Philadelphia, PA (Sports Network) -
Due to the holidays we bring you a slightly delayed Week 17 edition of the Fantasy Player of the Week.
Let's see who took home this week's top award.
Quarterback -
Drew Brees, New Orleans - If owners survived his two-week slump at the beginning of the fantasy playoffs, Brees rebounded to finish the season in solid fashion. He threw for 1,149 yards and 11 touchdowns over the final three games, including a 396-yard, four-touchdown effort in the finale against Carolina worth a position-leading 31 fantasy points.
Eli Manning, New York Giants - Manning was simply too good. By throwing three first quarter touchdowns his Giants established a huge lead over the Eagles and the signal caller didn't have to do much over the final three quarters. Somehow, he still managed to find the end zone two more times for 27 fantasy points.
Running Back -
Alfred Morris, Washington - Morris finished the season as he started it, filling up the box score. With a division title on the line, Morris rushed 33 times for 200 yards and three scores - all career highs, earning 41 fantasy points.
DeAngelo Williams, Carolina - After doing very little to help his fantasy owners for most of the season, Williams woke up in Week 17 to post season highs in rushing yardage (210) and touchdowns (2) worth 37 fantasy points. It's unfortunate that he didn't crack the 20-point mark for the first 16 games while the majority of fantasy leagues were still in progress.
Wide Receiver -
Michael Crabtree, San Francisco - Crabtree has flourished in the second half of the season after Colin Kaepernick took control of the 49ers offense. Despite facing Arizona's star cornerback Patrick Peterson, Crabtree hauled in eight balls for 172 yards and a pair of touchdowns for a position high 36 fantasy points.
Greg Jennings, Green Bay - Jennings was a bust for the first 15 games and many fantasy owners had likely already given up on the Packers' receiver, but in the final game against the Vikings he produced eight receptions for 120 yards and two scores. It was the first time above 14 fantasy points all season.
Tight End -
Jimmy Graham, New Orleans - Fantasy owners will complain about Graham's performance over most of 2012 as he produced 55 less points than in his record- breaking 2011 season, but they won't whine about Week 17 when he grabbed nine balls for 115 yards and a score worth 23 fantasy points.
Kicker -
Blair Walsh, Minnesota - Walsh led all fantasy kickers in 2012 (161 fantasy points) and Week 17 was just another example of his consistent high level of production. He opened the scoring for the Vikings with a 54-yard field goal, his 10th of the season from over 50 yards without a single miss, and finished another perfect day going 3-of-3 on field goal attempts and 4-of-4 on extra points to earn 15 fantasy points. He missed just three kicks all season and none in the fantasy playoffs.
Defense/Special Team
Tennessee Titans - It's a shame that Tennessee was owned in under five percent of all leagues because it meant that few owners got to enjoy the four- touchdown performance the Titans put on the Jaguars in Week 17. Tennessee scored twice on Darius Reynaud punt returns and twice on a pair of interceptions by Zach Brown to post 37 fantasy points.
And the winner of the TSN Fantasy Player of the Week is ... Washington Redskins rookie running back Alfred Morris. Morris was one of the biggest running back surprises of 2012 and in Week 17 he capped a top-five season (261 fantasy points) with a performance worthy of this week's award.
Below you will find a recap of the entire season's weekly winners.
