GE&R Bragging Rights League Standings

[Detritus]

Yahoo hasn't quite turned the crank on the Week 4 games, so I'm posting the soon to be obsolete Week 3 standings.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t126/tkrenbarger/week3_standings.jpg

Week 3 Results
2nd helping skillets - 93.5
Wily Corn Trolls - 72.1

Trifecta Wookies - 77.9
Neanderthals - 96.1

Fighting Friars - 103.7
Zohan's Posse - 73.6

Fallen Angels - 64.7
Tribbles - 79.4

SnakeBitten - 90.2
Demolition - 57.1

[Detritus]

The standings form an interesting little inverted pyramid after Week 4:

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t126/tkrenbarger/week4_standings.jpg

Week 4 Results
Wily Corn Trolls - 109.7
Fighting Friars - 47.6

Neanderthals - 99.3
Tribbles - 83.9

Zohan's Posse - 119.0
Trifecta Wookies - 118.3

Demolition - 117.8
Fallen Angels - 68.6

2nd helping skillets - 83.1
SnakeBitten - 91.7

Four teams topped the high point total from Week 3 posted by the Friars, and it could have easily been five with a bit more judicious choice in starters by Fallen Angels.

[Detritus]

The Fighting Friars move back to the top seed in the league after a one-week absence. Watch out for that team at #7; they won't have a losing record for much longer if they keep averaging 100 ppg.

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t126/tkrenbarger/week5_standings.jpg

Week 5 Results
Wily Corn Trolls (4-1) - 91.0
SnakeBitten (3-2) - 65.5

Neanderthals (3-2) - 73.1
Demolition (3-2) - 77.8

Zohan's Posse (2-3) - 119.9
Tribbles (1-4) - 106.8

Fighting Friars (4-1) - 137.3
Trifecta Wookies (2-3) - 67.6

2nd helping skillets (3-2) - 99.7
Fallen Angels (0-5) - 79.4

[Detritus]

And, a new feature, the inaugural Bragging Rights League Power Rankings:

1. Fighting Friars (4-1, 102.3 ppg)
The Friars have broken triple digits in all four of their wins. Their 47-point crater in Week 4 is clearly the aberration at this point. Reggie Bush and Michael Turner form the most potent backfield duo through five weeks. Hines Ward and Reggie Wayne are pretty good, too, and DeAngelo Williams dialed up a hat trick for the Friars in Week 5. Imagine what they'd be like with Tom Brady at QB, although Jay Cutler hasn't been too shabby as a replacement.

2. Wily Corn Trolls (4-1, 98.8 ppg)
The Trolls have been fortunate in drawing the low-scoring team each of the past two weeks, although they did average 100 points in those contests. They are perhaps the deepest team in the league; Aaron Rodgers and Kurt Warner have both logged games of 25+ points, and no fewer than six Troll RB/WRs (Adrian Peterson, Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Willie Parker, Jerricho Cotchery, and Chris Johnson) have contributed multi-score games. Look for Ronnie Brown and Braylon Edwards to make it eight before Election Day.

3. Demolition (3-2, 97.4 ppg)
Demolition slide into #3 on the strength of their #4 point total, league-high 145-point outburst in Week 2, their narrow defeat of Neanderthals this week, and the rock-solid consistency of Jason Witten at TE. Witten is producing like a top-10 WR, which is a huge positional advantage at the TE slot. They do face the very real possibility of having to go both Week 6 (injury) and 7 (byes) without Anquan Boldin and Brian Westbrook. Jamal Lewis and Correll Buckhalter will have to show big in the next couple of weeks if they wish to keep their place on the Power Rank medal stand.

4. Zohan's Posse (2-3, 100.3 ppg)
Despite the sub-.500 record, Zohan's Posse land at #4 in the initial Power Rankings as one of two teams averaging at least 100 ppg through five weeks. Eli/Favre + Barber/Jacobs/R. Moss/A. Johnson/Coles/Driver form a potent core, and now both Posse QBs as well as Jacobs, Moss, Johnson, and Coles have already had their bye weeks. They'll be at full strength every week during the five remaining bye weeks with the exception of the Dallas bye. If Moss doesn't tank and Jacobs doesn't get nicked up, look out for this club.

5. 2nd helping skillets (3-2, 86.4 ppg)
The Skillets would be the #4 seed in the playoffs were the season to end today. Brandon Marshall, Santana Moss, and TJ Championship may be the best WR trio in the league. Marshawn Lynch and Earnest Graham are a solid backfield tandem, Cooley is an asset at TE, and you know Peyton is going to come around at some point. They do have depth issues, and unlike the Posse, the bye weeks for most of the Skillets' stalwarts lie before them. It'll be interesting to see how they fill in the gaps. One might question the wisdom of their carrying four QBs on a 15-man roster.

6. Neanderthals (3-2, 85.0 ppg)
When you have Drew Brees at QB, you're never out of the game. Steven Jackson has also performed well despite St. Louis's struggles, although not quite at the top-5 impact level that Neanderthals thought they were getting when he fell to them at #9 in the draft. Mid-season pickups such as Julius Jones, Antonio Bryant, and Steve Slaton have helped propel Neanderthals to their solid start of the season. Through five weeks, both Marvin Harrison and Roy Williams have been displaced as the top WR on their teams, which has diminished the effectiveness of Neanderthals' WR corps.

7. Trifecta Wookies (2-3, 88.7 ppg)
The two-time defending champs are still smarting from a 119.0-118.3 loss to Zohan's Posse from Week 4. Marques Colston's absence for virtually the entire season has hurt them, and they gave up too early on Ronnie Brown. Antonio Gates is still an asset at TE, but Jason Witten has supplanted Gates as the Fantasy TE super-stud. Still, with Tony Romo and Clinton Portis on their roster, they're still dangerous, and Colston will back one of these weeks. LenDale White has also contributed a steady supply of short TD runs to help the cause.

8. SnakeBitten (3-2, 74.5 ppg)
SnakeBitten have parlayed three steady performances in the low 90s from Weeks 2-4 into a winning record through five weeks despite being the only team to average less than 75 ppg. The bright spots have been rookie RB Matt Forte and QB Philip Rivers. #1 overall pick LaDainian Tomlinson has to be viewed as a mild disappointment, although it is true that he has been a slow starter in recent years, including his record-setting 2006 season. High draft picks Ryan Grant, Willis McGahee, Stevonne Smith, and Wes Welker have all underperformed through five weeks. They've got some name power, but it remains to be seen if those players can right the ship going forward.

9. Tribbles (1-4, 76.5 ppg)
Tribbles are another team weighed down by underperforming early draft picks. Derek Anderson and Chad Johnson have both been disappointing, and MJD and Joseph Addai have been steady but not spectacular so far. Terrell Owens has produced 5 scores on just 19 catches, and Roddy White has been one of rookie QB Matt Ryan's favorite targets. Felix Jones has also come on strong of late, producing a number of long scoring plays. TO, MJD, and Addai have performed at elite-minus status, and they need to drop the minus for Tribbles to turn around their season.

10. Fallen Angels (0-5, 80.4 ppg)
The two teams with lower scoring averages have a combined record of 4-6, so their oh-for-the-season-so-far start has resulted in part from bad luck. That said, the Angels have problems similar to those who are with them at the tail end of the rankings. High draft picks Larry Johnson, Torry Holt, and Kellen Winslow have all been a bit lacking, save for Johnson's huge Week 4 -- which he had on the Angel bench! They've also had to rely on Michael Pittman at one RB spot, whose value is even more dependent than LenDale White's is on short TD runs. Plaxico Burress's one-game suspension didn't help matters, either. Plax, Greg Jennings, Frank Gore, and Donovan McNabb are going to have to lead the Angels' charge from the cellar.

