Fantasy Today: January 12th, 2013

FANTASY FOOTBALL

NFL WILD CARD ROUND (Week 18) COMPOSITE FANTASY STATISTICS

QUARTERBACKS

										PASS						RUSH
Player	Pos	NFLTm	Wk	Game	Opp	Time	W/L	Score	FPTS	Att	Cmp	Yd	TD	Int	Rate	Att	Yd	Avg	TD	FL
Flacco, Joe	QB	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	23	23	12	282	2	0	125.6	3	-3	-1	0	0
Webb, Joe	QB	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	20	30	11	180	1	1	54.9	7	68	9.7	0	1
Wilson, Russell	QB	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	19	26	15	187	1	0	92.9	8	67	8.4	0	0
Rodgers, Aaron	QB	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	15	33	23	274	1	0	104.9	2	12	6	0	0
Luck, Andrew	QB	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	11	54	28	288	0	1	59.8	4	35	8.8	0	1
Griffin III, Robert	QB	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	10	19	10	84	2	1	77.5	5	21	4.2	0	1
Schaub, Matt	QB	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	8	38	29	262	0	1	83.4	4	1	0.2	0	0
Dalton, Andy	QB	CIN	18	1	at HOU	Sa4	L	13-19	4	30	14	127	0	1	44.7	4	15	3.8	0	0
Cousins, Kirk	QB	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	1	10	3	31	0	0	40	1	0	0	0	0

RUNNING BACKS

										RUSH				REC
Player	Pos	NFLTm	Wk	Game	Opp	Time	W/L	Score	FPTS	Att	Yd	Avg	TD	Targt	Recpt	Yd	Avg	TD	FL
Foster, Arian	RB	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	21	32	140	4.4	1	8	8	34	4.2	0	0
Lynch, Marshawn	RB	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	20	20	132	6.6	1	1	1	9	9	0	1
Harris, DuJuan	RB	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	13	17	47	2.8	1	6	5	53	10.6	0	0
Kuhn, John	RB	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	11	3	4	1.3	1	3	2	15	7.5	1	0
Pierce, Bernard	RB	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	10	13	103	7.9	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Ballard, Vick	RB	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	9	22	91	4.1	0	2	1	3	3	0	0
Peterson, Adrian	RB	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	9	22	99	4.5	0	3	1	8	8	0	0
Rice, Ray	RB	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	9	15	70	4.7	0	4	1	47	47	0	2
Morris, Alfred	RB	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	8	16	80	5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Robinson, Michael	RB	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	8	1	3	3	0	3	2	23	11.5	1	0
Green-Ellis, BenJarvus	RB	CIN	18	1	at HOU	Sa4	L	13-19	6	11	63	5.7	0	2	2	-9	-4.5	0	0
Royster, Evan	RB	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	6	0	0	0	0	1	1	4	4	1	0
Leach, Vonta	RB	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	4	1	2	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0
Casey, James	RB	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	2	0	0	0	0	3	1	20	20	0	0
Turbin, Robert	RB	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	2	8	22	2.8	0	1	1	6	6	0	0
Grant, Ryan	RB	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	1	7	7	1	0	1	1	16	16	0	0
Moore, Mewelde	RB	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	1	3	11	3.7	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Leonard, Brian	RB	CIN	18	1	at HOU	Sa4	L	13-19	0	1	2	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Tate, Ben	RB	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	0	2	1	0.5	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

