Predictions Roundup - Week 4

Matchups	Tim	Luke	David Lin	Eric	Laura	Justina
odoyle RULES (2-1) v. JUSTINA OWNS (3-0)	JUSTINA OWNS	odoyle RULES	JUSTINA OWNS	odoyle RULES	JUSTINA OWNS	JUSTINA OWNS
Spider Pig (1-2) v. JohnKasay#1 (1-2)	Spider Pig	Spider Pig	JohnKasay#1	JohnKasay#1	Spider Pig	Spider Pig
Rainbow Warriors (3-0) v. what's poppin slime (2-1)	Rainbow Warriors	Rainbow Warriors	Rainbow Warriors	Rainbow Warriors	Rainbow Warriors	Rainbow Warriors
RelientK (0-3) v. aaronisyourdaddy (1-2)	RelientK	RelientK	RelientK	RelientK	RelientK	RelientK
THE Pain Train (1-2) v. Terrific Tortoises (1-2)	THE Pain Train	THE Pain Train	THE Pain Train	THE Pain Train	Terrific Tortoises	Terrific Tortoises
Last week's record	(5-0)	(5-0)*	(3-2)	(4-1)	(0-0)	(0-0)
Overall record	(12-3)	(7-3)	(3-2)	(4-1)	(0-0)	(0-0)

*Luke would have been (4-1) had he not changed his algorithm's pick of Spider Pigs over Rainbow Warriors.


Rationale behind Tim's picks:
I think the matchup between Justina and I's team will be a close one, and I'm hoping I come out on top, but in an attempt to try and be objective, even with Britt out, Justina's got the edge over me.  A slight one, but I'll give it to her.  Eric wins the RB battle, but Luke's WRs take him to victory.  Jeff v. David - obvious, no need for an explanation.  Laura gets her first victory because she actually starts the right players and they play well.  And besides QB, Gabs has a better team across the board than David's.


Luke's Predictions:

• Pig wins because spider pig does whatever spider pig does. And he feels good about Vick
• Odoyle pulls off the upset because his team's on the rise. Terrible birthday present for Justina. 
• Only thing more dominating than Rainbow Warrior's fantasy prowess is his... rainbow-ness
• Toss up between aaron and relient. Laura has to win eventually right?
• Also a toss up, but i like pain train to deliver a sucker punch in this one.

Laura and Justina Make Predictions

Looks like you guys are in for another treat because Laura and I wrote predictions!  Hers are in black, mine are in green.

RelientK (0-3) vs. aaronisyourdaddy (1-2)

OK so I gave up too quickly on Eli and Bradshaw last week. I really thought the Eagles aka “The Dream Team” were going to dominate. Anyway, I'm hoping last week was a hint of things to come! Also, my team's attractiveness went way up in starting Eli...sorry, Aarons (Aw that's so cute, you share names with your starting QB!) I think my team will be able to earn its first W. I'm tired of being a loser!

This is probably the prediction in which I have the least confidence, but I sincerely hope Laura wins.  I’m a little worried Aaron’s team will make the most of their matchups, and I also think he might have some karma points from that snarky e-card I sent him (on his Facebook wall), but I hope it doesn’t manifest in this week’s match.  Or in my matches, ever.

Winner: RelientK | Relient K

odoyle RULES (2-1) vs. JUSTINA OWNS (3-0)

I really don't know. I think this one will be close, even though Justina's team is way uglier than Tim's. But let's be real, the main reason is because Cam Cam is such a cutie. (Justina can you add to this – I don't really know your team well! Thanks ;) You can pick the winner for this one!)

Okay, so I’m working on a modified system that takes into account the player’s position.  For example, the prettier the QB, the more responsibility his offensive line feels to protect the goods, and the higher the likelihood for better passing, touchdowns, etc., so a linear scale makes sense.  On the other hand, the uglier the WR, the less the coverage wants to be near him, and the higher the chance of him being open for a catch, so a lower score is actually preferable to a higher one.

Obviously, this theory isn’t watertight (darn your pretty face Wes Welker), but since Jeffrey’s team is an all-around headache anyway, I think it’s pretty good.  And from this logic, I think my team should win.  Tim's QB may be cuter than mine, but my WRs are fuglier.  I’m a little nervous about starting A.J. Green because Laura and I both gave him a 6, but I’m hoping the other WR on the field is at least as attractive to the defense.  By the way, you want to see someone crazy looking?  Look at Jerome Simpson.  Or rather, try to look past Jerome Simpson’s forehead at his face. What was I talking about?  Right, football.  Although our teams may be comparable at this point, I think my players’ individual matchups look a little better than Tim’s.

Winner:  JUSTINA OWNS

Spider Pig (1-2) vs. JohnKasay#1 (1-2)

This is not even fair. Spider Pig has favorable match ups (according to Yahoo!) AND is close to average in looks, whereas JohnKasay#1 has got to get some beauty sleep... RBs need some help, Justina and I gave them 2s and 3s! At least you have Phillip Rivers, but I'm not sure he'll be able to balance out the rest of your scary, in a bad way, looking team.

Word.  I also like this prediction because it fits in with my position-specific rating system thus far.

Winner: Spider Pig | Spider Pig

Rainbow Warriors (3-0) vs. what's poppin slime (2-1)

Excuse me for a second, I need to call Justina out for a minute. Were we even looking at the same picture of Rob Gronkowski?! A NINE, really? I gave him a THREE. Maybe, just maybe, I was getting tired of ranking players by the time I got to Jeff's team.

Well, both of these teams can score ridiculous amounts of points. I don't really have a good reason other than going with our power rankings… but I'm picking the Rainbow Warriors. What do you think, Justina?

HAHA well I think the fatigue affected us differently: Laura ranked lower, and I got really generous.  By the time I got to Gronkowski’s relatively attractive face, it was like looking at an angel.  Yeah, I said that.  Anyway, I hate picking Rainbow Warriors as the winner because it goes against my new model, but I guess it must be the outlier.

Winner: Rainbow Warriors | Rainbow Warriors

THE Pain Train (1-2) vs. Terrific Tortoises (1-2)

Since Gabs is benching Tony Romo...I'm picking the Tortoises. Plus, I think Chris Johnson will finally have a good fantasy game – and do you know why that will be? Because, my Tar Heel friends, your football team is going to lose on Saturday to the Pirates in Greenville. That is a much more important prediction ;) So, CJ will be so happy he'll play like he's worth 13 million bucks or whatever it is.

