Monday, December 31, 2012

2012 StatMan Awards: Football Nominees

At the end of the year, we like to look back on what happened.  What were the best performances of the year?  Who were the best players of the year?  Which players have reached stardom this year?

On Sports With The StatMan, we talk about the pro game on Wednesday nights and the fantasy game on Saturday mornings.  So, we are honoring both in the StatMan Awards, with categories for the real-life game and categories for the fantasy game. In this post, we will look at the football nominees.  We have seven categories for the real-life game and nine categories for the fantasy game. 

We want to hear from you.  Feel free to leave a comment in the comments below and/or on our Sports With The StatMan Facebook page or Twitter.

Tune in to find out the winners on a special edition of Sports With The StatMan, Sunday, December 30th, at 11pm ET (Episode Page)

FOOTBALL

SURPRISE TEAM OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the team that was unexpectedly successful in 2012
·         Indianapolis Colts (11-5, won Wild Card, O/U: 5.5 wins)
·         Seattle Seahawks (11-5, won Wild Card, O/U: 7 wins)
·         Minnesota Vikings (10-6, won Wild Card, O/U: 6 wins)

DISAPPOINTING TEAM OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the team that was unexpectedly unsuccessful in 2012
·         Philadelphia Eagles (4-12, last place in NFC East, O/U: 10 wins)
·         Detroit Lions (4-12, last place in NFC North, O/U: 9.5 wins)
·         New Orleans Saints (7-9, 6 GB in NFC South, O/U: 10 wins)

COMEBACK PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the player who has re-emerged to prominence in 2012 from a sub-par 2011
·         QB Peyton Manning DEN (6th in scoring – 366 pts, 37 TD, 11 INT, 105.8 rating)
·         RB Adrian Peterson MIN (12th in overall scoring, 1st among non-QBs – 301 pts, 2,097 yards rushing, 12 TD, 2,314 all-purpose yards)
·         RB Jamaal Charles KCY (34th in overall scoring – 211 pts, 1,509 yards rushing, 6 TD (5 rushing, 1 receiving), 1,745 all-purpose yards)

COACH OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the best coach in the NFL in 2012
·         Bruce Arians IND (9-3, won Wild Card, took over in Week 3 for Chuck Pagano on interim basis)
·         Pete Carroll SEA (11-5, went 8-0 at home with rookie quarterback)
·         Jim Harbaugh SFO (11-4-1, changed quarterbacks in Week 11 to Colin Kaepernick)

BUST OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the player who delivered least based on the expectations of the player in 2012
·         RB Brandon Jacobs SFO (FA acquisition, 2 games, 5 rushes, 7 yards)
·         QB Tim Tebow NYJ (traded from DEN after winning playoff game, posted statistics in 12 games, 6-for-8 passing for 39 yards, 32 rushes for 102 yards)
·         WR Greg Jennings GBY (missed 8 games, 36 receptions, 366 yards, 4 TD)

BREAKOUT PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the player who unexpectedly became a fantasy starter in 2012
·         C.J. Spiller BUF (561 yards, 4 rushing TD in 2011; 1,244 yards (1,703 all-purpose), 8 TD (6 rushing), 31st in overall scoring in 2012)
·         Demaryius Thomas DEN (32-551-4 in 11 games in 2011, T-38th in overall scoring, 94-1,434-10 in 2012)
·         Colin Kaepernick SFO (3-for-5 in 3 games in 2011, T-38th in overall scoring, 5-2 as starter, 98.3 rating, 1,814 passing yards, 415 rushing yards, 15 TD (10 passing, 5 rushing) in 2012)

OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the best player in the NFL in 2012
·         QB Peyton Manning DEN (68.6% completion, 4,659 passing yards, 37 TD, 11 INT, 103.7 rating)
·         RB Adrian Peterson MIN (348 rushes for 2,097 yards (6.0 ypc), 12 TD, 40-217-1 receiving)
·         QB Robert Griffin III WSH (65.6% completion, 3,200 passing yards, 20 TD, 5 INT, 102.4 rating, 119-826-7 (27 total TD) in 15 games)
·         QB Tom Brady NE (63.0% completion, 4,827 passing yards, 34 TD, 8 INT, 98.7 rating)
·         QB Aaron Rodgers GBY (67.2% completion, 4,295 passing yards, 39 TD, 8 INT, 108 rating)