[Detritus]

Also new, weekly team awards! The Stud Stables Award will go to the highest-scoring team each week, and the Power Wank Award will go to the lowest-scoring team. Since it's easy to determine the awardees retroactively, I've included all five weeks' worth of awards in this first list. The winning point total is given in parentheses for each week:

Stud Stables Award
Week 1 – Fighting Friars (111.1)
Week 2 – Demolition (145.9)
Week 3 – Fighting Friars (103.7)
Week 4 – Zohan’s Posse (119.0)
Week 5 – Fighting Friars (137.3)

Power Wank Award
Week 1 – SnakeBitten (31.6)
Week 2 – Neanderthals (59.7)
Week 3 – Demolition (57.1)
Week 4 – Fighting Friars (47.6)
Week 5 – SnakeBitten (65.5)

Fighting Friars have shown up three times on the good list, and SnakeBitten twice on the bad one...

[Wook]

I screwed up BAD. Not only did I let Ronnie brown go too quickly but i also let Julius Jones go too early. Taht's two stud backs I could've had. Add those point totals in and I'd be owning things right now.

/grumble.

[Wook]

Also: No one in this league ever wants to make a trade. Evar. An unusual quirk of our little dome.

[Detritus]

I screwed up BAD. Not only did I let Ronnie brown go too quickly but i also let Julius Jones go too early. Taht's two stud backs I could've had. Add those point totals in and I'd be owning things right now.

/grumble.
I thought that SnakeBitten drafted and then dropped Jones. Did you pick him up/release him after that?

[Wook]

I thought that SnakeBitten drafted and then dropped Jones. Did you pick him up/release him after that?

I may be thinking of one of my other leagues but I know I had him and let him go relatively quickly at some point this year.

[Wook]

Oh and irony is Voodazle asking me for advice on which QB to start and me telling him in no uncertain terms to always start Brett Favre. You'd think he was my oldest friend in the world or something. :sawink2:

[Kalzazz]

Yay, Im not dead last

[Detritus]

Yay, Im not dead last
You've also avoided Power Wank status so far.

[Kalzazz]

I made sure to start players who arent having a bye week this week even

[Detritus]

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t126/tkrenbarger/week6_standings.jpg

Week 6 Results
Wily Corn Trolls (5-1) - 104.5
Trifecta Wookies (2-4) - 88.5

Neanderthals (4-2) - 88.5
2nd helping skillets (3-3) - 80.5

Zohan's Posse (3-3) - 91.8
Demolition (3-3) - 78.2

Fighting Friars (4-2) - 73.3
Tribbles (2-4) - 76.4

SnakeBitten (3-3) - 86.1
Fallen Angels (1-5) - 94.9

Stud Stables Award - Wily Corn Trolls

Power Wank Award - Fighting Friars

Players of the Week
Drew Brees, QB, Neanderthals

Maurice Jones-Drew, RB, Tribbles

Brees (36 points) and MJD (24 points) share the award for their huge games in close wins for their teams. Honorable mention to Thomas Jones, RB, Neanderthals and Roddy White, WR, Tribbles.

[Detritus]

Week 6 GE&R Bragging Rights League Power Rankings:

1. Wily Corn Trolls (5-1, 99.8 ppg, All-Play Record = 38-16)
B-17 dropped some bombs (punctuated by a deuce after the Browns' final TD) on the New York Giants to help lead the Trolls to their first Stud Stables Award in Week 6. WCT have been lucky by not being unlucky. They've outperformed their APR by nearly a full game, but have scored at least 91 points in all five of their wins, so none of their victories have been particularly soft. Their fortune lies in having avoided the weekly buzzsaw, at least so far. The Trolls welcome back His Fastness, Willie Parker, and his juicy Week 7 matchup against the Bengals, just in time for stud WR Larry Fitzgerald's bye week.

2. Fighting Friars (4-2, 97.4 ppg, APR = 34-20)
The Friars have already garnered three Stud Stable Awards in the first five weeks of the season, and that counts for a lot. More troubling is their second Power Wank Award, earned in Week 6, although we must admit that 73.3 points is not such a terrible score. The Friars get Hines Ward and Lee Evans back from their bye weeks, but still have to face the byes of Michael Turner (Week 7), Jay Cutler (Week 8), and Reggie Bush (Week 9).

3. Zohan's Posse (3-3, 98.9 ppg, APR = 37-17)
The Posse get huge efforts from Marion Barber and Andre Johnson to lift them to their third straight victory, and the #2 overall point total and APR through six weeks. You have to figure that the injuries to Tony Romo and Felix Jones will mean huge workloads for Barber going forward. He'll be in the running for the #1 FF RB in that time for sure. They seem to have an embarrassment of riches at QB after picking up Derek Anderson to augment the Eli/Favre combo. Can a trade be in the future for them?

4. Neanderthals (4-2, 85.6 ppg, APR = 26-27-1)
Drew Brees had another monster game with a 36-point effort in Week 6, and the good times figure to continue rolling with the imminent return of Marques Colston. Thomas Jones also dropped a hat trick on the hapless Bungles to contribute 24 large to Neanderthals' efforts, and that 1-2 punch was enough to overcome leaving Marvin Harrison and his two TDs on their bench. Look for Harrison to be in the lineup in the place of one of their WR no-shows (Antonio Bryant, Bobby Engram) from Week 6.

5. Demolition (3-3, 94.2 ppg, APR = 25-29)
Correll Buckhalter did an admirable job filling in for Brian Westbrook, and Jamal Lewis had a solid game, but Demolition's desire for posse comitatus went unfulfilled as Marion Barber and Andre Johnson laid down the law on them in Week 6. Demolition keenly felt TD-maker Chris Chambers' absence in light of the ease with which the likes of Vincent Jackson and Malcolm Floyd were able to get deep on the turnstile that is the Patriots secondary. Steve Breaston also had a huge game filling in for Anquan Boldin, who was the victim of a vicious cheap shot that ultimately required sinus surgery to mend. The bye weeks for Philly and Arizona will mean a greater likelihood that the Demolition's studs will return at full strength, but in the meantime they need to scramble a bit to plug the gaps.

6. 2nd helping skillets (3-3, 85.4 ppg, APR = 24-30)
Peyton Manning finally woke up with a big game vs. Baltimore, and Minnesota feasted on Detroit as expected, but those were the only bright spots in the Skillets' Week 6 performance. Brandon Marshall was solid but not studly, Santana Moss has his second straight quiet game, and Carson Palmer's continued absence had a slight adverse effect on Houshmazilli's output. The Skillets do get Marshawn Lynch back from his bye week, and his presence is sorely needed as the only full-time RB amidst a stable full of part-timers in the dreaded RBBC.

7. Trifecta Wookies (2-4, 88.6 ppg, APR = 27-26-1)
The Wookies had the misfortune of starting two inactive players (Marques Colston, Eddie Royal) in addition to absorbing a -1.4-point "contribution" from Fred Taylor. The result was the Wookies soaking up their second tough loss in three weeks. And if that wasn't enough, they'll be without the gunslinging services of Sheriff Romo through the Cowboys' Week 10 bye. Marques Colston can't come back fast enough. We might be seeing the cosmos portioning out some karmic realignment to the two-time defending champs this season.

