With the season winding down today I wanted to let everyone know that we would be taking at least a short break as we regroup and catch our breath.  However, unlike in years past, football coverage will continue throughout the offseason.  We aren’t going to be posting daily articles (like on the baseball side), but should be getting two or three up a week until things really pick up in June or July.

Thanks again to everyone and let’s start preparing for 2013!

by Ryan Lester of www.lesterslegends.com

Sometimes you need a fantasy gem to be successful. Here is a list of LestersLegends’ under the radar players that could possibly pull out a win for you in Week 17.

Russell Wilson, QB, Seattle Seahawks
Wilson turned a tough matchup against the San Francisco 49ers into yet another case that he belongs in the discussion for Rookie of the Year. Wilson threw for four touchdowns. This is a week after running for three scores. He has 25 passing touchdowns, three rushing touchdowns, and just 13 turnovers (10 interceptions, three fumbles). He played poorly in the first meeting with the St. Louis Rams, but he is an entirely different quarterback these days.

Montell Owens, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Owens also had a tough matchup last week (New England Patriots). He only managed 42 yards on the ground, but he chipped in with 77 receiving yards. He has a more favorable matchup this week against the Tennessee Titans. The Titans rank 23rd against the run, allowing 127.5 yards per game. They are also one of five teams to have allowed 16 or more rushing touchdowns.

Justin Blackmon, WR, Jacksonville Jaguars
Blackmon is averaging 89.3 yards in his past six games with three touchdown receptions. He had 62 yards and a touchdown in Week 12 against the Titans. Blackmon has been targeted 35 times in the past three games, and should continue to see the majority of the looks with Cecil Shorts on Injured Reserve. The Titans rank 26th in the league in pass defense with 247.4 yards allowed per game. They are also one of four teams to have 29 or more touchdown passes.

Lance Kendricks, TE, St. Louis Rams
Kendricks has scored in consecutive weeks and has three touchdowns in his past five games. Kendricks has had at least five targets in the past four games.

Graham Gano, K Carolina Panthers
Gano has six field goals and 15 extra points in five games. The Saints have allowed 24 field goals and 48 extra points. The Panthers should put some points on the board, making Gano a solid play.

San Diego Chargers Defense
The Chargers rank 11th in total defense allowing 330.5 yards per game They also rank 15th in scoring defense with 21.9 points allowed per game. The Oakland Raiders rank 29th in scoring offense at 17.9 points per game. They are at 12.2 ppg in their past five games and 14 ppg in their past seven games.

Also check out:

• 2012 Week 17 Fantasy QB Rankings
• 2012 Week 17 Fantasy RB Rankings
• 2012 Week 17 Fantasy WR Rankings
• 2012 Week 17 Fantasy TE Rankings
• 2012 Week 17 Fantasy K Rankings
• 2012 Week 17 Fantasy DEF Rankings
• 2012 Week 17 Fantasy Football Start/Sit Options
• 2012 Week 17 Fantasy Football Get ‘em or Don’t Sweat ‘em
• 2012 Week 17 NFL Picks
• Stoppage Time Sports’ Early 2013 Fantasy Football Sleepers
• Can You Trust LeSean McCoy in Week 17?

This isn’t the time to be going into Sunday afternoon blindly. If you have a championship on the line this week you have to make sure you have a team at full strength who are all ready to go.

Here is a list of some of the more notable names to be found on this weeks injury report and their most recent status updates. Sometimes just waking up on Sunday and checking things isn’t good enough. When your championship is on the line you need to be ready and have all your bases covered for all circumstances. Hopefully these updates will help you do that today:

Trent Richardson – RB, Cleveland Browns: Last week against Denver Trent Richardson sprained his ankle. Despite a desire to play this week Richardson has now been ruled out after not participating in a single practice all week long. Richardson didn’t want to be shut down, but the Browns clearly can’t do anything to risk their future. Montario Hardesty will start in his place, and even though he’s averaing 4.6 yards a carry, a start against Pittsburgh is still never a good matchup.