FANTASY FOOTBALL

PICK-UP OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the undrafted player in our house fantasy league who had the best season in 2012
·         Alfred Morris WSH (219 points - 335 rushes for 1,610 rushing yards, 13 TD, 11-77-0 receiving)
·         James Jones GBY (152 points – 64-784-14)
·         Randall Cobb GBY (145 points – 80-954-8, 132 rushing yards in 15 games)

FANTASY ROOKIE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the NFL rookie with the best season in 2012
·         Andrew Luck IND (319 points – 9th in scoring, 4,374 passing yards, 23 TD, 18 INT, 76.5 rating, 255 rushing yards, 5 rushing TD (28 total TD))
·         Robert Griffin III WSH (368 points – T-4th in scoring, 3,200 passing yards, 20 TD, 5 INT, 102.4 rating, 119-826-7 (27 total TD) in 15 games)
·         Doug Martin TBY (261 points – 2nd among RB, 19th in scoring, 1,454 rushing yards, 11 rushing TD, 49-472-1)

PIVOTAL INJURY OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the player whose injury was the most damaging for fantasy teams in 2012
·         Maurice Jones-Drew JAX (foot injury, missed 10 games, 8th among RB in ADP (20.8) – 60 points in 6 games, 86-414-1 rushing, 14-86-1 receiving)
·         Percy Harvin MIN (ankle – IR on 12/6, missed 7 games, 13th among WR in ADP (48.3) – 92 points in 9 games, 62-677-3 receiving, 22-96-1 rushing)
·         Willis McGahee DEN (knee, leg – IR on 11/21, missed 6 games, 23rd among RB in ADP (59.4) – 103 points in 10 games, 167-731-4 rushing, 26-221-0 receiving)

CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the fantasy player with the best performance during the fantasy football postseason (Weeks 14-16)
Weeks 14-16
·         Tony Romo DAL (91 points, 1,025 passing yards, 7 TD, 1 INT)
·         Cam Newton CAR (99 points, 688 passing yards, 5 TD, 1 INT, 25-183-2 rushing)
·         Matt Ryan ATL (93 points, 891 passing yards, 9 TD, 1 INT, 3-24-0 rushing)

ONE-WEEK WONDER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the player who provided one week of great performance in an otherwise mediocre year in 2012
·         WR Justin Blackmon JAX (33 points in Week 11 – 7-236-1; 96 points through Week 16 – 58-786-4)
·         TE Charles Clay MIA (22 points in Week 12 – 6-84-1; 51 points through Week 16 – 18-212-2)
·         RB David Wilson NYG (24 points in Week 14 – 13-100-2; 54 points through Week 16 – 56-283-4)

PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the best single-game performance by an NFL player in 2012
·         Aaron Rodgers GBY (54 points – 24-for-37, 338 yards, 6 TD, 0 INT, 2-17-0 rushing)
·         Cam Newton CAR (52 points – 23-for-35, 287 yards, 2 TD, 0 INT, 9-116-1 rushing)
·         Doug Martin TBY (61 points – 25-251-4 rushing, 4-21-0 receiving)

FANTASY VALUE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the player who provided the most value in 2012 for their fantasy draft position
·         Russell Wilson SEA (ADP: 142, 10th in scoring: 316 points, 3,118 passing yards, 26 TD, 10 INT, 94-489-4 rushing)
·         Alfred Morris WSH (ADP: 136, 30th in scoring, 5th among RB: 219 points, 1,610 rushing yards, 13 TD, 11-77-0 receiving)
·         James Jones GBY (ADP: 169, 68th in scoring, 16th among WR: 152 points, 64 receptions for 784 yards, 14 TD)

CONSISTENT PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the fantasy-relevant player who had the most consistency in 2012
·         Aaron Rodgers GBY (8 25-pt games, 11 2+ TD games, 0 2+ INT games, 6 300-yd games, 8 100+ rating games, 1 sub-10-pt game (9))
·         Peyton Manning DEN (12 20-pt games, 12 2+ TD games, 2 2+ INT games, 9 300-yd games, 10 100+ rating games, 1 sub-10-pt game (9))
·         Drew Brees NO (11 20-pt games, 9 25-pt games, 13 2+ TD games, 5 2+ INT games, 10 300-yd games, 9 100+ rating games, 1 sub-10-pt game (3))

