Power Rankings Week 11

Just as too many cooks will spoil the broth, too many bye contenders will spoil the wildcard race. Rather than the traditional  middle "hump", we have a middle valley, with lots of high and low. The ironic result is that nobody has actually clinched a playoff spot or been technically eliminated. But don't let that fool you. The top five are very likely going and the bottom five are significantly longer odds than either the two 5-5 teams.  So we've essentially broken down into three races.  A five way race for two bye spots. A free for all blood sport over the sixth playoff spot. And a moral victory points race.

1 (T.1) Aethernauts - (8-2) - The Aerial explorers cruised to a Monday Night victory the top spot (by winning percentage) with their third straight win.  A single huge pass play to Matavius Bryant might have saved the Nauts in week 11, but with Murray and Sanders still clicking they're every bit high end dangerous. Gordon looks more and more like the little something extra this offense could use in a playoff run.   Remaining Schedule - Polk, Old Future and TigerMountain. The Nauts face two sub .500 teams and enter week 11 third by points. A week 13 Titan Clash with the Tigers might well decide a bye.  Playoff bye forecast - Sunny with a chance of week 13 thunderstorm.

2.  (T. 1)  Phat Girlz - (7-3) - The Girlz dropped their third straight and paid for a big wire gamble.  It's not often that the highest paid player in an auction draft gets a chance on the wire as well, but that's precisely the unlikely kind of season AP is having. Dropping three straight, Monique's squad has surrendered the certainty of a bye position but not pole position. The Girlz faced massive bye clusters in the last few weeks, with the core four back on the field at the same time - expectations will be high in week 11.  Remaining Schedule - Trichs, Dijon, Pelican.  The Girlz face two sub .500 teams  and lead the league in points.  Playoff bye forecast - Sunny. 

3. (3) TakingTigerMountain  (7-3) - The Tigers held serve narrowly defeating a playoff worthy Ferries team for the second time this season. Missing Edleman and Vereen the Tigers play was a bit off, including a first drastic lowball of the year for Antonio Brown. With Hillman sustaining an injury and the Saints backfield bound to get a bit more crowded for Ingram, the Tigers could be in for a downgrade via their run attack. Remaining schedule - Spinners, Shockers, Nauts.  Facing one .500 team, one sub .500 and a playoff bound titan, the Tigers get a little of everything. Playoff bye forecast - week 13 thunderstorm.

4. (4)  Dijonaise All Stars (7-3)   - Team Yellow kept it going good racking up 140+ courtesy of a  massive first half from A-Rodg, and collecting all the TDs in the ATL/TB game.  This was Arian's bye week, so a signal win without a team captain is a clarion call to the rest of the contenders.  A dinged-up Lamar Miller could prove a downgrade in the stretch, but Philly's D/ST put up another crazy crooked number. If they keep putting turnovers in the endzone, they could be a serious difference maker.   Remaining Schedule - Pelican, Girlz, Ferries.  The Mustardians get low, high and middle in their quest for a bye spot.  Winning out is probably required but they do have an avenue by beating the Girlz and letting the Nauts and Tigers game decide another spot.  Playoff bye forecast - Foggy. 

5 (5) BuildingDwellingThinking  (7-3) - The German Philosophers racked up a big win with the Sanchize at the helm (undercard to the win was an expected make-up with Romo, who sat the bench with 23). A Hillman injury could come just in time for the returning Ball, and for BDT's beleaguered run game, with plodders Ivory and Morris endzone dependent and the Buffalo backfield gamble appearing to have given way to the unlikely injury-proof legs of F-Jax.  It's still a Cowboys story, so the best indicator of BDT's future will be how Romo comes out of the bye week. Remaining Schedule - Ferries, Bloodz, Shock.  Two middle-brow and a low boy for the Deep Thinkers. BDT will enter week 11 sixth by points, without any games against their bye competitors, they'll have to win out and hope for the best. Playoff bye forecast - Below the Radar.  Wild Card / Consolation cusp - above the cusp, but not safe.  BDT's middling points,  could technically cost them, but it would probably require the Bloodz to beat their score by an average of 30 points per game remaining. 

