Fantasy Football: Andrew Luck Leads 'Sunday Dream Team' for Week 13

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Colts QB Andrew Luck passed for 391 yards and a career-high four touchdowns in his team's last-second road win over the Lions. (US PRESSWIRE)

The following countdown touts the 16 most decorated fantasy stars from the Sunday portion of NFL Week 13 (standard-scoring leagues).

The exclusive list includes one three-decade kicker, two AFC tight ends, two stupendous tailbacks, three under-25 quarterbacks and eight game-breaking wide receivers—including the hottest wideout on the planet and a legitimate threat for one of Jerry Rice's most hallowed seasonal records.

Sunday's most notable omissions include: Peyton Manning, Matthew Stafford, Tony Romo, Carson Palmer (quarterback); Jamaal Charles, BenJaruvs Green-Ellis, Marshawn Lynch, DeMarco Murray, Trent Richardson, Matt Forte, Ray Rice, Shonn Greene, C.J. Spiller, Fred Jackson (running back); T.Y. Hilton, Michael Crabtree, Sidney Rice, Cecil Shorts, Rod Streater, Mike Williams, Nate Washington (wide receiver) and tight end Jason Witten.

Sorry, defense/special teams. Maybe next time.

Enjoy the show!

Quarterback: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

Photo Credit: US PRESSWIRE

Sunday Stats: 310 Total Yards (232 Passing), 3 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. In standard-scoring leagues, Cam Newton amassed 31.4 fantasy points against the Chiefs, trailing only Andrew Luck for the day.

2. In his last two games (both on the road), Newton has accounted for 668 total yards and seven touchdowns.

3. He racked up the above numbers on only 33 combined completions for Weeks 12 and 13.

Quarterback: Russell Wilson, Seattle Seahawks

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 364 Total Yards (291 Passing), 2 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. Russell Wilson's overtime touchdown pass to Sidney Rice clinched the Seahawks' thrilling road win over the Bears.

2. Rounding up fractionally, he was one of three quarterbacks to register 30 points (standard scoring) on Sunday.

3. Wilson has now accounted for multiple touchdowns in five straight games.

Quarterback: Andrew Luck, Indianapolis Colts

Photo Credit: US PRESSWIRE

Sunday Stats: 424 Total Yards (391 Passing), 4 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. Against the Lions, Andrew Luck threw for a career-high four touchdowns. Luck's tally of 391 yards passing, however, was not a personal best.

2. Luck earned the most fantasy points (39) of any quarterback on Sunday.

3. With Luck's assistance, T.Y. Hilton (six catches, 100 yards) and Donnie Avery (five catches, 91 yards, two TDs) played starring fantasy roles for Week 13.

4. Avery's second touchdown—as time expired—sealed the Colts' come-from-behind victory.

5. If a certain guru had started Luck on Sunday, he might have clinched a playoff spot in his favorite points-per-reception league.

Instead, he'll need Eli Manning to collect at least 28 points on Monday night (against the Redskins).

Running Back: Adrian Peterson, Minnesota Vikings

Photo Credit: US PRESSWIRE

Sunday Stats: 220 Total Yards (210 Rushing), 1 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. Adrian Peterson steamrolled the Packers for a season-high 210 rushing yards. The day's signature moment: An 82-yard touchdown run in the second quarter.

2. In standard-scoring leagues, Peterson tallied the second-most fantasy points among tailbacks, trailing only Philly's Bryce Brown.

3. Peterson has now rushed for 100-plus yards in six consecutive games—the longest streak of his six-year career.

4. The Vikings star has racked up six touchdowns since Week 7.

Running Back: Bryce Brown, Philadelphia Eagles

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 183 Total Yards (169 Rushing), 2 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. Bryce Brown has amazingly rolled for 160-plus rushing yards and two touchdowns in consecutive games.

2. Without LeSean McCoy in the Philly lineup, Brown could be a top-five tailback during the fantasy playoffs. With McCoy, he could easily remain a top-10 asset.

Rhetorical bottom line: Why would the imploding Eagles (losers of eight straight) stop riding Brown for the final four weeks, regardless of McCoy's status?