FANTASY PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the best fantasy NFL player in 2012
·         Aaron Rodgers GBY (409 points – 4,295 passing yards, 39 TD, 8 INT, 108 rating, 54-259-2 rushing)
·         Robert Griffin III WSH (368 points – 3,200 passing yards, 20 TD, 5 INT, 102.4 rating, 119-826-7 rushing)
·         Peyton Manning DEN (366 points – 4,659 passing yards, 37 TD, 11 INT, 105.8 rating)
·         Adrian Peterson MIN (301 points – 2,097 rushing yards, 12 TD, 40-217-1)
·         Calvin Johnson DET (221 points – 122 receptions, 1,964 receiving yards, 5 TD)

Catch me on "Sports With The StatMan" on Wednesdays at 11pm ET and Saturdays at 11am ET. We'll break down these picks and look ahead to next week on our This Week in Fantasy Sports segment, Saturday morning at 11am ET.

Sunday, December 30, 2012

2012 StatMan Awards: Baseball Nominees

At the end of the year, we like to look back on what happened.  What were the best performances of the year?  Who were the best players of the year?  Which players have reached stardom this year?

On Sports With The StatMan, we talk about the pro game on Wednesday nights and the fantasy game on Saturday mornings.  So, we are honoring both in the StatMan Awards, with categories for the real-life game and categories for the fantasy game. In this post, we will look at the baseball nominees.  We have nine real-life categories and nine more fantasy categories.

We want to hear from you.  Feel free to leave a comment in the comments below and/or on our Sports With The StatMan Facebook page or Twitter.

Tune in to find out the winners on a special edition of Sports With The StatMan, Sunday, December 30th, at 11pm ET (Episode Page)

BASEBALL NOMINEES

SURPRISE TEAM OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the team that was unexpectedly successful in 2012
·         Baltimore Orioles (93-69 record, Vegas pre-season over-under: 69.5 wins)
·         Oakland Athletics (94-68 record, Vegas: 71.5 wins)
·         Washington Nationals (98-64 record, 84 wins)

DISAPPOINTING TEAM OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the team that was unexpectedly unsuccessful in 2012
·         Boston Red Sox (69-93 record, Vegas: 89.5 wins)
·         Miami Marlins (69-93 record, Vegas: 85 wins)
·         Philadelphia Phillies (81-81 record, Vegas: 92 wins)

COMEBACK HITTER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the hitter who has re-emerged to prominence in 2012 from a sub-par 2011
·         Aaron Hill ARZ (+.227 OPS, 2011: .655 OPS, 2012: .882 OPS)
·         Alex Rios CHW (+.237 OPS, 2011: .613 OPS, 2012: .850 OPS)
·         Joe Mauer MIN (+.133 OPS, 2011: .729 OPS, 2012: .862 OPS)

COMEBACK PITCHER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the pitcher who has re-emerged to prominence in 2012 from a sub-par 2011
·         Jake Peavy CHW (2009-11 WAR: 3.8, 2011 WAR: 0.9, 2012 WAR: 5.0)
·         Joe Nathan TEX (2011: 14 SV/4.89 ERA, 2012: 37 SV/2.81 ERA)
·         A.J. Burnett PIT (2011: 11-11/5.15/1.43, 2012: 16-10/3.51/1.24)

MANAGER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the best manager in the Major Leagues in 2012
·         Buck Showalter BAL (93-69 record, 2 GB in AL East, Wild Card winner, lost in ALDS 3 games to 2)
·         Davey Johnson WSH (98-64 record, won NL East, lost in NLDS 3 games to 2)
·         Bob Melvin OAK (94-68 record, won AL West, lost in ALDS 3 games to 2)

BUST OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the player who delivered least based on the expectations of the player in 2012
·         Jason Bay NYM (.164/.237/.299, 8 HR, 20 RBI, 194 AB)
·         Tim Lincecum SFO (10-15, 5.18 ERA, 1.47 WHIP)
·         Ricky Romero TOR (9-14, 5.77 ERA, 1.67 WHIP)

