FAABulous: Fantasy Football Pick-ups Week 15

Rob Gronkowski left the field, not to return for the rest of the year. (GETTY)

FAABulous will recap the week of football activity and point fantasy owners where to spend their hard earned (not really) FAAB or waiver priority. Players will be owned in at most 50% of Yahoo! FFL. This is the one time where mo' money probably wouldn't mean mo' problems.PLAYOFF EDITION: We're not focusing on lower % owned players, but those with choice match-ups for the playoffs. 

Well, if your league didn't start the playoffs last week, they certainly are this week. What a way to kick things off. Week 14 was the highest scoring week in NFL history with 104 touchdowns total. Yes, if you didn't put up a lot of fantasy points this weekend, then I don't know what to tell you. 

As if the high scoring wasn't enough, there was a storm that passed through the East coast leading to some snow bowls. None quite as ridiculous as the Eagles and Lions game, which I attended. The snow fall was so severe in the first half that I left my plastic beer cup in the cup holder and within 15 minutes it was filled with snow. You couldn't really see what was going on 35 yards down field, and replays on the big screens looked like your cable went out. Note: LeSean McCoy was not affected.



So we have scoring, we have snow, we have fun gifs - what else? Well, there was a coach fired, another coach seeming wanting to be fired, a failed miracle play in Pittsburgh due to another sideline controversy, oh and Alshon Jeffery.

There's fun football weeks, there's great football weeks, and then there's Week 14. Well, for a small percentage of fantasy players Week 14 wasn't all snowballs and points. Yes, two major injuries went down. Rob Gronkowski, fresh of his multiple arm breaks, was hit low in a gruesome hit by Browns' safety T.J. Ward (at least it wasn't Bernard Pollard) nullifying him for the rest of the regular season and playoffs. The other injury wasn't as severe, but just as brutal for fantasy owners as Adrian Peterson picked up a foot injury. The most recent reports don't show Peterson's foot injury as serious - as in surgery serious - but will likely cause him to miss Week 15 and potentially sit out for the rest of the year as a precautionary measure because if you're the Vikings, really, what's the point of throwing him back out there?

Ideally, if you're a contending team you have solid back-ups, but it's a big blow regardless. The best part of the playoffs though is that you don't need Toby Gerhart to carry your hopes and dreams for 6 weeks, just a couple, and match-ups play a big part in possibly getting through these kinds of injuries.

God speed to you fellow fantasy players, and let's look at some Love/Hate (h/t +Matthew Berry , Flames/Lames (h/t Brad Evans).

Cam Newton is here to rescue you. (winsnlosses.com)

QB - Nick Foles, PHI @ +Minnesota Vikings, Cam Newton, CAR v NYJ

Yes, you can't keep Nick Foles down. You just can't! He's walking into another favorable match-up against the Vikings. I doubt the crowd in Minny will cause much of a fuss, and Foles should have time to pile up the stats. The one stat I heard that caused me some pause was that Foles - unexpectedly - is among the league leaders in seconds it takes to get rid of the football. You'd assume that in Chip Kelly's offense he'd be winging it around, and although this past weekend was a bad indicator of this as visibility was terrible in the first half, I did start to notice it watching some of his past highlights. This is certainly a kudos to the Eagles' offensive line, but should they have an off day, the Vikings do have the D-line to cause some issues.

It's hard not to have a love/hate relationship with Cam Newton. He can pile up the points with the best of them, but sometimes he just goes into stink mode and doesn't do anything. He is running at a higher clip recently averaging 9.45 yards per carry and had at least 2 touchdowns in 3 of the last 4 weeks. He gets the Jets at home, and he will be looking to bounce back from a poor performance in New Orleans.

If you're desperate: Jason Campbell, CLE v CHI, Ryan Tannehill, MIA v +New England Patriots 

These are both great match-up plays for two relatively low % owned quarterbacks. If Campbell can make it through the game, he can just launch balls to Josh Gordon all day and it just appears that Josh Gordon will undoubtedly catch them. Also as a note, last week's pick-up at TE Jordan Cameron came back to life with Campbell tossing him the football. A good sign all around.

The Dolphins and Bengals are both teams I quit on. The Dolphins around the whole bullying incident and the Bengals when they lost Geno Atkins and Leon Hall. Well, they've proven me wrong and cost me gambling dollars in the process. For all the conversation that goes around having young quarterbacks in the right situation, it certainly appears that Tannehill has been in anything but that. However, he's improved over the course of the year, and has a high floor. He's recorded double digit fantasy points in every game this year (his lowest output being 12.88 at New England in Week 8) and he's put up 19, 22 and 24 fantasy points the last 3 weeks at Carolina and on the road against the Jets and Steelers respectively. Pretty impressive, young Tannehill.

RB - Marshawn Lynch, SEA @ +New York Giants, Shane Vereen, NE @ +Miami Dolphins 

Yes, I love Shady McCoy and Jamaal Charles, but here are two lower projected backs that I think will have a big day. The Giants have only pride to play for, and the Seahawks will be travelling a long way for another road game after a tough loss to San Francisco. I would expect Lynch to see the ball a lot to set up Seattle's play action and to grind the game down after the Seahawks go up big. Take note of the stadium in New Jersey, Seahawks, you might very well be back there in a couple of months.