Hakeem Nicks – WR, New York Giants: Still suffering from a knee injury that has been nagging him for quite some time now, Hakeem Nicks has been a limited participant in practice this week after missing last week’s game. Nicks will certainly do anything he can to play in this crucial game against the Eagles, but he’s going to be a tough play. Nicks has struggled with production and this knee injury will only further hamper his big play potential. Nicks is still a possibility as a number three WR, but nothing more and even than you’re risking it.

Roddy White – WR, Atlanta Falcons: This is a tricky situation right here. White has been limited in practice all week with a knee injury. He was in the same place last week though and had a monster game against the Lions. This week he plays an even worse team in the Bucs. However, the Falcons have now locked up home field in the NFC and have nothing left to play for. There are a lot of variable here and so you are going to want to keep close tabs on White’s status for Sunday.

Rob Gronkowski – TE, New England Patriots: Here is another situation because we have heard a lot of conflicting reports. Ever since the middle of last week people have been speculating that Gronkowski would be making his return to action this week against the Dolphins in order to round into form before the playoffs. Now he’s listed as questionable and is considered a game time decision. Earlier this week Bellicheck voiced his opinion that Gronk isn’t ready yet. Keep an eye out, if he plays he’s probably worth using, but that’s a big if.

Randall Cobb – WR, Green  Bay Packers: After missing the first two days of practice this week things were not looking good for Cobb. Good news came out of Green Bay yesterday though when Cobb practiced as a limited participant and things reportedly went quite well. A lot will depend on how Cobb’s ankle and knee are feeling today and tomorrow morning leading up to game time, but it’s starting to sound like Cobb has a good shot at playing.

Anquan Boldin – WR, Baltimore Ravens: Even though Bolding has been a limited participant in practice every day this week reports coming out of Baltimore are that there’s a real chance that Boldin won’t be playing. Boldin is dealing with a shoulder injury sustained last week. There isn’t a whole lot left to play for in Baltimore as they have the division won and aren’t likely to get a bye. That means Boldin wouldn’t have a week off to heal up. Boldin is a fringe player as it is in fantasy so if you have other options this week I’d recommend using one of them.

Jonathan Stewart – RB, Carolina Panthers: There was some thought that Stewart was going to be playing this week in the season finale against the horrible New Orleans defense. Things aren’t sounding good though as Ron Rivera claimed he’s still banged up. He’s listed as questionable, but I think even if he does play DeAngelo Williams would end up with the bulk of the carries.

Mike Wallace – WR, Pittsburgh Steelers: For the first time in his career Mike Wallace is going to be sitting a game out with injury. Wallace has been dealing with a hip injury all week long and since the Steelers have really got nothing to play for at this point, he’s going to be sitting out. If the Steelers were still in the hunt Wallace would be playing, but they’re not. With Wallace out Emmanuel Sanders could make a sneaky play as a third receiver in certain leagues.

As the season draws to a close there is still one more week left of important roster decisions.  For those of you battling to win some bragging rights this week, let’s take a look at your quarterback options.

1.  Drew Brees- New Orleans Saints – vs. Carolina
2. Peyton Manning – Denver Broncos – vs. Kansas City
3. Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers – @ Minnesota
4. Robert Griffin III – Washington Redskins – vs. Dallas
5. Cam Newton – Carolina Panthers – @ New Orleans
6. Tom Brady – New England Patriots – vs. Miami
7. Tony Romo – Dallas Cowboys – @ Washington
8. Eli Manning – New York Giants – vs. Philadelphia
9. Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons – vs. Tampa Bay
10. Russell Wilson – Seattle Seahawks – vs. St. Louis
11. Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Cleveland
12. Phillip Rivers – San Diego Chargers – vs. Oakland
13. Jay Cutler – Chicago Bears – @ Detroit
14. Colin Kaepernick – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Arizona
15. Matt Schaub – Houston Texans – @ Indianapolis
16. Andrew Luck – Indianapolis Colts – vs. Houston
17. Michael Vick – Philadelphia Eagles – @ New York
18. Matthew Stafford – Detroit Lions – vs. Chicago
19. Andy Dalton – Cincinnati Bengals – vs. Baltimore
20. Joe Flacco – Baltimore Ravens – @ Cincinnati
21. Ryan Fitzpatrick – Buffalo Bills – vs. New York Jets
22. Josh Freeman – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – @ Atlanta
23. Jake Locker – Tennessee Titans – vs. Jacksonville
24. Carson Palmer – Oakland Raiders – @ San Diego
25. Ryan Tannehill – Miami Dolphins – @ New England