6. (6)  SanFranciscoFerries (5-5)-  The Ferries lost a squeaker to the Mountain and stay bobbing in the wildcard shallows. A big no show for Terrance Williams undercut what was otherwise a solid offensive performance in week 10. The Wilson/Stafford QB controversy continues, although SFF picked correct last week, but only by virtue of 100+ rushing yards for Wilson.  Beckham's emergence as the Giants top WR is a potential nice upgrade for the Boatmen, the G-men will be playing behind a lot for the rest of the year. Remaining schedule - BDT, Trichs, Dijon. Two top tier and one upsetter the Ferries probably need two of three, they're slightly above average in scoring but could be vulnerable at 6-7.  Wildcard miracle karma - do good works.  The Ferries probably have the toughest remaining schedule, but a couple of wins will take them home. 

7. (8)  Homespun Neckbloodz (5-5) - The Spinners got up off  the ground and hooked up an IV to their season in week 10. Following the demolition of their starting QB, the Bloodz found something from Oakland's Carr. Lowballs from the Old School receiver corps, got covered by a nice day from Marshall and Arizona's D/ST.  With an injury to Marshall's ankle in the blowout SNF game, the Bloodz need Nio-Gio to return immediately to adequately fill a flex.   Remaining Schedule - TTM, BDT, Trichs.  Did I say the Ferries schedule was the toughest? this is more of the same. Points poor, the Bloodz need to be one better than the Ferries.  Wildcard miracle karma - take the high road. The Cyclotron needs wins to power a playoff run, separation from the Ferries is the only path.  

7. (9)  Trichs  (3-7) - Another pullin' MNF for the Shogun, as some D/ST scoring vultured away touches needed for a Maclin/McCoy fueled comeback. Palmer's contract extension ACL jinx cut the Trichs off at the knees in this one.  It's been that kind of season for the Commish, where a marginal lowball gets cherry picked by big scoring by their opponent.  They're #2 in points against, and by the eye-test they've gotten everybody's best licks.   Remaining schedule - Phat Girlz, Ferries, Bloodz. Through a scheduling miracle the Ferries are set up to do the most damage to teams they're chasing. Wildcard miracle karma - fight to the last man. The Hair-Pullers start the last third of the season with a grudge match against PG.  Their games will likely have a big impact on both the bye distribution and the six spot.  In order to take it for themselves, they'll need to win out and hope that BDT sweeps the other WC contenders. 


9.  (7) Old Future (3-7)  - The Future lost a winnable game against the Bloodz and significantly hobbled their chances at the Six Spot  best. Manning continues to dominate, and close in on QB1 in the points rankings, but without the Buffalo duo OF is too dependent on WR points.  A bye for T-Rich was too much to overcome here. Remaining schedule - Shock, Nauts, Panthers. Two fellow cellar dwellers and a Star Lord. If the Future could run the table they're in the conversation. Playoff miracle karma - mustard seed. OF has a chance to rack up two wins against weaker squads, if they could pull of a huge upset of the Nauts it would reshape both races. 

10. (11)  Pelican Brief (3-7) - The Grishamites kept their own hopes alive, pulling the Trichs back into the mire.  A previously undiscovered level of B345t mode for Lynch was the margin of victory. With Brady back next week, and Lynch coming off his best game in a year, PB is not going quietly.   Remaining Schedule - Dijon, Polk, PG. Like the other 3-7 teams, the Pelicans probably need a sweep. Playoff miracle karma - deus ex machina. The Brief rosters some of the most elite recognizable names in the NFL, early in the season it didn't gel, if it does now, they could become a force in the final third. 


11. (10) Shock_Pix  (3-7) - The Shock's chance was two weeks ago at 3-5 to return to playoff relevance. The locker room mood now is somber and the attitude seems downtrodden. Even though it technically was the right decision (as the Bengals waltzed into a blowout loss), Hill sitting the bench looks like coasting. Cutler's dismantling took away their last legitimate chance to Shock the World in week 10.  Remaining Schedule - OF, TTM, BDT.  A cellar dweller and two high flyers, the Shockers could still be midrange spoilers. Playoff miracle karma - grace of god. From early season  low-scoring the Pixies are last by points and would need to win out and have every other WC contender falter. 

