A-Town Power Rankings Week 9

Hello again everyone and welcome to my week 9 power rankings for the A-Town Fantasy Football.  It’s hard to believe but we only have 5 weeks of regular season play left.  All the playoff spots are still up for grabs, with five teams at 4-4 anything can happen.  Week 8 brought us some shockers as Pop went down only scoring 64 points and Jeff somehow won scoring 82 and moving to 4-4.  As always the team in the 10 spot pulled out another close one.  This weekend I will be in Las Vegas, so in the spirit of Vegas along with your ranking this week, I will discuss your odds to win the league.  Leave some comments and let me know who you would put your money on!

 

1. Dan (Last Week 3) Odds to win League: 4/1

Dan has now won 5 in a row and is officially the hottest team in the league and the odds on favorite to win the league.  Only one game back in the division after Pop’s embarrassing lost this week, I think Dan will soon take over the lead and get a first round bye.  In the playoffs you need a stud to carry you and Dan has that in Aaron Rodgers.

 

2. Alex (2) Odds: 6/1

Yes, it pains me to do it, but I had to make an all Schmidt top 2.  Alex got back on track this week thanks to impressive performances by Julio Jones and Doug Martin.  When you have a lineup full of studs, a few of them are bound to go off every week.  The only reason I set Alex at 6/1 is because he is one loss away from falling to a wild card team.

 

3. Garret (4) Odds: 13/3

Garret had another high week and leads the league in points scored.  His luck is bound to turnaround that’s why I gave him odds close to that of Dan’s.  With Manning and Thomas leading the way, this is going to be a hard team to stop.  The odds on Garret after week 3 probably would have been around 20/1 and now he’s looking like a steal at 13/3.

 

4. Gill (6) Odds: 11/2

It kills me to have to move my team up in the rankings, but after Pop dropped his second game of the year, I have the best record at 7-1.  Don’t read into that too much as I was incredibly lucky again this week and Graham caught a late touchdown when I was down by .5.  I set my odds a little higher than 5/1 because my playoff chances are looking good and I have had crazy luck all season.

 

5. Pop (1) Odds: 8/1

62 points! Really Pop’s?  I realize you were missing Johnson and Rice, but I had to drop you 4 spots.  Pop’s now has only the 7^th most points scored in the league.  I left Pop’s odds pretty high at 8/1 because you can’t judge a team on one week, even if it was the worst week by a team all season.

 

6. Joe (5) Odds: 9/1

Joe lost a very winnable game against Dan in week 8.  He didn’t get the production out of Bradshaw and Bush that he normally gets.  Joe is one of the best values at 9/1, mainly because he is 4-4 and I’m not sure if he will make the playoffs.  If he does, he could be a force and an absolute steal at 9/1.

 

7. Kristen (7) Odds: 14/1

After the top 6, the quality of team really drops off.  Right now I have Kristen as my best of the rest so to speak.  Decker had another great game and McCoy finally had the production we were expecting.  Kristen is definitely still in the mix for the playoffs, but she would be a major underdog and that’s why I set her odds at 14/1.

 

8. Mike (8) Odds: 20/1

Tough loss for Mike, as he almost held on Monday night against Anton but fell a few points short.  The difference was the Vikings D putting up -3 points.  With Stafford coming along, Mike has a very respectable team, but at 3-5 the chances of him making the playoffs has fallen to under 50% so I’m forced to set his odds at 20/1.

 

9. Logan (10) Odds: 18/1

The power of the 10 spot strikes again! Logan pulled off a last minute 3 point victory over Kristen in week 8.  At this point I’m done trying to explain the 10 spot Magic; it’s unbelievable.  The problem with Logan’s team is he doesn’t have a guy who can go off and have a gigantic week and win it for the team.  Logan has scored the 6^th most points, playoff worthy, but only bolsters a 3-5 record so I had to set his odds at 18/1 is all.

 

10. Zach (9) Odds: 21/1

Alright so this is the first week I’m really testing the 10 spot magic.  Zach has lost 5 in a row and can’t catch a break.  He is finding every way to lose, making him a perfect fit for the 10 spot.  After week 3, I would have set Zach’s odds at 6/1, of course that was predicting he would have made a trade involving RG3. 

 

11. Anton (12) Odds: 25/1

Anton had a great pickup this week in Russell Wilson and finally got some solid production out of Forte.  The win moved Anton to 3-5.  The big problem for this team all year has been Larry Fitzgerald’s production.  He’s almost becoming a matchup guy or a flex guy.  Despite the fight from this team, Anton is still looking like a non-playoff team so I set his odds at 25/1.

 

12. Jeff (12) Odds: 25/1

Jeff has now taken down my top team each of the last two weeks.  What’s more amazing is that he did it this week scoring 82 points.  Jeff is also 4-4 despite scoring the least amount of points in the league.  That’s fantasy football for you.  After 8 weeks, the highest scoring team and the lowest scoring team in a 14 team league are both 4-4.  I still think it’s a long shot that Jeff even makes the playoffs so I set his odds at 25/1.

 

13. Clay (11) Odds: 28/1

The worst thing that could possible happen to Clay’s team happened this week.  He had one of his good weeks, which he always wins, except this week he faced the only team that could have beat him.  Clay’s good weeks are few and far between at this point, so losing one of them is a major blow.  Consider Clay almost finished at 28/1.

 

14. Chris (14) Odds: 500/1

Chris went down again last week moving to 1-7, and I’m pretty sure mathematically eliminated from the playoffs.  Tom Brady is really the only player giving him anything at this point.  The funny thing is Chris got the better end of the deal in all his trades.  I wonder where his team would be if he didn’t make those trades.  At least he is still competitive on a weekly basis. 