BREAKOUT PITCHER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the pitcher who unexpectedly became a fantasy starter in 2012
·         Aroldis Chapman CIN (38 SV, 1.51 ERA, 0.81 WHIP)
·         Chris Sale CHW (17-8, 3.05 ERA, 1.14 WHIP)
·         Kris Medlen ATL (10-1, 1.57 ERA, 0.91 WHIP)

BREAKOUT HITTER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the hitter who unexpectedly became a fantasy starter in 2012
·         Chase Headley SDG (.286/.376/.498, 31 HR, 115 RBI)
·         Norichika Aoki MIL (.289/.355/.433, 10 HR, 50 RBI, 30 SB)
·         Josh Reddick OAK (.242/.305/.463, 32 HR, 85 RBI)

OUTSTANDING PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the best player in Major League Baseball in 2012
·         SP R.A. Dickey NYM (20-6, 2.74 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 230 K, 233.2 IP)
·         3B Miguel Cabrera DET (.330/.393/.606, 44 HR, 139 RBI, 109 R)
·         OF Ryan Braun MIL (.319/.391/.595, 41 HR, 112 RBI, 30 SB, 108 R)
·         SP Justin Verlander DET (17-8, 2.64 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 239 K, 238.1 IP)
·         OF Mike Trout LAA (.326/.399/.564, 30 HR, 83 RBI, 49 SB, 129 R)

FANTASY BASEBALL

PICK-UP OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the undrafted player in our house fantasy league who had the best season in 2012
·         RP Fernando Rodney TBY (48 SV, 0.60 ERA, 0.78 WHIP) – 610 points
·         SP Kyle Lohse STL (16-3, 2.86/1.09, 211 IP) – 481 points
·         OF Norichika Aoki MIL (.289/.355/.433, 10 HR, 50 RBI, 30 SB) – 395 points

FANTASY ROOKIE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the MLB rookie with the best season in 2012
·         Mike Trout LAA (.326/.399/.564, 30 HR, 83 RBI, 49 SB, 129 R)
·         Bryce Harper WSH (.270/.340/.477, 22 HR, 59 RBI, 98 R)
·         Yoenis Cespedes OAK (.292/.356/.505, 23 HR, 82 RBI)

PIVOTAL INJURY OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the player whose injury was the most damaging for fantasy teams in 2012
·         RP Brian Wilson SFO (ADP: 114, 2 IP)
·         RP Mariano Rivera NYY (ADP: 96, 5 SV, 2.16 ERA, 0.96 WHIP)
·         SP Brandon Beachy ATL (ADP: 107, 5-5, 2.00 ERA, 0.96 WHIP)

CLUTCH PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the fantasy player with the best performance during the fantasy baseball postseason (August 20th-October 3rd)
·         SP Kris Medlen ATL (after August 19th: 8-0, 0.93 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, 62 K, 58 IP)
·         SP Cliff Lee PHL (after August 19th: 4-2, 1.57 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 65 K, 63 IP)
·         3B Adrian Beltre TEX (after August 19th: .377/.415/.799, 17 HR, 34 RBI, 40 G, 154 AB)

ONE-WEEK WONDER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the player who provided one week of great performance in an otherwise mediocre year in 2012
·         Carlos Zambrano MIA (7-10, 4.49 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, 132.1 IP, 20 GS)
·         Kyle Kendrick PHL (11-12, 3.90 ERA, 1.27 WHIP, 159.1 IP, 25 GS)
·         Brennan Boesch DET (.240/.286/.372, 12 HR, 54 RBI, 470 AB)

PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the best single-game performance by a MLB player in 2012
·         Pedro Sandoval SFO (World Series Game 1 vs. Detroit – 20 points: 4-for-4, 3 HR, 4 RBI)
·         Josh Hamilton TEX (May 8th at Baltimore – 30 points: 5-for-5, 4 HR, 8 RBI)
·         Matt Cain SFO (June 13th vs. Houston – 55 points: Perfect game, 14 K)

FANTASY VALUE OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the player who provided the most value in 2012 for their fantasy draft position
·         Mike Trout LAA (ADP: 200+, .326/.399/.564, 30 HR, 83 RBI, 49 SB) – 542 points
·         Edwin Encarnacion TOR (ADP: 166, .280/.384/.557, 42 HR, 110 RBI, 13 SB) – 520 points
·         R.A. Dickey NYM (ADP: 187, 20-6, 2.74 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 230 K, 233.2 IP) – 642 points