WIDE RECEIVERS

										RUSH				REC
Player	Pos	NFLTm	Wk	Game	Opp	Time	W/L	Score	FPTS	Att	Yd	Avg	TD	Targt	Recpt	Yd	Avg	TD	FL
Boldin, Anquan	WR	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	20	0	0	0	0	7	5	145	29	1	0
Jenkins, Michael	WR	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	19	0	0	0	0	5	3	96	32	1	0
Wayne, Reggie	WR	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	11	0	0	0	0	18	9	114	12.7	0	0
Green, A.J.	WR	CIN	18	1	at HOU	Sa4	L	13-19	8	0	0	0	0	11	5	80	16	0	0
Hilton, T.Y.	WR	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	6	0	0	0	0	13	8	66	8.2	0	0
Jennings, Greg	WR	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	6	0	0	0	0	6	4	61	15.2	0	0
Johnson, Andre	WR	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	6	0	0	0	0	6	4	62	15.5	0	0
Garcon, Pierre	WR	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	5	0	0	0	0	6	4	50	12.5	0	0
Jones, James	WR	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	5	0	0	0	0	4	4	51	12.8	0	0
Nelson, Jordy	WR	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	5	0	0	0	0	6	3	51	17	0	0
Baldwin, Doug	WR	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	3	0	0	0	0	5	2	39	19.5	0	0
Jones, Marvin	WR	CIN	18	1	at HOU	Sa4	L	13-19	3	0	0	0	0	5	3	34	11.3	0	0
Smith, Torrey	WR	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	3	0	0	0	0	4	2	31	15.5	0	0
Tate, Golden	WR	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	3	0	0	0	0	5	4	35	8.8	0	0
Avery, Donnie	WR	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	2	1	15	15	0	8	2	12	6	0	0
Hankerson, Leonard	WR	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	2	0	0	0	0	5	2	27	13.5	0	0
Rice, Sidney	WR	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	2	0	0	0	0	4	1	27	27	0	0
Simpson, Jerome	WR	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	2	0	0	0	0	6	2	21	10.5	0	0
Walter, Kevin	WR	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	2	0	0	0	0	5	4	26	6.5	0	0
Brazill, LaVon	WR	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	1	0	0	0	0	2	1	17	17	0	0
Hawkins, Andrew	WR	CIN	18	1	at HOU	Sa4	L	13-19	1	0	0	0	0	4	2	15	7.5	0	0
Martin, Keshawn	WR	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	1	1	16	16	0	0	0	0	0	0	0
Moss, Santana	WR	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	1	0	0	0	0	5	3	19	6.3	0	0
Wright, Jarius	WR	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	1	0	0	0	0	4	2	13	6.5	0	0
Aromashodu, Devin	WR	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0
Cobb, Randall	WR	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	0	2	6	3	0	2	1	7	7	0	0
Doss, Tandon	WR	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0
Jones, Jacoby	WR	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	0	0	0	0	0	2	1	8	8	0	0
Morgan, Josh	WR	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	0	0	0	0	0	7	1	0	0	0	0

TIGHT ENDS

Player	Pos	NFLTm	Wk	Game	Opp	Time	W/L	Score	FPTS	Targt	Recpt	Yd	Avg	TD	FL
Daniels, Owen	TE	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	18	11	9	91	10.1	0	0
Miller, Zach	TE	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	10	6	4	48	12	0	0
Pitta, Dennis	TE	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	10	2	2	27	13.5	1	0
Allen, Dwayne	TE	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	9	6	4	51	12.8	0	0
Paulsen, Logan	TE	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	7	4	2	15	7.5	1	0
Rudolph, Kyle	TE	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	7	3	3	42	14	0	0
Fleener, Coby	TE	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	5	5	3	25	8.3	0	0
Graham, Garrett	TE	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	5	3	3	29	9.7	0	0
Dickson, Ed	TE	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	3	1	1	24	24	0	0
Crabtree, Tom	TE	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	2	1	1	10	10	0	0
Finley, Jermichael	TE	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	2	3	1	10	10	0	0
Gresham, Jermaine	TE	CIN	18	1	at HOU	Sa4	L	13-19	2	7	2	7	3.5	0	0
Taylor, Ryan	TE	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	1	1	1	0	0	0	0
Carlson, John	TE	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	0	2	0	0	0	0	0
Ellison, Rhett	TE	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	0	1	0	0	0	0	0
McCoy, Anthony	TE	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	0	1	0	0	0	0	0