A-Town Power Rankings Week 8

Things are really starting to heat up as we head into week 8.  Remember the top 2 teams in each league will make the playoffs as well as the next two best teams regardless of league.  The winners of each league will get a bye in the first round.  At this point you should have a good understanding of where you’re team lies and what you need to do to secure one of the coveted playoff spots.  This week I decided to look back at my rankings from week one and compare them to my current rankings.  Enjoy and good luck in week 8!

1. Pop (Last Week 2) Week 1: 5

Pop moves back into the 1 spot this week as he took down Clay to go 6-1 on the season.  It tells a lot about a team when they can grind out a W like Pops did in week 7 when your team has a down week. That’s how you win divisions and secure playoff spots.  I pre-ranked Pop 5 based on the fact I didn’t trust Gore and didn’t think Pops had a solid flex option.  Clearly I was wrong as Gore has been outstanding and James Jones has been a great flex.

2. Alex (1) Week 1: 4

Alex had a terrible week as MJD went down and he was the only team to not break the century mark.  In honesty, he’s lucky I only dropped him one spot.  Alex better hope Green can keep up his remarkable run to make up for the loss of MJD for a few weeks.  I have no idea what is wrong with Megatron this year.  He looks lost and isn’t making the circus catches like he did a year ago.  I pre ranked Alex 4, which is probably where he would be if he hadn’t made the big trade with Dan.  However, Alex could be in the 4 spot next week if he doesn’t turn things around.

3. Dan (4) Week 1: 6

Dan had a big week as he put up 143 points and beat a tough team in Zach.  Dan has won 4 in a row after going 0-3 and is the hottest team in the league.  Look for Dan to stay hot in week 8 and more than likely make it into my top 2 next week.  I pre-ranked Dan 6 based on the fact I didn’t have a clue how his team would pan out.  Dan made some huge trades that shaped his roster into the high powered team he has now.

4. Garret (3) Week 1: 2

Garret was this week’s tough luck loser.  He put up 140 points after doing some great waiver wire pickups lead by Brandon Weeden.  It was a valiant attempt on his worst bye week.  Garret would have loved a W, but I think this is a loss he can live with, as his studs are past their bye and ready to make a move in the standings.  I pre ranked Garret 2 and although he’s at 4 right now, I think he is more than capable of getting back up there.

5. Joe (5) Week 1: 3
Joe put up the High week at 171 points and is still staying out on my rankings.  It’s nothing personal; I’m still looking at the big picture and not on a week to week basis.  If Brees is going to put up 40 every week, Joe will be just fine.  However, I’m worried about Ridley as his production has gone down  every week and Brandon Lloyd only caught one pass last week.  I pre ranked Joe 3, which is very close to where I have him now.  This is a team that I’m scared of but don’t fully trust at the moment.

6. Gill (6) Week 1: 10

I squeaked by Logan last week despite have zero production from TE and K.  When you have 2 players put up nothing and still win your pretty lucky.  That’s been the theme of my team all year.  Cross your fingers and hope you get lucky.  I wasn’t counting on being so lucky when I pre-ranked my team 10.

7. Kristen (11) Week 1: 13

Kristen makes the largest jump this week all the way to number 7.  I finally realized I have been undervaluing this team all season.  I never thought my pre-ranked 13^th team would be 4-3 and in second place in the division.  The pieces are starting to come together for this team, Jordy Nelson is taking off and Decker has emerged as Manning’s go to guy.

8. Mike (10) Week 1: 12

The power of the 10 spot has vaulted Mike to the 8 spot after a two game winning streak.  Seriously the 10 spot is something special.  Mike looked hopeless as Stafford couldn’t do anything in the red zone Monday night.  Then out of nowhere, the 10 spot showed it’s Magic as Stafford found the end zone in garbage time giving Mike the victory.  We will see how Mike does this week now that he is in the top 8 for the first time.  I have a feeling by year’s end Mike will be closer to my original 12 ranking than the top 5.

9. Zach (7) Week 1: 7

Zach had a solid week putting up 132 in a losing effort, but the facts are he has now lost 4 in a row and is in a tail spin.  Another loss this week could kill what’s left of this team’s morale and potentially end their season.  Zach has the worst coach rating which is directly related to his QB situation.  It’s hard to pick the right QB on a weekly basis and again Zach is just wasting a valuable player on his bench.  At what point will he push the panic button and finally make a trade?

10. Logan (9) Week 1: 11

Sorry Kristen, I’m doing everything in my power to get Logan a victory this week.  I put him back in the almighty 10 spot and he and I are going to the Bronco game Sunday which has been lucky for his fantasy team all season.  Logan needs as much luck as he can right now as his team is starting to fall off.  This is a must win situation for Logan.  If he loses he will most likely finish right around 11 where I pre-ranked him.

11. Clay (8) Week 1: 8

I had Clay ranked 8 last week, which is right where I pre-ranked him, but then I realized his team really isn’t that good.  Sure he is still 4-3 and had some good weeks, but they seem to be few and far between at this point.  Clay can still shock you, but with the Richardson injury situation I would feel pretty good about my chances against Off In The Woods.

12. Anton (12) Week 1: 1

Ok, so obviously I didn’t think Anton was the #1 team heading into the season.  I stated it in my first article that Anton deserved to be #1 based on last year’s performance.  I knew he would fall a bit, but I never expected him to fall this far.  It’s been a struggle all year for Anton and it looks like he will have a high pick next year.

13. Jeff (14) Week 1: 9

Holy upset! My #14 team beat my #1 team.  That just goes to show you anything can happen in fantasy football.  Congrats to Jeff on a huge win and with another upset this week he could actually move to 3-4.  There is a slim chance that Jeff could actually live up to my pre-ranking of 9.

