Shake it Off

No Taylor, I will not "shake it off"

Not sure if there is much of anecdote for this week. It was definitely one of the more exciting weeks in the league this season; the games, for the most part, were close going into the primetime games and it was more personal with a majority of us together to watch the games. We have officially reached the halfway point of the season and in the words of Matthew Berry "it's time to take a look in the mirror." Teams need to be honest with themselves and decide whether they have a chance at the playoffs or if they are more in survive and advance mode. Most teams still have a shot at the playoffs (FYI it's back to a 4 team playoff), therefore need to look at the mirror and decide what they need to do going forward. Some are probably comfortable with what they have and others need to tweak somethings to make a playoff push.  

A team that may need to take a quick look in the mirror is Seagrape Security, it wouldn't be a long look in the mirror. They have been able to score points at a huge clip, but it has not translated into wins recently. Currently on a three game skid their opponents have averaged somewhere around 150 points. Just terrible luck. Seagrape Security may want to evaluate their quarterback position, asking the question "Can Nick Foles take us to the promise land?" There are currently two teams in the league with three QBs so maybe that's where they will look. They certainly have the depth to consider this move. 

After eight weeks, Smooth Saddles, are surprisingly in first place. They have had their share of close games, yet they continue to find a way to win. They have taken the idea of streaming to the next level. Week 8 and Week 9 it appears they are finding a QB with a favorable matchup and plugging them in as a starter. Perhaps this is the formula they may want to consider going forward, Matt Stafford and Matt Ryan don't scream reliability. Smooth Saddles probably have their fingers crossed the Brandon LaFell lives up to the hype and that RG III turns Pierre Garcon's season around. 

Probably the most surprising team at the halfway mark is AND I JUST WENT OFF. Practically overnight they not only have become a contender for a playoff spot, but also for the Burgerson trophy. The team is loaded with talent, they have four receivers who are the number one option for their respective teams. All of AND I JUST WENT OFF's starters are starters on their own team. They certainly have a target on their back with Yahoo projecting them to win out the rest of the season. The team could potentially improve at RB 2 if Ryan Matthews ever comes back from injury. 

Keeping pace with their previous championship season LastCupChris has been impressive so far. Despite the disappointment of LeSean McCoy's season, they currently sit at third place. Andrew Luck and Le'Veon Bell have been keeping the pace for them. Mark Ingram appears to be a revelation and Emmanuel Sanders has put in himself in the high-end WR2/low-end WR 1 conversation. Overall they are equipped with a solid team, however they may want to consider an upgrade at the other receiver positions; Roddy White, Reggie Wayne, and Marques Colston do not provide the most confidence.   

Also impressive has been Gentle Vibrations, three weeks ago their season was on the brink at 2-3 but they have managed three wins in a row. They have been led by the three-headed monster that is: "The Bad Man Himself" Aaron Rodgers (as Stephen A. Smith notes), Arian Foster, and Randall Cobb. Unfortunately, the Packers are on a bye this week so they will need to make adjustments. They have done well on the wavier wire with pickups like Ronnie Hillman, who appears to have taken over the lead back role in Denver. Gentle Vibrations has also stashed Josh Gordon, so if they can hang around for the next few weeks they maybe able to make a late push for the playoffs. 

The team that might benefit the most from a trade is Dickle Pickle. They are hurting at the RB 2 position since CJ Spiller went, who wasn't doing that much to begin with. This is a team that can score points but they need more help at that position. Dickle Pickle have depth at receiver so they arguably could use it to make a deal for a running back. They sure hope the recent disappointing performances of Julius Thomas and Julio Jones were just flukes. 

House Hodor find themselves in a difficult position: they have talented players, but they have not lived up to their potential. For example, Marshawn Lynch has quietly been putting up average numbers in recent weeks. Peyton Manning, Ahmad Bradshaw, and Jordy Nelson continue to put up solid stats. DeSean Jackson is always a threat for a big play and has woken up over the last few games. House Hodor is looking for the change of scenery to boost Percy Harvin's performance. There's always a chance that Keenan Allen awakens from his slumber and they have players like Justin "Big Game" Hunter and Martavis Bryant who could become fantasy factors the rest of the season. 