8. Tribbles (2-4, 76.7 ppg, APR = 18-36)
Tribbles move up a spot by virtue of having upended the Friars, although it is true that the other eight teams in the league would have gotten that done this week, too. MJD threw down 24 points in a game decided by 3, and Roddy White contributed 17 and change. PK David Akers got in the act with four short FGs and four PATs for a 16-point week. This was enough to offset an early exit by Joseph Addai and general suckitude from Delhomme and TO. The Romo injury might keep TO's numbers depressed while Brad "Checkdown" Johnson is busy throwing to Witten and Barber the next three weeks.

9. Fallen Angels (1-5, 82.8 ppg, APR = 23-31)
Fallen Angels emerge from the cellar of the Power Rankings after breaking in to the win column for the first time this season in Week 6. They got big efforts from Donovan McNabb, Greg Jennings, Steve Breaston, Frank Gore, and Michael Pittman, who took over as the sole Denver RB in Week 6. They even left a Plaxico Burress TD on the bench. With bye weeks looming, they will likely have to press Larry Johnson into service, tough matchup (vs. the Titans) or no. They've also got a bit of scrambling to do at QB between McNabb's bye and Kitna's injury struggles. The rest of the league will no doubt wish for Gore, Jennings, and Burress to blow up during the Angels' Week 7 game vs. WCT.

10. SnakeBitten (3-3, 76.5 ppg, APR = 17-37)
It may seem weird to see a .500 team at the bottom of the Rankings, but the aggregate stats (total points, APR) point that way. Rookie RB Matt Forte continues to be a stud, Stevonne Smith is working his way back into stud form, and QB David Garrard and TE John Carlson had nice games in Week 6. LaDainian Tomlinson and Willis McGahee continue to be disappointments. LT's explosiveness is basically gone with his right toe injury, and it's not the kind of thing that necessarily heals throughout the season, even over bye weeks. You know you've got problems when John Carlson (9.0) outscores LT (8.5). Ryan Grant showed a bit of life last week, and perhaps he'll break out vs. the Bob Sanders-less Colts D in Week 7.

[Kalzazz]

Whats APR?

[Wook]

Well let's hope a couple of tweaks help with the losing close games gig.

GGGGRRRRR

[Detritus]

Whats APR?
All-Play Record. It's non-acryonym-ized in the first entry. All-Play Record is the record you'd get if you played each team in head-to-head instead of just one. #1 score gets an APR of 9-0, #2 gets and 8-1, etc., down to 0-9 for the low score of the week.

[Detritus]

WCT open up a 2-game lead over the peloton at 4-3:

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t126/tkrenbarger/week7_standings.jpg

Week 7 Results
Wily Corn Trolls (6-1) - 116.3
Fallen Angels (1-6) - 59.3

Neanderthals (4-3) - 100.1
SnakeBitten (4-3) - 102.2

Zohan's Posse (4-3) - 87.7
2nd helping skillets (3-4) - 63.4

Fighting Friars (4-3) - 78.0
Demolition (4-3) - 91.5

Trifecta Wookies (3-4) - 90.3
Tribbles (2-5) - 77.7

Stud Stables Award - Wily Corn Trolls

Power Wank Award - Fallen Angels

Player of the Week - RB LenDale White, Trifecta Wookies

LenDale nabs POTW on the strength of his 3 TD, 149-yard rushing performance. His 80-yarder in the 4th quarter was worth 12.1 points (4 for yardage, 2 for eclipsing 100 yards rushing, 6 for the TD, 0.1 for the rushing attempt), which accounts for about 90% of the Wookies' margin of victory.

[Detritus]

Week 7 Power Rankings:

1. Wily Corn Trolls (6-1, 102.1 ppg, APR = 47-16)
The mighty mighty Corn Trolls move into the role of favorite at the midway point of the regular season. They're riding a four-game winning streak through the main bye weeks in the NFL, a testament to the depth of their roster. They claim their second consecutive Stud Stables Award on the strength of their Three Amigos at RB, Adrian Peterson (22.7), Dominic Rhodes (21.0), and Chris Johnson (18.8). QB Aaron Rodgers, TE Greg Olsen, and the Steelers D/ST also contributed in the 12-17 point range this week. WCT's depth will be put to its ultimate test in Week 8 as Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, and Greg Olsen take their byes, and RB Willie Parker's status for next week remains uncertain. The return of QB Kurt Warner and WR Larry Fitzgerald from their bye does soften the impact of the absence of the Week 8 bye players.

2. Zohan's Posse (4-3, 97.3 ppg, APR = 41-22)
The Posse climb to #2 in this week's rankings, as RBs Marion Barber and Brandon Jacobs and WRs Andre Johnson and Randy Moss all had their expected big weeks. The strong showing from that quartet was enough to overcome a poor performance by QB Brett Favre and a huge game by the Bears' D/ST wasted on the Posse Bench. Like WCT, the Posse have won four straight during the bye-intensive portion of the schedule. Having navigated their frontloaded byes, the Posse can expect to be at full strength going forward, with the lone exception of Marion Barber's Week 10 bye.

3. Demolition (4-3, 93.8 ppg, APR = 31-32)
Demolition sneak ahead of Fighting Friars for the #3 slot in the Power Rankings. Their aggregate stats aren't as good, but their head-to-head win vs. the Friars has to count for something. Demolition got strong efforts from the Roethlisberger-to-Holmes hookup and the Giants D/ST as well as the newly explosive WR Bernard Berrian and RB Leon Washington. Demolition are hoping to welcome back RB Brian Westbrook, WR Chris Chambers, and WR Anquan Boldin back into their lineup for a Week 8 showdown with the two-time defending champion Trifecta Wookies.

4. Fighting Friars (4-3, 94.7 ppg, APR = 37-26)
The Friars had a tough week with an early exit by Reggie Bush and limited effectiveness from Jay Cutler after he whacked his finger against the helmet of a rushing lineman on the Broncos' first play. Cutler goes on bye and Bush did not travel with the Saints for their Week 8 game in London vs. the Chargers, so they will have to scramble a bit to round out their lineup next week. They do welcome back RB Michael Turner, and got strong performances from RB DeAngelo Williams and WRs Hines Ward and Lee Evans, and that foursome will have to show large next week for the Friars if they wish to take care of business vs. the Skillets.

5. SnakeBitten (4-3, 80.1 ppg, APR = 25-38)
SnakeBitten crack the century mark for the first time this season in Week 7 and squeaked out a 2-point victory vs. Neanderthals. They managed this in spite of keeping both RB Willis McGahee and RB Matt Forte on their bench and outright releasing WR Wes Welker. WR Stevonne Smith and RB Ryan Grant showed large, as did the Baltimore D/ST. QB Philip Rivers was solid (although somewhat outperformed by QB Matt Schaub on the SnakeBitten bench) and rookie TE John Carlson chipped in with another TD catch. Forte and Grant will be on bye next week in their clash with Zohan's Posse.

6. Neanderthals (4-3, 87.7 ppg, APR = 33-29-1)
Neanderthals slide to #6 with their loss to SnakeBitten and Demolition's rise to 4-3 to match their own record. Stalwart QB Drew Brees came up small vs. Carolina, and WRs Marvin Harrison and Roy Williams were essentially nonexistent, thus squandering a hat trick by RB Steven Jackson and solid efforts from RBs Steve Slaton and Thomas Jones and TE Owen Daniels. Week 7 no-show Antonio Bryant had game-winning points on Neanderthals' bench. Will their WR divination luck improve vs. Fallen Angels next week?