CONSISTENT PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the fantasy-relevant player who had the most consistency in 2012
·         Mike Trout LAA (542 points, .326/.399/.564, 30 HR, 83 RBI, 129 R, 49 SB)
·         Craig Kimbrel ATL (587 points, 42 SV, 1.01 ERA, 0.65 WHIP, 116 K, 62.2 IP)
·         Edwin Encarnacion TOR (520 points, .280/.384/.557, 42 HR, 110 RBI, 93 R, 13 SB)

FANTASY PLAYER OF THE YEAR NOMINEES

Given to the best fantasy MLB player in 2012
·         R.A. Dickey NYM (642 points, .916 pts/OUT, 20-6, 2.74 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, 230 K, 233.2 IP, 27/33 QS/GS)
·         Justin Verlander DET (631 points, .883 pts/OUT, 17-8, 2.64 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, 239 K, 238.1 IP, 25/33 QS/GS)
·         Miguel Cabrera DET (574 points, .823 pts/PA, .330/.393/.606, 44 HR, 139 RBI, 109 R, 40 2B)
·         Ryan Braun MIL (556 points, .821 pts/PA, .319/.391/.595, 41 HR, 112 RBI, 108 R, 30 SB)
·         Mike Trout LAA (542 points, .848 pts/PA, .326/.399/.564, 30 HR, 83 RBI, 129 R, 49 SB)

Week 17 NFL Picks

KNOCKOUT POOL/ESPN.com ELIMINATOR CHALLENGE

If Nick Foles did not find Jeremy Maclin in the end zone in the final moments in Tampa Bay, I would be going for Knockout Pool immortality.  Instead, a very nice 15-1 record gives me a chance at a 16-win regular season in Week 17 after Washington held off Philadelphia again.  I was picking the road team for the first time all season in the Redskins and they did not disappoint in their 27-20 victory in Philly.

This week’s pick: New England defeating Miami

New England is as dependable a team as you will find for a Knockout Pool.  They win the games they are supposed to win.  At least, they have been that team since the middle of the season.  The early-season loss at home to Arizona is a definite exception and a close loss in Seattle can be excused because the Seahawks have been nothing short of phenomenal at home.  New England typically plays to win on the last week of the season, whether something is on the line or not.  But, there is something on the line for the Patriots, as a Houston or Denver loss and Patriots win would garner a bye week in the Wild Card round.

PAST PICKS
Week 1: Houston (W vs. MIA)
Week 2: N.Y. Giants (W vs. TBY)
Week 3: Chicago (W vs. STL)
Week 4: Baltimore (W vs. CLE)
Week 5: San Francisco (W vs. BUF)
Week 6: N.Y. Jets (W vs. IND)
Week 7: Minnesota (W vs. ARZ)
Week 8: Green Bay (W vs. JAX)
Week 9: Seattle (W vs. MIN)
Week 10: Pittsburgh (W vs. KCY)
Week 11: Dallas (W vs. CLE)
Week 12: Indianapolis (W vs. BUF)
Week 13: Denver (W vs TBY)
Week 14: Tampa Bay (L vs PHL)
Week 15: Miami (W vs JAX)
Week 16: Washington (W at PHL)

GAME PICKS/ESPN.com PIGSKIN PICK ‘EM

Here are the game picks for this week.  We also have a “Sports With the StatMan” entry in the ESPN.com Pigskin Pick ‘Em for games against the spread.  We talk about the local games and the three of the other most important games, our “Big Games”, on our weekly This Week in Fantasy Sports segment on Saturdays, but we pick every game, every week here on the blog.  Here they are:

LOCAL GAMES

Last Week: 2-2 straight up, 1-3 against the spread
Season: 37-20 straight up, 28-28-1 against the spread

Week 17 Picks:
Philadelphia at N.Y. Giants (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: PHL, Against the Spread: PHL (+7.5)
N.Y. Jets at Buffalo (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: BUF, Against the Spread: BUF (-3.5)
Miami at New England (Sunday 4pm) – Straight Up: NE, Against the Spread: NE (-10.5)

BIG GAMES

Last Week: 2-1 straight up, 3-0 against the spread
Season: 36-13 straight up, 29-20 against the spread