12. (T. 11)  Polk High Panthers (2-8) - The Bundys took another one sitting down - posted on the Toyata infamy ad as a 53 point defeat to the Mustardians. Megatron's return was the good news of the day, with over 100 yards and a TD, he'll put a few teeth back in the Panther's bite down the stretch. IF he and Green and Charles manage to fire during the same week, we'll get a glimpse at the team's intended structure.  Remaining schedule - Nauts, Brief, Future. As the recap mentioned no team is eliminated, but with eight losses it's entirely out of Polk's hands.  Playoff miracle karma - infinite universes. The Bundys are 10th by points and a game down on the outsider WC hopefuls. Even with a tie at 5-8 they'll need 

Mid-Season Awards Watch *Updated

*Updated Edition

While the final Season Award Ceremony is still months away, we take a look at tentative bests of the 2014 season.  Things could change dramatically in the second half of the regular season, but this is how things stand as of the completion of Week 7.

Heisenburg's Maximum Titration Award - BldngDW3LL1NGTh1nk1ng (54 and counting)

Last year's BDT had 66 moves during the entire regular season to lead the league in number of transactions.  This year, they already have 54 at mid-point.  Their record has also improved, so the titration are frequent and spot-on, it seems.  In PSAS's five seasons, they lead the league in this category three times and was runner up (by only one transaction in 2012) in the other two years.  This one is the surest bet to stand until season's end.

Cashman's Biggest Purchase Award - The Old Future: Knile Davis ($66)

Jamaal Charles went down in the week TigerMtn dropped Davis, and the Rookie Time-warp pounced on the talented handcuff.  Hindsight is always crisp-clear, and we see that Knile spends much time on Future bench as Charles is back while not as dominant as years past.  The runner-up spending Asiata ($49 to TTM) isn't fairing much better, being eclipsed by a DivII Georgia Southern wishbone QB.  Last year's biggest purchase was at $87 for Brandon Jacobs in what was a hyper-inflated market.  This year's waivers is less bubblicious plus funds are starting to dwindle, so we'll see if any larger bid that could equal to BJ87 materializes in late season.

 

*Jay-Z's Biggest Spender Award - The Old Future, $140

Big pimpin' spending G's, or is it spreading cheez?  Before BDT took over as the leader after the triple-RB acquisition in Week 8, the Future lead the league in spendings mostly riding on the Davis acquisition and Torrey Smith's ($39).  They overloaded the waivers in these occasions, outbidding second highest bid by $25 in Davis's case and no one else putting in a claim for Torrey Smith's case. 

Best/Worst Trade - Polk High-PelicanBrief (Julio Jones/Fitz for Charles, week 1)

There really isn't a winner in this one of three trades that we've seen this year so far, and it may be why franchises are so gun-shy about making trades this season.  It's not really the trade of WR1-2 for RB1 that's questioned.  It's just that the two teams involved in this trade are at the bottom of the standingz at 1-6.  The other trades between contenders Nauts and BDT have the making of becoming the award-winner by the end of the year, depending on how the traded players and car salesman fair.  We probably haven't seen the last of trades in PSAS 2014.

*Best Draft - Phat Girlz

Honorable Mention: DraftBot version 20.1.4. for Dijonnaise All-Stars

As Arbiter commented, which inspired this category, the strength of Monique's season has its foundation on her laudable draft.  The Indy double-titration cannon of Luck for $22 and Hilton for $14 added to value keepers Tate ($3) and Garçon ($11) is the engine of this team.  Mix those with the right RB1 pick of Forte for $57 and WR1 pick of Cobb for $46, and you have a complete team.  For the DraftBot, the highlight includes Rivers for $4, Foster for $32 and Miller for $19. 

*Worst Draft Bust - Adrian Peterson for $68, TakingTigerMountain

Dishonorable Mention: LeSean McCoy ($58, Trichs), Montee Ball ($49, BDT), Zac Stacy ($39, Nauts), Keenan Allen ($37, Shock), Doug Martin ($36), Toby Gerhart ($32, BDT)

No one can be blamed for this, but the highest paid player in 2014 (=AP) logged a meager 9.3 points before being shut down for likely the rest of the season from the Switch-gate scandal.  Running backs are the easiest to break down by nature, but this year off-field issues have hit the position hard as well.  It's worth mentioning that, save for the Trichs and Shock, all teams that drafted above players are playoff contenders, which says something about those teams. 

MickyD's Dollar Menu Best $1 Spent in Draft Award - AEthernauts: Chris Ivory

 
Honorable mention: Cecil Shorts III (Pelican), Antonio Gates (Nauts), Reuben Randle, Steve Smith Sr. (Bloodz)

While contents are likeliest to be dropped from the roster with the click of a mouse, the dollar bin is full of gems every year.  Ivory is the mid-season favorite based on higher values workhorse RBs command, but SSS's performance is also worth mentioned.  Every body was hot on Ladarius Green in the pre-season, but Gates has held on to being the Rivers' Resurgence beneficiary.  We'll see how many of them will be the Best Keeper Value winner next summer.  This year's $1 keeper club includes Julius Thomas (Trichs), Joique Bell (Bloodz) and Cordarrelle Patterson (Nauts).

E-Trade Most Invested - Trichotillomaniacs: 13 bets

Last year's champs have seen many favorable odds in the market thanks to their own inability to win in 2014, and teams have tried to cash in hoping they'll eventually start winning.  The problem is exactly that lack of winning that created the favorable odds in the first place.  They've only won once, so only four of the thirteen bets have returned money for investors.  The front door to the Trichs office is widely shut of late to wade off protestors demanding their money back.  If they continue their losing ways, investor confidence will soon diminish.

Coach of the Year - Phat Girlz' Monique

Honorable mention: Dijon's Colonel Mustard, BDT's Hermodorus

Everyone knows Monique has the Girlz titrating at a very high level winning seven-straight, but the season's surprise is Colonel Mustard.  After trusting the DraftBots to construct his team while spending only 90% of the budget, Colonel has tweaked his lineups enough to have the sophomore team sitting comfortably in the chase for their first playoffs berth.  BDT's turnaround is also worth mentioning.

Game of the Year - Dijonnaise All-Stars vs TakingTigerMountain, week 7

While any of the four games in week 7 that was decided by less than 10 points as well as the Dijon's MNF win over Future the previous week are worth the consideration, Dijon-TTM had the most playoffs implication with both teams previously at 4-2.  If the outcome of any of the three Week 7 close games flips, that one jump to the top of the list.

Most Improved Team - Dijonnaise All-Stars

Honorable mention: BDT, Nauts, TigerMtn, Bloodz,

Sophomore slump is not in Colonel's dictionary.  He's gained more prowess on and off the field to manage a playoff-contending team in the first half of the season.  If memory serves correctly, Dijon also had a hot start last year but tapered off toward the end.  We'll see if Foster can stay healthy to carry the Mustards deep this year.  All teams honorably mentioned are in playoffs contention after missing the dance last year.  BDT and Nauts hold the handle, while TigerMtn and Bloodz still need statement wins.

*Rookie of the Year - The Old Future

This is the obvious/only choice.  The Futurists have struggled early on, losing several close and tough games en route to a 2-5 start.  Maybe rusts, maybe the unique culture of PSAS, probably both, Team Timewarp have shown enough fantasy prowess in waivers, casino and stock market for all of us to take note and pay respect.  They just need to make some kind of sacrifice to the g0dz so the g0dz would smile on them.

***We'll keep adding categories as I or anyone think of them.  Comments encouraged.  

Preseason Power Rankings 2014

And now his watch is ended...

A virile Commish takes power

After a bit of preseason bloodletting worthy of Game of Thrones three franchises (two legacy) are gone, a commish toppled, and a shell-shocked league wondering what to expect next.  Well, if you've read the books you know, a bit of orientalist fantasy, a lot of talky intrigue and not nearly as many boobs as the early seasons.  Rankings don't mean much until the cleats hit meaningful turf, but that never stopped us before.


1.  Trichs  -  The new Shogun rides into town on the heels of last year's victory. Shady McCoy and the Muscle Hamster will muster a top tier run attack. And the General will hope that cheap keeper Julius Thomas can cover for dual WR2s in an aerial attack.  Keeper-nick and RGIII round out at QB with a dual running QB strategy.  It's a balanced attack with some big names on defense, it's a new day for the Rising Sun.

2  SanFranciscoFerries - The Bay Area Boatmen are ready for another run at the title after a Cinderella streak ended ingloriously in December last year.  They return RB1 Lacy and talented deep threat Patterson. Question marks abound with Gronk and Welker injury concerns and Bell's off field concerns. But expect big numbers out of a QB competition between Wilson and Stafford.  There's plenty of reason to be sanguine about the Ferries as playoff repeaters.