Thoughts:

• Drew Brees has had an up and down season and has thrown for a lot of empty yards as well (341 yards, 0 touchdowns, 5 interceptions against Atlanta a few weeks ago) but over the last three weeks Brees and the Saints seem to have a found a little groove offensively.  He has thrown for 1,009 yards and 8 touchdowns with 2 interceptions over his last three games and looks poised to finish the season strong.  It really looks like a different team than earlier in the season and after the way they started, finishing .500 would be a nice end to the season for the Saints, so I expect Brees to have a good statistical game once again.
• With 4,685 yards so far this season, Romo has a very good chance to eclipse 5,000 yards on the season in what is a must win game for the Cowboys’ playoff chances.  On Thanksgiving Romo threw for 441 yards against the Redskins and had 3 touchdowns to go with 2 interceptions so he shouldn’t have a problem with the Washington defense.  Even though Dez Bryant is could potentially be sidelined with injury he is performing as if he is 100% and with Demarco Murray back the Cowboys offense is humming.  Romo is one of the few quarterbacks actually playing for something this week and he is having his best statistical season (aside from his 16 interceptions) making him a top option.
• I am thinking that Russell Wilson’s repeat matchup against the Rams will go a little better than his Week 4 showing did.  The Seahawks are going to the playoffs but they are playing for seeding a chance at the division title so you shouldn’t have to worry about Wilson being rested.  The worst thing you can about Wilson as a passer is that he is an efficient game manager, but as the season has progressed the Seahawks are trusting him a lot more to make plays and he is delivering.  Add that to the success he has running the ball and you have a valuable fantasy quarterback here.
• Michael Vick is not a name you thought you would see in this space this season but thanks to Nick Foles concussion he now has another chance to audition for his new employers.  The Giants are playing to stay alive in the playoff race while the Eagles are playing for Andy Reid’s job and their pride.  Prior to his injury Vick did not look great but was also the victim of his surroundings.  He obviously has value as a running quarterback but it is unclear to see how much he will actually risk his health by running.  Vick is a wild card this week and you could argue this ranking is too high or too low, but you are taking a chance by starting Vick that much is certain.
• The Carolina Panthers are another team that very well could be playing for the job of their coach.  This season Cam Newton has really salvaged his value by using his legs to generate fantasy value.  That has not stopped but he has looked a little better passing the ball as well.  The Saints defense does not offer the most resistance and Newton had success both running and passing against them in Week 2.  Granted this is not exactly the same Saints team but their defense has not changed that much.  Newton ran 13 times for 71 yards and a touchdown in addition to passing for 253 yards and a touchdown.  Prior to throwing an interception last week he went five weeks without an interception and has 11 touchdowns over his last 6 games.  Newton was highly regarded entering the season before trying the patience of his owners, but to close the season out it looks like he has restored his value.

Knowing who the top guys are at wide receiver is easy. Maybe your star has a better matchup than in the past or a worse one, but are you really going to bench them anyway? The decisions start to come when you get into the middle of this list. And those decisions may determine your championship this week. Here is the way I see the wide receivers rankings shaking out:

