Two guys who came off the waiver wire earlier this season came through with huge performances to cap the season.
The last week of the season, many (most) fantasy leagues were finished. And for good reason -- anyone who made a Week 17 finals had to play without, for example, Rob Gronkowski. It's one thing to play without a superstar because they get hurt -- that's part of the game -- but when a guy is out of your lineup just because his team is too good? That's silly.
But still, a lot of fantasy players did play in Week 17, and they did have to make due without many of their studs. Helpfully, many of the big names did put up helpful games.
Now, that's not the only reason we watch Week 17 from a fantasy perspective. Even if your league finished up in Week 16, or you didn't make your playoffs, or any one of a bunch of other reasons, Week 17 can still tell us a lot about the prognosis for players going forward, for next year and beyond.
When I break down the best performances of the week, I'm not looking at next week. For most of these guys, there is no next week. No, I'm looking at what this week -- and this season -- means for these guys in 2015. Do we have new No. 1 players at some positions?
Best quarterbacks in Week 17
Geno Smith, NYJ (358 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, 18 rushing yards, 1 fumble lost, 25 fantasy points)
This doesn't really matter; the Jets are cleaning house. They won two of their last three games, and Smith averaged more than 15 fantasy points a game down the stretch, but the Jets we see in 2015 will bear only passing resemblance to this one. The general manager will be gone, the coach likely will as well (though I'm telling you now that that is insane), and the team will do whatever it can to find a new future at quarterback. Smith will find himself in a backup role, either in New York or out, and maybe he gets another starting shot someday.
Next season: See above; it's hard to imagine Smith being a starter next year unless the Jets totally strike out, and if he is, you aren't using him.
Aaron Rodgers, GB (226 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 14 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 24 fantasy points)
So the end of the first half here was funny, in hindsight. Rodgers came up lame in on a non-contact play and was carted off. People started giving J.J. Watt the MVP, wondering if the Packers were done and Panthers would have a road of Ryan Lindley-Matt Flynn to get to the NFC Championship. And then Rodgers came back for the second half, led the team to 16 more points, rushed for a touchdown and shut everyone up. He's ridiculous.
Next season: While you have to be hesitant to write the eulogy for Peyton Manning based on his down-the-stretch numbers, at this point you don't have any choice but to see Rodgers as the clear No. 1 fantasy quarterback for next season.
Colin Kaepernick, SF (204 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 63 rushing yards, 22 fantasy points)
Through Week 15, Kaepernick had one game all season of more than 19 fantasy points, and none since Week 6. We were (rightfully, it seemed) ready to write him off as a starter, and ready to discuss how big the 49ers' rebuild needed to be. And now Kaepernick ends the season on back-to-back games of 27 and 22 fantasy points, respectively. Week 16 was his biggest rushing day of the season; Sunday was his third biggest. He only had 318 total passing yards in the two games combined, but accounted for four touchdowns and no interceptions. Heck of a close to the season.
Next season: Look, I have no idea. San Francisco is in complete turmoil, and it's possible the team's next coach won't even want Kaepernick, considering how much of a bust much of his season was. But then we see what he can do, and the drooling starts. He won't be drafted as a fantasy starter, but he could be one of those high-upside backup options.
Best running backs in Week 17
C.J. Anderson, DEN (87 rushing yards, 3 rushing touchdowns, 20 receiving yards, 28 fantasy points)
Anderson took over the Denver gig in Week 10. His week-by-week fantasy scoring since then: 22, 10, 24, 23, 23, 9, 19, 28. That's 158 fantasy points in eight games, a pace of 316 over a season -- or a good 30-some clear of the season's actual No. 1 fantasy running back. Obviously, the math isn't that easy -- he's produced while defenses have been unnecessarily worried about Peyton Manning throwing all over them, and that wouldn't last over a whole season -- but I'd wager Anderson is one of the two guys most commonly on championship fantasy rosters, as the smart guys successfully trolled the waiver wire. (And more on that other guy in a few paragraphs.)
Next season: There will be a lot to shake out in Denver for next season -- Montee Ball and Ronnie Hillman will both be around and healthy, and we don't know 100 percent that Manning will be back, or how healthy he'll be. As it stands now, Anderson is a successful lead back in an elite offense, and he'll be a well-deserved first-round pick.
Lamar Miller, MIA (178 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 23 fantasy points)
Everywhere I could a few weeks ago, I wrote about how Miller was a totally fine RB2 option if the rest of your lineup was strong -- he was safe for a handful of points, though his lack of upside meant he wouldn't be able to win you any games single-handedly. And then the last two weeks, he's put up a combined 43 fantasy points and made me look dumb. After a season of intermittent injuries but decent production, Miller sure ended strong.
Next season: Miller goes into his contract year as the clear No. 1 in Miami, and he'll be drafted as an easy RB2 in almost all drafts.
DeMarco Murray, DAL (100 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 21 receiving yards, 18 fantasy points)
"Okay," we said,. "The Cowboys lead, 17-7, after the first quarter. They can pull their starters, rest Murray for the playoffs."
"Okay," we said. "The Cowboys lead, 27-10, at halftime. They can pull their starters, rest Murray for the playoffs."
"What the hell?" we said. "Why is Tony Romo still playing? Why is Dez Bryant still playing? Why on earth is DeMarco Murray still playing?" Of Dallas' 26 rushes Sunday, Murray had 20 of them, and the team inexplicably showed no inclination whatsoever to rest their banged-up superstar. Heck, I don't get it.
Next season: Murray's a free agent and coming off a 392-carry, 57-catch regular season plus whatever he ends up doing in the playoffs. Someone will draft him as a first-rounder next year. No way in hell will it be me.