Vereen graduates from "If you're desperate" to start him this week. He established himself in a big way last week with 153 receiving yards, and with Gronk out there will be an even greater focus on Vereen and Julian Edelman.

If you're desperate: Alfred Morris, WAS @ +Atlanta Falcons, Ryan Mathews, SD @ +Denver Broncos 

Well, this Washington team is a mess. We're not sure who is starting for the Shanahan led squad, but if it's Robert Griffin III or Kurt Cousins it really won't matter for Morris. The run option plays that led to Morris' breakout campaign last year have been thrown out of the playbook due to their ineffectiveness, not wanting RGIII to run and get hurt, or both. When Washington trails, they don't run the ball, but this week, they won't have any other options. Now only if Shanahan would give Morris the red zone touches as well, we'd be on to something!

For all the ills that Mathews has caused in his career. Fantasy owners can't be disappointed in what he's given to them this year as a much lower round draft pick. The injuries are still lingering, but he's gotten steady carries and steady production. I do like him more than Toby Gerhart simply because the Eagles defense - who Gerhart will face - has been playing much better lately, especially at keeping teams out of the end zone. He's a good desperation play if your bench running backs consist of BenJarvis Green-Ellis and Lamar Miller, but Mathews has more upside.

WR - Calvin Johnson, DET v +Baltimore Ravens, Alshon Jeffery, CHI @ CLE, Andre Johnson - HOU @ +Indianapolis Colts, A.J. Green, CIN @ +Pittsburgh Steelers 

Lots of big time receivers lining up for big time games. You would think A.J. Green is a no brainier, and he really is, but while his season has been good, it's been spectacularly quiet. The numbers are there, but he's not in that top tier of receivers I thought he'd be coming into the season. Facing Joe Haden multiple times a season won't help, but you wonder if Andy Dalton is taking his toll on Green.

I'll never question Jeffery ever.

If you're desperate: Torrey Smith, BAL v +Detroit Lions , Anquan Boldin, SF @ +Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Cordarrelle Patterson, MIN v +Philadelphia Eagles, Julian Edelman, NE @ +Miami Dolphins 

Two of these three are total home run plays. Smith and Patterson have the potential to go off. Smith is actually a very nice play against the Lions, and Patterson is starting to figure things out as of late. Boldin will likely be the guy not covered by Darelle Revis, which is always nice. Sorry, Michael Crabtree.

TE - Jordan Cameron, CLE v CHI, Charles Clay, MIA v +New England Patriots 

Cameron is back baby! And don't let the Cowboys' terrible performance Monday night fool you, the Bears' defense isn't very good.

If you haven't enjoyed a week out of Charles Clay then shame on you. The FAABulous favorite has 6 TD's on the year and is approaching 700 yards receiving. He's outperformed Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, and Antonio Gates.

If you're desperate: Delanie Walker, TEN @ +Denver Broncos, Zach Miller, SEA - v +New York Giants 

The tricky thing with Walker is he's a Thursday night play which, if it goes poorly, puts you in a hole. But he would be my #1 widely available addition to replace Gronk. Miller is a more risky play, but his match up in NJ is a favorable one. He has shown the ability to make a big play here or there, and he slightly beat out Brent Celek, who is even more TD dependent than Miller.

Plus, now we need more options at TE than ever since we can all accept that Ladarius Green is just a figment of fantasy experts' imagination and move on with our lives.

K - Stephen Gostkowski, NE @ +Miami Dolphins, Mason Crosby, GB @ +Dallas Cowboys 

People want to keep ranking Crosby so low, and I don't understand it. If the Aaron Rodgers injury benefited anyone fantasy wise it's Crosby, and he hasn't disappointed all year.

DEF - Carolina v +New York Jets, San Francisco @ +Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Yes, you're playing Seattle against the Giants, and Kansas City is capable of still giving bad teams trouble, but Carolina going up against the Geno Smith or Matt Simms combo platter? Yippy skippy.

FAABulous: Fantasy Football 2013 Pre-Season Ranks - RB

Any RB list starts with Adrian Peterson. (minnesota.publicradio.org)

Running backs had a renaissance last year. For the past couple of seasons they had begun to lose their clout as a premier position in fantasy. Lots of teams were becoming more and more pass heavy. This led to quaterbacks putting up monsterous numbers that needed fantasy owners' attention.

With increased passing, all of a sudden the elite crop of wide receivers separated themselves greatly from any lower end #1 or #2 option. Of course, the wide reciever production had wild variances of success and that may have led to more of a need to nab a Calvin Johnson type in the first round.

Also, the New England Patriots happen to be tweaking their own style of offense by deploying athletic yard munching machines at tight end. The previously run/blocking oriented two TE formation was suddenly a weapon. Players like Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, Aaron Hernandez, and a rejuvinated Tony Gonzalez weren't only perfomring as elite TEs, they were elite WR with TE eligibility!

The one hollowed RB territory of the first round of fantasy drafts had been invaded. QBs, WRs, and TEs all were staking a claim to high draft slots, meanwhile the role of the running back was being minimalized.

