It’s time to hand out more Fantasy awards
Last week we presented the first Fantasy Billboard awards. But, wait, there’s more hardware to pass out before we wrap up the Fantasy Football season.
THE AWARD WINNERS NAJEE HARRIS
Ickey Woods Rookie of the Year Award — Elbert “Ickey” Woods was a second-round pick of the Bengals in 1988. He was an instant star, with 1,234 combined yards and 18 touchdowns. He is best remembered for the “Ickey Shuffle,” a side-to-side end zone dance that ended with a hop and a spike of the football after every TD. 1988 also marks the last time the Bengals were in the Super Bowl. Harris was consistently awesome, rewarding his insightful owners with 1,667 total yards and 10 TDs. He was the fourth-best Fantasy RB in 2021.
D’ONTA FOREMAN
Chad Pennington Comeback Player of the Year Award — Jets fans remember Chad’s heroics. The only player to win the NFL Comeback Player of the Year twice, in 2006 and 2008, Pennington took Gang Green to the playoffs three times. I miss those days. Foreman had 29 carries since the 2017 season due to a devastating torn Achilles. He flashed his old form for the Titans in 2021, toting the rock 133 times for 566 yards with three TDs in nine games. Over a full season, that would be a 1,070yard effort. Nice comeback indeed.
RASHAAD PENNY
Jimmy Smith Worst Cut Award
When Smith was cut by the Cowboys in 1994, the expansion Jacksonville Jaguars scooped him up. He went on to post seven straight seasons over 1,000 yards receiving and five Pro Bowls. Oops. Penny wise but pound foolish, Rashaad was cut by most Fantasy teams in early October. Once healthy in December, he had four 100-yard games and six TDs. Oops again.
TY’SON WILLIAMS
Sammy Watkins Worst Pickup Award — Sammy was ignored in 2019 Fantasy drafts. Then he exploded with nine receptions,198 yards and three TDs for the Chiefs in Week 1. Owners sprinted to pick him up. In true Sammy style, he didn’t go over 64 yards the rest of the season and never scored again. Ty’son had 22 carries for 142 yards in the Ravens’ first two games. He was waiver wire gold. But he only carried the ball 13 times the rest of the year. When it came to playing Ty’Son, the Ravens said, “Nevermore!”
DEVONTA FREEMAN
Erik Kramer Unsung Player Award — The Lions were a mess in 1991 until the much-maligned
Kramer rallied them to six straight wins to close out the season, making it to the NFC Championship game. That’s the closest the Lions ever got to a Super Bowl. Freeman arrived in Baltimore after every Raven running back went down for the count. He didn’t start until Week 6 but had a 4.3-yard average and six TDs as a serviceable Fantasy RB3, finishing just seven points behind Saquon Barkley!
CHRISTIAN MCCAFFREY
The Will Fuller Fra-gee-lay Major Award — Will Fuller is more fra-gee-lay than a plastic leg lamp. He is always injured, never played an entire season in his six-year career, and never gets drafted in Fantasy anyway. It was no surprise he missed 15 games in 2021. There’s no denying McCaffrey’s talent, but he’s been able to suit up for just 10 games the last two seasons. That’s a disaster for Fantasy teams that drafted him with a top 3 pick.
PLAYERS I PROMISED MOM I WOULD NEVER DRAFT AGAIN
Will Fuller, Tevin Coleman, Zack Moss, Chris Carson, Cam Newton, Ryan Tannehill, Kenny Golladay, Julio Jones, Mike Davis, Baker Mayfield, Myles Gaskin, Marquez Callaway, Emmanuel Sanders, Corey Davis, Randall Cobb, David Johnson, Teddy Bridgewater and Sam Darnold.
BEST TEAM NAME AWARD
The International Silver String Submarine Band (Wall, NJ)
SUPER BOWL GIDDY UPS AND WHOA DOWNS!
Matthew Stafford vs. Joe
Burrow — The QBs will be proficient in a pass-heavy game. The Bengals offensive line gave up nine sacks in the playoffs to the Titans and were 30th in sacks allowed with 55 this season. The Rams were third best at sacking the QB with 50. This will be the difference in QB production. Expect both passers in the high 200 yards. Giddy up with Stafford getting three TDs to Burrow’s two.
Cam Akers vs. Joe Mixon — Both teams have great rushing defenses. The Bengals were fifth and the Rams were sixth in RB yardage allowed. Again, I think this will be an air war. The nod goes to Mixon based on volume and receiving ability, but I don’t think either back has more than 80 yards rushing.
Cooper Kupp/Odell Beckham Jr. vs. Ja’Marr Chase/Tee Higgins — These gents should all score a TD. The WR yardage kings will be Kupp followed by Chase, with Higgins the outlier. Odell has scored plenty since joining the Rams, but the yardage has been minimal. The Rams give up 241 yards per game in the air. The Bengals are slightly worse at 248. Bombs away!
Tyler Higbee vs. C.J. Uzomah —B oth TEs are banged up and questionable to play. Whoa down!
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The first Fantasy Billboard season is in the books. Thank you, it’s been a blast! Follow me on twitter: @fantasybillboa7. Good Luck and Good Football!