Midterms are in!

Big scores in Week 8!  After having only one team in triple digits for each of the last two weeks, we have a point explosion with 3 teams going over one hundo, and having 949 total points scored across the league!  This was 73 points more than the next highest scoring week this season (Week 4 with 876 points) and it was a crazy 141 more points than last week.  Speaking of crazy scores, how about the performance from Joe’s Pats taking the Weekly High Score this week with 149 points!  Joe’s roster was basically a who’s who of the top scorers for the week, as he had A.J. Brown with 36, Jalen Hurts with 28, DeAndre Hopkins with 24 and Nick Chubb with 24.  All four of those players ranked in the Top 10 scoring for the week.  The 149 points ties for 5^th all-time in league history.  (The single week record still stands at 160 points, set by Attack of Mahomes in Week 10, 2019.)  This is Joe’s 2^nd Weekly High Score Prize this season, and the victory moves him in a tie for first place in the North division at 5-3.  Excellent work Joe!

The standings are shaping up to be very tight, as there are four teams tied with the best record at 5-3, two teams at 4-4, and the bottom four teams are within a game of each other.  Suffice it to say, it is still anyone’s game from this point, as there are still 5 more regular season games to go before playoffs begin in Week 14.  Last season one team made it in with a record of 6-7, so more than 6 wins should punch a ticket to the playoffs this season.  But talking about the playoffs may be a bit premature as this week is all about midterm grades!

Same grading system applies as in year’s past.  Teams are graded on 8 categories and awarded points on a strict curve based on ranking within each category.  Grades are also awarded on a strict curve.

Here is a summary of the categories:

-Overall Record – More points awarded to teams with better records.

-Points For – More points awarded to higher scoring teams.

-Points Against – More points awarded to teams with more points scored against them.  This category is meant to offset bad luck from matchups as you don’t have any control over what your opponent scores.

-High Scores – More points awarded to teams who have won Weekly High Score prizes.

-Best Bench – More points awarded to teams with least amount of Best Benches.

-Waivers – More points awarded to teams with more waiver claims.

-Keepers – More points awarded to teams with highest keeper production this season.

-Utilization – More points awarded to teams with highest utilization rate.  This measures a team’s actual scores this season versus their optimal lineup.

Joe - Joe's Pats		Pts
Record:	5-3	8.5
Points For:	779	10
Pts Against:	671	7
High Scores:	2	9
Best Bench:	0	4
Waivers:	10	2.5
Keepers:	286	10
Utilization:	89.0%	8
Total Points:		59
Grade		A+

•  Joe gets a big boost for having the most points scored, highest keeper production plus being tied for best record and most Weekly High Score prizes.

Timmy - Attack of Mahomes		Pts
Record:	5-3	8.5
Points For:	750	8
Pts Against:	615	1
High Scores:	2	9
Best Bench:	0	4
Waivers:	25	5
Keepers:	265	8
Utilization:	92.7%	10
Total Points:		53.5
Grade		A

•  Timmy has the highest utilization rate and is tied for best record and most Weekly High Score prizes.  He also has the most waiver claims so far.

Jason - American BadAss		Pts
Record:	5-3	8.5
Points For:	755	9
Pts Against:	643	3
High Scores:	2	9
Best Bench:	1	1.75
Waivers:	7	1.75
Keepers:	191	5
Utilization:	88.3%	7
Total Points:		45
Grade		B+

•  Jason is the 2nd highest scoring team, and is tied for best record and most Weekly High Score prizes with 2.

James - Sofa King Good		Pts
Record:	4-4	5.5
Points For:	704	7
Pts Against:	646	4
High Scores:	1	6.5
Best Bench:	0	4
Waivers:	7	1.75
Keepers:	194	6
Utilization:	91.4%	9
Total Points:		43.75
Grade		B

•  James has the 2nd highest utilization rate and is the 4th highest scoring team.

Russ - sprouts		Pts
Record:	3-4-1	4
Points For:	642	4
Pts Against:	739	9
High Scores:	0	0
Best Bench:	0	4
Waivers:	13	3.25
Keepers:	148	2
Utilization:	83.3%	4
Total Points:		30.25
Grade		C+

•  Russ has had the 2nd most points scored against him, and has not had a Best Bench.

Shawn - CL Drunk Guys		Pts
Record:	2-5-1	1
Points For:	544	1
Pts Against:	786	10
High Scores:	0	0
Best Bench:	0	4
Waivers:	5	1
Keepers:	211	7
Utilization:	84.7%	6
Total Points:		30
Grade		C

•  Shawn has had the most points scored against him, and has the 4th highest keeper production.

John - Young Guns		Pts
Record:	5-3	8.5
Points For:	632	3
Pts Against:	648	5
High Scores:	0	0
Best Bench:	1	1.75
Waivers:	15	4.25
Keepers:	156	4
Utilization:	79.4%	2
Total Points:		28.5
Grade		D+

•  John is tied for the best record and has the 2nd most waiver claims, but ranks 9th in utilization.

Jens - Big Sack No TD's		Pts
Record:	3-5	2.5
Points For:	675	6
Pts Against:	726	8
High Scores:	0	0
Best Bench:	1	1.75
Waivers:	13	3.25
Keepers:	48	1
Utilization:	84.4%	5
Total Points:		27.5
Grade		D

•  Jens has had the 3rd most points scored against him and ranks 5th in scoring, but has the lowest keeper production.

Rob - Wyld Ass Monkeys		Pts
Record:	4-4	5.5
Points For:	663	5
Pts Against:	640	2
High Scores:	1	6.5
Best Bench:	1	1.75
Waivers:	4	0.5
Keepers:	152	3
Utilization:	80.2%	3
Total Points:		27.25
Grade		F+

•  Rob has won a Weekly High Score prize, but ranks 8th in both keeper production and utilization.

Jerry - Scottish Rebels		Pts
Record:	2-4-2	2.5
Points For:	621	2
Pts Against:	654	6
High Scores:	0	0
Best Bench:	4	0.5
Waivers:	15	4.25
Keepers:	279	9
Utilization:	73.1%	1
Total Points:		25.25
Grade		F

•  Just a steaming pile of garbage.  Lowest utilization rate, 9th in scoring and tied for 2nd worst record.  My only redeeming point is keeper production, where I rank 2nd, but that's really only because of Josh Allen.

Last season’s midterm A’s (sprouts and Scottish Rebels) finished the season ranked 4^th and 5^th, while the eventual champ, Joe’s Pats, received a C+.  But here’s the crazy one… last season’s lowest midterm grade was the Coors Light Drunk Guys, who ended up finishing in 2^nd place!  That at least gives me some god damn hope to turn this thing around!!  F’N’A Shawn!!  Let's go!!

 

BEST BENCH

Those of you keeping score above may have already gotten a spoiler on this week’s Best Bench, as I found myself in a situation where if I could have made a roster change, I should have made a roster change.  I don’t have a backup tight end or kicker, but if I did, they most likely would have outscored my starters as well.  In the end, taking home my 4^th Best Bench this year, with a FIVE-F*(&ING-player swap, for a 34 point improvement it’s once again my Scottish Rebels.  Here is the laundry list of changes:  D. Cook for J. Jacobs +15, J. Williams for M. Sanders +6, J. Jeudy for A. Thielen +6, T. Lockett for M. Pittman Jr. +5 and G. Smith for J. Allen +2.  It has been over two years since we have seen a 5-player swap Best Bench...

 

Okay get those waivers in and get ready for Week 9!  It’s the highest number week yet!!