Fantasy Football

Among the NFL players who finished their season strong and provided their fantasy owners a boost late in the season included the following:

Strong Finishers in 2006

• Indianapolis WR Marvin Harrison – In week 15 against the Bengals, Harrison scored 3 TDs to go along with 86 yards receiving. The following week he scored twice and totaled 112 yards receiving against the Texans. In Week 17 against the Dolphins, Harrison had yet another TD and made 5 catches for 74 yards.

• Buffalo WR Lee Evans – Evans finished his season strong, scoring one reception TD in each of the games in weeks 14-17. In week 17 against the Ravens, he also added 7 catches for 145 yards.

• San Diego RB LaDainian Tomlinson – although he was rested somewhat by the coaching staff in weeks 16 and 17, he still managed to rush for 103 yards and 3 TDs in week 14 versus Denver, and in week 15 199 yards and 2 TDs against the Chiefs.

• St. Louis RB Steven Jackson – Jackson broke out in a big way in 2006 and the last several weeks of the season were no exception. It seemed like with every successive week between weeks 14-17 he performed at a higher level. His statistics: Week 14 v. Chicago (10 rushes, 81 yards, 1 rush TD, 10 catches, 58 yards, 1 receiving TD), Week 15 at Oakland (31 rushes for 127 yards, 2 rush TDs), week 16 against Washington (33 rushes for 150 yards and 1 rush TD, 6 catches for 102 yards and 1 reception TD), and week 17 at Minnesota (25 rushes for 142 yards and 3 TDs, and 2 catches for 24 yards and 1 TD).

• Jacksonville RB Maurice Jones-Drew – one of the biggest surprises of 2006 really turned it on in the month of December. Drafted in 2006 and intended to be down on the depth chart but injuries to the Jaguars’ running backs allowed him an opportunity to return kickoffs and then to be a primary ball carrier. In the week 14 game against Indianapolis, he rushed 15 times for 166 yards and two TDs, an average of 11.1 yards per carry. In week 15 at Tennessee, he rushed 25 times for 98 yards and a TD. In week sixteen against the New England Patriots he rushed for 131 yards on 19 carries including 2 rushing TDs.

• St. Louis QB Marc Bulger – the month of December saw the Rams offense come to life, and it was highlighted by two late-season performances by Bulger. The first was week 14, where he was 34/55 for 356 yards.

• Indianapolis QB Peyton Manning – prior to being rested in week 17, Manning had very strong performances in weeks 15 and 16, with going 29 for 36 for 282 yards and 4 TDs in week 15 against the Bengals and then 21 for 27 for 205 yards and 3 TDs at Houston in week 16.

• Detroit QB Jon Kitna – this may be a surprise to some, but it made sense that the defense poor Lions would be pass happy in the 2nd half of the season as played from behind in many games. This was particularly evident in weeks 16 and 17, as Kitna was trying to end the otherwise poor season on a good note. In Week 16, Kitna went 27 for 45 for 283 yards and 3 touchdown passes. In Week 17 at Dallas, Kitna exploded for was 28 of 42 for 306 yards and 4 TD passes thrown.