14. Chris (14) Week 1: 14

Every year there is that team that seems to always lose at the last second.  This year that team is Chris.  He has played in a lot of close games, but just can’t pull them off.  At 1-6 I hate to say it, but I think Chris’s season is probably over.  On a positive note he is the leader in the Aaron Rodgers sweepstakes.

A-Town Power Rankings Week 7

Hello again everyone and welcome to this newest addition of the A-Town Power Rankings.  In a 13 game regular season we are basically at the half way point.  By this time you should have a good feel for where your team is headed and getting ready to make those final moves.  We have a lot of bye weeks this week so make sure you take a good look at your lineups.  I’m expecting a lot of low scores this week.  For this week’s theme I decided to compare my rankings to the power rankings done by CBS on our league page.  Remember I take into account more than just the stats like CBS does.  I consider how hot or cold your team is as well as injuries and playing time.  I came up with this idea after noticing only 2 of my rankings match up!

 

1. Alex (Last Week 1) 4-2 CBS: 5
I was really surprised to see that Alex’s ranking on CBS was so low compared to mine.  Alex is my strong #1.  I’m thinking it’s because he got lucky last week winning with only 108 points, hurting his breakdown and overall points. Alex’s biggest issue right now is deciding which players to actually play.  He has two viable QB’s and with last week’s performance by Green now has some decisions at RB as well.  The best part is he can’t really go wrong with whoever he chooses.

2. Pop (2) 5-1 CBS: 4

This is another ranking by CBS that I don’t agree with.  Pop’s was 1 in their ranking last week and dropped to 4 this week.  It’s just proof that stat’s don’t tell the whole story.  Pop’s lost by 9 and if he had made the right Defense choice would have won.  This is still a power house team with elite players all over the roster.

3. Garret (4) 3-3 CBS: 2

If you read my article on a weekly basis then you know I called exactly what is happening to Garret’s team.  I predicted after his 0-3 start it was just bad luck and he would bounce back and be a team to look out for.  Garret has now evened up his record and is ready to contend for the division. This team is clicking on all cylinders right now and if Garret can escape this week with the Broncos on a bye he could take over the division in a few weeks.  This is the scariest team in the league right now.

4. Dan (5) 3-3 CBS: 6

What Aaron Rodgers did last week just wasn’t fair.  It looked like Dan was going to have trouble getting by Logan then before we knew it he stole the high week and moved on to 3-3!  That’s why you choose Rodgers with the first pick, he can put of a 56 point week!  CBS has Dan at 6; I obviously think that is too low.  Since the big trade with Alex, Dan has been on fire and isn’t showing signs of slowing down.  With that WR core and Rodgers back on track Dan is becoming a tough matchup.

5. Joe (3) 3-3 CBS: 3

This is really the first time where CBS and I disagree where I think they have a team a lot higher than I do.  The thing about Joe’s team that bothers me is it is full of streaky players.  Besides Brees he doesn’t have anyone that you can just pencil in for a solid 18 points a week.  When his players are hot, this team is as good as anyone in the league, but they are also capable of putting up a stinker.  I do love what I have seen from Bradshaw lately, maybe he will turn into that player I think this team is missing.

6. Gill (8) 5-1 CBS: 1

This is the best example of how CBS rankings shouldn’t be trusted.  My team has several large issues.  I have absolutely zero depth at WR and QB.  My WR’s either have a great week or put up a goose egg.  CBS doesn’t realize that, if Big Ben goes down my season is essentially over.  I realize my team is 5-1, but I haven’t had to deal with my stud player’s bye weeks.  When Foster and Peterson have bye’s I will be forced to start DeAngelo Williams.  Enough said.

7.  Zach (6) 3-3 CBS: 9

Remember when I had this team in my top 4?  It’s hard to believe after Zach put up a 77 point week and lost to Alex this week.  CBS is being harsher than I am, as they have dropped him all the way to 9.  On a positive note, Hernandez is back and caught a TD last week.  I still think Zach ahs to consider trading either Ryan or RG3.  This week he had 91 points on his bench, which were 14 more than his actual team scored.  That has to hurt.

8.  Clay (8) 4-2 CBS: 8

This is a team that ranking wise CBS and I actually agree.  The ironic thing is that it’s Clay’s team which is by far the most unpredictable team in fantasy history.  I mean he put up 64 points this week.  In his other loss he barely got to 70.  When Clay shows up and puts up a decent week he wins and when he sucks he really really sucks.  I have no idea what to do with this team so I’m just going to leave him right in the middle.

9.  Logan (9) 2-4 CBS: 7

Logan was last week’s tough luck loser as he had the most points of any team that lost.  That’s 3 losses in a row right now for Logan and that’s why I have him at 9 and CBS has his at 7.  I don’t know what’s going on with Findley in GB, but the TE spot is starting to haunt Logan.  Things won’t get any easier this week as both of this teams RB’s are on bye.

10. Mike (10) 2-4 CBS: 11

The luck of the 10 spot continues!  At first I mentioned this as a joke, but it’s for real now.  Mike had a so so week, but the power of the 10 spot willed him a W! That’s 6-0 now for teams I have ranked in this spot.  I would hate to be playing Mike this week as the odds are certainly not in your favor!

11. Kristen (12) 3-3 CBS: 10

Kristen is my lowest ranked 3-3 team.  However, her team is starting to click lead by her WR duo of Nelson and Decker.  They are both on fire and with Spiller back on track this team has the look of a team preparing to make a move.  We will see if that’s true, or if they will fade for good.

12.  Anton (11) 2-4 CBS: 12

This is the other team that CBS and I agreed on.  We are starting to see a theme for Ryan Fitzpatrick.  He starts out the season hot then fades hard.  It’s tough to win when your QB can’t crack 10 points every week.  I think Anton should take a hard look at getting RG3.  This team needs a volt of energy and who better to do that than RG3.  At this point I would give up Forte.