7. Trifecta Wookies (3-4, 88.9 ppg, APR = 32-30-1)
The Wookies climb closer to .500 with a win over Tribbles, despite a big goose egg from WR Marques Colston. A monster game from RB LenDale White and high-teens contribution from stud RB Clinton Portis and surprising QB Kyle Orton led the Wookies to victory this week. They have to be licking their chops at the matchups that Portis (Detroit) and White (Indianapolis) have next week, and Wookies may need another 45 points from them in order to beat Demolition if they are at full strength.

8. 2nd helping skillets (3-4 82.2 ppg, APR = 25-38)
The Skillets got a grand total of 0.1 points from Peyton Manning, and that just won't get it done for them. Manning's output can be encapsulated by the kneel down he did at the end of the first half vs. Green Bay; everything else he did in the game cancelled itself out for fantasy purposes. Their RBs and WRs were OK this week, but not good enough to overcome Peyton's desultory effort. They look to right the ship vs. a Fighting Friars team that will have to do a bit of scrambling to fill in the holes in their starting lineup.

9. Tribbles (2-5, 76.8 ppg, APR = 20-43)
Tribbles' backfield was hit hard by injury (Joseph Addai, Felix Jones) and byes (Maurice Jones-Drew). WR Terrell Owens also felt the absence of Tony Romo, and Roddy White was on bye along with MJD. Ocho Cinco did leave Ocho Stinko behind for one week, and Tribbles did a credible job cobbling together a lineup with the likes of Vincent Jackson and Ahman Green, but to no avail. They draw WCT and their bye-softened lineup in Week 8, but will still likely have to bring their "A" game to avoid a spanking next week.

10. Fallen Angels (1-6, 79.4 ppg, APR = 23-40)
The Angels' top studs, RB Frank Gore and WR Greg Jennings, were quiet this week, and bye-week fill-in QB Kerry Collins was a big step down from QB Donovan McNabb. The result was a Power Wank Award and a shellacking to the tune of nearly 60 points vs. WCT. Jennings and RB Michael Pittman are on bye in Week 8, so they will need McNabb, Gore, and WR Plaxico Burress to be at top form if they wish to play spoiler against Neanderthals.

[Paulypalooza]

3. Demolition (4-3, 93.8 ppg, APR = 31-32)
Demolition sneak ahead of Fighting Friars for the #3 slot in the Power Rankings. Their aggregate stats aren't as good, but their head-to-head win vs. the Friars has to count for something.

I rather not win ugly but I'll take a "W" any way I can get it.

[Kalzazz]

Ive finally surged to dead last in ppg

[Wook]

So yeah 2 weeks of Colostomy bag leaving a crater in my lineup=not at all cool.

[carmachu]

I literally have no idea what to do here. I got good pieces but they just arent preforming for me. I almost want to stick Chad in next week. He's been consistant mid teen points.

As for the WR.....I just have to ride them out. Some weeks its just nothing, others big points.

If anyone has any advice.....I'm listening.

[Paulypalooza]

I literally have no idea what to do here. I got good pieces but they just arent preforming for me. I almost want to stick Chad in next week. He's been consistant mid teen points.

As for the WR.....I just have to ride them out. Some weeks its just nothing, others big points.

If anyone has any advice.....I'm listening.

I've had a couple wins that probobly shouldn't have been so take this advice with a grain of salt or two. The only thing I can see for your line up next week is don't play Manning. As you well know for whatever reason he is not playing nearly as well as you had expected when you drafted him. Combine that with that he is facing a Tennessee defense that is giving up 179 passing yards and 11 points a game and it sounds like recipe for disaster to me.

[carmachu]

I've had a couple wins that probobly shouldn't have been so take this advice with a grain of salt or two. The only thing I can see for your line up next week is don't play Manning. As you well know for whatever reason he is not playing nearly as well as you had expected when you drafted him. Combine that with that he is facing a Tennessee defense that is giving up 179 passing yards and 11 points a game and it sounds like recipe for disaster to me.

Except Peyton weathered the Ravens Defense there with ease, adn I just dont get it. And this week Chad is playing Buffalo....but yeah I think Peyton is sitting.

[Detritus]

I rather not win ugly but I'll take a "W" any way I can get it.
Just win, baby. Ultimately that's all that counts.

[Brother Brian]

I've had a couple wins that probobly shouldn't have been so take this advice with a grain of salt or two. The only thing I can see for your line up next week is don't play Manning. As you well know for whatever reason he is not playing nearly as well as you had expected when you drafted him. Combine that with that he is facing a Tennessee defense that is giving up 179 passing yards and 11 points a game and it sounds like recipe for disaster to me.

OK, so here's the question.

Issac Bruce against the 'hawks, or Reggie Wayne against Tennessee?

I'm leaning towards Bruce with Tennesee's Pass D being so good, and with it being Singletary's first game coaching SF there might be an emotional lift.

[Detritus]

I literally have no idea what to do here. I got good pieces but they just arent preforming for me. I almost want to stick Chad in next week. He's been consistant mid teen points.

As for the WR.....I just have to ride them out. Some weeks its just nothing, others big points.

If anyone has any advice.....I'm listening.
I'd stick with Peyton, myself, but I won't try talking you out of starting Pennington.

There isn't that much help on the waiver wire for RBs, as far as I can see. Mewelde Moore would have been a good pickup last week, when he was going against the Bungles, but he's a bit more speculative now going up against the Giants, and Willie Parker will come back one of these weeks.

If you wanted, you could submit a claim for Wes Welker and it would be sure to go through, since you have #1 waiver wire priority. His problem is he's a lot like Housh -- lots of catches, limited yards and scores, and it doesn't pay to have too many of those guys in your lineup. There are also a couple of youngsters at WR (Josh Morgan, Donnie Avery) that might be worth a look, and Kevin Curtis should probably be on somebody's roster. You have a bunch of RBs on your roster beyond Graham and Lynch that are basically the same guy, and you probably could part with one or two of them without too much trouble, since they all seem to be having trouble cracking your lineup.

[Kalzazz]

Any ideas on what might help the Tribbles be less target practice?

Hmm, then again, Im playing you this week, so I probably shouldnt ask

[Detritus]

Any ideas on what might help the Tribbles be less target practice?

Hmm, then again, Im playing you this week, so I probably shouldnt ask
I'm going to have to recuse myself from this one, yes. ;)

[carmachu]

If you wanted, you could submit a claim for Wes Welker and it would be sure to go through, since you have #1 waiver wire priority.

How do you do that exactly?

[Detritus]

How do you do that exactly?
Just make a claim like normal for Welker. The fact that he's been recently released means he hasn't cleared waivers yet, so the claims on him will resolve in order of waiver priority; I believe he's due to come off waivers tomorrow morning. If no one claims him by then, he reverts to "first come, first served" signing status, the way most free agents are.

Your waiver wire priority will go down to 10 if you claim Welker before he clears waivers. You'll have to decide whether it's worth the risk to wait or if he's valuable enough to go to the back of the line. Personally, I'd do it if I were in your spot. IIRC, all of your big guns at WR still have to take their byes. At the very least, Welker will make a solid pinch hitter for your starters at WR.

[Paulypalooza]

Any ideas on what might help the Tribbles be less target practice?

Hmm, then again, Im playing you this week, so I probably shouldnt ask

[Don's his Swammi turban]
The problem with the Tribbles is unfortunately you have a bunch of underachievers on your team. Owens, Gonzales, and to a lesser extent Chad Johnson have been can't miss no brainers in the past. This year not so much.

Hell, you've gotten better production from Felix Jones a rookie, back up RB.

