Week 9 was a lost week for many of the New York franchises as the hurricane aftermath dominated news headlines and daily realities. The inter-school rivalry split 3-3, with the Eleatic sweeping the Milesian basement and the Milesian top tier taking out several playoff contenders. We've got 7 teams above .500 and with only four games remaining, it's tempting to start some projections based on remaining schedule. The Big 3 (Rodgers, Brady, Brees) are back atop the fantasy QB scoring charts, with RG3 sandwitched in there with a bye coming. But who's up in the RB you ask? Doug Martin that's right with a 51 he tops Foster for a week at least with 145 total points. The last two weeks he's lifted the Ferries back into playoff contention, this week should show whether he's just spinning his wheel.
1.) HomeSpunNeckBloodz (last week 1) 7-2
-The hottest team in the league rode their Bears and Bucs to another superior victory in Week 9. Da' Bears combo picked up 62 in the route of the Titans. But that didn't stop CJ?K from a fourth straight double digit. The Bloodz have caught fire at the right time and will take a league leading points total and a newly minted Eleatic lead into week 10. If Harvin's injury causes him to miss serious time it could be a significant WR downgrade for the Cyclotron, who would have to go double Buc WRs or go with Boldin as a stopgap. With four games remaining the Bloodz have one of the hardest remaining schedules, playing 3 of 4 teams with winning records and a 4th with the highest points scored for a sub .500 squad.
Next week -
SanFranciscoFerries - the Bloodz will try to knock off another Milesian competitor in Week 10. But this time they'll be facing the league's second hottest team. This should be the week's top card and could go either way. The Spinners will have to work the wire for a WR in this final interdivision game.
2.) BldgDW3LL1NGTh1nk1ng (last week 3 ) 6-3
-BDT gave a little bit of payback to the Commish with a week 9 win, knocking the defending champ out of the Eleatic lead. The Heideggerians picked up a little of everything in defending their Milesian lead. Romo picked up a bunch of trash time points in their loss to the Falcons. Foster and Rice both had nice days, a little short of b34st. M. Bryant brough home a key 15 and accounted for the margin of victory in a back and forth match. The continuing Cowboys soap opera determines BDT's week to week success, but with several other elite pieces and high-end IDP play, they can probably afford simply adequate play. The German Philosophers get the barely there Primordial Ones for a freebie before taking on the Legal Thrillers, g0dbank, and Sand People to wrap things up. That's only one opponent with a +.500 record, but their Milesian rival is a biggie in week 12.
Next week -
Pr1m0rdi4lLyfestylz® - the German Philosophers go from the current to the former Commish, from the penthouse to the basement. If club BDT can hold the line here, they should run into the in-division stretch in week 11 with the Milesian lead theirs to lose.
T. 3.) TakingTigerMountain (last week 2) 6-3
Week 9 threw the Tigers a curve ball with another huge QB question mark. Stafford had a great TD-less day, and heavily undertitrated. It saw Calvin get tackled respectively on the two and one yard lines. As a result fantasy trash Leshoure/Bell picked up bunch of vulture TDs. On the bench, Luck had his best game as a pro in an emotional game attended by his cancer-fighting coach. AP kept the Tigers in this one artificially with a huge day against the Seahawks. Nearly everybody else was below projection, but the Mountain hit a TD-valley, picking up only APs endzone runs. Until TTM gets MJD back or gets some alternate RB1 production, they will be vulnerable. The Tigers get the Milesian Sand People before taking on the Girlz, Stylez and Nauts. That's 2 out of 4 with winning records, but the Tigers will need to run the table and get some help to regain their Eleatic bye status.
Next week -
Tusken Raiders - the Mountain has a chance to start climbing back into the playoff picture by jumping on a Sand People club that has lost eight straight games. The Tigers will miss their Packers DEF/IDP double titration on bye, but are otherwise intact.
T. 3.) GrossmanSachs (last week 6) 6-3
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Sachs held out against a late rising bye the AEthernauts in week 9. A-Rodg and a dominant Bears defense covered a variety of low-balls here, including seven combined from the RB position (returning Hillis, and "not-playing-the-Saints" Willis). They got a "good-enough" 31 from their three WR1. The Sachs will hope for the best with Murray's foot, creating a viable RB2 at least down the stretch.