Week 17 Picks:
Houston at Indianapolis (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: IND, Against the Spread: IND (+3.5)
Green Bay at Minnesota (Sunday 4pm) – Straight Up: GBY, Against the Spread: GBY (-3.5)
Dallas at Washington (Sunday night) – Straight Up: WSH, Against the Spread: DAL (+3.5)

OTHER GAMES

Last Week: 8-1 straight up, 7-2 against the spread
Season: 85-49 straight up, 70-64 against the spread

Week 17 Picks:
Tampa Bay at Atlanta (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: ATL, Against the Spread: ATL (-3.5)
Baltimore at Cincinnati (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: CIN, Against the Spread: CIN (-2.5)
Cleveland at Pittsburgh (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: PIT, Against the Spread: PIT (-6.5)
Chicago at Detroit (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: CHI, Against the Spread: CHI (-3.5)
Jacksonville at Tennessee (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: TEN, Against the Spread: TEN (-4.5)
Carolina at New Orleans (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: NO, Against the Spread: NO (-4.5)
St. Louis at Seattle (Sunday 4pm) – Straight Up: SEA, Against the Spread: SEA (-10.5)
Kansas City at Denver (Sunday 4pm) – Straight Up: DEN, Against the Spread: DEN (-15.5)
Oakland at San Diego (Sunday 4pm) – Straight Up: SDG, Against the Spread: SDG (-4.5)
Arizona at San Francisco (Sunday 4pm) – Straight Up: SFO, Against the Spread: SFO (-14.5)

START ‘EM/ANTI-START ‘EM/ESPN.com GRIDIRON CHALLENGE

We are participating in the ESPN Gridiron Challenge on ESPN.com.  The object is to pick the best team possible with a $50 million salary cap.  However, we are adding another wrinkle.  The object of the ESPN.com is to buy low and sell high and the more you accomplish that, the more money you get in your salary cap.  My goal is to put together a nine-man unit (2 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 K, 1 DEF) that is better than another nine-man unit at a similar price.

So far this season, my nine-man squad is 8-7-1 against a comparable squad, losing two of my last three, but breaking my two-game losing streak last week:

Week 1: Head-to-Head – L, 107-124; By Position – 2-6-1
Week 2: Head-to-Head – L, 73-98; By Position – 3-6
Week 3: Head-to-Head – L, 103-139; By Position – 3-6
Week 4: Head-to-Head – L, 105-118; By Position – 4-5
Week 5: Head-to-Head – W, 110-56; By Position – 7-2
Week 6: Head-to-Head – L, 98-127; By Position – 2-6-1
Week 7: Head-to-Head – W, 119-80; By Position – 6-3
Week 8: Head-to-Head – T, 75-75; By Position – 3-5-1
Week 9: Head-to-Head – W, 138-105; By Position – 4-4-1
Week 10: Head-to-Head – W, 145-43; By Position – 9-0
Week 11: Head-to-Head – W, 100-65; By Position – 5-4
Week 12: Head-to-Head – W, 98-95; By Position – 5-4
Week 13: Head-to-Head – W, 92-81; By Position – 5-4
Week 14: Head-to-Head – L, 54-110; By Position – 1-6-2
Week 15: Head-to-Head – L, 75-91; By Position – 3-5-1
Week 16: Head-to-Head – W, 99-51; By Position – 5-4
TOTALS: W-L: 8-7-1, PF: 1591, PA: 1448, By Position: 67-70-7

Here is the Week 17 entry in the Gridrion Challenge, our “Start ‘Em” team, along with our comparable “Anti-Start ‘Em” team, which is our opponent for the week:

(all dollar figures in millions)

Start ‘Em Team

POS

Anti-Start ‘Em Team

Tony Romo DAL ($7.8)
QB
Peyton Manning DEN ($7.6)
Michael Vick PHL ($6.5)
QB
Joe Flacco BAL ($6.4)
Darren Sproles NO ($7.3)
RB
Mikel Leshoure DET ($7.1)
Danny Woodhead NE ($6.0)
RB
Jonathan Dwyer PIT ($5.8)
Danario Alexander SDG ($5.8)
WR
Danny Amendola STL ($5.4)
Jeremy Kerley NYJ ($4.5)
WR
Brian Hartline MIA ($5.1)
Brent Celek PHL ($4.7)
TE
Jeff Cumberland NYJ ($4.6)
Olindo Mare CHI ($3.9)
K
Graham Gano CAR ($3.6)
New Orleans Saints NO ($3.5)
DEF
Cleveland Browns CLE ($4.4)
$50.0 million
TOTAL
$50.0 million

Catch me on "Sports With The StatMan" on Wednesdays at 11pm ET and Saturdays at 11am ET. We'll break down these picks and look ahead to next week on our This Week in Fantasy Sports segment, Saturday morning at 11am ET.

