Hindsight may be 20/20.  But hindsight armed with statistics can be brutal.

Round 1.  Drew Brees, QB, Saints.  Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady would do just fine, but Brees gets the nod for his stellar consistency and superior performance during the fantasy postseason.

Round 5.  Doug Martin, RB, Buccaneers.  He’ll win Week 9 for us all by himself.  We now own the No. 1 QB and two of the top three RBs and WRs in the business.

Round 9.  Tony Gonzalez, TE, Falcons.  The future Hall of Famer is still an elite fantasy performer, yet he was typically the 10^th tight end taken in the draft.

Round 13. James Jones, WR, Packers.  What the heck?  He mixed in some stinkers, but nobody caught more scoring passes than Jones.

Round 16.  Alfred Morris, RB, Redskins.  Our backfield now includes two rookies and a guy coming off major reconstructive knee surgery.  Perfect.

Before we close the books on another exhilarating/frustrating/awesome/humiliating (circle one) fantasy season, let’s take a quick stroll back through 2012 to examine the players we rooted for and against and – with as much objectivity as we can muster – give credit where credit is due.

1. Consistency on a weekly basis is next to godliness.
2. Production during the fantasy playoffs – for our purposes, NFL Weeks 14 through 16 – is given extra weight.  Players who let their owners down at the worst possible time earn our eternal scorn.  (Hear that, Victor?)
3. For the most part, Week 17 is dead to us.  (Sorry, Eli.)

Most Valuable Player: Adrian Peterson, RB, Vikings.  AD was the common denominator in countless fantasy championships, largely because his services could be secured as late as the third round in most preseason drafts.  Drew Brees, Tom Brady and Aaron Rodgers were all outstanding; but there was precious little light between the three elite QBs.  Runner-up:Arian Foster, RB, Texans.

Comeback Player of the Year: Peyton Manning, QB, Broncos.  Peterson was a Top 10 running back last year.  Manning didn’t play a snap in 2011 due to neck injuries, then returned to elite status with a brand new team.  Runner-up: Peterson.

Steal of the Draft: Tony Gonzalez, TE, Falcons.  The top tight end in Fantasyland was available in the 10^th round or later in most 10-team leagues.  On average, nine other players at his position were selected before the future Hall of Famer. Runner-up: Robert Griffin III, QB, Redskins.

“Plaxico Burress Memorial” Bonehead of the Year: Titus Young, WR, Lions.  Blessed with an abundance of natural talent, Young apparently has the intellect and maturity of a Jersey Shore character.  He flashed his potential in Week 8, then was suspended by his coach for the rest of the season just a few weeks later. Runner-up:Jermichael Finley, TE, Packers.

Good morning, Fools.  I hope you're not contesting a championship today, but there's no reason you have to stop playing altogether, either.

In two of my leagues, we play a Week 17 "Free for All Bowl," in which every team -- including those that missed out on the playoffs -- sets one final lineup.  The top overall scorer wins 5% of the pot.  It's a good way to keep the fantasy fun going for another weekend, and it gives us another reason to tune in the Red Zone Channel one last time.

So, for those of us with something on the line in today's games, here's the latest skinny from around the league:

Why shouldn't you play a Week 17 title match?  Here's your latest reason: Ray Rice is NOT expected to play today, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter.  With little on the line, there's no reason for the Ravens to risk their star to injury prior to the postseason.  While this isn't official, Schefter usually knows what he's talking about.

It could be a big day for rookie RB Bernard Pierce...

No word yet on Flacco, Torrey Smith and Anquan Boldin (shoulder); but it sure makes you think a similar stance would be taken on them.

We learned earlier this week that Trent Richardson, MJD, Mike Wallace, Pierre Thomas, Mario Manningham and Mike Nugent were done for the season.  Since all but Richardson have been placed on IR, they won't appear on the inactive lists.  Jets TE Dustin Keller also won't play today.

Don't count on Jonathan Stewart or Vernon Davis (concussion) to be available either.

