Happy Thanksgiving from DLF!
Thanksgiving is a holiday every fantasy footballer looks forward to. Some of the best memories I have revolve around getting together with friends and family to watch the Lions get pummeled or the Cowboys pull off some type of holiday miracle.
More than anything else, today is a time to say thanks. While we’ll all certainly count our blessings and enjoy time with our families today, it’s my “virtual family” I want to say thanks to right now. When we started DLF back in 2006, none of us could ever imagine finding a group like this full of great people. While we certainly have characters on our team, we also collectively have character and that’s much more important, especially with a team that’s getting close to 30 different individuals in size.  So today, I say thanks to everyone at DLF for churning out article after article, podcast after podcast, forum post after forum post, ranking after ranking and doing so much more our loyal followers can see and a lot behind the scenes they can’t as well.
I also want to thank you, the readers, for making DLF one of the biggest and best fantasy football sites on the planet. Whether you come here to enjoy our free content or have become a Premium Member, every click you make helps this site grow and prosper and allows us to continuously make improvements.
In short, there’s a lot to be thankful for.
In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I asked the team for something a little special today. The task was simple – answer two questions:
Which player are you most thankful for?
This could be a player who they enjoy watching, a player they hoped would someday emerge and now has, someone who seems to save their week when they need it or anything else that seemed to fit the bill.
Which player has been the biggest turkey this season?
This could include players who have been huge disappointments, players who they felt were sleepers who totally fizzled, or players who seem to beat them every week.
With that task in hand, I received several very interesting responses…
1.) Which player are you most thankful for?
Isaiah Crowell. When I drafted him in the late second round of almost all of my rookie drafts, I wasn’t expecting much in year one, but I thought his talent would eventually bring him to the top. Not only has he been fantasy relevant, but he is getting better every week and will be a contributor on some playoff teams. Â – Nathan Powell
[inlinead]I am most thankful for DeMarco Murray. I was able to trade for him last season in the Kitchen Sink league and he has been a stud ever since. I’m hoping he runs me right into the championship this year. A close second is Golden Tate. I only own him in one league, but I’m glad to finally see him as one of the top fantasy wide receivers. I’ve been watching him since he played for the best college in the universe and I hope he gets a turkey leg on Thanksgiving. – Zach Bahner
I would have to be most thankful for Andrew Luck being on both my fantasy football team and the team I root for, the Indianapolis Colts. He is the current QB1 in fantasy football and I do not see him slowing down. He has put me in great position in many of my dynasty leagues to not only make the playoffs, but make a good run to a title as well. He has done the same for the Indianapolis Colts in a weak AFC South. I love watching the kid play and I can only hope he continues to develop with the young weapons around him. – Brian Bulmer
The player I am most thankful for this season has been Eddie Lacy. If he wasn’t on my team before the season started, I traded for him during the initial run of tough defenses and the James Starks timeshare. Lacy has scored five touchdowns in the last three weeks and is facing plus matchups in three of the next four games, lining up for a terrific playoff push. Lost in his 2014 season has been improvements in yards per carry, missed tackle rate, yards after contact rate and yards after catch per reception. While the usage may be down slightly, Lacy remains an RB1 in an explosive offense for the foreseeable future. For that, I’m thankful. – George Kritiko
I’m most thankful for Rob Gronkowski. Sticking with him (and trading for him in multiple leagues) over the last couple seasons as he’s fought through injuries is paying off in spades right now. Gronk’s on pace to haul in 84 passes for 1,181 yards and 13 touchdowns and I have a sneaky suspicion he blows right by those numbers and carries fantasy teams to championships over the next handful of weeks. – Dan Meylor
The player I am most thankful for this season is Justin Forsett. Since the beginning of the year, Forsett has been a fantastic asset, both in dynasty and re-draft leagues. In fact, it was just this past week when Forsett, yet again, came through with a 182-yard effort on the ground and two touchdowns against New Orleans. Forsett’s 33 point fantasy effort might have single handedly clinched a playoff birth for my first ever auction team. However incredible this performance might seem, Forsett has made a habit of having big games this season.Through twelve weeks of the NFL season, Forsett has rushed for 903 yards and seven touchdowns while adding 33 receptions for 210 receiving yards. Not too shabby for a player that started the season on most leagues’ wavier wires. In fact, there is little reason to think Forsett will slow down as we enter fantasy playoffs. Serving up favorable match-ups against San Diego, Houston and – the main course – Jacksonville in week sixteen, there are plenty of reasons for all us to be thankful for Justin Forsett this fantasy season. – Matt Caraccio
I know this will be a common answer, but I am thankful for the return of Josh Gordon. In the ScottFishBowl I blew my FAAB budget ($75 of $100) on him and in one dynasty league I traded eight draft picks for him. I was hoping he would be the final piece that pushes me over the edge. In both leagues I ended the season on a hot streak as a top scoring team. In both leagues, I also don’t think anybody wanted to see me get another weapon on an already great team just in time for the playoffs. – Scott Fish