Best wide receivers in Week 17
Eric Decker, NYJ (221 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 28 fantasy points)
If nothing else, Decker proved he wasn't a product of having Peyton Manning as his quarterback (though, considering his early NFL success came with Kyle Orton and Tim Tebow, I'm not entirely sure why we thought that to begin with). With Geno Smith and Michael Vick throwing to him, Decker ends up as roughly a top-30 receiver, capped off by Sunday's huge game. It was his sixth game of the season with double-digit fantasy points. Just think what he'd do with a good quarterback again.
Next season: I felt like Decker was underrated all year, and it wouldn't shock me if that continues into 2015. Draft him as your flex, and you'll be happy.
Michael Floyd, ARI (153 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 27 fantasy points)
All this game did was make me mad. I (and I know I'm not along) thought this was going to be a big building-block year for Floyd after a productive 2013. It started out acceptably -- he had some no-shows, put had 10-plus fantasy points in four of his first six games. But between Week 7 and Sunday, Floyd had one productive fantasy day and a whole lot of awfulness. Sure, having Drew Stanton and Ryan Lindley throw you the ball hurts, but Floyd probably crippled some fantasy teams this year. And then Sunday, when it almost certainly didn't matter anymore, he does that? From a quarterback who had never before thrown a touchdown pass? I don't get it.
Next season: Floyd's quarterback will really dictate his fantasy stock. Is Carson Palmer going to return and be healthy? Seems unlikely, but maybe then we like Floyd. But the Cardinals are going to have a high draft pick, and there aren't a lot of intriguing free-agent quarterbacks, so if they go into 2015 with some combination of Stanton/Lindley/Logan Thomas, it's hard to imagine liking Floyd at all.
Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (185 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 24 fantasy points)
And here's that other guy I mentioned earlier, the one savvy owners jumped on and rode to a fantasy title (both my championship teams this year had Anderson and Beckham, and yes I just called myself savvy). Beckham put up 197 fantasy points in 12 games, a pace of 263 over a season. He was the consensus No. 1 wide receiver in Week 17, and delivered on that. What an incredible rookie season.
Next season: Some of Beckham's stock will depend on what exactly happens with the injured Victor Cruz, but he's a clear No. 1 receiver. I'd take him near the back of my top 10 at the position, but fully expect some to take him higher than that.
Antonio Brown, PIT (128 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 1 return touchdown, 24 fantasy points)
I've been talking about Brown all dang year; forgive me if I'm out of superlatives. One heck of a year for the guy, who I was the highest on entering the season and still underrated. Have yourself a year, Antonio.
Next season: Brown's going to be a top-three wide receiver. Maybe even better. You could make a perfectly fine argument to take him in the first round.
Best tight ends in Week 17
Coby Fleener, IND (56 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 17 fantasy points)
It's nice when things work out. With Dwayne Allen out Sunday and T.Y. Hilton healthy but not expected to do much, pretty much everyone thought Fleener would be a nice fantasy option, and he delivered exactly that. In games without Allen (or when he was limited) this season, Fleener has been an easy No. 1 tight end.
Next season: With the exception of Reggie Wayne, all of Indianapolis' primary options are expected back next year. That means Fleener and Allen will continue to combine for good NFL value, though it could hamstring Fleener's standalone fantasy value.
Travis Kelce, KC (84 receiving yards, 1 fumble recovery touchdown, 14 fantasy points)
As much as I bemoaned the fluky touchdowns of Anthony Fasano early in the year robbing Kelce of his chance at production, I feel like he earned his own fluke Sunday, when Dwayne Bowe fumbled the ball at the goal line and it rolled right to Kelce. Even without that, Kelce was good for 84 receiving yards, the best on the team by 54. His usage was occasionally frustrating, but Kelce without question came through on his sleeper value entering the season.
Next season: He'll be a TE1. Maybe not a high-end one -- the Chiefs just don't seem to want to use him that way -- but almost certainly a starter at the position.
Charles Clay, MIA (45 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 10 fantasy points)
I'm going to get suckered in again on Clay. I can feel it now. The dude had a great year in 2013, leading to me (and others) putting a lot of faith in him for this year. He struggled much of the year, but in the end, he's a top-15 tight end and closed the season with back-to-back double-digit fantasy games. If you drafted Clay this year, you were probably frustrated, and I hope you bailed quickly. But going forward, what can I say? I'm intrigued again.
Next season: I probably won't hold Clay in quite the esteem I did this year, when I ranked him as a fantasy starter, but he'll definitely be a high-end TE2.
Best kicker in Week 17
Connor Barth, DEN (4/4 FG, 5/5 XP, 18 fantasy points)
In five games this year, Barth put up 64 fantasy points, which would have been far and away No. 1 among kickers over a full season. To think the Broncos rolled with Brandon McManus for a long time, the Browns stewed through Billy Cundiff much of the year, the Lions used three kickers, and Barth was sitting at home that whole time.
Best defense/special teams in Week 17
Carolina Panthers (3 points allowed, 2 interceptions, 1 fumble receovery, 2 touchdowns, 6 sacks, 30 fantasy points)
I mean, when you need it most ...
The Panthers' defense was supposed to be good this year, and it was at the start, with 25 fantasy points through Week 2. Between then and Week 14, the defense averaged 1.6 fantasy points a game, for some reason I can't possibly give. So the way Carolina ended the season -- 61 fantasy points over its last four games -- has to really give hope for a playoff run for the 7-8-1 team.
Source SBNation.com - All Posts http://www.sbnation.com/fantasy/2014/12/29/7459383/fantasy-football-stats-points-best-of-week-17-geno-smith-cj-anderson-eric-decker
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