It started slowly with the full back position being weeded out. Once a staple of any offense, these larger lead blocker/short yardage guys were viewed as lacking utilization on the field. As such, the running backs were lined  up more in single back formations or with a less skilled blocker (usually the back up TE) in front of them. They took more punishment and/or were required to miss more on-coming defensive linemen and linebackers, who oh by the way now weigh upwards of 250 lbs and run sub-4.50 40's and freakish athleticism. So the injuries and RBs effected by no lead blocker dropped like flies.

Gone were the 300+carriers that dominated most of the history of football. Only a few of those types of runners still carried that amount of times. In 2011 there were only 2! Yes, RBs were falling on draft boards both in fantasy and reality. Once a runningback had a serious injury or hit the age of 30, red flags were raised - soon to be followed by white flags of surrender. The NFL had almost set the league up to no longer care for the run game in favor of the "more exciting" passing game.

Just when it looked like only the elite of the elite at the running back position were worth your first round pick, last year happened. New blood was infused into the league to go along with some pretty good guys that still remained. Five players crossed 300 carries, and more seem primed to do so this year. The NFL had a running renaissance, and these underappreciated stars finally regaind their fantasy relevance.

For as much as the NFL has evolved recently, it can't outrun the ground game. Quarterbacks have more spring in their step, the read-option is causing headaches around the league, and to combat those pesky defensive linemen that move like running backs people started getting offensive linemen that ... moved like running backs.

As we look forward to 2013, we're really dusting off our fantasy strategy guides from the mid-00's and going RB crazy. As we tier our backs for this season, what better way to commemorate them than by listing them according to the hey day of "fictional" RBs - the RBs from Tecmo Super Bowl.

TIER IVY JOE HUNTER
35. Vick Ballard, IND
34. Shane Vereen, NE
33. Chris Ivory, NYJ
32. Ronnie Hillman, DEN
31. Eddie Lacy, GB
30. Rashard Mendenhall, ARZ

Last I checked Ronnie Hillman was the starter in Denver, but rankers across the board are giving Montee Ball starter value. Just a reminder that things are always in flux in Denver due to Mr. Manning. If you want Ball, Hillman is a must hedge.

Vereen and Ballard are two guys that will be used, but are firmly back-ups less an injury happen.

Eddie Lacy is pretty buzzy this preseason. First for potentially being a fantasy star, then for being fat, then back to potential star again. Listen, this is the Green Bay Packers, and aside from a worrisome amount of mounting injuries, they pass the ball. The goal is to lessen the pressure on Aaron Rodgers by blocking for him and having some semblance of a run game, but this does not mean whether Lacy or Jonathan Franklin show up in jerseys on Sundays they're going to make a big difference. Although "fat camp" reports didn't hold this guy back.

Also, I wanted to note that as we move forward, I'm only ranking the top 35 fantasy running backs, so there's not much time to delve into the suckiness Tiers of the Tony Paiges and Keith Woodsides of the TSB world. These are all above average running backs, but I had to get an Ivy Joe Hunter shout out.

TIER OTTIS ANDERSON
29. DeAngelo Williams, CAR
28. BenJarvus Green-Ellis, CIN
27. Andre Brown, NYG
26. Ahmad Bradshaw, IND
25. Reggie Bush, DET
24. Ryan Mathews, SD

All of these guys have broken some fantasy owner's heart at some point or another. I'm sure people can write sonnets about how much Ryan Mathews has hurt them in his brief career. The hype surrouding this oft-injured back is all but squashed, but with a primary gig - he earns his #24 ranking.

Bush and BJGE are both guys who you hope the offensive system they're in brings the best out of them. Bush had his big opportunity last year in Miami to be a primary back, and he wasn't able to carry the load. In Detroit, he'll be utilized to his strenghts: getting 15-20 carries a game and being a dangerous receiver option out of the backfield. This all seems to equal sporadic fantasy production in 2013.

Two of the more interesting backs are DeAngelo Williams and Andre Brown. Williams is still living off the recognition of his 1,500 20 total TD season from 2008. Anyone that hasn't witnessed D-Will lately is that he's nowhere near that type of player anymore. He's been a part of the oddest RB platoon since Ottis Anderson and Dave Meggett. He and Jonathan Stewart signed mega RB deals only to be mutually terrible.

This year the Panthers look to opt for a more straightforward run game as opposed to using the read option. While this all sounds grand, you can also expect Cam Newton to be throwing the ball a lot and running for 700 or so yards himself as well as poaching numerous goal line TD's. And if it's not the Panthers giant QB diving into the paint, Mike Tolbert is lumbering around as well. All-in-all Williams probably had the talent to be a top 15 back, but the situation just doesn't dictate it.

Brown is the other must hedge RB. Word in Giants camp is that splits with him and David Wilson will be pretty even unless one guy takes the torch and runs with it. Both had equal production when they were healthy last year, which wasn't often - so these factors certainly increase Brown's value, while knocking Wilson's down a peg or two.

TIER HERSCHEL WALKER
23. Le'Veon Bell, PIT
22. Montee Ball, DEN
21. Lamar Miller, MIA

With Big Name value and lots of questions regarding their production, these young runners have a lot to prove in 2013. Ball, as I mentioned, still needs to solidify his position. Miller appears to be on his way to out pacing Daniel Thomas in South Beach, and Bell has the most security out of everyone.

