Let’s take a look at some of the numbers

Let’s see who’s leading in the stat categories we’ve been tracking all year to determine whether these stats correlate to fantasy excellence.

The leaders in WR targets are Laveranues Coles (144), Chad Johnson (138), Darrell Jackson (144), Joe Horn (129) . The No. 1 fantasy receiver, Terrell Owens, is ninth in times targeted. Verdict: WR targets should factor in player purchasing decisions but often don’t translate into TDs.

Leaders in converting goal-to-go runs are Jerome Bettis (11 of 19), T.J. Duckett (6 for 11), Shaun Alexander (11 for 22, a career-best percentage, though his chances are down significantly), Thomas Jones (5 for 10), Derrick Blaylock (6 for 14) and Kevan Barlow (5 for 12). No one else is over 40 percent.

LaDanian Tomlinson leads the NFL with 42 attempts, converting just 31 percent, 19th best. Priest Holmes was 10 for 27 before his season ended.

Historic trailers in this category are Edgerrin James (5 for 25 this year), Fred Taylor (1 for 11) and Corey Dillon (9 for 31, the second most attempts in the NFL). Verdict: a great stat for figuring out what went wrong and right with various running backs and for identifying which teams run the most where it counts most.

Leaders in yards per passing attempt (YPA): Peyton Manning (9.4; just for fun, Eli is 4.7.), Ben Roethlisberger (8.4), Donovan McNabb (8.4), Daunte Culpepper (8.4), Brian Griese (8.0). This is five of the top six in the NFL in TD pass percentage and the exception, Drew Brees, has a 7.7 YPA. Roethlisberger’s stats are suppressed by the Steelers’league-high percentage of run plays. Verdict: TD passes follow YPA, not vice versa. Use it like we did this year in identifying QBs like Trent Green before they break out.

Buy

Kevin Jones (RB, Lions): Hopefully, you listened in September when we told you to hold on to him despite all the silly committee talk in Detroit. If you listened, make sure he’s in your starting lineup next week against the clueless Minnesota Vikings.

Reuben Droughns (RB, Broncos): We knew Tatum Bell was the Broncos’ best running back in August and then again when the Quentin Griffin Experience bombed. That Bell supplanted Droughns last week was no surprise. But Bell suffered a third-degree shoulder separation. So Droughns likely gets Kansas City all to himself unless the injury-prone Bell toughs it out.

Brian Griese (QB, Bucs): Going for upside and playing Michael Vick against the Raiders instead of the steady Griese cost me dearly in one league when Vick fizzled and Griese unexpectedly exploded. But now Griese gets the great matchup himself vs. New Orleans. He’s averaging two TD passes per start and over 8.0 YPA. In other words, he’s for real.

Sell

Baltimore Ravens defense: It’s payback time for Baltimore, which had a little too much fun with Peyton’s little brother on Sunday. Manning rarely gets intercepted (nine in ‘04) or sacked (nine in ‘04), so how is the vaunted Ravens defense going to score fantasy points at Indy?

T.J. Duckett (RB, Falcons): We told you to hold on to this Frankenstein back in September, too. But that gnomish Warrick Dunn still gets most of the carries and Duckett (four TDs last week) now faces a reborn Panthers defense that hasn’t allowed a rushing TD in four weeks.

Hold

Antonio Gates (TE, Chargers): Notice how LaDainian Tomlinson has gone off the last couple of weeks? That’s partly because defenses are obsessed with shutting down big No. 85, who peaked a little too soon for many of his owners. Now maybe teams go back to focusing on LT. But the Browns probably won’t stop either.