I'm going to agree, mainly because I have no idea, so whatever Laura suggests is fine with me.  I almost wish David would lose so he would finally feel like he has more to gain than lose from trading away Stafford.  And then I wish he would trade him to me, because I would take good care of him.  And then I wish I could have a pet rhinoceros.  But getting back to the point... who’s to say that who’s greater, all we know, they ain’t the same. It’s a Cole World, no blanket.

Winner: Terrific Tortoises and East Carolina | Terrific Tortoises AND GO HEELS GO AMERICA

Week 4 Matchups! Done with absolutely no algorithm!

There are some great matchups this week. Pretty much everyone is matched up with someone with someone who is directly above them in the yahoo rankings. Hopefully we won’t have nearly as many blowouts. I got tricked into getting McDonalds by Lebron James, and so these rankings were done in a haste so that I can go and cry in the fetal position on the floor as my stomach attempts to digest what feels like a hot ball of lead.

Onward!

what’s poppin slime (2-1) vs Rainbow Warriors (3-0)

I really want to say that Jeff is going to feel the same way as Tebow up there after this week, but who are we kiddin? I don’t want to waste my breath analyzing this. He beats me in every single category except for maybe my running backs (who knew?)

I’m just going to cross my fingers and root for myself sigh.

Rainbow Warriors by >15

odoyle RULES (2-1) vs JUSTINA OWNS (3-0)
This is definitely the match up of the week. I think Tim’s players have some great matchups this week, which will allow him to be competitive versus Justina’s team. That being said, Justina still wins the QB and WR battle. I think the edge for running backs also goes to Justina based on the fact that Jacksonville will get pummeled by New Orleans, leaving the MJD and the running game obsolete for the Jags. Both TEs have been hit or miss this year, and the DEF advantage goes heavily in favor of Tim, with the Colts looking mostly inept this year on offense. With Justina winning most of the key categories, she deserves the win. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it was a close one.

JUSTINA OWNS by <10

Spider Pig (1-2) vs JohnKasay#1 (1-2)
Phillip Rivers is due for an all-star caliber game, so I’m giving the QB advantage to Eric. Vick is banged up and Jackson hasn’t been performing up to par, so that combination gives the WR advantage to Eric as well. I think Washington was a fantastic pick up and Moss will have a stellar day torching the Rams secondary (see Flacco’s performance). I’m really not too sure on the running backs after last week’s dismal performance by both Gore and Mendenhall. On top of that, Gore has a bum ankle coming into this week 4 matchup with Houston, who has a very good front. This downgrades Eric’s back’s enough to where they’re almost in line with Luke’s. TE goes to Luke and the rest of the positions, K and DEF, are tossups. I think Eric’s star players (Rivers and Wallace) will really come out to play this week and carry his team, so…

JohnKasay#1 by >10

RelientK (0-3) vs aaronisyourdaddy (1-2)
I’m calling the upset on this one. I think Aaron Rodgers will have a great day, as usual, but both Nicks and Lloyd have been receiving too much defensive attention to be productive at their positions. I’m going to give the WR advantage to Laura. I think Fitz is going to torch the Giants and Moore will have an awesome day against the Jags. Turner is looking to bounce back against a horrid Seahawks defense and Bradshaw will be used to keep the ball away from Arizona once the score is out of reach. Gates is going to be a late scratch, so the TE advantage goes to Laura. In the end, the stars have finally aligned to get Laura her first win

RelientK by 10

THE Pain Train (1-2) vs Terrific Tortoises (1-2)

The quarterback edge definitely goes to Brees, but more so than normal. NO can’t run the ball at all, so even when they’re ahead, they’ll still be throwing short screen passes against the Jags, who they will dominate. Having Andre Johnson automatically gives Gabs the edge in this one. Furthermore, I think Branch will turn it around, with the Patriots exploiting the weak secondary of Oakland. I think Johnson will have a good game in response to all of the criticism he’s received, so it’ll be interesting to see the matchup in this one. However, the edge still goes to Gabs because the Raiders will be looking to keep the ball out of Tom Brady’s hands. I wouldn’t be surprised to see McFadden have 40+ touches at the end of this one. Finley has a great matchup and Philly will eat up Alex Smith. I like Gabs in this one, but it should be reasonably close.

THE Pain Train by <15

Laura and Justina Make Power Rankings

Following in Luke's footsteps, Laura and I came up with an incredibly complicated algorithm to power rank our teams. I call it "Here is where we tell you how hot we think your players are." That's right, we ranked each and every player on your team (except defenses, except in one case, on which I'll elaborate later) based on pure, raw looks. And some of your players looks is raw.

Please take a moment to suspend all judgment on our superficiality: believe us, there were moments where we questioned our own moral fiber, and as for my sanity - I question that every day.

We gave each player a score from 1-10 based on their Yahoo! player profile picture, but normalized to football standards. Let's face it, if we judged everyone on a scale of 10 = George Clooney, we'd be dealing with fractions. Neither of us gave anyone a perfect 10, but I do think our scale is realistic enough that he probably exists on a bench somewhere. We also didn't give out too many low scores: no zeros or ones, and we only gave a player a 2 if we thought he maybe wanted to eat us for dinner. Some of them were mean mugging in their pictures, and man, those mugs are mean.

Interesting note: Laura said that when she was tutoring football players at ECU, the o-line players were always like big teddy bears, but the defense players were straight mean sometimes.

That said, this was our score distribution among all 140 players:

The highest score Laura gave anyone was an 8; she gave those to Tom Brady and Tony Romo.

My highest score was a 9, and that was to Rob Gronkowski.

We each gave 6 people a lowest score of 2, but I was too lazy to figure out if they were the same 6.

You can view the entire spreadsheet, and all of our individual rankings here.

And here are the results:

Or in graphical form:

As you probably guessed, Jeffrey really lucked out having practically the entire Patriots offense. He also has two defenses while everyone else has one, so we gave him an averaged 3.5 for Detroit Lions (such a pretty blue) in lieu of a 15th player. Jeffrey, I'd recommend picking up Rex Grossman if you want a higher score. BUT GEEZ ERIC yo team is ugly. U-G-L-Y, ugly. They uggos.