I’m thankful for Golden Tate escaping Seattle and landing in Detroit. I have been a huge fan of Tate’s going all the way back to his Notre Dame days. I always knew there was more to him than what we saw in Seattle and he is the perfect complement to Calvin Johnson. Even when Megatron went down, he was able to step up as a bona fide WR1. I have him in almost every league I’m in and that makes me very happy. – Eric Olinger
I am most thankful for Andy Dalton. First off, he has been my QB on a team where I’m shooting for the highest possible draft. Thanks, Bad Andy! More importantly, there is no easier, more fun target to mock than ol’ Pumpkin Head himself. Now, if only we could get Andy to dye black stripes in his hair and play without a helmet. – Jeff Miller
The player I am most thankful for is Aaron Rodgers. I don’t recall watching a game with him in it where I am not amazed by the things that he does, and there hasn’t been anyone I’ve watched that brings the same excitement from the position. The combination of the mind, the arm and the style is a joy to behold, and until a time comes when he doesn’t have multiple playing years left, he will be my dynasty QB1. – James Simpson
I’m thankful for this entire rookie class. My job at DLF is to fill the site with content and there’s been no shortage of it thanks to a talented group boasting Sammy Watkins, Mike Evans, Jordan Matthews, Brandin Cooks, Carlos Hyde, Kelvin Benjamin, O’Dell Beckham Jr., Allen Robinson, Martavis Bryant, Tre Mason and so many more. For those new to dynasty leagues, you need to realize this class is a lot better than most end up being. Having so many potential impact players from one single draft class is very rare and shouldn’t be expected. In fact, this is likely going to go down as one of the top classes of the past decade. Dynasty sharks out there will be smelling blood in the water for a couple of years now as they trade their rookie picks to inexperienced owners who think this is typical…and that gives me even more to write about and edit! – Ken Kelly
I am most thankful for Justin Forsett. I grabbed him as a free agent in the majority of my leagues early this season and I will be in the playoffs in each league I own him. His weekly consistency was huge and he is getting better as the season winds down. Your fantasy draft is always important, but many times, moves made in-season are just a crucial to fantasy success. – Luke Wetta
I’m most thankful for Matt Forte. This is a bit of a homer pick since I’m a Bears fan and he’s been one of my favorite players in the entire league ever since 2008, but the 28-year old has posted double digit points in all but one game this season in PPR leagues, even with the Bears’ offense sputtering at times. He has been over 20 points in 8 of his 11 games and he is carrying a lot of fantasy teams as the top scoring RB in PPR leagues. He already has a career high in catches and is on pace for over 100 receptions on the season. It is hard to ask for anything more, especially from a player who does all the right things week in and week out. – Jacob Feldman
2.) Which player has been the biggest turkey this season?
If I could pick an entire receiving corps from a university, I would. Instead, I’ll just pick one – Justin Hunter. He isn’t nearly as developed as I hoped/wanted him to be at this point. He is envious of Michael Clayton’s hands at this point. He has had a couple big plays to try and fool us, but way too inconsistent. Just a turkey! – Nathan Powell
Coby Fleener has been a huge let down for me. I took him in the first round of a rookie draft after the Colts selected him, but he has never fully developed. This year I was holding out hope he would become the player I always thought he could be, but I’ve been left disappointed. Even with teammate Dwayne Allen sitting out the last few weeks, he has been wildly inconsistent. It’s time I finally admit I was wrong about him. He’s “just a guy” and will never be “the guy” in Indianapolis. –Â Zach Bahner
This would have to be Antonio Brown. Although I have Brown as a top ten wide receiver, I did not expect him to be as dominating as he has been this season. His ability to get open and get YAC is on another level. He is leading the NFL in receptions and leading all wide receivers in fantasy points. It seems week after week I am against this guy and he continually puts up 25-30 PPR points. It hurts my feelings I do not own more of him in many of my leagues. Â – Brian Bulmer
The player I liken most to the Gobbledy Gooker (YouTube it and thank me later) for 2014 has to be Michael Floyd. A few early season 100-yard receiving games seem like ages ago and besides a few errant touchdowns, Floyd has been largely invisible. There is no excuse for a catchless game from him, much less two in the last five weeks. While some of this can be attributed to a change in his deployment (going from a 12.7 to 20.0 aDOT) to exclusively a deep threat, Floyd is still an elite receiver. I’m holding on anywhere I have him, but this turkey has given me plenty of indigestion. – George Kritikos
If there’s a turkey among the players I was highest on coming into the season, it’s Ben Tate. When Tate signed with the Browns in March I thought he’d be featured in Cleveland’s run-first offense and was a surefire RB2 with the upside to be a top-10 option at the position. As it turns out, he couldn’t even hold off a pair of rookies and found his way out of Cleveland. I’m still holding out hope that Tate makes up for things in Minnesota or somewhere else but his injury history and his three stops in NFL cities over the last year certainly suggest otherwise. – Dan Meylor