The only advice I can give is don't give up on those guys yet. They could get hot at any minute, and to scour the waiver wire and free agents for favorable match-ups week to week.

[Paulypalooza]

I just went to my own teams page and realized that my best player is the Philly D/ST. Maybe I should just keep all this sage advice to myself.

[Kalzazz]

Well, the Tribbles have mightily shuffled their lineup to field, uhmm, different and hopefully more liable to be successful players

[Detritus]

Well, the Tribbles have mightily shuffled their lineup to field, uhmm, different and hopefully more liable to be successful players
You're pretty heavily invested in the Eagles this week.

[Kalzazz]

Hmmm

Is that good or bad or 'Ill tell you about that after this is over'?

[Detritus]

Hmmm

Is that good or bad or 'Ill tell you about that after this is over'?
It's entirely dependent on how the Eagles do. I don't like starting three guys from the same team, but if they're the best options you have, they're the best options you have.

*insert Parz shrug here*

[Brother Brian]

OK, so here's the question.

Issac Bruce against the 'hawks, or Reggie Wayne against Tennessee?

I'm leaning towards Bruce with Tennesee's Pass D being so good, and with it being Singletary's first game coaching SF there might be an emotional lift.

Anybody?

Beuller, Beuller?

[Paulypalooza]

Today proves that there is a Football God, and he is vengeful.

I turned my back on my beloved hometown team, and they are kicking my ass for it.

I must do penance, two Our Coaches and one Hail Bruschi.

Glory be to the Seymor, the Moss, and Belechick, now and forever.

Amen.

Even though the Pats Colts rivalry has cooled considerably lately I think after this rant you have to have Reggie riding the pine

[Detritus]

I'd stick with Wayne.

[Wook]

Who would you be sitting to start both?

[Brother Brian]

Who would you be sitting to start both?

I've got Wayne, Bruce, Ward, and Evans as my WR.

I'm playing Turner and DeAngelo Williams as my RB, and am sitting Fargus.

[Wook]

Of that list I'd say way first Wayne, then Ward, are most likely to be shut down by their opposing D's this week.

[Brother Brian]

Of that list I'd say way first Wayne, then Ward, are most likely to be shut down by their opposing D's this week.

I agree, but Wayne still has better upside potential than Bruce.

*sigh*

[Wook]

I agree, but Wayne still has better upside potential than Bruce.

*sigh*

Well IMHO the decision should be between Ward and Wayne. I'd start bruce. If you're already committed to starting ward i guess that tells you where to go. Wayne's got a lot of upside potential but the Colts are terribad on run D and the Titans are going to force feed them lots of lendale white and Chris Henry. You know this to be true. ;)

[Detritus]

Well IMHO the decision should be between Ward and Wayne. I'd start bruce. If you're already committed to starting ward i guess that tells you where to go. Wayne's got a lot of upside potential but the Colts are terribad on run D and the Titans are going to force feed them lots of lendale white and Chris Henry. You know this to be true. ;)
Of course, if the Colts are behind, that means a lot of passing, some of which is going to go to Wayne. I don't think the Titans are going to be able to hold on to the ball for 38-40 minutes, even with the advantage they have in the running game, so Peyton will get his cracks.

[Brother Brian]

Of course, if the Colts are behind, that means a lot of passing, some of which is going to go to Wayne. I don't think the Titans are going to be able to hold on to the ball for 38-40 minutes, even with the advantage they have in the running game, so Peyton will get his cracks.

So would you go Wayne and Ward or Wayne and Bruce? Or would you play all three and bench Evans?

[Detritus]

I would probably leave Bruce on the bench. If you want to get him in your lineup, bench Ward. Bruce does have a nice matchup, as Seattle is pretty terrible right now. If you really want to bench Wayne, I can't stop you, but I'd have him in my lineup.

[Detritus]

Well, Santonio Holmes has been deactivated this week after getting busted for marijuana possession. That definitely makes Ward a better play. I think all four of your guys are good plays at this point, just pick three and run with them.

[Paulypalooza]

So my receivers are either hurt game time decisions or are getting busted for pot.

I'm in the same boat as the Neanderthals. I hate WRs.

[Detritus]

So my receivers are either hurt game time decisions or are getting busted for pot.

I'm in the same boat as the Neanderthals. I hate WRs.
Boldin did right by you this week.

[Detritus]

Week 8 standings and results are attached.

Stud Stables Award: SnakeBitten

Power Wank Award: Fallen Angels

Player of the Week: Kurt Warner, QB, Wily Corn Trolls

Warner's 27.5 points was 30% of WCT's weekly total in their 5.1-point win over Tribbles. Many other players had big weeks, including Drew Brees, Matt Schaub, Stevonne, LT, Westy, and Boldin, but none of their teams needed such large production to give their teams the win, in contrast to Warner. But all those guys do deserve honorable mentions.

[Detritus]

Week 8 Power Rankings:

1. Wily Corn Trolls (7-1, 100.7 ppg, APR = 52-20)
WCT are riding a 5-game winning streak through the main NFL bye weeks, and are the only undefeated team in that time frame. They've had key players out in all of those weeks:

Week 4 - Calvin Johnson
Week 5 - Braylon Edwards, Jerricho Cotchery
Week 6 - Chris Johnson
Week 7 - Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald
Week 8 - Aaron Rodgers, Adrian Peterson, Greg Olsen

This doesn't even count Willie Parker's absence in all those weeks, or his original handcuff, Rashard Mendenhall, being placed on IR during the Steelers' bye. In their seven wins, they are averaging 106 ppg with an APR of 50-13, and have scored at least 90.4 points (which incidentally is higher than the weekly averages of seven teams) in those games.

2. Neanderthals (6-2, 87.9 ppg, APR = 39-32-1)
Due to a bank error in their favor, Neanderthals have gone from 4-3 to 6-2 in one week. If you take away their Power Wank performance from Week 2, they have an APR of 39-23-1. It doesn't seem to matter which side of the Atlantic Drew Brees plays on, he always seems to show large. They do face the unenviable task of drawing WCT during their All-World QB's bye. They will have to find some sort of accommodation with their mercurial WRs in order to pull into a tie for first next week. Steven Jackson most likely returns after a Week 8 absence due to an injured quadriceps.

3. Demolition (5-3, 95.9 ppg, APR = 39-33)
The return of Brian Westbrook and Anquan Boldin must have Demolition creaming their jeans -- in a totally non-sexual way, of course. Demolition own the #1 and #4 weekly totals through eight weeks, and it could have been #1 & #2 had Jason Witten not left in the first quarter of the Cowboys' game this week. Kevin Walter popped off for a pair of scores, the Giants turned Pittsburgh over five times, and Jamal Lewis had a nice game this week, too. Assuming Witten can come through Dallas's Week 10 bye at full strength (and the continued health of Westy and Q), Demolition will be a force to be reckoned with down the stretch and perhaps in the playoffs.

4. Zohan's Posse (4-4, 99.5 ppg, APR = 48-24)
The Posse draw another weekly buzzsaw and suffer a two-spot slide down the rankings despite improving their PPG and APR. Were the playoffs to start today, the Posse would square off against WCT in a matchup pitting the two highest-scoring teams through eight weeks against each other. Andre Johnson has been unstoppable the past few weeks, but a possible chink in the armor at QB might be developing as Brett Favre has lapsed back to his turnover-prone ways and Eli Manning has been somewhat muted the past few weeks.

