DID YOU KNOW…
That the first official prop bet was whether or not William “The Refrigerator” Perry would would score a touchdown in Super Bowl XX?
Well…
He did.
The “Prop Bets” have become an awesome tradition each year for both the heavy and light gamblers. It’s fun betting on how long the anthem will be sung and what color the Gatorade being poured will be. Then you account the circumstances surrounding star players, storylines, celebrities and halftime show performers, and you have yourself a fun Super Bowl party game.
So…
Will Peyton Manning announce his retirement in the postgame interview?
Yes +500 (5/1)
No -1000 (1/10)
(Note: Must be on live broadcast.)
Will Peyton Manning be seen crying at any point during the entire broadcast?
Yes +600 (6/1)
No -1200 (1/12)
(Note: Live pictures only, must clearly see a tear.)
How many times will “dab” or “dabbing” be said by the announcers during the broadcast?
Over 2 (EVEN, 1/1)
Under 2 (-140, 5/7)
(Note: From kickoff to final whistle, halftime does not count.)
How many times will Cam Newton do the Open Shirt Superman motion during the game?
Over 2.5 (EVEN, 1/1)
Under 2.5 (-140, 5/7)
(Note: From kickoff to final whistle, halftime does not count.)
If Steph Curry is shown on TV during the broadcast what will he be wearing?
Personalized Carolina Steph Curry Jersey 1/1
No Jersey 2/1
Cam Newton Jersey 3/1
Any Other Carolina Jersey 5/1
Will Mike Carey be wrong about a challenge?
Yes +110 (11/10)
No -150 (2/3)
(Note: He must be consulted on live broadcast and must clearly take a stance on his position. If not consulted wagers will be No Action.)
Will there be an earthquake during the game?
Yes 10/1
(Note: Announcer must indicate there was during live broadcast from kickoff until final whistle.)
Will the Panthers player who scores their first TD give the football to a boy or girl?
Boy -200 (1/2)
Girl +150 (3/2)
How many times will the Golden Gate Bridge be shown during the broadcast?
Over 0.5 -300 (1/3)
Under 0.5 +200 (2/1)
(Note: From kickoff to final whistle, halftime does not count.)
How many times will “John Fox” be said during the broadcast?
Over 1 (-140, 5/7)
Under 1 (EVEN, 1/1)
(Note: From kickoff to final whistle, halftime does not count.)
How many times will Archie Manning be shown on TV during the broadcast?
Over 1.5 EVEN (1/1)
Under 1.5 -140 (5/7)
(Note: From kickoff to final whistle, halftime does not count.)
How many times will John Elway be shown on TV during broadcast?
Over 2.5 EVEN (1/1)
Under 2.5 -140 (5/7)
(Note: From kickoff to final whistle, halftime does not count.)
Will the announcers mention that Kubiak was Elway’s backup during the broadcast?
Yes +120 (6/5)
No -160 (5/8)
(Note: From kickoff to final whistle, halftime does not count.)
What color will the liquid be that is poured on the winning coach?
Orange 5/4
Blue 3/1
Clear 4/1
Yellow 4/1
Red 6/1
Green 10/1
Purple 10/1
Who will the Super Bowl MVP mention first?
God 2/1
Team 2/1
City/Fans 6/1
Coach 15/2
Family 15/1
Does not Mention Anyone above 9/4
Which song will Coldplay play first during the halftime show?
Adventure of a Lifetime 2/1
Fix You 7/2
A Sky Full of Stars 9/2
Viva la Vida 5/1
Clocks 15/2
Speed of Sound 9/1
Head Full of Dreams 10/1
Paradise 10/1
What color will Beyonce’s footwear be when she comes on stage for the halftime show?
Black 3/2
Gold/Brown 5/2
White 11/4
Silver/Grey 19/4
Any Other Color 7/1
(Note: Predominant color will be graded winner.)
Will “Left Shark” make an appearance on stage during the Super Bowl halftime show?
Yes 15/1
How many million viewers will Super Bowl 50 have?
