Marshawn Lynch is a legit Top 10 running back. Lynch has stepped his game up this season, embracing the feature role on a team no one thought would be able to move the ball. With Tarvaris Jackson providing a modest passing threat, Lynch has chosen not to acknowledge that opposing defenses are stacking the box against him. On Thursday night, he torched the Philadelphia Eagles for 148 yards and a pair of scores, and had it not been for an upset stomach, he might have gone for 200 yards. He's rushed for almost 600 yards in his past five games, with nine touchdowns in his last eight games. He should feast once again next week when the Seahawks host St. Louis, the league's worst rushing defense. Chris Johnson has remembered how to run the football. This may not matter as much for this year, as most teams that drafted Johnson in the first round of their drafts probably didn't do all that great. But it seems that, after weeks of under-achieving, Johnson has broken out once again. Johnson carried the ball 23 times on Sunday, racking up 153 yards and two scores of his own. More important than his numbers this game, however, was his trademark speed and quickness that have returned to him. Johnson makes for a very interesting keeper, and someone who will once again be highly regarded going into next season. If you're lucky enough to have made the playoffs and have Johnson, he has a fantastic schedule remaining, with New Orleans, Indianapolis and Jacksonville ahead. Reggie Bush is now a feature back. Coming into the season, Bush was a mid-round target, slightly more interesting in points per reception leagues. The Miami Dolphins insisted that they thought Bush could be a feature back, but we'd heard that before. Plus they'd drafted Daniel Thomas, who had all the makings of a solid NFL runner. But when Thomas started slow out of the gate, it was Bush who began to solidify his role. In Week 13 against the Oakland Raiders, he ran for 100 yards and a score on 22 carries. And he should have plenty of opportunities to build on that effort, as he faces Philadelphia, Buffalo and New England the next three weeks. Percy Harvin is picking up the slack for Adrian Peterson. With Peterson out the past few weeks, Toby Gerhart has been the starting running back. But it's been Harvin stepping into Peterson's role as a playmaker, lining up in the backfield and taking screens out wide. Those screens act like a long handoff, getting him the ball in space, and allowing him to make plays in the open. On Sunday, Harvin ran the ball five times for 19 yards and caught eight passes for 156 yards and two touchdowns. It's clear that he has the confidence of quarterback Christian Ponder, but his role once Peterson returns is a mystery. Tom Brady has Rob Gronkowski on his fantasy team. That's the only explanation. Gronkowski caught just five balls for 64 yards, but two scores, and he ran the ball once for two yards and a score. The rushing attempt was a swing pass that was technically a lateral, so don't think that Gronkowski is going to start getting goal line carries. Gronkowski has been a stud all season long and obviously has Brady's eye, especially in the red zone, where his massive frame can be used to box out defenders. Gronkowski might be the top tight end going into next season. Dan Orlovsky likes throwing to Pierre Garcon. Orlovsky, who wasn't bad against the New England Patriots, was remarkably effective against the league's worst pass defense. Garcon was targeted 12 times, catching nine balls for 150 yards and two touchdowns. All season, it's looked as though Garcon has been on the same page first with Curtis Painter and then with Orlovsky. While he's been hit or miss for much of the year, his 55 catches, 805 yards and six touchdowns, largely boosted by his Week 13 performance, have made him surprisingly productive. A.J. Green is a Top 10 receiver. Green has been a stud all year, and has done enough to make him a dark horse candidate for the Offensive Rookie of the Year. Against Pittsburgh on Sunday, Green managed to get his stats, even while the Bengals struggled for much of the day. Catching six balls for 87 yards and a score, Green provided the only real offense that the Bengals could muster on the day, proving unstoppable, even against the stingy Steelers' defense. He's become a must-start receiver, and it's scary to think that he's only going to get better. Roy Helu is (gulp) the guy in Washington. Helu put up 100 yards and a score on 23 carries, and added four catches for 42 yards. As much as I hesitate to say I believe in a running back on a Mike Shanahan-coached team, Helu is now that running back. With Tim Hightower on the shelf for the season and Ryan Torain being both injury prone and terrible, Helu has stepped up in a big way. His one-cut running style makes him a perfect fit for Shanahan's zone run scheme, and he's a great pass catcher out of the backfield. With Rex Grossman at the helm, Helu probably won't set any more single-game receiving records, but he should have more room to run, as teams have to respect the pass. The 49ers' defense is for real. Last week, I advised a few different people that they needed to start Steven Jackson, regardless of the matchup. I would like a mulligan. Apparently, the 49ers' defense is unbelievable against the run. Jackson was shut down, running for just 19 yards on 10 carries, and catching just one ball for 11 yards, eventually getting pulled late in a blowout loss. The Rams are a different team away from home, but a back of Jackson's status should be able to get something done every game. Like I said, the 49ers' defense is for real. Philip Rivers looks like a dangerous quarterback again. Rivers has had a rough season, throwing more interceptions than touchdowns going into Week 13. But on Monday night in Jacksonville, Rivers finally had his full complement of weapons healthy, with Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson, Malcom Floyd and Ryan Mathews all in the starting lineup. Rivers would go on to exploit a suspect Jacksonville defense for 294 yards and three touchdowns. Traditionally, Rivers is as good as anyone in December, and he'll look to build on his strong Week 13 performance against a beatable Buffalo Bills' defense in Week 14. If you're in the Jacksonville area and can get to a radio around 8:50 a.m. on Fridays, I'm now a weekly guest on 1010XL's Sports Final Radio with Jeff Prosser and Dan Hicken. Good luck. Drew Magyar is a fantasysharks.com staff writer and can be reached at drewmagyar@gmail.com.