To show you how unpredictable things are in fantasy football, if I told you in Week 6 that teams would be playing for championships relying on players like Roy Helu, Marion Barber, Shonn Greene and Toby Gerhart you would have told me I was in some kind of crazy opposite-fantasy league. Yet this is exactly what's happening now. You have to ignore the past and concentrate on the present. Even if you only have one week of a sample size for Felix Jones and Marion Barber. To the Touches Report.
Touches analysis
What a week for Marion Barber. A huge day with 18 fantasy points, he proved he deserves to be the bell-cow runner for now in Chicago. However, the overtime fumble and failure to stay inbounds late in the fourth quarter has doghouse written all over it, which means his responsibilities have the potential to decrease. But you play him as a No. 2 or a flex and don't think about it this week, because the Bears have to rely on someone for offense…
How about Roy Helu? He didn't score and only had two catches, but was still good for over 13 fantasy points against New England. For those of you waiting for Shanahanigans, forget it. That's over and Helu is the man in Washington for the rest of the season. He's in your lineup the rest of the season as well…
Shonn Greene is a must-start once again. The Jets are being rewarded for their efforts in getting him the football, as he had his second 24-plus fantasy point game in a row. This is how New York is going to operate the rest of the way. A ton of carries for Greene, but in the red zone they'll throw it. It doesn't matter. Greene is currently a fantasy stud, and he's a strong No. 2 or a weaker No. 1 RB now. He even rolled up 58 yards through the air Sunday -- trust me, that screen pass to RBs out of the backfield is the Jets' bread and butter and they're running it very well…
I hope you've enjoyed Skittles and Beast Mode the last two months, because the fast lane is coming to an end for Marshawn Lynch. He has the Bears this week, which isn't a good fantasy matchup, so expect limited fantasy points. Then you're probably benching him in championship week as the Seahawks take on the 49ers. I know, he's been great. But all great things come to an end…
Just off the list: Felix Jones also had 22 touches Sunday. He was over 100 yards and is THE No. 1 waiver wire target this week. He ran hard, hit the holes well, and with DeMarco Murray's injury he's going to be the guy for the rest of the season. You can pick him up and play him as a No. 2 or a very good flex. Whatever you can do, go get him…
Cedric Benson has been grinding the last couple of weeks while getting over his foot injury: 22 touches and 91 yards on Sunday, and he plays the Rams this week. You play him and expect a big day…
What is going on with fantasy owners? Toby Gerhart was still available in over 70 percent of leagues in Week 14. What else did he have to do? He's been over 12 fantasy points in every game since taking over for Adrian Peterson, who is coming back this week. I hope you rode the Gerhart train for as long as you could, but now it's time to get off…
See Jason Smith on "NFL Fantasy Live", airing Sundays at 11:30 a.m. ET on the "NFL Red Zone" channel, and Tuesday-Friday on NFL Network at 2 p.m. and midnight ET. He writes Fantasy and other NFL pith on NFL.com daily. Talk to him on Twitter @howaboutafresca. He only asks you never bring up when the Jets play poorly.
