Ladies and gentlemen, it’s Week 13.

In the real NFL, it simply means that you’ve played 11 games. In the real NFL, it means that you still have five more games to play. But we don’t play in the real NFL. We play fantasy football. Ladies and gentlemen, the fantasy playoffs begin next week. This week is your last chance to fight your way into the postseason. Or your final chance to grab that top seed and earn a first-round bye. Even for the fat and sassy atop the division, there is likely something at stake this week. That’s why we shake off any worries of triskaidekaphobia. That’s why the number 13 can be the luckiest number in the world.

Over the years there have been plenty of great sports movies featuring emotionally-charged motivational speeches. But when I think of a fantasy team on the cusp of a playoff berth, no one is more motivational than a rag-tag group of kids at the bottom of a well. What says desperation more than wandering aimlessly through the sewers? It might also be a metaphor for playing fantasy football.

All rah-rah aside, players gotta play — and preferably play well. That’s why we fired the Social (Fantasy) Network this week and asked: Which player are you counting on to get you into the playoffs? Sometimes, the answer is as easy as counting to one…

@NFLfantasy #SocialFF I will be counting on Aaron Rodgers as my #1pick to carry me to the playoffs!

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justin jordan (@JustinJordanTx) November 30, 2012

Must be nice to have everything work out like that for you. Some of us are forced to improvise.

@NFLfantasy Kaepernick. Vick is out, Schaub is inconsistent, so I've got to go with the guy with the hot hand. #SocialFF

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Danny Kuhn (@dannyBkuhn) November 30, 2012

At first I thought that was a Jim Harbaugh tweet, then I realized Harbaugh would have mentioned Colin Kaepernick and Robert Griffin III before talking about playing the hot hand. Speaking of RG3…

@NFLfantasy much like the redskins, only way I'm winning is with big games from RGIII #SocialFF

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Mitchell Woltring (@MTWoltring) November 30, 2012

Counting on a rookie to help you make the playoffs? What a preposterous notion! I can’t imagine anyone else doing something like that.

@NFLfantasy im counting on Andrew Luck he's the heart and soul of my team he needs to pick up his game for me to make the playoffs #SocialFF

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Zack Buda (@Zack_Buda) November 30, 2012

@NFLfantasy Need TRich to come up big to make the dance.. #SocialFF

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Trevor Johnson (@trevorj077) November 30, 2012

Um…yeah. As I was saying, you only want to put your fantasy future in the hands of tried and true veterans who are certain to get you the desired outcome. Right, Daniel?

@NFLfantasy Matty Ice and Julio playing one of the worst defenses of all time, at home. What could possibly go wrong!? #SocialFF

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Daniel M (@eVoAccura) November 30, 2012

@NFLfantasy #SocialFF I'm counting on Brees --- OOPS! Better luck next year!

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MedfordTim Coney (@MedfordTim) November 30, 2012

Welp. So much for that theory. That brings us to this week’s final word, which goes to Thomas and his *ahem* unconventional team MVP.

@NFLfantasy lol tynes he's been saving my butt all season went from last to second #SocialFF

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Thomas making (@Tomriddz) November 30, 2012

Judging from some of the tweets I’ve received during the course of the S(F)N, Lawrence Tynes could pick up a few sneaky votes for fantasy MVP this season. Hey, Rich Eisen, is it time to admit that #KickersArePeopleToo?

Anyway, who are you banking on this week to get you into the postseason? Let us know in the comments section. Good luck in your playoff quest (unless you’re playing me) and as always keep an eye out for next week’s #SocialFF question. Happy Week 13, everybody!

– Marcas Grant
Follow Marcas on Twitter @MarcasG

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