The g0dbank draw a rough road picking up the tough Girlz, before hitting the home stretch with the Trichs, BDT, and the Ferries. That's 3 of 4 above +.500. It's conceivable they could be playing the Ferries in week 13 for a playoff spot.
Next week -
Phat Girlz- the Sachs will try and keep pace behind BDT by taking down a second Eleatic wild card contender. It won't be easy with A-Rodg and Fitzgerald on byes, we'll probably see Cutler and maybe D-Jax instead. It's hard to pick the g0dbank here...
5.) Phat Girlz (last week 5) 6-3
-The Girlz picked up a key victory to stay in the top half in Week 9. It was certainly not quite as drawn up as Eli boinked against the Steelers, picking up 3. But Lynch M0b and Wallace did their job, while Graham and Colston held off a late MNF bid by the Trichs. The double TE titration paid dividends when Gresham found the endzone.
The Girlz road to the playoffs goes through the top of the league, picking up the g0dbank before climbing the Mountain, staring down the Cyclotron and wrapping things up with the Styelz. That's 3 out of 4 not just above .500 but in the PR's current top 3.
Next week -
GrossmanSachs - The Girlz will visit the g0dbank and try to make a withdrawal in week 10. They'll get SJax back and face a Sachs squad missing a couple of its Stars. A win here widens the Phat Ones' road to the playoffs heading back to the in-division stretch.
6.) AEthernauts (Last week - 4) - 6-3
The Nauts had four players going on MNF, but couldn't make up a 42.6 gap. Calvin Johnson's bizarre goal line tackleability not withstanding, he's on course for another great season, but the Nauts have missed his high end. His fellow Johnson (Andre) hasn't been quite as prolific in the yardage department, although he did enjoy a return to double digit fantasy numbers, but has only two TDs on the year. If those two ever start finding the painted grass, look for the Nauts to go stratospheric. The Nauts will miss Sproles without a doubt, although having Pierre Thomas will alleviate some of the pain. Still, there's no question that Sproles is the more versatile back in the Brees led pass first offense. The Nauts get the Brief, Bloodz, Dangles and Tigers to end the season. That's 2 of 4 over .500, but no cupcakes in that pack. They need to rack up a couple of wins to ensure the final against TTM is just for post position, not a win-or-go-home.
Next week -
ThePelicanBrief - the Nauts will pick up the Legal Thrillers in their final interdivision game. It's RGIII's bye and that fact alone should give the Nauts hope of keeping pace in the Eleatic.
7.) SanFranciscoFerries (last week 8) 5-4
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San Francisco Ferries got the ball rolling toward the playoffs on the Muscle Hamster Doug Martin. Martin topped his big week on SFF bench last time with 51 this week. With their opponents on cruise control Martin nearly equaled their total by himself. Newton had a nice bounce back day. Charles continued his regression to early season form. But the Ferries have Jones on the bench who's still picking up double digits, at least until Murray gets back. Last year's third place team is on a march back to the top half, their finale goes through the Bloodz, Raiders, Trichs and Sachs. That's 2 of 4 below .500. It highlights how key this week's game against the Bloodz is . If the Ferries can unseat the Eleatic king and hold court against their own lower orders, they could be lined up to take a winner-take-all shot at the g0dbank in week 13.
Next week -
HomeSpunNeckBloodz - the road to a wildcard goes through the rankings #1 and the bolt-holder in week 10. They get a bit of a break with the Cyclotron likely missing Percy.
8.) ThePelicanBrief (last week 7) 4-5
-The
Brief lowballed, but shouldn't feel bad as they got stomped by the league's high score. Not much worked out here, and the Brief will need luck and help to stay in the playoff race. Run DMC will likely miss a few weeks with a high ankle sprain. RGIII's injury will get rested next week, but that won't help PB in what has to be a quest to win out if they are going to see Week 14 on the right side of the postseason. The Brief have a hard but frontloaded remaining schedule with AE, BDT, Tuskens and Trichs. They'll need to run the table in all likelihood, so a slip in week 10 could reduce the Grishamites to spoiler.