1. Calvin Johnson – Detroit Lions – vs. Chicago
2. Brandon Marshall – Chicago Bears – @ Detroit
3. Andre Johnson – Houston Texans – @ Indianapolis
4. Dez Bryant – Dallas Cowboys – @ Washington
5. A.J. Green – Cincinnati Bengals – vs. Baltimore
6. Demaryius Thomas – Denver Broncos – vs. Kansas City
7. Wes Welker – New England Patriots – vs. Miami
8. Vincent Jackson – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – @ Atlanta
9. Victor Cruz – New York Giants – vs. Philadelphia
10. Steve Smith – Carolina Panthers – @ New Orleans
11. Reggie Wayne – Indianapolis Colts – vs. Houston
12. Marques Colston – New Orleans Saints – vs. Carolina
13. Eric Decker – Denver Broncos – vs. Kansas City
14. Randall Cobb – Green Bay Packers – @ Minnesota
15. Pierre Garcon – Washington Redskins – vs. Dallas
16. Julio Jones – Atlanta Falcons – vs. Tampa Bay
17. Miles Austin – Dallas Cowboys – @ Washington
18. Roddy White – Atlanta Falcons – vs. Tampa Bay
19. Danario Alexander – San Diego Chargers – vs. Oakland
20. Justin Blackmon – Jacksonville Jaguars – @ Tennessee
21. Jeremy Maclin – Philadelphia Eagles – @ NY Giants
22. Brandon Lloyd – New England Patriots – vs. Miami
23. James Jones – Green Bay Packers – @ Minnesota
24. Michael Crabtree – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Arizona
25. Stevie Johnson – Buffalo Bills – vs. NY Jets
26. Antonio Brown – Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Cleveland
27. Mike Williams – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – @ Atlanta
28. Lance Moore – New Orleans Saints – vs. Carolina
29. Kenny Britt – Tennessee Titans – vs. Jacksonville
30. Mike Wallace – Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Cleveland
31. Torrey Smith – Baltimore Ravens – @ Cincinnati
32. T.Y. Hilton – Indianapolis Colts – vs. Houston
33. Hakeem Nicks – New York Giants – vs. Philadelphia
34. Danny Amendola – St. Louis Rams – @ Seattle
35. Greg Jennings – Green Bay Packers – @ Minnesota
36. Sidney Rice – Seattle Seahawks – vs. St. Louis
37. Anquan Boldin – Baltimore Ravens – @ Cincinnati
38. Larry Fitzgerald – Arizona Cardinals – @ San Francisco
39. Jason Avant – Philadelphia Eagles – @ NY Giants
40. Jordy Nelson – Green Bay Packers – @ Minnesota
41. Brian Hartline – Miami Dolphins – @ New England
42. Denarius Moore – Oakland Raiders – @ San Diego
43. Golden Tate – Seattle Seahawks – vs. St. Louis
44. Josh Gordon – Cleveland Browns – @ Pittsburgh
45. Jeremy Kerley – NY Jets – @ Buffalo
46. Kendall Wright – Tennessee Titans – vs. Jacksonville
47. Santana Moss – Washington Redskins – vs. Dallas
48. Darrius Heyward-Bey – Oakland Raiders – @ San Diego
49. Donnie Avery – Indianapolis Colts – vs.  Houston Texans
50. Brandon Gibson – St. Louis Rams – @ Seattle

• Is anyone worried anymore about Dez Bryant’s ability to be productive with his fractured finger? Last week Bryant caught 9 passes for 224 yards and found the end zone on two long bombs. Bryant now has 10 TD’s in seven games and just like last week faces one of the worst secondary’s in football. Expect another big week which is now becoming common place.
• Playing for the lowly Panthers, Steve Smith doesn’t seem to get a lot of attention anymore, but he’s still one of the best. As Cam Newton has stepped up his game lately the numbers of Smith are reflecting that. The last four weeks Smith has 22 catches and has a TD in three of the last four games. This week he gets a team he’s familiar with torching, the Saints.
• There is still no word on if Julio Jones and Roddy White are going to play on Sunday, not how much they’ll play if they do. Based on this it’s very hard to rank these two right now. If they are both going to play and play more than half the game they’re both must starts against Tampa Bay. You’ll want to know the answer to these questions before you make a decision though.
• I probably have James Jones a bit lower than most considering he has four TD’s in the last two games. He still feels like a big time boom or bust guy which is a scary thing in your championship. Minnesota’s defense is solid and the Packers have an increasing amount of weapons with Greg Jennings rounding into form and Jordy Nelson likely returning this week too.
• After being eliminated from the playoffs last week losing to the Bengals, the Steelers appear to be waving the white flag. With that in mind it wouldn’t surprise me if Mike Wallace doesn’t play this week with a hip injury. If Wallace does in fact sit this one out than you have to upgrade Antonio Brown even higher considering he has three TD’s in three weeks.
• Is there a bigger mystery in all of fantasy football than Hakeem Nicks? I’d like to have him higher on this list, but who knows what in the world you’re going to get from him. Nicks was held without a catch this last week against Baltimore and only had three catches the week before. He’s still a hard guy to just bench, but if you have the right amount of depth his recent performances make him benchable.
• At long last Larry Fitzgerald had a breakout performance last week with Brian Hoyer running things under center. Fitzgerald caught 8 passes for 111 yards last week and owners are encouraged. However, the Cards QB situation is still not a good one and the San Francisco defense is still one of the best and they’re angry after being embarrassed last week by Russell Wilson. Don’t assume Fitzgerald is a must start now.
• While he is not what he used to be as a deep threat, Santana Moss still has that big play quality to him. The Cowboys secondary got ripped to pieces last week by New Orleans and Washington may well do the same this week. Pierre Garcon can’t catch everything so Moss should get some looks and gas the chance of catching a long one for a TD.