Finally, I ran a simple function to show correlation between the rank determined by our "algorithm," and our Yahoo! Fantasy rankings, and it is 0.32. HAHA.

I also tried to see if there was a correlation between our average score and our Fantasy point totals, and it's a slightly higher 0.54. So maybe.

In conclusion, Laura and I will probably have to adjust our algorithm and re-rank, but I have some great ideas like adding points for dating Kim Kardashian, and subtracting points for getting arrested.

Tim's Power Rankings - Week 4

Surprised that David released his power rankings so early, I went ahead and put mine together to post.  By the way, I didn't read his before posting this - so it didn't affect my rankings.


Power Rankings - Week 4
[Previous Rank in brackets]
1. Rainbow Warriors (3-0, 412.58 pts) [1] - Holy crap, Jeff.  He took a page out of David's book, back when he had McNabb, Westbrook, and TO, and basically destroyed our league like the Eagles destroyed the NFL (offensively, at least).  The Bills found a way to stop the Patriots, but that definitely didn't stop Jeff's team - it just added to the ridiculous pointage buildup.  His 3 Patriot players alone (90.48 points) would have beaten 4 other teams in our league this week (JohnKasay#1, Spider Pig, aaronisyourdaddy, RelientK - ahem, see bottom of the rankings).  That's just ridiculous.


2. JUSTINA OWNS (3-0, 370.82 pts) [2] - Justina didn't put up the same numbers this week as she has before, but that doesn't cause me to doubt the strength of her team.  Britt is out, but she's got decent enough backups for her not to be too concerned (yet).  Fitzpatrick is showing how its done, and Calvin Johnson has been an absolute beast.  While this week wasn't a strong one for Justina, I don't find it weak enough to justify dropping her down any.


3. what's poppin slime (2-1, 347.80 pts) [6] - David's RBs pulled through in a big way and put up some nice numbers this week.  Granted, Matthews played against the lowly Chiefs, but Jackson and the Bills are out to prove they're for real.  I'm still liking his WRs, and I think Schaub can be pretty reliable, so as long as his RBs can produce (I'm sure he's hoping Foster comes back sooner rather than later), I think David's team will stay strong.


4. odoyle RULES (2-1, 327.82 pts) [4] - Even though my team didn't put up great numbers, I put up enough to satisfy me.  Cam did as well as he could playing in a typhoon (yes, he did look shaky even before the storm, but I still have faith in him).  I had too many points sitting on the bench that I should have capitalized, and that might end up biting me in the butt.  Giving up Wallace forces me to juggle more WRs each week, trying to figure out who's going to put up the numbers.  I have a feeling until the WR stars have separated themselves from my WR pretenders, I'll continue having trouble figuring out who to start at the WR position.  I'm happy with my RB and QB situation, though - so I think I've still got myself a decent team.


5. THE Pain Train (1-2, 339.64 pts) [5] - Ok, so Gabs has more points than I do, and if he were to play me last week, his record would be better than mine.  But I'm still looking at his team, and I'm not convinced it's better than mine.  McFadden has played incredibly well, his QB situation has been a lot better than anticipated, and he's got Andre Johnson, but beyond that, I'm not very impressed.  But if he can put up those types of numbers consistently, expect his ranking to go up big time.


6. Spider Pig (1-2, 287.70 pts) [3] - It turns out picking up McCluster didn't do Luke so well.  Nothing quite like Charles.  Although he was shamefully the lowest-scoring team this week, I think Luke's still got a decent team.  His RBs are his biggest weakness, and Vick has iffy, but he's got a good group of WRs that ought to pick up more points.  Maybe 6 is a high rank, but I'll keep him here for now.


7. Terrific Tortoises (1-2, 306.56 pts) [8] - David finally gets his first win, even if it was against the lowest-scoring team of the week.  I'm still confident that his team could do much better than its record shows, but it's not as explosive (or even potentially explosive) than the other teams.  He needs to tap into that talent he's got at the QB spot on his bench (read: trade).  There are some teams in our league that could use a better one...


8. JohnKasay#1 (1-2, 261.56 pts) [7] - The trade clearly benefited Eric this week, but not enough to give him a victory.  His team looks good on paper, but they just haven't been producing like they should.  He's got a (normally) solid QB, he has a better WR squad because of Wallace, but his RB situation is getting a little shook up now.  Until they start producing, Eric's team will continue to settle near the bottom of the rankings.


9. RelientK (0-3, 243.94 pts) [9] - Why isn't Laura's team at the bottom?  I don't think Aaron's team is better.  Laura started the wrong players.  Granted, it wouldn't have given her the W, but it would have made for a better showing than Aaron's best.  That's my rationale, and I'm sticking to it.


10. aaronisyourdaddy (1-2, 246.50 pts) [10] - Aaron needs to find a way to score more than 90 points a game.  He may get a win every once in a while, but it's not going to get him far.  I think he made a good decision in trading for Rodgers, but he's got so many other holes in his team without much hope from his backups.


Predictions should be up by Friday night.  If you want yours included, send them to me by then.  :-)

David's Week 4 Power Rankings!!

Power Rankings - Week 4

1. Rainbow Warriors (3-0) - I’m still scratching my head over this one. I saw the state line “Brady: 4 INT, loses game” and I immediately thought, “Here we go, the demise of Jeff’s team”. But then I look and Brady STILL has a bajillion points. And Welker has a bajillionzillion. Or was it the other way around? And Gronkowski was just the icing on top. I wonder how it feels to be the best out of a group of brothers in the NFL. Anyway, he still has a hole at RB2, but at this point it doesn’t even matter. All three of those players will continue to pad his stats to the point where he probably wouldn’t need to start anyone else and he would still be able to beat half of this league. Peterson continues to put out a solid 10-20 points a game, give or take. At this point, it is basically just how much his team is going to beat other people by. If Jackson and Holmes both come to play, then its going to be a large margin. But if they don’t, then he’s still going to beat you. Smh.

