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For most fantasy gamers, this is it. The final showdown. One more game to determine who talks trash and who laughs last. There is a good chance that Frank Gore or Vernon Davis helped you get to the title game. However, Monday night's game is full of highly touted players who disappointed this year. Here are the key fantasy players going into the final game at Candlestick.
Frank Gore
For the fourth straight year, Gore will finish the season with at least 1000 yards rushing and 8 TDS. Not too shabby for a running back "in decline". If Gore has helped you get to the championship round then you love his Monday night matchup. Atlanta has allowed 100 combined yards or a TD to a running back in 7 or their last 8 games. Frank is a good bet to do both in the final week of most fantasy leagues. He should finish the year in the upper RB2 range and he may produce like a RB1 this week.
Colin Kaepernick
I'll admit to having Kap too high on my preseason rankings, but it's throws like his TD bomb to Vernon Davis that justified the ranking. Who knows, maybe with a full complement of receivers Kap could have been a bonafide weekly top 10 lock at QB. He'll enter the top 10 discussion this week against an Atlanta team with little to play for and allowing plenty of fantasy points to fantasy QBs over the last few weeks. Kap's Monday night history is very impressive. Some of his best games have come in the final prime time game of the week. I doubt he led you to the title game, but if you are in a 2 QB league definitely get CK7 in your lineup.
Anquan Boldin
Boldin registered a disappointing fantasy outing in week 15, but still received plenty of targets even with Davis and Crabtree heavily involved. That's a good sign for him this week against a struggling and hurt Atlanta secondary. Milestones don't seem to mean much to the veteran, but he could easily top 1000 yards receiving Monday night. He shouldn't stray too far from his normal line of 6/60/1 making him a quality WR3 play.
Michael Crabtree
Crabs is paying off decently for those who stashed him or picked him up late on waivers. He looked good last week making several clutch catches including his first touchdown of the year. Unfortunately, he is still a gamble for championship lineups. Michael is a solid FLEX option, but it's difficult to imagine this offense supporting two quality fantasy WRs and an elite TE on a consistent basis. If you made it this far you probably have safer receiving options. However, you'd be hard pressed to find an option with a higher upside in the top 30-40 receivers ranked this week.
Vernon Davis
That makes 5 consecutive weeks with a TD catch. Burnin' Vernon is putting fantasy teams on his back and the ride isn't likely to stop this week. The only other tight end you can start over him is Jimmy Graham and they have been about dead even the last two weeks. Vernon is going to win many gamers a championship Monday night. Here's to hoping you are playing with him and not against him.
Matt Ryan
It's been a long season for Ryan. Nearly every one of his offensive weapons has dealt with injuries and someone replaced his offensive line with cardboard cut-outs. Ryan is going to be an early candidate for a bounce back year in 2014, but this season can't end quickly enough. The Niners playing their last game at Candlestick is the last thing he needs right now. If you are still in the championship run you probably jettisoned Ryan awhile back. If for some reason he is still on your roster you need to find an alternative with a better matchup.
Steven Jackson
There's nothing like having an old friend over for one last party. S-Jax has been held back by injuries for half the season and possessed by the spirit of Michael Turner the other. To be fair, Jackson has 5 TDs in the last four weeks. However, he has only topped 80 yards once in that span which is further evidence that Michael Turner's fantasy ghost is haunting the veteran. He'll get the goal line carries if they occur and the 49ers have given up rushing touchdowns this year. It's everything between the 5 yard lines that puts him in the RB3/FLEX range this week.
Roddy White
Roddy is going to appear on many year-end fantasy busts lists. It just hasn't been a good year for any Falcon from a fantasy perspective. White should have shined last week against Washington, but only managed 5/53. San Francisco's defense is a much tougher unit, fourth best at limiting opposing fantasy wide receivers. That being said, I do like him on the low end of the WR3 range this week. I'd put both Boldin and Crabtree ahead of him in PPR leagues. This version of White isn't who you drafted in August, but he is still a physical receiver and legitimate threat.
Tony Gonzalez
If I had to start one Falcon it would be Gonzalez. The 49ers have been slipping in tight end coverage lately and no other TE gets more red zone targets than legend. He'll be a low end TE1, but with scores in 3 straight games I think you can buy into the hype of his farewell tour.