Over/Under 117 million
What will the Nielsen Rating be for Super Bowl 50?
Over/Under 48.5
Which region will have a higher Nielsen Rating?
Denver -140 (5/7)
Charlotte EVEN (1/1)
How many wings will Buffalo Wild Wings sell on Super Bowl Day?
Over/Under 12 million
Coin Toss
Heads -105 (20/21)
Tails -105 (20/21)
Will the referee redo the coin toss?
Yes 20/1
Will the team that chooses heads or tails in the coin toss be correct?
Yes -105 (20/21)
No -105 (20/21)
Team to win the coin toss
Carolina Panthers -105 (20/21)
Denver Broncos -105 (20/21)
Will the team that wins the coin toss win the game?
Yes -105 (20/21)
No -105 (20/21)
Team to score first in the game
Carolina Panthers -150 (2/3)
Denver Broncos +120 (6/5)
Will the team that scores first win the game?
Yes -160 (5/8)
No +130 (13/10)
Total Team Points – Carolina Panthers
Over/Under 24½
Total Team Points – Carolina Panthers – First Half
Over/Under 11½
Total Team Points – Denver Broncos
Over/Under 20
Total Team Points – Denver Broncos – First Half
Over/Under 9½
Will there be a score in the first 7m30s of the 1st quarter?
Yes -160 (5/8)
No +130 (13/10)
Will there be a score in the first 1m30s of the 1st quarter?
Yes +1000 (10/1)
No -2500 (1/25)
Which will be the highest scoring quarter?
1st Quarter 5/1
2nd Quarter 8/5
3rd Quarter 9/2
4th Quarter 5/2
Will either team score 3 unanswered times in the game?
Yes -220 (5/11)
No +175 (7/4)
Will there be a score in the final 2 minutes of the 1st half?
Yes -280 (5/14)
No +220 (11/5)
Longest touchdown yardage in the game
Over/Under 44½
Will there be a penalty for excessive celebration?
Yes +250 (5/2)
No -400 (1/4)
Will either backup QB take a snap in the game?
Yes +200 (2/1)
No -300 (1/3)
Total successful field goals
Over/Under 3½
Longest successful field goal in the game
Over/Under 44.5 Yards
Will there be a missed extra point?
Yes +325 (13/4)
No -450 (2/9)
Total QB sacks (Both teams combined)
Over/Under 5½
Will a special teams or defensive TD be scored?
Yes +150 (3/2)
No -180 (5/9)
Will the Panthers rush for a 100 Yards or more for a 32nd straight game?
Yes -500 (1/5)
No +300 (3/1)
Total number of penalties made in the game by both teams
Over/Under 12½
Total number of penalties assessed on the Carolina Panthers
Over/Under 6
Total number of penalties assessed on the Denver Broncos
Over/Under 6½
Margin of Victory
Panthers by 1-6 points 3/1
Panthers by 7-12 points 4/1
Panthers by 13-18 points 11/2
Panthers by 19-24 points 9/1
Panthers by 25-30 points 16/1
Panthers by 31-36 points 25/1
Panthers by 37-42 points 40/1
Panthers by 43+ points 50/1
Broncos by 1-6 points 4/1
Broncos by 7-12 points 8/1
Broncos by 13-18 points 12/1
Broncos by 19-24 points 25/1
Broncos by 25-30 points 50/1
Broncos by 31-36 points 75/1
Broncos by 37-42 points 100/1
Broncos by 43+ points 100/1
Super Bowl 50 – Odds to Win MVP
Cam Newton 5/7
Peyton Manning 11/4
Luke Kuechly 14/1
C.J. Anderson 20/1
Ted Ginn Jr. 20/1
Von Miller 20/1
Greg Olsen 22/1
Emmanuel Sanders 22/1
Jonathan Stewart 22/1
Demaryius Thomas 22/1
