There were a handful of big games all Week 16, and then the Seahawks played Sunday night and blew everyone out.
In most leagues, Week 16 is the finals, or at least the first of a two-week final. As such, the best performances of this week could have made people some serious money (or "money"), or they could have cost them dearly.
If you're playing daily fantasy, FanDuel and the like, you needed some of these best performances. (I decidedly got zero of them, as my FanDuel was an abject disaster.) Either way, the top performers each week are always a big deal.
Below you'll find the top performers at each position based on their fantasy point totals. It was a fun mix this week -- some big, obvious names, and some guys no one has thought about in months. In fantasy finals, it's the obvious names that mattered more, but in daily games, you could have taken advantage of just about any of them.
That out of the way, here's this week's list:
Best quarterbacks in Week 16
Russell Wilson, SEA (339 passing yards, 2 passing touchdowns, 88 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 35 fantasy points)
Arizona's defense ... it's supposed to be good, right? I mean, I thought they'd be a bit down just as a result of Ryan Lindley at quarterback not doing a lot to hold on to the ball, but I didn't think Wilson (and the rest of the team) would just pick the Cardinals apart like they did. Wilson was already going to be on this week's list before his late-game touchdown run, but then he did this and just embarrassed what was left of the Arizona defense.
Next game: At home against the Rams next week, Wilson will be a No. 1 quarterback. He's no sure thing and had his share of no-show games this season, but you have to like his chances.
Ryan Tannehill, MIA (396 passing yards, 4 passing touchdowns, 1 interception, 1 rushing yard, 29 fantasy points)
Even with those numbers out of Tannehill, the Dolphins didn't win Sunday's game until the last few minutes, when they blocked a punt that turned into a safety and gave them the two-point win. (The lesson, of course, is that Miami's defense is suddenly terrible.) This was the best fantasy game of the season for Tannehill, but also his fifth game of 20-plus fantasy points. The problem is that he'll have a game like this, then follow it up with some games of nothingness. Until he can provide more consistency, Tannehill is nothing but a QB2.
Next game: The Dolphins host the Jets next week. That ... really ought to be a big game from Tannehill. I just don't know how you count on it.
Colin Kaepernick, SF (114 passing yards, 1 passing touchdown, 151 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 1 fumble lost, 27 fantasy points)
Okay, so this was silly. Kaepernick was at 18 fantasy points in his last three games combined entering Saturday. He hadn't put up more than 13 in a game since Week 6, and had only gone for 20-plus once all season. Sure, a solid 15 of his fantasy points came on that one deep run, but whatever, it all counts. You'd like to see more passing from your quarterback in real life, but if Kaepernick can run like that, fantasy owners won't be complaining.
Next game: The 49ers host the Cardinals next week. That's a strong defense that will still be battling for playoff seeding. It's cool for Kaepernick that he had a big game, but you still want to avoid him.
Eli Manning, NYG (391 passing yards, 3 passing touchdowns, -3 rushing yards, 27 fantasy points)
That's two straight games of 22 or more fantasy points for Manning, three in his last five, and six on the season. The problem is, he also has four games of single-digit production and six games of 12 or fewer points. In fact, every game Manning has played since Week 5 has been 20-plus or 12 or fewer fantasy points, with nothing in the middle. He's like a more extreme version of Tannehill.
Next game: The Giants host a nothing-left-to-play-for Philadelphia team next week. The Eagles when they're trying don't stop quarterbacks well, so it stands to reason Manning could have another big game.
Best running backs in Week 16
Marshawn Lynch, SEA (113 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns, 23 fantasy points)
So I'm running Lynch out there in one of my finals matchups this week, and when the game started, and he wasn't there, and they said he was sick ... I was scared. But then:
... And I was okay again.
Next game: The Seahawks host the Rams next week, still with some work to do for the playoffs. Lynch isn't going anywhere.
Frank Gore, SF (158 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 21 fantasy points)
Early in the week, I didn't even expect Gore to play in this game, as he was dealing with a concussion. With the 49ers out of contention, it didn't seem like a situation where they'd want to rush the veteran back. But when he cleared the concussion protocol and was announced as playing, there was no reason not to use him -- "ability to play with a concussion" is fairly binary, and once you're clear there shouldn't be any real hesitation. And with Carlos Hyde out, Gore had little competition for touches.
Next game: The 49ers host the Cardinals next week. Expecting a repeat of Saturday out of Gore would be asking too much, but he'll be in the low-end RB2/flex area.
Matt Asiata, MIN (58 rushing yards, 2 rushing touchdowns, 19 receiving yards, successful 2-point conversion, 20 fantasy points)
Sunday was Asiata's third game of 20-plus fantasy points this season. That's more than Alfred Morris, LeSean McCoy, Mark Ingram, Jeremy Hill, Andre Ellington, Joique Bell and several others. There's no real reason why Asiata's scores come in bunches, but the guy has nine rushing touchdowns this year, and they've come in a combined four games. With Adrian Peterson gone and Jerick McKinnon on IR, the Vikings have shown no real inclination to use Joe Banyard or Ben Tate, so Asiata has the gig by default.
Next game: The Vikings host the Bears in Week 17. Asiata will be a totally legit flex play, though definitely a boom-or-bust one; he could just as easily give you two fantasy points as 20.
Lamar Miller, MIA (92 rushing yards, 1 rushing touchdown, 58 receiving yards, 20 fantasy points)
Miller's Week 16 flew in the face of his entire season. Until Sunday, he had been a high-floor, low-ceiling player -- one who will get you a few points, keep you alive, but by no means would win a week for you. So this game -- his best of the season by four points, and his first of more than 14 since Week 4 -- kind of came out of nowhere. But he carried the Dolphins' offense Sunday, and more games like that could have him looking interesting for 2015.