13.  Chris (14) 1-5 CBS: 14

Isn’t it ironic that the week I compare Chris to the Browns they both get their first win!  I’m happy to say that no team in our league this year will go defeated!  I’m interested to see if this will spark Chris’s team and maybe get a few more wins under their belt.  Chris has by far gotten the better deal in the Dez Bryant and Mendenhall trade for Graham.

14.  Jeff (13) 2-4 CBS: 13

The reason I flip flopped Jeff and Chris is because Jeff now has the lowest point total in the league.  I’m putting more steak into total points than record, where CBS does the opposite.  Jeff’s team can be solid, but they don’t have the talent to put up a monster week and overcome a quality opponent.

A-Town Power Rankings Week 6

So I’m starting to wonder again if anyone actually reads this as we had zero trades after my article last week and Clay was the only one who left a comment (Thank you by the way).  Well anyway I’m sure at least one of you is reading this, so here we go for week 6!  This week I decided to compare your team to an NFL team.  Playing into my formula was record, playing style and overall direction of the team.  Let me know what you think, or if I was way off on your team comparison.

1. Alex (Last Week 2) 3-2

Alex crushed Anton last week with big performances from Luck, Jones and of course Tony G.  Alex may not have the record of a #1 team, but he has the roster and that’s all I care about.

Team Comparison: Patriots - Like the Patriots, Alex started off slow but made a few adjustments and never panicked.  Both teams now look like the top team in the league and are a shoe in for the playoffs and poised to make a deep run.

2. Pop (1) 5-0

As a reward for being our only remaining unbeaten team, Pop has been moved from the top.  It’s not a knock on his team as much as it is respect for Alex’s juggernaut of a team.  This is still a top notch team that is going to win a lot of games, they just don’t strike fear into me on a weekly basis.

TC: Falcons - The Falcons, like Pops, are undefeated and still not considered the best team in the league.  The Falcons are a great team that will make a run, but when it comes down to it, do you really think they scare the likes of the Patriots or 49ers?

3. Joe (3) 4-1

Joe had a monster outing in week 6.  His RB’s combined for 75 points, including Bush in the flex, and when you throw Brees’ 42 on top of that, no one can stop this team.  Joe shouldn’t expect weeks like this all the time, but when Jennings comes back, the sky is the limit for this team.

TC: Ravens - You know what you’re going to get when you play the Ravens.  A tough, hard nose game until the final whistle and they’re going to be in it.  Joe’s team is going to be consistent week in and week out and looks like a team built for the playoffs.

4. Garret (5) 2-3

Garret finally showed us what he’s capable of in week 5.  He now has the most points scored in our league and I was tempted to move him even higher considering his below .500 record. 

TC: Broncos - The Broncos, like Garret, are a victim of a tough schedule and underperformance.  However, with the first tough games out of the way, Garret and the Broncos should be the favorite in just about every game for the rest of the year and should make a strong run at the playoffs.

5. Dan (7) 2-3

When Dan goes on all these business trips, I’m starting to think he’s actually in New York kicking Hakeem Nicks in the foot!  It’s seriously the strangest injury and no one is benefiting more because of it than Victor Cruz and Dan’s team.

TC: Packers - The Packers are historically a powerhouse just like Dan, but have faltered a bit this year.  However, we all know there is a beast in there just waiting to be awakened, and when that happens, look out!

6. Zach (4) 3-2

Zach falls 2 spots this week because we all know I punish teams in my top 5 who don’t score at least 100 points!  In his defense, he did have some bye-week issues, but that’s two losses in a row for a team that looked unbeatable at the beginning of the year.

TC: Chargers - I know Zach is loving this because this is his favorite team, but there is much more to this comparison than that.  They have an identical record, have played some great games and some not so great games, still scare you every week and could take off the rest of the season, or blow up and miss the playoffs entirely.

7. Clay (10) 4-1

The power of the 10 spot works again!  Just so you all realize, teams ranked in my 10 spot are now 5-0 while being there.  Unfortunately for Clay, the 10 spot has made his team too good now to keep that low.  I’m not ready to buy into Clay having an elite team, but they are proving to be a factor in this young season.

TC: Vikings - Like Clay, the Vikings have surprised a lot of teams this year.  They are playing well when everybody thought they were bound for a down season.  Both teams don’t keep you up at night worrying, but they are solid teams that won’t beat themselves.

8. Gill (6) 4-1

Gill’s team got knocked off its pedestal in a violent way by Joe in week 5.  This team isn’t built for a shootout and if Graham is injured, it could be in serious trouble.  Expect Gill to get waxed this week as he has major bye issues and may not be able to fill out a full roster.

TC: Cardinals - Gill and the Cards are both 4-1, but just barely.  They have escaped with some close wins that should have gone either way.  Don’t let these teams fool you; things will eventually stop going their way and their records will suffer.

9. Logan (8) 2-3

The Cards vs. Rams game last Thursday killed Logan! He saw his Ryan Williams go down with a season ending injury, Amendola separated his clavicle (which who knew could be life threatening; I sure didn’t) leaving him out at best 6 weeks and as a result, Logan lost by 2!  Tough breaks for a team that doesn’t have any depth.  Look for Logan to make a trade this week.

TC: Jets - Logan and the Jets are notorious tough teams that when healthy, can make a deep run in the playoffs.  However, with all the injuries the tide seems to be changing for these once powerhouses.

10.  Mike (11) 1-4

Mike can thank me later for putting him in the lucky 10 spot this week.  Mike put up a solid week, but just isn’t getting any breakout performances.  Tough loss for a team that looked like they had turned the corner just last week.

TC: Saints - Both teams are usually known for putting up a lot of points, but this year just can’t find a way to get in the Win column on a consistent basis.  A few more bad weeks and both the Saints and Mike will be looking towards next year.