Josh Norman 28/1
Aqib Talib 33/1
DeMarcus Ware 33/1
Corey Brown 66/1
Owen Daniels 66/1
Graham Gano 66/1
Ronnie Hillman 66/1
Brandon McManus 66/1
Darian Stewart 66/1
Danny Trevathan 66/1
Chris Harris Jr. 75/1
Devin Funchess 100/1
Brandon Marshall 100/1
Derek Wolfe 100/1
Kurt Coleman 150/1
Mike Tolbert 150/1
Field 33/1
First Touchdown Scorer
Cam Newton (CAR) 7/1
Greg Olsen (CAR) 15/2
Jonathan Stewart (CAR) 8/1
C.J. Anderson (DEN) 9/1
Emmanuel Sanders (DEN) 9/1
Demaryius Thomas (DEN) 9/1
Ted Ginn Jr. (CAR) 10/1
Corey Brown (CAR) 14/1
Owen Daniels (DEN) 14/1
Ronnie Hillman (DEN) 14/1
Mike Tolbert (CAR) 16/1
Jerricho Cotchery (CAR) 20/1
Devin Funchess (CAR) 20/1
Andre Caldwell (DEN) 25/1
Jordan Norwood (DEN) 25/1
Ed Dickson (CAR) 33/1
Peyton Manning (DEN) 50/1
No touchdown scorer 66/1
Field 11/2
Will Peyton Manning throw a Pick 6 in the game?
Yes +300 (3/1)
No -500 (1/5)
Will Cam Newton break the Super Bowl record of most rushing yards by a QB?
Yes +275 (11/4)
No -450 (2/9)
(Note: The record is 64 by Steve McNair in Super Bowl XXXIV.)
Total Passing Yards – Peyton Manning (DEN)
Over/Under 235½
Total Passing Yards – Cam Newton (CAR)
Over/Under 240½
Total Touchdown Passes – Cam Newton (CAR)
Over 1½ (-180, 5/9)
Under 1½ (+150, 3/2)
Total Touchdown Passes – Peyton Manning (DEN)
Over 1½ (-135, 20/27)
Under 1½ (+105, 21/20)
Cam Netwon and Peyton Manning Specials
Cam Newton records 300 or more Passing Yards 7/2
Cam Newton records 350 or more Passing Yards 9/1
Cam Newton records 50 or more Rushing Yards 3/2
Cam Newton records 100 or more Rushing Yards 12/1
Cam Newton records 25 or more Completions 5/1
Cam Newton scores a Rushing TD and Carolina win the game 2/1
Peyton Manning records 300 or more Passing Yards 7/4
Peyton Manning records 350 or more Passing Yards 5/1
Peyton Manning records 30 or more Completions 15/2
Total Rushing Yards – Cam Newton (CAR)
Over/Under 39½
Total Rushing Yards – Ted Ginn Jr. (CAR)
Over/Under 5½
Will Luke Kuechly record a pick 6 in the game?
Yes +600 (6/1)
No -1200 (1/12)
(Note: Kuechly had a pick 6 in both playoff games this year.)
Total Sacks – Von Miller (DEN)
Over ½ (-225, 4/9)
Under ½ (+180, 9/5)
Cross Sport Props – What will be higher?
Trump % Points in the New Hampshire Primary -200 (1/2)
Total Points scored by the winning Super Bowl team +150 (3/2)
Cross Sport Props – Exact Outcome
Carolina wins Super Bowl – Trump Wins 2016 Presidential Election 13/4
Carolina wins Super Bowl – Cinton Wins 2016 Presidential Election 7/4
Carolina wins Super Bowl – Sanders Wins 2016 Presidential Election 5/1
Denver wins Super Bowl – Trump Wins 2016 Presidential Election 7/1
Denver wins Super Bowl – Clinton Wins 2016 Presidential Election 9/2
Denver wins Super Bowl – Sanders Wins 2016 Presidential Election 10/1
Cross Sport Props – What are the odds the Carolina Panthers win the 2016 Super Bowl and the Golden State Warriors win the 2015-2016 NBA Title?
Yes 2/1
Will Denver win Super Bowl, Peyton Manning Retires, San Antonio wins NBA Championship, Tim Duncan Retires?