However, it appears that Rob Gronkowski will suit up, and at least get a few snaps.  It's not clear that he will make more than a cameo appearance, however; so if you have a decent TE alternative, you might be better off taking it.  That said, nobody would be surprised to see Gronk spike one in the end zone today.

I was wrong earlier in the week when I indicated that Matt Leinart would be the starting QB in Oakland.  That will be Terrelle Pryor instead.  The change doesn't make me feel any differently about the Raiders' wideouts, including Denarius Moore.  Keep him on your bench.

That's it for now.  Inactives come next via Twitter (www.twitter.com/ladd_biro).  Have a great Sunday, and good luck to all Fools playing for something!

Here are a few snippets from yesterday's 4th & Long column on Sporting News, along with a few updates from today's news.

If he plays at all, Trent Richardson is only expected to see spot duty thanks to a bum ankle. Montario Hardesty will get the lion's share of the load in the meaningless matchup with the Steelers. [Update: Richardson has now been declared out.]

Keep an eye on Matt Forte's playing status, as he is likely to be a game-time decision. With no Michael Bush to fall back upon, the Bears certainly need their starter in a must-win game. But his latest ankle injury may prove too painful to overcome so quickly.  [Update: Forte has been upgraded to probable.]

After suffering a setback in practice, Jonathan Stewart (ankle) is not expected to be ready for the Panthers' finale. That leaves the workload in DeAngelo Williams' unsteady hands again. I reminded you last week that he couldn't be trusted. Did you listen?
 
A hip injury has kept Mike Wallace off the practice field all week, and it could force him out of Sunday's contest. That means that we've likely seen the last of the up-and-down speedster in a Steelers uniform.

Those who've been holding onto Rob Gronkowski (arm, hip) in hopes that he would be available for the last game or two of the regular season are about to be very disappointed. He's been a limited participant in practice for the past week, but there's little indication he will be activated prior to the playoffs.

More Saturday updates:

Both Brandon Weeden and Colt McCoy will miss Week 17 for the Browns, leaving the QB role in the hands of the great Thaddeus Lewis.  With Trent Richardson also missing in action, could there be a better defensive play than the Steelers on Sunday?

Pierre Thomas is out for Sunday's matchup, but Chris Ivory will be back in the Saints' RB rotation along with Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram.

Why MJD waited until now to undergo foot surgery on his ankle is beyond me.  But he did.

The 49ers put Mario Manningham on IR.  He's done.

Mike Nugent has also gone to IR.  Josh Brown will close out the season as the Bengals' kicker.

Wondering whether or not to start Marshawn Lynch and Dez Bryant, or to bench Brian Hoyer and Austin Pettis?  The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for help with your realstarting lineup conundrums, read on.

Reggie Bush, RB, Dolphins at Patriots.  Coming off his second-best fantasy performance of the season, Bush should remain in your lineup as he auditions for a new contract.  The Patriots are playing for a bye, but their defense is still struggling.  Bush will get plenty of touches to reinforce his value to the Dolphins, and other RB-challenged teams.

Roddy White, WR, Falcons vs. Buccaneers.  Atlanta is Exhibit A for why fantasy titles should never be contested in Week 17.  With nothing to play for, Matt Ryan and his fellow starters could see just a few token series.  While the Bucs’ secondary is certainly capable of allowing big strikes to this prolific attack early on, that’s an awfully risky proposition for owners of the Falcons’ fantasy stars.  Especially those of White, who is nursing a knee injury.

Did you go over the fantasy cliff yesterday?

And yet, in a cruel twist of fate, Dez was the main culprit in the demise of my other title-contending team.  His 224-yard, two-touchdown mastery of the Saints’ secondary helped my opponent overcome Adrian Peterson’s modest outing.  Ray Rice came through for the bad guys as well; but Eli Manning, Victor Cruz and Tony Gonzalez left the door wide open for an epic upset by my squad in Sunday night’s showdown.