5. SnakeBitten (4-4, 85.1 ppg, APR = 34-38)
LaDainian Tomlinson crossed the sea to get his work done by land (2nd 100-yard rushing game this season) and air (nifty catch and run for a TD pass among a double-handful of receptions) and not coincidentally, SnakeBitten garnered their first Stud Stables Award in Week 8. Matt Schaub also had a monster 32.4-point game against the Bungles, Stevonne Smith topped 100 yards and had a pair of TDs, the Ravens D/ST produced 20 points of their own, and new signee Kevin Faulk had a nice 14.3-point game, too. SnakeBitten have the opportunity to pull past Week 9 opponent Fighting Friars in the standings, but will have to do so without the services of Tomlinson or Smith, both of whom draw their byes.

6. Fighting Friars (4-4, 90.3 ppg, APR = 38-34)
What a difference three weeks can make. After Week 5, the Friars stood as the clear favorites and had cleared the century mark four times, including producing the top score in three weeks. In Weeks 6-8, the Friars have stumbled their way to a 4-23 APR and a three-game losing streak, as Reggie Bush has gotten hurt and Michael Turner and Jay Cutler have come back down to earth. They are now on the outside looking in for playoff seeding. Cutler and Turner need to pick it back up and WRs Reggie Wayne, Hines Ward, and Lee Evans will have to do some heavy lifting in a crucial game with SnakeBitten in Week 9.

7. 2nd helping skillets (4-4 82.6 ppg, APR = 29-43)
The Skillets once again even their record after picking off the Friars this week. Santana Moss reverted to his early-season stud form and Chad Pennington had a nice 20-point game for the Skillets, although their second-round draft pick, Peyton Manning, did top Chad by three points. It's amazing to think that they may have a QB controversy between Chad and Peyton, but there it is. Currently seeded seventh, the Skillets can open up a bit of room between themselves and 8-seed Trifecta Wookies (and keep up with the other 4-4 teams) if they win their Week 9 matchup with the Wookies. They welcome back Brandon Marshall from his bye to help in this endeavor.

8. Trifecta Wookies (3-5, 86.9 ppg, APR = 34-37-1)
The Wookies slide down to #8 after getting pounded by SnakeBitten this week. Tony Romo's broken pinky and Marques Colston's continued rustiness weighs heavily upon their efforts. Antonio Gates has started to wake up the past couple of weeks, but he heated up just in time for the Chargers' bye in Week 9. LenDale White continues to pile up the TD runs, and is on pace to score 23 times this season. Clinton Portis continues to be a stud, and Dwayne Bowe had a nice 10-point game this week. The Wookies are in desperate need of one of Trent Edwards or Kyle Orton to show large next week with Gates and Colston on bye.

9. Tribbles (2-6, 76.9 ppg, APR = 23-49)
Tribbles gave it their all this week vs. WCT and managed to score nearly 10 points above their weekly average, but the Trolls just threw down too much roster depth for them to overcome. Roddy White had a big week, and his second TD, scored in garbage time, nearly lifted them to the W until Chris Johnson produced a garbage time score of his own on MNF. The goat horns rest squarely on the head of MJD, who had a disappointing effort against a so-so Cleveland Browns defense. TO has also strung together several quiet weeks, although this is understandable in the light of Brad Johnson at the helm of the Cowboys' offense, and Joseph Addai missed his second straight week. This much quietness from your top three picks can only mean trouble, sad for the Tribbles' sake to say.

10. Fallen Angels (1-7, 77.1 ppg, APR = 23-49)
Fallen Angels left Greg Jennings and Michael Pittman in their lineup during their bye weeks, and left Donovan McNabb on their bench after he came back from his bye. The result was an easy win for 2-seed Neanderthals and the second straight Power Wank Award for the Angels. McNabb/Gore/Jennings/Burress still form a dangerous core, but they haven't really put it together during the same week yet. Ninth in scoring and three games out of the playoffs as of Week 8, the Angels look like they will have to be content with playing spoiler during the stretch run of the 2008 FF season.

[Detritus]

Week 9 standings:

http://i159.photobucket.com/albums/t126/tkrenbarger/week9_standings.jpg

Stud Stables Award - Wily Corn Trolls

Power Wank Award - Fallen Angels

Players of the Week - Derrick Mason, WR, Trifecta Wookies;

Turtle Head Award - Ben Roethlisberger, QB, Demolition

Not all that much to pick from for PotW. I toyed with the idea of giving it to Warner for two straight weeks, but went with Mason since he's a Michigan State alum. :sacool:

The Turtle Head Award won't be given out every week, but if a player craps himself and the effort turns a winning team into a loser, they'll merit consideration.

WCT can clinch a tie for a playoff spot if they beat Demolition next week. It's probably also a "virtual clinch" in that the schedule most likely works out so that a couple of the 5-5 teams that emerge from next week will play each other in a subsequent week, thereby eliminating the loser of that game from catching WCT even before the matchup is played in Week Whatever. E.g., if Neanderthals beat Zohan's Posse next week, Demolition and the Posse would both be 5-5 and still have to play each other, so one of the teams would have 6 losses. A 6-loss team can't catch a 9-win team in a 14-game season.

[Detritus]

1. Wily Corn Trolls (8-1), 103.5 ppg, APR = 61-20
WCT extend their winning streak to 6 games after outlasting Neanderthals in a donnybrook that lived up to spotlight game of the week hype. Kurt Warner is now the #2 QB in the league. WCT had four RBs top 11 points and left a 14-point effort by WR Calvin Johnson on their bench. RB Chris Johnson is looking more and more like this year's Adrian Peterson. The Steelers D/ST punctuated the Troll effort with a muscular 24-point showing on MNF. You just saw the power of the fully operational WCT lineup, folks.

2. Neanderthals (6-3), 89.5 ppg, APR = 47-33-1
Neanderthals hang in at #2 despite the loss to WCT. The Jeff Garcia-Antonio Bryant hookup showed for 40 large, and TE Owen Daniels had a big 13.5-point game without even scoring. RB Steven Jackson had to be a disappointment, but leaving Thomas Jones on the bench for Jackson did not prove to be the flipping point between victory and defeat against the Trolls. Neanderthals welcome #1 QB Drew Brees back to the lineup next week.

3. Zohan's Posse (5-4), 96.1 ppg, APR = 54-27
The Posse plugged in Eli Manning at QB after the recent struggles of Brett Favre to good effect, as Eli tossed three TDs vs. an undermanned Cowboys D. Marion Barber and Randy Moss had quiet weeks, but Brandon Jacobs and Andre Johnson delivered the goods. Barber should return to elite effectiveness after Dallas's Week 10 bye, assuming a return to health of Cowboy QB Tony Romo, that is.

4. Demolition (5-4), 92.6 ppg, APR = 42-39
Demolition were all set to claim a win over Tribbles and the #2 slot in the Power Rankings, entering MNF with a 0.3-point lead and QB Ben Roethlisberger still to play. Big Ben then turned in a disastrous first half that even a late TD sneak couldn't salvage, and missed the second half with a shoulder injury. The result was a 1.1-point loss to Tribbles. RB Brian Westbrook had a quiet game for his standards, and TE Zach Miller was a poor substitute for the ailing Jason Witten. They did leave game-winning points on the bench in the form of a Santonio Holmes TD, as Kevin Walter could not duplicate his multi-score magic of Week 8. Anquan Boldin did move into the #1 WR slot, which is amazing considering the time he missed before the Cards' bye in Week 7. He is Warner's go-to guy in the red zone.