The safest pick is surely Bell. He has the job, and without any real competition should hold onto it. The Steelers have a good track record implementing young, bruising backs into their system, but an seemingly always banged up line and an offense that might struggle this season don't give Bell the ceiling of Ball or Miller.

TIER NEIL ANDERSON
20. DeMarco Murray, DAL
19. Darren Sproles, NO
18. Darren McFadden, OAK
17. Frank Gore, SF

Was Brad Muster really ahead of Neil Anderson on the Bears depth chart? Who played with the Bears and didn't immediately make Anderson the #1 back and then sub out all of Brad Muster's plays? Ok, maybe give Muster a draw play in the top right box.

Anyway, here are guys I'd deem as highly questionable. They could explode in a given week, or fall on their faces, but by and large you're looking at 10-15 fantasy points per week on average, or in Darren Sproles case, extremely on point. We know the risks with DMM or DMC so spin that roulette wheel if you like.

Gore is just a guy I'm down on for this year. He's solid, has an extensive injury history, and is now looking like a second or third fiddle behind Colin Kaepernick.

TIER JOHNNY JOHNSON
16. David Wilson, NYG
15. Chris Johnson, TEN
14. Steven Jackson, ATL

Wilson I touched on earlier. If he can win the gig - he could vault up to the next tier. Then again, he could drop to the bottom of Andre Brown beats him out. This is a safe bet for him, although I'd probably rather have someone else earlier in the draft as my RB2.

Chris Johnson is just frustrating to own. If he's not breaking gigantic runs then he's not doing much good for you. He only mustered one 20 point game last year mainly the result of a lack of finding the end zone.

There is a ton of Steven Jackson love coming out of Atlanta, and I don't get it. The guy is 30, and most backs - let alone big backs - rarely regain a step once they cross that age. Granted, Jackson was on some horrible teams in St. Louis, but moving to a pass happy squad like the Falcons doesn't mean he'll resurrect his career. He's an upgrade over Michael Turner who scraped together double digit TDs for the 5th consecutive year, so maybe if Jackson can get those scores plus rejuvinate his pass catching game ... ok, I see why there is some hype. That's good enough to get him to the 14th spot, but not more.

TIER MIKE ROZIER
13. Maurice Jones-Drew, JAX
12. Stevan Ridley, NE
11. Matt Forte, CHI

Tier Mike Rozier goes to three backs that are underrated heading into the season. Mike Rozier is one of, but not THE most underrated RB in Tecmo Super Bowl. He is on an awful Falcons team, but he can bust off some nice runs in their run and gun offense.

MJD is two years removed from being, well Doug Martin. He held out last year, didn't get money, reported to camp out of shape, and had his only valuable game Week 3 then by Week 7 he was injured and a total bust. There's reason to doubt MJD, and while he's produced in an offense where he's the one and only threat, he is still a couple years removed from his last great year. He can certainly rebound health wise at 28, but it's hard to gauge how productive he'll be.

Ridley is now the primary back in New England. The problem with that is there really is never a primary back in New England. Usually there's a group of backs that fit a particular style the Pats are looking to deploy. Last year Ridley could have a big week just as well as Shane Vereen or Danny Woodhead. Woodhead would have been the biggest threat to Ridley for his pass catching and short yardage conversions (i.e. touchdowns), but he's off in Whale's Vagina. That leaves Vereen and LaGarrett Blount for crunch time. Now, it goes without saying that who knows what Bill Belichick will do, but with injuries and jail time for Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez respectively, his options are limited. Cue the Tim Tebow music. Good Gawd!

Along with Jay Cutler, Matt Forte should be excited about their new head coach in Chicago. Marc Trestman brings a more refined offensive game to Chicago. While it'll be interesting to see how Cutler adapts (in a contract year no less), Trestman's style certainly plays to a lot of Forte's strengths. Lots of running and catching and hopefully TD's. Out of any RB outside of the Top 10, Forte has the chance to break into the top 5 this season, and I wouldn't be surprised if it happened. 

TIER THURMAN THOMAS
10. Trent Richardson, CLE
9. Alfred Morris, WAS
8. C.J. Spiller, BUF
7. Ray Rice, BAL

Like all fantasy drafts when you get to this part it's about preference. Whether you prefer the proven track record of Rice, the explosiveness of Spiller, the power of T-Rich, or the car of Alfred Morris you can look for and pick what you like. These guys are listed as my preference, with Rice knocked down a bit from many other rankings. Ultimately though, you can mix them all together and give me one and I'd be fine with it (note to self: pray you don't get a pick after the Top 6).

I'm dropping Rice from his usual Top 4 perch as a result of his Ravens team being in pretty bad shape. Similar to MJD, Rice has proven himself against the "he's the only guy that can beat us offense," and while you would think winning the Super Bowl and your newly minted $120M quarterback would provide some relief, it probably won't. The departure of Anquan Boldin and season ending injury to Dennis Pitta put the Baltimore pass offense on its heels. The plus is more focus on the run, but also better handling of Rice.

