Power Rankings Week 8

Smokin'

Week 7, hump week, saw bleak separation in the league, with four teams 3+ over .500 and and five teams 3+ under .500. The irony of the widening gulf is that it makes a 7-6 playoff run more likely. The top four teams play the bottom five in three of their remaining six games (except BDT who plays only two bottom five teams), making further striation/separation likely.  The mid-range three teams have schedules that make a 3-3 split look like it could carry a team to the sixth spot potentially.  Of course past performance is no guarantee of future prediction.  BDT has the fourth lowest points total and lowest points against total. The Trichs have the fourth highest points total and the second highest points against. Will those numbers adjust in the rest of the schedule? And will that be reflected in the W/L standings? Probably not because of sample size, but because the week 7 is where we first start to get a realistic form of the playoff race.

1.  (1)  Phat Girlz - (7-0) - Despite a host of blue chip performers, it was a gamble flex play of Garcon that got the Girlz to the next level this week. Now the fantasy favorites by a comfortable margin, the Girlz can focus on taking a playoff bye and preparing their line-up for the post bye week chaos. Luck is still #1 by points and Hilton is his favorite target. As long as Forte's wheels stay on there's little to derail the Girlz in the immediate future. Cobb, #3 WR by points, is that extra push right now.  The Girlz have made the fewest wire moves in the league and have the most Banker Bytes remaining.  Will Monique flex her muscle to make sure that PG stays alone in the heavyweight class?  Average score 133.5. Average against 103.9.

2.  (2) BuildingDwellingThinking  (6-1) - Taking their fourth in a row the German Philosophers put themselves in the drivers seat for playoff position.  It's the Cowboys show thru seven weeks and BDT has the two of the three pieces that count.   McKinnon appears to have won more time in the Vikings backfield and Pierce is still chugging along in Baltimore, but if Montee Ball can't take his job back upon his return then BDT is still ground deficient.  Average score 106.5. Average against 90.1.

3. (3) Aethernauts - (5-2) -  By the looks of it, a late-round playoff preview, the Explorers dropped a high scoring affair to the Girlz, but it could easily have gone the other way. Cobb got a little more of A-Rodg's love than Jordie in the Lambeau receiver battle. Ivory and Murray are easily the hardest running RB combo in the league. Murray is still on pace to break all kinds of touch records for the league. If the Cowboys throttle back on his usage the Aethers will descend to cloud level. Average score 119.5. Average against 104.9.

4. (5)  Dijonaise All Stars (5-2)   - The Mustard Men sliced things pretty close with a dramatic MNF win in garbage time, but got the job done for their fourth straight win.  With Miami and Houston channeling their mid-range offenses through Miller and Foster the boys from Dijon are Kondiment Kings. A-Rodg is on fire.   Even the aging air duo of Wallace and White looked good this week. Average score 112.9. Average against 106.3.

5. (6)  SanFranciscoFerries (4-3)-  The Ferries put up their best score of the year in a key game to stay in the top half of the league. The Frisco Kids have been mercurial scorers, putting up 130 this week after a 70 point effort last time out. a thirty point swing for QB Wilson accounts for half of that. With front line RB1s in Lacy and Bell, they're TD hunters at WR, but both Welker and Williams found their mark Sunday.  With Bush still not 100% they'll mix and match at flex, hoping to power through the stretch run like SFF teams past.  Average score 109.8. Average against 116.6.

6. (4) TakingTigerMountain  (4-3) -  After a four and oh start the Tigers have dropped three straight after ending up on the wrong end of some Monday Night fantasy heroics. A decision to play a still injured Jimmy Graham produced a goose-egg, and the win-loss differential as Cook sat the bench with a pedestrian 2.5.  The good news is that Brees had his best game of the year, but the Mountain needs him to be consistently over 20 to be competitive with the top tier. Despite unexpected monster games from the TTM running crew, it's still all Crescent City Connection. Every game that Graham is sub-beast backs the Tigers closer to the edge. Average score 116.3. Average against 116.8.

7. (7)  Homespun Neckbloodz (4-3) - The Bloodz just nicked the Panthers to stay on the cutting edge of playoff action. A 105 and change got it done in week 8, and to this point that's been near their ceiling (topping out at 109).  Nio-Gio had his first big whiff of the season in a shutout against Indy, but bye week spot starts from Smith and Randle gave them just enough. Dual double digit IDP performances kept the Cyclotron powered up - round and round she goes. Average score 100.5. Average against 91.5.

8.  (T.7) Old Future (2-5)  - The Futurists lost a micro-comeback on Monday night after both teams lowballed terrifically. The loss column addition hurts all the more with the dual injuries to F-Jax and Spiller, the Bills/OF running corps.  Even if they spend for handcuffs  it's a significant downgrade in the face of an uphill battle toward the playoffs.  Trent Richardson will likely take over one of the spots, so it's not a total disaster. And the Ancient Ones can't be counted out until the math is done mathing because they have the QB godfather at the helm. Peyton's been over 20 every week. Of the sub .500 teams they've got the most life left in 'em. Average score 107.4. Average against 103.7.

9. (10) Shock_Pix  (2-5) - The Shock Toppers couldn't do it, despite a surge of support for their eponymous brewery and mascot this week.  A Cutler fail at QB and Harvin trade shenanigans doomed them against a nice week for the Ferries. But they still crossed the triple digit mark  (for the second time, 2 out of the last 3 with a 99 in there too). Demaryius is the third WR by points.  With only five losses, the Pix are not eliminated yet, but with a low points total on the year, they'll probably need to win out to go dancing.   Still with 5/6 games against teams above them in the standings they could be a monkey wrench if nothing else. Average score 95.6. Average against 124.

10. (9)  Trichs  (1-6) - After a backs to the wall win in week 6, the Trichs faced a host of nasty byes in week 8, and a BDT squad that needed to keep pressing for a shot at a playoff bye. With Shady out the Trichs are a different team, unfortunately, he's been "out" more than not this season. Utter chaos and a winning streak could help the Shogunate as their the top of the sub .500 teams by points. Average score 113.0. Average against 119.6.

11. (12)  Pelican Brief (1-6)-  The Grishamites partied early, then eeked out a first win over Future.  The game has more effect on the Future's playoff chances that the Brief's, but a win nonetheless. Lynch had a second straight scuffling game as the Seahawks again looked like lame ducks.  Brady at least has been some comfort (if cold) with his third straight +20 week.  The Rankings aren't too far on limb saying this won't be their only win of the season. Average score 91.6. Average against 103.4.

12. (11)  Polk High Panthers (1-6) - The Bundys took another week in the teeth waiting for Calvin and AJ, R-burger's called back TD to Antonio would have changed the outcome this week.  The doomed basement trade between the Pelicans and Panthers hasn't helped either's cause, although the participants have performed well.  Average score 92.2. Average against 117.9.