Next week -
AEthernauts - the Legal Thrillers get their 49ers and Welker back, they'll need to knock off the Explorers to claw back into this race.If they can win without RGIII they'll be worthy of the comeback kid's crown.
9.) Cincinnati Dangles (last week 8) 4-5
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Dangles didn't need Brees to get back to their winning ways in Week 9 against the Raiders. Cobb continued to sub for Jennings in fine style and Green bested Bailey, proving he's top of the WR heap this year. Trent and the Law Firm kept things moving on the ground and the Dangles playoff hopes live another week. The Dangles have a backloaded schedule, facing 2 of 4 +.500 squads with Trichs, Stylez then Nauts and Bloodz. The Dangles aren't out of it by any means - they're the only sub .500 squad with more points for than against. But they need the first two and probably a little help from one of the current contenders.
Next week -
Trichotillomaniacs - the Dangles can move back to .500 with a win over a down and out Hair Pullers squad. Cobb and T-Rich will be missing in week 10. If the Dangles can overcome that they'll take an even record back to the Eleatic to wrap things up.
10.) Trichotillomaniacs (last week 10) 2-7
-The Hair Pullers ran out of chances with a loss in Week 9. They didn't get any more luck than they've had lately, as nearly everybody failed to show up for interdivision vs. the Girlz. Morris and Stewart never found their legs. Nicks was barely there and Nelson out with an early injury. Moore and Celek gave it a shot on MNF, but they were overmatched. The Trichs are brutal 0-3 against their Eleatic opponents.
Next week -
Cincinnati Dangles - the Dangles need to win out, so the Trichs can spoil their wildcard party with an upset here. Both sides are missing some pieces here, so who steps up?
11.) Pr1m0rdi4lLyfestylz® (last week 11) 1-8
-The
Stylez New England byes just sat in their places, so they weren't a real threat to the Ferries. Decker, Jones and Floyd sat the bench with double digits. It wouldn't have changed the outcome by itself, but combined with a spot QB start and TE could have made it at least interesting. Leshoure's impressive vulturing led the Primordial Ones but got wasted here.
Next week -
BldgDW3LL1NGTh1nk1ng - The Stylez will hand BDT the keys to the Milesian with an 5th straight loss here.
12.) Tusken Raiders (last week 12) 1-8
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Raiders gave the Dangles new life with a victory in week 9. Ryan got locked in a fantasy limbo battle with Dallas. Brian Urlacher led the team from the IDP position with 16.4. It's just been that kind of season for the Raiders. Don't sleep on them though. They could easily steal a win in the last three weeks.
Next week -
TakingTigerMountain - the Raiders will take on the Commish without their K, TE, and DEF. Still there are plenty of plus match-ups here, esp. Ryan vs. the sad NOLA secondary. Expect the Raiders to give the Commish a fight.
2. (5) Tusken Raiders (5-2) - #2 with a blaster! The Raiders knocked the Girlz out and sold them to the Hutts as slaves. D-Jax hiccuped on the QB inconsistency in Philly. But Charles is close to a sure thing this year. Woodhead, Cameron and Hopkins added a TD a piece. If RGIII's best game of the season is a sign of things to come, that makes Tusken FC a serious contender in the second half. 
-The hottest team in the league rode their Bears and Bucs to another superior victory in Week 9. Da' Bears combo picked up 62 in the route of the Titans. But that didn't stop CJ?K from a fourth straight double digit. The Bloodz have caught fire at the right time and will take a league leading points total and a newly minted Eleatic lead into week 10. If Harvin's injury causes him to miss serious time it could be a significant WR downgrade for the Cyclotron, who would have to go double Buc WRs or go with Boldin as a stopgap. With four games remaining the Bloodz have one of the hardest remaining schedules, playing 3 of 4 teams with winning records and a 4th with the highest points scored for a sub .500 squad.