Sunday, December 23, 2012

Week 16 NFL Picks

KNOCKOUT POOL/ESPN.com ELIMINATOR CHALLENGE

I had faith in the Fish last week.  In Week 15 of a Knockout Pool, the pickings are very slim.  Miami is not in playoff contention, but they were playing Jacksonville at home, so I went with Miami.  The win brings me to 14-1 in Knockout picks this season

This week’s pick: Washington defeating Philadelphia

I have two problems with my own pick this week.  The Eagles ruined my perfect season, as I picked against them in Week 14 in Tampa when Philadelphia won the game on a last-minute touchdown in its comeback win.  The other problem is my pick is for a road team, which is usually a cardinal sin for Knockout Pool picks.  Washington is on the road, but the Redskins are the upstart team here, tied for first in the NFC East.  Washington wants to set up a division title showdown with Dallas next week and has to win to stay clear of Dallas and the Giants, which are all at 8-6.  Robert Griffin III returns to the field this week, which may the Redskins an added boost.  I could go with New England, another team on the road, at Jacksonville, but I will save the Patriots for next week.  Pick the ‘Skins to win.

PAST PICKS
Week 1: Houston (W vs. MIA)
Week 2: N.Y. Giants (W vs. TBY)
Week 3: Chicago (W vs. STL)
Week 4: Baltimore (W vs. CLE)
Week 5: San Francisco (W vs. BUF)
Week 6: N.Y. Jets (W vs. IND)
Week 7: Minnesota (W vs. ARZ)
Week 8: Green Bay (W vs. JAX)
Week 9: Seattle (W vs. MIN)
Week 10: Pittsburgh (W vs. KCY)
Week 11: Dallas (W vs. CLE)
Week 12: Indianapolis (W vs. BUF)
Week 13: Denver (W vs TBY)
Week 14: Tampa Bay (L vs PHL)
Week 15: Miami (W vs JAX)

GAME PICKS/ESPN.com PIGSKIN PICK ‘EM

Here are the game picks for this week.  We also have a “Sports With the StatMan” entry in the ESPN.com Pigskin Pick ‘Em for games against the spread.  We talk about the local games and the three of the other most important games, our “Big Games”, on our weekly This Week in Fantasy Sports segment on Saturdays, but we pick every game, every week here on the blog.  Here they are:

LOCAL GAMES

Last Week: 2-2 straight up, 1-3 against the spread
Season: 35-18 straight up, 27-25-1 against the spread

Week 16 Picks:
New England at Jacksonville (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: NE, Against the Spread: NE (-14.5)
San Diego at N.Y. Jets (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: NYJ, Against the Spread: NYJ (-2.5)
Washington at Philadelphia (Sunday 1pm) – Straight Up: WSH, Against the Spread: WSH (-4.5)
N.Y. Giants at Baltimore (Sunday 4pm) – Straight Up: NYG, Against the Spread: NYG (-2.5)

BIG GAMES

Last Week: 3-0 straight up, 2-1 against the spread
Season: 34-12 straight up, 26-20 against the spread

Week 16 Picks:
Minnesota at Houston (Sunday 1pm) - Straight Up: HOU, Against the Spread: MIN (+7.5)
Cincinnati at Pittsburgh (Sunday 1pm) - Straight Up: CIN, Against the Spread: CIN (+4.5)
San Francisco at Seattle (Sunday night) - Straight Up: SEA, Against the Spread: SEA (+1.5)

OTHER GAMES

Last Week: 4-5 straight up, 3-6 against the spread
Season: 77-48 straight up, 63-62 against the spread