KICKERS

Player	Pos	NFLTm	Wk	Game	Opp	Time	W/L	Score	FPTS	FGA	FG	FGLg	XPAtt	XP	XPB
Graham, Shayne	K	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	15	4	4	48	1	1	0
Hauschka, Steven	K	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	11	3	3	32	1	1	0
Vinatieri, Adam	K	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	14	4	3	52	0	0	0
Brown, Josh	K	CIN	18	1	at HOU	Sa4	L	13-19	10	2	2	47	1	1	0
Crosby, Mason	K	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	6	1	1	20	3	3	0
Tucker, Justin	K	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	6	1	1	23	3	3	0
Walsh, Blair	K	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	5	1	1	33	1	1	0
Forbath, Kai	K	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	2	0	0	0	2	2	0

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS

Player	Pos	NFLTm	Wk	Game	Opp	Time	W/L	Score	FPTS	Int	STY	SACK	TK	DFR	FF	DTD	PA	PaNetA	RuYdA	TYdA
Ravens	DST	BAL	18	3	vs IND	Su1	W	24-9	14	1	0	3	61	1	1	0	9	267	152	419
Packers	DST	GB	18	2	vs MIN	Sa8	W	24-10	11	1	0	3	43	2	1	0	10	157	167	324
Bengals	DST	CIN	18	1	at HOU	Sa4	L	13-19	10	1	0	0	64	0	0	1	19	262	158	420
Seahawks	DST	SEA	18	4	at WSH	Su4	W	24-14	9	1	0	2	26	1	0	0	14	99	104	203
Texans	DST	HOU	18	1	vs CIN	Sa4	W	19-13	9	1	0	2	41	0	0	0	13	118	80	198
Redskins	DST	WAS	18	4	vs SEA	Su4	L	14-24	6	0	0	5	38	1	1	0	24	156	224	380
Colts	DST	IND	18	3	at BAL	Su1	L	9-24	3	0	0	1	50	2	2	0	24	269	172	441
Vikings	DST	MIN	18	2	at GBY	Sa8	L	10-24	3	0	0	3	56	0	0	0	24	250	76	326

SCORING DISTANCES (yardage in parentheses)

Passing Touchdowns:

0-9 yards: Griffin III WSH 2 (4, 4), Wilson SEA (4), Rodgers GBY (9)

10-24 yards: Flacco BAL 2 (20, 18)

25-39 yards: None

40+ yards: Webb MIN (50)

Rushing Touchdowns:

0-9 yards: Foster HOU (1), Leach BAL (2), Harris GBY (9), Kuhn GBY (3)

10-24 yards: None

25-39 yards: Lynch SEA (27)

40+ yards: None

Receiving Touchdowns:

0-9 yards: Royster WSH (4), Paulsen WSH (4), Robinson SEA (4), Kuhn GBY (9)

10-24 yards: Pitta BAL (20), Boldin BAL (18)

25-39 yards: None

40+ yards: Jenkins MIN (50)

Field Goals:

0-29 yards: Graham HOU (27, 22, 24), Tucker BAL (23), Vinatieri IND (26), Hauschka SEA (29, 22), Crosby GBY (20)

30-39 yards: Brown CIN (34), Hauschka SEA (32), Walsh MIN (33)

40-49 yards: Graham HOU (48), Brown CIN (47), Vinatieri IND (47)

50+ yards: Vinatieri IND (52)

Defense/Special Teams Touchdowns:

Interception TD: Hall CIN (21)

Fantasy Today: January 7th, 2013

FANTASY FOOTBALL

WILD CARD WEEKEND - SUNDAY LEADERS

GAME-BY-GAME LEADERS

Sunday 1pm ET - Indianapolis at Baltimore

QB Joe Flacco BAL: 23 points (12-23-282-2-0 pass, PaTD (20,18), 3-(-3)-0 rush)

WR Anquan Boldin BAL: 20 points (5-145-1 rec, ReTD (18))

K Adam Vinatieri IND: 14 points (3-4 FG (47,52,26))

DST Baltimore Ravens BAL: 14 points (9 pts allowed, 1 INT (41 yds), 1 fumble recovery, 3 sacks)

Saturday 4:30pm ET - Seattle at Washington

RB Marshawn Lynch SEA: 20 points (20-132-1 rush, RuTD (27), 1-9-0 rec, 1 fumble lost)

QB Russell Wilson SEA: 19 points (15-26-187-1-0 pass, PaTD (4), 1 2-pt pass, 8-67-0 rush)

K Steven Hauschka SEA: 11 points (3-3 FG (32,29,22), XP)

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

The NHL Lockout: What Can Be Done For The Fans?