11. Anton (9) 2-3

We’re starting to learn that this team goes as Ryan Fitzpatrick goes.  Too bad he’s no Drew Brees and doesn’t get it going that often.  Right now Anton’s roster is full of good players playing mediocre football.

TC: Dolphins - The Dolphins have played some gritty games this year and shocked a few teams, but their roster doesn’t scare you one bit.  Anton has put out some gutty performances, but right now his team isn’t bothering anyone in the league.  Both teams have a solid foundation, but I just don’t think it’s enough this year.

12. Kristen (12) 2-3

Kristen has to be asking, why is Jordy Nelson not catching 10 balls a game without Jennings in the lineup?  The answer is: I have no clue and while I’m at it, I have no idea what has happened to Spiller these last 2 weeks!

TC: Bucs - Every year we think Tampa and Kristen have all the right players in all the right places, then they disappoint.  Both teams have the look of a quality team, but rights now just aren’t. 

13. Jeff (13) 2-3

Jeff must have some pretty strong will to be 2-3 with this roster, and he’s looking great as he plays me next week while I have major bye-week problems.  How Jeff could be .500 at this time next week is beyond me.  The Bears’ D is having a ridiculous season as they have scored 5 DST/TD.

TC: Chiefs - Like the Chiefs, Jeff is a team that you know you can beat, but never want to play.  They will sneak up on you and punch you right in the kidney!  They never give in and will fight ‘til the end.

14. Chris (14) 0-5

What does Chris have to do to get a victory? This week he played the high week team yet again.  On a positive note Mendenhall looked great in his first game back and week 5 seemed to be Chris’ worst bye week.

TC: Browns - I’m sure I didn’t shock anyone here by picking the Browns.  I couldn’t help myself as it makes just too much sense.  Both teams are winless, seem to have a shot every week and no one questions their effort.

A-Town Power Rakings Week 5

Hello everybody and welcome to another addition of the A-Town Fantasy Football Power Rankings.  Week 4 was a huge week for offense, as everyone in the league made it over 100 points for the first time all season.  The best game of the week was actually between two winless teams in Chris and Dan.  It came down basically to one play as Dan held on to win by 3 points leaving Chris as the only team without a W.  Congrats to Mike for showing up in a big way and taking the high week with 185 points.  This week started out with a bang as the Schmidt brothers agreed to a blockbuster deal swapping top flight players which is a great segue into this week’s column that includes not only power rankings, but suggested trades for each team that you may want to consider.  If any of these trades do happen, I expect a negotiation fee!

 

1.  Pop (Last Week 1) 4-0

Pop made a terrible decision to sit Eli Manning in favor of Carson Palmer, costing him 20 points.  However, it didn’t come back to hurt him as Logan’s team never really seemed to make it off the plane.  As long as Pop doesn’t try anything tricky and lets his best players play, he will be a top notch team.

Suggested Trade: Ray Rice to Alex for Doug Martin/Julio Jones

I know it’s hard to part with the 3^rd overall pick, but this trade makes too much sense for Pop.  Martin is a quality #2 RB and Julio Jones will give Pop the production out of his flex he hasn’t seen so far this year.

2. Alex (3) 2-2

Alex is a .500 team and scored only 100 points last week, but the trade he just made makes him the most talented team in the league.  Without any bye weeks Alex has the best roster and should start rolling teams in week 5!

Suggested Trades: See Pop

Alex is a sucker for a big name player and it doesn’t get much bigger than Ray Rice.  Alex has depth at WR and paring Rice with Jones-Drew is a deadly combination that no other team can match.

3. Joe (4) 2-2

Joe must have printed out last week’s power rankings and posted it on everyone locker because his team came out swinging like they had something to prove! However, the 155 points they put up just wasn’t enough to top the best week of Clay’s life.  What Joe showed is that his team is in fact elite and shouldn’t be questioned.

Suggested Trade: Dalton to Gill for Kenny Britt

With Greg Jennings health uncertain, Joe could use another high ceiling player and in losing Dalton Joe only gives up a bench player he would use one time during the year.

4.  Zach (2) 3-1

Zach’s weakness at WR showed itself in week 4.  The three of them put up a combined 27 points.  It doesn’t matter how good you are at QB and RB if your WR in a ppr league can’t get the job done.  Is it time to start worrying about this team?

Suggested Trade: RG3 to Anton for Fitzpatrick/Stevie Johnson

As I just mentioned, Zach is weak at WR and acquiring a proven guy in Johnson he can play matchups with Floyd and Washington.  RG3 is tough to let go of, but he is just taking up a bench spot right now.

5.  Garret (5) 1-3

Despite only being 12 points back of the leader, Garret is a 1-3.  He finally got a break and played Jeff’s new look joke of a team.  I want to say this win will build momentum for Garret, but Jeff handed him a win last week putting up two zero’s.

Suggested Trade: Chris Johnson/LaFell to Mike for Wes Welker/ J. Rodgers

Although Chris Johnson went over 100 yards for the first time this year, he has been a big disappointment.  Welker has struggled as well, but a change of scenery for both players could be a good thing.

6. Patrick (8) 4-0

First off dropping Hartline for Simpson last week has to be the bonehead move of the season.  On a more positive note, Patrick escaped with another narrow victory in week 4.  It seems like this team is sweating it out week in and week out.  Although they are 4-0, the universe will start to rotate as it should and Patrick will lose some close ones instead of having everything go his way.

Suggested Trade: See Joe

Patrick has made it very obvious he is the one and only team in the Quarterback for a market, wanting to play matchups with Big Ben.  Dalton has played great and proved he can be trusted as a starting fantasy QB.

