Week 16 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Kirk Cousins (Redskins)
Anyone who picked up Kirk Cousins on the waiver wire last week deserves a medal. The 1st year starter overcame his season-long road struggles with a masterful performance (365 YDS, 4 TD, 1 2-PT conversion) against the Eagles to clinch the NFC East crown for the Redskins.
Honorable Mentions: Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Drew Brees (Saints), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jets)

LVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers)
Ben Roethlisberger's stellar 2015 fantasy campaign ended in the worst possible fashion. Roethlisberger threw a pair of ugly INT's and failed to throw a touchdown against a lowly Ravens secondary that had allowed multiple passing touchdowns in all but 5 games prior to this week
Dishonorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Tom Brady (Patriots), Aaron Rodgers (Packers)

Running Back
MVP: Tim Hightower (Saints)
There has been not been a more improbable NFL success story in 2015 than Saints running back Tim Hightower. The 29-year old running back -who hadn't played in the NFL since 2011- was thrust into the starting role in Week 14 when starter Mark Ingram was placed on season-ending IR with a shoulder injury had arguably the best game of his career in Week 16 against the Jaguars. Hightower put up 169 total yards (122 rushing, 47 receiving) and 2 TD's on 30 touches and was one of the primary reasons the Saints were able to put away the Jaguars so easily. Hightower was a late-season blessing at the injury-ravaged running back position and I'd be willing to wager that this performance single-handedly won a lot of people a fantasy championship. 
Honorable Mentions: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), Frank Gore (Colts), David Johnson (Cardinals)

LVP: Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
Doug Martin's unexpected return to the dominant form of his 2012 rookie campaign made him the one of the biggest fantasy steals of 2015. Unfortunately, Martin's fairy tale season had a tragic conclusion for his fantasy owners. Despite scoring an early TD, Martin couldn't much going (49 yards on 17 carries) against the Bears 27th ranked run defense and a pair of fumbles forced him to get benched for most of the second half. While Martin's performance would've been much worse if he hadn't scored, a single digit performance against a very beatable opponent is an undeniable disappointment. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Denard Robinson (Jaguars), Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Alfred Morris (Redskins) 

Wide Receiver:
MVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
Julio Jones got revenge on brash star corner Josh Norman and the Panthers defense after they held him to 82 yards and 0 TD's in Week 14. Jones frequently gassed the Pro Bowl-bound shutdown corner and any other Panther defender that was asked to cover him, finishing the game with an incredible 178 yards and a touchdown on 9 receptions. Despite the Falcons litany of struggles in the second half of the season, Jones remained a top 3 fantasy WR option and should be a top 5 overall pick in 2016. 
Honorable Mentions: Brandon Marshall (Jets), Allen Hurns (Jaguars), Allen Robinson (Jaguars)

LVP: DeSean Jackson (Redskins)
Despite the recent development of a strong rapport with Kirk Cousins and being engaged in a prime revenge matchup against his former team, DeSean Jackson didn't do much to aid the Redskins offense in their grade-A evisceration of the Eagles in Week 16. The Eagles defense's inability to stop the short passing game made Jackson an afterthought in the offense as he reeled in 4 of his 6 targets for just 40 yards.
Dishonorable Mentions: Martavis Bryant (Steelers), Mike Evans (Buccanners), Antonio Brown (Steelers)

Tight End
MVP: Jordan Reed (Redskins)
Red-hot Redskins tight end Jordan Reed was largely responsible for crushing the playoff dreams of the Eagles with his 9 reception/129-yard/2 TD performance Saturday night at Lincoln Financial Field. Reed closed out the 2015 season with the most dominant stretch of play of his young career so far and if he can stay healthy through the offseason and training camp, he'll be one of the first tight end's off the board in next year's fantasy drafts.
Honorable Mentions: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Buccaneers), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

LVP: Julius Thomas (Jaguars)
Julius Thomas was pretty much the only Jaguars pass-catcher not invited to their garbage-time scoring party against the Saints. Thomas mustered just 12 yards on 2 receptions in an afternoon that saw 3 different Jaguars receivers hit paydirt. This poor performance aside, Thomas' solid late-season play after an injury-plagued start to his inaugural season with the Jaguars is encouraging for his 2016 prospects.
Dishonorable Mentions: Antonio Gates (Chargers), Benjamin Watson (Saints), Greg Olsen (Panthers)

Defense
MVP: Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals defense reversed their recent middling output with one of the most dominant defensive performances in recent memory. The Cardinals massacred a Packers offense that had allowed the fewest fantasy points to opposing defenses coming into this week, picking up 9 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, an interception and 2 TD's while allowing just 8 points.  
Honorable Mentions: Houston Texans, St. Louis Rams, Minnesota Vikings

LVP: Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks followed up their disappointing Week 15 performance against the Browns with an even more forgettable performance against the Rams. The Seahawks allowed just 17 points, but failed to register a single sack or takeaway against a Rams offense that they absolutely destroyed (2 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries and a TD) in their 1st meeting this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers, Philadelphia Eagles, Miami Dolphins

Week 14 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Russell Wilson (Seahawks)
Russell Wilson's career-long hot streak continued with yet another another absurd outing (292 YDS, 5 TD) against the Ravens in Week 14. This marked Wilson's 2nd 5 TD outing in 3 games and he's now thrown 16 TD's and 0 INT's over his past 4 games. I expect Wilson to air it out even more this week against the Browns now that running back Thomas Rawls is officially out for the year with an ankle inury.

Honorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Ryan Fitzpatrick (Jets)

LVP: Jameis Winston (Buccaneers)
Jameis Winston has garnered a lot of praise for his recent performances, but there was nothing masterful about his play against the Saints on Sunday afternoon. Winston only managed 206 total yards(182 passing, 24 rushing) and a TD against a Saints defense that has gotten torched by just about every other quarterback they've faced this season. Despite the remarkable progress he's made after a horrible start to his rookie campaign, Winston is still a shaky fantasy play at this point in time. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Running Back
MVP: Todd Gurley (Rams)
After a month-long hiatus, Todd Gurley has officially returned to the land of the living. The Rams fed the rookie phenom all game long and it paid major dividends as Gurley's 140-yard, 2 TD performance led the Rams to a much-needed victory over the Lions. With Gurley seemingly out of his slump, he should be a solid RB1 play in Week 15 as the Rams take on the middling rush defense of the Buccaneers.  
Honorable Mentions: James Starks (Packers), DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), Lamar Miller (Dolphins)

LVP: Shaun Draughn (49ers)
Shaun Draughn has done a pretty serviceable job since taking over as the 49ers de facto starting running back in Week 9, which makes his poor performance against the Browns that much more disappointing. Draughn mustered just 51 total yards (43 rushing, 8 receiving) on 13 touches versus a Browns defense that has allowed the 2nd most fantasy points to running backs this season. Despite this lackluster performance, Draughn will be a mid-tier RB2 for the 49ers week 15 contest against a banged-up Bengals defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Devonta Freeman (Falcons), Frank Gore (Colts)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Remember when people thought that Odell Beckham Jr. was an overrated player who was only praised because he made one unforgettable catch? Beckham Jr. made his legions of irrational and uninformed detractors look foolish once again by roasting the Dolphins for 166 yards and 2 TD's (his 6th straight game with 100 + receiving yards) under the bright lights of Monday Night Football. Beckham Jr. has proved throughout 2015 that his tremendous rookie campaign wasn't a fluke and his status as the Giants sole offensive weapon has made him one of the most reliable WR1's in fantasy football. Beckham Jr. faces his toughest challenge of the season so far in Week 15 as he goes up against the Panthers top corner Josh Norman, who has all but completely shut down the likes of Julio Jones, Dez Bryant and DeAndre Hopkins this season.
Honorable Mentions: Doug Baldwin (Seahawks), Ted Ginn Jr. (Panthers), Tyler Lockett (Seahawks)

LVP: Calvin Johnson (Lions)
I can't remember the last time I saw Calvin Johnson play as bad as he did this past Sunday against the Rams. Megatron reeled in just 1 of his 5 targets for 16 yards and also managed to commit a couple of uncharacteristically ugly drops along the way. Johnson has an excellent chance of redeeming himself in Week 15 against the Saints horrible secondary.
Dishonorable Mentions: Amari Copper (Raiders), Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos), Mike Evans (Buccaneers)

Tight End
MVP: Jordan Reed (Redskins)
Sunday at Solider Field served as a reminder of just how great Jordan Reed can be when's healthy. The 3rd-year tight end caught all 9 of his targets for 120 yards and a TD and was the catalyst for the Redskins 24-21 victory over the Bears. Reed should continue to be a top 5 tight end option in Week 15 as the Redskins face a Bills defense that just allowed 98 yards to Eagles tight end Zach Ertz.  
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Gary Barnidge (Browns), Julius Thomas (Jaguars)

LVP: Travis Kelce (Chiefs)
Travis Kelce's recent woes continued in Week 14 as he picked up just 18 yards on 3 receptions against the below average defense of the Chargers. Kelce has now only scored 1 TD and had 1 50+ yard performance since returning from Bye in Week 10 and is a shaky bet to return to form against a Ravens defense that has allowed the 3rd fewest amount of fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Buccaneers), Coby Fleener (Colts), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)

Defense
MVP: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers took advantage of the Falcons slumping offense and put together one of the most impressive performances (0 points allowed, 5 sacks, 2 INT, 2 FUM REC) of their stellar 2015 season.
Honorable Mentions: Pittsburgh Steelers, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs

LVP: New York Giants
The Giants defense has been pretty horrible in real life all season long, but their ability to create turnovers and get defensive touchdowns have made them a solid fantasy option. Week 14 was not one of their brighter moments as they had a pretty lackluster game (24 points allowed, 1 sack, 1 FUM REC) against the vastly underachieving and often sloppy offense of the Dolphins.
Dishonorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills  

Week 11 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
Despite being held in check on the ground (16 yards on 4 carries), Cam Newton managed to put up one of his impressive performances of the year, torching the lowly Redskins defense for 246 YDS and 5 TD through the air. Newton has a good shot of continuing his hot streak against a up-and-down Cowboys defense in Week 12.
Honorable Mentions: Jameis Winston (Buccaneers), Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Carson Palmer (Cardinals)

LVP: Derek Carr (Raiders)
After a pretty excellent start, Raiders quarterback Derek Carr has fell into a bit of a slump over the past couple of weeks. While hindered by some huge drops from his receivers, Carr looked pretty shaky against the Lions subpar defense, managing just 169 YDS and 0 TD's on 13/25 passing. Carr will look to redeem himself in Week 12 against the Titans rapidly-declining pass defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Tom Brady (Patriots)

Running Back
MVP: Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
Doug Martin put his recent cold streak to bed in the flashiest possible fashion. Martin carved up an Eagles defense that's typically stout against the run all afternoon, picking up 235 YDS on 27 carries. Martin's insane rushing day paved the way for Jameis Winston's historic 5 TD performance and the Buccaneers surprise blowout road victory over the suddenly imploding Eagles. Martin's return to form after his largely underwhelming 2013 and 2014 campaigns has made him one of the biggest fantasy steals of 2015.
Honorable Mentions: LeSean McCoy (Bills), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers), Jeremy Hill (Bengals)

LVP: Danny Woodhead (Chargers)
The Chargers injury-plagued offense was nothing short of horrendous against the Chiefs and their inability to get Danny Woodhead-their most lethal healthy offensive weapon by far- the ball was the primary cause for their struggles. The versatile running back only touched the ball 7 times and finished the game with just 16 total yards. While this poor showing is discouraging, Woodhead is bound to be the featured option in this depleted offense and should remain on the RB2/FLEX radar.
Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), DeMarco Murray (Eagles), Chris Ivory (Jets)

Wide Receiver
MVP: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
Revis Island proved to be no match for Texans wideout DeAndre Hopkins. The 3rd-year breakout star made Revis look silly multiple times during the game and finished the game with 118 yards and 2 TD's on 5 receptions. This performance further validates Hopkins status as a matchup-proof WR1 and one of the most reliable players in all of fantasy football.
Honorable Mentions: James Jones (Packers), Julio Jones (Falcons), DeSean Jackson (Redskins)

LVP: Amari Cooper (Raiders)
While Amari Cooper has mostly been impressive in his inaugural season in the NFL , Week 11 was a showcase of the negative aspects of his game. Cooper (1 REC, 4 YDS) couldn't get much separation from the Lions top corner Darius Slay for most of the game and committed a pair of pivotal drops on his four targets. Cooper's not likely to repeat this disastrous performance in Week 12 against the Titans, but his high volume of drops and inconsistent route-running make him nothing more than a mid-level WR2.   
Dishonorable Mentions: Tavon Austin (Rams), Allen Hurns (Jaguars), Sammy Watkins (Bills)

Tight End
MVP: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)
Kyle Rudolph emerged as the surprising go-to guy in the Vikings passing offense in Week 11. Rudolph was tied with Stefon Diggs for the team lead in targets and picked up 106 yards and 6 receptions including a beautiful 42-yard touchdown against the Packers horrific secondary. While Rudolph was undeniably excellent against the Packers, The Vikings wishy-washy pass offense and Rudolph's general lack of targets most weeks make him a less-than-stellar fantasy option.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Eifert (Bengals), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Delanie Walker (Titans)

LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Last Wednesday, Bills cornerback Stephon Gilmore said that his team had a plan to take Rob Gronkowski out of the game. Gronkowski's lackluster statline (2 catches/37 yards on 7 targets) proved that Gilmore wasn't blowing smoke. The Bills stuck multiple defenders on Gronkowski and granted him no open space to run after the catch. Gronkowski is far from a lock to return to his cyborg form against the Broncos physical, top-ranked passing defense in Week 12. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks), Antonio Gates (Chargers)

Defense
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs defense continued their recent reign of dominance against the Chargers shell of an offense in Week 11. The Chiefs picked up 3 sacks, an INT, a fumble recovery, a touchdown and surrendered just 3 points to Phillip Rivers and co. in the increasingly non-hostile environment of Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego. The Chiefs could be in store for another huge day if the Bills have to start walking turnover E.J. Manuel over the injured Tyrod Taylor in Week 12.  
Honorable Mentions: Carolina Panthers, Baltimore Ravens, Green Bay Packers

LVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles defense has largely kept the team afloat while their offense has struggled in 2015, but this typically resilient, reliable unit looking anything but in their Week 11 blowout loss at the hands of the Buccaneers. The Eagles ability to generate takeaways and sacks were largely absent (they managed just a single sack and fumble recovery) as they got gassed for 39 points as the Buccaneers found massive success on the ground and through the air. The Eagles have an ideal rebound matchup on Thanksgiving against the turnover-prone and pass-protection challenged offense of the Lions.

Dishonorable Mentions: Minnesota Vikings, New York Jets, Seattle Seahawks  

Week 10 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Kirk Cousins (Redskins)
Kirk Cousins became the latest quarterback to victimize the Saints abysmal defense (20-25/324 YDS/4 TD) without even breaking a sweat. Despite trending upwards with 8 TD's and 1 INT in his last 3 starts, Cousins 2015 season has been full of glorious highs and soul-crushing lows, and that type of erratic play makes him a risky play in weeks where he doesn't have a creampuff matchup.
Honorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Jay Cutler (Bears), Joe Flacco (Ravens)

LVP: Peyton Manning (Broncos)
Peyton Manning may have passed Brett Favre to become the NFL's all-time leader in passing yards during Sunday's game with the Chiefs, but I'm sure he'd like to forget about everything else that happened on the field on November 15th, 2015. Manning played arguably the sloppiest game of his career (5-20/35 YDS/4 INT) and ended up getting pulled for backup Brock Osweiler midway through the 3rd quarter. A slew of both recent and lingering injuries have brought Manning down to earth and forced the future Hall-Of-Famer to finally show his advanced age. Manning's has already been ruled out for Week 11 with a partially torn plantar fascia and unless he's able to make a miraculous turnaround, he won't be viable a fantasy starter whenever he returns.
Dishonorable Mentions: Andy Dalton (Bengals), Drew Brees (Saints), Marcus Mariota (Titans)

Running Back
MVP: Jeremy Langford (Bears)
Even the most optimistic Bears fan couldn't have predicted that Jeremy Langford would play this well in relief of injured superstar running back Matt Forte. Langford did his best Forte impression by crushing the Rams defense in both the rushing and passing game, finishing the afternoon with 182 total yards (73 rushing, 109 receiving) and 2 TD's on 27 touches. As long as Forte is sidelined, Langford's status as a true dual-threat back makes him an excellent RB2 play.
Honorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Matt Jones (Redskins)

LVP: Darren McFadden (Cowboys)
Darren McFadden has been impressive since he surpassed the recently-released Joseph Randle on the depth chart and became the Cowboys starting running back, picking up over 100 yards from scrimmage in all 3 of his starts coming into Week 10. That level of production was nowhere to be found this week as McFadden got stuffed all game long by the Buccaneers middling defense, finishing the day with just 58 total yards (32 rushing, 26 receiving) on 20 touches. Even with this weak performance, McFadden is the undisputed top back on a Cowboys team that is committed to running the football. McFadden should be a borderline RB1 in Week 11 against the Dolphins weak rush defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers), Antonio Andrews (Titans), Jeremy Hill (Bengals)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
Antonio Brown followed up his record-setting day against the Raiders in week 9 with another masterful performance (10 REC, 139 YDS, 2 TD, 1 2-point conversion) against the Browns banged-up secondary in Week 10. Brown's post-bye week schedule is all over the map in terms of matchup difficulty, but he should be locked in as a top-flight WR1 for all of them.
Honorable Mentions: Michael Floyd (Cardinals), Martavis Bryant (Steelers), Brandin Cooks (Saints)

LVP: Dez Bryant (Cowboys)
Dez Bryant took a big step back this week after his impressive performance against the Eagles a week ago. Bryant grossly underperformed against a thoroughly terrible Buccaneers secondary, finishing the day with just 45 yards on 5 catches. Matt Cassel looked Bryant's way early and often-targeting him 12 times on his 29 pass attempts-but Bryant was uncharacteristically sloppy, committing 2 drops and running a ton of poor routes throughout the game. The Cowboys offensive woes should come to an end with Tony Romo returning to the lineup in week 11, but Bryant's lack of burst and inconsistency since returning from his foot injury in week 8 is a bit of a cause for concern. Bryant will be a mid-level WR2 until he returns to full health.
Dishonorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), Randall Cobb (Packers), Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)

Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Shocker of the century: Rob Gronkowski finishes another week at the top of the fantasy tight end rankings. Gronkowski (5 REC/113 YDS/1 TD) was having a relatively quiet game until he snagged a career-long 76-yard touchdown in the 4th quarter that swung the game back into the Patriots direction. Gronkowski continues to play like a man possessed and with Julian Edelman out of the lineup indefinitely with a foot injury, he should be seeing even more targets in the Patriots high-powered offense.
Honorable Mentions: Gary Barnidge (Browns), Jordan Reed (Redskins), Richard Rodgers (Packers)

LVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert was one of the primary victims of the horribly inefficient play of Andy Dalton on Monday night, putting up just 26 yards on 3 receptions in the Bengals ugly loss against the Texans. Eifert probably isn't worth starting in Week 11 as he has a brutal matchup against a Cardinals defense that has surrendered the 4th-least fantasy points to tight ends this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Martellus Bennett (Bears), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Eric Ebron (Lions)

Defense
MVP: Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs defense took advantage of Peyton Manning's abundance of miscues to have their finest outing of 2015 so far. The Chiefs picked up 5 sacks and INT's and allowed just 13 points to the Broncos in their shocking victory over the current AFC West leaders. The Chiefs are in the midst of a 3-game winning streak and the play of their defense has been one of the catalysts for their recent success. They'll be a great play against the struggling Chargers offense in Week 11.
Honorable Mentions: Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans

LVP: Denver Broncos
It's not completely fair to give the Broncos D this distinction because their poor performance is almost entirely attributed to Peyton Manning turning the ball over or failing to sustain a drive for any substantial length of time on every possession. Regardless of the cause, the Broncos defense fantasy performance (29 points allowed, 2 sacks, 0 takeaways, 0 TD) was still an undeniable disappointment, especially considering how dominant they've been this season. The Broncos defense has a good shot of returning to form in Week 11 against a Bears offense that is dealing with a ton of injuries on their offensive line.
Dishonorable Mentions: St. Louis Rams, Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals  

Week 9 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Cam Newton (Panthers)
 Cam Newton's unreal performance in Week 9 reaffirmed why he's one of the most lethal players in all of fantasy football. Newton's dual-threat abilities were on display all afternoon as he carved up the Packers for 297 YDS and 3 TD through the air and added another 57 YDS and 1 TD on the ground. With his large role in both aspects of the offense and largely favorable upcoming schedule, Newton should be a weekly top 5-10 QB for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Aaron Rodgers (Packers), Marcus Mariota (Titans), Drew Brees (Saints)

LVP: Eli Manning (Giants)
In a pretty excellent week for QB's, Eli Manning's middling performance (213 YDS/2 TD/2 INT) against the Buccaneers ended up being the worst play of the week. It should be noted that it was dumping rain for the duration of the game, which made a plethora of turnovers inevitable for both sides (there was a combined total of 5 in the game). Manning's a mildly shaky play in Week 10 against a much-improved Patriots secondary.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Matt Ryan (Falcons)

Running Back
MVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
Returning to the starting lineup after star running back Le'Veon Bell suffered a torn MCL last week, DeAngelo Williams looked every bit as dominant as he did when he filled in for Bell earlier this year. The NFL 2nd oldest running back decimated the Raiders normally stout defensive front for a ridiculous 225 total YDS (170 rushing, 55 receiving), 2 TD and a 2-point conversion on 31 touches. Williams apparently suffered a foot injury during Sunday's game, but he didn't appear to be hampered it at any point. Williams should be in another for another huge day if he's active on Sunday with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger out of the lineup and a juicy matchup against the Browns bottom-ranked rush defense.
Honorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Karlos Williams (Bills), DeMarco Murray (Eagles)

LVP: Ronnie Hillman (Broncos)
No player filled his fantasy owners more rage in Week 9 than Ronnie Hillman. Hillman embarrassed himself in a prime matchup against the Colts, picking up just 1 yard on 7 carries. Hillman's grasp on the starting job appears to be slipping as C.J. Anderson outplayed him by a wide margin for a 2nd straight week. Even in the currently scarce RB market, Hillman isn't really worth keeping on your roster in a league that's smaller than 12 teams.
Dishonorable Mentions: Doug Martin (Buccaneers), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers), Jeremy Hill (Bengals)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers)
After a quiet few weeks (by his standards), Antonio Brown returned with a career day in Week 9. Brown gassed the Raiders secondary all day long with every conceivable route in his repertoire, putting up 284 yards on 17 receptions-both of which are franchise records for the Steelers. The unprecedented flurry of targets Brown receives every week and his ability to consistently separate from defensive backs makes him an unbenchable WR1 for fantasy purposes.   
Honorable Mentions: Michael Crabtree (Raiders), Sammy Watkins (Bills), Jordan Matthews (Eagles)

LVP: Demaryius Thomas (Broncos)
Last week, Emmanuel Sanders got ignored in Manning season-best game against the Packers. This week, it was Demaryius Thomas' turn to get the cold shoulder from Manning. Thomas picked up just 50 yards on 5 catches against a Colts secondary that has allowed the 8th most fantasy points to receivers this season. Thomas' inability to find the endzone in 2015 (he has just 1 TD on the year) is a bit disconcerting, but he's still been very productive with 3 100+ yard games and no less than 5 receptions in every game this season. Thomas has a prime chance to bounce back in Week 10 against a horrible Chiefs secondary that he torched for 116 YDS in their 1st meeting this year.
Dishonorable Mentions: DeSean Jackson (Redskins), Stefon Diggs (Vikings), A.J. Green (Bengals)

Tight End
MVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert once again rewarded his fantasy owners by following up a clunker with a simply monstrous performance. The Bengals favorite redzone target made the most of his opportunities, picking up 53 YDS and 3 TD's on 5 receptions. Finally healthy for the 1st time in his NFL career, Eifert has become the player a lot of experts thought he would be when the Bengals drafted him in the 1st round in 2013. Eifert is currently on pace to be the 2015 winner of the prestigious "best tight end not named Rob Gronkowski" award and is a no-brainer weekly fantasy start for all of his owners.
Honorable Mentions: Delanie Walker (Titans), Owen Daniels (Broncos), Richard Rogers (Packers)

LVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Speaking of Gronkowski, the Patriots cyborg tight end actually looked like a mortal man on Sunday. Gronkowski reeled in just 4 catches for 47 YDS in what was a relatively quiet and surprisingly sloppy  afternoon for the Patriots red-hot offense against a below-average Redskins defense. Gronkowski will more than likely return to destroying everything in sight when he goes up against the Giants god awful pass defense in Week 10.
Dishonorable Mentions: Heath Miller (Steelers), Charles Clay (Bills), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)

Defense
MVP: New York Jets
After a really awful performance against the Raiders in Week 8, the Jets defense got back on track against the lowly Jaguars in Week 9. The Jets may have surrendered 23 points, but they more than made up for that subpar point against total with 6 sacks, 2 INT's and 2 fumble recoveries against the Jaguars talented, but erratic young offense. The Jets inconsistent pass rush and currently dinged-up secondary make them far from a slam dunk, but they are a pretty good option for fantasy owners who like to stream defenses based on matchups.
Honorable Mentions: New York Giants, Philadelphia Eagles, New England Patriots

LVP: Green Bay Packers
The Packers defense fall from fantasy grace continued in Week 9. The Packers D frequently looked lost and overmatched as they got 0 sacks and allowed 37 points to the Panthers mediocre offense. They did manage to pick off Cam Newton late in the 4th quarter, but the damage was already done at that point. The borderline dominant play this unit showed in the first 6 weeks of the season is now just a distant memory and their owners should search the waiver wire for a competent replacement (i.e. The Vikings, Steelers or Giants).
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Atlanta Falcons

2015 Week 8 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
Drew Brees made up for his disappointing fantasy performances in the early stages of the season in a major way in Week 8 by putting an absurd 505 yard, 7 TD performance against the Giants. Not even a pair of ugly INT's including a freak pick 6 stemming from Willie Snead's inability to control a routine pass in the 4th quarter could put a damper on Brees' magical afternoon as he became the 8th quarterback in NFL history to throw 7 TD in a game. While Brees has had his share of struggles this season (this was only his 3rd multi-TD performance in his 7 starts this season) and he faces a surprisingly stout Titans secondary in Week 9, you'd be insane to bench him after a performance like this. 
Honorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Tom Brady (Patriots)

LVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers) 
Even bonafide fantasy studs lay an egg every once in a while. Aaron Rodgers had the single worst fantasy performance of his entire career against the Broncos suffocating defense in Week 8,  picking up just 77 yards through the air and failing to throw a single TD. Rodgers was able to soften the blow from his rough passing day a bit by adding 31 yards on 2 rushes, but that wasn't nearly enough salvage his horrid fantasy performance. Rodgers has another rough matchup in Week 9 as the Packers go up against a Panthers defense that has allowed the 3rd fewest fantasy points to QB's this season.
Dishonorable Mentions: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins)

Running Back
MVP: Todd Gurley (Rams)
The 49ers were the latest team to fall victim to the wrath of Todd Gurley (aka the St.Louis Rams offense) as the rookie phenom picked up 146 total yards (133 rushing, 13 receiving) and a TD on 23 touches. Gurley is in the midst of one of the most impressive rookie seasons in NFL history and you should be absolutely giddy if you're lucky enough to have him on your roster.
Honorable Mentions: Charcandrick West (Chiefs), Ronnie Hillman (Broncos), Dion Lewis (Patriots)

LVP: Chris Johnson (Cardinals)
Chris Johnson's unexpected resurgence since joining the Arizona Cardinals has been one of the biggest surprises in all of fantasy football this season. However, Week 8 was not particular kind to the 30-year old running band. His 109 yards on the ground against the Browns league-worst rush defense was completely respectable, but a pair of lost fumbles tarnished his fantasy day. Johnson is entering a really rough patch in his schedule as the Cardinals have to face Seahawks and Bengals after their week 9 Bye, but he should remain a viable RB2 during the push for the fantasy playoffs.