Wide Receiver: Donnie Avery, Indianapolis Colts

Dave Reginek/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 5 Catches, 91 Yards, 2 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. Donnie Avery was one of five wideouts to tally 14 or more receiving targets on Sunday.

2. Avery, Demaryius Thomas and Dez Bryant were the only receivers to score multiple touchdowns in Week 13.

3. Avery's second score clinched Indy's amazing 35-33 win over Detroit—with no time left on the clock.

Wide Receiver: Brandon Marshall, Chicago Bears

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 10 Catches, 165 Yards

Reasons For This Selection

1. Brandon Marshall was one of four NFL wideouts with double-digit catches on Sunday.

2. Marshall's leaping 56-yard catch late in the fourth quarter helped the Bears clinch overtime against the Seahawks.

3. The Chicago dynamo was one of four NFL receivers with 14 or more targets.

4. Through 12 games, Marshall has collected double-digit targets nine times.

Wide Receiver: Calvin Johnson, Detroit Lions

Dave Reginek/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 13 Catches, 171 Yards, 1 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. For Week 13, Calvin Johnson led all receivers in catches (13), targets (20) and receiving yards (171), pending Monday results.

2. Johnson has scored a touchdown in each of his last four games.

3. The Lions superstar is on pace for 1,904 yards—a mark that would eclipse Jerry Rice's single-season NFL record for receiving yards (1,848 in 1995).

Wide Receiver: Steve Smith, Carolina Panthers

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 5 Catches, 120 Yards, 1 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. Steve Smith needed only five catches to tally the fourth-most receiving yards (120) of any NFL wideout on Sunday.

2. The 120 yards also served as Smith's best outing of the season.

Wide Receiver: Dez Bryant, Dallas Cowboys

Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 6 Catches, 98 Yards, 2 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. Dez Bryant was one of one three NFL wideouts with multiple touchdowns on Sunday.

2. Bryant has notched multiple TDs in back-to-back games.

3. In his last four outings, he's amassed 29 catches, 475 yards and six touchdowns.

4. Of his last 10 games, Bryant has posted a catch-per-target ratio above 50 percent nine times.

Wide Receiver: Wes Welker, New England Patriots

Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 12 Catches, 103 Yards, 1 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. For the seventh straight game, Wes Welker collected double-digit targets against the Dolphins, his former club.

2. In his last three games against Miami, Welker boasts stellar averages of 11 catches, 130 yards and one touchdown.

3. Since Week 2, Welker is a perfect 11-of-11 in racking up eight or more targets, including nine double-digit outings.

Wide Receiver: Josh Gordon, Cleveland Browns

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 6 Catches, 116 Yards, 1 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. Josh Gordon established new career highs for catches (six) and receiving yards (116) on Sunday.

2. Gordon's touchdown against the Raiders ended a four-game scoreless streak.

Wide Receiver: Demaryius Thomas, Denver Broncos

Dustin Bradford/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 8 Catches, 99 Yards, 2 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. Demaryius Thomas caught two of Peyton Manning's three touchdown passes against the Bucs.

2. In standard-scoring leagues, he tallied the second-most fantasy points (21.9) among Sunday wideouts (trailing only Calvin Johnson).

3. Thomas has four touchdowns in his last three outings.

Tight End: Brandon Myers, Oakland Raiders

Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 14 Catches, 130 Yards, 1 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. By a comfortable margin, Brandon Myers led all NFL tight ends in catches (14), targets (15) and receiving yards (130) on Sunday.

2. In PPR leagues, Myers absurdly racked up 33 fantasy points—easily his best output of the season.

3. Of his last five outings, he boasts totals of 38 catches, 51 targets and four touchdowns.

Tight End: Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers

Rob Carr/Getty Images

Sunday Stats: 5 Catches, 97 Yards, 1 TD

Reasons For This Selection

1. Heath Miller garnered the second-most fantasy points among tight ends in Week 13 (pending Monday's results), trailing only Brandon Myers.

2. Miller's momentum-changing diving touchdown in the fourth quarter (tying the game) was his seventh score of the season. (He had four TDs for 2010 and 2011 combined.)