Third-quarter Fantasy Awards

BOB HARRIS Back Page Peyton Manning is running as this season's top fantasy performer. AP

Week 13 is upon us and it's time for the third installment of my quarterly Fantasy Awards. These awards honor those players who have -- for better or for worse -- distinguished themselves above all others over the four-game stretch in question -- in this case Weeks 9 though 12.

Those of you unfamiliar with the categories can find descriptions here. Remember, players whose bye week fell during the quarter in question are ineligible.

So, without further adieu, my 2004 Third-Quarter Fantasy Awards:

Fantasy MVP: Peyton Manning, QB, Indianapolis Colts

Uhhh. Let's see. Manning led the Colts to a 4-0 record in November, completing 81 of 112 passes for 1,035 yards and 19 touchdowns with just three interceptions for a passer rating of 129.3. He threw at least four touchdowns in each game.

Admittedly not a difficult choice here folks.

Manning, who was named as the AFC Offensive Player of the Week after matching a career high with six touchdown passes in a 41-9 win over Detroit on Thanksgiving, is closing in on Dan Marino's single-season record of 48 scoring passes in 1984. Manning needs eight in his last five games to surpass Marino.

Fantasy Flop: Hines Ward, WR, Pittsburgh Steelers

Were it not for the fact he missed time due to injury, Seattle quarterback Matt Hasselbeck would have nailed this one down. But since the Fantasy Flop is all about failing to meet preseason expectations, Ward is a suitable replacement here, just edging out Washington tailback Clinton Portis.

Don't get me wrong. I'm not down on Ward. But we're talking about a top-10 receiver in most drafts -- a player who was living up to those expectations -- until November.

So even though Ward extended his team record for consecutive games with at least one reception to 99 last Sunday, he totaled only three for 42 yards. That's four games in a row in which he has had no more than three catches.

In fact, with just 11 catches last month, Ward has dropped to eighth in the AFC, after leading for a good portion of the season.

Ambush Award: Michael Pittman, RB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

After serving a league-mandated suspension in September -- and being limited to just two touchdowns through Week 8, Pittman has come on like gangbusters the past four weeks, reaching the end zone seven times (five rushing, two receiving) with 505 yards from scrimmage.

Not bad for a guy who, back in September, figured to be fighting a losing battle for touches with Charlie Garner and Mike Alstott.

Better yet, Pittman is proving to be the kind of versatile weapon the Bucs expected when they signed him away from the Cardinals prior to the 2002 season.

Last Sunday for example, Pittman made up for his inability to pick up yards on the ground by contributing significantly to the passing game. He picked up just 29 yards on 18 carries, but hauled in eight passes for a team-high 134 yards and two touchdowns.

Top Comeback Player: Brian Griese, QB, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Had you actually drafted Brian Griese back in September, your fellow owners would have struggled to stifle their giggles. Had you then predicted Griese would be among the league's consistent fantasy quarterbacks in November, they would have laughed out loud.

Of course, the only laughter now is coming from owners sharp enough to snag the former Bronco after he took over for Chris Simms as the Bucs' starter.

After tossing two TD passes per game in each of the last four weeks, it's hard to deny Griese his due. He's emerged as an extremely effective remedy for those who found themselves stuck with slackers like Hasselbeck, Jeff Garcia or Josh McCown early this year.

It's worth noting that Griese is currently playing effectively despite a sore hip and nagging shoulder injury suffered two weeks ago. Despite the ailments, Griese had his best game of the 2004 campaign last Sunday, passing for 347 yards and his usual two TDs.

Candy Bone Award: Priest Holmes, RB, Kansas City Chiefs

Earlier this week, head coach Dick Vermeil announced that Holmes would miss another week. It will be the fourth straight game Holmes has missed since spraining medial collateral ligaments in his right knee on Nov. 7 at Tampa Bay.

Counting the Tampa Bay game, the Chiefs are 0-4 since he was injured. I suspect Fantasy owners counting on Holmes find themselves in the same boat.

If it makes you feel any better, Holmes is thinking about you.

That's right, in an apology posted on his official Web site, Holmes wrote:

To all Fantasy Football Players:

Hey, everyone! I hope your 2004 season went a little better than mine. If you had me on your team, I am sorry to have disappointed you with the news of my knee injury. I hope with my absence you were still able to rack up the points.

Best wishes to all of you and much success!

Gee. Thanks man.

The most interesting aspect of this apology is that it's a revised version. The original message included the line: "I am sorry to have disappointed you with the news of my knee injury and not being able to finish out the season."

That line was removed shortly after it was first posted.

An accidental slip? I'm not so sure.

Asked during his Thursday afternoon press conference if he believes Holmes will return this season, head coach Dick Vermeil replied: "I think he is. You just can't define it. The normal thing when a guy gets injured the medical people give you the diagnosis that [it's] two weeks, three weeks, maybe four [weeks].

"But each guy's an individual. ... He is not ready to play now and he won't play until he's 100 percent ready to play, and if he's never 100 percent then he won't play."

Never? That's a very scary word for owners desperately hoping Holmes will return in time for their Fantasy playoff run.

That's all for now. I'll announce my final 2004 full season Fantasy Award winners following Week 17.

Bob Harris is Editor and Webmaster of the TFL Report and Senior Editor for Fantasy Sports Publications.