A team that always sees themselves as one move away is LOADING...They have constructed themselves a solid team through a series of crafty moves whether on the trade block or the wavier wire. The argument can be made that they have the most depth in the league. They probably had a minor scare when it was misreported that Doug Martin was traded to the Dolphins, because it would've hurt Lamar Miller's value. I'm sure if they were asked, they would say that they are one or two players away from making a serious run at the league title. Teams looking to improve may want to contact LOADING... first. 

Those magic fingers are in a tough position. Their first order of business is to improve their depth, because they still have a shot at the playoffs. Perhaps they can package one of their elite quarterbacks for some depth and the relieve themselves of the burden of picking between the two week after week. Their best case scenario is that Alfred Morris turned the corner after a solid performance on Monday, that Jimmy Graham plays like Jimmy Graham, and that Brandon Marshall becomes an elite receiver after the bye. If those three come alive, they fill out the roster, and their quarterback plays at a high level then this team can make some noise. 

Without further ado...

Take a look at the Twitter handle in the right hand corner

With the season from hell Slightly Buzzed is trying to turn over every stone to find answers. Their season ended on draft night when Kopko looked at their roster and said "that's a pretty solid lineup." Slightly Buzzed is heading to be given this award at the end of the season:

Just change Raiders to Slightly Buzzed

Blast From the Past

Less Talk More Head would happily let Tyreese play RB. 

Is it me or does it feel like it's the first year of the league again? No? Then I guess it's just me. Let me tell you, I'm getting sick and tired of it. Slightly Buzzed is trapped in the cellar at 1-5 and it starting to look a lot like the Gore-Gasm days. In 4 0f the 5 losses, their opponent has not only beaten their season average but also have had their highest point total of the season. How is this even possible?! I can understand for a season, maybe you can talk me into two but three is ridiculous. Right now Slightly Buzzed is staring down the barrel of its third consecutive season having the MOST points against. 

Despite luck being the biggest factor of them all, there are a few other facts for the struggles of Slightly Buzzed. They have dealt with an inordinate amount of injuries this season (Rashard Jennings and A.J. Green went down in the same week) and this past week was the first game all season where a player did not leave mid-game because of an injury. Even with their health "intact" this past week they still weren't able to pull out the W because of the disappointing performances of Matt Ryan and Eddie Lacy. Lacy leads us to our next point, this team has not been able to draft particularly well, especially with their first pick. Chris Johnson, Doug Martin, and Lacy is a sad list of names to read. Maybe the Oakland Raiders are the only other team to draft worse in the first round. You could argue that there is still time for Lacy, but the Packers need to give him opportunities and have the patience to establish the run. We all saw two Thursdays ago when Lacy looked like Tryeese taking done walkers with his bare hands in the Season 5 premiere.    

Apologizes for the rant, probably did not help that I received this alert as I started writing this post: 

On the bright side I did get a "new" phone.

Enough with the disappointments, let's discuss some other happenings in the league. In a stunner, Dickle Pickle playing David took down the Goliath that is (was?) Seagrape Security. It should be noted that it took a whopping 151 points to accomplish this upset, because Seagrape Security averages 120 points. Averages! It was still a fairly close contest, so it will be interesting to see how they rebound this week coming off a defeat. They will be without Nick Foles, it will be a difficult decision to decide who is gonna be the one to lead their troops into battle. Dickle Pickle was able to accomplish their win without Drew Brees, their regular starting defense, and Steven Ridley exiting the game early with a season ending injury. Kudos to them for gambling on Ryan Tannehill and the Philadelphia Eagles defense. Their reward this week is a matchup with the desperate Less Talk More Head, who will be sure to throw everything at them including the kitchen sink.

