Fantasy Football's Biggest Surprises of 2010
Michael Vick for MVP? LaDainian Tomlinson resurrected. Peyton Hillis…who? Stevie Janowski? Sorry, I meant Steve Johnson?
Through the first 11 weeks of the NFL season, we have certainly seen a lot of surprising performances from unexpected players. As always, the one thing we can expect from the NFL is that nothing seems to make sense. Expect the unexpected.
Coaches tinker with depth charts throughout the season and send up smoke screens in the offseason. Injury reports drive fantasy owners crazy up until gametime as coaches have become more secretive than before.
Yet, with injuries come opportunities. In practice, coaches see something click with a player and insert him in the lineup to see if he can recreate that magic in gametime. Oftentimes, something just clicks and a player performs beyond his skill level or he finally meets his potential.
There have been several surprises this season that have made major differences for an owner’s entire season. Michael Vick, Arian Foster, LaDainian Tomlinson, Peyton Hillis and Steve Johnson are just five of the many fantasy stars of the 2010 season.
Note: Those who have already played in Week 12 have had their numbers included.
Mike Tolbert, San Diego Chargers RB
1 of 22
There were rumblings in the offseason that Tolbert would have fantasy value as a potential touchdown vulture to rookie Ryan Mathews. Little did most know, Tolbert would have a very successful season as Mathews has been injured or ineffective the entire season.
Tolbert has shown good ability rushing and receiving for the Chargers, who have been plagued by injuries all season. With Philip Rivers playing at an MVP level, Tolbert found running room to work with throughout the season. At one point, Tolbert had a five-game streak scoring a touchdown.
For the year, Tolbert has rushed for 506 yards and eight touchdowns on just 112 carries, while catching 16 passes for 141 yards.
Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, New England Patriots TE
2 of 22
The Patriots rookie duo of tight ends have produced wonderfully as a unit for the Patriots. Although they are fairly inconsistent from week to week, combined they create an elite fantasy tight end. It seems they alternate in production each week, so those with both should have been able to spot a trend.
Gronkowski has tallied 25 receptions for 310 yards and six touchdowns, highlighted by a three-touchdown performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday Night Football three weeks ago.
Hernandez has caught 36 passes for 462 yards and three touchdowns.
Together, the Patriots tight ends have caught 61 passes for 772 yards and nine touchdowns.
BenJarvus Green-Ellis, New England Patriots RB
3 of 22
The Patriots suffered several injuries in the beginning of the season and traded away former first-round draft pick Laurence Maroney to Denver to open the door for “Law Firm” to start.
A bruising runner with good speed and field vision, Green-Ellis had already shown the capability to produce quality numbers as the starting running back for the Patriots. It was evident that Green-Ellis would be relied on as the feature back for the Patriots once he was declared the starter.
Green-Ellis has played in every game this season, tallying 627 yards and nine touchdowns on 145 carries.
.jpg?w=256 "Falcons Vikings Football")
.jpg?w=256 "49ers Cardinals Football")
Jacob Tamme, Indianapolis Colts TE
4 of 22
Since taking over for the injured Dallas Clark, Tamme has been a waiver-wire gem at the tight end position, working with Peyton Manning.
In just four games, Tamme has had at least six receptions in each game.
With all the injuries to the Colts skills players, Tamme has seen a lot of targets and opportunities to produce elite numbers for his fantasy owners.
Tamme has already collected 31 receptions for 305 yards and two touchdowns.
Austin Collie, Indianapolis Colts WR
5 of 22
Austin Collie’s season has been in disarray since suffering a hand injury and a concussion over the past month.
Still, Collie was the top fantasy wide receiver to open the season.
Playing alongside Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark, with Peyton Manning at QB, Collie consistently found the soft spots of each opposing defense and was a machine in all statistics for receivers.
In eight games, Collie has 50 receptions for 562 yards and six touchdowns.
Mike Williams, Seattle Seahawks WR
6 of 22
Although Mike Williams suffered a sprained foot in Week 11 against the New Orleans Saints, "Big" Mike has been resurrected in Seattle. Williams began his college career under Pete Carroll at USC and was one of the premier receivers in college football. Williams tried to enter the draft early, but was denied eligibility.
He was drafted by Detroit in 2005, but failed to produce and never worked out in Oakland or Tennessee, either. Reunited with Coach Carroll in Seattle, Williams has been every bit the receiver we once saw at USC. Williams is a huge target with strong hands and good speed. He has been the best fantasy option for the Seahawks this season.
Williams has caught 52 passes for 654 yards and a touchdown. Three times this season, Williams caught at least 10 passes. He has topped the century mark for yards three times as well.
Josh Freeman, Tampa Bay Buccaneers QB
7 of 22
We should start calling Josh Freeman the "Comeback Kid" as he has led several game-winning drives in the final minutes in his short career.
Freeman is a monster of a quarterback, similar to Ben Roethlisberger. Freeman can avoid blitzing defenders with his speed, strength and size. He can throw on the run and has a strong arm to get the ball down the field. Freeman has shown this year he is a winning quarterback, but has also showed that he can be a quality fantasy quarterback.
Freeman has thrown just 2,099 yards, but has14 touchdowns and just five interceptions.
Mike Williams, Tampa Bay Buccaneers WR
8 of 22
It is not often when rookie wide receivers produce for their teams or fantasy owners. Mike Williams has done both.
Despite off-field issues over the past two weeks, Williams has played in every single game. A receiver with good speed, Williams has excellent hand-eye coordination, which helps him make difficult grabs. Williams caught a touchdown in three of his first four games as a professional.
Williams has 43 receptions for 681 yards and six touchdowns thus far in his rookie campaign.
Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars TE
9 of 22
Marcedes Lewis showed fantastic athleticism and receiving abilities at UCLA, which made him an easy first-round draft pick in 2006 for the Jaguars. Lewis showed some promise throughout his career, but failed to become the consistent receiving tight end many envisioned.
This season, Lewis came in more prepared and determined, and has been one of the biggest surprises at the tight end position.
On the year, Lewis has caught 35 passes for 445 yards and eight touchdowns.
Dwayne Bowe, Kansas City Chiefs WR
10 of 22
Bowe has been projected to make the leap into the next tier of fantasy wide receivers for a few years now. He has good hands and speed mixed with great athleticism. He recently worked out at Larry Fitzgerald’s training camp, and his hard work in the offseason is evident this regular season.
Bowe started off slow, but has picked up the pace in recent weeks.
In his past six games, Bowe has scored a touchdown in each. In four of those games, he has had two touchdown receptions.
For the season, Bowe has 45 receptions for 715 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Mark Sanchez, New York Jets QB
11 of 22
Many were unsure if Sanchez would take that step into the next tier of fantasy quarterbacks after a rough rookie season. Sanchez has proved his doubters wrong, enjoying a very good season with improved receivers to work with. Sanchez has the Jets at 9-2 and in first place in the NFL. He has been a more than serviceable fantasy quarterback.
Sanchez has thrown 2,472 yards and 16 touchdowns to eight interceptions. He has also rushed for two scores.
Dustin Keller, New York Jets TE
12 of 22
Keller was Sanchez’s favorite target to open the season. He has been one of the top-producing tight ends this season, leaping into the upper echelon for fantasy tight ends. A late-round gamble, Keller has turned into one of the most reliable tight ends on the market. His size, speed, strength, leaping ability and soft hands makes him a desirable target all over the field for Sanchez. These two will work together for years to come and will soon become one of the top QB to TE duos in the game.
Although Keller has slowed down some since Santonio Holmes returned from suspension, Keller has 39 receptions for 528 yards and five touchdowns.
LaDainian Tomlinson, New York Jets, RB
13 of 22
They said he lost a step. They said he would never start. They said he’d be a toss-up to produce for fantasy owners.
Tomlinson answered all his critics and shut up the nonbelievers. For all of those who believed in Tomlinson, they were greatly rewarded.
Healthy and running behind one of the top offensive lines in the league, Tomlinson has been one of the most consistent fantasy players in the game. His receiving abilities and pass-blocking played a major role in becoming a starter, but his tough running kept him in the position.
For the season, Tomlinson has played in every single game, rushing for 741 yards and five touchdowns with 45 receptions for 329 yards.
Kyle Orton, Denver Broncos QB
14 of 22
Surprisingly, Kyle Orton has been one of the best fantasy quarterbacks in Josh McDaniels’ system. Orton continues to throw, throw and throw some more as the Broncos rushing attack, led by oft-injured Knowshon Moreno, who has been inconsistent after a quality rookie campaign, has sputtered.
It is always reassuring for a fantasy owner to have a quarterback they know will throw the ball in abundance consistently.
On the year, Orton has thrown 3,023 yards, 17 touchdowns and just six interceptions.
Brandon Lloyd, Denver Broncos WR
15 of 22
With Kyle Orton leaping into the upper echelon of fantasy quarterbacks in a pass-happy system, one receiver must be the primary benefactor of such an emergence. Brandon Lloyd has been that fantasy shocker.
A journeyman at this point in his career, Lloyd always showed promise and a tendency to make spectacular highlight-reel receptions. Lloyd was just never able to materialize into the consistent fantasy wide receiver many hoped for when they drafted him. Those who picked him up after Week 1 reaped major benefits this season. He has two multi-touchdown games this season.
Lloyd has 1,046 yards and seven touchdowns on 54 receptions this season.
Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills QB
16 of 22
Since becoming the Bills starter in place of Trent Edwards earlier in the season, Fitzpatrick has been a quality fantasy quarterback. Fitzpatrick has actually been a quality quarterback overall as his Bills team has been competitive in almost every game since he became the starter.
The Bills have surprised many with their respectable play despite a host of injuries and an overall inferior squad. C.J. Spiller never materialized in his rookie season, but the offense has promise for the future.
In eight games, Fitzpatrick has thrown for 1,961 yards, 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions.
Steve Johnson, Buffalo Bills WR
17 of 22
Steve Johnson has been one of the best wide receivers this season and is clearly eligible for fantasy shocker of the year.
Playing opposite Lee Evans, Johnson has worked against single coverage this season, but defenses are clearly going to have to shift his way at some point. Johnson has obliterated coverage this season and is almost matchup-proof at this point.
Johnson has played in every game this season and has caught 52 passes for 728 yards and nine touchdowns.
Terrell Owens, Cincinnati Bengals WR
18 of 22
Owens had a tough season last year in Buffalo with little help from his supporting cast. When he was signed to Cincinnati to work alongside Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer, many believed this team would be able to repeat as the AFC North division winners. As a team, the Bengals have greatly disappointed. Owens, with statistical incentives in his contract, has been one of the top wide receivers in the game this season, showing no signs of slowing down.
Owens has caught 65 passes for 914 yards and eight touchdowns. At one point in the middle of the season, Owens had a five-game streak with at least one touchdown, and two touchdowns in back-to-back weeks.
Owens had a rough Week 12 working against Darrelle Revis of the New York Jets, but had a fantastic touchdown attempt called incomplete, so he was at least still involved in scoring opportunities. Expect Palmer to continue feeding Owens the rock.
Darren McFadden, Oakland Raiders RB
19 of 22
Although McFadden has still been bit by the injury bug this season, he has at least turned into the professional most realized he could be coming out of Arkansas. McFadden appeared to bulk up in the offseason, as he came in running with more strength and power than ever before. The speed is still there, but his field vision has improved.
McFadden, when healthy, has been one of the premier running backs in the league. He has displayed everything needed to remain one of the league's top running backs, including very good receiving skills.
In eight games this season, McFadden has rushed for 771 yards and four touchdowns while adding 26 receptions for 258 yards and two touchdowns.
Peyton Hillis, Cleveland Browns RB
20 of 22
Peyton Hillis has been arguably the most consistent running back this season.
Hillis came out of nowhere as there was hardly any notion in the offseason that Eric Mangini was so high on Hillis that he would be the starter from Week 1.
Hillis is a bruising back with decent speed, but is one of the most effective rushers behind a great offensive line. A major reason Hillis has been so good is his ability to catch the ball. He is a dual threat for the Browns and matchup-proof in fantasy. He is easily one of the biggest shocks of the season. The only knock on Hillis is his fumbling issues, as he has lost four of his five fumbles.
Hillis has rushed for 774 yards and eight touchdowns while catching 40 passes for 351 yards and two touchdowns.
Arian Foster, Houston Texans RB
21 of 22
Arian Foster was one of the most disputed players leading up to fantasy drafts. How early would somebody pull the trigger on Houston’s newest experiment who excelled to end the 2009 season but also had a history of fumblitis. How late could somebody steal him in their draft?
It’s difficult to believe anybody could have predicted what Foster has done thus far, considering he has been arguably the best fantasy running back in the game.
In the opening game against the Indianapolis Colts, Foster gutted the team for 231 yards and three touchdowns on 33 carries.
For the season, Foster has 1,004 yards, 12 rushing touchdowns and 39 receptions for 378 yards with a touchdown. He has fumbled only twice.
Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles QB
22 of 22
I expected Vick to start at some point this season because I didn’t believe in Kevin Kolb. I didn’t think Vick would be needed as soon as Week 1.
I also didn’t expect Vick to perform better than he ever has in his career. The speed, athleticism and arm strength were always there despite spending time in prison. It’s now his accuracy and field vision from the pocket that are so vastly improved. He is now the quarterback his believers knew he could truly become.
Vick is still in the running for MVP because of his exceptional play, despite missing time, and has the Eagles in a fantastic position to win a Super Bowl.
In seven games, Vick has completed a career-high 62.8 percent of his passes for 1,608 yards, 11 touchdowns and easily a career-low of zero interceptions. He has also rushed for 375 yards and five touchdowns.
.jpg?w=480 "Falcons Vikings Football")
.jpg?w=480 "49ers Cardinals Football")
.jpg?w=600 "Ravens star calls out former coach")
.jpg?w=600 "Browns Trade with Cowboys to Draft WR")