Often overlooked, kickers often play a much bigger role than anyone anticipates.  Who should we trust this week?  Let’s take a look:

1. Stephen Gostkowski –New England Patriots – vs. Miami
2. Blair Walash – Minnesota Vikings – vs. Green Bay
3. Justin Tucker – Baltimore Ravens – @ Cincinnati
4. Sebastian Janikowski – Oakland Raiders – @ San Diego
5. Matt Bryant – Atlanta Falcons – vs. Tampa Bay
6. Shayne Graham – Houston Texans – @ Indianapolis
7. Jason Hanson – Detroit Lions – VS. Chicago
8. Lawrence Tynes – New York Giants – vs. Philadelphia
9. Matt Prater – Denver Broncos – vs. Kansas City
10. Dan Bailey – Dallas Cowboys – @ Washington
11. Kal Forbath – Washington Redskins – vs. Dallas
12. Garrett Hartley – New Orleans Saints – vs. Carolina
13. Connor Barth – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – @ Atlanta
14. Rob Birnoas – Tennessee Titans – vs. Jacksonville
15. David Akers – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Arizona

• Maybe the most underrated and unnoticed kicker in football is Blair Walsh in Minnesota. He’s certainly the hottest kicker with 39 points in the last two games. He is also a perfect 9 for 9 from 50 yards and beyond this season which is a nice little bonus. Green Bay’s defense is getting better, but they’re still not great and Adrian Peterson should single-handedly get the Vikings in field goal range more than once.
• There is something to be said for consistency at the kicker position. It’s nice to have a guy get 15 points, but it’s not so nice if he gets two the next week. All you need from a kicker is 7 – 10 points and that’s what Shayne Graham will get you. Graham has scored 8 points or better in all but two games this season, including scoring 17 two weeks ago against the Colts.
• It’s pretty clear that Rob Bironas is no longer the top kicker he once was. In fact at this point he’s barely a top twenty kicker. However, he’s got the most favorable matchup this week. The Jaguars allow the most field goals of any team in football and Birnoas scored 13 against the Jags earlier this season.

This is it.  Do you go for the solid option, or the higher risk but higher reward option?  Who is still playing for something?  Will every running back get their full workload?  It is not only the workload the running backs themselves will see, but the rest of their offense and also the defense they are facing.  With that being noted, let’s take our best stab at the Week 17 running back rankings.

