Fantasy owners offer thanksgiving

JUST BECAUSE the dishes have finally been cleaned and the annual feast is in the books doesn't mean there still isn't time to give thanks.

There is a lot to be grateful for this fantasy season. Personally, I am most thankful for not pulling the trigger on a Ray Rice-for-Andre Johnson trade in Week 4. Johnson got hurt and hasn't played the last six games. Rice has been up and down, but at least he's played.

Others chimed in with what they were appreciating most here in this last weekend of November:

* I am thankful that Miami realized Reggie Bush is in their backfield and that DeMarco Murray was a free agent a few weeks back.

- John Newswanger, Malvern, Pa.

* I am thankful this fantasy season that our league is as good as it ever was! Our league is still at 14 owners and entry fees are still $100. We're like the NFL: no strike and show me the $$$.

- Earl Dahmen, Austin, Minn.

* I am thankful this season's almost over [his team is 4-7] and I can already get started thinking about 2012.

- Spencer Hawes, Seattle

* I am thankful that I live in the Philly area and have no Eagles on my fantasy roster. Oh yeah, and no Peytons either.

- Phil Kees, Willow Grove, Pa.

* I drafted LeSean McCoy first and Matt Forte second. I picked up DeMarco Murray before his 250-yard day. I'm 4-1 since Week 7 and 8-2 overall and in first place. Yes, Andy Reid, you can win football games by using running backs. Thanks for showing me what not to do.

- Jim Duffy, Newark, Del.

* I'm thankful that Jamaal Charles had the vision to go onto IR during Week 1, thereby removing any delusions I harbored about being competitive this season. It has certainly freed up a lot of my time on Sunday, so I can do things other than stare into my iPhone for hours on end seeking updated fantasy statistics.

- Joe Corcoran, Delran, N.J.

As is the custom, we gave away T-shirts to three participants chosen randomly. Dahmen, Kees and Duffy were the winners. Thanks to all those who participated and apologies that we couldn't publish them all.

TRIVIALITY

Cam Newton's nine rushing touchdowns are three away from the record for a quarterback. Who holds the record? Hint: It was with an AFC team in 1976.

POSITION WATCH

* Quarterbacks: If you are looking for bench depth, the suggestion here is Tennessee's Jake Locker over Houston's Matt Leinart. Matt Hasselbeck is starting for Tennessee, but Locker's decent performance in relief on Sunday makes him a viable sleeper if Hasselbeck gets hurt again or the Titans fall out of contention . . . Leinart, in place of Matt Schaub, is making only his second start since the end of 2007.

* Running backs: Minnesota's Toby Gerhart had 77 yards rushing and no touchdowns starting in place of Adrian Peterson in a game last season. Gerhart is not worth a play this week against Atlanta's No. 2-ranked run defense. He is worth a pickup and could be a spot starter down the line against Denver, Detroit, New Orleans or Chicago depending on how long Peterson's high-ankle sprain keeps him down . . . Knock Steven Jackson's value down a bit with all of the injuries to the Rams' offensive line. He's still an RB1, just don't expect 130 yards against the Cards, as he had on Nov. 6 . . . Seattle's Marshawn Lynch has a touchdown in six straight games.

* Wide receivers: Wonder whether Bill Belichick will game-plan for Freddie Mitchell. Whoops, wrong season . . . Washington's Santana Moss (hand) is playing for the first time since Week 7 and should be considered a WR3. The Redskins get a bad Patriots secondary in 2 weeks . . . Atlanta's Julio Jones practiced yesterday and should be in starting lineups, barring a weekend setback. The Falcons host Minnesota, which is 28th in passing defense.

ANSWER

New England's Steve Grogan set the single-season record for rushing touchdowns by a quarterback with 12 in 1976.

FANTASY ISLAND

Here and there:

* C.J. Spiller becomes the Bills' running back with Fred Jackson (leg) out for the season. This season, Spiller averages 5.5 yards per touch (36 total), but is more of a change-of-pace back, so don't overvalue. Not high on newly signed Tashard Choice, who already has been cut by two teams this year.

* Marvin Harrison's induction into the team's ring of honor on Sunday had us leafing through the Colts' record book. The last time Indy did not have a 1,000-yard receiver was 1998 - Harrison's third season and Peyton Manning's rookie year. This season, Pierre Garcon leads the Colts with 621 yards through 10 games for a pace of 994.

Tightest ends:

Red-hot Rob Gronkowski tops all tight ends in touchdown catches and is closing in on Jimmy Graham's lead for receptions and yards. Here are the TE leaders:

1. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans: 62 receptions, 94 targets, 873 yards 6 TDs

2. Rob Gronkowski, New England: 56 receptions, 80 targets, 805 yards, 10 TDs

3. Jason Witten, Dallas: 52 receptions, 81 targets, 670 yards, 5 TDs

4. Brandon Pettigrew, Detroit: 50 receptions, 74 targets, 435 yards, 3 TDs

5. Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta: 50 receptions, 74 targets, 561 yards, 7 TDs

6. Fred Davis, Washington: 49 receptions, 71 targets, 636 yards, 2 TDs

7. Kellen Winslow, Tampa Bay: 47 receptions, 81 targets, 476 yards, 2 TDs

8. * Ed Dickson, Baltimore: 42 receptions, 71 targets, 377 yards, 3 TDs

9. Aaron Hernandez, New England: 41 receptions, 62 targets, 418 yards, 5 TDs

10. * Vernon Davis, San Francisco: 39 receptions, 52 targets, 446 yards, 5 TDs

Also

14. Brent Celek, Eagles: 37 receptions, 61 targets, 382 yards, 2 TDs

* Not counting last night

Leading the way:

The top 10 players in rushing attempts this season and their ages:

1. M. Jones-Drew, 26, Jacksonville: 212 attempts, 941 yards, 5 TD

2. Michael Turner, 29, Atlanta: 200 carries, 888 yards, 8 TDs

3. Frank Gore, 28, San Francisco: 189 carries, 870 yards, 5 TDs

4. LeSean McCoy, 23, Eagles: 188 carries, 1,019 yards, 12 TDs

5. Matt Forte, 25, Chicago: 186 carries, 926 yards, 4 TDs

6. Adrian Peterson, 26, Minnesota: 186 carries, 872 yards, 12 TDs

7. Arian Foster, 25, Houston: 171 carries, 740 yards, 8 TDs

8. Fred Jackson, 30, Buffalo: 170 carries, 934 yards, 6 TDs

9. Cedric Benson, 28, Cincinnati: 167 carries, 634 yards, 4 TDs

10. Chris Johnson, 26, Tennessee: 160 carries, 509 yards, 2 TDs

Note: Forte and Benson have birthdays in December.

Quotable:

"You've got 10 other guys that have been doing things, you can't change everything they've been doing, and you don't want to. You want to let C.J. go in and do what he does best and give him an opportunity to make plays. He gets his chance now. He's probably looking forward to it, and so are we." - Bills coach Chan Gailey on new starting tailback C.J. Spiller

--

Ed Barkowitz, who is in good shape to get into the playoffs in one league and hasn't got a prayer in another, has been writing about fantasy football since 2001.