Week 6 saw three close games all with playoff implications go inside 10 points in the fourth quarter of Monday Night Football. The excitement didn't produce many upsets, however. At the midseason mark the league striated into an elite (4-2 or above) of six teams and a preterit (1-5) of three teams. In between are three squads, one at 2-4 and two at 3-3 who will try to claw their way into the top half. Even the preterit is not out of it, although one more loss would probably ice it. Week 7 is another all in-division mash up for pecking order in the respective schools.
1.) TakingTigerMountain (last week 2) 5-1
The Mountain proved too much for the Explorers club in Week 6's Eleatic showdown, and TTM now stands alone atop the division with a 4-0 division record. They're not the highest scoring team, the deepest or the most well rounded, but they are in a position to control their own destiny. Stafford continues to find a way to be productive, but scoring a first half TD now and again is always appreciated. AP failed to find the endzone again, but has been a workhorse on the ground and in the air. Spiller picked up his best game since his injury out of the timeshare, which doesn't appear to be ending any time soon so his upside is capped at flex. Maclin returned for a b34stly hedge against Vick in the 4th quarter.
Next week -HomeSpunNeckBloodz - TTM will defend their perfect division record against the Bloodz who have run their streak to three. Down three wideouts on byes, they'll need a spot starter here. But there are plenty of byes on the other side too. MJD will be back, we'll see if a bye made the offense any less flimsy.
2.) BldgDW3LL1NGTh1nk1ng (last week T.3) 4-2
-BDT beat the Raiders like a rag doll, taking out the evident aggressions of a two game losing streak and resulting in the week-high-score. Romo/Bryant hooked up for the first time in BDT tenure, easing some of the critics of the squad's wheeling and dealing, at least for the moment. No less than seven double digits contributed in this one, not counting a 20 and a 12 on the bench. Including a combined 37 out of the daring duo of Foster/Rice. If these two keep up their pace, the Heideggerians will be thinking about securing the playoff bye before long. Watt has arrived as a fantasy powerhouse, a little commented on necessity of PSAS champions. He's leading the league in sacks and has picked up more than six points in every contest so far.
Next week - SanFranciscoFerries - another in-division as BDT seeks to protect their perfect Milesian line. It's not a gimme by any means. But there are some plus match ups here. Britt looked productive for the first time and could be a serious sleeper against Buffalo.
3.) GrossmanSachs (last week T. 3) 4-2
-The Sachs maintained contact with Milesian leading BDT in Week 6 with a key win over the Ferries, it wasn't flashy, but it was over 110. The Sachs are the second highest scoring team in the league so far, with the fifth highest scores against them. Aaron Rodgers got some help from his friends in the form of circus catches to work his 6 TDs, but it is a reminder of the style of Packers offense that makes him a dominant fantasy asset even in blowout games. Still touring Europe in search of adequate RB help, the Sachs need Rodgers to be top-3 dominant in order to hang around in the blue chips. Game ball has to go to a sweet match-up play of Tampa's DEF vs. the Chiefs.
Next week - ThePelicanBrief - in a Super Trade match-up the Sachs will start down White and McGahee on byes against a largely intact Legal Thrillers squad. This one should be fun regardless, since it's chock full of implications for the Milesian and playoffs. Arodg has the better play against the Rams while RGIII faces Giants DEF that contained Cam earlier this season.
4.) AEthernauts (Last week - #1) - 4-2
The Zeppeliners couldn't find their land legs as their running game slowed to a halt against their rivals at the Mountain. Vick's turnovers continue to be a problem, although he's still producing something. Missing their Saints running tandem the Nauts were forced to go with Turner and Ridley, who both low-balled. Baltimore's D suffered a couple of key injuries during the game, and is probably a match up play at best for the remainder of the season.
Next week - Pr1m0rdi4lLyfestylz® - the Nauts get a mismatch with the Stylez in week 6 a prime opportunity to hold serve and stay in the hunt for the Eleatic banner. They'll be without Vick and McCoy here, but the Stylez bye gaps are even more extensive.
T.5.) HomeSpunNeckBloodz (last week T. 6) 4-2
-The Spinners drained a third straight victory in dramatic fashion with Manning driving them from behind on MNF. The Bloodz stay in the hunt in the Eleatic, tied with the Nauts for record. Secret weapon Vincent Jackson contributed a big blow with 18 on a bye week filler. They left an even more unlikely 17 on the bench in the form of fellow Tampa WR Mike Williams. An improbably 11 from CJ?K on TNF also contributed welcome surprise points here. He's got Buffalo next week, a nice chance to go full-b34st.
Next week - TakingTigerMountain- The Homespun crew get a shot at the top in Week 7 playing the Mountain. They'll get their Chicago players back, but miss Manning at QB. They'll be the underdogs here, but Chicago could easily walk all over Detroit on MNF, and the Bloodz Monday mojo has been strong lately.
T. 5.) Phat Girlz (last week T. 5) 4-2
-Digging their nails into the Thunderbolt the Girlz rode out the clock on a 1.8 point victory over the Stylez. Whether the g0dz favor is waning or at its best in a nail-biter is anyone's guess. There were no real b34st on the Girlz squad in week 6, but everybody got a little something. Their IDP combined for an impressive 23. The Girlz may need SJax to find double digits to truly break out.
