Fantasy Football Report: Season MVPs

By - Tim Swift

As we enter Week 17, let's analyze the most valuable fantasy players by position for the 2013 season.

- Quarterback: Peyton Manning

Photo by: David J. Phillip

Needless to say, this is a very easy call. 51 touchdown passes (and counting) makes it so. Manning has been on fire from the start, shredding Baltimore's defense in Week 1 to the tune of 462 yards and 7 TDs. The four-time league MVP stayed consistent throughout the season, having only one sub-par performance, struggling in poor conditions in Week 12 versus New England. Manning registered 4 or more touchdown passes in eight games, and averaged 347 yards passing per on the year. As long as he is healthy, he will be the first quarterback off the board in fantasy drafts in 2014.

Honorable Mentions: Drew Brees and Philip Rivers

- Running Back: Jamaal Charles

After another 100-yard outing this past Sunday, Charles cemented himself as the best fantasy running back of 2013. Heading into Week 17, the 26-year-old has compiled 1,287 yards and 12 TDs on the ground, and added 70 catches and 7 scores through the air. Charles also managed to find pay dirt in twelve of fifteen games. Even if he doesn't play much against the Chargers, he still could finish with over 2,000 yards of total offense. LeSean McCoy is the only other running back that will approach that mark this season.

Honorable Mentions: LeSean McCoy, Adrian Peterson and Matt Forte

- Wide Receiver: Josh Gordon

You could have went with Calvin Johnson or Demaryius Thomas here, but what Josh Gordon has done in just thirteen games has been nothing short of remarkable. Despite missing the first two weeks of the season due to a suspension, Gordon is still on pace to lead the NFL in receiving yards. His best stretch was between Weeks 11 and 14, where he averaged 9 receptions and 194 yards per contest while scoring 5 TDs; the best month stretch that any WR had all season. The second-year man out of Baylor will go from undrafted in some leagues in 2013 to one of the first receivers off the board in 2014.

Honorable Mentions: Calvin Johnson, Demaryius Thomas and Antonio Brown

- Tight End: Jimmy Graham

Jimmy Graham locked this up the moment Rob Gronkowski went down for the season. In some PPR formats, Graham has outscored the second-place tight end by a whooping 100 points. The 27-year-old played at a high level the entire season, leading the league with 15 receiving touchdowns and accumulating 300 more receiving yards than the next closest TE, Jordan Cameron. What makes Graham's statistics even more impressive is the fact that he has dealt with a variety of injures over the course of the year and still dominated defenses. In 2014, there's little doubt who the first tight end off the board will be.

Honorable Mentions: Julius Thomas, Jordan Cameron and Tony Gonzalez

- Defense/Special Teams: Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks came into the season as one of the most coveted fantasy defenses, and they did not disappoint, finishing first overall in most formats. Seattle's D only scored single-digits twice this year, and forced an NFL-leading 26 interceptions. They also finished in the top 10 among all defenses with 42 sacks. The Seahawks held teams to 10 points or less six times, which is a major factor in determining how many points a fantasy defense registers. This D should be one of the first ones off the board in fantasy drafts in 2014.

Honorable Mentions: Carolina, Kansas City and San Francisco

The Underrated 15 For Week 17:

- Quarterbacks

1. Ben Roethlisberger
2. Matt Flynn
3. Andrew Luck

- Running Backs

1. Knile Davis
2. Rashad Jennings
3. D'Angelo Williams

- Wide Receivers

1. Pierre Garcon
2. Michael Crabtree
3. Nate Washington

- Tight Ends

1. Martellus Bennett
2. Marcedes Lewis
3. Ryan Griffin

- Defense/Special Teams

1. Cincinnati
2. New England
3. Pittsburgh

*Catch me on Fantasy Football Live every Sunday morning from 8:00 till 9:00 on Sports Radio 560 WNSR Nashville, as well as 95.9 FM, or online @ wnsr.com.