2. JUSTINA OWNS (3-0) –The weakness in this team has popped up in the form of an ugly Britt knee injury. Watching the replay of his knee buckling seriously made me nauseous. However, even though this is a blow to her team, her bench has more than enough to compensate for it. AJ Green will be an adequate replacement. The only thing that concerns me now is Forte. I have a tiny concern that may explode into a huge one. It doesn’t seem that Forte is able to run the ball effectively at all. Maybe its Chicago’s line or maybe its because running isn’t his forte… ha ha. In any case, against teams with a strong linebacker core, such as GB, Forte will struggle. And he will struggle even more if something were to happen to Jay Cutler, allowing defenses to completely zone in on him as the focal point to the offense. However, Fitzpatrick will continue to throw to try to outscore teams, so her team only warrants a tiny drop until further notice.

3. odoyle RULES (2-1) - Even though Tim had a relatively low scoring week, his team remains this high for one reason: consistency. His team is also starting to come around. Rice finally showed the production that he is capable of, and with Seattle having a horrible running game and defense, they will definitely have to throw a ton to come from behind. Meachem has proven that he is a force to be reckoned with, scoring in all three weeks so far, and MJD has showed that he can still produce, even with Gabbert feeding him the ball. His team has been very solid all three weeks so far, and that in the end usually signifies a strong contender. I’m still not convinced with Newton, but a win is a win is a win, right? Right?

4. what's poppin slime (2-1) - My team finally performed up to expectations. Woooo! I feel like a wooing like a woo girl. But anyway, I’m not sure what I’m going to do about that WR3 spot. Now that Maclin is probably out for a certain amount of time, I’ll have a tough time deciding who to plug into that spot from week to week. My pick of Mathews is finally panning out, with the coaches actually honoring their preseason statements of using Mathews a ton more this year than last. I’m still fairly confident in Arian Foster, with Kubiak stating that he would regain his starting job once he’s 100% healthy. And Cadillac is no Steven Jackson. A trade could help my team greatly, but not getting one won’t kill it. I would’ve put my team on top of Tim’s, but I don’t believe in my team’s consistency yet.

5. THE Pain Train (1-2) – If there were such thing as a good loss, then Gab’s week three loss can be put in that category. His teams have steadily improved each week and he would’ve beaten most of the other teams in our league this week. I’m pretty sure Flacco won’t put up those kinds of numbers on a weekly basis, but if I were Gabs, I would be confident in starting Flacco if the matchup was favorable. Branch was a mysterious no show this week, which would’ve made his showing even more respectable. I think Romo, Johnson, and McFadden will be the cornerstones of consistency for Gabs, he just needs to upgrade his team in the WR or RB department to take that next step. Depending on Nelson, Branch, and Greene week in and week out won’t win you enough games. I’m still scratching my head over his 3 tight ends…

6. JohnKasay#1 (1-2) - Philip Rivers had a terrible game, which is unfortunate for Eric because that might have been the deciding factor between a W and an L for him this week. Mendenhall was surprisingly quiet against a horrible Colts run defense. Those two factors = a loss for Eric. Maybe its because Rivers is from NCSU, he’s showing his true colors now as a below average QB. In any case, Eric needs at least one of those two picks to have a great game if he wants to win week in and week out. We’ll see how things play out for Eric and if Rivers can show some kind of consistency. I think in the end, once Gates and Floyd are back to full strength, then Rivers will be okay. But until then, expect the passing woes to continue for Rivers. He also needs to improve some WR depth before I bump him up.

7. aaronisyourdaddy (1-2) – Bad week for Aaron, but I still believe his team has a lot of potential. He will always be somewhat competitive with against anyone with Aaron Rodgers on his team, but I need to see more consistency from his other players. Defenses are keying in on Nicks, with him being the only threat on the Giant’s roster. Jacobs and Sproles did surprisingly well, but I don’t think that kind of production will be the norm for either. Once his team is healthy again (Gates, Hillis), then he will be a competitive opponent. Stewart and Burress’ production was also nice to see, so it’ll be interesting to see if that becomes a trend in the upcoming weeks. Like I said, potential.

8. Terrific Tortoises (1-2) – I would definitely trade one of the QBs if I were David. That could allow him to pick up some needed help in either his running backs or his WRs. His running backs are decent as of now, but Johnson really needs to step up his game to justify his high pick in the draft. Blount seems like a nice option, I think he’ll really pick it up in the coming weeks. Reggie Bush, Hines Ward, and Bowe all look like busts for this year. I think Bowe probably has the biggest upside because KC looks like they’ll be down all year, so they’ll have to throw a lot. I’m running out of time, as my experiment is about to finish, so David’s team gets the short end of the stick. My critique of his team is pretty much the same, needs to trade a QB. Bush is probably droppable now, which allows room for a crafty waiver wire pickup, if he so desires. His win this week was against Laura, but a win is a win is a win.

9. Spider Pig (1-2) – Luke is probably breathing a sigh of relief, with Vick’s injury only being a contusion. However, Luke’s team is still on life support. With only two players scoring in double digits (Jennings and Cundiff), his team is in dire need of some help. I don’t think it’ll perform this poorly week in and week out, with explosive players like Jackson and Smith on his team, but these will be more common than he would like. Jackson doesn’t get nearly enough volume in passes to have enough consistency scoring and Smith depends on a rookie QB. Both situations are boom or bust. Jahvid Best is performing better than I thought he would, but McCluster will never get the type of work Charles did, based on what the coaches have said about his fragile frame.

10. Relient K (0-3) – In a surprising twist, Laura benches both Manning and Bradshaw in favor of Freeman and Tolbert, which was a bad decision in hindsight. Manning probably had his best game of the season and Bradshaw had a great combination game. Lance Moore will be a nice addition to her receiving corps. I think her team is on the upswing, it just depends on Manning’s consistency and Turner’s ability to turn things around in a hurry.

Predictions - Week 3

We have contributors!

