Monday, October 31, 2011

Midseason Awards

Fantasy MVP: Aaron Rodgers
How can he not be? Drafted as either the first or second quarterback this year, Rodgers has been the epitome of consistency. He has scored no fewer then 25 points in a game and has three games of over 30. His lowest yardage output was 297 yards, during the only game in which he threw for under 300 yards. Chances are if you own Rodgers, you have won the majority of your games. He has been lights-out week in and week out, spreading the ball to a number of Packers' players. He is the MVP, no question.
Runners up: Cam Newton, Calvin Johnson, Fred Jackson

Biggest Disappointment: Chris Johnson
This is another obvious award. CJ2K has been one of the biggest busts in recent years for a top-5 pick. DeMarco Murray, the rookie running back for Dallas, has already out rushed Chris Johnson. The holdout has seriously hurt Johnson's production, making him a less than desirable fantasy option. We know the talent and potential is still there, but no one can argue with his results and his 2.9 yards per carry. He is a bust!
Runners up: Reggie Wayne, Peyton Hillis, Philip Rivers, Dallas Clark, Antonio Gates 
       
Biggest Surprise: Fred Jackson
Even Fred Jackson's wife was hesitant to take him. But Jackson of the Buffalo Bills is putting together a stunning season and has helped the Bills jump out to a 5-2 start. He is third among running backs in points and already has five 100 yard rushing games, two more than last season. That, along with six touchdowns and a career high in receiving yards has Jackson looking like the real deal. Drafted in the mid rounds, Jackson has proved to be one of the biggest value picks of the year, and is even in the debate for MVP. Fred Jackson is hands down the biggest surprise of the season.
Runners up: Cam Newton, Darren Sproles, Matt Forte, A.J. Green, Rob Gronkowski

Rookie of the (Mid) Year: Cam Newton
Remember before the season when I said Cam would have marginal fantasy implications? Whoops. Not only has Newton been by far the best rookie, he is currently the third best quarterback in fantasy, just behind Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees. He is tied for the rookie QB record for rushing touchdowns with 7 and shows no signs of slowing down. In fact, he can still be better. If he learns from his mistakes and commits fewer turnovers, watch out. We might just have another Michael Vick on our hands.
Runners up: A.J. Green, Mark Ingram

Comeback Player: Wes Welker
After a disappointing 2010 season with just 848 receiving yards, Welker has bounced back in a big way. Despite tearing his ACL late last season, Welker has recovered and looks better than ever. He is on pace for a whopping 136 catches and over 2,000 yards. While he probably won't come close to the yardage figure, he could definitely put up 120 catches by the end of the season. He has been Brady's favorite target and leads the league with 83 targets in just 7 games. Whether you own him in a standard league or a PPR league, he has been an absolute steal and a must-start option.
Runners up: Steve Smith, Matt Stafford, Plaxico Burress, Ryan Mathews 

JaMarcus Russell award: Donovan McNabb
While McNabb is nowhere near Russell's level of play, he has still been a major bust for his new team. He wasn't expected to be that good of fantasy option, but he certainly wasn't expected to be this bad either. Christian Ponder has already taken over after McNabb was a fabulous display of how not to be a quarterback. Even with Adrian Peterson taking pressure off McNabb and a weapon in Percy Harvin, McNabb play resembled that of Russell. Bummer.
Runners up: Blaine Gabbert, JaMarcus Russell, Rex Grossman's last game

Top Tight End: Jimmy Graham
Even in the crowd of talent in New Orleans, Graham has clearly separated himself from the rest of the pack. With Antonio Gates like talent, he has played like, well, Antonio Gates. He leads all tight ends in every category: catches, yards, touchdowns, and targets. With four 100 yard games, he has separated himself from the next best tight end, Rob Gronkowski by 27 points. This production spells out a four-lettered word. S.T.U.D.
Runners up: Rob Gronkowski, Jason Witten, Jermichael Finley

Most Under-Owned: Mark Sanchez
Besides one horrendous game against the tough Ravens' defense, Sanchez has been quite solid. He has scored at least 17 points in 6 of his 7 starts, with one -4 point outing against the Ravens. This adds up to him being the ninth best QB thus far and deserving of being owned in most leagues. On ESPN, he is owned in just 75% of leagues and that percentage should be higher. He is not a must-start by any means but is a viable option. For being in the top 10 at his position and being owned in just three quarters of leagues, Sanchez wins the most under-owned award.
Runners up: Tim Tebow, Victor Cruz, Delone Carter

Most Over-Owned: Ryan Torain
I told you all once. Here it is again. Ryan Torain is nothing but a headache. Even with Tim Hightower out for the year, Torain has proved that he is one of the most inconsistent backs in the league. And with Mike Shanahan doing his best Bill Belichick impression, Roy Helu will figure to take away some carries. Torain should not be trusted and should not be owned in 98.5% of leagues.
Runners up: Chad Ochocinco, Reggie Wayne, Mercedes Lewis

The Nate Amodio Award: Calvin Johnson
Johnson has done his best at doing the Nate Amodio. He has caught multiple touchdowns in multiple games. In just his sophomore season, Amodio caught 2 touchdowns in 40% of his games, helping his team, The Pineapple Chunkers, earn their first ever playoff berth. Calvin has even bettered Amodio with 2 TD's in 50% of his games while going scoreless in just one game. That's some "mega" production.
Runners up: Wes Welker, Pierre Garcon

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