The fans always get the short end of the stick in these labor stoppages.  The owners and players fight it out, trying to divide revenue that fans provide, take games off the schedule that fans want to see, and bring such a black mark on the game that fans really question why they support such idiocy.

There is no promise of continuous operation going forward, no cap on ticket costs, nothing besides a stenciled “Thank You Fans” that will undoubtedly adorn every ice surface for the next few weeks.  But, here are a few things that may bring some fans on the fence back from their threats to leave the game for good:

1.       Hold all ticket costs stable through 2014-15

Give jaded fans a reason to come back.  Show that while it was all about the money, the owners are not completely heartless.  Show there was a good reason to wait and give up 17 home dates.  After all, the fans should share in some of the cost certainty the owners have been preaching since 2004. 

2.       Give more perks league-wide to season ticket holders

Most season ticket holders could not get their money out if they could.  It was what amounted to a no-interest loan for some subscribers.  Make it worth their while.  Make it easier for them to re-up for next season with one-of-a-kind perks.  Let every season ticket holder get an autographed jersey.  Give season subscribers a meet-and-greet this year where the player actually has more than a five-second conversation with the fan.  Let the average fan see what it is like to take in a game from a luxury box.

3.       Give GameCenter Live away for free for the rest of this season and subsidize Center Ice for the rest of this season

Steve Lepore had a great point about Center Ice.  The NHL does not own the content all by itself.  The NHL should, however, subsidize subscribers after they fork over the dough to their cable or satellite company.  The NHL is getting a full-season of their TV money and 50% of their sponsor money this season.  It is safe to say they made it through the Lockout okay.  How about broadcasting your wonderful sport to anyone who wants to watch?

4.       Continue to grow the game at all levels and in all communities

Let’s face it: hockey players are the most down-to-earth, relatable athletes there are.  Hockey is grass-roots, it is homespun.  Hearing how a hockey player made the NHL is more heart-warming than any other rags-to-riches story, in my book.  So, let’s step up our efforts to allow these athletes to be ambassadors of the game. 

Brooks Orpik said the wrong thing a couple of weeks ago.  He put the responsibility squarely on the owners to grow the game.  Nope.  This sport’s stewardship is in the hands of everyone, especially the owners and the players, in partnership.  I know it is a hard word to understand, but these parties need to be partners.

5.       Commit to a return to a World Cup of Hockey every other September

Leave the Olympics to the amateurs, although basketball players, swimmers, and skiers, among others, are paid professionals now.  The beauty of the amateur hockey competition we just saw in the IIHF Under-20 World Junior Championship shows hockey in its best form.  Also, the 1996 World Cup of Hockey was a fantastic tournament that was very popular.  Instead of fitting professional involvement in national tournament hockey into the Olympics, why not create your own national tournament?  The owners and players should be partners (there’s that word again) on this.  Besides soccer, there is no sport that is more conducive to a tournament of professional players than hockey.  I would rather see a professional tournament every two or years for hockey than basketball, baseball, or any other sport combined.

6.       Commit to meaningful talks one full year before any expiration of the current CBA

The most annoying thing about this Lockout was that the deal that was agreed upon this weekend probably could have been agreed upon two months ago with a little bit of compromising.  The Lockout was a negotiating tool by the owners, which the “stick” for the players was dissolution of the union.  Enough with the leverage. 

