Week 7 Power Rankings

Ah…week seven…

Okay, nothing really impressive to say about week seven.  But, I do have some comments for the league’s future so please plow into this hefty salad before digging in for the dessert of POWER RANKINGS.

1. The 2 QB format

My concern is that the NFL, by reshuffling the bye weeks into groups of six, has made our league much less sustainable with the 2 QB format.  My solution is very simple- move the QB2 slot into an OP (offensive player) slot.  This opens up an incredible number of position combinations but I think it has little to no effect on auction value.  In short, I believe a team without a QB2 cannot win and the OP position will allow teams to survive bye weeks and injury.  In other words, I am bitter that Lee has benefited twice in a row thanks to his opponents playing one quarterback.

A side note- I am going to start ‘fining’ teams that do not make lineup adjustments (byes, obvious injuries) in terms of rookie draft picks.  Something in the middle rounds, I think.  No hard rules so I can take it case-by-case but please stay on top of things.

2. Rookie Lottery

Perhaps overblown but I am starting to lean against a weighted lottery and am instead going to push for a balanced one.  This means all playoff teams will receive a certain number of ‘chances’ and all non-playoff teams will also receive a certain number of chances.  This will eliminate the need to ‘tank’ in addition to punting away key players while also reducing the sting of narrowly missing the playoffs.

3. Trade Deadline

Week 11, as voted by all this week.

4. League Cup

Not sure on the future of our little tournament but I think we should try one of three ideas:

A. Week 15, 16, 17 with all teams.  Two 1 v 1 matches and two three-way matches to start with semi-finals and finals to conclude.  Essentially the same tournament as always.

B. Youth Emphasis- All players are eligible but they must meet certain criteria.  We can go keepers only, rookie draft picks, under $5, whatever.  Open to all ideas.  This tournament could start earlier in the season with doubling up, I think, and I would be happy to track the points.

C. Week 17- I proposed this last year but it was very late so here goes again.  We hold a draft or auction in week 17 for just that week and play out it out for a winner take all, one shot affair.  Could be held in addition to one of the above.

So that’s that…OK, now the main event.

Week 7 Power Rankings

10. Thompson (9)- It is starting to get ugly here as Orton joins Charles on the sidelines via demotion.  The Harvin situation gets one last punt with the new QB but the RB spot is still a paper-thin McFadden and super-third down back Sproles.  Hard to see things turning upward here, really. 

9. Tighe (7)- QB problems look be the story here and the punt formation has already been called.  Vick, some may argue, is like having two QBs but with injury-riddled running backs and inconsistent WRs it does not look like he will be able to overcome the problems dogging this squad.

8. Brett (6)- A reaction to the punt here, for sure, but Brett’s team has been unable to overcome some early struggles from Indianapolis, Bradford, and the RB position.  As I pondered, the RB depth and talent was enviable but ultimately too slow-developing for this season.  With Best now starting to limp around, Bushleague begins to turn south in the weekly rankings.

7. Nemo (10)- Nemo gets the maximum bump by sticking the course and watching some new players emerge.  QB is strong with Big Ben, Big Red, and Big…well, Cutler, RB is interesting with the Brown duo and CJ, and WR is on the up with Bowe Rice, and Little making big steps of late.  Provided something happens in Cleveland, Nemo could make a late surge or simply generate momentum as an upset-special going into November.

6. DFlam (8)- Maybe a long time coming but, paradoxically, by winning despite some Newton struggles I am now more of a believer in the Beiber Fever.  TebowCam is not some creepy peepshow blog that is on Lee’s browser bookmarks but rather a potentially lethal dual-threat QB combo that could propel DFlam to the top of the league standings.  The lingering question is at wide receiver (one word, rubbish) so DFlam should be seen inquiring about some talent there in these coming weeks.  Could Hernandez and Clark form a two tight end set?

5. Curran (4)- A very tight group in my mind at these next three spots.  I bump Curran down due to an over-reliance on New England and what has traditionally been a slower offense in the second half of the season.  I am also a bit skeptical of his RB depth and the WR starters overall.  In short, and as has been the case all year, it is a Brady Bunch and this nine can go only as far as #12 takes them. 

4. TMac (5)- A bit of beef was added to the pipsqueak WR heavy roster as Arian Foster is welcomed aboard in what I saw as a bit of a swipe for TMac.  Obviously not trusting DeAngelo, TMac added Tolbert as well to bring his depth at RB up to level of both his WRs (still extraordinary) and PBR (league best, I think, in the depth area).   The season may come down to Houston and the health of the big guns, Johnson and Foster, but it is a good bet in my mind for now.

3. Malinn (3)- A tough team to peg but the top TE in Graham, solid QB play, and two big time backs in MJD and Rice make this team a tiny bit better than the Prescott pair just behind.  Malinn may have benefited from the Lloyd trade more than 99% of fantasy players worldwide as both Decker and Lloyd should profit.  And is that Antonio Gates I hear making noise in the back?

2. Concannon (2)- It is PONDER TIME and PBR is ecstatic to promote this fine young man to partner, joining Britt and Redman at the top.  In relevant news, depth continues to be tested by bye and injury but the team may ‘Battle’on, as they say, with Jordy Nelson and the other not so white guys looking to keep atop the league.  The recovery of Wells, Mathews, and Austin were all big news items and should keep this team on top, at least in points, through the end of the month.

1. Lee (1)- Now here by mere technicality, I had a hard time taking Lee over the other four below on Tuesday.  It all changed with his five-finger discount of AP (currently ‘flexed’, cute) so look for Lee to retain his top spot for another week before his depth issue sink the team even further into the…er, depths.

Best of luck to all this week and we’ll be back here for a post-Halloween edition in November.

Tim