Next Tuesday at this time I'll be nursing a Swedish meatball hangover while, most likey, cursing 21st century toy packaging. In other words, I'll be enjoying Christmas with family and thinking very little about the silliness that is Week 17 – although my highest priority league plays out the season through the final week because, as I like to say, we are loathe to leave meat on the bone. Unfortunately, I was knocked out of that league a couple weeks back (thank you, Andrew Luck). At any rate, this will be the final Skinny of the 2012 season – however, you can still expect the position rankings in Week 17 at their usual time.

I just want to congratulate everyone that is still alive and kicking in what is, for most, their fantasy championship game this weekend. And a hearty thanks to everyone who checked in here regularly this season. Finally, in the words of Neil Diamond, "I wish you all a very, merry, cherry cherry Christmas, and a holly holy holiday, too. Underneath your tree may

I was knocked out of my highest priority league last week because I made the wrong choice at QB between Andrew Luck and Colin Kaepernick. It was the second week in a row that I made the wrong choice, and it was the umpteenth reminder that I really hate not having one franchise QB that I simply never have to think about benching — there's maybe 6-7 of them, with Luck just missing that elite cut. At any rate, I still have a couple other dogs in the hunt among all my leagues, but as I pointed out with the Luck/Kaepernick example, one wrong move can provide a swift ending to the '12 season. Should I go with Brandon Weeden or Ben Roethlisberger? Steve Smith or Owen Daniels? You might be able to win a championship even if you don't make all the right moves. But you at least better hope that you make more than your opponent.

Let's get the Week 15 thought-process started, Skinny-style:

Total Week 15 green-light plays by position: 8 QB; 9 RB; 16 WR; 8 TE; 5 DST

Note: Numbers in parentheses next

It's the first week of the fantasy playoffs for most Yahoo! leagues, which means that things have gotten as serious as a heart attack for those owners that have survived into the postseason. Each week from here on out, it's do-or-die. Many of you won't bother checking next week's Skinny because your season will be dashed on the shores of Week 14. It reminds of a quote from one of the teachers in "Dazed and Confused":

"It's like our sergeant told us before one trip into the jungle: 'Men, 50 of you are leavin' on a mission … 25 of ya ain't comin' back!'"

Here's hoping you make it back for Week 15. Of course, it all starts with proper preparation for the week at hand. Let's get down to some Week 14 business, Skinny-style:

Total Week 14 green-light plays by position: 8 QB; 14 RB; 21 WR; 11 TE; 9 DST

Note: Numbers in parentheses next to a player's name indicate where he ranks at his position in per game fantasy scoring

As we head into what is the final regular season week in the majority of Yahoo! fantasy leagues, injuries, as usual, dominate the headlines. Major names — Ben Roethlisberger, DeMarco Murray, Darren McFadden, Percy Harvin, among others … — hang in the balance this week. Obviously, a lot can change as the week progresses, and what you think you know on Tuesday (perception: Ronnie Hillman stepping into a larger role in the Denver backfield) can change drastically by Sunday morning (reality: You say Knowshon Moreno is going to start?). With that said, here are my initial thoughts on the week ahead. Take it for what it is — a starting point. Just be sure that, if you're fighting for a playoff spot, you keep your eyes and ears open all the way up until the very last minute before kickoff. Good luck to everyone. I hope when Week 13 is all said and done, you have a reason to stop by and check out the Week 14 Skinny.

Alright, let's survey the Week 13 landscape, Skinny-style …

Total Week 13

It's a short work week because of Turkey Day, so I'm in frantic, scramble mode, trying to get everything squared away before I take time off for a gluttonous day of giving thanks. That said, I'm going to jump right into my usual analysis of the week ahead. But first, just a couple thoughts on the week that was.

1. That Jacksonville scored 37 points and threw for almost 400 yards against Houston is just another (extreme) reminder of how unpredictable this game is. There's no such thing as gospel truth when it comes to our fantasy game. It's always best to arm yourself with as much research and industry opinion as possible before filling out your lineup. But don't be afraid to play a hunch that runs counter to the "expert" consensus. In fantasy football, educated guesses are better than uneducated guesses. But, let's face it, it's all guesswork — in other words, don't blame me that you didn't start Justin Blackmon.

2. Colin Kaepernick is the gospel truth. As a Seahawks fan, I'm jealous

It's the last week of byes — And all his people said, "Amen!"

This week will be especially tough on the QB position, as Michael Vick, Ben Roethlisberger, Jay Cutler and Alex Smith are all dealing with injuries that threaten their weekend participation. And, as always, the signal caller is where we'll start this week's early breakdown of Week 11, Skinny-style:

Total Week 11 green-light plays by position: 10 QB; 9 RB; 12 WR; 9 TE; 7 DST

Note: Numbers in parentheses next to a player's name indicate where he ranks at his position in per game fantasy scoring

We interupt your coverage of the 2012 presidential election to bring you this regularly-scheduled Skinny. Now that you've put your ballots to bed, it's time to start figuring out which boxes to check in your Week 10 fantasy football lineup. Here's the early take on the coming weekend, Skinny-style:

Total Week 10 green-light plays by position: 7 QB; 11 RB; 11 WR; 10 TE; 7 DST

Note: Numbers in parentheses next to a player's name indicate where he ranks at his position in per game fantasy scoring

A couple of my fantasy teams are fairly sunk at this point. The common thread(s) between these teams are Pierre Garcon, Jonathan Stewart and Antonio Gates — a more miserable combination of mid-round draft picks you probably couldn't have made this past draft season. They might all still have their shining moment in '12 (if you don't count the first eight minutes of the season for Garcon), but it'll be too late for most anyone that heavily invested in them. It's pretty hard to be successful through the bye season when you miss on your RB3 and WR3, and also buy earlier than most on a tight end that hasn't panned out to this point. I'm guessing I'll probably diversify my portfolio a little more in next year's drafts. But at least I still have a few dogs in the hunt, and hopefully you do to.

With those dogs in mind, let's get the early jump on Week 9, Skinny-style:

Total Week 9 green-light plays by position: 8 QB; 11 RB; 14 WR; 7 TE; 8 DST

Note: Numbers in parentheses next to a player's