Let’s enforce a one-year rule.  One year before the manual opt-out, come together to determine whether bargaining needs to re-open.  If we are on the right track and the CBA will go to its full term, open up talks for the next CBA one year before the agreement expires.  And, I do not want a couple of short sessions and a couple of press conferences.  I want meaningful talks.  I want progress 11 months before the CBA expires.  I want proposals and counter-proposals during the season leading up to the expiration of the agreement.  That way, mediation could occur early in the offseason if they are still at loggerheads.  The Lockout should never, ever be used as a negotiating tool.  Neither should the tired charade of dissolving the union and challenging the league’s anti-trust protection.  Let’s make less work for the lawyers and more work to find common ground.

What other things can the NHL and their teams do to bring you back as fans?  Let me know by leaving a comment below.

Catch me on "Sports With The StatMan" on Wednesdays at 11pm ET and Saturdays at 11am ET. We will have a special NHL: Return To Hockey episode this week.  Check the show page at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The-StatMan for the latest show schedule.

Fantasy Today: January 6th, 2013

FANTASY FOOTBALL
WILD CARD WEEKEND - SATURDAY LEADERS

GAME-BY-GAME

Saturday 4:30pm ET - Cincinnati at Houston

RB Arian Foster HOU: 21 points (32-140-1 rush, RuTD (1), 8-34-0 rec)

TE Owen Daniels HOU: 18 points (9-91-0 rec)

K Shayne Graham HOU: 15 points (4-4 FG (48,27,22,24), XP)

Saturday 8pm ET - Minnesota at Green Bay

QB Joe Webb MIN: 20 points (11-30-180-1-1 pass, PaTD (50), 7-68-0 rush, 1 FL)

WR Michael Jenkins MIN: 19 points (3-96-1 rec, ReTD (50))

QB Aaron Rodgers GBY: 15 points (23-33-274-1-0 pass, PaTD (9), 2-12-0 rush)

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

Wild Card Weekend NFL Picks

PLAYOFF POSITIONAL RANKINGS

As we try to do every year, here are our rankings for the players in action this week.  I have left the players with a bye this week off of this list, so this is only for Wild Card participants.  The rankings are based on who I think will have the best performances this week against their competiton.  We will look back in next week’s post on how we did on these picks:

QUARTERBACK RANKINGS

1. Aaron Rodgers GBY

2. Andy Dalton CIN

3. Andrew Luck IND

4. Russell Wilson SEA

5. Robert Griffin III WSH

6. Matt Schaub HOU

7. Joe Flacco BAL

8. Christian Ponder MIN

QB notes: Griffin would be higher on the list, but his knee is supposedly still bothering him and may not have that multi-dimensional pass/rush attack he had earlier in the season.  For touchdown leagues, I would place Wilson ahead of Luck, but in our scoring system, which is more or less a 75/25 touchdown/yardage league, I would put Luck in front of Wilson.

RUNNING BACK RANKINGS

1. Adrian Peterson MIN

2. Arian Foster HOU

3. Marshawn Lynch SEA

4. Ray Rice BAL

5. Alfred Morris WSH

6. BenJarvis Green-Ellis CIN

7. Vick Ballard IND

8. Alex Green GBY

9. DuJuan Harris GBY

RB notes: Peterson has had amazing success against Green Bay, so he gets the edge over Foster.  The top five runners on this list will be the main cog in their respective offenses.  The wild card here is how Ray Rice will be used by Baltimore.  The offensive coordinator, former Colts Head Coach, Jim Caldwell, has only been in his job with the Ravens for a couple of weeks, but the idea was to give Rice the ball a lot more.  We will see.

WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS

1. Jordy Nelson GBY

2. A.J. Green CIN

3. Andre Johnson HOU

4. James Jones GBY

5. T.Y. Hilton IND

6. Pierre Garcon WSH

7. Andrew Hawkins CIN

8. Kevin Walter HOU

9. Greg Jennings GBY

10. Torrey Smith BAL

11. Sidney Rice SEA

12. Santana Moss WSH

13. Reggie Wayne IND

14. Anquan Boldin BAL

15. Jarius Wright MIN

16. Golden Tate SEA

17. Michael Jenkins MIN

WR notes: Passing “attacks” are tough to call because of the fact that the quarterback has so many weapons and it depends on how things progress in-game.  Someone out of nowhere might have a 100-yard receiving game.  It takes you by surprise the same way it takes the defense by surprise.  You have seen it with the Saints in past years and you have also seen it with the Packers.  Will it be Nelson, Jones, Jennings, or someone else?