Rice was almost criminally underused early in the season, but while many were scratching their heads, maybe it was a sign of things to come. He was fresh for the playoffs, and Rice doesn't need 25 carries a game since he adds value through his pass catching. You wonder how many times Bernard Pierce might take some goal line runs, or what if Joe Flacco is able to take more command of the Ravens' no huddle offense. Just some things to consider.

TIER BARRY SANDERS
6. LeSean McCoy, PHI
5. Jamaal Charles, KC

Two exmplosive backs, two completely new systems, two giant question marks. Will Andy Reid and Chip Kelly provide Shady and Charles need to succeed? Nothing should suggest otherwise as these two offensive minded coaches have certainly made use of their running game over the years.

Reid is known more for his pass happy style, but a back like Charles is a useful weapon in Big Red's playbook. Just look at what Brian Westbrook was able to do. In his prime you're looking at double digit TDs easy. Now two years removed from that disasterous Week 1 ACL tear, Charles amassed 1,700 total yards last year, and the beauty of his production is that he bites off big enough chunks per carry that he can keep himself rested, healthy, and an active part of the west coast pass game. Charles only had 6 TDs (5 rushing, 1 receiving) last year, but that was on a team that is much worse than this version of the Chiefs. Everything else lines up for those TD numbers to go up, up, up.

McCoy carries an even bigger question mark over him. No one knows how Chip Kelly will modify his offense to the NFL and to the personnel he has on the Eagles. We do know they're going to run a lot of plays and they're going to run them fast. It'd be hard pressed to imagine Kelly giving the full burden of the offense to Michael Vick or Nick Foles or whoever starts at QB, well, because he's never done that at Oregon. McCoy and breakout back Bryce Brown (who narrowly missed this list) will get ample touches. The big difference maker will be what happens around the red zone. McCoy is the Eagles most dangerous threat, but will Kelly defer to him or does he have too many tricks in his bag to just ho-hum run it up the middle all the time. Best case is he can knock on the door of 20 total TDs again.

TIER CHRISTIAN OKOYE
4. Doug Martin, TB
3. Arian Foster, HOU
2. Marshawn Lynch, SEA


The Muscle Hampster, as Martin hates to be called, is finally an original nickname given to someone in sports. Not D-Mart or DM, but the muscle hampster. He was the flag bearer for the new wave of running backs to hit the NFL last year, and while he was a popular sleeper, Martin was able to live up to anyone's expectations. With 1,926 total yards he certainly lived up to his billing as Ray Rice 2.0. So with such an out of this world season, there's going to be some calls for regression. First though, let's look at what is in Martin's favor. He has a sneaky explosive offense (depending on what Josh Freeman does this year) with Vincent Jackson and Mike Williams on the outside, and he's getting back Davin Joseph and Carl Nicks - two All-Pro quality guards that were injured all of last season to go along with newly acquired left tackle Gabe Carimi. This year's Bucs o-line will be much better than last year by default. Also, Martin has no challengers to his position for playing time or goal line snaps.

Some negatives might be that Martin did have his share of games that were flat out stinkers, and 83 of his total fantasy points came in back to back games in weeks 8 and 9, but I certainly wouldn't hold that against him. I see Martin more comfortable this year, and picking up where he left off.

Plenty of people are already tossing dirt on Arian Foster, but it's getting a little crazy. Keep in mind that Foster was battling through some injuries, but still carried the ball more than anyone in football. And what butters Foster's bread, are his TDs. While some backs previously listed had some questions about if they'll get enough opportunities to run the ball in, in Texas, there is only one primary option when it comes to the goal line and that's Foster. He's still only 26, and even though the Texans offense doesn't appear to be as explosive as it once once, they still boast one of the best offensive lines in football that run their zone blocking scheme to perfection, and Foster runs it just as well.

I'm going with Lynch at #2 because dude lives up to his awesome nickname, Beast Mode. Seemingly powered by Skittles, the guy has really found a home in Seattle. They know how to utlize him and they're not afraid to give him the ball. But what about Seattle's two games against the vaunted 49ers defense, you ask? Well Lynch carried the ball 45 times against those Niners last year to the tune of 214 yards/4.8 yards per carry and 1 TD. Toss in 3 dozen receiving yards and another TD, and there's no reason to run from Lynch.

Holdmydiiiick!

Now a moment for Christian Okoye. Perhaps no one has as much fame from Tecmo Super Bowl than the next guy listed, but make no mistake about it, Okoye was the original beast mode. The "Nigerian Nightmare" is largely underrated in Tecmo. He was a killer. Without the breakaway speed of Bo, when Okoye got moving he blew threw defenses. Escpecially when his PHYSICAL CONDITION: EXCELLENT oh boy, watch out.

TIER BO JACKSON
1. Adrian Peterson, MIN


One of the most miraculous NFL seasons ever. That's what Peterson did last year. Each week he busted out something ridiculous the first year back from an ACL tear. He is a man. He almost broke the single season rushing record, and he has plans to take down Emmitt, but in reality, us mortals can't expect another 2,000 yard season from Peterson. Maybe just 1,700 rushing yards and 18 TD? I think that'll do for #1 overall.