Ryan Grant, RB, Packers.  It was fun, for old time’s sake, to see Grant do the Lambeau Leap.  Twice, even.  But those scores came in garbage time of a 55-7 blowout, DuJuan Harris found the end zone earlier (the first rushing TD of the season for a Green Bay RB, believe it or not), and Alex Green (concussion) could return to the backfield in Week 17.

Good morning, Fools.  Congratulations if you're still reading this!  It's championship Sunday (in most leagues), and many of you are off to a splendid start after last night's Falcons-Lions tilt.

As for myself, I'm in two fantasy Super Bowls.  In the first, I came into the weekend feeling pretty invincible.  That is, until my opponent unleashed Ryan, Julio and Megatron on me.  Holy PPR, Batman!  I'm down 85 points on Sunday morning!  Fortunately, I have Brady, AJ Green and Amendola set to go, and the bad guy doesn't have a lot of firepower left; so I'm not running up the white flag just yet.

In my Sporting News Experts League, I'm playing against a very strong No. 1 seed.  But he got off to a terrible start with Gonzo and Matt Bryant.  My Jason Hanson took care of them.  Perhaps the fantasy gods will look favorably upon me there.

Anyway, enough about me.  You care about you, right?  Here's what you need to know to help set your championship lineup:

RG3 is fully expected to play.  Start him if you've got him.

Ahmad Bradshaw joined the Giants on their short trip to Baltimore.  They play in the later game, so you'll need to have a backup plan if you're planning to start Bradshaw.  I don't like David Wilson if Bradshaw suits up; and after last week, I'd avoid him if possible even if the rookie is the starter.

Shady McCoy is expected to be "monitored" in his return from a concussion.  Since this isn't a knee or ankle injury, the monitoring they'll do is to make certain he's not taking any more shots to the head or feeling woozy.  If I was still alive in my league where I took Shady first, I'd be starting him.  Bryce Brown can be electric, but he's terribly fumble-prone.  Andy Reid wants to win his last home game.  Who would you give the ball to at the goal line?  I'm convinced that as long as Shady is mentally alert, he'll get the ball.

Jordy Nelson has already been ruled out. That's good news for Randall Cobb and James Jones owners.  Wish I thought it would boost Greg Jennings' chances; but after two weeks of mediocre returns, I'm not counting on it.

Sidney Rice will be a game-time call on Monday night.  Taking on a tough 49ers secondary, you'd be better off with a safer option anyway.

Rob Gronkowski didn't make the trip to Jacksonville (though it sounds like Tebow will be soon; but I digress).

Remember, Dan Carpenter was just placed on IR.  Nate Kaeding will kick for the Dolphins today.

That's it for now.  Good luck today to all Fools!  I'll be tweeting the inactives and other late-breaking news today.

And also, Merry Christmas to all!

Here are some snippets from Friday's 4th & Long column for Sporting News.

All signs point to Robert Griffin III (knee) suiting up this weekend; and with the Eagles on tap, he will be a must-start. In Week 11, he torched them for 200 passing and 84 rushing yards, plus four TDs and no turnovers.

A concussion will most likely keep Alex Green out of the Packers' backfield on Sunday, but surely you weren't counting on him anyway, right? Green's absence would leave the modest rushing workload to Ryan Grant and DuJuan Harris. Thanks, but I'll pass.

An illness is keeping Steven Jackson out of practice this week, but there's little worry it will force him from Sunday's game. The Bucs' run defense was a shell of its stingy self last weekend against the Saints, so the Rams' workhorse makes a solid, though not terrific, starting option.  [Update: S-Jax was back at practice Friday.]

It's too soon to say whether Ahmad Bradshaw will be back Sunday, but it's certainly hard to trust David Wilson given his mediocre output last weekend. I like Bradshaw's chances against the Ravens. Wilson, not so much. [Update: Bradshaw practiced Friday and is looking more and more likely to play, though nothing will be certain until the inactive list comes out.]