Wide Receiver
MVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
Odell Beckham Jr. once again proved why he's the real deal with his week 8 performance. Beckham Jr. burned the Saints secondary for 130 YDS and 3 TD on 8 receptions in Sunday's absurd shootout at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. Beckham Jr. hasn't been as consistently lights out as he was during his inhuman rookie campaign a year ago, but he's still a top-flight WR1 who has a very good chance of finishing the year as a top 5 fantasy WR.
Honorable Mentions: Tavon Austin (Rams), Brandin Cooks (Saints), Julio Jones (Falcons)

LVP: Emmanuel Sanders (Broncos)
Peyton Manning played his sharpest game of the year so far in the Broncos beatdown victory over the Packers in Week 8, but Emmanuel Sanders didn't benefit much from Manning's strong outing. Manning frequently looked Demaryius Thomas' way (11 targets, 8 receptions, 168 YDS), which left Sanders to pick up a mere 22 yards on 2 receptions and 5 targets. Sanders has looked excellent in 2015 in spite of Manning's struggles and he should be able to get back on track against the Colts horrendous secondary in week 9. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), T.Y. Hilton (Colts), James Jones (Packers)


Tight End
MVP: Benjamin Watson (Saints)
I doubt even the biggest Benjamin Watson supporters thought that he would become the primary cog in the Saints passing attack after Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills were traded this offseason. Watson was the primary beneficiary of Drew Brees' absurd performance in Week 8, leading the team in both receptions (9) and receiving yards (147) while also pulling in 1 of Brees' 7 TD's on the afternoon. Watson has seemingly emerged as the top target in the Saints spread-the wealth passing attack over the past few weeks and is a rock-solid TE1 option for those aren't fortunate enough to have Rob Gronkowski or Gary Barnidge on their roster.
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Greg Olsen (Panthers), Gary Barnidge (Browns)

LVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Tyler Eifert put the first real clunker of his breakout 2015 campaign, registering just 39 yards on 4 receptions against a Steelers defense that has gotten killed by TE's all season long. Eifert has a good shot of returning to the realm of fantasy glory in Week 9 against the Browns suddenly vulnerable defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Martellus Bennett (Bears), Jason Witten (Cowboys), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins)

Defense
MVP: Houston Texans
The Texans defense has arisen from their coma. This unit didn't show any of the problems that have plagued them through 2015 as they picked up 7 sacks, an INT, a fumble recovery and allowed just 6 points against the Titans offense in Week 8. This dominant performance must be taken with a grain of salt as The Texans dominated a lowly Titans team that was without their starting quarterback and has next-to-no talent at the skill positions. Until they are able to string together a few impressive performances in a row, the Texans D can not be started with any sort of confidence.
Honorable Mentions: New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs, Cincinnati Bengals


LVP: New York Jets
You wouldn't know that the Jets had one of the league's best defenses if you watched them played in Week 8. The Jets allowed 34 points and failed to register a takeaway or sack against the surging Raiders offense on Sunday. To be fair, the Raiders have quietly assembled one of the best offensive lines in the league and Derek Carr has done a tremendous job of limiting turnovers this season (3 INT's and 2 lost fumbles in 7 starts), but it's still odd to see a defense that has been so great all year long be so ineffective for an entire game. The Jets should be able to bounce back in Week 9 against a Jaguars squad that is averaging 2 turnovers and 3.7 sacks allowed over their past 3 games.
Dishonorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions, Green Bay Packers

2015 Week 7 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Tom Brady (Patriots)
Shocker of the century: The Tom Brady revenge tour is still in full swing. Despite a slew of bad passes and costly drops by Brandon LaFell and Julian Edelman, Brady still finished with 355 YDS and 2 TD's against a stout Jets defense that ranks near the top of the league in every major category. Brady also managed to tear it up in the running game, rushing for a team-high 15 YDS and a TD. After 4 consecutive seasons of being merely a decent fantasy option, Brady is now back being to being an elite QB1. Brady faces a recently improved, but still very beatable Dolphins defense in Week 8.
Honorable Mentions: Ryan Tannehill (Dolphins), Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Andrew Luck (Colts)

LVP: Drew Brees (Saints)
The Saints may have won pretty handily against the Colts in Week 7, but their star quarterback was once again relatively quiet. Brees threw for just 255 YDS, 1 TD and 1 INT in this stellar matchup against the Colts weak secondary. It could've been a much bigger day for Brees, but tight end Ben Watson got brought down at the 1-yard line on 2 separate long receptions. Brees hasn't been playing terrible in 2015, but his lack of TD's (he's only thrown multiple TD's in 2 of his 6 starts) make him a less-than-ideal fantasy option at the moment.
Dishonorable Mentions: Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Eli Manning (Giants), Russell Wilson (Seahawks)

Running Back
MVP: Lamar Miller (Dolphins)
Lamar Miller seems like he's responded especially well to the presence of interim head coach Dan Campbell. In the 4 games with Joe Philbin at the helm, Miller didn't rush for more than 53 yards, had 0 TD's and was averaging just 11.8 touches per game. In the 2 games under Campbell, Miller has 2 100+ yard rushing games, 3 TD's and averaged 19 touches a game. Miller's Week 7 performance was a fantasy masterpiece (236 total yards, 2 TD's) that brought no shortage of joy to his owners. Miller is suddenly at the top of the fantasy running back and has handsomely rewarding any owners that were patient with him as he worked through his early-season struggles. Miller faces another juicy matchup in Week 8 when the Dolphins take on the Patriots weak rush defense.
Honorable Mentions: Todd Gurley (Rams), Arian Foster (Texans), Darren McFadden (Cowboys)

LVP: LeGarrette Blount (Patriots)
It's no secret that LeGarrette Blount is one of the biggest enigmas in fantasy football. The Patriots tendency to commit to a different running back each week paired with Blount's erratic play when he's actually on the field make him the classic boom-or-bust player. Blount was at his absolute worst in Week 7 against the Jets, managing just 3 carries for -3 yards on the afternoon. Luckily for Blount, no Patriots running back got the job done (1 yard on 5 RB carries), which led to Tom Brady leading the team in rushing for the 1st time in his 16-year career. Look for Blount to fair much better in their Week 8 contest with the below-average Dolphins.
Dishonorable Mentions: Rashad Jennings (Giants), Frank Gore (Colts), DeMarco Murray (Eagles)

Wide Receiver
MVP: T.Y. Hilton (Colts)
The Colts 2015 campaign has been largely disappointing from both a reality and a fantasy perspective. One of the few bright spots for this Colts this year has been the play of their number one wideout T.Y. Hilton. Hilton had his best game of the year so far in Week 7, putting up 150 YDS and 2 TD's on 4 receptions. Despite his strong play of late, Hilton's hot streak will more than likely come to a close in Week 8 when he goes up against the Carolina Panthers elite shutdown corner Josh Norman.
Honorable Mentions: Jarvis Landry (Dolphins), Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Amari Cooper (Raiders)

LVP: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
Sometimes even the greats can't take advantage of prime matchups. Despite facing the bottom-ranked passing defense of the Baltimore Ravens in Week 7, the resurgent Larry Fitzgerald was held to just 39 yards on 3 receptions. Fitzgerald is having one of the best years of his storied career in 2015 and it would come as a huge shock if this was anything more than a bump in the road. Fitzgerald will be a solid WR2 play in Week 8 against the Browns banged-up secondary.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Travis Benjamin (Browns),DeAndre Hopkins (Texans),Jordan Matthews (Eagles)

Tight End
MVP: Jordan Reed (Redskins)
Jordan Reed made one hell of a return to the field after missing 2 games with a concussion, sparking the Redskins improbable comeback victory over the Buccaneers with his 11 REC/72 YD/2 TD performance. Reed is one of the most injury-prone players in the NFL, but when's he on the field, he's one of the better tight ends in the league. Reed is owned in between 20-50% of leagues right now depending on what site you play on, so if you're having tight end problems and are willing to roll the dice on him being healthy for the rest of the year, he's definitely worth a look. 
Honorable Mentions: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Ladarius Green (Chargers), Eric Ebron (Lions)

LVP: Julius Thomas (Jaguars)
A week after making his first notable contribution as a member of the Jacksonville Jaguars, Julius Thomas disappeared in Week 7. Thomas reeled in just 1 of his 5 targets for 4 yards in the Jaguars narrow victory over the Bills. Thomas reportedly sustained a groin injury early in the game, which explains why he was only on the field for 37 snaps and looked sluggish at times. Thomas will continue to be a matchup-dependent TE1 when the Jaguars return from bye in Week 9 as he continues to find his role in this young upstart offense. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Charles Clay (Bills), Jordan Cameron (Dolphins), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)

Defense
MVP: St. Louis Rams
The stellar production of the Rams defense has gone relatively unnoticed in 2015 as the dominant defensive play of the Broncos and Cardinals have garnered a majority of the attention in fantasy land. However, the Rams absurd performance in Week 7 should finally get them the moment in the spotlight that they've long deserved. The Rams surrendered just 6 points and picked up 4 sacks, 4 fumble recoveries and a touchdown against a Browns offense that has been surprisingly solid for a majority of the 2015 season. The Rams potent defense has another excellent matchup in Week 8 as they take on the lowly 49ers offense at home.
Honorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, New York Giants, Kansas City Chiefs

LVP: Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers defense has pleasantly surprised fantasy owners this year with their consistent productivity. This week snapped their streak of impressive performances as they posted their weakest performance since their Week 1 loss against the Patriots. The Steelers allowed 23 points, mustered just 2 sacks and failed to get a takeaway against a Chiefs offense that has struggled mightily since running back Jammal Charles went down with a torn ACL in Week 5. The Steelers defense is worth hanging onto for the long term, but they aren't worth starting in Week 8 as they face a Bengals offense who has only surrendered 6 sacks and turned the ball over 6 times this year. 

Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, Washington Redskins, New England Patriots 

2015 Week 6 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Matthew Stafford (Lions)
After tormenting his fantasy owners for the first 5 weeks of the season, Matthew Stafford came alive in Week 6. Stafford embarrassed the Bears weak corners all game long, finishing with 405 YDS and 4 TD in Sunday's afternoon shootout that ended with the Lions picking up their 1st victory of the season. While his Week numbers are impressive, Stafford is likely to revert to the less-than-stellar form of his first 5 games when the Lions face the talented defense of the Vikings in Week 7. 
Honorable Mentions: Phillip Rivers (Chargers), Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Andrew Luck (Colts)

LVP: Marcus Mariota (Titans)
Marcus Mariota has had his fair share of struggles after his brilliant opening game against the Buccaneers. In the 3 games following his 4 TD, 0 INT, 158.3 QBR debut, Mariota has 4 TD, 3 INT, 2 fumbles and a QBR of 82.9. The highly-touted rookie hit a new low in Week 6 as he got manhandled by the Dolphins defense, finishing the afternoon with 219 YDS, 1 TD and 4 giveaways (2 INT and 2 fumbles lost). It was revealed yesterday that Mariota suffered a sprained MCL during the game, so his status for the Titans tough Week 7 matchup against the Falcons is unclear at this time. Even if Mariota doesn't miss any time, Mariota's spotty play makes him nothing more than a mid-level QB2.
Dishonorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings), Eli Manning (Giants)

Running Back
MVP: Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
Okay, this is just getting absurd now. Freeman has been putting up monster games like clockwork and he strung together another masterful performance (156 total yards, 2 combined TD on 18 touches) in the Falcons Week 6 loss to the Saints. Freeman has been the fantasy MVP of the 1st third of the season and there's no reason to believe that his level of production will tail off as the season progresses.
Honorable Mentions: Chris Ivory (Jets), LeGarrette Blount (Patriots), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers)

LVP: Eddie Lacy (Packers) (4 carries, 3 YDS, 2 catches, 17 YDS)
Last week I said that Lacy's time as a top-tier fantasy running back may be up. After his performance this week, I'm now starting to think that it is up. Lacy got out-touched by James Starks 11-5 and looked sluggish every time he touched the ball against a creampuff Chargers rush defense, finishing with just 20 total yards (17 receiving, 3 rushing) on 6 touches. With Starks putting up a 117-yard, 2 TD performance, Lacy's spot as the starter could very much be in jeopardy when the Packers return from bye in Week 8. If you're a Lacy owner and Starks is available in your league, add him as a handcuff ASAP.
Dishonorable Mentions: Dion Lewis (Patriots), Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Melvin Gordon (Chargers)

Wide Receiver
MVP: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans)
The most-targeted receiver in the NFL proved his worth once again in Week 6. After a quiet start, Hopkins eviscerated the Jaguars surprisingly solid secondary and ended up putting together the best game of his stellar 2015 season so far, registering an absurd 148 YDS and 2 TD's on 10 receptions. Hopkins is the number 1 ranked fantasy receiver through the first 6 weeks of the season and as long as he stays healthy, he's pretty much a lock to be a top 5/10 fantasy wideout for the rest of the year.
Honorable Mentions: Martavis Bryant (Steelers), Calvin Johnson (Lions), Alshon Jeffrey (Bears)

LVP: Antonio Brown (Steelers) (3 REC, 24 YDS)
The loss of Ben Roethlisberger has put a serious damper on Brown's production. Michael Vick's horrendous, inaccurate passing paired with Brown's inability to get on the same page as the over-the-hill quarterback have made him a complete non-factor in the last 3 games. Brown's 3 reception, 24-yard performance against the Cardinals in Week 6 was his worst performance since December 2012. With Roethlisberger more likely out again this week, Brown better hope that his rapport with 3rd-string quarterback Landry Jones is better than it was with Vick. Even though his numbers have been terrible over the few week, fantasy owners would be foolish to take Brown out of their lineups.
Dishonorable Mentions: A.J. Green (Bengals), Randall Cobb (Packers), Jeremy Maclin (Chiefs)

Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Olsen made up for his lackluster performance in Week 4 by coming out of the bye week in top form. Olsen served as the catalyst for the Panthers comeback victory over the Seahawks, picking up 131 yards and a touchdown on 7 receptions. Olsen will put up more stinkers than the likes of Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Gates, but his status as the Panthers primary receiving threat makes him a very strong weekly TE1 play.
Honorable Mentions: Gary Barnidge (Browns), Jimmy Graham (Seahawks), Julius Thomas (Jaguars)

LVP: Richard Rodgers (Packers)
Outside of James Jones, the Packers receivers has been erratic as hell all season long. Rodgers is the latest victim of the Packers flavor-of-the-week approach, picking up just 34 yards on 2 receptions against the Chargers middling pass defense. After a couple of dynamite games in Week 2 and 4, Rodgers appears to be the clear 3rd or 4th option in the Packers passing game. Rodgers has very little fantasy value, even at a position as thin as tight end and is safely droppable in all 10-team and most 12-team leagues. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Zach Ertz (Eagles), Larry Donnell (Giants), Martellus Bennett (Bears)

Defense
MVP: Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles defense has carried them for most of this season and that was once again the case in Week 6. The Eagles were dominant against a hot Giants offense that had only turned the ball over 3 times in their first 5 games, finishing the night with 3 sacks, 2 INT's, a fumble recovery, a touchdown and just 7 points allowed. The Eagles defensive hotstreak could come to a close in Week 7 as they take on a Panthers offense that has done a pretty good job of putting up points and protecting the football in the early part of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Denver Broncos, Houston Texans, New York Giants

LVP: Baltimore Ravens (25 points allowed, 3 sacks, 0 takeaways)
The Ravens traditionally excellent defense just hasn't been the same in 2015 and their week 6 performance was perhaps the strongest indicator of their struggles to-date. The Ravens registered 3 sacks, 0 takeaways and allowed 25 points to a 49ers offense that has been extremely kind to fantasy defenses for much of 2015. The Ravens will have some good games here and there, but this bunch doesn't hold a candle to their wildly productive unit from a year ago.
Dishonorable Mentions: Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, Carolina Panthers

2015 Week 5 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Eli Manning (Giants)
Even the most optimistic Giants fan probably didn't envision Eli Manning playing this well in 2015. Manning's 2014 was plagued by horrible offensive line play and growing pains learning a new offense for the first time since his rookie year. 2015 couldn't be any more different as he's fully acclimated to Ben McAdoo's offense and playing his best football since the Giants last Super Bowl run in 2011. Manning put up his strongest outing of 2015 so far against the 49ers on Sunday night, throwing for 441 YDS and 3 TD's and adding 11 rushing yards on a scamper during the Giants game-winning drive.With 1,417 YDS, 10 TD's and just 2 INT's through the first 5 games, Manning is shedding the poor fantasy reputation he's developed over the past few years and morphing into a quality QB1 that can be consistently relied on to put up solid numbers.
Honorable Mentions: Blake Bortles (Jaguars), Andy Dalton (Bengals), Tom Brady (Patriots)

LVP: Peyton Manning (Broncos
While one Manning brother is on top of his game, the other one is hitting a new low. The elder Manning is finally showing signs of noticeable decline in play in 2015 and that regression hasn't been clearer than in his horrid outing (266 YDS, 0 TD's, 2 INT's) against the Raiders in Week 5. In Manning's defense, Demaryius Thomas and Owen Daniels both dropped potential touchdown passes in the 1st half, but his ineffectiveness against a middling Raiders defense is a mildly alarming sign for his fantasy owners. Manning has a solid shot of rebounding in Week 6 against a banged-up Browns secondary. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Marcus Mariota (Titans), Matt Ryan (Falcons), Matthew Stafford (Lions)

Running Back
MVP: Doug Martin (Buccaneers)
Martin beckoned back to the glory days of his stellar 2012 rookie season in Week 5. Martin registered a remarkable 158 all-purpose yards (123 rushing, 35 receiving) and 3 TD's in the Buccaneers victory over the Jaguars on Sunday afternoon. Martin appears to have returned to form after 2 straight underwhelming, injury-riddled seasons and can be considered a top-end RB2/low-end RB1 in the current fantasy running back landscape.   
Honorable Mentions: Justin Forsett (Ravens), Devonta Freeman (Falcons), Thomas Rawls (Seahawks)

LVP: Eddie Lacy (Packers) (13 carries, 27 YDS, 1 REC, 8 YDS)
It's been a really rough year for veteran RB's that were high fantasy picks as the likes of Marshawn Lynch, LeSean McCoy and DeMarco Murray have all been injured and/or severely underperformed in the first part of the season. Lacy is the latest victim of this disheartening trend as he put up a paltry 35 yards (27 rushing, 8 receiving) on just 14 touches against a so-so Rams rushing defense. Making Lacy's poor outing even worse is the fact that Aaron Rodgers had one of his weakest games in years, throwing 2 INT's and a modest (by his standards) 241 yards. Lacy has too much upside to remove from your starting lineup, but his time as a top-tier fantasy running back may be up.  
Dishonorable Mentions: Alfred Morris (Redskins), Ameer Abdullah (Lions), Latavius Murray (Raiders)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Andre Johnson (Colts)
It's remarkable how much revenge can motivate a struggling player to turn the tide. After failing to register a catch in 2 straight games, Johnson regained his mojo against the Texans-his former employer- putting up his first solid stat line (77 yards and 2 TD on 6 receptions) as a member of the Colts. Johnson's play has been far too inconsistent on the whole to warrant a spot in his owner's starting lineups, but this performance is an encouraging sign that the 34-year old future Hall-of-Famer might not be completely out of gas yet.
Honorable Mentions: Allen Robinson (Jaguars), Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants), Julian Edelman (Patriots)

LVP: Kendall Wright (Titans)
This was an odd week as most of the B-level receivers in good matchups delivered the goods and the superstar wideouts who posted weak numbers (Randall Cobb, Antonio Brown) did so against defenses that are in the bottom 10 in fantasy points allowed to wide receivers. Wright was one of the few mid-level receivers who didn't take advantage of a good matchup, managing just 29 years on 3 catches against a Bills secondary that has surrendered huge games to Julian Edelman and Rishard Matthews this season. Wright remains the clear top target in the Titans passing game, but rookie Marcus Mariota's up-and-down play and Ken Wisenhunt's focus on spreading the ball around on offense makes him a somewhat sketchy WR3 option.
Dishonorable Mentions: Percy Harvin (Bills), Randall Cobb (Packers), Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers)

Tight End
MVP: Antonio Gates (Chargers)
Antonio Gates, how fantasy owners missed you so. Gates made a lot of noise in his 1st game back after serving a 4-game suspension for violating the league's substance abuse policy, dicing up the Steelers defense for an absurd 92 YDS and 2 TD's on 9 receptions. Even at ripe old age of 35, Gates is showing no signs of slowing down and this performance immediately launches him to the top-tier of TE1's in fantasy football. If he's somehow available in your league and you don't own Rob Gronkowski, Greg Olsen, Tyler Eifert or Martellus Bennett, put in a waiver claim for him IMMEDIATELY.   
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Eifert (Bengals), Gary Barnidge (Browns), Larry Donnell (Giants)

LVP: Charles Clay (Bills)
Coming off of 2 straight impressive performances against the Dolphins and Giants and with wide receiver Sammy Watkins and running back LeSean McCoy out of the lineup with injuries, Clay seemed primed to have another huge game against the lowly Titans defense in Week 5. Instead, the Bills offense completely sputtered and Clay reeled in just 1 catch on 3 targets for 7 yards. With quarterback Tyrod Taylor more than likely missing this week's game against the Bengals with a sprained MCL, Clay will be a risky TE1 play.
Dishonorable Mentions: Jason Witten (Cowboys), Owen Daniels (Broncos), Travis Kelce (Chiefs) 

Defense
MVP: Green Bay Packers
With their offense having a shockingly subpar game against the Rams stingy defense, the Packers D stepped up big time. The Packers defense pummeled the Rams lowly offense, allowing just 10 points and picking up 4 INT's, 3 sacks, a blocked field goal and a touchdown in Sunday's contest. The Packers are far from the most reliable fantasy defense out there, but they'll be a strong play once again in Week 6 as they take on the Chargers turnover-happy offense.

Honorable Mentions: Denver Broncos, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots

LVP: New York Giants (27 points allowed, 2 sacks, 0 takeaways)
The Giants defense didn't live up to their billing as the hot waiver wire pickup of Week 5. The G-men failed to build off their strong outings in Week 3 and 4, putting up a below-average performance (27 points allowed, 2 sacks, 0 takeaways) against the lowly 49ers offense. While there are certainly much worse options out there, the Giants defense is too young and inconsistent to be anything more than a respectable streaming option. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Baltimore Ravens, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts

2015 Week 4 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Phillip Rivers (Chargers)
It was a pretty unspectacular week for QB's in the world of fantasy football this week with Tom Brady on bye and early-season studs Aaron Rodgers, Andy Dalton and Cam Newton having pretty modest games. Rivers took advantage of the soft competition and emerged as the best fantasy play of the week with his excellent performance (358 YDS, season-high 3 TD's, 0 turnovers) in a shootout against the Browns on Sunday afternoon. Rivers' tendency to turn the ball over and the horrible play of his o-line so far this year makes him a less-than-stellar QB1 choice most weeks, but he'll be worth a look in Week 5 as he goes up against the Steelers porous secondary.
Honorable Mentions: Sam Bradford (Eagles), Drew Brees (Saints), Eli Manning (Giants)

LVP: Joe Flacco (Ravens)
Flacco seemed to be trending in the right direction after 2 consecutive strong outings, but instead threw up a vintage Flacco stinker in Week 4. Flacco was sloppy all game long and aside from a couple drives, failed to get anything going against a horrid Steelers secondary, finishing the game with 189 YDS, 1 TD, 1 INT and a fumble. With Steve Smith- his lone viable receiving target-out indefinitely with microfractures in his back, Flacco is now officially a mid-tier QB2.
Dishonorable Mentions: Peyton Manning (Broncos), Matt Ryan (Falcons), Derek Carr (Raiders)

Running Back
MVP: Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
Fantasy owners (myself included) are likely wondering the same right thing right: Where the hell did this version of Devonta Freeman come from? Freeman proved his stellar Week 3 performance against the Cowboys wasn't a fluke by putting up his 2nd straight 3-TD, 100+ yard performance against The Texans this week. Freeman touched the ball 19 times (14 carries, 5 receptions) and kept the offense afloat during the rare off-day from star wideout Julio Jones. Now that there's basically no chance Tevin Coleman gets his job back when he returns from his rib injury, Freeman appears to have the makings of a top-flight weekly RB1 .
Honorable Mentions: Jeremy Hill (Bengals), Chris Ivory (Jets), Le'Veon Bell (Steelers)

LVP: Arian Foster (Texans)
While Freeman made a whole lot of noise for their opponent on Sunday, the star Texans back faceplanted in his 1st game of 2015. Foster put up a mere 35 total yards (10 rushing, 25 receiving) and a fumble in the Texans blowout loss against the Falcons on Sunday. The Texans' poor performance forced them to abandon the running game in the early stages of the game and subsequently prevented Foster from having the opportunity to redeem himself after his early fumble. I fully expect Foster to have a much better outing in Week 5 against the Colts weak run defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Frank Gore (Colts), Latavius Murray (Raiders), Carlos Hyde (49ers)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Vincent Jackson (Buccaneers)
The underwhelming fantasy week that was Week 4 hit wide receivers especially hard. Case in point is Vincent Jackson's garbage time theatrics in the Buccaneers lopsided loss to the Panthers being good enough to win him the crown of the week's top fantasy WR. Jackson got the brunt of the targets as the Panthers underrated top corner Josh Norman pretty much eliminated Mike Evans from the game and ended up making the most of them as he put up 147 yards and a touchdown on 10 receptions. Despite his strong performance in Week 4, Jameis Winston's erratic play and the presence of a rising star in Evans makes Jackson a weekly boom-or-bust WR3 option.
Honorable Mentions: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans), Jeremy Maclin (Chiefs), Mike Wallace (Vikings)

LVP: Randall Cobb (Packers)
It was a depressing week to own a top-tier WR1 as Julio Jones, Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr., Calvin Johnson and Emmanuel Sanders all put up underwhelming numbers. However, the most disappointing showing of any star wideout came from Randall Cobb. The Packers top dog only generated 44 yards on 5 receptions against a 49ers secondary that had allowed 329 YDS and 3 TD's to the past 2 top wideouts (Brown and Larry Fitzgerald) they faced. Cobb is a longshot for a rebound in Week 5 as the Packers go against a stingy Rams secondary that has only allowed 1 WR TD this season. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Julio Jones (Falcons), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)

Tight End
MVP: Martellus Bennett (Bears)
The Black Unicorn took advantage of the return of Jay Cutler and continued absence of top WR Alshon Jeffrey to have his first dominant performance of 2015. Bennett was targeted early and often against the Raiders weak pass defense, picking up 83 yards and a TD on 11 receptions. Bennett is one of the handful of reliable weekly TE1 options in fantasy and will remain that way as long as Cutler doesn't suffer another injury. 
Honorable Mentions: Coby Fleener (Colts), Ladarius Green (Chargers), Charles Clay (Bills)

LVP: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
Stop me if you've heard this one before: Jimmy Graham was mysteriously absent from the Seahawks passing attack this week. Graham reeled in just 4 passes for 29 yards against a Lions defense that has gotten crucified by tight ends all season long. So far, Graham has been as inconsistent as most expected he would be in Seattle's middling passing game and unless their offensive philosophy suddenly changes, he's going to continue to be hit-or-miss all season long. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Kyle Rudolph (Vikings), Larry Donnell (Giants), Greg Olsen (Panthers)

Defense
MVP: Carolina Panthers
After 2 straight underwhelming performances, the Panthers defense came up big in Week 4. The Panthers assaulted the Buccaneers offense on Sunday afternoon, picking up 5 takeaways (4 INT's and a fumble recovery), 2 sacks and a touchdown. The Panthers are a rock solid option moving forward and will only get better after star inside linebacker Luke Kuechly returns from a concussion following their Week 5 bye. 
Honorable Mentions: Green Bay Packers, St. Louis Rams, Denver Broncos

LVP: Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals streak of defensive dominance is officially over. The red-hot defense fizzled out majorly in Week 4, registering just 1 sack, generating 0 turnovers and allowing 24 points to the below-average offense of the Rams. The Cardinals have a good shot of returning to their elite form in Week 5 against the Lions struggling offense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills

2015 Week 3 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Aaron Rodgers (Packers)
The ever-reliable Rodgers gave his owners a beautiful parting gift for Week 3 last night. Rodgers had another special performance at Lambeau Field as he carved up the Chiefs defense for 333 yards and 5 TD's. Rodgers hot start should continue as the Packers travel to the Bay Area to face the struggling 49ers in Week 4.
Honorable Mentions: Andy Dalton (Bengals), Tyrod Taylor (Bills), Cam Newton (Panthers)

LVP: Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings)
The offseason mancrushes fantasy analysts (myself included) had for Bridgewater has proved to be completely unwarranted so far in 2015. Bridgewater put up the weakest performance of his underwhelming year to-date, throwing for a career-low 121 yards, 0 TD's and an INT on Sunday afternoon against the Chargers. The most alarming part of his horrid performance was the fact that offensive coordinator Norv Turner only chose to pass 24 times with both of the Chargers top corners out of the lineup with injuries yet the Vikings still won the game handily. Unless the Vikings change their conservative, run-first offensive philosophy, Bridgewater will have little-to-no-fantasy value moving forward.
Dishonorable Mentions: Russell Wilson (Seahawks), Colin Kaepernick (49ers), Matthew Stafford (Lions)

Running Back
MVP: Devonta Freeman (Falcons)
Chalk this one up as the surprise of the week. Freeman- a popular late-round flier in this year's fantasy drafts- picked up his first start of the year in place of the injured Tevin Coleman on Sunday afternoon against the Cowboys and put up absolutely ridiculous numbers in the process. Freeman shredded a Cowboys run defense that was ranked 1st in the league coming into Week 3, putting up an absurd 193 total yards (141 rushing, 52 receiving) and 3 TD's on 35 touches. This inhuman performance should allow him to hold onto the starting job for the interim, but the famously streaky Freeman has to prove he can perform on a consistent basis before his owners can feel comfortable locking him in as a weekly fixture in their starting lineups.
Honorable Mentions: Joesph Randle (Cowboys), LeGarrette Blount (Patriots), Chris Johnson (Cardinals)

LVP: C.J. Anderson (Broncos)
Another week, another disappointment from Anderson. Anderson failed to get anything going against the Lions soft run defense as he gained a measly 27 total yards (18 rushing, 9 receiving) on 9 touches. Anderson is further solidifying his status as a major fantasy flop with each passing week and until him or his inexperienced offensive line can show some signs of life, he'll be nothing more than a low-end RB2 or FLEX option.
Dishonorable Mentions: Justin Forsett (Ravens), Jeremy Hill (Bengals), Jonathan Stewart (Panthers)

Wide Receiver 
MVP: A.J. Green (Bengals)
After letting Tyler Eifert and Marvin Jones lead the way in the first 2 weeks of the season, Green reestablished himself as the Bengals number 1 option in a big way in Week 3. Green torched the Ravens top corner Jimmy Smith all game long on his way to a career-high 227 yards and 2 TD's on 10 receptions. Green has a solid chance to go off again in Week 4 when the Bengals take on a Chiefs secondary that has gotten slaughtered by the Packers and Broncos wideouts over the past 2 weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Steve Smith Sr. (Ravens), Julio Jones (Falcons), Randall Cobb (Packers)

LVP: Andre Johnson (Colts)
There is no one in the NFL that I sympathize with more than Johnson. Despite playing with a legitimate franchise quarterback for the first time in his career, the 34-year old future Hall-of-Famer and longtime underrated receiving dynamo has been nearly invisible in his first 3 games as an Indianapolis Colt. Johnson was held out without a catch on a single target in the Colts victory over the Titans on Sunday. Johnson has looked sluggish all year long and is losing more and more targets to fast-rising second-year receiver Donte Moncrief and rookie speed demon Phillip Dorsett. Unless Johnson finds a definitive role in this offense or suddenly regains his ability to consistently separate from receivers and wreak havoc from sideline-to-sideline, he'll be the 4th-or-5th option in the Colts passing game and be nothing more than a desperation play for fantasy purposes.
Dishonorable Mentions: Torrey Smith (49ers), Anquan Boldin (49ers), Markus Wheaton (Steelers)

Tight End
MVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
Week 3 saw Olsen finally living up to the immense hype that surrounded him heading into 2015. Olsen roasted the Saints horrendous defense the entire afternoon, putting up 134 yards and 2 TD's on 8 receptions. Olsen is the clear go-to-guy for quarterback Cam Newton and as long as he's operating at full speed, his absurd amount of targets (25 over the past 2 weeks, which is comparable to what star wideouts Antonio Brown, Odell Beckham Jr. and Demaryius Thomas have seen over the same frame) will make him a threat to go off every week.
Honorable Mentions: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks), Rob Gronkowski (Patriots), Travis Kelce (Chiefs)

LVP: Tyler Eifert (Bengals)
Eifert finally hit a wall in Week 3 after his commanding start to the 2015 season. The 3rd-year tight end got suffocated by the Ravens talented linebackers and wasn't able to catch a single pass (he did have a TD reversed in the 2nd quarter) in Sunday's game. Eifert is starting to establish himself as the number 2 target behind A.J. Green in the passing game and all signs point to his hot start not being some kind of freak occurrence of vast overachieving. Look for him to rebound against a middling Chiefs defense in Week 4.
Dishonorable Mentions: Heath Miller (Steelers), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)

Defense
MVP: Arizona Cardinals
You rarely see the levels of dominance the Cardinals defense showed on Sunday against the 49ers. They started the game off by picking off Colin Kapernick twice and returning both of those INT's for TD's. That level of production didn't let up all game long, as they finished the night with an additional 2 INT's, 2 sacks and a safety. The Cardinals red-hot defense faces another highly favorable matchup in Week 4 against a struggling Rams offense.
Honorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, Philadelphia Eagles, Denver Broncos

LVP: Miami Dolphins
What the hell is wrong with the Miami Dolphins defense? The addition of prized free agent defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh to an already talented-loaded defense made this unit one of the most feared in the league going 2015. Through 3 games, that abundance of talent has failed to deliver on-the-field. The Dolphins got torched by the Bills in their home opener this week, allowing 35 points and failing to register a single sack or takeaway. The Dolphins have just 1 sack and 2 takeaways through 3 games, which is simply astonishing given the fact that they have players like Suh, defensive end Cameron Wake and cornerback Brent Grimes in their ranks. They have too much talent to give up on this early in the year, but what they've shown so far is extremely discouraging for their longterm prospects in 2015. They'll look to get back on track in Week 4 against a Jets team that turned the ball over 4 times in Week 3.
Dishonorable Mentions: New York Jets, New England Patriots, Kansas City Chiefs

2015 Week 2 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

Quarterback
MVP: Ben Roethlisberger (Steelers):
Roethlisberger was able to put his middling week 1 performance behind him and put on a show for Steeler nation in their home opener against the 49ers on Sunday afternoon. Roethlisberger decimated the 49ers rebuilt defense, putting up 369 yards, 3 TD's and a pair of 2-point conversions before being benched in garbage time. The scariest part about this performance was that Roethlisberger is that he was able to shred through the 49ers D without star running back Le'Veon Bell and lethal young wide receiver Martavis Bryant (they're both currently serving marijuana-related suspensions) in the lineup. Once Roethlisberger gets Bell back next week and Bryant back in Week 5, he should be nearly unstoppable for the rest of the season.
Honorable Mentions: Tom Brady (Patriots), Cam Newton (Panthers), Colin Kaepernick (49ers)

LVP: Andrew Luck (Colts)
2015 has not been kind to the 2014 fantasy MVP so far. Luck followed up his stinker in Buffalo last week with an even-shakier performance (250 yards, 56.8 CMLP %, 1 TD, 3 INT and a lost fumble) against the Jets in primetime last night. The Colts terrible offensive line has given little-to-no-time to go through his progressions and facing the stout Bills and Jets defenses out of the gate is about as rough as it gets for a quarterback who is frequently under pressure, but Luck has to stop forcing balls into tight coverage and learn to take a sack or throw the ball away when pressure collapses the pocket. Luck has a good shot of redeeming himself in Week 3 when the Colts travel to Nashville to take on a Titans defense that has a below-average pass-rush and just got carved up by Johnny Manziel.
Dishonorable Mentions: Drew Brees (Saints), Sam Bradford (Eagles), Phillip Rivers (Chargers),

Running Back
MVP: DeAngelo Williams (Steelers)
Williams apparently drank from the fountain of youth before signing with the Steelers this offseason. The 32-year former Carolina Panther was able to replicate his success from Week 1, putting up 92 total yards (77 rushing, 15 receiving) and 3 TD's on 24 touches. Williams' workload will be scaled back when Le'Veon Bell returns from suspension in Week 3, but given the piss-poor depth at running back, his fantasy owners should retain him as a solid bench option who can be relied on to start if needed.