5. Fighting Friars (5-4), 88.3 ppg, APR = 43-38
The Friars get back into the win column after a three-game slide. RB Michael Turner had another big game against a shaky run D. QB Jay Cutler and WR Reggie Wayne were OK-ish, too. They also benefited from taking on an opponent with numerous craters in their lineup in SnakeBitten. Reggie Bush is probably out for another week, so they've still got a little scrambling to do with their lineup as we head into the homestretch.

6. Trifecta Wookies (4-5), 84.4 ppg, APR = 41-39-1
The Wookies creep closer to .500 with a nice 99.3-point effort in Week 9. A big effort from the WR trio of Derrick Mason, Dwayne Bowe, and Eddie Royal helped carry the day, and Portis did a fair amount of work even with the Redskins getting blown out on MNF. They have an intriguing RB prospect in Arizona rookie Tim Hightower, who has taken over for Edgerrin James as the lead RB for the Cards. He looks an awful lot like the 2008 version of Ryan Grant, if you ask this writer, and may be the guy that helps propel the Wookies into the playoffs, if the teams in front of them falter. They also hope that WR Marques Colston returns to his 2006-7 form after the Saints bye.

7. SnakeBitten (4-5), 81.6 ppg, APR = 36-45
SnakeBitten were cut to the bone with the byes of LT, Stevonne, and Rivers this week. Matt Schaub was knocked out after a slow start, and Willis McGahee was a late scratch, which certainly did not help matters. The result was a precipitous 76.7-point drop from their Week 8 Stud Stables Award performance. The good news is that byes last only one week, and Matt Forte plus the bye amigos will allow SnakeBitten to be competitive going forward. Will they be able to rally from their current #7 seed?

8. 2nd helping skillets (4-5), 79.2 ppg, APR = 30-51
The Skillets rolled with Chad Pennington at QB over Peyton Manning for the second straight week. In Week 8, both guys scored 20+ points, so it was only a three-point loss, but this week Peyton outscored Chad by 21 points. They can take solace in the fact that those points weren't the difference between victory and defeat, but it doesn't take much imagination to realize that such lineup missteps could haunt them in the future. The Skillet roster has decreased dramatically in effectiveness in recent weeks, particularly at WR, but can they afford to leave Peyton on the trading block to shore themselves up elsewhere?

9. Tribbles (3-6), 76.9 ppg, APR = 27-54
Tribbles sneak out their third win of the season thanks to the anti-clutch performance of Week 9 Demolition QB Ben Roethlisberger. Roddy White slipped to the #4 WR spot in the league after a quiet week vs. Oakland, a testament to the coverage chops of Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha. Maurice Jones-Drew is pretty much the lone bright spot for Tribbles now, especially after they let go Ocho Cinco right before a 2-TD explosion vs. the Jags. TO's fortunes should rise with the return of Tony Romo, but Tribbles look to be pigeonholed into the spoiler role as the playoffs approach.

10. Fallen Angels (1-8), 73.4 ppg, APR = 23-58
The Angels seem to have given up. The league office hopes that everything is OK with Angel management. There's not that much to write about for a team that keeps starting players on bye, a recipe that has yielded three straight Power Wank Awards. Let us hope they can still see their keyboard whenever they decide to pull out of their wanking funk.

[Detritus]

Week 10 Power Rankings:

1. Wily Corn Trolls (9-1), 103.8 ppg, APR = 68-22
The Trolls keep rolling as they make a clean sweep of the main bye weeks (Weeks 4-10). The projected WCT starters down the stretch figure prominently in the league leader lists at QB (#1 Kurt Warner), RB (#2 Adrian Peterson, #9 Ronnie Brown, #11 Chris Johnson), and WR (#2 Larry Fitzgerald, #5 Calvin Johnson). 2nd-round bust WR Braylon Skillethands is on the verge of making permanent acquaintance with the end of the WCT bench. The Trolls also have #7 QB Aaron Rodgers and the Willie Parker/Mewelde Moore RB combo (combined scoring would be good for #4 on the RB list) held in reserve. WCT have likely implicitly clinched a playoff berth inasmuch as the remaining league schedule likely precludes four other 9-win teams from emerging in the final four weeks of the season.

2. Zohan's Posse (6-4), 96.0 ppg, APR = 59-31
The Posse have officially dug their way out of an 0-3 start. The hottest team this side of the WCT navigated the bye weeks with a 6-1 record. The #5/#7 RBs (Marion Barber and Brandon Jacobs) and #4 WR Andre Johnson anchor the to-date #2 seed in the league. The X-factors for this team will be proper selection between their high-octane QBBC choices of Brett Favre and Eli Manning and whether WR Randy Moss can regain some of the big-play threat that has been little in evidence in recent weeks. They draw WCT in Week 11 in a potential championship preview.

3. Trifecta Wookies (5-5), 91.7 ppg, APR = 50-39-1
The Wookies slide onto the Power Rankings medal stand on the strength of their top-scoring effort this week combined with #3 seed Neanderthals' power wanking. They hold the #4 seed by a whopping 2.3 points over Demolition as of this writing. TE Antonio Gates is on the verge of regaining stud status. QB Tony Romo likely returns after a three-game absence, and WR Marques Colston finally flashed his 2006-07 form with an impressive 7-catch, 140-yard effort. Clinton Portis clings to the #1 RB spot after his Week 10 bye by 1.9 points over hard-charging Adrian Peterson, but there are rumblings that Portis may miss the Redskin's next game. If true, that would be a sore loss in a hotly contested race for one of the final three playoff spots, even for just one week, but the Wookies are a team to be reckoned with down the home stretch.

4. Neanderthals (6-4), 87.0 ppg, APR = 47-42-1
Neanderthals squander a huge 26-149-3 effort from Thomas Jones (#4 RB overall through Week 10), as he got little help beyond Drew Brees from the remainder of the lineup. Steven Jackson's balky quadriceps has to be a concern, as does the consistency of all their WRs beyond Antonio Bryant. Tony Romo's return may spark WR Roy E. Williams back to fantasy relevance. They'd probably like that #29 overall draft pick of RB Selvin Young back, given the performance of the two guys (Andre Johnson, Brandon Jacobs) that went immediately after Young.

5. Demolition (5-5), 91.5 ppg, APR = 44-46
Demolition added #3 RB Matt Forte to their lineup for a song. His presence was not enough vs. the WCT this week, but he joins RBs Brian Westbrook and Jamal Lewis, WR Anquan Boldin, and TE Jason Witten to form one of the more dangerous lineup cores in the league. Their problem is at QB. A week after a -1.4-point effort from Ben Roethlisberger on MNF snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, Trent Edwards got outscored 37.0-3.5 by Kurt Warner. Early-season TD machine Chris Chambers has also been quiet of late, owing to a combination of niggling injuries and the emergence of WR Malcom Floyd in the Chargers' passing attack.

6. Fighting Friars (5-5), 88.6 ppg, APR = 47-43
The Friars clock in at #6 in this edition of the Power Rankings, but truth be told, there isn't that much that separates #3-6 right now. They have to be kicking themselves for leaving at least 9 points on their bench at each of the QB, RB, and WR positions in a 6.7-point loss to the Angels. RB Reggie Bush most likely returns in Week 12, and when he does, he'll join QB Jay Cutler, RBs Michael Turner and DeAngelo Williams, and WRs Reggie Wayne, Hines Ward, and Lee Evans as part of one of the tougher outs in the league.

7. SnakeBitten (4-6), 82.2 ppg, APR = 39-51
It says here that SnakeBitten significantly reduced their chances to make a late-season run by letting go of stud rookie RB Matt Forte for gimpy RB Jonathan Stewart and WR Kevin Walter, whom SnakeBitten later released without his seeing a single snap as a starter. That puts a lot of pressure on Rivers, LT, Grant, and Stevonne down the stretch. Given their relatively low aggregate point total, they effectively have to make up two games on all the .500 teams to squeak their way into the postseason.