Don't expect Jordy Nelson (hamstring) to be available this weekend. Now, if only Greg Jennings could be trusted.  [Update: Jordy is now listed as out for Week 16.]

Though Rob Gronkowski is back at practice on a limited basis, the tea leaves seem to suggest that the Patriots will hold him out until Week 17, at the earliest. Of course, if he plays, you start him. But I wouldn't bet on it. [Update: Both the Boston Globe and the NFL Network are reporting that Gronk will not play Sunday, though nothing official has been announced yet.  Love me some Hernandez!]

The Dolphins just placed Dan Carpenter on injured reserve due to a groin injury. The well-traveled Nate Kaeding has been signed to replace him.

Other Saturday updates:

Jonathan Stewart (ankle) will be a game-time call on Sunday.  His return would sour me even further on DeAngelo.

No surprise here: MJD has been ruled out for Week 16.

Torrey Smith (concussion) is now expected to play Sunday; but he's been pretty mediocre lately.  I'm sitting him.

Brandon Pettigrew is officially doubtful for tonight's game.  He ain't playing.

Wondering whether or not to start Adrian Peterson and Andre Johnson, or to bench Christian Ponder and Kevin Ogletree?  The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for help with your real starting lineup conundrums, read on.

Danny Amendola, WR, Rams at Buccaneers.  Though still fighting through a nagging foot injury, Amendola is a must-start Sunday after his impressive rebound performance in Week 15.  No secondary is more generous to opposing receivers than Tampa Bay’s.

DeAngelo Williams, RB, Panthers vs. Raiders.  Just when he sucks you into believing you can trust him, Williams inevitably puts up a stinker to remind you why you’ve benched (or even released) him more often than not.  Despite riding a solid two-game surge, Williams should be reserved against an Oakland defense that just held Jamaal Charles to 28 combined yards last Sunday.

This was a great week to start…

Colin Kaepernick, 49ers – Passed for 216 yards, 4 TDs and 1 INT, and ran for 28 yards.

Stevan Ridley, Patriots – Not a part of the game plan, with just 23 yards on the night, and a fumble.

I always hesitate to chalk up any weekend’s fantasy outcomes to luck – especially when I emerge on the winning side – but Week 15 seemed disproportionately off-kilter.

For every Adrian Peterson who raced to one of the most prolific games of his storied career, there was a Ray Rice posting his season low.  While Alfred Morris continued his quest for Fantasy Surprise of 2012, Jamaal Charles and Stevan Ridley no-showed.  Bryce Brown’s bubble popped a week ago, but there’s no logical explanation for the flop by Doug Martin.

Good morning, Fools.  Got a late start as church ran a little long, so I did my tweeting before blogging.

Here's a quick run-down on what you need to know for this all-important weekend of playoff football:

RG3 is inactive, so Kirk Cousins takes the helm for the Redskins.  While he looked good in limited action last week, I would be very wary of counting on Pierre Garcon with Cousins under center and Browns shutdown CB Joe Haden shadowing the wideout.

In fact, I swapped out Garcon with Dez Bryant, now that he is definitely playing.  With Steelers CB Ike Taylor out, I like his chances today against a reeling pass defense.  Dez isn't postponing finger surgery to be a decoy.  I'm trusting him in my playoff lineup.

Darren McFadden is fully expected to play later this afternoon, and I'm counting on him to excel against the lowly Chiefs.

Ahmad Bradshaw is out, leaving the backfield in the hands of last week's shining star, David Wilson.  I like his chances against the Falcons' vulnerable run defense.

Also, Hakeem Nicks is active and should be in your starting lineup, unless your other options are truly elite.

Ditto the above re: Roddy White.

Danny Amendola will play for the Rams, and he has a nice matchup with the Vikings.  But he's no sure thing (he caught one 38-yard pass in Week 12 last time he tried to come back), so I would only risk him in your lineup if you're playing in a PPR league.

Jordy is inactive again.  Hopefully this is the week Greg Jennings returns to form.