1.  Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings – vs. Green Bay
2. Marshawn Lynch – Seattle Seahawks – vs. St. Louis
3. Doug Martin – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – @ Atlanta
4. Ray Rice – Baltimore Ravens – @ Cincinnati
5. DeMarco Murray – Dallas Cowboys – @ Washington
6. Jamaal Charles – Kansas City Chiefs – @ Denver
7. Arian Foster – Houston Texans – @ Indianapolis
8. CJ Spiller – Buffalo Bills – vs. New York Jets
9. Knowshon Moreno – Denver Broncos – vs. Kansas City
10. Frank Gore – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Arizona
11. Ahmad Bradshaw – New York Giants – vs. Philadelphia
12. Alfred Morris – Washington Redskins – vs. Dallas
13. Chris Johnson – Tennessee Titans – vs. Jacksonville
14. Darren McFadden – Oakland Raiders -  @ San Diego
15. Steven Jackson – St. Louis Rams – @ Seattle
16. Trent Richardson – Cleveland Browns – @ Pittsburgh
17. Matt Forte – Chicago Bears – @ Detroit
18. Darren Sproles – New Orleans Saints – vs. Carolina
19. LeSean McCoy – Philadelphia Eagles – @ New York Giants
20. Reggie Bush – Miami Dolphins – @ New England
21. BenJarvus Green-Ellis – Cincinnati Bengals – vs. Baltimore
22. Vick Ballard – Indianapolis Colts – vs. Houston
23. Montell Owens – Jacksonville Jaguars – @ Tennessee
24. Shonn Greene – New York Jets – @ Buffalo
25. DeAngelo Williams – Carolina Panthers – @ New Orleans
26. Stevan Ridley – New England Patriots – vs. Miami
27. Jackie Battle – San Diego Chargers – vs. Oakland
28. Mikel Leshoure – Detroit Lions – vs. Chicago Bears
29. Pierre Thomas – New Orleans Saints – vs. Carolina
30. Jacquizz Rodgers – Atlanta Falcons – vs. Tampa Bay
31. Mark Ingram – New Orleans Saints – vs. Carolina
32. Joigue Bell – Detroit Lions – vs. Chicago
33. LaMichael James – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Arizona
34. Jonathan Dwyer – Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Cleveland
35. Michael Turner – Atlanta Falcons – vs. Tampa Bay
36. Bernard Pierce – Baltimore Ravens – @ Cincinnati
37. Bilal Powell – New York Jets –@  Buffalo
38. David Wilson – New York Giants – vs. Philadelphia
39. Dexter McCluster – Kansas City Chiefs – @ Denver
40. Robert Turbin – Seattle Seahawks – vs. St. Louis

Thoughts:

• Arian Foster is a top running back who by all indications seems healthy.  Prior to last week’s game (which will discount due to the irregular heartbeat concerns) Foster had one elite game and two poor ones.  By no means am I questioning Foster’s ability as a top RB1, but my concern is that if the Texans get an early lead, or is the outcome of the game is never in danger, the Texans will be extra careful with Foster limiting his workload some.  However, this does not mean I would sit Foster; there are just some other running backs I like a little better this week.
• The game this week does not mean much for the Falcons other than serving as a dress rehearsal for the playoffs.  That means Michael Turner’s action will be limited and Jacquizz Rodgers will reap the benefits of that.  However you have to wonder what the split will be and will either have enough value to be relevant in fantasy circles as anything more than a RB2, RB3, or Flex option.  Turner will likely see no more than 10 or 15 touches, but if he sees the ball in a short yardage red zone situation, a touchdown could make him a valuable option.  Rodgers will likely see more touches, especially as receptions out of the backfield which makes him slightly more valuable for this week.
• Conversely if the Falcons are taking this game a little more lightly than they normally would, Doug Martin could stand to benefit if some defensive starters are rested.  Even without that possibility, Martin would still ranked as a top option, but this does give his value a little extra boost.
• The Seahawks know they are going to the playoffs, but they still have a shot at the division and their seeding is still up for debate.  This means that Marshawn Lynch will see pretty much close to his normal workload and should produce as such.  The only thing that might be a little different since it is Week 17, is that if the Seahawks build up a nice early lead, Robert Turbin could see a little more time than normal and perhaps a little earlier in the game as well making him a potential option in deeper leagues.
• Over the last three weeks Mark Ingram has looked more and more like an every down back for the Saints.  He has 68, 90, and 53 yards the last three games and a touchdown in each of the last two games so I would expect to see that trend continue over the season’s last week.  Ingram has looked good running between the tackles and moving the chains as it seems the Saints are trying to see what they have in Ingram for next year.
• LeSean McCoy’s rushing numbers (13 carries for 45 yards) were not great on Sunday but he caught 9 passes for 77 yards but more importantly was on the field for 64 of 76 snaps and while at times he might have been a little winded, came out of the game in good shape.  With Andy Reid possibly coaching for his job, it is possible that McCoy’s workload continues as the Eagles could end their season on a little high note by eliminating the Giants from playoff contention.  While it is hard to accurately forecast McCoy’s playing time which keeps him from being ranked a little higher, at worst he should be a RB2 this week.