Next week -Cincinnati Dangles - The Girlz stay in the Eleatic trying to keep ahead of the pack by stepping on the Cincinnati club. The Girlz will miss Matthews but get their Saints back. The Girlz should run out two hedges to Brees. If they both find paydirt, the Girlz streak could stretch to five.
T. 7.) Cincinnati Dangles (last week 5) 3-3
-Mirroring last year's strange luck the Dangles are the top scoring team so far, and yet have only a .500 record to show for it. What's more their opponents aren't on average the highest scores against, so there's a point swing factor at work here. They're 3-1 when they break 110, but 0-2 when they don't. But their lowest so far - 98 vs. the commish in week 1. The Dangles dropped a heartbreaker to the Bloodz, watching their lead leach away in the waning moments of MNF. The good news is that Breesus' bye is now past, and health permitting, the Dangles can ride his attempt to throw the Saints back into wildcard contention. Another monster day from WR1 Green and the Atlanta defense hid the lack of production on the ground. The Dangley ones need to keep em crossed that T-Rich and Mendy can get healthy and be a factor in Week 7.
Next week -Phat Girlz - The Dangles have a chance to upset the league's hottest club and drop back into the wildcard picture. They'll be missing their Atlantans but if Brees isn't stymied by the Tampa 2, then the Dangles could well drop 'em on the Girlz chins.
T. 7.) ThePelicanBrief (last week 7) 3-3
-The Brief hung on for dear life are nearly got pulled out by the Trichs on MNF. What can't be denied is that the Legal Thrillers possess the single most valuable fantasy asset of 2012 in RGIII. He's a game changer all by himself. Indeed, his 76 yard TD run more than accounted for the margin of victory here. Welker and Run DMC both turned in nice performances here, as did FJax, who looks no closer to escaping his timeshare. The Pelicans are two down in division play, they'll get their shot to climb the ladder with 5 more Milesian school games to play, none bigger than the Sachs this weekend.
Next week -GrossmanSachs The Brief takes a shot at the Bank in week 7. The Sachs will be missing two key components. This could be a prime "prove it" game in the Milesian. If RGIII can solve the Giants then the Grishamites may well walk away with an upset. It's a must-win for the Brief, a win keeps their division hopes alive and a loss casts their wildcard chances into purgatory.
9.) SanFranciscoFerries (last week 10) 2-4
-The Ferries dropped their third straight against the Sachs this week. This was going to be a tough one without their Panthers, but the Ferries got production out of their replacements. Ponder picked up 19 in a spot start. But, boy did they pick the wrong game to sit Greene who picked up 34 in the Jets romp over the Colts. It would have made all the difference this week. Another big game for the Giants defense, who may be coming into their own as a DEF1.
Next week -BldgDW3LL1NGTh1nk1ng - the road to the playoffs goes through the their in division rivals. SFF get CamAngelo back and Martin has a plus matchup with the Saints. If Greene can get going against New England, there's no reason the Ferries couldn't steal one here.
T. 10.) Trichotillomaniacs (last week T. 10) 1-5
-This year's heartbreak kids nearly stole one from the Brief on MNF, coming within four of picking off a win from the heavy favorites. 30 from Jordy Nelson brought them back into the conversation and a late sack by Dumervil gave him 11, but couldn't come any closer to what would have been the most shocking comeback in recent memory. It usually takes at least seven victories to advance to the playoffs, so obviously the Trichs need to get busy. But those wins come one at a time. Nicks at least got back into action, if he can work his way back to the top of the depth chart the Trichs ceiling will rise accordingly. BTW, who's the #3 fantasy RB? Morris, that's right...
Next week - Tusken Raiders - the Trichs get a golden opportunity to start a run against the ice cold Raiders. One of these teams will be 2-5 and one will be 1-6 after the game. What's more the Raiders are facing a ton byes at once. After the Tuskens the Trichs will play four straight clubs who currently have winning records.
T. 10.) Pr1m0rdi4lLyfestylz® (last week T. 10) 1-5
-The Stylez came within a hairsbreadth of a key week 6 victory on MNF. Just 2.6 points away, with both Floyd and Miller active on a final throwing drive for the game, a final turnover sealed their fate. Brutal as their season has been, Murray's injury could be the nail in the coffin here. There's not much depth behind him at RB, unless the g0dz will an injury favoring one of their handcuffs.
Next week -AEthernauts - the Stylez will try to drop the Nauts down to earth by handing them their second straight loss in the Eleatic. With a brace of big byes, the Stylez would have to hit the wire hard and then catch a whole bunch of breaks to walk out of week 7 a winner.
12.) Tusken Raiders (last week T.10) 1-5
-It's already winter on Tatooine as the Sand People were ice cold for their Milesian showdown with BDT. It was a perfect storm of nothing that brought the Raiders their 5th straight loss. Only Bradshaw picked up double digits. When a team fires their defensive coordinator, it's a pretty safe time to drop their team defense.
Next week -Trichotillomaniacs - the Battle in the Basement will give one team hope and all but eliminate the other. The Raiders have six players on their roster on byes, including both QBs.
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