Next game: The Dolphins host the Jets in Week 17, which is not a good setup for Miller; the Jets are elite against the run. He'll be a low-end RB2, most likely.
Best wide receivers in Week 16
Odell Beckham Jr., NYG (148 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 26 fantasy points)
This is getting a little silly, no? Beckham has 28 points a game in his last two and 22 a game in his last five. After a relatively quiet first three games to his career, Beckham has had at least 90 yards in eight straight games, and 140-plus in four of them. He's made himself a WR1, and not even a borderline one.
Next game: Hosting Philadelphia to end the season, Beckham will be a top-three-or-so wide receiver.
Rueben Randle, NYG (132 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 19 fantasy points)
When Victor Cruz got hurt, Randle was supposed to develop. Hakeem Nicks was gone, Jerrel Jernigan got hurt too, and Beckham wasn't BECKHAM yet. Only it never really happened. Before Sunday, Randle hadn't had more than 11 fantasy points in a game all year; in the nine games from when Cruz got hurt through Sunday, he had only about four and a half fantasy points a game. So let's just say Sunday's big game felt very random.
Next game: You can't invest in every Giant in that Eagles game. Beckham makes sense, but Randle is far less likely to continue his big numbers.
Riley Cooper, PHI (53 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 17 fantasy points)
Jordy Nelson, GB (113 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 17 fantasy points)
Torrey Smith, BAL (59 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 17 fantasy points)
Mike Wallace, MIA (58 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 17 fantasy points)
Terrance Williams, DAL (52 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 17 fantasy points)
Look, wide receivers, that was jerky. I can't very well pick one from a bunch of guys with the same total; that's like parents picking their favorite kid. And these performances came from guys all over the map -- Nelson's an easy WR1, Smith and Wallace are useful end-of-your-lineup starters, and Cooper and Williams have largely been irrelevant. All five, though, had the same fantasy total in Week 16. It's almost beautiful. I guess. Maybe it isn't.
Next game: Check that list above. You're obviously using Nelson. You're probably using Smith and Wallace. And if you're using Cooper or Williams and you're in your finals? Man, I don't even know.
Best tight ends in Week 16
Luke Willson, SEA (139 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 25 fantasy points)
More remarkable than the stat line above is that Willson put up what he did on only three receptions, and only three targets. He had an 80-yard score, a 20-yard score, and a 39-yard reception as he, Wilson and Lynch picked apart the Arizona defense to a crazy degree. Willson hadn't put up more than eight fantasy points in a game all season, so this really came out of nowhere.
Next game: Against St. Louis next week, it's hard to imagine anyone putting any real faith in Willson. This was probably a one-time deal.
Antonio Gates, SD (94 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 21 fantasy points)
Every time I start to think Gates is on the decline, he bounces back like this. He had a huge Week 2, then disappeared in Week 3 and 4, then popped back up. He struggled in the middle of the season, but now has 10.8 points a game in his last four. I've been counting on Gates as my tight end in no leagues this season, but I imagine it's been a wild ride -- the downs are painful, but the ups are so, so good.
Next game: The Chargers travel to Kansas City next week. If you have Gates, you're starting him. That's just how it has to go. And you're hoping the hot streak continues. I wish I could give you more than that.
Jason Witten, DAL (90 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 15 fantasy points)
Turns out Witten does still have big games in him. It helps when the opponent -- in this case the Colts -- doesn't appear particularly interested in stopping anyone, as the two Cowboys quarterbacks Sunday combined to complete 19 of 21 pass attempts. Still, Witten only had one game of 10-plus fantasy points all season entering Sunday, so putting up another big game was helpful.
Next game: The Cowboys travel to Washington for Week 17. They have already locked up the division, so will only have seeding to worry about in the game. Still, that's enough to keep Witten involved. He'll be a low-end starting tight end.
Jordan Cameron, CLE (88 receiving yards, 1 receiving touchdown, 14 fantasy points)
If Cameron was only allowed to gather his fantasy points Sunday from his single best play, he would have had ... 14 fantasy points. The tight end had an 81-yard score in the fourth quarter Sunday, and caught two passes for 7 yards otherwise. In Cameron's lone other big game this season, 11 of his 16 fantasy points came on one play as well. He's been surprisingly big-play dependent for a tight end who was more versatile a year ago.
Next game: The Browns travel to Baltimore to finish the season. Cameron's struggles this season have far outweighed his successes. If you're stuck, go ahead, but you probably have a better option.
Best kicker in Week 16
Randy Bullock, HOU (6/6 FG, 1/1 XP, 19 fantasy points)
With Case Keenum at quarterback, the Texans weren't taking any big shots Sunday (other than Arian Foster's touchdown pass), which meant they were more than willing to settle for field goals in the game, leading to Bullock's biggest game of the season.
Best defense/special teams in Week 16
Atlanta Falcons (14 points allowed, 2 interceptions, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 touchdown, 5 sacks, 20 fantasy points)
Anyone who was crazy enough to start the Atlanta defense Sunday (I'm assuming no one ...?) really benefited, and did so even more when Osi Umenyiora returned a fumble for a touchdown with no time left. If Umenyiora had just knelt the ball, the Falcons would have won anyway, but their fantasy total would have been eight points worse. Still, this is silly, because no one was using the Falcons' defense, right?
Source SBNation.com - All Posts http://ift.tt/1Hptuu6
No comments:
Post a Comment