TIGHT ENDS RANKINGS

1. Owen Daniels HOU

2. Kyle Rudolph MIN

3. Dennis Pitta BAL

4. Dwayne Allen IND

5. Jermaine Gresham CIN

6. Jermichael Finley GBY

7. Anthony McCoy SEA

8. Logan Paulsen WSH

TE notes: Honestly, this is not a very strong class.  Two of the top four tight ends in the league did not make the playoffs (Jimmy Graham, Jason Witten) and the other two have a bye week (Rob Gronkowski, Tony Gonzalez).  Owen Daniels is the class of the group and Kyle Rudolph is emerging.

KICKER RANKINGS

1. Justin Tucker BAL

2. Blair Walsh MIN

3. Steven Hauschka SEA

4. Shayne Graham HOU

5. Kai Forbath WSH

6. Adam Vinatieri IND

7. Mason Crosby GBY

8. Josh Brown CIN

K notes: What constitutes a good kicker?  Good-but-not-great offenses?  Yes.  Good weather?  Absolutely.  Playoff experience?  Sure, but not as much as the other two.  My top two are rookies, Tucker and Walsh.  Vinatieri and Crosby have plenty of experience, but Vinatieri only hit on 79% of his field goals during the year (26-for-33) and Crosby has missed some easy ones.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS RANKINGS

1. Seattle Seahawks SEA

2. Cincinnati Bengals CIN

3. Houston Texans HOU

4. Baltimore Ravens BAL

5. Green Bay Packers GBY

6. Washington Redskins WSH

7. Minnesota Vikings MIN

8. Indianapolis Colts IND

DST notes: Hey, remember when the Ravens were dominant?  They are not dominant any more and they are not particularly great against the run or pass.  The Seahawks are the top unit in play this week and you can definitely make a strong case for Seattle having the top unit of the 12 playoff teams.  Only San Francisco may have something to say about it.

WILD CARD GAME PICKS

Cincinnati at Houston (-4) – Straight Up: Houston, Against the Spread: Houston

Houston defeated Cincinnati last year in the Wild Card round, 31-10, and I think it will happen again this time.  Things are different this time around because Houston does not have the dominating defense they had last year.  But, Arian Foster is the best player on the field last year when he ran for 153 yards and two touchdowns, and should also be the best player on the field this year.  A.J. Green needs to be a central part of the Bengals coming up with the upset.  Houston has been less than impressive recently, but I think they win and cover against the Bengals.

Predicted Score: HOU 24, CIN 10

Minnesota at Green Bay (-7.5) – Straight Up: Green Bay, Against the Spread: Minnesota

Adrian Peterson has owned Green Bay this year with 409 yards in two games.  Both of those games have been in the last six weeks, so these are not stale numbers.  Peterson has to be Public Enemy Number One for the Packers defense, which gets Charles Woodson back to help with the pass defense.  Christian Ponder is questionable for this game, which may pose an issue if he is unable to go because the Packers will stack the box even more if Ponder does not play.  I think Minnesota will keep it close with the Packers coming away with the slim win.

Predicted Score: GBY 27, MIN 23

Indianapolis at Baltimore (-7) – Straight Up: Baltimore, Against the Spread: Baltimore

The feel-good story of the Indianapolis Colts has had a wonderful shelf life.  Andrew Luck is a Rookie of the Year candidate and has led his team to an 11-5 record.  Luck has been great late, engineering several game-winning drives in the fourth quarter.  The feel-good story extends to the sidelines where Chuck Pagano’s battle with cancer brought the team closer together.  Bruce Arians is my Coach of the Year, going 9-3 in Pagano’s absence.  But, Baltimore has their own motivation, as Ray Lewis has announced this will be “his last ride”.  Since when do you need extra motivation in the playoffs?  I think the number is right on the mark, as I think the Ravens will win by a touchdown.  The Ravens have to make sure the Colts do not have the ball last, down by less than a touchdown.