Yes 20/1
Cross Sport Props – What will be higher?
DeMarcus Cousins Points and Rebounds Feb. 7
Cam Newton Rushing Yards
Cross Sport Props – What will be higher?
Total Goals in the Montreal vs Carolina NHL game on Feb. 7
Total Receptions by Greg Olsen
Cross Sport Props – What will be higher?
Tiger Woods 1st Round score at 2016 Masters
Emmanuel Sanders Receiving Yards
Cross Sport Props – What will be higher?
Arsenal Total Goals on Feb. 7
Peyton Manning TD Passes
The Pro Bowl is dumb. There’s no debate about that.
Last night, Russell Wilson was the only one among the Top 6 quarterbacks in the league to even be present in Honolulu, and that showed as he threw 3 touchdowns and won the game’s Offensive MVP award for it, I guess.
Meanwhile, one of his teammates took home the “Defensive” MVP award. I put that in quotes because DEFENSE is a relative term when it comes to the Pro Bowl. By the 4th quarter, the game devolved to touch football and nobody was even trying to tackle each other…and why should they when it’s just an exhibition game and nobody wants to risk getting hurt?
In my opinion, those in charge of the Pro Bowl couldn’t let Michael Bennett leave without any hardware after this attempt to make it fun for all involved.
Meanwhile, Richard Sherman attempted a Stone Cold Stunner on Packers linebacker Clay Matthews.
“MAH GAWD, THAT MAN HAS A FAMILY!” Maybe.
While the players had fun hanging out and pretending to play football, one viewer was having an absolute blast watching this game. Safety Earl Thomas live tweeted the whole thing for the rest of us.
And we appreciate Thomas for apologizing on behalf of his teammates, but maybe he can say the same for his fellow players union members too who have it in the Collective Bargaining Agreement to keep this mess going.
As bad as the game was, there’s a good chance the Pro Bowl drew a better viewership than the NHL’s All-Star game…which I heard was great.
The AFC Championship has been relatively one-sided so far for Manning vs. Brady 17.
The Denver Broncos lead the New England Patriots 17-9 at halftime. Peyton Manning is 10/20 passing with 128 yards and 2 touchdowns to Owen Daniels. Tom Brady’s day has been less than stellar throwing 8/20, 87 yards and 2 interceptions.
Meanwhile, the Denver Police Department is having some fun at the Patriots O’s expense on Twitter.
Too early? I hope not…They may not like what they find.
If Fast and the Furious ever gets this many sequels, I quit.
I understand if you’re exhausted from hearing about this. It’s a storyline that’s been shoved down your throat for 2 decades, and both quarterbacks have their detractors. There’s a reason you’ve heard all the narratives for as long as you have though.
The last time neither Peyton Manning nor Tom Brady were in the AFC Championship was in 2011. Before then, it was 2006. Brady and Manning will be facing off for the 17th time this weekend, but it will be the 5th time in the playoffs with both winning 2 games a piece. Manning actually has an edge on Brady, having won 2 of their 3 matchups in the AFC Championship. This time could (and should) be their last, and it will be for a shot at Super Bowl 50.
When you bring up Manning and Brady, you’re talking about two of the best to play their position, the most important position in the most watched sport in the country. One year separates the two in age (Manning 39, Brady 38), and they are both in the Top 6 of career touchdowns, yards and passer rating. Manning ranks 1st, 1st, and 5th, Brady is 3rd, 5th and 6th. Brady’s 4 Super Bowl rings compared to Manning’s 1 are pretty glaring, but it’s still too fitting to see either of these 2 get another chance to play on the biggest stage in sports. Just a year ago, the Super Bowl drew it’s largest audience with 114.4 million people watching.
The numbers for both quarterbacks in their 16 meetings make up that of a solid regular season. Manning has completed 410 of 657 passes (62.4%) for 4,809 yards, 33 TDs and 22 INTs (87.4 QB rating). Brady has completed 367 of 553 passes (66.4%) for 4,013 yards, 31 TDs and 13 INTs (96.5 QB rating). Brady leads the series 11-5, with an 8-2 record against Manning at Foxboro and split 3-3 in Indianapolis/Denver. In the last 10 years though, Manning is 2-0 in the playoffs against Brady. Neither one has won against each other on the road since 2007.