Sidney Rice should play in Toronto against the Bills, but I'd be very wary.
 
You know Dwayne Bowe has been placed on IR, so that settles that issue.

That's it for today.  Good luck to all Fools!

Here are a few snippets from yesterday's 4th & Long column for Sporting News' Fantasy Source, followed by other updates from around the league:


Jay Cutler (neck, knee) appears set to play in the crucial divisional matchup with Green Bay. That's great news for Brandon Marshall owners, and Cutler's presence will open the running lanes up a bit more for Matt Forte. Few fantasy squads are relying on Cutler's direct contributions, but there's no denying his value to the players around him.

The loss of Fred Jackson (knee) for the duration of the season should boost C.J. Spiller's value a bit, but in truth, Spiller has been the main man for a couple of weeks now, and the results haven't been quite as salty as we expected. Nevertheless, he remains a must-start against the Seahawks when the teams clash in Toronto this weekend.

I've managed to make the second round of the playoffs in one league despite selecting Darren McFadden with my second draft pick. Run-DMC's fragility has once again spoiled his season, but he wasn't even that effective when he was operating at 100 percent. Still, like Charlie Brown lining up to kick a football held by Lucy, I'm inserting McFadden into my starting lineup in hopes that he'll redeem himself against the soft Chiefs run defense. Coach Dennis Allen has said that the tailback's ankle is okay, and he'll be "a full go" Sunday. Please, Lucy; don't yank that ball away!

Those who jumped on David Wilson earlier this week after his masterful 327-all-purpose-yards breakout game should be tracking Ahmad Bradshaw's status very closely. Current speculation is that Bradshaw (knee) may not even make the trip to Atlanta, which would open the door to a healthy workload for the electrifying rookie. However, if the veteran toughs it out (as he's been known to do throughout his career), Wilson's starting value will be significantly diminished.[UPDATE: Bradshaw has subsequently been ruled out.  Start Wilson with confidence.]

Some things used to make sense to me. For instance, as a young Ladd I answered affirmatively to the iconic question "Scaramouche, Scaramouche, will you do the Fandango?" Today, I have no clue what that means. I'm similarly befuddled that Maurice Jones-Drew (foot) is still owned in more than 90 percent of fantasy leagues. You can't even see a little silhouetto of the man, so what exactly are you waiting for? MJD is already disgruntled over his contract status, so why would he risk further injury by returning to a 2-11 team?

I'm not sure why Cecil Shorts would rush back from his concussion, either, especially after seeing how repeated blows to the head landed teammate Laurent Robinson on IR just a few weeks ago. Even if he plays, Shorts is a risky start against a Dolphins pass defense that has held up well against the likes of Tom Brady and Colin Kaepernick in recent weeks. Shorts won't be 100 percent, while Chad Henne has cooled off significantly since his Week 11 outburst.

All signs point to Dez Bryant risking permanent digit disfigurement and playing Sunday against the Steelers. There's something inherently risky about starting a wide receiver with a broken finger, but with CB Ike Taylor (ankle) out, Bryant's prospects for continued success are heightened.

I sure thought Greg Jennings (groin) would contribute more than he did last week. Then again, I've been expecting more from Aaron Rodgers lately, too. Jordy Nelson (hamstring) is all but certain to miss another week [UPDATE: Nelson has been ruled out for Week 15], so Jennings will get another chance to reward his patient owners against a reeling Bears defense. Whether or not you start him all comes down to your available alternatives. Jennings is the ultimate high-risk, high-reward prospect.

If Dwayne Bowe (ribs) doesn't play again this season, will anybody notice?

Don't be surprised if Sidney Rice misses the contest in Canada, eh? Though he has shed his walking boot, his foot has kept him out of practice all week and he'll likely be a game-time decision. [UPDATE: Rice now appears to be on track to play.  But he comes with some risk.]

Danny Amendola (heel, foot) will also be an 11th-hour call. Only PPR-leaguers should consider him if he suits up for the Vikings game. Otherwise, the risk-reward ratio skews negative. [UPDATE: Amendola now listed as probable for Sunday's contest.]