Predicted Score: BAL 24, IND 16

Seattle at Washington (+3) – Straight Up: Seattle, Against the Spread: Seattle

Rookie quarterbacks are on both sidelines this week, so one rookie quarterback will definitely advance past the Wild Card round.  Russell Wilson has been hot recently, with his Seahawks offense putting up an average of 42.5 points over the last four weeks.  How healthy is RGIII?  Griffin burst on to the scene and had a great middle of the season, too.  But, since Griffin’s knee injury in Week 14, he has not been the same.  I think the defense will be the difference and the Seahawks have the best unit going.  Seattle is the lone road favorite this week and I think they get it done, winning a high-scoring game in Landover.

Predicted Score: SEA 34, WSH 28

NFL.com PLAYOFF CHALLENGE

We are participating in the NFL.com Playoff Challenge, using our weekly rankings to pick our teams.  This is a different game than the ESPN.com Gridiron Challenge in that you do not have to adhere to a salary cap.  You are picking the top players at each position (1 QB, 2 RB, 2 WR, 1 TE, 1 K, 1 DEF) and see how they score in the Wild Card games.  The points are cumulative and bye-week players can also qualify here and their points they score next week are doubled.  I am not picking any bye-week players in my lineup.

QB: Aaron Rodgers GBY (vs. MIN)

RB1: Adrian Peterson MIN (at GBY)

RB2: Arian Foster HOU (vs. CIN)

WR1: Jordy Nelson GBY (vs. MIN)

WR2: A.J. Green CIN (at HOU)

TE: Owen Daniels HOU (vs. CIN)

K: Justin Tucker BAL (vs. IND)

DEF: Seattle Seahawks SEA (at WSH)

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.

2012 Regular Season NFL Picks Recap

KNOCKOUT POOL/ESPN.com ELIMINATOR CHALLENGE

The Patriots came through with a shutout in Week 17.  It helped that the Patriots were playing for a chance at a bye-week.  It also helped that the Dolphins were ready for the offseason.  A very good 16-1 season could have been an extraordinary undefeated season if the Eagles did not come back against the Buccaneers, but a 16-1 season is by far the best we have ever done.  We’ll try to get it right next year.

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)

Week 17: New England (W vs. MIA)

GAME PICKS/ESPN.com PIGSKIN PICK ‘EM

The goals for game picks are to hit on at least half of all games against the spread and at least two-thirds of all games where you only pick the winners.  We picked very well in the three Big Games, the biggest games on the schedule which do not involve local teams.  We had some success picking the local games.  Overall, we just missed our two-thirds target on winners (.664 winning percentage) and we finished 13 games over .500 picking against the spread.

LOCAL GAMES: 39-21 straight up (.650), 30-29-1 against the spread (.508)

Last Week: 2-1 straight up, 2-1 against the spread

Season: 39-21 straight up, 30-29-1 against the spread

BIG GAMES: 38-14 straight up (.731), 30-22 against the spread (.577)

Last Week: 2-1 straight up, 1-2 against the spread

Season: 38-14 straight up, 30-22 against the spread

OTHER GAMES: 93-51 straight up (.646), 74-70 against the spread (.514)

Last Week: 8-2 straight up, 4-6 against the spread

Season: 93-51 straight up, 74-70 against the spread

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

We had a mixed season for our Start ‘Em/Anti-Start ‘Em competition.  We started terribly (1-5), had a nice streak in the middle (6-0-1), and finished so-so (2-2).  There were eight weeks where we crossed the 100-point barrier and six weeks where my Anti-Start team also finished with 100 points or more.  Overall, the 9-7-1 record was okay and in head-to-head categories, we finished a shade over .500 (.503).

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

Week 17: Head-to-Head – W, 86-63; By Position – 6-2-1

TOTALS: W-L: 9-7-1, PF: 1677, PA: 1511, By Position: 73-72-8 (.503)

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.