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!!

American BadAss is riding high!

Two in a row for American BadAss!  The last two weeks ABA has been the only team to score in triple digits, 107 last week and 137 this week, claiming two Weekly High Score Prizes in the process.  The last back-to-back high score was by Joe’s Pats in Weeks 15 & 16 of 2020.  Jason got there this week with huge performances from Joe Burrow (42 pts) and Tyler Boyd (24 pts), plus got 15 points each from George Kittle and the Chiefs defense, en route to the second highest single week score this season (137)!  This was an extra sweet Weekly High Score as it was also an optimal lineup as there were no bench points to be found.  The victory moves BadAss to a 5-2 record and atop the South division.  Nice job bro!  American BadAss is fifth different team to claim a prize this season, and moves into a tie with Attack of Mahomes for the most won with two.

In other games, Attack of Mahomes has taken the top spot (5-2) in in the North division with a 50-point victory over Wyld Ass Monkeys.  Three teams sit at 4-3:  Joe’s Pats, Sofa King Good and Young Guns.  Sprouts sits at .500 with a 3-3-1 record, and four teams have losing records:  Wyld Ass Monkeys (3-4), Scottish Rebels (2-3-2), Big Sack No TDs (2-5) and Coors Light Drunk Guys (1-5-1).  Still a lot more season to go!

This week we’ll check in on the positional Top Five rankings and award two Best Benches!

BIG TIME

• Joe Burrow, QB, American BadAss – 42 pts – This is the way you play football!  Burrow went wild over the Falcons on Sunday, finishing with 501 total yards and 5 TDs.  He completed 33-of-42 passes (78.5%) for 481 yards (14.5 yards per completion) and 4 TDs, plus added 20 yards and another TD on the ground.  This is the highest single game score we’ve seen from a player so far this season, and moves Burrow to 3rd place in total scoring this season.
• Josh Jacobs, RB, Scottish Rebels – 33 pts – Jacobs set a career record last week with 154 yards, and nearly got there again this week with 143 yards.  He also added 3 TDs in this game to give him 6 in the last 3 games.
• Kenneth Walker III, RB, sprouts – 31 pts – Since taking over after Rashad Penny’s season-ending injury, Walker has rushed for 265 yards and 3 TDs… and that’s only been 2 games!

 

COME ON MAN!

• Jared Goff, QB, Scottish Rebels – 1 pt – Through Week 4, Goff had scored a total of 89 points for an impressive 22.25 points per game average.  Since then, he’s scored 6 points total in 2 games.  Either the first quarter season magic is gone, or teams have figured out how to stop the Lions.
• AJ Dillon, RB, Coors Light Drunk Guys – 1 pt – Four carries for just 15 yards was all Dillon managed this week.  And now the Packers are set to face Buffalo…this could be rough.
• Leonard Fournette, RB, Sofa King Good – 1 pt – Not for lack of trying... Fournette carried the ball 8 times but only managed a meager 19 yards.
• Drake London, WR, Joe’s Pats – 0 pts – The dreaded 1 catch for 9 yard game.
• Kyle Pitts, TE, Joe’s Pats – 0 pts – And an even more dreaded 3 catches for 9 yard game.  Oof.
• James Robinson, RB, Wyld Ass Monkeys – 0 pts – He didn’t hardly see the field, and now news comes out he has been traded to the Jets.  Hopefully they decide to put him in the game.
• Mark Andrews, TE, Wyld Ass Monkeys – 0 pts – Two balls thrown his way and nary a catch. 

 

TOP FIVES

Here is a current check on the top five players in each position.  Since bye weeks have begun, players are ranked on their average points per game.

Notes:

-All teams have at least 1 player represented above.  Teams with 4 players: Joe’s Pats, American BadAss, Wyld Ass Monkeys.  Teams with 3 players: Attack of Mahomes, Big Sack No TDs, Young Guns, sprouts.  Team with 2 players: Scottish Rebels.  Teams with 1 player: Coors Light Drunk Guys, Young Guns.

-Joe’s Pats and Attack of Mahomes are the only teams with both of their keepers listed above.

-Taysom Hill is technically listed as QB/TE, but no one would play that guy as their QB, so he is included with Tight Ends.

-Biggest surprises have to be Josh Jacobs as the top runningback, Jalen Hurts as the 3rd ranked quarterback and the New York Jets coming in as the 4^th ranked defense.

 

BEST BENCH(ES)

The Best Bench in Week 6 was the lowest we’ve had this season as 7-of-10 teams had just single digit improvement possibilities, and two teams, American BadAss and Attack of Mahomes, had optimal line-ups.  But with a 24-point improvement possibility on a three player swap, the Week 6 Best Bench goes to… Young Guns!  John needed to swap New England for Dallas (+12), A. Robinson for M. Evans (+8) and J. Waddle for C. Kirk (+4) to get there.  This was John’s first Best Bench this season.

In Week 7, there were nearly double the total amount of points on the bench from Week 6, with only 4 teams having single digit improvements, and three being over 20.  In the end it was another first timer this season taking home the Best Bench…with a 34-point improvement possibility, and needing four swaps to get there, the Week 7 Best Bench goes to… Big Sack No TD’s!  Jens needed to swap:  T. McLaurin for D. Metcalf (+12), E. Benjamin for T. Pollard (+9), T. Etienne Jr. for B. Robinson Jr. (+9) and D. Carr for L. Jackson (+4).  Big Sack No TD’s becomes the 5^th different team to win Best Bench this season.

 

Get your waivers in and get ready for Week 8!  And make sure all your homework assignments are turned in…Mid-term grades come out next week!!