In another "minor" upset LastCupChris suffered their second loss in two games. To make matters worse their opponent had a solid game from Lamar Miller who LastCupChris traded for Victor Cruz, which unfortunately did not turn out so well for them. They are also on the record as saying they are "still butthurt trading and losing to (LOADING...)." LastCupChris is in need of magic this week with LeSean McCoy on a bye and Montee Ball and Cruz sidelined by injuries. However, they still have heavy hitters in Andrew Luck, the Cardinals defense, Dan Bailey (the most accurate kicker in history??) and Le'Veon Bell. LOADING... arguably had their best showing of the season and perhaps they found a turning point with Colin Kaepernick. They are stockpiled with talent and perhaps their biggest struggle week to week is deciding who to start--that is unless they are making a trade. They appear to be clicking at the right time with the emergence of Brandon Oliver, Miller's new status, and Kaepernick looking like his old self. Their matchup this week leads us to their next team...

Smooth Saddles have suffered their second loss in a row and there was not much that could be done with several players going missing for them. Their box score has been nearly identical the last two weeks, including the points against. They should be bolstered by the return of Jamaal Charles and the favorable matchups of Julian Edelman and their defense. The keys to the bus have been given back to Matt Stafford who is an excellent candidate for a bounce back against the porous Saints defense. It would seem unlikely for them to continue averaging around 75 points. Smooth Saddles' opponent this past week, Those magic fingers, have been having a seesaw season. They have been trading between losses and wins every week so far, if that pattern is to continue this week it does not look so good for Those magic fingers. Still they have cleaned shop on their bench and most of their players have good projections for this weekend. The addition of Odell Beckham Jr. could benefit them sooner than later, OBJ looks to improve with the loss of Cruz and Larry Donnell coming back to Earth. 

Gentle Vibrations, the opponent for Those magic fingers this week, had a great week scoring their highest point total of the season. They will always be a factor with the 1-2 punch of Aaron Rodgers and Randall Cobb. Their running back situation is not the most stable, though it looks like Khiry Robinson will get some more work with Mark Ingram slow to return. They had a winning formula last year with Matt Prater and the Seahawks defense and they are looking to strike rich again with their acquisition of Prater. Arian Foster looks to be back to his old self and Jordan Cameron proved he wasn't a walker on the field last week. With the three headed monster of Rodgers, Cobb, and Foster maybe the vibrations of Gentle Vibrations won't be so gentle. 

One club back to their winning ways has been House Hodor. Despite Percy Harvin drawing negative points they were able to pull out a much needed victory. Jordy Nelson is probably one of the most consistent players in fantasy and DeSean Jackson is always one play away from having a huge fantasy day. House Hodor currently has the steal of the wavier wire in Ahmad Bradshaw, who has turned into a solid RB 2; imagine if the Colts stopped given equal work to Trent Richardson, however some people like to watch the world burn. 

AND I JUST WENT OFF thought they turned the corner with their first victory, the returns of D-Mart Thomas and Andre Ellington, plus the near returns of Knowshon Moreno and Ryan Matthews. Those plans were dealt a devastating blow when Moreno was placed on IR after tearing his ACL and Matthews's return looks to be in another week or two. On the bright side, Shane Vereen looks to be in line for a bigger role and Jay Cutler will always be slinging the ball around. AND I JUST WENT OFF should be going off at least a few more times this season. 

For some this has been a frustrating season, for those some there is the new season of The Walking Dead to fall back on...too bad it's only on one day a week. 

Quest for the Jersey

Only a matter of time before the blog mentioned the legendary Pennington.

Back in the day I had a Chad Pennington jersey. Remember it distinctly: a white jersey and the one from the "10" was fading because of so much wear. Not really sure why it fell out of rotation, but it was probably because he was released during the doomed Brett Favre experiment and that I eventually was able to get what I thought was a steal on a Revis jersey (definitely not the case). Anyway for the past week or so I've been on a quest to find this jersey and I CANNOT find it...anywhere. It has to be in the attic somewhere; so far I have found some of the most random jerseys: a youth Curtis Martin, Donavon McNabb (my brother's), a baby blue Eddie George, and a vintage Michael Vick "Dirty Birds" jersey (also my brothers). Some how I find those but I cannot find the one that I actually want--though with the current state of the Jets, maybe Vick has to be my default. 