This about sums up All Day.

FAABulous: Fantasy Football Pick-ups Week 16

Bad weather? Chicago defense? Neither of these should have stopped you from playing James Jones. (nbcsports.msnbc.com)

FAABulous will recap the week of football activity and point fantasy owners where to spend their hard earned (not really) FAAB or waiver priority. Players will be owned in at most 50% of Yahoo! FFL. This is the one time where mo' money probably wouldn't mean mo' problems.

It's the most wonderful time of the year. Well, unless you were facing Russell Wilson or opted to play the Ravens' defense over those hapless Arizona Cardinals.

There are no right answers in the last couple of weeks of the fantasy football season. It seems like there are more pitfalls and traps on the way to that championship than on a course in Mario Kart. And that perception is, in fact reality. Match-up plays and hot streaks are all well and good in Week 4, but when the season is on the line, and you're looking at a match-up between one of your proven studs and a riskier pick - that can be a recipe for disaster.

Waffling on starting certain players is the norm for fantasy sports; especially football. It's why every sports site on the planet has rankings, projected stats, start 'em/sit 'em advice, etc. People have a need to know who to start.

Where these playoff weeks come into picture is that after a long season, you are at max capacity for information on these teams and players. Virtually everyone on your roster has either carried you to victory in some weeks and subsequently no-showed in others. Teams have been good, bad, and everything in between. Combine that with the added pressure of the playoffs, well it's easy for your heard to swirl.

The luckiest of us didn't have too many tough choices. You start Tom Brady, you play Adrian Peterson, or you sit Robert Griffin III. Of course those aren't the choices that get us burned. Those choices are around the WR3 spot or the TE spot, or if we're playing matchmaker with Kickers and D/ST.

In these cases, I always say stick to your guns. Clear your mind, and as you meditate to approach nirvana - in that moment - you select your line-up. Trying to reduce a season's worth of Chris Johnson stats to see if he's a good play this week only to have him be outscored by Danny Woodhead would make you crazy enough, let alone be a huge waste of your time.

It may seem short sighted to go with the "live by the sword, die by the sword" strategy at this point of the year, but you can ask everyone that started Josh Freeman against a horrible New Orleans pass defense over, well, basically anyone - how they feel.

Perhaps there is no better example of over thinking leading to the collapse of a championship run than James Jones. A FAABulous favorite, Jones has stepped up for the Packers all year and he continued that pattern last week nabbing 3 touchdowns and leading all WR in scoring.

But that sounds great, right? Right, it does.

But thanks to some over analyzing and nerves, the current leading touchdown receiver in the NFL was only started in 32% of leagues. How can this be? A guy with 9 TDs going into the game, hardly started in any leagues?

Well, here's the anti-Jones argument. He was facing the Chicago Bears defense in Chicago. The weather was not great. Also, with Jordy Nelson out, Jones could count on some more attention being thrown his way. Furthermore, as a player, Jones had only put up one double digit performance (10 points) in his previous 4 games. Continually, with only 51 receptions on the year, you're basically banking on Jones hauling in a score to be productive. In conclusion, I'll start Sidney Rice over him.

Now, there certainly were reasons to be hesitant in this one-time match-up, but in a standard Yahoo! league with three wide receiver spots, Jones should have been an automatic based on his work all season.

Taking a flier on a Justin Blackmon, Lance Moore, or even T.Y. Hilton type player left you on the short end of the stick.

There's not much roster moving needed for Week 16. You have your squad, and if you're still playing then you should be in good shape. But there are some positions to be weary of (like RGIII's injury and the fact that Terrelle Pryor is now a starting quarterback in the NFL). So I'll make some mentions of deeper adds and match-up plays for kickers and D/ST you should be on the look out for to close out the 2012 season. Same rules apply, though - owned in less that 50% of Yahoo! FFL.

It took until Week 16, but time to shine the FAABulous spotlight on some defense. (newstimes.com)

QB's - Here are some QB picks in case your starter is dinged up or has been shaky.

Guys I'm talking about: RGIII (injury), Matthew Stafford (ATL), Andy Dalton (@PIT), Josh Freeman (STL)

Russell Wilson, SEA (35% owned) SF

We are still doing this? At this point I'd add Wilson so your opponent can't get him.

Sam Bradford, STL (22%) @TB

Bradford has been a top 10 QB over the past 4 weeks. Put up more points than Stafford, Aaron Rodgers, Matt Ryan, Peyton Manning, and Eli Manning. It would be ideal to have him in a dome, but no one has given up more fantasy points to opposing QB's than the Bucs.

Jake Locker, TEN (17%) @GB

The move for Locker is for a cheap, high floor guy. The weather in Titletown forecasts as sunny, but frigid. Not great passing weather. But for Locker he doesn't turn the ball over, and all he needs is a passing TD to go with his rushing yardage and you have a solid 14 points.

IF YOU'RE DESPERATE AND NEED 30 POINTS

Joe Webb, MIN (0%) @HOU

Here's a picture. Vikings down 30 points, Houston clinched home field, and with their 3rd stringers, here comes Joe Webb. Garbage time can be a beautiful thing.