What a difference between last season and this season at the tight end position. It’s been hard to find consistent value here this season, but a tight end still has to be played and you still want to make the best choice. Here are this week’s top 25 at the position:

1. Jason Witten – Dallas Cowboys – @ Washington
2. Jimmy Graham – New Orleans Saints – vs. Carolina
3. Aaron Hernandez – New England Patriots – vs. Miami
4. Greg Olsen – Carolina Panthers – @ New Orleans
5. Jermichael Finley – Green Bay Packers – @ Minnesota
6. Dennis Pitta – Baltimore Ravens – @ Cincinnati
7. Owen Daniels – Houston Texans – @ Indianapolis
8. Rob Gronkowski – New England Patriots – vs. Miami
9. Kyle Rudolph – Minnesota Vikings – vs. Green Bay
10. Jermaine Gresham – Cincinnati Bengals – vs. Baltimore
11. Tony Gonzalez – Atlanta Falcons – vs. Tampa Bay
12. Brandon Myers – Oakland Raiders – @ San Diego
13. Antonio Gates – San Diego Chargers – vs. Oakland
14. Dallas Clark – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – @ Atlanta
15. Martellus Bennett – New York Giants – vs. Philadelphia
16. Lance Kendricks – St. Louis Rams – @ Seattle
17. Benjamin Watson – Cleveland Browns – @ Pittsburgh
18. Vernon Davis – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Arizona
19. Brent Celek – Philadelphia Eagles – @ NY Giants
20. Marcedes Lewis – Jacksonville Jaguars – @ Tennessee
21. Tony Sheffler – Detroit Lions – vs. Chicago
22. Jacob Tamme – Denver Broncos – vs. Kansas City
23. Dwayne Allen – Indianapolis Colts – vs. Houston
24. Tony Moeaki – Kansas City Chiefs – @ Denver
25. Zach Miller – Seattle Seahawks – vs. St. Louis

• Considering the inconsistencies of the other top names on this list Jason Witten has to remain the top name on this list, despite only scoring 2 TD’s so far this season. Witten has at least four receptions in every game since week four and at least gives you something every week.
• Depending on the information that comes out later this week Rob Gronkowski could climb this list. He’s clearly the class of the position, but there are a lot of questions here as he hasn’t played six weeks. Indications are that he will play this week in order to get a tune up game in before the playoffs, but we don’t know how many snaps he’ll get. If he is going to play and he’s going to play the majority of the game, he’s probably automatically back to being number one here.
• Things seem to be getting back on track as of late for Jermichael Finley. The last two weeks Finley has a combined 10 catches for 131 yards. The Packers have a lot of weapons to throw to, but Finley is back in the mix now, and hopefully he’ll reemerge as a red zone target soon too.
• With the Atlanta Falcons locking up home field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs it’s unclear how much the starters will be playing this week in a meaningless game. I am assuming that Tony Gonzalez doesn’t see much action outside of the first quarter of this week’s game which is a bummer with a great matchup against Tampa Bay.
• The St. Louis Rams passing attack seems to be getting better as the season rolls along and Lance Kendricks is becoming a bigger part of it. Kendricks had a huge game last week with 4 catches for 119 yards and a TD. He has at least three catches in each of the last four games and TD’s in back to back weeks. A tough matchup with Seattle limits the value a little here, but considering other options Kendricks still moves a ways up his board.
• We have seen the impact a concussion can have on a player and even though we’re told Vernon Davis concussion was minor it’s still a cause for concern, especially since he hasn’t exactly been on fire lately. Keep an eye on Davis and if he can’t play Delanie Walker would take his place on this list.

In my personal opinion the fantasy football season should be over. My own preference is to end my fantasy season in week 16 because you never know who is going to play in week 17 and who isn’t and that’s no way to determine a fantasy football title.

However, I respect those who want to carry the season out to the very end, there is something to be said for that mentality. And I know a lot of leagues do two week championship games with weeks 16 and 17. So Rotoprofessor is here for you and we’ll be here for you all week long.

One of the things you’re going to need to know if you’re competing this week is who you should be picking up off the waiver wire. If you own one of those guys who is going to be sitting things out this week you need to have your bases covered. There’s nothing worse than winning a fantasy title because you’re Quarterback only played one quarter in his game.