8. Tribbles (4-6), 80.1 ppg, APR = 35-55
Tribbles find themselves riding a two-game winning streak and at #8 with a bullet in the Power Rankings. RB Maurice Jones-Drew has gotten his score on in recent weeks, and that has been a big help. The shockingly competent play of Tyler Thigpen has brought the possibility of multi-TD games from TE Tony Gonzalez back into play, as witnessed this week. QB David Garrard has settled down after a rocky start to return to his steady 2007 form. TO likely picks it back up after Tony Romo returns. Their X-factor is whether RB Joseph Addai can play like the #4 overall pick. If so, Tribbles are probably the sub-.500 team with the best chance to make the playoffs.

9. 2nd helping skillets (4-6), 79.0 ppg, APR = 31-59
QB Peyton Manning has scored at least 22 points each of the last three weeks. The Old Reliable Peyton is finally back. WR Brandon Marshall once again cracked double figures after a few quiet weeks. Unfortunately, they are really the only bright spots for the Skillets right now, with the possible exceptions of WR Wes Welker and TE Chris Cooley. They're going to need sustained studliness from Santana Moss and for RBs Marshawn Lynch and Earnest Graham to find the end zone on a consistent basis for the Skillets to have any hope of reaching the postseason.

10. Fallen Angels (2-8), 75.8 ppg, APR = 29-61
Have we woken a sleeping giant? The Angels fell just 2.2 points shy of hitting the century mark after weeks of absentee management. McNabb/Plax/Jennings/Gore/Winslow is still pretty tough, and they have RB Kevin Smith to call on now as well. WR Steve Breaston also looks like a nice flex option as the #3 WR in the high-flying Cardinals' passing game. They are probably implicitly eliminated from the playoffs but can play spoiler against any team in the league on the right week.

[Detritus]

I don't really have the stamina or concentration for an extended Power Rankings write-up, so you're getting an abbreviated version.

Stud Stables Award - Zohan's Posse

Power Wank Award - SnakeBitten

1. Zohan's Posse (7-4) - When you beat the best, you get to be the best.

2. Wily Corn Trolls (9-2) - Top-scoring team with league's best record still poised for strong playoff showing.

3. Fighting Friars (6-5) - Return to the century mark after an absence of several weeks, and Reggie Bush is about to return.

4. Trifecta Wookies (6-5) - Hanging onto the #4 seed by their fingernails after squeaking out a close win over ill-favored Fallen Angels.

5. Neanderthals (6-5) - Brees, T. Jones, and Slaton are studs, but need consistency out of their other lineup slots.

6. Demolition (5-6) - New QB Aaron Rodgers went for 22.1 in his Demolition debut, but not enough to hold off Peyton, Housh, Lynch, and the Skillets.

7. 2nd helping skillets (5-6) - Return of vintage Peyton, Housh keeps the Skillets in the playoff race.

8. Tribbles (5-6) - First MJD, then Addai wakes up, will TO follow suit?

9. SnakeBitten (4-7) - Very disappointing effort from Philip Rivers this week.

10. Fallen Angels (2-9) - What else can go wrong? PK John Carney deactivated despite one FG miss all season for stronger-legged Lawrence Tynes. Tynes scores 6, Angels lose by 3.

[Detritus]

Belated Week 12 Rankings and Week 13 Rankings:

Week 12 Power Rankings
1. Zohan's Posse (8-4)
2. Wily Corn Trolls (9-3)
3. Trifecta Wookies (7-5)
4. Fighting Friars (6-6)
5. Neanderthals (6-6)
6. Demolition (5-7)
7. 2nd helping skillets (6-6)
8. Tribbles (6-6)
9. SnakeBitten (5-7)
10. Fallen Angels (2-10)

Week 13 Power Rankings
1. Wily Corn Trolls (10-3) - The Trolls are 10-1 when they haven't drawn the weekly high score as their opponent. Go high or go home.

2. Trifecta Wookies (8-5) - The Wookies are 6-1 in their last 7, and they swept the season series vs. Zohan's Posse.

3. Zohan's Posse (8-5) - Brett Favre was quiet vs. a shaky secondary, and a Randy Moss drop of a sure TD didn't help, either, but the Posse is still going to be a tough out come playoff time.

4. Neanderthals (7-6) - With an ~ 85-point lead in aggregate score over the Skillets, they control their own playoff destiny. Thomas Jones and Steve Slaton are giving DeAngelo Williams and Michael Turner a run for their money as the hottest backfield duo in the league.

5. Demolition (6-7) - #3 in total points, but even with a win over Neanderthals, they need help from the Angels to make the playoffs. They do have the only two 140+ point games this season.

6. 2nd helping skillets (7-6) - Rooting for a Demolition win combined with a victory over the Angels to grab the #4 seed in the playoffs. Snuck out a win with the 9th-highest point total of the week.

7. Fighting Friars (6-7) - Michael Turner and DeAngelo Williams have been great, but extended absences by Reggie Bush and Tom Brady have proven to be ultimately too much to overcome. Brady's absence has led to several big QB performances on the Friars' bench in recent weeks.

8. Tribbles (6-7) - Showed some life for a while, but their flirtation with the Week 13 Power Wank Award (which they had up until the first play after the two-minute warning on MNF) and a 120-point Neanderthals outburst killed their chances for a postseason berth.

9. SnakeBitten (5-8) - Never really got out from under missing the draft, or the lackluster play of #1 overall pick LaDainian Tomlinson. We're still scratching our heads over the Matt Forte trade, though.

10. Fallen Angels (2-11) - Tallied a more-than-respectable 96.3 points this week but ran into a 140-point Demolition buzzsaw. Can still play spoiler against the Skillets, but the loss of Plax hurts.

[Paulypalooza]

10. Fallen Angels (2-11) - Tallied a more-than-respectable 96.3 points this week but ran into a 140-point Demolition buzzsaw. Can still play spoiler against the Skillets, but the loss of Plax hurts.

The Fallen Angels have McNabb going up against a very good Giants D, Burress and Pittman are done, and the Skillets have Payton playing the Bengals. Barring a major upset I'm going to have to make do with the #1 seed in the consolation round at best

[carmachu]

The Fallen Angels have McNabb going up against a very good Giants D, Burress and Pittman are done, and the Skillets have Payton playing the Bengals. Barring a major upset I'm going to have to make do with the #1 seed in the consolation round at best

Browns are only 4-8 and Peyton put up pretty much a goose egg. Its the second time he's done that this season. If he does it again....You'll win.

[voodazel]

2. Trifecta Wookies (8-5) - The Wookies are 6-1 in their last 7, and they swept the season series vs. Zohan's Posse.



Just so you know, The Possee beat the Wookies in our first meeting.

Taking nothing away from ****'s beat down of my team's poor performance this week.

[Kalzazz]

I could have made perfect decisions on who to start that game and still would have gotten toasted by the Neanderthals

Tribbles need to cling cling cling mightily to the #4 seed spot in the consolation bracket

[Detritus]

Just so you know, The Possee beat the Wookies in our first meeting.

Taking nothing away from ****'s beat down of my team's poor performance this week.
Ah, you're right. I remembered it was close and high-scoring, but flipped the outcome.

[voodazel]

Ah, you're right. I remembered it was close and high-scoring, but flipped the outcome.

<Does the Z-snap> Damn right, bett'a recognize!

:roll: