Power Rankings- Pre-Week 13

It has been a little while as my early momentum on Power Rankings fizzled out around a month ago.  In terms of 2012, the plan will probably be to start with a full ranking, update the top 3 each week, and perhaps go full once a month from that point.

As usual, these rankings are in the idea of 'if we could pick a team today, what order would they go' but at this stage records play a big role in that.  Next week, I have a similar feature planned except with 2012 keeper potential factored in- something to look forward to for those out of the race.  Without further explanation, ado, or Freddy Adu, then...

10. Thompson
With four wins, Thompson is at the top of the bottom four but as noted last week his performance of late has been historically poor.  Looking at the next two weeks, his QB tandem of Ryan and Palko is as bad as any in this region and he lacks a consistent threat at RB.  At WR, Stevie Johnson, provided he avoids continuing to shoot himself in the foot, looked strong last week and could lead a resurgence.

The other caveat is that this squad has dealt with quite a bit of injury and some of these players are now returning.  Moss is back, for one, and DMF could return in time for rivalry week.  If these two can perform we could see another win from this team before the curtain falls on the 2011 season.

9. Nemo
Overall, there is not much to worry about here for contenders to trip up on but the QB duo of the Big Red Ben is solid enough to give Nemo a chance in any week.  Chris Johnson has shown some spark of late and could add further to his chances.  There is a hole at RB2 and the WRs, in general, lack big-time ability but Nemo has a shot to catch Curran napping in Week 13.

8. Tighe
Tighe has very little to speak of at RB but looks to have enough solid play coming in across the rest of the board to give him a steady hold of the eight spot.  With Vick out, Young has played solidly but injuries to Felix Jones, Julio Jones, and Manningham have all been more difficult to overcome of late.  One side note is that with Malinn all but mathematically out, Tighe is all but mathematically unlikely to impact the playoff race.

7. Brett
Brett hung around for a while before opting to give away AP and call it a season but at this moment his hold on the seven spot is very solid, both from above and below.  Bush and Murray at RB is as strong a duo this side of Malinn and that gives him a good chance to impact the standings late this year.  With two games against contenders- Lee this week, DFlam next- the key guys are likely the QBs.  Fitzpatrick and Bradford really just could not maintain the pace but good showings in the next two weeks might lead to an upset or two.   The other question is at WR- Knox and Wayne represent two solid rolls of the dice and perhaps Riley Cooper could play a big role in rivalry week.

6. Malinn
Malinn could still get into the playoffs but this view is shared only by the most socially-challenged mathematicians.  With Tighe a dead rubber opponent in week 13, we look ahead to week 14 and his showdown with Lee:

QB: Romo against the Giants could go either way but Colt McCoy is in trouble at PIT
RB: Rice hosts Indy- nice- while MJD welcomes Tampa Bay.  Now we are talking...
WR: Marshall (PHI) Wallace (CLE) and Lloyd (@SEA, MNF) could all provide positive games
TE: The two-TE set, Graham and Gates, are nearly matchup proof

With solid potential for an upset, Malinn will surely be preparing his Knute Rockne speech for his squad ahead of the rivalry week showdown.

5. TMac
As detailed in the playoff picture update, TMac is almost out of the division race as he needs to clear Concannon in the standings but currently trails by a full win.  The other issue is at WR, where he has held the most depth all year, is now a position where things are quickly crumbling.  De$ean Jack$on, a regular starter, has not contributed in weeks, and a look to the bench reveals Breaston and Simpson as the two vying for the top backup spot.

QB is an average spot with Freeman in freefall but Stafford looking to now get the thumbs-up on the injury front.  Davis, at TE, is also about average.  RB holds plenty of big names but only Foster is reliable.  Mendenhall is likely the quietest bust of the 2011 season and Turner is beginning to limp around- who knows if he can make it.  DeAngelo Williams has feasted on weak defenses of late- could he be a late savior for TMac?

Overall, TMac's squad has fought valiantly but the signs of a collapse are here and a tough schedule looms.  It seems, at this point, that he will be on the outside looking in come playoff time.

4. DFlam
DFlam checks in at a very strong #4 with a dynamic two-RB set at QB.  Both Tebow and Newton continue to produce despite poor throwing performances of late and there is no reason to expect that to change in December. 

DFlam does not have any major concerns but his top RB and WR are slight question marks- Forte lost Flacco, White has been inconsistent- and Jackson/Colston do not really seem likely to make up for it by being elite #2 guys.  There is solid depth with Flacco and McGahee.

This team is simply very well-rounded and has made it this far by being uber-consistent.  It should really be in line to score 95-105 point per week, a range it has fallen into more or less each week this year.  A bad week against DFlam will be punished but, on the flip side, a strong showing should be rewarded.

3. Curran
Curran blew up last week, hitting 141 points and winning his fourth straight game (streaky Curran: five wins to start, three losses in a row, and now four wins on the trot).  At 9-3, the explosion pulled him ahead of Lee on tie-break and gives him a huge boost in that race for the division.

His team has over-relied on Patriots but it may work out as the Pats have begun to click again on offense.  Brady, Welker, and Gronkowski are the three most consistent Pats and Curran starts all of them.  Palmer is a questionable QB2, probably the weakest of those in the playoff race, while Jennings has produced at a #2 level behind Jordy Nelson.  With Cruz cruising, Curran has hardly noticed.

One caution flag to wave here is at RB.  Gore has been banged up all year and traditionally misses a game or two.  If SF locks up a bye early, Gore could sit in key playoff weeks.  There is also concern for Benson, in his case more scheduling.  If either falters, the backups are LT and Ricky Williams- more of a potluck offering than a pot of gold.

As usual, this team will go as the Pats go and given the cupcake-laden schedule it will be very unsurprising to see Curran make it all the way to week 16.

2. Concannon
The commish cruised early in the year but a combination of players returning to earth and injuries have brought him back to the playoff pack at this late stage of the year.

The good news is that this has not impacted the QB position.  Brees and Eli have been and should remain the top duo in this league and behind this consistent output Concannon has managed to hold the ship steady while digging into his bench.  Ponder provides solid insurance but without either one the season is over.

RB has been an up and down ride with a variety of tiny little bothers all season but the big blow was the loss of Fred Jackson for the year.  One week removed, Wells and Mathews look to be ready to step up big and Bradshaw is back in practice but this position is weak in both the quantity and quality department.

The receiver position has been another highlight despite losing Britt for the year and Austin for most of it.  Fitzgerald has proven QB-proof while AJ Green is looking like a real blue-chipper as a rookie.  Jordy Nelson has been the best white WR outside of the thirteen colonies and Laurent Robinson has, finally, played to his talent.  Finley, at TE, has been a bust but does look to have an easy slate moving forward.

Concannon's team has been strong all year but at this point the depth is stretch a bit thin.  One injury could be a knockout blow at RB while every bit of help is needed from WR and QB.  If he holds on, though, the division title and league championship beckon and the ability to choose a semi-final opponent could prove the edge needed in this very tight playoff race.

1. Lee
All four of the other contenders have holes at critical spots but Lee is not one of them- the prime reason for his inclusion here.  QB1, RB1, WR1...all set for Lee with Rodgers, McCoy, and Johnson.

The issue stressed for Lee all year was depth and his move for AP kind of addressed it, until he got hurt.  Still, AP should be good to go soon and with Lynch and Blount now re-emerging it seems that Lee has the RB support to overcome what has been a dreadful decision to buy Phillip Rivers.  The same could be said of Dez Bryant, a tough play each week who has been bailed out by solid showings from Calvin Johnson.  If Nicks can start returning to form, Lee looks to be in good shape at WR.

Like all teams, an injury would now hurt Lee but what was a depth problem in week 1 is now a more universal concern in that it is shared by all teams at this stage.  Thus, given the talent level at the top spots and steady RB work shown of late it seems Lee is, at this point, the favorite to win the Superbowl.  Both Brett and Malinn, tough outs at this stage, will look to show otherwise and perhaps keep Lee out of the playoffs entirely but provided he sneaks in it could once again prove to be Lee's year.

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

Week 5 Power Rankings

A bit late...sorry...busy a bit yesterday.

10. Nemo (10)- CJ starts to look promising...and then Big Ben hurts himself.  Rice gets himself going in Seattle...and then Moreno gains four yards over an ENTIRE GAME.  The loss of Henne is also a blow for a team looking to peddle QB depth for improvement elsewhere.  Not sure yet but it is starting to look like 'one of those seasons' where things will insist on going wrong at all times and things do not get much better this week with a big slate of bye weeks.

9. Thompson (8)- The results have been there but Thompson's team continues to have the look of a squad doomed to fall to pieces over the bye weeks.  I am not sure on the QB play or stability, concerned about both RB depth and ability to stay healthy (DMF) or productive (Sproles), and have no idea what Percy Harvin did to merit his lack of touches.  If things continue in this way Thompson will be hard pressed to find bodies to plug into starting positions over the course of these coming bye weeks and lose crucial ground in the playoff race.

8. DFlam (9)- Massive result for Flam last week and repeat performances will ensure further ascension in this space.  But, concerns at QB remain with only Cam Newton the sure-fire contributor- unless you fancy a little Painter- and his WRs are still underperforming, although improving of late.  If Steven Jackson gets healthy Flam moves to the Top 5 discussion but for now his various inconsistencies keep him towards the bottom.

7. Tighe (7)- Tighe holds steady but the returns of Foster and Vick hint at upward aspirations.  Still, Tolbert has been reduced in SD and I do not think Green-Ellis is a very reliable RB option moving forward so look for Tighe to make his usual slew of moves in an effort to shore up that position.

6. Brett (6)- Brett, in my mind, is perfectly in-between the top and the bottom.  His team is unspectacular but unlikely to feel the bye weeks due to solid depth.  With the exception of Collie, his team has more or less performed exactly to expectations.  There was talk of continued rebuilding here but we'll see as the ball is in his court- a move or two could push him in either direction.

5. TMac (5)- A big hit this week as TMac lost both Johnson and Mendenhall to injury.  His WR depth is strong but the timing is poor at RB due to some bye weeks.  Still a solid group moving forward, though.

4. Curran (4) and 3. Malinn (3)- A bit of a slowdown for the fast-charging Curran Express as I remain unsold on Victor Cruz as a starter and feel Greene wins the Jets RB showdown between this team and Malinn.  With an edge at RB and a slight loss at WR, I tip the scales in Malinn's favor as I look long-term at Graham over Gronk (once Hernandez heals).  Still, two strong units here that are in the thick of the race.

2. Concannon (1)- 'Flam opted out of ranking but there are not too many options here after a loss.  My team, top to bottom, is the strongest in the league in my opinion but we are still reeling from the Britt loss and remain unsold on QB2.  Top to bottom strength is also not a huge factor when considering a starting nine and others here have better starting units.

1. Lee (2)- Back to the summit for Lee as Nicks and Blount return to form while the Megatron touchdown roadshow becomes too consistent to ignore.  Still, choosing between Ridley, Lynch, and Tate at W/R seems a bit weak for a top team so look for Lee to require some Heimlich help in the near future.

The future...

Next week I am going to focus on updating the running roster list and getting up some rule changes for both this and next year.  As a result, I may skip Power Rankings (but will do a top 3 if Lee loses).  If anyone wants to make a guest showing, please e-mail.

Good luck this weekend.

Week 4 Power Rankings

10. Nemo (10)- Nemo has proactively offered up some QB depth to begin plugging up some holes in his leaky WR hull.  In Bowe, Branch, and Rice, Nemo has tantalizing talent but lacks the consistent return of a top-tier WR.  The trade market is, shall we say, sluggish at the moment so look for teams to slowly approach here as activity perks up leading into the byes.  However, even if he makes a ‘deal of the season’, continued poor outings from CJ will doom this team to the lottery. 

9. DFlam (8)- Cam Newton, drafted to play football, had difficulties swimming his way upstream last week and his no-show is essentially  a wash.  The RB injuries are slowly sorting themselves out but losing Hernandez has been painful while Mike Williams might as well pull a hamstring so DFlam can sit him.  A false dawn for Ryan Grant would be another cruel twist here but the safe bet is that Grant will have to win a game or two for ‘Flam as the byes loom.

8. Thompson (9)- Thompson was not a happy camper after last week’s rankings but continued strong performances should keep him in the running for a playoff race despite a low position here.  A lot of lip service is being paid at the moment to ‘involving’ Percy Harvin but so far no go there- action on these sentiments will surely be a boon for Thompson’s squad moving into October.

7. Tighe (7)- A truly difficult week for Tighe but positive news on Foster and Vick should buoy some sinking feelings.  Julio Jones is starting to round into form as well here while the Grossman acquisition is looking sharp in the short term.  For now, it is one week at a time here for last year’s top unit.

6. Brett (5)- Brett is solid throughout, Austin Collie perhaps not included, but falls behind Curran due to my minor concerns about Best’s injury history and Hightower’s role moving forward. 

5. TMac (4)- In this ongoing ‘Brett/TMac’ debate I have been having, I lean again to the Mac with his surging Daniel Thomas situation.  I also think it will be closer to 50-50 with Helu and Hightower going forward and this gives TMac an edge in the event Washington maintains its early pace.  And is that Lance Moore?  Goodness, TMac needs more WR’s like this piece needs more bad jokes.

4. Curran (6)- Curran continues his steady ascent behind a strong stable of arms.  Although Brady has had the headlines, no one can really argue with Sanchez and his fantasy relevance.  Hasselbeck, grey flecks throughout, is showing no signs of age- can he survive without Britt?  At this point Curran is one RB away from moving into the elite squads of the NFFL.

3. Malinn (3)- It remains a bit of a ‘Top 3’ here but the gap is shrinking.  Malinn looks to be in trouble with Gates and Greene is a split-time RB on a passing team (for now, and for Pats games).  Curran is closing fast, no doubt about it…

2. Lee (2)- Our favorite South Korean sits again at #2 on a combination of my comfort with the rankings and his overall scoring output thus far.  The huge red flag is that this team, with as much depth as a kiddie pool on Autumn Street, is looking at no better than .500 entering the bye weeks.  A massive week beckons for Lee.  Personnel wise, I would say that he is need of a RB with the Ben Tate rodeo winding down.

1. Concannon (1)- A huge week for Concannon- rumors of PBR being renamed ‘150 Points’ are unconfirmed.  But, the Britt loss was a massive blow and likely the biggest bit of league news this week.  It seems all other systems are a go for now but only time will tell if this team can keep the early pace or become yet another rabbit in the marathon NFFL season.

Week 3 Power Rankings

10. Nemo (9)- A slow start for Nemo but last week was a massive leap forward.  Hillis, the more questionable of his two-headed RB monster, looked strong while first round choice Dalton impressed.  A potential surplus of QB talent is developing here as Big Ben and Cutler hold steady while Henne delivers nice QB4 depth- perhaps one goes out to fill that hole at W/R.  Like I’ve said over and over, it is early and someone has to be #10.

9. Thompson (7)- Brutal. Brutal. Brutal.  The only upside for Thompson is that Charles was a $9 guy and the roster does have talent remaining due to this cost-savings.  But boy, was that brutal.  Thompson may be the first team to truly be out of contention in this young season as it is so hard to see any team overcome such a loss so early.

8. Dflam (10)- ‘Flam continues to enjoy his injury ward, adding Hernandez and the Cadillac this week, but the increasingly convincing play of Mr. Newton has him in the lead for the ROY award.  Some might even argue that he is the #1 here with Flacco his usual up and down self!  Mike Williams is a key guy to get on track but Flam will most likely ride the fortunes of the #1 overall pick while his battered team settles itself out.

7. Tighe (6)- Looking for an injured RB?  Come on down!  Tighe swung a deal for perpetually un-injured Law Firm due to his mini-crisis, perhaps also (rightfully, or maybe justifiably) assuming Gore was likely to get hurt next.  Adding Grossman is a statement of faith that not many here would echo but he is an improvement on both Kerry Collins and an injured Vick.  Tighe will need to ride out the storm during this injury spell but he remains sharp in all ways, the addition of Fred Davis potentially a savvy one if further injuries force him back to a two-TE offense.

6. Curran (8)- Curran swung a deal this week that saw Gore arrive with local favorite Ben…BGE heading out.  Is Benson out?  No word for sure but at this point the RB struggles are reaching a fever pitch.  The good news is that his QB tandem of Hasslebeck and Brady is arguably tops so far, if not for the future then for the first two weeks.  Gronk is in line for more work while the WR’s are tough- look for more strong showings from Curran in the coming weeks.

5. Brett (5)- A tricky spot for Brett as Hightower, looked to as at least a solid first-half option while other RB’s here develop, is now looking like he is facing real competition from Helu for carries.  In fact, in comparing TMac and Brett, I gave TMac the nod for that reason alone.  Still, the lineup is strong and I think the Colts WRs will be OK moving forward.

4. Tmac (4)- Not sure which is more embarrassing- Jerome Simpson and his pot incident or DeAngelo and his four or so yards so far.  What is not embarrassing is that TMac continues to play a strong lineup across the board with only the inconsistency of DeSean Jackson a true concern.  This concern, by the way, generally becomes moot when he blows up for thirty points.  A big week for the Mac Attack rookie scouting department- Helu and Thomas looked outstanding in week 2.

3. Malinn (3)- The Romo injury and the lingering presence of Reggie Bush means another week of staring at Lee’s (broken) brake lights.  It will be interesting to see how Thomas Jones figures into the Chiefs offense moving forward but for now, like all teams, Malinn is looking hard for an answer at W/R.

2. Lee (1)- Lee falls in a #1 v #2 matchup but he is still in outstanding position with Blount rounding into form.  Tate looks good so far but I think this is temporary- Foster, with similar workloads last year, had found his way to bigger days so I think a healthy Arian means somewhere between 60 and 70% of the work.  Lee’s hole, at this point, looks to be TE- Marcedes Lewis is the definition of fluke and no favors were done for him with the insertion of Gabbert at QB.  I think.

1. Concannon (2)- No guest ranking this week- I believe I ‘outperformed’ my 'own' ranking by the most, anyhow.  The team is now encountering its first bit of turbulence with injuries to Austin, Britt, and Beanie.  The shocking release of long-time locker room character guy James Jones may also cause its own difficulties- fun while it lasted, JJ.  On the bright side, A.J. Green is poised to debut while Eli will continue to struggle to reach 10 fantasy points per week but it is enough for now in the flawed month of September for this team to wear the target on its over-hyped back.

NFFL Week 1 Power Rankings

Here we go, then...


10. Curran

The biggest concern here is at RB, a position where the names on this list are generally being avoided in drafts around the country.  Green-Ellis was strong last year but there are doubt about his ability to repeat those numbers while LT faded badly late last year and Benson goes from one orange uniform to another.

The strength of this team is depth at QB and with Brady the only name commanding major trade value it may hint at a potential mega-deal. 

9. DFlam

DFlam was higher in my early rough draft but he came out of the Thursday opener worse off than anyone else in the league.  Colston's injury will sideline him for four weeks while Grant looks like he might be in a 50-50 timeshare.  Although Pierre Thomas could deputize nicely for Grant, the W/R options are less appealing with QB-weak Dallas Clark and the unreliable Robert Meachem.

Already dealing with depth issues at QB after the Garrard release, DFlam now has to worry about the flex positions before two NFL games have even kicked off.  Perhaps, finally, DFlam will get off his rear and actually complete a trade.

8. Nemo

Question marks at WR push Nemo down to the bottom three but, like those below him, the 'wait-and-see' approach is vital.  There are plenty of options here, including the electrifying Randall Cobb, so perhaps something will come out of it.  If so, look for Nemo to angle up to the middle of the rankings by October.

7. Tighe

If Packers-Saints crushed DFlam, he would have found himself next to Mr. Tighe, already pushed down into the cellar via the Manning injury news.  It is hard to punt $25 million and remain competitive but with his keeper class it more or less wipes out his savings, pegging him firmly back to square one.

That said, it is with no surprise that QB2 is the problem area.  Campbell, in my mind, will likely emerge as a better option than Collins.  At W/T, Tighe is currently going TE but at some point Steve Smith, Crabtree, or deep sleeper Demaryious Thomas should step forward.

6. Thompson

The defending champions clock in at mid-table, a solid but unspectacular lineup meriting such a ranking.  The early play of Darren McFadden is vital as Addai is a shaky W/R but with depth across the bench and reliable QB play Thompson should be in position to battle for the playoffs in all but the most injury-riddled of scenarios.

5. Brett

Brett pushes on from the cellar, a trio of QBs in Schaub, Fitzpatrick, and Bradford sure to provide stability while he sorts out the fallout from the Manning injury.  Indeed, two Colt WRs is a risky bet and could be an early damper but there is enough depth at WR for now to get through it in September.  A critical question could develop at W/R where Ingram's first NFL game was less than inspiring.

4. Concannon

Nothing was learned on Thursday- Brees is great, Finley is a matchup nightmare- so the same questions remain.  But with start power at WR and enough solid options at RB, this team has the look of a 4-2 or 5-3 squad, one firmly in the hunt without inspiring fear in other contenders.

3. Malinn

MJD, Rice, and Grant could all be top guys at their position (though not together, of course) and the WR talent is likeable enough to bump him above Concannon.  QB2 looks like Kolb's to lose but McCoy should make it very interesting as we move forward. 

2. TMac

TMac's only hole is at TE, an indicator of strength, but there are minor injury worries at RB.  The lack of a clear #3 QB is also a potential isssue but Hill backs up Stafford nicely.  The key, though, is WR depth, represented by Maclin- benched.

1. Lee

#1 Lee chugs into the top spot on the strength of a paper-thin draft strategy that netted a formidable roster that leaves South Koreans and ER doctors alike foaming at the mouth with the excitement of cash in the future.

Alex Smith?  Worst backup QB in the league.  Marion Barber?  Same at RB.  Mike Thomas?  Yikes, Kerry Meier is unavailable?

But for now, it is Lee's title to lose.  Good luck, all.