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Fantasy Stock Watch

By V.R. Bryant

Published January 11, 2012

Congratulations to the winners; condolences to the losers. Whether your squad weathered the storm and came out ahead or choked down the stretch, it's time to start thinking about which players have positioned themselves for breakout years in the 2012 season. Here's a trio of studs to either mark as keepers or keep an eye out for in your next draft.

Percy Harvin, WR, Minnesota Vikings

Harvin has long had a sort of enigmatic aura about him. From having been sidelined with migraines to being undersized, he's been relegated to the second (third?) tier fantasy-wise since entering the league in 2009. Despite posting only two games this past year of more than 100 receiving yards, Harvin was the eighth-ranked wide receiver on the board and even with a rare goose egg in week 15 against the Broncos, he averaged over 15 points per game in the final seven weeks of the season. Yes, you have to like the guy as a dual threat after he carried the ball for 342 yards and a couple scores, but with Christian Ponder now firmly in place at quarterback for the Vikes, Harvin could easily be a 100-catch caliber player. The rushing yards and return touchdowns will eventually just be icing on the cake.

Ryan Mathews, RB, San Diego Chargers

It was a streaky year for Mathews, the second-year back out of Fresno State. He began the 2011 campaign strong with 81 points in his first five games heading into the Chargers' bye week. Injury woes cost him playing time in the middle of the season, and his production fell through the floor for the five weeks that followed. Then again in week 12, he roared back and ran for 453 yards and three touchdowns over a four-game stretch. Yes, he had a tough time staying on the field at 100%, but the ailments were of the nagging sort, and he just doesn't seem like the kind of runner that's going to have these difficulties year after year. He crested the 1,000 yard mark on juts 222 carries and caught fifty balls to boot. The Chargers as a whole always find a way to let you down, but Mathews could be looking at a big season next year.

Jermaine Gresham, TE, Cincinnati Bengals

In another case of wagon-hitching, you have to believe that Cincinnati's Andy Dalton is destined for some pretty special things. True, he had a rough exit in this year's playoffs, but he's clearly on the up-tick. So Gresham, one would think, will benefit from the increased talent behind center. In two fewer games than he logged in his rookie season, Gresham recorded 125 more receiving yards and two additional touchdowns (six total). He has the size of Green Bay's Jermichael Finley, and while teammate A.J. Green has been getting most of the press, I expect Gresham's role in the Bengal offense to only increase as teams learn they really do have to respect Dalton's arm. Keeping a tight end not named Rob Gronkowski may be a bit of a stretch, but you should at least earmark the former Sooner for a pick in the early middle rounds.

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