Here are some names I’d be keeping an eye on to add off the waiver wire this week:

Nick Foles – QB, Philadelphia Eagles: When Foles first took over the offense in Philadelphia from Michael Vick fantasy owners were quick to grab him and play him. He struggled right away and owners were then quick to forget him. Now he’s back on tract and going really well and he still seems forgotten in fantasy football. There may be only one week left, but owners should be taking notice. Foles has 5 TD’s and only 2 INT’s in the last four games, and he’s also run for a TD. He also has surpassed 300 yards twice and 250 three times in four games. Finally, he’s got the Giants this week who are really struggling to do anything on defense. Foles should be able to do the same thing to the Giants as he’s done to the poor Redskins and Bucs defenses and throw all over the place. It might seem risky to use a rookie to win your title, but this matchup seems pretty safe to me.

Jackie Battle – RB, San Diego Chargers: Using the San Diego running backs hasn’t worked out great so far this year, no matter which back it is that you own. So with that in mind I can’t exactly endorse Jackie Battle with the utmost certainty. What I can do is tell you that it looks like he is getting the bulk of the carries in San Diego rather than Curtis Brinkley. I can also tell you he is facing a not so great run defense in Oakland. Those two things together could make for a under the radar fantasy play this week if you’re in need of a back. Battle had a couple of multi-TD games earlier this season when Matthews was out so he may not be the worst option out there. Not a great endorsement, but sometimes it’s what you end up with.

LaMichael James – RB, San Francisco 49ers: I am stepping out on a bit of a ledge with this pick, but sometimes you have to gamble to win big. I am making a few assumptions in my recommending of James. For starters I am assuming the 49ers will have no trouble beating the Cardinals and should get out to an early lead. I am also assuming that the 49ers will be relying heavily on their run game to do this as the Cardinals have yet to prove they can stop the run. And finally, I am assuming that Frank Gore will not be used any more than he has to be in order to win this game. When Kendall Hunter went down James became the change of pace back in San Francisco and he has the ability to break a big one off at any point in time. It’s a gamble to use him, but I think you’ll find that he pays off for you if you give him a chance.

Harry Douglas – WR, Atlanta Falcons: There are a few things working in Douglas favor going into this week. The first thing is that the Atlanta Falcons locked up the first seed in the NFC this past week and are one of the few teams in the league who can rest players this week. I would think two guys they’d be inclined to rest are Roddy White and Julio Jones who have both dealt with different injuries these last few weeks. The other thing is that Falcons face off with the awful Buccaneers secondary. Matt Ryan may not play much, but even Luke McCown should be able to put up some decent numbers against Tampa and Douglas could very well be his number one target when he does it. Take advantage of the rest time and use those who benefit from it, like Douglas.

Jason Avant – WR, Philadelphia Eagles: This won’t be the first time I have recommended picking up Avant, but since he’s only owned in 1% of leagues, I figure it can’t hurt to mention him again. Avant caught eight passes yesterday for 70 yards, and while he still hasn’t found the end zone this season he appears to be locked in with Nick Foles running the offense. Avant has 22 catches total the last four weeks and has cleared 70 yards three times. Part of the success he’s had has been aided by playing teams with weak secondary such as Tampa Bay and Washington, but he’s got the Giants this week as was mentioned with Foles, so he may the find the same success there. Sometimes you have to roll with the hot hand and that’s Avant right now.

If you have a waiver wire question fire away with it here. Also, feel free to share your own stories of championship success or failure if you have already played for your fantasy football title.

Like in past years, the guide will first be released between January 1 and January 15 (I will know a more solid date as we get closer) and you will then receive updates about every two-to-three weeks from the release date until the start of the season.  Also like in year’s past, the draft guide is just going to get bigger and better!  Among the new features this season will be a Closer Chart, as well as a Top 25 Sleeper list.

For those who have never experienced the guide, it is delivered through e-mail as an Excel spreadsheet and also includes:

• Over 500 player projections
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• Expanded Rankings (i.e. Top 30 Catchers, Top 100 Starting Pitchers)
• Top 300 Overall
• Projected lineups and rotations
• Top 50 Prospects for 2012 list (on the website, I will only be releasing a Top 20 list)
• Top 5 Prospects for 2012 by team
• Auction Values (including NL/AL-Only)
• Multiple Position Eligibility Chart
• Closer Chart (new for 2013)
• Top 25 Sleepers for 2013 (new for 2013)

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