Here are some turkeys without feathers

Thanksgiving football just hasn't been the same without John Madden.

And I'm not just talking about the way he called games. Sure the booms and the whaps are trademarks of any Madden commentary, but ever since he moved to ABC starting with the 2003 season, we lost one of the greatest football traditions of recent memory.

Yes, I'm talking turkey. Every year Madden would give out turkey legs to the game's MVP. Past recipients have included Emmitt Smith, Barry Sanders and the entire offensive line of the Dallas Cowboys.

It was always fun to see Madden show us the turkey on his Madden Cruiser and how many legs he had on it for that year.

But while I'm talking turkey, let's get to the point where after the bird's been devoured.

You can barely move because you've stuffed yourself and it's your year to help with the dishes.

That kind of uneasy feeling has seeped its way onto many fantasy owners' plates.

No doubt the turkey you might have drafted in the first round this year looked good at first, but as the weeks went by those players ended up leaving you stuffed for every week you had to eat a bad performance.

So I give you The Foul Fowl Awards. Let's hope you didn't have to try and digest these turkeys:

Quarterback, Daunte Culpepper: He gorged himself this year on interceptions instead of touchdowns. I'm not sure if the departure of Randy Moss had everything to do with it, or if it was just the coaching staff, but Culpepper's year has been anything but fair. I do know that owners that drafted him are in search of a very big antacid.

Running back, Jamal Lewis: Speaking of needing relief ... Lewis has been the biggest bust of any fantasy player this year. Anyone that ever thought Lewis would be ready for football after doing his own training in prison was sadly mistaken.

Wide receiver, Terrell Owens: OK, he's got the stats to be a superstar, but his attitude reeks of 2-week-old leftovers. He gets the award for costing owners weeks of playoff production because of his inability to keep his mouth shut. I don't know if there's a big enough muzzle for Owens, but Wednesday's arbitration hearing result has silenced him for the rest of the year, at least on the field.

Tight end, Tony Gonzalez: Last year was definitely the year of the tight end. Not so much this year, and it's not just him. Gonzalez is arguably the best tight end in football, which is why he gets the nod. He's got the yards to be near the top for his position but he only has one touchdown, leaving his owners starving for more scores.

No doubt there are more bad birds than just these guys, but for fantasy owners, the above players are the ones that have left them with more than just an upset stomach.

GREEN LIGHT

WR Donald Driver, Green Bay: He gets to face a banged-up Philadelphia secondary, not to mention a demoralized Eagles squad which lost Donovan McNabb this week and probably any chance at making the playoffs.

RED LIGHT

RB Cadillac Williams, Tampa Bay: The rookie will get a taste of smash-mouth football when the Bucs welcome the Bears this week. The only saving grace for him is that it's a home game and Chicago could be due for a letdown.

WAKE-UP CALL

WR Joe Horn, New Orleans: If there was ever a time to break out of a season-long funk, Sunday night would be the time.

ROOKIE WATCH

WR Braylon Edwards, Cleveland: It's a homecoming game of sorts for the Michigan grad. He's got experience playing in the Metrodome as a Wolverine and could put up a big game against a porous Vikings secondary.

Reach Raymond Beasock at (706) 823-3221 or raymond.beasock@augustachronicle.com.