Honorable Mentions: Adrian Peterson (Vikings), Dion Lewis (Patriots), David Johnson (Cardinals)

LVP: Jeremy Hill (Bengals)
2nd-year back Jeremy Hill has been one of the most reliable fantasy backs since he took over as the Bengals starting back last November, so it was inevitable that he was going to throw up a stinker sooner or later. However, Hill didn't just throw up a typical stinker, his performance in Week 2 is one for the fantasy lowlight annals. Hill gained just 39 yards on 10 carries on a Chargers defense that got leveled in Week 1 against the Lions and was yanked in the 3rd quarter after fumbling twice. In most leagues, Hill's rough day netted his fantasy owners negative points. Despite backup Giovani Bernard's strong performance in relief of him on Sunday, Hill's starting job shouldn't be in danger and he should continue to be a rock-solid weekly RB1 option.
Dishonorable Mentions: Lamar Miller (Dolphins), Ameer Abdullah (Lions), Marshawn Lynch (Seahawks)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Larry Fitzgerald (Cardinals)
After 2 straight middling seasons, Fitzgerald appears to be back in dominant form. Fitzgerald accounted for over half of the Cardinals receiving yards and total points, putting up a ridiculous 112 yards and 3 TD's on 8 receptions, in Sunday's contest against the Bears. The Cardinals may have a talented pair of young receivers in John Brown and Michael Floyd, but all signs point to Fitzgerald being the top wideout and best fantasy option on the team this season.  
Honorable Mentions: Antonio Brown (Steelers), Allen Robinson (Jaguars), Julian Edelman (Patriots)

LVP: Keenan Allen (Chargers)
Oh the plight of Keenan Allen. A week after logging a 15-catch, 166-yard game, Allen put up a paltry 16 yards on 2 receptions and had a costly early fumble in the Chargers loss to the Bengals this past Sunday. Allen is the uncontested number 1 option in the Chargers passing game, but his erratic play makes him one of the biggest boom-or-bust fantasy plays around.
Dishonorable Mentions: Mike Evans (Buccaneers), Charles Johnson (Vikings), Rueben Randle (Giants)

Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
Another week, another freakish performance for Gronkowski. The centerpiece of the Patriots took advantage of every linebacker and defensive back the Bills trotted out to cover him and put up an even more impressive performance (7 receptions, 113 yards, 1 TD) than he did in his masterful week 1 outing against the Steelers. Gronkowski is one of the biggest matchup problems in the league and with the Jaguars soft defense coming to Foxboro in Week 3, there's no reason to believe that he can't put up even bigger numbers than he did the past 2 weeks.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Eifert (Bengals), Heath Miller (Steelers), Kyle Rudolph (Vikings)

LVP: Jimmy Graham (Seahawks)
Graham's transition from the pass-happy offense of the Saints to the run-first offense of the Seahawks hasn't exactly been smooth so far. That transition hit a new low on Sunday night against the Packers as Graham was only targeted twice and made 1 grab for 11 yards. Given the makeup of the Seahawks offense, Graham just can't be expected to put up the numbers fantasy owners grew accustomed to when he was with the Saints. 
Dishonorable Mentions: Zach Ertz (Eagles), Martellus Bennett (Bears), Ladrius Green (Chargers)

Defense
MVP: Denver Broncos
The Broncos defense come out and turned out a lot of head on Thursday night with their play against the Chiefs. The Broncos picked up 4 sacks, 3 fumble recoveries, 2 INT's and a touchdown against an offense that is widely regarded for how well they take care of the football. The Broncos defense has been nothing short of superb in the first 2 weeks of the season and with the talent they possess at every position group, they should be able to keep it up as long as they stay healthy.
Honorable Mentions: Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, New York Jets

LVP: Baltimore Ravens
I don't know if it was because of the loss of Terrell Suggs or they just underestimated the Raiders offense, but the Ravens defense looked absolutely awful in Week 2. They mustered just 1 sack and 1 interception in their shocking upset loss in Oakland on Sunday afternoon. Until they prove they can be perform without Suggs in the lineup, they're a shaky fantasy play at best.
Dishonorable Mentions: Miami Dolphins, St. Louis Rams, Carolina Panthers

2015 Week 1 Fantasy Football Winners and Losers

MVP: Tom Brady (Patriots):
After going through a tumultuous offseason full of public scrutiny and a long court battle stemming from the Deflategate scandal, Brady started off the 2015 season with a noticeable bang. Brady lit up (288 yards, 4 TD's, 0 turnovers) the porous Steelers defense without much visible effort in the NFL season opener last Thursday night. While its highly unlikely that Brady will be this dominant every week, this performance is an encouraging sign that the 38-year old quarterback won't fall from grace in 2015.
Honorable Mentions: Carson Palmer (Cardinals), Marcus Mariota (Titans), Tony Romo (Cowboys)

LVP: Peyton Manning (Broncos):
The struggles that plagued Manning down the stretch in 2014 have followed him into the start of the 2015 season. Manning's struggles with accuracy and frequently poor pass protection led to him putting up an incredibly poor performance (175 YDS, 0 TD, 1 INT, 4.4 yards per completion) against the Ravens on Sunday afternoon. Manning gets a bit of a pass due to how good the Ravens defense is, but it's still pretty clear that Manning's best days are well behind him. He's a risky start this week when the Broncos travel to Kansas City to play a similarly stingy Chiefs defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Eli Manning (Giants), Joe Flacco (Ravens), Teddy Bridgewater (Vikings)

Running Back
MVP: Carlos Hyde (49ers)
2nd-year running back Carlos Hyde had a lot on his plate in his 1st career start this week. Hyde was replacing 49ers icon Frank Gore as the team's starting running back and was expected to be heavily leaned on to take the pressure off of quarterback Colin Kapernick in this revamped 49ers offense. Hyde proved to be up to the challenge as he was the driving force behind the 49ers' offensive success in Week 1. Hyde eviscerated the Vikings defense on Monday night, picking up 182 total yards (168 rushing, 14 receiving) and 2 highlight-reel worthy rushing touchdowns. If Hyde can keep this level of play up, he'll prove be to a top-end RB1 all season long.
Honorable Mentions: Matt Forte (Bears), Chris Ivory (Jets), Bishop Sankey (Titans)

LVP: Adrian Peterson (Vikings)
It was a rough week for projected RB1's this week with guys like C.J. Anderson, Justin Forsett and LeSean McCoy all falling short of expectations. However, none of these guys were as disappointing as Peterson. Peterson's attempt to make a triumphant statement in his 1st NFL game in over a year was thwarted by the 49ers surprisingly stiff defense. Peterson put up just 52 total yards (31 rushing, 21 receiving) on a shockingly-low 13 touches in what was a rough night for the entire Vikings offense. He has a good shot to redeem himself in Week 2 against a Lions run defense that got torched by the Chargers this past week.
Dishonorable Mentions: Frank Gore (Colts), Justin Forsett (Ravens),  C.J. Anderson (Broncos)

Wide Receiver
MVP: Julio Jones (Falcons)
Jones once again proved why he is one of the league's top receivers with his dominant performance last night against the Eagles. Jones torched every single poor soul the Eagles dragged out to try and cover him, picking up an absurd 141 yards and 2 TD's on 9 receptions. Jones is an absolute target monster in the Falcons pass-heavy offense and barring injury, he'll be in the running for the top fantasy WR title in 2015.  
Honorable Mentions: DeAndre Hopkins (Texans), Antonio Brown (Steelers), Keenan Allen (Chargers)

LVP: Odell Beckham Jr. (Giants)
2014's most reliable fantasy receiver showed a rare chink in his armor against the Cowboys on Sunday night. The reigning Offensive Rookie of the Year picked up a mere 44 yards on 5 receptions and was rarely targeted outside of short-yardage situations. Beckham Jr.'s fantasy owners can take solace in the fact that his ineffectiveness can largely be attributed to how bad Eli Manning played, but it's still a disappointing start for a guy that was downright unstoppable for the last 2 months of the season a year ago.
Dishonorable Mentions: Amari Cooper (Raiders), Demaryius Thomas (Broncos), Calvin Johnson (Lions)

Tight End
MVP: Rob Gronkowski (Patriots)
The Steelers employed a bold defensive strategy this week by not trying to cover the best tight end in the NFL. Let's just say that gameplan didn't pan out too well. Gronkowski took advantage of the Steelers defensive incompetence by putting up 94 yards and 3 TD's on just 5 receptions. As long as Gronkowksi remains healthy, he's the single most deadly redzone threat in the NFL and should make his fantasy owners happy just about every week.
Honorable Mentions: Austin Seferian-Jenkins (Buccaneers), Travis Kelce (Chiefs), Tyler Eifert (Bengals)

LVP: Greg Olsen (Panthers)
With top wideout Kelvin Benjamin out for the season, it seemed like Greg Olsen was going to be the go-to-guy in the Panthers passing game. That was not the case on Sunday afternoon against the Jaguars as Olsen only a caught a single pass for 11 yards. As far as I'm concerned, this weak performance was a fluke and Olsen should return to form against a Texans team that got destroyed by Travis Kelce in Week 1.
Dishonorable Mentions: Owen Daniels (Broncos), Larry Donnell (Giants), Coby Fleener (Colts)

Defense
MVP: Carolina Panthers
The Panthers defense started 2015 off with a serious statement by terrorizing the lowly Jaguars on Sunday afternoon. The Panthers picked up 5 sacks, 2 INT's, a fumble recovery and a defensive touchdown in the 20-9 victory. The Panthers are a severely underrated fantasy defense that should be able to put up solid numbers week in and week out.
Honorable Mentions: Seattle Seahawks, Baltimore Ravens, Denver Broncos

LVP: Green Bay Packers
The Packers defense started off their 2015 season in pretty unspectacular fashion. The Packers did not duplicate the success they had against Jay Cutler and the Bears last season on Sunday, picking up just 2 sacks and an interception against their heated rivals. The Packers solid pass-rush and talented secondary make them a solid starting defense, but they will have more down weeks than your typical top 10 fantasy defense.
Dishonorable Mentions: Houston Texans, Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots