Fantasy surprises: Lewis has great finish
We shouted at John Fox's image on the screen as we watched DeAngelo Williams rush for 121 yards and two scores. And even the most staunch supporters of the Cowboys, Giants and Eagles had to smile (if only for a second) when Clinton Portis carried the Redskins to a playoff berth with his two-touchdown performance.
I'll begin my review of some of the positive fantasy stories of 2007 with a look at the resurgent Jamal Lewis, who ran with authority down the stretch. It's a review that could go on for pages and pages, so I'll try to reign it in. You can send your top surprises to harmononfox@hotmail.com and we'll celebrate your victories.
Lewis registered his best season since his 2,066-yard onslaught of 2003, finishing the year with 1,304 yards on the ground. Interestingly, he missed one game and posted only a single 100-yard game before Week 12 (his ridiculous 216 yards against the Bengals). He closed with four 100-yard games in the final six weeks with six games of at least 92 yards in his final seven. His 11 touchdowns (nine rushing and two receiving) tied him with Portis for sixth among running backs.
There were questions about his durability. There were questions about his role. There were more than a few questions as to why he didn't receive a heavy workload early in the season. But never was there a question about Minnesota tailback Adrian Peterson's ability. Peterson produced six 100-yard games in 2007 (two 200-yard efforts) and scored 13 touchdowns. He averaged 18.4 touches and 114.93 total yards per game. Fantasy owners will bemoan his three games with fewer than 40 rushing yards in the final four weeks, but they'll be the first to suggest changing to a keeper league structure.
 |
| After Matt Leinart went down with an injury, Kurt Warner finished out the season and won many owners their respective championships. (Kevin Terrell / Getty Images) |
Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner played with a massive brace on his left arm, but that didn't impact his ability to wing the ball downfield. He received a workload split, and then excelled once Matt Leinart was lost for the season. He threw multiple touchdown passes in nine of his final 10 games played, including a season-ending streak of eight multi-touchdown efforts. He then threw three touchdown passes in four consecutive games to end the season. He ranked ninth among NFL quarterbacks with 27 touchdown passes and passed for 3,417 yards, despite the fact he didn't become the starter until Week 7. He did turn the ball over 23 times (17 interceptions and six fumbles), but he led more than a few owners to fantasy titles.
The efforts of Green Bay legend Brett Favre have been well-documented this year, but let's do a quick rehash. Favre threw multiple touchdown passes in 11 games this season and, of course, extended his consecutive games played streak. He ranked fourth in passing yards per game (259.7) and tied for sixth with 28 touchdowns. Fantasy owners were left salty by his scoreless performance against the Bears in Week 16 and the fact he threw seven interceptions from Weeks 13 to 16. However, the overall brilliance of this draft day afterthought cannot be denied.
Owners shied away from Fred Taylor because of his injury history and the emergence of bulldozer Maurice Jones-Drew. For the first 11 weeks of the fantasy campaign, owners who passed on him didn't think twice about their decision to draft fellow underachievers Jerious Norwood, DeAngelo Williams or the Chicago and Baltimore defenses. Taylor then shone brightly in a blowout win over Buffalo in Week 12, earning his first 100-yard game of the season (104 yards and a touchdown) and didn't look back. He proceeded to sprint to five consecutive 100-yard games with four touchdowns before sitting out the season finale. He averaged 119.6 yards per game during that final five-game stretch to earn the seventh 1,000-yard season of his career. His late-season surge helped more than a few owners to titles.
The ineptitude of the Baltimore offense ultimately cost Brian Billick his job. However, veteran wide receiver Derrick Mason tried to carry this team almost single-handedly. The 11th-year pro out of Michigan State caught a career-high 103 passes for 1,087 yards, his sixth 1,000-yard season in the past seven years. Although he caught only five touchdowns in 2007, his high number of weekly targets made him a No. 3 starter. Two of those touchdown grabs came in the fantasy playoffs.
We saw glimpses of second-year receiver Greg Jennings' ability as a rookie for the Packers in 2006, but concerns about his durability and the possible decline in Favre's play pushed him down draft boards. Owners waited patiently for Jennings to return to the field, and he paid immediate dividends in Week 3 against the Chargers (four receptions for 82 yards and a touchdown). He scored in 10 of the 13 games in which he appeared (12 overall), averaging 4.07 receptions and 70.8 receiving yards per game.
Two fifth-year running backs earn a well-deserved pat on the back for their contributions to fantasy owners after waiting for their shot in the Oakland and Tampa Bay backfields, respectively.
Justin Fargas was drafted by the Raiders in 2003, but had amassed only 258 carries during his first four years with the team. He nearly doubled that total and performed brilliantly for fantasy owners during his short stay as the starter in 2007. He started only seven games this season, but still managed to eclipse the 1,000-yard mark. Fargas topped 100 rushing yards in four games and scored in three of his final four games before sustaining a knee injury.
 |
| Earnest Graham was a blessing for owners who lost Cadillac Williams early in the season. (Thomas B. Shea / Getty Images) |
Earnest Graham took advantage of his opportunity to play in the injury-ravaged Tampa Bay backfield. The former Florida Gator was one of only six running backs to rush for double-digit touchdowns, including a streak of six consecutive games from Week 9 to Week 15. He'll most certainly be in the mix for Jon Gruden in 2008.
Ryan Grant spent two years on the Giants' practice squad before joining the Packers in 2007. The departure of Ahman Green and early ineffectiveness and injuries to Brandon Jackson, DeShawn Wynn and Vernand Morency gave Grant an opportunity to assume the lead role in Week 8. Despite the fact he carried the ball only six times before Week 8, he still amassed 956 rushing yards. He averaged 92.8 rushing yards during the final 10 weeks of the year, earning 100-yard efforts in alternate weeks. He scored in six straight games to end the year and seven of his final eight starts and had at least one 23-yard run or more in nine of his 10 starts.
Cincinnati running back Kenny Watson excelled in placed of injured starter Rudi Johnson this season. He averaged 96.4 rushing yards per game in his five starts while scoring five touchdowns (including scores in Weeks 16 and 17). He also proved to be a tremendous receiving option out of the backfield, catching 52 passes for 374 yards in 15 games. He certainly made a strong case for a prominent role in the 2008 Cincinnati offense.
Ben Roethlisberger rebounded brilliantly from his sub-par 2006 season, during which he threw a league-worst 23 interceptions. Roethlisberger threw 32 touchdown passes, including nine games with multiple touchdown strikes, against only 11 interceptions in 2007. He was shut out of the end zone just once, in the weather-affected 3-0 win over Miami.
The Browns provided fantasy owners with a number of huge options this season. I've already highlighted the strong running of Jamal Lewis, and I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge the breakthrough seasons of Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards. Anderson took over for Charlie Frye, who was jettisoned to Seattle following a miserable opener. He threw five touchdowns in his first start against Cincinnati and finished the year with 10 multi-touchdown efforts (29 overall). Do you think Ravens fans and Brian Billick would have liked to see him under center this year? The pursuit of Anderson for 2008 will be among the top off-season stories.
As for Edwards, concerns about the ability of his quarterback to make big plays slid him down draft boards. Anderson's ability to hit his receiver on that scrape route across the back of the end zone, and Edwards's willingness to lay himself out, made him one of fantasy football's top performers in 2007. He caught three or more passes in every game this season, averaging five receptions and 80 yards per game. He scored in 11 of 16 games (16 total), nearly triple his 2006 output.
The Dolphins didn't have many positive moments in 2007, but the play of Ronnie Brown prior to his season-ending injury left hope for a bright future. Brown averaged 141.6 total yards per game in the seven games in which he appeared and was on his way to becoming one of the year's breakout stars.
I won't spend too much time talking about the Patriots. Clearly, we all thought this team would be good, but we could hardly have anticipated the fantasy impacts of Wes Welker and Randy Moss. I ranked Moss 10th in my preseason wide receiver offerings, anticipating a solid season with double-digit touchdowns. He finished two catches shy of 100, seven yards shy of 1,500 and had 23 touchdowns (more than several offenses in the NFL produced both rushing and passing). The 23 touchdown receptions set a new single-season mark (although Jerry Rice's 22 touchdowns in 12 games should always be noted going forward) and more than doubled his two-year output in Oakland (11).
The Patriots also traded for Welker this off-season. He was a return specialist for Miami, but quietly recorded 67 receptions in 2006. He finished 2007 with 112 receptions for 1,175 yards and eight touchdowns. He'd scored only one touchdown in his first three NFL seasons.
 |
| Roddy White's career had been a disappointment until this season, where he caught 83 balls for 1,202 yards and six scores. (Roddy White / Getty Images) |
The Falcons were an absolute mess, but third-year receiver Roddy White made the most of the team's need to fire the ball downfield repeatedly. He recorded five 100-yard games and caught three or more passes in 15 games this year. He also came up huge for fantasy owners who trusted his high target number and ignored the name on the jersey of Atlanta's starting quarterback to catch touchdowns in four of six games to end the season.
Speaking of Atlanta quarterbacks, Chris Redman last threw a pass in a game during the 2003 season before completing his only attempt against Carolina in Week 10. Redman relieved Joey Harrington in Week 13 against the Rams and closed the season as the starter. He completed 59.5 percent of his attempts for 1,079 yards and 10 touchdowns in his final five appearances while throwing five interceptions with one lost fumble. He threw multiple touchdowns in four of those five appearances. It'll be interesting to see if Redman remains in Atlanta in the wake of Bobby Petrino's abrupt departure or whether he finds employment elsewhere. Given the fact that 81 different quarterbacks threw at least one pass in 2007, the odds are good he'll have a job in training camp.
Second-year receiver Brandon Marshall of the Broncos saved his best for last. He had a tremendous season, but he truly raised his game to a new level in the final month of the year. He caught 37 passes for 411 yards and three touchdowns down the stretch, despite the reappearance of Javon Walker. Marshall finished with 102 receptions and 1,325 yards. Walker's already spoken about the possibility of moving to another team for 2008, adding that the Denver offense was better suited for Marshall. Jay Cutler will continue his growth with "the Brandons," Marshall and Stokley, as his top options.
Jacksonville rolled into the playoffs on the strength of David Garrard's efficiency and the legs of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. However, the efforts of wide receiver Reggie Williams cannot be denied. Williams recorded only 38 receptions in 2007, but 10 of his grabs went for touchdowns, and he scored in six of the final seven regular season games. His workload increased toward the end of the year with three or more receptions in four of his final five games. However, his low reception total may scare some owners away in 2008 drafts.
I'll be back with some of those players and teams that left us shaking our heads and wishing we could turn back the clock to draft day. E-mail me your comments about the biggest fantasy disappointment on your squad. It's always good to vent.
I'll also be going inside the numbers of 2007 on my blog to give us some food for thought as we approach fantasy draft 2008.
Mike Harmon is a fantasy contributor for FOXSports.com. He has authored two books, The Savvy Guide to Fantasy Sports and The Savvy Guide to Fantasy Football. Read his blog for more analysis. Have a question a question or comment? Send them, and the best ones may appear in his show or column.
advertisement