3.)  Phat Girlz - The Girlz returned a WR-RB on the cheap with Garcon and Tate (finally traded out from behind Arian).  That allowed them to pick up some brand name help in the form of RB1 Forte,  a pair of legit wideouts in Hilton and Cobb, and a solid QB2 in Luck. They're thin in the way of depth, but if Luck or Tate takes a big step forward they'll be heavy-hitters again.

4.) TakingTigerMountain  - The Mountain kept the unlikely TE-WR combo, although an appeals court had to make it official that Graham is a TE.  After narrowly missing the playoffs last year, TTM put the band back together returning QB1 Brees and a host of flex candidates in Vereen and Sproles. The elephant in the room is the huge bid for AP, if he's healthy 16 games then he might be worth it.  If not then the Mountain will be over-reliant on air power yet again this year.

5.)  Pelican Brief -  The Legal Eagles kept a QB-DEF combo in Brady and Seattle's defense. A bounce back for the Brady is the foundation of their season, but the engine is the two presumed top backs of the ground game Lynch M0b and Charles.   Always a wheeler-dealer we fully expect the Brief to hit the back channels before the season gets too old and trade up to improve their air attack.

6.) Homoerasmus James - August surprise with a bullet, the former Commish and  top seed in last year's playoffs dropped out only weeks before the draft. His franchise assumed by a mysterious new-comer is still a force to be reckoned with.  With Peyton as a keeper, there's obligatory talk of age and injury risk.  If he's a repeat of last year then the New Kids start the year with one foot in the playoff circle.   They'll hope that the Bills will finally figure out how to use Spiller, and that Frank the Tank isn't running on empty. 

7.) BuildingDwellingThinking   - The Black Forest returns the dynamic Cowboys duo of Romo and Bryant, hope, like everybody in the Metroplex, that they can't fuck things up indefinitely. With Morris and Monte Ball there's hope for a solid ground game. But depth is lacking with Gerhart at flex an aging Reggie Wayne as WR3.   Still the German Philosopher's are known titrators, so they'll expect them to test the trade/wire waters soon enough to find the right strength.

8.)  Homespun Neckbloodz - the Spinners return a RB-WR in Joique and V-Jax. With bell cows Ellington and Nio-Gio in the backfield, they'll hope to draw consistent power on the ground this year. A lot depends on mercurial QB2 Nick Foles in a wide-open Philly offense. Toss in another top flight year for Brandon Marshall and the Cyclotron might have a dope mixture this time around.
  
9.)  Polk High Panthers   -  Al Bundy's crew kept the biggest dollar number in the league with Megatron and AJ. They also arguably kept the top two receivers in the league.  To get out of the gate they'll need those thoroughbreds to be tops again. Because there's precious little else here. Thomas and Blount as borderline RB2 and R-Burger as QB4 both need upgrades. The Panthers are an obvious trade partner with two spare WR1 in Julio on a injury rebound year and the ageless Fitzgerald.

10.) Aethernauts   - The Nauts returned the QB-RB combo of Newton and Murray, hoping that both can achieve that next step in 2014.  True to their name they drafted Big Air picking up Cruz, Jordy and Emmanuel Sanders, big time deep threats all.  As a result the Rolling Beer Barrel Stacy and newly minted Jet Ivory will fight for RB2 rights.

11.)  Dijonaise All Stars   - Col Mustard and Crew missed the draft and predictably suffered the pains of auto-pick while crossing the international dateline. A-Rodg is still a top flight QB as a keeper, but they'll rely on the computer picks to do the rest of their lifting.  Looking to reclaim faded glory are WR2s White and Wallace.  A bounce back year for Arian would make the Mustard men's roster a little more palatable.

12.) Shock_Pix - Where can you start the year after an 0-fer in the previous year? No lower certainly.   The Pixies return Demarius as top flight receiver.  They'll hope to get similar air space from breakout Allen and a fully rehabbed Harvin.  They'll wait for Ray Rice to sit out his wife-beating suspension, and hope they can get some young numbers out of potential futures picks like Hill and Mason.  Every year we predict that the primordial Commish will return to former glory, is this they year they shock the world?