And so we’ve come to the end. The journey that began via some sort of player selection process ended last night and now all that remains is reflection. Here at the Buzz, reflection is what we do each and every week, so this week will be no different. That being said, we’re going to both recap Week 16 and also take a look at the season as a whole since this is the final Buzz edition for this year. So, sit back and enjoy…

Stories That Shaped Week 16

Andrew Luck Produces the Ultimate Fantasy Stink-Bomb

Clearly, Andrew Luck helped a lot of fantasy owners to their respective fantasy title games this season, but very few who had him in the starting lineup on Sunday ended up winning titles. Luck’s performance in Week 15 was nothing to write home about, but in Week 16, he was dreadful and to make matters worse, he left the game in the third quarter with the outcome no longer in doubt. In a season that has seen Luck throw for over 4,600 yards and 38 TDs to go along with 3 additional rushing TDs, Luck saved his absolute worst for last netting only 109 yards passing with ZERO TDs and 2 interceptions. I know the loss of T.Y. Hilton in this game hurt, but it shouldn’t have led to such a horrid performance. When Peyton Manning played for the Colts, he was pulled early on Championship weekend in a game in which the Colts were just going through the motions. Call me crazy, but I think the Colts were just going through the motions again yesterday and the result was fantasy devastation for those counting on Luck for one more big game.

You Didn’t Need a Hall of Fame Quarterback to Help You Win a Fantasy Championship

Check out the top ten scoring quarterbacks (standard scoring) from Week 16. Russell Wilson (38 points), Ryan Tannehill (34 points), Eli Manning (31 points), Colin Kaepernick (30 points), Philip Rivers (30 points), Tony Romo (28 points), Mark Sanchez (27 points), Kyle Orton (26 points), Cam Newton (25 points), and Shaun Hill (21 points). No Rodgers, Luck, Brees, Peyton or Roethlisberger on that list. Just goes to show that on any given week, a quarterback can rise up and produce. You still want the best signal callers over the course of the season, but anything can happen in a one-and-done scenario like the fantasy playoffs.

The Age of Running Backs Dominating Fantasy Headlines in December is Over

There was a time when December was all about who could run the ball the best. Not just in terms of NFL teams trying to make the real-world playoffs, but also with respect to fantasy football. Guys like Emmitt Smith, Marshall Faulk, Priest Holmes and LaDainian Tomlinson carried teams to championships in the month of December. This past weekend? Only five running backs broke 100 rushing yards in a game. Those five were Frank Gore (158 yards), Jeremy Hill (147 yards), Jonathan Stewart (122 yards), Marshawn Lynch (113 yards) and Andre Williams (110 yards). Only three had multiple touchdowns, and one of those was a fullback (Darrel Young of Washington). Sure, if you started Lynch, Hill, Gore or even Stewart or Matt Asiata, you were pleased with their production, but using standard fantasy scoring measures, nobody scored more than 23 points in Week 16 games. Maybe the decent weather across the country had something to do with what we saw this year in December. Or, maybe…just maybe…the rules of the game no longer call for teams to grind it out to win games late in the year. The result is a continuing devaluing of a position that once defined fantasy football. Nowadays, numbers like Eddie Lacy’s on Sunday (99 yards and a TD) are considered more elite than just solid.

Odell Beckham Jr's dominance continued on Sunday posting 148 yards and 2 TDs against the Rams.

1. Rookie Wide Receivers - Odell Beckham Jr. led the best crop of rookie WRs in NFL/fantasy football history hands down. This amazing rookie class also included Mike Evans, Kelvin Benjamin, Sammy Watkins, Jordan Matthews, Martavis Bryant, Allen Hurns, Brandin Cooks, Jarvis Landry, and John Brown.

2. Big Ben - Roethlisberger authored one of the greatest scoring games in fantasy football history and morphed into an elite fantasy option at QB.

3. Antonio Brown - We knew he was a top ten option at WR...but best of the best? Huge leap forward for a possible first-round pick next year.

4. The Ultimate Journeyman - Justin Forsett was the unlikeliest of fantasy standouts in 2014...at any position really.

5. Something Old, Something New - Antonio Gates had something left at tight end...Travis Kelce could be the next Gates after a stellar '14.

6. C.J. Anderson - Fourteen years after another Anderson (Mike) led many to fantasy glory via his prominence running the ball in Denver, it happened again.

7. One Hill of a Rookie - Jeremy Hill was the one standout rookie RB in a year in which few fresh young runners emerged.

8. Emerging WRs on Great Offenses - T.Y. Hilton and Jeremy Maclin vaulted into the top ten at their position in systems built around their strengths.

Disappointments:

1. Adrian Peterson - This has to be first. There's no way around it, through it, or over it. What a disappointment on many different levels.

2. Fitz and Floyd - Yes, Carson Palmer getting hurt didn't help, but Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd didn't produce with Palmer, either.

3. Disappearing Running Backs - High picks Montee Ball, Zac Stacy, Doug Martin, Toby Gerhart and Reggie Bush were all miserably hurt/bad or both.

4. The 49ers Offense - For an offense with so much talent, it was a disaster in the passing game. Kaepernick, Crabtree, and Vernon Davis were awful.

5. No Country for Old Men - Andre Johnson lost a step in 2014. Reggie Wayne lost three...

6. Bishop Sankey - This rookie’s game simply never got off the ground.

7. Cordarrelle and Pierre - New coaches spelled almost complete invisibility for big-time busts Patterson and Garcon.

8. Jordan Cameron - Never really got on track in a season that was supposed to be another step towards being an elite contributor at his position...his best game was his last (Week 16).

Fantasy MVP- 2014 season?

It’s a bit of a curve ball, maybe, but I’m going with Antonio Brown. This is particularly true if you play in the wonderful world of PPR. Brown never fell below 5 catches or 72 yards in any game that he played in. In terms of fantasy points scored, he was in double digits all but two times. In four games, he scored multiple touchdowns. Certainly, Andrew Luck (Week 16 notwithstanding), DeMarco Murray, and Le’Veon Bell warranted consideration for the award… maybe even Rob Gronkowski. But, in the end, it was the consistency and production of Brown that caught my attention the most. In a fairly close race for this distinction, he wins out.

This is the final TMB for the year and I have really enjoyed your feedback throughout the season and interest in the article. Hopefully, your season ended on a high note, but if not, hope always springs eternal in fantasy football. Here’s wishing you the best both in this holiday season and always. Merry Christmas from the Buzz and to all a good night!