DFS Season in Review: NFC West
Here is theScore's daily fantasy season in review for the NFC West:
Arizona Cardinals
Record: 13-3 (1st in division, 2nd in conference)
Points (Rank): 489 (2nd)
Total Yards (Rank): 6,533 (1st)
QB Carson Palmer may not win NFL MVP honors, but he's certainly near the top of the DFS ledger as one of the top value quarterbacks in the game. Palmer provided sensational worth without ever seeing his salary skyrocket. ... RB Chris Johnson won the job to start the season, then hit elite value three times before an injury paved the way for David Johnson to take over. David emerged as a late-season revelation, hitting value six straight weeks - capped by a 187-yard, three-touchdown showing in Week 15 that made DFS players rich. ... WR Larry Fitzgerald opened the season strong but faded hard, returning value just once over his final 13 games. ... Michael Floyd was one of the top bargain plays in the conference, returning major value in seven games and hitting his floor one other time. Consistency was an issue, but the upside was certainly there. ... John Brown had a higher floor, but carried a much lower ceiling; his final season stats appear similar to Floyd's, but Brown lacked the upside to make much of a dent in tournaments.
DFS MVP: Carson Palmer
DFS Dud: Larry Fitzgerald
Seattle Seahawks
Record: 13-3 (2nd in division, 6th in conference)
Points (Rank): 423 (T-4th)
Total Yards (Rank): 6,058 (4th)
After a glacial start to the season, QB Russell Wilson caught fire just in time to reward DFS players who took a shot on him at a reduced salary; he reached his cash-game floor each of the final eight weeks of the season, while returning elite value four straight times (Week 11-14). ... RB Marshawn Lynch was underwhelming for most of the season, but a sports hernia injury opened the door for understudy Thomas Rawls, who was an elite play four times in 2015. That includes a 255-yard, two-TD showing against San Francisco in Week 11. ... WR Doug Baldwin stunned the daily fantasy world with seven straight productive games from Week 10-16, including five elite showings. He scored 12 touchdowns during that stretch and should open 2016 with a salary just outside the top tier. ... Jermaine Kearse reached value eight times, but had too many clunkers mixed in to be considered trustworthy. ... Tyler Lockett had five elite showings, and reached value in four of his last seven games. Look for him to perform even better in 2016. ... TE Jimmy Graham had just three decent performances in his first year with the Seahawks; he simply wasn't a good fit, and should see his salary drop significantly next year.
DFS MVP: Doug Baldwin
DFS Dud: Jimmy Graham
St. Louis Rams
Record: 13-3 (3rd in division, 8th in conference)
Points (Rank): 280 (29th)
Total Yards (Rank): 4,761 (32nd)
The Rams' quarterback situation in 2015 was a steaming-hot pile of trash - at least, when it comes to daily fantasy relevance. Neither Nick Foles nor Case Keenum was worth selecting. ... RB Todd Gurley was the daily fantasy MVP from Weeks 4-8, posting four consecutive elite stat lines before a rise and salary and dip in production rendered him an overvalue for the remainder of the season. ... With the Rams unable to muster much of anything from the QB position, St. Louis' receiving corps struggled mightily. Tavon Austin hit elite value five times but was otherwise invisible; Kenny Britt lacked any sort of ceiling and only saw more than five targets three times all season; Brian Quick did absolutely nothing. ... TE Jared Cook hit value in two straight games to open the season, then did it just three times the rest of the way. His rock-bottom salary was a draw, but he just didn't do enough to be worth picking.
DFS MVP: Todd Gurley
DFS Dud: Everyone else
San Francisco 49ers
Record: 13-3 (4th in division, 15th in conference)
Points (Rank): 238 (32nd)
Total Yards (Rank): 4,860 (31st)
Only three times did QB Colin Kaepernick score enough fantasy points to return base value; even after his salary dipped to near-minimum, Kaepernick simply couldn't get it done before suffering a season-ending injury in Week 9. ... RB Carlos Hyde racked up 182 total yards and a pair of scores in Week 1, and wasn't heard from again; he didn't play after Week 7, and only came close to reaching value one other time in that span. ... WR Anquan Boldin took advantage of plus matchups and positive game flow, hitting elite value five times despite having to deal with shaky quarterbacking all season long. ... Torrey Smith wasn't as fortunate, returning elite value just three times - and only once after Week 6. ... TE Vernon Davis was a complete dud before being shipped to Denver mid-season; Vance McDonald took over and was a decent late-season flier, hitting elite value three times over the final six weeks.
DFS MVP: Anquan Boldin
DFS Dud: Colin Kaepernick