Matchups	Tim's Predictions	Luke's Predictions	David Lin's Predictions	Eric's Predictions
odoyle RULES (1-1) v. JohnKasay#1 (1-1)	odoyle RULES	odoyle RULES	JohnKasay#1	odoyle RULES
Spider Pig (1-1) v. Rainbow Warriors (2-0)	Rainbow Warriors	Rainbow Warriors*	Rainbow Warriors	Rainbow Warriors
JUSTINA OWNS (2-0) v. aaronisyourdaddy (1-1)	JUSTINA OWNS	JUSTINA OWNS	JUSTINA OWNS	JUSTINA OWNS
RelientK (0-2) v. Terrific Tortoises (0-2)	Terrific Tortoises	Terrific Tortoises	RelientK	RelientK
THE Pain Train (1-1) v. what's poppin' slime (1-1)	what's poppin' slime	what's poppin' slime	what's poppin' slime	what's poppin' slime
Last week's record	(3-2)	(2-3)	(0-0)	(0-0)
Overall record	(7-3)	(2-3)	(0-0)	(0-0)

My general rule of thumb for predictions have been that whoever is higher ranked on my power ranking pretty much will get my pick for the win.  I've had to make one exception this week, because of Tony Romo's punctured lung.  I thought he was what brought Gabs's team up in the rankings, and I think he's also what will bring Gabs's train crashing in the rankings.  Other than that, I followed my rankings.  As far as how other people predicted..


Luke's predictions come courtesy of an algorithm he has created on Excel based on certain variables. Don't ask me how it works. Just know that I will prevail over any and all algorithms.
[*edit: In Luke's own words, after I posted the predictions: "Can I change my pick to rainbow warriors? I don't believe in my algorithm there..."  So remind me then, what's the point of the algorithm?]


Details of David's Predictions:

odoyle RULES (1-1) v. JohnKasay#1 (1-1)

I like Kolb a lot better than Rivers in this one. And I like Newton too, if the trade goes through.  I think the Chargers will get up really early and end up playing possession ball with the Chiefs pathetic team. Kolb, on the other hand, will have to throw to beat the Seahawks, since they’re actually pretty decent against the run. Reggie Wayne is basically a WR3 in my eyes until Manning comes back, and Boldin hasn’t been producing, so there is a slight edge to Tim’s team, even if the trade goes through. Tim has Bryant lurking on the bench and a budding Decker to rely on. Mendenhall is going to go crazy on the Colts, with Frank Gore actually having a respectable showing against Cincy. I give the edge in this department to Eric’s team. It’s a toss-up with the TEs and Defs, since a veteran Grossman can be just as erratic as a newbie Dalton.

Eric’s team is too solid at RB and I think Boldin will have a great game against Stl, so…

JohnKasay#1 by >10

THE Pain Train (1-1) v. what's poppin slime (1-1)
Romo is hurting and both of his backs are matched up against good defenses. Andre Johnson will go off, but then as a result, so will Matt Schaub. Philly D may end up being his biggest contributor, with Eli having the accuracy of a drunk baby. So it’ll be fairly close. I like Branch and Nelson in his matchups.

Roddy White and Maclin have great matchups, and the Bills will have to throw a lot. We’ll see how Johnson’s groin is doing on gameday. Matthews seems to be on an upswing with Tolbert getting less carries in the last game.

In the end, with Schaub canceling out Johnson to some degree…

what’s popping slime by <10

Spider Pig (1-1) v. Rainbow Warriors (2-0)
Jeff’s team is too strong to vote against, especially with Luke’s loss of Charles. Jahvid Best is unreliable and McCluster will be hit or miss. If KC gets down early, I could see a situation in which Cassel will rely on the screen pass to keep from getting sacked. Hernandez is out, so Gronkowski will reap the benefits of that.

Jeff is a juggernaut, so…

Rainbow Warriors by >20

JUSTINA OWNS (2-0) v. aaronisyourdaddy (1-1)
I think this matchup will also be a blowout. JUSTINA OWNS has too many weapons and great matchups. Pittsburgh D against Indy and Collins will end up with both Collins and Painter getting knocked out. I think it’ll end up being a shootout when the Patriots play the Bills, so Fitzpatrick will definitely get his. I think Aaron has done an admirable job to his team, especially with the addition of Nelson and Rodgers. But, there’s still a weakness in his running backs.

Justina’s team is way too strong, so…

JUSTINA OWNS by >20

Relient K (0-2) v. Terrific Tortoises (0-2)
Chris Johnson may end up waking up this week, with defenses having to pay more attention to Britt and Ten’s passing game. Austin is out however, leaving a big hole in points for David’s team. With solid running backs and one good WR, I think Laura will pull this one out.

Relient K by <10


John Kasay's Week 3 Predictions

Since David made a guest appearance on the weekly “power rankings” I though it might be cool to add to it and give my two cents on this week's match-ups. (Okay, I was bored in lab and had some free time so I was going to do them regardless.. any how, on to the predictions)!

JohnKasay#1 (1-1) vs odoyle RULES (1-1)

I think this will be the most interesting match up in week 3. Tim and I have a trade pending (it should go through) where I am acquiring a tier 1 WR in Mike Wallace and serviceable QB in Kolb. In return, I am helping Tim out by giving him in my opinion, the MVP so far (after Brady) Mr. Panther.. Cam Newton and a pretty good featured back in Hightower. I lucked out by drafting Newton in round TWELVE, that's right 12 of our draft! And since Tim is such a huge Panther's fan, I thought it would be cool if he got a top 5 QB in fantasy land right now. I felt bad that Peyton is on IR (possibly for the year)... not for Tim but because Reggie Wayne was suppose to be my #1 WR and now he has a 60 yr old QB throwing to him. Now with Wallace, I hope my WR core is pretty legit. I still have pretty good RB's and I think Daniel Thomas is a good pick up. Let's see how long Bush lasts before he injures himself. Tim's WR's take a hit because I have Wallace now but his RB's are looking stronger with the addition of Hightower.

Prediction: Tim wins because of Newton this week. Newton has a small ankle injury but according to reports, on Wednesday, he said his ankle feels LUSCIOUS, yes luscious and when you have an ankle that feels luscious, you're a winner. (*if not, then my FAVORITE player of all time, John Kasay will propel Tim victory)

Spider Pig (1-1) vs Rainbow Warriors (2-0)

Did Jeff's team seriously put up 160+ points last week? Ri-di-cu-lous. Brady is killing everyone. Vick is questionable this week with a concussion. I think Luke's WR's win this week because Steve Smith will have 7 rec 150 yds and 2 TD's. V-Jax and Welker (I think he's a black guy in disguise because he's just too fast and shifty to be white) will get their share of points too however. I give the RB edge to Jeff because AP is “all day” and Ben Tate should shoulder the load again while Foster is still dealing with a nagging hammy. Jahvid Best is good, until he gets hurt (which is soon) and McCluster is 5'8, 170. Tiny for the NFL. That's the size of Luke. He won't get more than 15 touches or else he'll end up hospitalized. Gronkowski will be a top 3 TE while Hernandez is out.