Week 16 Picks:
Atlanta at Detroit (Saturday night) - Straight Up: ATL, Against the Spread: ATL (-3.5)
Tennessee at Green Bay (Sunday 1pm) - Straight Up: GBY, Against the Spread: GBY (-12.5)
St. Louis at Tampa Bay (Sunday 1pm) - Straight Up: STL, Against the Spread: STL (+3.5)
Oakland at Carolina (Sunday 1pm) - Straight Up: CAR, Against the Spread: OAK (+8.5)
Buffalo at Miami (Sunday 1pm) - Straight Up: MIA, Against the Spread: MIA (+4.5)
Indianapolis at Kansas City (Sunday 1pm) - Straight Up: IND, Against the Spread: IND (-6.5)
New Orleans at Dallas (Sunday 1pm) - Straight Up: DAL, Against the Spread: DAL (-3.5)
Cleveland at Denver (Sunday 4pm) - Straight Up: DEN, Against the Spread: DEN (-13.5)
Chicago at Arizona (Sunday 4pm) - Straight Up: CHI, Against the Spread: CHI (-5.5)

START ‘EM/ANTI-START ‘EM/ESPN.com GRIDIRON CHALLENGE

We are participating in the ESPN Gridiron Challenge on ESPN.com.  The object is to pick the best team possible with a $50 million salary cap.  However, we are adding another wrinkle.  The object of the ESPN.com is to buy low and sell high and the more you accomplish that, the more money you get in your salary cap.  My goal is to put together a nine-man unit (2 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 K, 1 DEF) that is better than another nine-man unit at a similar price.

So far this season, my nine-man squad is 7-7-1 and we have lost two in a row after an impressive 6-0-1 run:

Week 1: Head-to-Head – L, 107-124; By Position – 2-6-1
Week 2: Head-to-Head – L, 73-98; By Position – 3-6
Week 3: Head-to-Head – L, 103-139; By Position – 3-6
Week 4: Head-to-Head – L, 105-118; By Position – 4-5
Week 5: Head-to-Head – W, 110-56; By Position – 7-2
Week 6: Head-to-Head – L, 98-127; By Position – 2-6-1
Week 7: Head-to-Head – W, 119-80; By Position – 6-3
Week 8: Head-to-Head – T, 75-75; By Position – 3-5-1
Week 9: Head-to-Head – W, 138-105; By Position – 4-4-1
Week 10: Head-to-Head – W, 145-43; By Position – 9-0
Week 11: Head-to-Head – W, 100-65; By Position – 5-4
Week 12: Head-to-Head – W, 98-95; By Position – 5-4
Week 13: Head-to-Head – W, 92-81; By Position – 5-4
Week 14: Head-to-Head – L, 54-110; By Position – 1-6-2
Week 15: Head-to-Head - L, 71-95; By Position - 3-5-1
TOTALS: W-L: 7-7-1, PF: 1488, PA: 1401, By Position: 62-66-7

Here is the Week 16 entry in the Gridrion Challenge, our “Start ‘Em” team, along with our comparable “Anti-Start ‘Em” team, which is our opponent for the week:

(all dollar figures in millions)

Start ‘Em Team

POS

Anti-Start ‘Em Team

Robert Griffin III WSH ($7.3)
QB
Ben Roethlisberger PIT ($6.9)
Greg McElroy NYJ ($5.4)
QB
Philip Rivers SDG ($5.9)
Reggie Bush MIA ($7.0)
RB
BenJarvis Green-Ellis CIN ($7.8)
Knowshon Moreno DEN ($5.9)
RB
Beanie Wells ARZ ($5.6)
Cecil Shorts JAX ($6.9)
WR
Anquan Boldin BAL ($6.3)
Leonard Hankerson WSH ($4.5)
WR
Josh Gordon CLE ($5.4)
Jeff Cumberland NYJ ($4.6)
TE
Kellen Davis CHI ($3.8)
Sebastian Janikowski OAK ($3.9)
K
Josh Scobee JAX ($3.3)
San Diego Chargers SDG ($4.3)
DEF
Arizona Cardinals ARZ ($4.9)
$49.8 million
TOTAL
$49.9 million

Catch me on "Sports With The StatMan" on Wednesdays at 11pm ET and Saturdays at 11am ET. We'll break down these picks and look ahead to next week on our This Week in Fantasy Sports segment, Saturday morning at 11am ET.

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