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I’ve made some changes to the Stats Machine (TSM) this week in hopes to present more accurate data. While this is a weekly post that highlights the previous week’s top performances, TSM also provides a year-to-date report to help you identify valuable players. Until now, this has been based on the players’ total score for the season. The problem with that is that it punishes players that have already had a bye, as they will have had one less game than players that have not. Until all teams have had their bye week, this list will be powered by each players’ average score per game. Got it? Good.

What else does TSM have to say? For those that think DeMarco Murray is the most valuable running back in fantasy football, TSM is here to correct you. That honor would belong to Matt Forte, who fell just shy of a three-peat as the top running back of the week. Believe it or not Darren McFadden is still not injured and quietly having a decent season, and would make a good bye week fill-in. If you can get an owner to sell a little low on Rashad Jennings before he returns from injury the Stats Machine says go for it!

Even though Jerick McKinnon technically played in all 7 Vikings games, he didn’t really play in the first 4. I have manually adjusted his games played to 4 to give a better representation of his performance while he has been a legitimate contributor. In doing so, it puts him in the top 10!

Demaryius Thomas has jumped to the top of the wide receiver pack after last week. With Peyton Manning throwing him the ball I guess that’s not hard to do. And as I will mention again later on, Golden Tate is now the 5th highest ranked wide receiver according to TSM. I wonder if he wants Megatron to return.

Greg Olsen has emerged as the tightest end while Clay Harbor deserves much more fantasy attention than he is getting.

Hidden Rupees Category 1: Best of the Rest (Weekly)

These are the players that are owned in less than approximately 85% of most leagues that were top performers based on last week’s stats.

Running Back: Chris Ivory (26.85 SAV)

According to Yahoo! Ivory is owned in about 77% of leagues. If you are in one of these leagues, own him. Last week he had 21 carries for 107 yards and a touchdown and caught all 4 passes thrown to him for another 18 yards. If the Jets dump Chris Johnson and sign a running back named Ed Ebony, these two could be known as Ebony and Ivory. It would be perfect harmony. Honorable Mention (Denard Robinson 21.75)

Wide Receiver: Doug Baldwin (29.75 SAV)

When a guy with no hair is victorious is that considered a bald win? If a guy with no hair catches 7 passes for 123 yards and touchdown is that considered a Doug Baldwin? Things might be looking up for Doug in Seattle with Percy Harvin banished to the Jets. Honorable Mention (Odell Beckham Jr22.8)

Tight End: Jermaine Gresham (22.6 SAV)

It would be germane to say with 10 receptions Gresham led all tight ends in catches last week. Honorable Mention: (Owen Daniels 21)

Hidden Rupees Category 1A: Best of the Rest (Year To Date)

Several commenters have have asked me who I see as solid RB2/RB3 and WR2/WR3 players. Here are the Stats Machine’s replies.

Running Back:
Jerick McKinnon (21.16)
Branden Oliver (19.6)
Fred Jackson (18.86)
Trent Richardson (17.41)
Darren McFadden (17.18)
Pierre Thomas (16.87)
Ronnie Hillman (16.81)
Mark Ingram (16.32)
Chris Ivory (15.31)

Wide Receiver:
Mohamed Sanu (20.23)
Anquan Boldin (18.59)
Rueben Randle (17.74)
Eric Decker (17.53)
DeAndre Hopkins (17.51)
Kendall Wright (17.41)
Andrew Hawkins (17.16)
James Jones (17.07)
Brian Quick (17.01)
Louis Murphy (16.9)

Tight End:
Clay Harbor (17.85)
Larry Donnell (16.39)
Dwayne Allen (15.4)
Jared Cook (14.95)
Heath Miller (14.91)
Travis Kelce (14.52)
Zach Ertz (14.44)

How is Jason Witten (14.65) owned in more leagues than most of these guys?


Hidden Rupees Category 2: Best of the Best (Weekly)

These are the best performing players based on last week’s stats regardless of percentage owned.

Running Back: Le’Veon Bell (34.75 SAV)

For whom the Le’Veon Bell tolls. For anyone that owns him, that’s who! Bell had 12 carries for 57 yards to go with 8 receptions on 8 targets for 88 yards and a touchdown. Ding freaking dong! When this guy joins the WWE I think we know what his entrance song will be. Ride the Lightning! Honorable Mention: (Matt Forte 32.25)

Wide Receiver: Golden Tate (36.15 SAV)

He’s not just good, he golden. With 10 catches on 13 targets for 154 yards and a TD with 85 yards after the catch Tate was spraying golden showers on opposing owners like it was his job. R Kelly who? Don’t look now but Golden Tate is the 5th best wide receiver according to the Stats Machine. Honorable Mention: (Sammy Watkins 35.65, Demaryius Thomas 35.3)

Tight End: Greg Olsen (23.35 SAV)

After 2 weeks of finishing as the 2nd best tight end of the week, this number 1 finish makes it two in a row. That’s 4 weeks in a row where he has been either number 1 or 2. That’s impressive and the reason why he’s the top ranked tight end in football. Eight catches on 8 targets for 105 yards will have a way of doing that for you. There’s a new sheriff in tight end town. Honorable Mention: (Jermaine Gresham 22.6)

Hidden Rupees Category 2A: Best of the Best (Year To Date)

Running Back:
Matt Forte (32.74)
DeMarco Murray (29.27)
Le’Veon Bell (27.49)
Arian Foster (26.64)
Andre Ellington (23.68)
Giovani Bernard (22.78)
Marshawn Lynch (22.69)
Jerick McKinnon (21.16)
Ahmad Bradshaw (20.11)
LeSean McCoy (19.79)
Rashad Jennings (19.73)

Wide Receiver:
Demaryius Thomas (26.97)
Antonio Brown (26.29)
Jordy Nelson (25.75)
Julio Jones (24.06)
Golden Tate (23.69)
Dez Bryant (22.64)
T.Y. Hilton (22.12)
Jeremy Maclin (21.98)
Randall Cobb (21.46)
Emmanuel Sanders (21.16)
Mohamed Sanu (20.23)
Julian Edelman (20.16)
Steve Smith Sr. (20.1)

Tight End:
Greg Olsen (22.41)
Julius Thomas (21.43)
Martellus Bennett (20.55)
Jimmy Graham (18.74)
Clay Harbor (17.85)
Antonio Gates (17)
Delanie Walker (16.97)
Rob Gronkowski
(16.77)
Larry Donnell (16.39)


“Keep Them Hidden” Rupees: Duds of the Studs (Weekly)

These are the worst performing studs of the week.

Running Back: Giovani Bernard (9.5)

I hate to see Gio here, but 7 carries for 17 yards is like a death sentence for your owners. The hit Vontae Davis laid on Bernard is probably what all of his owners wanted to do to him when saw how many (few) points he got them.


Wide Receiver: Alshon Jeffery (10.15)

The fact that I own both Bernard and Alshon and they are both listed here is likely why I lost last week. Two catches for 9 yards should be illegal. Thanks Alshon.

Tight End: Jimmy Graham (3.6)

I know he was “hurt”, but be started and was out there for 30 snaps, so he finds his name exactly where it belongs with the other duds. Two targets and 0 catches. Jimmy a break!

Want to examine the stats yourself? Go right ahead (Downloadable Excel)