A balky knee has Roddy White in question for Sunday's matchup with the Giants. You know you have to play him if he is active, but there's an outside chance the injury won't subside in time. [UPDATE: Roddy missed Friday's practice, increasing his chances of missing the first game of his career.]

If Jared Cook (shoulder) or Brandon Pettigrew (ankle) is your tight end, you need to make alternative arrangements. With Bowe out and no other viable weapon in the Chiefs' receiving corps, Tony Moeaki is a free agent sleeper to consider.

Other Saturday updates:

Jonathan Stewart (ankle), Chris Ivory (hamstring), Davone Bess (back) and Rob Gronkowski (arm) will not play in Week 15.

Ronnie Brown (hamstring) is doubtful, giving a slight boost to Ryan Mathews' mediocre value this week.

Hakeem Nicks (knee) is now listed as probable.

This was a great week to start…

QBs

Sidney Rice, Seahawks – His team scored 58 yards, but he was limited to 2 catches for 35 yards.

It's playoff time, and I hope (and expect) that every Fool is still competing today. 

Let's get to it:

It sounds like Chris Ivory (hamstring) will sit out today's game, making Pierre Thomas, Darren Sproles and Mark Ingram marginally more attractive.  I've owned Ingram all year, and have yet to start him.  Won't be today, either.  As for the other two, they both have a good shot to score (as does Ingram), but none are likely to put up big yardage.

Michael Vick and LeSean McCoy are out again.  Gotta love Bryce Brown, even though he has a rough matchup.

Look for another heavy workload for DeMarco Murray, as the Cowboys try to relieve pressure on Romo from the relentless Bengals pass rush. 

Cecil Shorts and Rashad Jennings won't play for the Jags today.  Will be interesting to see if Justin Blackmon steps up in Shorts' absence, or if the Jags just implode.  With Montel Owens at RB, I'm thinking implosion.

It looks like Hakeem Nicks (knee) will be good to go today.  Start him if you've got him.

Danny Amendola will be sidelined, making Chris Givens and Brandon Gibson viable options.  But I wouldn't start either ahead of a more established performer.  I love Steven Jackson in this contest, though.

Wes Welker, Brandon Lloyd and Aaron Hernandez are all listed as questionable for the Monday nighter, but none is expected to miss the game.  Of the three, Lloyd is the least interesting, but with Julian Edelman and Gronk both out, even he could come up big in this one.

Dustin Keller won't play for the Jets today.  Jeff Cumberland takes his place.

Ed Dickson also will sit out, leaving the TE spot mostly in Dennis Pitta's hands.  That doesn't make him a great starting option, though, in spite of the tasty matchup.

It's that time of year when weather can be a major factor in the games.  The Packers and Lions will be playing on a truly frozen tundra, as they are expected to get several inches of snow tonight.  That wouldn't keep me from starting Rodgers, but I would be more concerned about Matt Stafford, who isn't used to playing in that kind of weather.

Okay, that's it for now.  Heading to Twitter (www.twitter.com/ladd_biro) to get out the inactives and other late-breaking news.

Good luck, Fools!

Wondering whether or not to start Arian Foster and A.J. Green, or to bench Mark Sanchez and Early Doucet?  The network bozos specialize in that kind of advice. If you’re looking for help with your realstarting lineup conundrums, read on.

BenJarvus Green-Ellis, RB, Bengals vs. Cowboys.  Green-Ellis is on a monster run, while the Dallas run defense is imploding.  The Law Firm is an open-and-shut case in this matchup.  (Sorry…)

Tony Romo, RB, Cowboys at Bengals.  He’s riding a two-game hot streak courtesy of a pair of pitiful pass defenses. But this Sunday, Romo will be running for his life, or watching the game from his backside, as Cincinnati’s league-leading sack attack overwhelms the Cowboys’ sorry offensive line. He’ll be lucky to emerge intact.