There exists an entire rafter of turkeys this fantasy season that have let me down! Montee Ball, Michael Floyd and Cordarrelle Patterson are just a few of the players who have had me shaking my fists at the football gods. Ball, whom I picked as my preseason fantasy football MVP, has been a disaster. Garnering late first round consideration in many formats this year, he has not posted a servicable fantasy performance since week two! While a groin injury has certainly sabotaged his opportunity this year, one cannot deny the lack of burst he has shown when healthy. Ball simply did not look like starting running back when on the field. Another fantasy turkey this season is Floyd. After a stellar sophomore season, he was primed to take his place among the future elite at the wide reciever position.  What a difference a year can make! To date, Michael Floyd has posted a paltry 26 receptions for 454 yards through the air and four touchdowns; a definitive step in the wrong direction. Finally, Cordarrelle Patterson rounds out my rafter of fantasy turkeys with a season of unfulfilled dreams. Coming into the 2014 season, big things were expected from him. Ascending quickly from sleeper to “must have” player this past off season, Patterson was, like Floyd, supposed to take the next step and join the future elite at the wide receiver position. Unfortunately, that reality may be postponed for awhile. Patterson, who was considered a raw prospect coming out of college, still shows a lack of refinement to his game.  One would have expected more progress since last year. With only 30 receptions for 350 receiving yards and one touchdown,  Patterson is going to end the season as a developmental prospect and not the burgeoning young talent we all hoped we drafted this season. – Matt Caraccio
I’m so sad about Cordarrelle Patterson. Both as a Vikings fan and as an owner of him in many leagues. I was counting on him as my super high upside WR4 in four leagues. Luckily, I didn’t need him as a starter in any leagues, but I wanted him in my flex. He is fine as my WR4, however, has spent most weeks on the bench due to lack of upside each week. – Scott Fish
On the other side of the Golden Tate coin you will find Justin Hunter. I was drinking the Kool-Aid coming into the season and often drafted him as a WR3. He has been nowhere near that level. Some of that can be pegged on Ken “Whisen-punt” and his ho-hum offense combined with the awful quarterback play of Jake Locker and Charlie “Seriously, how is he still in the league” Whitehurst. I’m not selling in dynasty leagues but I’m not as excited as I once was. – Eric Olinger
The biggest turkey this season has to be Michael Floyd. I am heavily invested in him in leagues where if I had gotten even 75% of what I expected, I’d be in great shape. Things are at the point where I find myself having a difficult time being objective about his future value. So I did what I do best: sat on my hands, closed my eyes and hoped for the best. So far, so bad. – Jeff Miller
The biggest Turkey this year has been Percy Harvin. Over the Summer I would dream of the things Harvin would be doing on the field for Seattle. Russell Wilson‘s new favourite weapon? I’ll have some of that. Fully healthy and ready to explode? He’s going to kill it. However,  to say I’ve been disappointed would be a big understatement. He is a lot like the plate of leftovers that has spent too long in the fridge – you shouldn’t touch it, it leaves a bitter taste in your mouth and there are health risks attached. Unfortunately, I will probably go back for another bite. – James Simpson
To me, the biggest turkey is indeed Ben Tate. Owners who have held on to Tate through the years felt they could eventually have a lottery ticket worth cashing in as a possible RB1 or RB2. After seeing him spend as much time in the trainer’s room and on the sidelines as he did on the football field in Houston over the past few years, Tate finally was going to get his chance in Cleveland. Instead, he was outplayed by not one, but two different rookies en route to being cut and jettisoned to the bench in Minnesota. When you draft a rookie, you want them to either blossom or bust early in the process. Unfortunately, you sometimes get stuck with players like Tate who are still too talented to release, but nowhere near your weekly lineup. After as many years as Tate has spent in the league, you just want an answer one way or the other and players like him just don’t give you one. That’s a major trytophan-like buzzkill for your roster development flexibility right there. – Ken Kelly
The biggest turkey is legs down (see what I did there) Michael Floyd. The preseason hype appeared completely warranted and I grabbed Floyd in many leagues counting on weekly, top-end consistency. Injuries at the QB position have hurt, but he is not being game planned for to excel as a number one receiver. His dynasty stock has dropped considerably and a player who was once a top 15 option may now be outside of the best 30 at his position. Â He likely hit the waiver wire in most redraft leagues and can not even be considered startable down the stretch. – Luke Wetta
I was going to give my “biggest turkey” award to Montee Ball for pretty obvious reasons, but then it occurred to me that I wasn’t even on the right track. The biggest turkeys for me are easily Ray Rice and Adrian Peterson. Here are two men who had the world in the palm of their hands and they both gave it away because they couldn’t control themselves to varying degrees. There are no bigger disappointments in the league than these two, not because of the impact on the fantasy world but rather because of their failures as role models to kids coast to coast. – Jacob Feldman
Happy Turkey Day and we at DLF hope you enjoy the games!
Please feel free to add your own players you’re thankful for or who you believe is the biggest turkey this fantasy football season in the comments section below.
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Ken is on Twitter at DLF_KenK
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