TE's - There have been a lot of up and down TE's this year. If you have a fringe guy or someone that's been struggling lately, you have to go get someone that will put up points.

Guys I'm talking about: Brandon Myers, Kyle Rudolph, Antonio Gates (bad QB), Vernon Davis, Jermichael Finley, Brent Celek (no shows)

Dennis Pitta, BAL (5%) NYG

Speaking of ups and downs, Pitta looked like a Pro Bowler, then disappeared for the last 8-9 weeks. But he appears to be back on Joe Flacco's limited radar. Take a shot while he's still gravitationally pulling passes to his body.

Lance Kendricks, STL (1%) @TB

What applies to Bradford applies to Kendricks. Tampa has given up the 6th most fantasy points to tight ends this season. With the Bucs tough run defense, another 50+ attempt day for Bradford isn't out of the question. Opportunities abound.

Dallas Clark, TB (25%) STL

Clark hasn't been very productive. Between Doug Martin being an attractive check down option and the big play offense of the Bucs, Clark has been a lost man. The pass attempts will need to be at a high number for Clark to get receptions, but a TD isn't out of the question.

Anthony Fasano, MIA (5%) BUF

Two straight weeks have meant two straight TD's for Fasano. Are him and Ryan Tannehill beginning to click, or is it just a coincidence? Against an average Buffalo secondary, it might be worth trying to find out.

IF YOU'RE DESPERATE AND NEED 30 POINTS

Benjamin Watson, CLE (4%) @DEN

I mentioned the Bucs were good for 6th most points allowed to TE's, well Denver is numero uno. Number 1.  The TE opposing that team is Mr. Watson. If anyone can come out of nowhere and nab you a high point total or leave you with a goose egg it's Watson.

FOR ALL YOU STREAMERS OUT THERE

Made your bread this season by picking and choosing kickers and D/ST. Slow clap for you, potential fantasy champ. You've done it the hard way. Here are a couple streamers I like heading to the final week.

Kickers - 

Olindo Mare, CHI (1%) @ARZ

Robbie Gould was placed on the IR, so Mare is back, and he booted 2 FG's at Green Bay. Like him in a controlled environment in the Midwest desert.

Alex Henery, PHI (17%) WAS

Henery has been sneaky good this year, connecting on 25 of 28 field goal opportunities. But, such is the plight of the place kicker, they can only perform when put in a position to perform. In their previous match-up in Washington, Henery had 8 fantasy points as the Eagles' only scores that game. I'd expect them to put a couple more points on the board, and get Henery some more opportunities.

Phil Dawson, CLE (25%) DEN

It's going to be unseasonably warm in Denver with no rain or snow and a light breeze. At high altitude with that breeze at Dawson's back, he should put up good points as his Browns have trouble putting the ball in the end zone.

Defense/Special Teams - 

Indianapolis (6%) @KC

Indy is pretty self-explanatory going against the Chiefs. For all the chaos that has happened to the Chiefs recently, they were already a defeated team, and I see no reason for them to show up against a Colts team heading to the playoffs.

Carolina (10%) OAK

I already mentioned the Pryor situation, and while the Panthers leaky run defense raises some eyebrows against the Raiders, overall they should be fine.

St. Louis (31%) @TB

Backed by two Janoris Jenkins TD's in Week 12, the Rams have actually been the 2nd highest producing fantasy defense in the last 4 weeks behind Seattle. They can pressure the QB and have shown the ability to put up double digit fantasy points. Aside from a hiccup last week, depending on what Josh Freeman shows up, the Rams' defense has a high upside in Week 16.

FAABulous: Fantasy Football Pick-ups Week 15

You...are welcome for wi..nning you a spot in your lea...gue's playoffs. - Adrian (espn.com)

FAABulous will recap the week of football activity and point fantasy owners where to spend their hard earned (not really) FAAB or waiver priority. Players will be owned in at most 50% of Yahoo! FFL. This is the one time where mo' money probably wouldn't mean mo' problems

There are two things we can confirm after week 14 of the 2012 NFL Season.

1. Adrian Peterson is a man.
2. Fantasy football might be the most unfair game ever conceived.

At this point we should all be entering fantasy playoffs if we aren't there already. The week or two prior to playoffs are almost just as important because in the fickle world of Fantasy Football, most of us are hovering a couple of games over .500 and looking to win out to clinch a spot in the tournament. With so many ponies running down a narrow track, there's going to be bumps, stumbles, and falls down the stretch, but where fantasy football really kicks you in the groin is the monster individual game. To continue my half-hearted horse racing analogy, this would be like there are 2 horses in a pack looking to show, and just when both of them are lined up - nose to nose, hoof to hoof - one of the jockeys hits the other horse in the head with an oversized cartoon mallet - complete with tweety birds - and then straps rocket boosters to his horse and is 10 lengths ahead before you can even react.

See, not the greatest analogy.

Basically that's what happened to teams facing  Adrian Peterson or Seattle defense.

Let's start with Peterson. His performance. That shouldn't be all that surprising as his past 4 games he's rushed for 171, 108, 210, and 154 with 4 TDs. Even if you want to say, it was against the Bears, I'm still not all that shocked. What is continuing to amaze me is that Peterson is doing this coming off of ACL surgery. And not just coming off ACL surgery, but coming back early. As a running back. And he's crushing fantasy leagues everywhere. The much questioned fantasy pick early in the year has now become a bargain. Some one took him with the 10th pick of the 1st Round in my draft and people were iffy about it. Now, he's laughing his way to dead last in our league (well, that's not Adrian's fault).

There has been a lot of oooh's and ahhh's about AD's performance this year, and although the award doesn't have a lot of clout, there is no doubt in my mind he should win Comeback Player of the Year. Look, we're all happy Peyton Manning is back, and looking reasonably like Peyton Manning. Sure he had some doubts, just like Peterson, but the question surrounding Manning was more of whether his nerves would regenerate properly to give his arm the proper strength and if his neck would hold up. If his nerves regenerated fine, then he'd be fine. Multiple doctors gave him clearance to play. It was just a matter of getting back into action.

Peterson said he'd be ready to go Week 1 and people just said he was being optimistic. To this day, doctors still aren't quite sure how he got healthy so fast, and I'm sure other athletes that have had this operation wonder how he is running as hard and as well as he is without holding back. If anything it appears overcoming this injury has strengthened him mentally. He put up 29 fantasy points when his owners needed him. Not that he hadn't all ready done it, but he more than justified their pre-season faith in AD.

Update: Thought this column posted today on Grantland was relevant. 

While it's a major bummer to go up against Peterson, at least you had hopes of him being contained. I'm sure little time was wasted worrying about the Seattle Seahawks defense. Sure they were at home facing the Cardinals (who after their 4-0 start have quickly morphed into one of the worst teams in a long time - they're so bad I'm openly wondering whether or not Larry Fitzgerald is vastly overrated) and Yahoo! had them projected at 11.62 points. A fair amount, sure, but seemed to be more of a product of the match-up than anything. This defense has only put up double digit fantasy points once in the past 6 weeks.

So when they left the Cardinals pie faced into the grass at CenturyLink Field they took 41 fantasy points with them. 41! That made Seattle DEF the highest scoring "player" in all of week 14. This was an absolute death blow. Anyone with this defense should have been well on their way to winning the week. They scored 2 TDs with 8 turn overs and 3 sacks to complete their shut out of the Red Birds. To work all this way and be kept out of the playoffs thanks to a defense with two soon to be suspended players on it is just unfair. Then again, disappointment and injustice is all part of the fantasy football game.

Let's see who will break some opponents' hearts in playoff football...

Former Heisman winner Mark Ingram isn't worth your money. (sportsnola.com)

Kenny Britt, WR - TEN (49% owned) NYJ

A lot of people have been waiting on Britt to find his form this season after multiple knee surgeries. His 143 yard performance against a hapless Indy defense helped raise some eyebrows, and Britt seems to be clicking with Jake Locker nabbing 2 TDs in his last 3 games. They'll play the Jets on Monday night, and will be a good homerun threat to close out the week.

Montell Owens, RB - JAX (23%) @MIA

M-O, M-O, M-O, M-OOOOOOOO, M-O, M-OOOO. Sounded better when it was TO for Terrell Owens, but he did have the 2nd best individual performance by a Jags running back this year. Miami defense is no joke, but there is room to get some points if Chad Henne can get the pass game working. It's a big if, but if you need an RB (at least an RB out of one's I haven't already talked about) Owens looks to be a valuable add.

DuJuan Harris, RB - GB (0%) @CHI

It has been a troubling season for Green Bay. Their offense just isn't that strong, and it's mainly a result of injuries to the offensive line and wide receivers. Randall Cobb can only do so much. The lack of run game hasn't helped ease the pain of Aaron Rodgers. Harris was respectable in that he scored a TD, but the RB's in Packerland have been a rotating door and Mike McCarthy appears to have no patience to make things work. Harris is a speculative add with the potential to score in Chi-town.

PENNY SAVED IS A PENNY EARNED

Mark Ingram, RB - NO (28%) TB

Even when Ingram is given the role of primary back, he can't out fantasy Darren Sproles. He did average 5.2 yards per carry against the Giants last week, but he did not find the end zone. It's hard to tell what the Saints have with Ingram or why he was drafted by them. They don't need or use a conventional running back and never have with Drew Brees' offense. I'm not willing to give up on the former Heisman winner, but he's a no go for fantasy owners.

THE 1%

Dwayne Harris, WR - DAL (0%) PIT

You probably heard the loud groan of Dez Bryant owners' after it was revealed Dez broke/injured a finger in the closing minutes of the Cowboys Bengals game (a couple plays before his 27 yard TD catch). It's being reported that Dez is giving it a go on Sunday as the Cowboys look to make it to the playoffs. While Dez has been one of the best fantasy receivers over the past couple of weeks, it's hard to trust a wide receiver with a broken finger. The risk of ineffectiveness or getting pulled from the game are high, especially against a stout pass defense like Pittsburgh. While people may be running to go get Kevin Ogletree again, I think Harris is a better pick. Harris has been more consistent and garnered more targets recently than Ogletree. We've seen what (little) Ogletree is capable of, so it would make sense for hot seated head coach Jason Garrett to let the second year man from East Carolina have a go.