Who has the most to gain with a win this Sunday though, with legacies mostly cemented going? Brady holds the record for most playoff wins (22) and has a 73.3 win percentage while Manning holds the record for the most playoff losses (13). Regardless the result of Sunday’s game, Brady will go down as one of football’s all-time greats as a winner because of his post season hardware. Manning will unfortunately be remembered as the greatest “regular season” quarterback who only came home with the ultimate prize once out of 15 chances, with a younger brother holding a second ring over his head…unless he wins Sunday and February 7th.
It’s amazing Manning has reached this point following his worst statistical regular season of his career and having to sit out due to injury. He’s had transform his game from being the dominant quarterback to “game manager”, and it worked great against the Steelers. With a Super Bowl quality defense, all Manning has to do now is hand the ball off, make the right checks evaluating the coverage, not turn the ball over, and make a play when it’s needed.
There are only 11 quarterbacks with multiple Super Bowl rings:
Eli Manning – 2
Ben Roethlisberger – 2
John Elway – 2
Jim Plunkett – 2
Roger Staubach – 2
Bob Greise – 2
Bart Starr – 2
Troy Aikman – 3
Terry Bradshaw – 4
Joe Montana – 4
If Brady wins one more, he joins club of his own with 5. If Manning wins one more, he joins the club and fans will remember that more than the 13 playoff losses. Ask Elway, who lost 8 times before winning his 2 rings back-to-back to end his career. Can Manning have his Elway moment?
I tried to think about where this rivalry stacks up in sports. It’s not quite Magic Johnson vs. Larry Bird. Two all-time greats, yes, but there were 8 championships won between the two (Magic 5, Bird 3) and they had to do it against each other in the Finals. Ali/Frazier was a whole different level of competition, and disrespect for each other. Bill Russell vs. Wilt Chamberlain though…
Russell is the greatest winner in basketball history with 11 championships and Chamberlain was statistically one of the best to ever play his position while winning his second ring late in his career. A big difference is that Russell and Chamberlain had to actually man-up on each other, but the legacy comparisons between them and Brady/Manning are certainly there.
Just before the postseason begins with Wildcard Weekend, the Associated Press named its All-Pro First Team. The offense looks very similar to the MichaelPiff.com Fantasy “Best Lineup”.
Adrian Peterson and JJ Watt were unanimous choices. Khalil Mack became the first player voted to two different spots. The Pathers led all teams with 6 All-Pros.
Has your Fantasy Football withdrawal kicked in already? Are you already thinking about next year’s draft? Yeah, me too…That’s why I’ll be frequently updating my draft boards on MichaelPiff.com starting next week.
But first…
We have some awards to hand out from the 2015 season!
This season was wild. Injuries, suspensions, surprises, Gary Barnidges, backup quarterbacks, drama and more drama…We’ll look at all the impact players, and some of the worst, that dictated your fantasy season this past season.
Every year you do your Fantasy draft, who usually goes off the board first?…Running backs. Then someone drafts Aaron Rodgers (probably Andrew Luck this year too) ridiculously high and some wide receivers will round out your first round. Quarterbacks don’t typically start to go in bulk until the 4th round and Cam Newton wasn’t even being considered until the 8th. His average draft position was 77.1 overall, average round was 8.4.
Those who rolled with Newton, and weren’t afraid of the lack of hype around his wide receivers, reaped ALL the benefits of #1 scoring quarterback in football. He finished the season leading the league in total touchdowns with 45 (35 passing, 10 rushing) and added 4,473 yards from scrimmage (3,837 passing, 635 rushing). Newton’s stretch from Week 11-15 (19 total touchdowns) likely helped carry you to your league’s championship too.
Hard not to consider Carson Palmer as an MVP as well since he regularly gave you at least 290+ yards and 2-3 touchdowns through the air.
I can’t fault players who miss time or underperform due to injury. The top tier of the running backs almost all suffered this, besides Adrian Peterson. Eddie Lacy wasn’t hurt though. Lacy was a Top 5 pick in most leagues, and he gave you just 3 rushing touchdowns and 758 yards on the ground in 15 games. He was out of shape, missing curfews, and just simply…bad. If any of his 3 games of 100+ yards helped you, I imagine it was because you were desperate at running back. It took Lacy until Week 11 to do so.
I’m probably breaking my injury rule here, but you likely picked Bryant late 1st or early 2nd round, held on to him while he was injured, and got just 3 touchdowns and 401 yards in 9 games for your patience. Tony Romo or not, Bryant is supposed to be a game changer…not THAT.
If you paid close attention to the Falcons in the offseason, you were weighing your options of taking rookie Tevin Coleman or 2nd year RB Devonta Freeman as one of your flier picks. If you picked Freeman, you CHOSE WISELY. Freeman went 119th overall on average, 2 rounds or so after Coleman, and he gave you 1,639 yards from scrimmage and 14 total touchdowns (most in the league). He also helped you stack up some wins from Weeks 2-6 with 10 touchdowns (9 rushing, 1 receiving).
If you picked Tom Brady before his suspension was lifted, you got him at backup value in later rounds. If you took him after, you still enjoyed his #RevengeTour with 36 touchdowns and only 7 interceptions.
While Le’Veon Bell served his 2 game suspension to start the year, DeAngelo Williams filled in with 204 yards and 3 touchdowns (all in one game). After Bell went on IR following Week 8, Williams gave you high-end RB1 production, averaging 125 yards from scrimmage and finishing tied with Freeman for the league’s lead in rushing TDs.
Might gut went with Gary Barnidge initially, but Williams’s value after Bell went down was just too strong…Barnidge was certainly the breakout player of the year, posting 1,043 yards and 9 touchdowns on 79 catches at the age of 30. Before this year, Barnidge’s career totals were 604 yards, 44 catches and 3 touchdowns over 7 years.
I’ll admit it. I wrote off the Muscle Hamster. After recording nearly 2,000 yards yards from scrimmage his rookie season, the guy barely hit half of that total over the next 2 years because of injuries, bad offensive lines and worse offensive coordinators. Bucs OC Dirk Koetter figured it all out though and made Doug Martin into the league’s 2nd leading rusher, picking up 1,402 yards on the ground. For someone who went in the 9th round on average in most fantasy drafts, I think you’d take that.
Ryan Fitzpatrick is the definition of a journeyman quarterback. 6 teams in 10 years, never making the playoffs and a career high of 24 touchdown passes in both the seasons he started all 16 games…until this year. Surround his beard with 2 excellent possession receivers, a quality offensive line, and 2 viable running backs and Fitzpatrick turns into FitzMagic throwing 31 touchdowns. He threw multiple touchdowns in 12 of his 16 starts…Who figured Geno Smith getting punched in the face would benefit them so well?
It’s hard not to picture Todd Gurley being drafted in your first round next season. In 12 starts, the rookie out of Georgia 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground (2nd highest in the league). Gurley was the Rams’ only source of offense, which explained some of the slow down in production down the stretch as opposing defenses keyed in on him. Expect Gurley to just get stronger and scarier now that he’ll have a full offseason without rehabbing an injury.
It’s easy to compare Jameis Winston with Marcus Mariota, both rookie QBs with Heisman trophies in their mantles. Winston separated himself from Mariota with big play ability, ranked 2nd in yards per completion (13), and was more consistent for scoring in the 2nd half of the season.
QB: Cam Newton, Panthers – 3,837 yards, 35 TD passing / 636 yards, 10 TD rushing
WR: Antonio Brown, Steelers – 1,834 yards, 136 catches, 10 TD
WR: Julio Jones, Falcons – 1,871 yards, 136 catches, 8 TD
WR: DeAndre Hopkins, Texans – 1,521 yards, 111 catches, 11 TD
RB: Adrian Peterson, Vikings – 1,485 yards, 11 TD rush / 30 catches, 222 yards receiving
RB: Devonta Freeman, Falcons – 1,061 yards, 11 TD rush / 73 catches, 578 yards 3 TD receiving
FLEX: Odell Beckham Jr, Giants – 1,450 yards, 96 catches, 13 TD (15 games)
TE: Rob Gronkowski, Patriots – 72 catches, 1,176 yards, 11 TD
K: Stephen Gostkowski, Patriots – 33/36 FG, 52/52 PAT
DEF – Denver Broncos – 52 sacks, 14 INT, 16 fumble recoveries, 5 TD
QB: Kirk Cousins, Washington
WR: Allen Robinson, Jaguars
WR: Doug Baldwin, Seahawks
WR: Brandin Cooks, Saints
RB: Todd Gurley, Rams
RB: David Johnson, Cardinals
FLEX: Lamar Miller, Dolphins
K: Brandon McManus, Broncos
DEF: Minnesota Vikings
If Fantasy Football and the NFL (or as some people call “Real Football”) have anything in common, it’s definitely the MVP race. After the Fantasy playoffs are over, we’ll award the best (and worst) from the season. Check out the results from last season here, where readers and I selected Comeback Player of the Year, Breakout Player of the Year, Steal of the Draft, Biggest Bust, and Most Valuable Player.
It’s funny how much we value running backs in the first round of the draft year to year, but the 5 most valuable players right now are definitely quarterbacks. By multiple fantasy websites, the common Top 5 looks like
The first skilled position player to pop up in Actual Fantasy Rankings is Odell Beckham Jr typically around 7th overall, and then finally RBs Devonta Freeman and Adrian Peterson to round out the Top 10. Your average league’s first 5 draft picks looked very similar to Jamaal Charles (IR), Marshawn Lynch (multiple injury stints), Le’Veon Bell (IR), Peterson (fine) and Eddie Lacy (benched at different points). If you’re still in the playoffs, you likely have any of the 5 quarterbacks listed above and/or navigated successfully around the unfortunate circumstances of the Top 5 running backs.
I think you’re certainly on the right track playing Denard Robinson this week. The matchup is juicier than a Juicy Lucy, which my Minnesota friends tell me is delicious. The Falcons have given up the most rushing touchdowns on the season with 15 and they are allowing more receptions to RBs than any other team. I know Todd Gurley seems sexy after his 2 touchdown performance and resurgence last week, but he’s going against one of the best run defenses in football. I would actually consider Matt Forte instead against a Vikings defense that could be missing Linval Joseph, Anthony Barr and Harrison Smith for a second week in a row. Forte also got 9 red zone carries to Jeremy Langford’s 2 last week.
If you feel strongly about Gurley, go for it and play him in your flex. Otherwise, I like Golden Tate in that spot against the New Orleans pass D. Excuse me while I puke think about them.
QB: You likely took Aaron Rodgers late in the 1st or somewhere in the 2nd round. This week is why you picked him there. He’s coming off the worst 10-game stretch of his career, there’s no doubt of that, but he’s taking on a an Oakland defense that allowed more than 2 TD games TWICE to Philip Rivers. Mike McCarthy took the play-calling duties back too, and he wears his play card on his sleeve…his play card being his heart in this metaphor, so expect a lot of stab tries down the field. I’m also not as confident in the Fitzmagic against the Dallas secondary as I would be against the rest of the NFC East.
RB: As I recommended earlier, go with Shoelace aka D-Rob. Then I lean toward Latavius Murray…partially because I don’t know what you’re going to get from Bryce Brown or Brandon Bolden, but also because the Packers have allowed touchdowns to running backs in 3 out of the last 4 weeks and 162 yards rushing to the Cowboys. He’s also a red zone carry machine for Oakland, getting 8 of the last 10 tries since Week 12.