7. Dan (9) 1-3

If you don’t produce for this strict owner, consider yourself on the trade block!  Without hesitation Dan shipped off his stud WR’s Jones and Bowe and out of frustration threw in Shonn Green.  At first look it seems Dan overreacted and got a bad deal, but Lynch is a top 5 back some weeks and I’m a big believer in Antonio Brown.  Look for this trade to light a spark in Dan’s team

Suggested Trade: Antonio Brown to Logan for Ryan Williams/Garcon

I know I just praised Brown, but Dan should take this chance to give himself a quality RB upgrade in Williams.  Garcon has been fighting an injury this year, but when healthy can be very productive and make the loss of Brown feel like a distant memory.

8. Logan (7) 2-2

As I mentioned earlier, Logan’s team never made it off the plane in week 5.  A bad week here and there is going to happen, it just can’t become acceptable.  I expect Logan to hold a press conference later this week to tell the world that he still believes in Michael Vick as his QB and has no plans of acquiring another one.

Suggested Trade: See Dan

Choosing who to play at WR on a week to week basis for Logan has to be like pulling teeth.  It will hurt to lose the depth at RB, but at least Logan can sleep easily Saturday nights knowing Brown is in his lineup.

9.  Anton (6) 2-2

Anton’s team just couldn’t get it done this week, only scoring one skill player TD and not reaching any running or catching yard bonuses.  It’s been an up and down season for the Myrtle Beach 4’s, but Anton is still 2-2 and Forte is on the mend!

Suggested Trade: See Zach

Anton loves flashy and that’s exactly what RG3 is.  I know that Fitz is more than serviceable right now, but RG3 is an elite player and Anton can slide Stewart into his flex with Forte back.

10. Clay (10) 3-1

The luck of the 10 spot continues as Clay put up a very impressive 166 points in week 4.  This is probably too low for Clay, but I’m sure Clay wants to ride out the 10 spot luck one more week.  This team showed that when there on their game they can beat anybody in the league.  This team scares me, especially if Torrey Smith plays like he has the last two weeks.

Suggested Trade: Gronk to Kristen for McCoy

Celek has somehow become Vick’s favorite target making him a viable TE leaving an opening for Clay to move Gronk if he gets the right deal.  McCoy is a top 5 guy and can take this team to the next level.

11. Mike (12) 1-3

Just to keep the league updated, in week 1 Loan came over to my house and his team had an amazing comeback and put up a huge week, and this week Mike made a guest appearance at the Gill residence and his team went absolutely nuts!  I’m not saying I’m a believer in this team yet, but that was a very impressive performance by the Rawdogs.

Suggested Trade: See Garret

This is your classic trade of two struggling super stars.  Welker’s role is still up in the air and you never know what CJ is going to show up.  At 1-3 what does Mike have to lose with this gamble?

12. Kristen (13) 2-2

Kristen got top notch performances from just about everyone on her team last week so I moved her up a spot.  I still feel like it’s going to take a perfect storm for this team to make the playoffs.  Between Schaub and Cutler, Kristen is going to drive herself nuts choosing a starting QB.

Suggested Trade: See Clay

Kristen’s Achilles heel right now is TE and by acquiring Gronk she could go from having the worst TE in the league to the best!  Spiller can fill in as the RB 1 and Roberts will be a nice flex after scoring twice last week.

13. Jeff (11) 1-3

You’ve got to give Jeff credit for trying to make his team better.  The reality of the situation is he now has the worse roster in the league and started two players last week that put up 0’s.  This is starting to look like a lost season for Jeff.

Suggested Trade: Fred Jackson to Chris for Hartline

Jeff and Chris talk everyday about trades so I’m sure they have gone over this one at some point.  In Hartline, Jeff gets a hot player who may be able to help him steal a W from someone.

14. Chris (14) 0-4

As our only winless team Chris is forced to stay in the 14 spot.  He lost a heartbreaker to Dan by 3 measly points.  It was a tough luck loss, but a loss none the less.  Chris desperately needs to get in the win column this week or his season will be officially over.

Suggested Trade: See Jeff

I know Hartline is a sexy player right now, but look at it this way: If Jackson and Hartline were both on the waiver wire which one would you pick?  Chris desperately needs RB’s so it’s a no brainer.

 

A-Town Power Rankings Week 4

A-Town Power Rankings

Week 4

 

Believe it or not, with week 3 in the books that means about a quarter of our season is over.  At this point, teams should be getting a good read on what their strong points are and where they stand in the league.  I’m not saying it’s time to panic for our 4 teams that are 0-3, but it’s getting very close.  Along with the four 0-3 teams we have three 3-0 teams, five 2-1 teams and two 1-2 teams.  So needless to say, things are still tight and anyone can step up.  Along with my rankings this week, I added teams’ records so you can see where my personal opinion comes into play beyond just the stats.  Enjoy this week’s rankings and just a heads up next week I will be giving suggested trades to each team to try and heat things up a bit.

1. Pop (Last Week 1) 3-0

Pop’s stays at the top here as he escaped a valiant upset attempt by Anton.  Ray Rice is a fantasy stud as it seems he always runs for positive yardage and can turn a little dump pass into a 20 yard gain at any given time.  Eli Manning looks like a top 3 QB right now and if the rest of Pop’s team can pull their weight, he should sail into the playoffs.  A tough matchup against Logan next week should show us just how strong Pop’s team is.

2.  Zach (3) 3-0

As much as it pains me to do so, I moved Zach into the two spot this week.  Why does it bother me? Well first of all, I have never met the kid, second he won’t trade me RG3, and last, I just can’t trust a team with a starting WR core of Miles Austin, Malcolm Floyd and Nate Washington.  Despite all the hate, Zach has earned this ranking.  He has the top two QB’s in our league and a top flight RB core of McFadden and Sproles.  Zach takes on Mike’s struggling team this week and could even be my number one team next week!

