San Francisco 49ers running back Christian McCaffrey in action during the NFC Championship NFL football game on Sunday, Jan. 29, 2023, in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) (Matt Rourke, AP)
The Second Annual Fantasy Billboard Awards
BILLBOARD BESTS
PATRICK MAHOMES
Dan Marino QB Award — No QB was more prolific in the early days of Fantasy Football than Dan Marino. He had a record 48 TD passes and 5,084 passing yards in 1984 as a mere 22-year-old. The uncanny Mahomes dominated the Fantasy QB position with 5,250 yards passing and 41 TDs, along with 358 yards rushing and 4 TDs.
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY
Walter Payton RB Award — Walter “Sweetness” Payton left this earth at the tender age of 45. One of the best RBs ever, he dedicated his life and finances to helping others, mainly children. The elusive CMC did damage on both coasts, racking up 1,880 yards with 13 TDs rushing and receiving with Carolina and San Francisco.
JUSTIN JEFFERSON
Jerry Rice WR Award — The best WR in NFL history, Rice put up 22,895 yards and 197 TDs in his career. Jefferson was on pace to a record setting 2,000 yards but crashed and burned his last two games (53 yards), costing many owners a championship. But most teams would not have made it to the dance without him.
TRAVIS KELCE
Kellen Winslow TE Award — Winslow showed the world that TEs are more than just blockers, twice leading the NFL in receptions as an integral part of “Air Coryell” with the 1980′s Chargers. Kelce made a mockery of the TE position, scoring almost 150 Fantasy points more than his nearest competitor.
BILLBOARD BUSTS
MATTHEW STAFFORD
Matt Leinert QB Award — Leinert, the Heisman Trophy winner taken 10th in the 2006 draft, never made the transition to the pros with a career of 15 TDs and 21 INTs. Expectations were high for Stafford coming off his Super Bowl heroics, but the Rams regressed big time. Stafford averaged a measly 17 points per game.
JONATHAN TAYLOR
Le’Veon Bell RB Award — No RB did a better job sabotaging a career than Bell, sitting out the 2018 season in a contract dispute. He never regained his form and was out of the league by 2021. Taken first in 99% of 2022 Fantasy drafts, a lack of a quality line and QB doomed Taylor to a 36th place finish for RBs in an injury-shortened year.
KENNY GOLLADAY
Johnny “Lam” Jones WR Award — Jones’ bio online lists him as a gold medal winner in the 4×100 meter relay at the 1976 Summer Olympics. The Jets’ second overall pick in 1980 draft a superstar sprinter but a so-so receiver. To say Golladay is a bust (six catches for 81 yards, $21million salary) is an insult to the word “bust”.
KYLE PITTS
Tony Hunter TE Award — Hunter was drafted ahead of Hall of Famers Jim Kelly, Dan Marino, Richard Dent and Darrell Green in 1983. Never heard of Hunter? That’s why the TE Bust Award is named after him. The myopic Falcon coaches refused to feature Pitts. His season was cut short by injury, finishing just one point above unknown TE Noah Gray.
BILLBOARD WAIVER WIRE GOLD
DANIEL JONES
Kurt Warner QB Award — From AFL Iowa Barnstormer to grocery store stock boy to Super Bowl MVP, Warner’s story is well documented. Warner had 4,353 and 41 TDs in 1999. Jones went undrafted in most leagues, but the savvy owners to pick him up got the 10th best Fantasy QB on the merits of his arm (3,205 yds/15 TDs) and legs (708/7).
CAM AKERS
Priest Holmes RB Award — In 2001 Holmes was the first undrafted player to lead the NFL in rushing with 1555 yards. He also had 614 receiving yards and 10 total TDs. Banished from the Rams in Week 6, the lucky owner that scooped up Akers enjoyed the third-best RB Fantasy stats from Weeks 13-18, behind only CMC and Ekeler.
CHRISTIAN WATSON
Stanley Morgan WR Award — Morgan was waiver wire gold in 1986 with almost 1,500 yards and 10 TDs. All Watson does is score touchdowns, hitting paydirt seven times in Weeks 10-13.
EVAN ENGRAM
Darren Waller TE Award — Waller overcame addiction problems and NFL suspensions to be the second-highest TE scorer in 2020. You can’t help but root for him. Chased out of NY with a stigma of injuries and bad hands, new Jaguar Engram finished the 2022 season as the #5 Fantasy TE.
Next Week: Final thoughts on the 2022 Fantasy season and some Super Bowl Giddy Ups and Whoa Downs! Get 30% off the subscription from FantasyGuru.com, the finest source for Seasonal, DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) and Sports Gaming advice. Just go to FantasyGuru.com and enter the code NEW30 for instant savings. Look for Fantasy Billboard every week in the Daily News and a separate column at FantasyGuru.com.
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Originally published at Tribune News Service