With the Jets current state of affairs, Pennington may in fact be their best answer at quarterback...remember he is the most accurate passer in the NFL. Hell, I would even take Tebow back to lead this team, at least he has God on his side. You're all probably asking: "What does this have to do with the league??" and the answer is most likely nothing. It gives me an excuse to mention my favorite player but we can also compare Slightly Buzzed to the real life Jets, both stuck at 1-4 and no end in sight. It is a crisis now for Slightly Buzzed, it seemed that their running back situation stabilized with a big Eddie Lacy game, but then fell apart with Rashard Jennings's MCL. FYI for the other teams out there: Slightly Buzzed will listen to any and all trade talks, as long as they're reasonable. 

Overall it was a disappointing Week 5, our closest matchups were decided by 21 points. However, it was a coming out week for AND I JUST WENT OFF because they literally "just went off." They have hitched their stable to Jay Cutler, who despite the turnovers, is putting up solid fantasy numbers. With Knowshon Moreno supposedly coming back this week and Demaryius Thomas and Andre Ellington having huge games; maybe AND I JUST WENT OFF is looking at a turnaround. It should be noted that the teams sitting at 1-4 are technically only a game out of a playoff spot. 

Seagrape Security has continued their torrid with seemingly no end in sight. This team is stacked, they go three deep at most positions. If things stay the same, then their most threatening week is Week 11 with their bell cow DeMarco Murray on a bye along with teammate Dez Bryant. Their weakest spot appears to be quarterback, but we all know Nick Foles will put it in the air so he'll always have a chance for stats. 

Smooth Saddles suffered their first loss of the season. It was almost like their players decided to take the week, not a single position player scored a touchdown. Matt Stafford had a dismal game and their leading scoring was their defense which is always intriguing. Gentle Vibrations was the team to hand them the defeat and also on their third name change (granted this one goes more with a league theme). It wasn't a stunning performance but it got the job done. They also picked up some of the top wavier targets in the week in Andre Williams and Ronnie Hillman. We'll have to see what kind of impact these pickups can do going forward. 

A team that just had terrible luck this past week was House Hodor. Pretty much if they played anyone from their bench they could of had a better chance to win and they also lost around 25 points from three called back touchdowns from Percy Harvin. In the midst of a three game losing streak, House Hodor will look to get back on track. Perhaps this is the week that Bishop Sankey has his breakout week against the Jaguars. Dickle Pickle pulled off the impressive win this past week, however they have been bit by the Bye Week bug for Week 6. We will all be intrigued by what sort of adjustments they'll make to counteract that. You can never count out a team that has Matt Forte, Julius Thomas, and Julio Jones even if they are without Drew Brees. 

LastCupChris are back to their winning ways, though they have to be disappointed with their point total. They are of course without Montee Ball, who has been a flop anyway. They certainly have a team filled with talent, their most difficult problem will be deciding to play each week. There are definitely players who can have busts weeks every once in awhile on that roster (e.g. Marques Colston and Victor Cruz). They have an interesting matchup against LOADING... this week. LOADING... were hit with a loss last week but this is a team also filled with talent. Maybe the most interesting aspect of this team is waiting to see what their final roster is week to week; this is a team that is never content and always willing to make a deal. They certainly have "pieces" to pull off another deal before Sunday. They live by the credo of: "If you're not trading, you're not trying."

There's a quarterback controversy brewing with Those magic fingers. They arguably have two top 5 quarterbacks in Phillip Rivers and Russell Wilson, which creates a tough decision every week. Perhaps their biggest problem is that their other players are not showing up. Of course Brandon Marshall will return to relevance and Jimmy Graham is Jimmy Graham. What they really need is for Alfred Morris and Torrey Smith to have their stats get closer to the mean. If that happens this could suddenly be a dangerous team down the stretch. 

Week 6 is shaping up to be moving week for a lot teams. It will be interesting to see what teams will end up hitting the panic button. Also I've looked up prices for Pennington jerseys online...they are astronomically high. 

Of course this is a player on Slightly Buzzed. 