3. Alex (4) 2-1

Well it’s official, Tony Gonzalez has clearly found the fountain of youth.  He looks as good as he ever has, catching ball after ball and racking up fantasy points.  If Alex can continue to get production from unexpected places, he is going to crush teams.  Putting up 150 points with only 6 coming from Romo is a very impressive feat.  If it wasn’t for a tough luck loss in week 1, Alex may be at the top of my rankings right now.

4. Joe (2) 2-1

After seeing Joe’s team fail to put up 100 points and taking a harder look at his roster, I think I have been over valuing the Baby Kangaroos.  Having Dexter McCluster as your flex option is never a good thing and I just don’t see the consistency from Lloyd and Jennings.  If the Patriots shy away from the run and Reggie Bush’s injury is serious, Joe could take a major tumble.  Remember where you heard it.

5. Garret (5) 0-3

I’m anticipating this will be my most controversial ranking of the week.  Hear me out before you all go crazy and blow up the comment section.  Garret has to be the best 0-3 in CBS sports leagues.  He has by far the most points against in our league and the 5^th most points scored.  That’s just bad luck right there.  Garret has a stacked roster that just struck gold in Mikel Leshore, who looked like a fantasy monster in his first ever NFL regular season game.  With Leshore in over Chris Johnson and a healthy Nicks, I would take Garret’s roster over any team right now.  I know it sounds like I have lost my mind, but just wait and see.  This is a playoff team that is going to turn some heads starting week 4!

6. Anton (6) 2-1

Anton had by far his best week of the 2012 season, thanks mostly to Larry Fitzgerald finally showing up, or should I say the AZ QB’s finally throwing their best player the ball.  Benson finally got into the end zone, but how long can Anton stay afloat without his first round pick Matt Forte?  When healthy, this is a team to mess with, but right now the injury bug is biting hard.

7. Logan (7) 2-1

Logan stays in the 7 slot despite winning because he came out flat against a much weaker opponent in Chris.  Right now Percy Harvin is the MVP of this team and everyone else is just a wild card.  Logan needs Vick to figure it out soon and get Murray back on track.  This team is capable of greatness, but I have a feeling Logan is going to be sweating it out each and every week.

8. Gill (10) 3-0

It took a lot for me to move myself out of the lucky 10 spot this week.  After the very controversial trade with Chris for Jimmy Graham, I think my team has earned a boost.  It’s hard to endorse a team without a stud QB, and that’s why it will be hard for my team to climb in the rankings.  After the trade, I left myself very thin on the bench and one injury could easily derail a solid start.

9. Dan (9) 0-3

Dan is still in the top 10 based on the fact that I still have a man crush on Aaron Rodgers.  He hasn’t done much yet, but he is still the best player in the NFL and will, without a doubt, produce video game numbers.  With the best receiving core in the league, Dan is bound to get in the win column sooner rather than later.  With Dan’s fantasy reputation I’m sure he’s keeping his cool, but a loss this week and we may see the league commish start squirming a bit.

10. Clay (10) 2-1

Out of love I have dropped Clay 2 spots to the lucky 10 slot!  I have no idea, as usual, of what to say about Clay’s team.  One week he plays average and gets a win, then plays great and goes 2-0.  Just when you think Clay finally has a good team, he throws up a 70 point week!  Yes that’s not a typo, a 70 point week, as in he almost was in the fricking 60’s.  If we had a standard league Clay would have put up 55 points! This kind of stuff only happens to Clay; I don’t know what else to say.  He will probably put up 180 next week; who knows anymore….

11. Jeff (12) 1-2

In case anyone missed Jeff’s message to the league, he is openly shopping his QB’s.  I honestly think Brady is up for grabs, so if you believe in him take a shot at him.  I will give Jeff credit for realizing his team is in trouble and trying to make a move.  What I don’t understand is that every week I find myself rooting against Jeff’s team.  Is that weird? Does anyone else root against Jeff?

12. Mike (13) 0-3

Positives for the Rochester Rawdogs: Their team owner made the club baseball team at UNC, has good grades, and is the CBA leader in stolen bases for the fall.  Negatives for the RR: First round pick Matt Stafford is hurt again, McGahee is hurt again, team is 0-3 and the girl in the team photo finally got cold and is putting on a sweatshirt next week!!

13. Kristen (11) 1-2

So I’m pretty positive Kristen doesn’t read this so I can say whatever I want about her team, and what I want to say is that they suck!  Besides me, everyone hates Cutler as a player and as a human being.  Steven Jackson looks like a Dinosaur and Jordy Nelson doesn’t have the talent to beat double coverage.  The lone bright spot on this team in C.J. Spiller got hurt last week and is expected to miss time.  Unless things turn around in record pace, not many teams are going to be saying “DidULose2aGirl.”

14. Chris (14) 0-3

Obviously I’m a fan of Chris this week as we agreed on a trade, which in this league seems very hard to do.  Ok, so obviously it looks like Chris got the short end of the stick here, especially with Wells going on IR, but Chris was backed up against the wall and threw a punch instead of just taking a beating.  If you can’t understand that, then you are obviously the best fantasy player ever and never have a bad team.  Although I have Chris ranked last, right now listen to this: Rivers, Brown (Giants), Mendenhall, Wallace, Bryant, Gates, Ogeltree/Cook and Prater.  I don’t know about you, but that doesn’t sound like a last place team to me.

 

*****Side note*****

As you all realized our league got a little crazy this year and choose 5 QB’s in the first round (I’m counting Clay’s pick of Newton a 1^st rounder), which is against the “old school” view of things.  Personally I’m very old school when it comes to fantasy football and completely disagree with choosing a QB in the 1^st round.  I just wanted to share with you all that the teams who picked a QB round 1 are a combined 5-10!  That stat can obviously change, but it’s interesting to think about.

 

A-Town Power Rankings Week 3

A-Town Power Rankings

Week 3

First of all I want to say thank you to my loyal readers; I didn’t know if you were actually out there.  A lot of things happened in week 2.  We started the week with our first trade of the year between Dan and Jeff.  At first I thought Dan took advantage of Jeff, but then I realized Jeff actually proposed the insane trade!  Dan’s team took a major step forward acquiring Julio Jones and Jeff took a plummet acquiring a bunch of second rate RB’s.  I do want to acknowledge the league for approving the trade. I’m a firm believer that if two teams agree on a trade we should always approve it.  Overall, week 2 was a low scoring week but we still had some good matchups.  Pop was this week’s big mover going all the way up to #1 and Anton dropped 6 spots.  We still have 5 undefeated teams, but at this point I’m not putting too much stake into record.  Without further ado, here is the A-Town Week 3 Power Rankings:

1. Pop (Last Week 4)

Pop’s had the high week and has scored the most points overall. What’s more impressive is he did it with a big fat goose egg from his flex spot.  Eli Manning isn’t going to throw for 500 yards every week, but he should flirt with 300 on a weekly basis.  Pop’s has a four headed monster in Manning, Rice, White and Johnson that is going to be tough to slay.  All I have to say is good luck to the rest of the league.

2. Joe (2)

Joe had a solid week and as a result stays put at #2.  It was encouraging to see what Reggie Bush produced; he doesn’t look very soft to me.  If the Saints continue to struggle it’s going to be great for Drew Brees’ fantasy value.  They have got it done early in both games by double digits and had to throw almost 50 times.  As long as the Patriots stay committed to Ridley and the running game, Joe should be slotted at the top of my rankings.

3. Zach (5)

Zach is making his presence felt as a new comer to A-Town. He put up another solid week and worked Chris over to go 2-0.   I don’t expect the Hernandez injury to slow this down as Bennett should fill in nicely.  The real question is who is Zach going to deal RG3 for?  It doesn’t make any sense to have a viable player on the bench when you can swap them for a solid RB2 or WR3.

4. Alex (6)

After a tough loss last week, Alex bounced back nicely and handed his rival Garret a loss.  MJD scored his first touchdown as did Lynch and Martin.  Having all your RB’s score a TD and all your receivers catch over 7 balls is a solid recipe for success.  Alex has built this team for the long haul and should matchup with anyone in the league.

5. Garret (3)

No matter what Garret may say, losing to Alex always stings.  They sat next to each other at the draft and had picks right next to one another.  Despite being 0-2, I still believe in this team.  Manning and Thomas seem to have chemistry and trust and I expect Thomas to have a monster year.  Once CJ and Charles get it going, this team is going to be a force to be reckoned with.

6. Anton (1)

Is everyone happy now? I finally moved Anton out of the 1 spot after his first loss in a while to Pop’s powerhouse of a team.  It’s going to be tough for Anton to avoid a big slide with Forte out for a few weeks and Larry Fitz not catching his stride so far this season. 

7. Logan (9)

Holy Danny Amendola!!! 15 catches is no fluke and I expect him to be the major focus point of the St. Louis passing attack.  Between Amendola and Harvin, Logan may have the top two guys in receptions at the end of the year.  In a ppr league that’s a very good thing.  As long as Vick can stay healthy, I see Logan being extremely competitive on a weekly basis and a team with maybe the most upside of any of the three teams ahead of him.

8. Clay (11)

Obviously Clay was going to have a huge week because I bad mouthed his team last week and gave them no respect.  Well touché Clay; Cam Newton and Richardson showed why they are fantasy studs and the Law Firm continues to produce for the Bengals.  If all things come together, Clay actually has a dangerous team on his hands.

9. Dan (7)

After the trade with Jeff, Dan officially has the best receiving core in the league.  Cruz, Green and Jones are top notch guys and pare them with Aaron Rodgers and that makes Dan very hard to beat.  However, the question remains, what is Dan going to do for running back production? He can’t continue to put up a combined 10 points from the RB spot or the advantage he has at WR will be negated.

10. Gill (10)

I’m again keeping myself in the ten spot.  It’s starting to feel like home.  Although I’m 2-0 I could easily be 0-2.  Dez Bryant is doing absolutely nothing and for some reason, despite his QBR being at its highest when he throws to Maclin, Vick refuses to do so on a regular basis.  Luckily, Arian Foster is a BA and gets it done week in and week out.

11. Kristen (8)

Kristen is having a rough time with the TE position.  If you have depth at the position, now would be a great time to make an offer to her.  On a positive note, C.J. Spiller has been the best player in the league the first 2 weeks and pared with McCoy still makes this a very dangerous team.

12. Jeff (12)

Jeff failed to reach 90 points as only two of his skill position players reached double digits.  It seems Jeff is about to enter desperation mode as he dealt away Jones last week and if my sources are correct, is actively perusing a Tom Brady trade.  I don’t know if that’s the answer, but what I do know is that Jeff needs to do something or his season will be over very soon.

13. Mike (13)

Positives: McGahee looked great on Monday night; Stafford has faced 2 very strong defenses and is due for a breakout game; and Jackson seems to be once again Vick’s favorite target.  Negatives: Michael Turner looks sluggish and may be on the backend of his career; Mike may have the thinnest bench of any team and Donald Brown is in fact a below average RB no matter who his QB is; and Olsen caught one lousy pass.  If you can’t tell, the negatives definitely outweigh the positives right now for this team and that’s bad news for Mike.

14. Chris (14)

With Gates hurt, Chris didn’t have much of a chance in week 2.  It’s going to take a lot from Chris to convince me to move him out of the cellar.  If it’s not time to blow up this experiment, it should be very soon.  Expect Chris to be very active on the trade front, maybe shipping Graham for a RB and a WR.