Welcome to the Comeback Club, DB. I came back from an 0-6 start last season, only to get beat by my dad in the championship…
Third question in a row where I feel the need to drive home Denard Robinson. The Falcons have allowed more rushing touchdowns in the last 3 weeks (5), than 6 teams in the league have given up all year.
The 2nd choice I’m going to see what you feel better about. Out of your remaining options, I’m very intrigued by what Bryce Brown can do against the horrendous Browns run defense. It’s weird and scary because we have not seen him once all year, but he’s in line for a heavy workload. In the 4 games Brown had double-digit carries, he averaged 97 yards and a touchdown in each….Then there’s Bilal Powell, who has become a PPR beast in the last 2 weeks and is going against a Dallas team that allows the 4th most receiving yards and 8th most receptions to running backs. Potential upside’s higher with Brown, Powell is safer.
QB: I’m going with the QB that throws to Odell Beckham Jr. Also, the Carolina Panthers secondary just took a hit with Peanut Tillman dealing with a partially torn ACL having to put Bene Benwikere on IR. They could be starting a player they signed off the street on Tuesday, Robert McClain, and Eli Manning should be able to expose that with either ODB or Rueben Randle.
WR: Weird week for him last week, but Allen Robinson is a must start now, with 5 touchdowns in his last 3 games. He’s a big reason why #BortlesKombat is giving everyone he faces a FATALITY, and you can look at the work DeAndre Hopkins and Odell Beckham did on the Falcons to feel better, combining for 16-303-1.
Now you have one of those GOOD problems. I am going with Doug Baldwin against he Browns though, especially if the Bryce Brown experiment doesn’t workout. If you believe in hot hands, there aren’t any hotter than Baldwin right now.
Lamar Miller, Randal. Lamar Miller.
(Read his “Quick Hit” above and you’ll understand why I’m not going into further depth on him.)
If you made your Fantasy league’s playoffs…
CONGRATS!
If not, thanks for reading anyway. If people don’t send in questions, there is no Mailbag. So sincerely, thank you for making this fun for me every week to write up and try to help you get where you want to be.
December is the month that matters now, ask Russell Wilson. In December, Wilson is 13-2 as a starter which is the highest win percentage for a quarterback since 2000. All of a sudden the Seahawks look like a team nobody wants to play against and so do the Steelers. That’s who you have to be now as a Fantasy owner, and it doesn’t hurt having players from both squads either.
RB: Despite Giovani Bernard having more rush yards and 300 more receiving yards than Jeremy Hill, Hill is getting an actual starter’s workload with 20 more touches than Gio over the last 2 weeks. You should feel good going with him. Doug Martin has the New Orleans dumpster fire D this week. Now you’re left between Javorius Allen and Todd Gurley. Go with Buck. He’s averaging 123 yards per game since taking over for Justin Forsett. Meanwhile, Gurley is on the back of a milk carton and we can’t find him.
TE: Close call, but I would go with ASJ for matchup reasons. He played limited snaps last week but still managed to be the 2nd most targeted receiver by Jamies Winston.
Even though I gave a ton of love to both Wilson and the Steelers to start this post, I’m going against them for this choice. Andy Dalton has 3+ touchdowns in half of the games he’s started this season and could be in for a total shootout with the Steelers this weekend. Considering what Russ was able to do against Pittsburgh, you should like ADalt even better.
First reaction – Yikes.
*Taking a second to process*
Ronnie Hillman. CJ Anderson is playing on a bum ankle which opens up a lot more for Hillman against Oakland. As stated earlier, Gio’s usage doesn’t give me enough confidence to start him when I have other options.
WR: I really don’t like the Bucs as much as I sound, but I hate the Saints defense way more. This is a great week for V-Jax because the Saints have given up 9 touchdowns to #2 WRs over the last 5 weeks.
FLEX: Going against one of the worst run defenses in the league, it’s a good week to play Shaun Draughn. I feel weird typing that, but Draughn has turned into the 49ers’ everything back and Cleveland has allowed at least 95 yards or a touchdown to RBs in 10 of the 12 games they’ve played this season.
michaelpiff 