Fire Runs Out

We are through the first quarter of the season. It is just long enough to get a good feel about your team (where you're strong and where you're lacking), but it is not long enough to predict the rest of the season. Perhaps one of the hardest parts of fantasy football is actually winning your matchup; though it is not unreasonable for a team to go on a run. There are countless examples of teams going on winning/losing streaks in the league's history. Just look at the past champion LastCupChris, they were probably carrying a five game win streak into the season and still won their first three contests this season (granted with a different roster). Their run of success finally came to the end when they lost a fairly close game with Smooth Saddles, themselves putting up an undefeated record. Regardless of where one's team is at, don't get too comfortable a lot can happen between now and the end. 

Seagrape Security is still continuing their torrid pace to begin the season. Despite having the last pick of the draft, they currently have two of the top three players in fantasy: DeMarco Murray and Antonio Brown. Overall, it's a solid team that will give anyone fits especially with Dez Bryant, Nick Foles, and two very good tight ends to round out the roster. This week they take on Slightly Buzzed who are coming off their first win. They are still looking for that complete game from their team and they hope this is the week. Some of the players have good matchups and are expecting to capitalize. Slightly Buzzed is hurting a bit because they think they may have jumped off the Bishop Sankey train too soon (deja vu Knowshon Moreno last season). Yahoo currently has each team's chances of winning at 50%, hopefully it lives up to the hype. 

Another team that thinks they could be on the rise is Loading... who are on a two game win streak. A team loaded with potential and not afraid to rock the boat with roster moves. They like their chances against AND I JUST WENT OFF who have had a rocky start to their season. They are looking for their first W and think this week is the time to do it. Their slow start is surprising with several good players, particularly at receiver, on the roster. It would not be a surprise to see their team exceed expectations like they did last week. Also, it will be interesting to see how their team shapes up with Moreno, Ryan Matthews, and Vernon Davis all expected to be returning to the field in the near future. 

There's one matchup that will have their eyes especially glued to Thursday night's game: Smooth Saddles and The Convicts. These teams have a combined five players in that game and it should be an indicator of what their teams are gonna need to do on Sunday. It has been an uncharacteristically rough start for The Convicts, who are definitely missing Adrain Peterson. They had a narrow loss this pass weekend, however most of their players have ideal matchups, it wouldn't be a surprise for them to end their losing streak this week. Smooth Saddles are the league's only other undefeated team. They may of had a few "questionable" wins, but their team appears to be coming together. They are hoping to be bolstered by a healthy Jamaal Charles, the return of Giovanni Bernard, and Wes Welker. The Commissioner thinks that this will be the closest contest of them all (hope that's not a jinx). 

The one team that is most thankful for the Week 4 bye week being over is House Hodor (*). They were without some of their highest point getters: Peyton Manning, Marshawn Lynch, and Percy Harvin. Arguably, Jordy Nelson may be the best player on this team; he has been shredding the stat book. On a two game skid they are hungry for the win against Dickle Pickle. Dickle Pickle has been scoring more points than in year's past, but it has not translated into many wins yet. Matt Forte appears to be back on track and Julius Thomas is returning from a bye so teaming them up with Julio Jones and Drew Brees they could be in store for a big week. 

LastCupChris has not been in this position in awhile: coming off a loss. First, let me share a passage from the great Katt Williams: 

You need haters. What the fuck is you complaining about? What the fuck do you think a hater’s job is? To fucking hate. So let them motherfuckers do their goddamn job.

One this is a great quote and two LastCupChris insists that "haters gonna hate." Led by the best player in fantasy, Andrew Luck, they should consistently put up high scores. This team could be scary once LeSean McCoy gets back to being his old self. Their opponent this week, Those Magic Fingers may have found their X Factor: big ol' bad Phillip Rivers. With Rivers, a healthy Brandon Marshall, and Jimmy Graham this looks like a team set for the long run. 

P.S. I finished Breaking Bad the other week. Definitely a really good show, I don't know about the best ever, but a good show. Walter White, Jesse Pinkman, and Saul Goodman all are great...Skylar White not so much. 

(*) The last post mistakenly referred to House Hondor as Team Hondor. Apologizes.