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2001 Third Quarter Fantasy awards

Titans running back Eddie George has only 614 rushing yards this season, well of last year's pace. AP

By Bob Harris, Special to CNNSI.com

If it's Week 13 it must be time to hand out the third installment of my quarterly 2001 Fantasy Awards!

These awards, of course, honor those players who have, for better or for worse, distinguished themselves above all others over the period in question -- in this case the third quarter of the NFL season (Weeks 9, 10, 11 and 12) -- in the following categories: (this year's First- and Second-Quarter honorees appear in parenthesis under the appropriate category)

Fantasy MVP
Awarded to the player who performed above and beyond the expectations of Fantasy owners, an impact player who regularly made the difference between winning and losing (First Quarter winner: Kurt Warner, QB, St. Louis Rams; Second Quarter winner: Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots).

Fantasy Flop
Awarded to the player we believe came the furthest from meeting the preseason expectations of Fantasy owners. This award is based solely on performance. Players missing significant time due to injury do not receive consideration (First Quarter winner: Randy Moss, WR, Minnesota Vikings; Second Quarter winner: Elvis Grbac, QB, Baltimore Ravens).

Ambush Award
Awarded to the player turning in the most surprising Fantasy performance based on preseason expectations, or more precisely, the lack of same (First Quarter winner: LaDainian Tomlinson, RB, San Diego Chargers; Second Quarter winner: Anthony Thomas, RB, Chicago Bears).

Top Comeback Player
Awarded to a player who overcame past non-productivity and/or ineffectiveness due to injury, a weak supporting cast or other adversities to surpass the lowered preseason expectations resulting from their previous problems (First Quarter winner: Brett Favre, QB, Green Bay Packers; Second Quarter winner: Ike Hilliard, WR, New York Giants).

The Candy Bone Award
The "Crown Jewel" of these awards! Given to the player who above all others failed to meet preseason expectations due to injury (First & Second Quarter winner: Fred Taylor, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars).

So, without further adieu. ... My 2001 Third-Quarter Fantasy Award winners are:

Fantasy MVP: Rich Gannon, QB, Oakland Raiders
Gannon becomes the third quarterback in a row to lay claim to this award despite my best efforts to find a worthy running back. Marshall Faulk would have been an ideal candidate if it weren't for a lackluster (12 carries for 55 yards; two catches for 11 yards) Nov. 26 outing -- in front of God and everybody -- against the Buccaneers on Monday Night Football.

I'll also point out that Seattle running back Shaun Alexander almost took this one home based on his 35-carry, 266-yard, three-touchdown outing against the Raiders on Nov. 11. Even though the second-year man out of Alabama scored at least one touchdown in all four games this quarter, he simply couldn't match Gannon's remarkable consistency.

And make no mistake about it: Gannon certainly posted the totals. The veteran signal caller has thrown hit 64.5 percent of his passes (91-of-141) for 1,091 yards with 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions (two of which came during last week's upset loss to the Cardinals).

For the season, Gannon leads the AFC after hitting 236-of-360 attempts (65.6 percent) for 2,626 yards with 21 touchdowns and four interceptions. His 101.9 passer rating is far and away the best in the NFL.

Fantasy Flop: Eddie George, RB, Tennessee Titans
George has clearly been the bane of every Fantasy owner who drafted him -- most likely with a first-round draft pick -- heading into the 2001 season. And I've gotta tell you, if anybody tried to tell me before the season that a 23-carry, 51-yard, one-touchdown effort against the Browns on Dec. 2 would be George's top performance for any four-week period this year, I would have laughed right in their face.

But I ain't laughin' now.

Over the last four weeks, the former Ohio State standout has rushed for 241 yards on 83 carries -- for a horrendous 2.9-yard per carry average -- with just one touchdown and no fewer than four fumbles! The low point might have come during the Titans Nov. 18 win over the Bengals in which George gained a meager 61 yards on 23 carries to finish behind beat up QB Steve McNair who ran for a team-high 68 yards on five carries.

How the mighty have fallen.

A bye last weekend might be the only thing standing between Ron Dayne and this award, but the big fella has to be an early favorite for fourth quarter Flop honors. Buffalo WR Eric Moulds probably would have edged George out for this one if it weren’t for his monster six-catch, 196-yard, two-TD effort against the Dolphins two weeks ago.

Ambush Award: Chris Chambers, WR, Miami Dolphins
Goodness gracious! Chambers has exploded to life over the last four games. In fact, the second-round draft pick out of Wisconsin has pulled in 13 of his season total 31 catches, racked up 271 of his season total 604 yards and snagged all five of his touchdown catches in the last month.

Of course, I've been on the Chambers' bandwagon since early this summer and there's never been any doubt in my mind that he'd emerge as one of the league's most dangerous offensive weapons. I didn't necessarily think it would happen this year -- and I certainly didn't think it would happen over a four-week period this year. Like they say: The sooner the better.

Top Comeback Player: Garrison Hearst, RB, San Francisco 49ers
Who else could it be? Sure, other players clearly put up the kind of numbers necessary to hang with Hearst, but none of them missed the last two years or nearly had to have their foot amputated because of a horrendous ankle injury.

In his last four games, Hearst has rushed for 145, 92, 106 and 124 yards with three touchdowns (all three coming in the last two weeks). He hasn't fumbled the ball once on any of his 71 carries and his 6.5-yard per carry average over that span kept the chains moving and drives alive.

Based on preseason expectations, I think it's safe to say the Hearst is well on his way to nailing down this year's NFL Comeback Player of the Year award as well as my Fantasy version of the same honor.

"It feels good," Hearst said early this week when asked about his play over the last month. "I owe it to my big boys up front. They are doing it for me."

In all honesty, Hearst probably needed the sympathy vote to edge out Saints receiver Joe Horn this quarter. In addition to racking up 494 yards over the last four weeks, Horn has also pulled in three TD passes. In fact, bumbling NFL official Phil Luckett might have been the only thing standing between Horn and my Third-Quarter Comeback award -- literally.

The Candy Bone Award: Fred Taylor, RB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Hey! If it ain't broke don't fix it. I see no reason to mess up a run at perfection -- and barring a surprising turnaround -- Taylor is on track to sweep this year's Quarterly Candy Bone Awards thanks to the groin injury that's sidelined him since Week 2.

Taylor has been working out on a limited basis in recent weeks, but depending on which story you buy into, it might be a month before he returns from the groin injury he suffered the second week of the season -- if he comes back at all this year.

In the meantime, I have a little reminder for those of you still hoping against all hope the talented but tender Taylor returns to the lineup in time to give your team a boost down the stretch run: Hey! Hope is cheap! Indulge yourselves! And at the risk of raining on your parade, I'll also remind you that team officials put considerable effort into hiding the fact that Taylor's muscle was torn right off the bone -- and that such an injury can take up to a year to heal completely.

Perhaps those of you stuck without a top-notch running back on your roster after burning an early draft pick on the former Florida star can take some solace in the fact Taylor is losing considerable coin while sitting on the sidelines.

How considerable?

According to Pro Football Weekly, Taylor has already missed out on a $2.5 million bonus that was tied to his on-field participation.

There you have it. ... Remember: I'll hand out my Fourth Quarter Awards after Week 16 before announcing my final 2001 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

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