Prediction: Jeff wins because Brady puts up another 40 point fantasy effort

JUSTINA OWNS (2-0) vs aaronisyourdaddy (1-1)

This one is actually a toughy for me. I am still not convinced Fitzpatrick is legit. Yes, he's started off well but I don't think he's going to keep up this kind of performance. I suppose it helps that his defense is awful so he has to throw a lot. Aaron Rodgers is right up there in QB status.. right after Brady and Newton! Justina's WR's are super scary. I've always wanted to take Megatron as my first WR if I had a choice/earlier pick because that dude is just insane. Kenny Britt is a nice surprise as long as he doesn't get thrown in the slammer and Marshall is doing MUCH better than when I had him a year ago and he did squat for me. Outside of Hicks (and even he's iffy w/ Eli at QB now a days) his other WR's are pretty much crap. Lloyd is a toss up each week because of Orton's iffy play. Rice and Hillis (if he plays this week) are pretty even based on their match ups but Forte is going to get bottled up by the Packers D. Gates explodes this week after his big fat 0 point performance last week.

Prediction: Calvin Johnson will have more points this week than all of Aaron's WR's combined! (if not, close to it) and therefore Justina wins.

  

THE Pain Train (1-1) vs what's poppin slime (1-1)

I am honestly surprised that Gabs' team is 1-1 right now seeing as how he was the only player in our league not to live draft (because of some technical issues of some sort according to Justina-Chubs) but he's had some nice pick ups since he's gained access to his team. With that being said, his team overall is still super weak at the WR and RB positions. Outside of Andre Johnson, all his other WR's are pure crap and his RB's outside of McFadden are again, pure crap. Sorry to be brutally honest Gabs, but your team will die a slow and painful death if you don't make some trades. Perhaps you could offer up one of your loaded TE's for a WR or RB once Hernandez gets back. You honestly don't need 3. David's team is pretty set at RB. He could use help at WR and he only has 1 QB in Schaub. Romo is a game time decision this week due to his internal organs being rearranged so you might want to play Flacco. No matter the case, Schaub will probably win because it will be a shoot out in New Orleans vs Brees. David wins in the WR category.. and RB.. oh heck. David wins in every category this week. That being said:

Prediction: David wins. The end.

RelientK (0-2) vs Terrific Tortoises (0-2)

Ah, the battle between the “yet to win a game” teams. I don't know much about Freeman but he seems like a better option right now than Eli. I think big brother Peyton could play better with a bulging disc in his neck than Eli can healthy. Brees wins in the QB match up. From what I can see, Laura has one WR (Fitzgerald) and David has one WR (Austin) the other WR's aren't even worth mentioning because they haven't done anything all year. Trouble for David is Austin is probably not gonna play this week and perhaps more. So Laura wins the WR battle. CJ is a bust so far, (I had a gut feeling he wouldn't be able to put up those gaudy numbers from the past 2 years) and Bush isn't even a RB in the NFL. Turner might be alright but I was never impressed with him either. Tolbert should get some carries w/ San Diego up big. Laura wins the RB match up this week. Witten is a top TE year in and out. There is not much else to say about these two teams. At least we know one of them won't have a zero in the win column after this week.

Prediction:  Laura barely squeaks it out. This will be the closest match up in terms of points with Laura winning by less than 5. Sorry David, looks like the new guy to join our group is the one w/ the crappiest team for now but I have hope your team will improve.

David Lin's Power Rankings - Week 2

Power Rankings - Week 2
by David Lin

1. JUSTINA OWNS – I can’t really find a weakness to this team. Her drafting of WRs really lucked out, as Britt seems to be panning out, along with Brandon Marshall. Both of those receivers are also on teams who will consistently fall behind on a weekly basis, requiring them to throw a lot. Solid in all areas except for TE, with some adequate replacements in case of injury on her bench. If I was being nitpicky, I would say that she’s weak at running back depth, but I still like Starks to eventually replace Ryan Grant. Until the injury bug hits her team, like some of the other teams, she’ll be the one to beat.

2. Rainbow Warriors  – I know that Jeff scored more points than Justina in week two, but I don’t like his team as much for a couple of reasons. I don’t like the Jets passing attack and as a result, I can’t be completely behind Santonio Holmes. However, that being said, owning 3 Patriots during a season when they look unstoppable seems like its going to pay out for Jeff. He has very little depth to his roster, so that is what is mainly keeping him below Justina. So long as Tom Brady is healthy, Jeff will continue to win.

3. JohnKasay#1  - These next couple of spots on the ranking list are al interchangeable. The reason I’m putting Eric up this high is because his team seems the most solid all around. He lacks a superstar at running back, so he’ll be playing pick em every week. I love Rivers as his starting QB. He is really hurting at WR. I think this trade, which will probably go through, will definitely make Eric one of the teams to beat. The only thing that has me worried is the Steelers offense seems to be off, but that may change with a few more games under the belt.

4. odoyle RULES  - I don’t like this trade for Tim’s team at all. If it goes through, I would expect a drop in production. If Bryant plays this week, then his wide receiver core will be serviceable. I’m not convinced on Newton, I would like to see him play a top pass defense before I give him the starting job on a fantasy team. However, I have always liked Hightower since the beginning of the season. I think either Decker of Moore will pan out for him, hence his high ranking.

5. THE Pain Train – I don’t like Tony Romo at all, and I think this team’s serious lack of depth will come back in the end to hurt him. There are no replacement running backs on his bench, and I do not trust Greene to carry the RB2 load for the rest of the season. An injury to a starting running back somewhere in the league will do his team wonders if he can pickup the handcuff in time. Wide receivers are okay across the board. With some smart starts throughout the season, I could see his team doing well. However, the injury bug is bound to hit and when it does, it’ll be interesting to see how he handles it.

6. what's poppin slime  - I’m convinced my team should be higher based on my personnel, but until they start producing, I can’t justify a higher ranking than this. I’m still holding onto hope that the Texans won’t forget that Foster is the reigning rushing champion and give him more carries than Tate when he gets back to full speed. However, with that said, I believe that my team is one of the deepest in the league at RB, which I think will show towards the end of the season. My starting WRs are pretty solid, but the depth behind them could be a little better. With some smart plays, I think my team will start putting up numbers soon enough.

7. Spider Pig – Luke’s team takes a huge hit with the loss of Charles. With Best as his only serviceable starter, his team will take a tumble in the standings in the upcoming weeks. However, with a ton of backups stored on his bench, he’s one injury away from returning to top form. I’m not totally convinced that Vick will replicate last year’s numbers, but I think his team is still pretty solid, especially once Colston returns. Keller may have a monster year this year. He deserves to be this low until he improves his RB situation.

8. aaronisyourdaddy – I think Aaron has made some nice improvements on his team. The addition of Nelson I think was a great add, considering the upside of the Bills this year. Who knew. His RB2 situation is bleak though. Starting Brandon Jacobs every week will not cut it if he seriously wants to contend. However, has one of the most consistent QBs in the league and a very solid set of wide receivers. Once Gates starts producing and he picks up another RB somehow, his team will improve drastically.

9. Terrific Tortoises – I would definitely trade one of the QBs if I were David. That could allow him to pick up some needed help in either his running backs or his WRs. His running backs are decent as of now, but Johnson really needs to step up his game to justify his high pick in the draft. Blount seems like a nice option, I think he’ll really pick it up in the coming weeks. Reggie Bush, Hines Ward, and Bowe all look like busts for this year. I think Bowe probably has the biggest upside because KC looks like they’ll be down all year, so they’ll have to throw a lot.

10. Relient K – Pretty solid running back core and her QB is definitely serviceable, but is erratic at times. Her biggest glaring weakness is her WRs. Might be the weakest in the league. Outside of Fitzgerald, she needs to make some big changes. I really like Witten as her TE though.

Power Rankings - Week 2

As of  Week 2, there are really only two clearly dominant teams, and one (maybe two) teams that are clearly lacking.  It was really hard for me to rank 3-8, because it was all a wash to me.  Each team had some glaring deficiency.  So I did my best to rank them - see what you think.


Power Rankings - Week 2
[Previous Rank in brackets]
1. Rainbow Warriors (2-0, 280.10 pts) [1] - Handing me a flat-out whooping this week with 160+ points, Jeff's team has proven it deserves its spot at the top.  Tom Brady doesn't appear to be slowing down, VJax has proved his worth above and beyond what I imagined, Peterson has been putting up #1 draft pick numbers, and Jeff has enough superficial padding in his roster (not that deep, but good enough), in case any position falls through (minus QB).  Without a doubt, the top team in our league


2. JUSTINA OWNS (2-0, 262.96 pts) [2] - Not too far behind, however, is Justina's team.  She has what has turned out to be a beastly WR group (with AJ Green and Nate Burleson on the bench - they would definitely be starting for more than half of the other teams, including mine) and a very deep group of RBs.  QB is still iffy (Fitzpatrick / Roethlisberger will still put up decent numbers, but not Brady-like), and TE is not awesome, but not bad.  An incredibly solid (and deep - deeper than Jeff's) team - I am impressed.


3. Spider Pig (1-1, 226.16 pts) [4] - Ok, here's where the mediocrity begins.  While Luke's team has been putting up good numbers (hence a slight bump back up), the loss of Charles deals his team a big blow.  Vick might be shaky, but Ryan is a solid backup.  His WRs are a decent bunch, but I'm just not sure his RBs can fill in the void that Charles leaves.  All things considered, Luke's got the best team after Jeff and Justina.


4. odoyle RULES (1-1, 222.10 pts) [7] - It might be a bold move, but after two decent weeks, I think it's fair to say that my team might be somewhat of a threat.  Kolb has been doing what I hope he'd be doing, my WRs have been pretty good (minus the 3rd spot.. injury plagued), McCoy has been putting up stellar numbers, and you can't go wrong with John Kasay on your team.  My big weakness is the 3WR spot, followed by a slightly concerning 2RB spot.  But hey, my team has been putting up numbers.


5. THE Pain Train (1-1, 209.88 pts) [9] - I don't think it would be fair for me to keep bashing Gabs's team.  Tony Romo has been playing well, as have 2 of his WRs.  McFadden has also been putting up big numbers, but Gabs is still weak at the 3WR and 2RB spots.


6. what's poppin slime (1-1, 204.28 pts) [5] - David's probably beating himself up for not starting Maclin (and Mathews), but regardless, I think he's got a fairly solid team.  He tried upgrading at the RB with Foster, but it seems like Tate has taken over the spotlight for now.  Time will tell whether picking up Foster was good for David, but the rest of his RBs really consist of backups who are capitalizing on injuries or other opportunities - probably not the most reliable group, but it may get him by from week to week if he plays it smart.  Personally, I think the addition of Foster hurts his team more than it does help, but what do I know?  With the loss of Aaron Rodgers, I wouldn't expect the same consistent production out from his QB, but at least he's got a good group of WRs.  I bumped him down a spot basically because I'm still not impressed by his RBs.  Hopefully they'll prove me wrong.


7. JohnKasay#1 (1-1, 191.02 pts) [3] - Eric's team had an embarrassing loss to aaronisyourdaddy last week, but I still think he's got an OK team.  No longer top three-caliber, not even top six-caliber, but one that can definitely put up numbers if the stars align correctly.  I still like his deep RBs and QBs, but his WRs have been underproducing, which has been hurting his team pretty badly.  If they can pick it up and produce like they should (harder for Wayne, due to the Manning being out), Eric's team would definitely be a threat.  An upgrade at the TE spot would also be helpful.


8. Terrific Tortoises (0-2, 201.76 pts) [6] - Hit with an unfavorable matchup, David unfortunately falls to 0-2.  His team, however, still has lots of potential.  He's got talent at the QB spot, and in fact has too many QBs on his bench for his own good (drop Cutler), and should probably try to somehow bulk up his WRs.  Miles Austin has been playing well, but the others, not so much.  Chris Johnson has been underwhelming, but if he plays like everyone said he would, David's team would be putting up bigger numbers.  Like I said, potential.


9. Relient K (0-2, 183.12 pts) [8] - A considerable improvement from last week, but not enough to put up numbers to win.  With big holes in the QB and WR spots, Laura may have to start fishing on the waiver wires for some help at the opportune times.


10. aaronisyourdaddy (1-1, 155.72 pts) [10] - Even with the addition of his fellow Aaron, he couldn't put up more than 90 points.  I guess that makes sense when 3 of your starters don't score more than zero points.  It was a win, but not really.  I still think Aaron's team lacks the bite it needs to make itself a threat.

Luke's Predictions - Week 2

Luke's "Predictions" - Week 2

Luke made a spreadsheet that creates random numbers to determine our scores, and thus that's how he makes his predictions.  Here they are.

odoyle RULES (1-0) v. Rainbow Warriors (1-0)
odoyle RULES: 101, Rainbow Warriors: 92

Spider Pig (0-1) v. what's poppin slime (1-0)
Spider Pig: 125, what's poppin slime: 81

JohnKasay#1 (1-0) v. aaronisyourdaddy (0-1)
JohnKasay#1: 106, aaronisyourdaddy: 80

JUSTINA OWNS (1-0) v. Terrific Tortoises (0-1)
Terrific Tortoises: 121, JUSTINA OWNS: 105

Relient K (0-1) v. THE Pain Train (0-1)
THE Pain Train: 95, Relient K: 88

Predictions - Week 2

A pending trade makes things interesting, but probably won't change week 2's matchups too much.  If anything, it'll make Aaron's team slightly more formidable in the short run.


odoyle RULES (1-0) v. Rainbow Warriors (1-0)
Rainbow Warriors by 10.  Adrian Peterson will underproduce, but Tom Brady will make up for it.

Spider Pig (0-1) v. what's poppin slime (1-0)
Spider Pig by 10.  Even if the trade goes through, Arian Foster probably won't be full force, and David will feel the hole at the QB position.  Maclin's a nice upgrade, but enough to compensate for the loss of Rodgers (especially against Carolina?).  Negatory.  I wouldn't be surprised if the trade payed off dividends in the long run, though.

JohnKasay#1 (1-0) v. aaronisyourdaddy (0-1)
With Rodgers on his team, it will make it a closer game.  But this should still be a win for JohnKasay#1.

JUSTINA OWNS (1-0) v. Terrific Tortoises (0-1)
JUSTINA OWNS wins it by 20+.  I'm a believer now.

Relient K (0-1) v. THE Pain Train (0-1)
Relient K by 5.  Sadly to say, battle of the dinks.


Predictions Record 2011: (4-1)
The only game I predicted wrong was my own, and it was due to modesty, of course.

Power Rankings - Week 1

A week of interesting football and CAMania has not only changed my outlook on the Panthers's season, but also has made some drastic changes to the power rankings.


Power Rankings - Week 1 
[Previous Rank in brackets]
1. Rainbow Warriors (1-0, 118.68 pts) [2] - Jeff still has a really good team.  Vincent Jackson and Holmes didn't perform like they should, but Tom Brady is definitely a force to be reckoned with.  He single-handedly scored over a third of Jeff's points this week.  While some might consider that a weakness, I think Brady has a good enough track record to be able to put those kinds of numbers up consistently enough to keep Jeff the team to beat - especially if his WRs start bringing it.


2. JUSTINA OWNS (1-0, 131.80 pts) [7] - Ok, so I totally underestimated Justina's team.  While I don't think week 1 was a total fluke, there is still a hole or two on her team that prevents her from being #1 - mainly her QB situation, which needs working on (definitely pick up another QB somehow - Bradford's a sinking ship).  But the rest of her team showed up in week 1, and is definitely looking like they're ready to put up numbers the whole season.  I'm starting to like Brandon Marshall a lot, Calvin Johnson has always been a top WR (as long as Stafford can keep healthy, he'll keep putting up big numbers), but I'm not sold on Britt yet.  Even so, with Green and Burleson on the bench, Justina's got pretty good depth at that position.  Same with her RBs, but maybe not as deep.


3. JohnKasay#1 (1-0, 110.30 pts) [3] - There was no reason for me to bump Eric up or down.  His team is still solid, and I think he's got pretty good depth at his RB spot and (now) at QB.  His 3rd WR still will be of concern, but I think he's got enough firepower on the rest of his team to carry it.  I'm not convinced his defense can put up 20+ points each week to take him to victory, so he'll need to tap in to the talent in his other spots to consistently put up big numbers and stay up in the rankings.


4. Spider Pig (0-1, 110.78 pts) [1] - I guess technically, since he lost, he should have dropped further.  But I'm not sure he deserves to.  He put up a good number of points, but was just unlucky with his matchup this week.  On any given Sunday, I think he could still beat the rest of the teams below him on this list.  Even though Colston will be a question mark, Luke's got #89 to easily fill in the 3rd WR spot.  He might struggle with the 2nd RB position, though - seeing as how Denver's run may come to no fruition this year, and his other options are unreliable.  So there are definitely some weaknesses, but not enough to bump him too far down.


5. what's poppin slime (1-0, 101.48 pts) [4] - Even though he won, he was 7th in the number of points this week, hence a slight bump down.  Steven Jackson is a big question mark now, and I think he might have a hard time figuring out who to start at RB each week.  His WRs underperformed week 1, but I don't think that will be a trend.  If they pick it up (and I think they will - plus, Henderson will be a nice option until the Saints's WRs get healthier), expect David's team to become a threat.


6. Terrific Tortoises (0-1, 105.96 pts) [6] - Tough loss for the Tortoises - like Luke, David's team put up the points, but just had bad luck.  All of his QBs looked really good week 1, but unfortunately, he can only start 1 QB each week.  WRs will continue to give him problems unless he upgrades, and I'm not sold on his RBs yet - to me, they're all just mediocre (including Chris Johnson.. for now).  And similar to Eric's team, Baltimore has a good defense, but don't expect them to put up those numbers consistently.  If I were you, David, I'd try and trade one of my QBs for an upgrade at RB or WR.  But good luck trying to deal with these stingy people.


7. odoyle RULES (1-0, 118.26 pts) [9] - I may be a little unfair to myself giving myself such a low ranking, but I'm still not 100% sold on my team being able to put up those numbers every week.  Kolb looked good, but I hardly have anyone worth backing him up.  I'm happy about my RB situation (as long as Jones-Drew can stay standing), but my WRs are what worry me.  I was super surprised when Wallace and Bryant put up those numbers.  I'm not doubting my team, but I'll just wait and see before I bump my team up any further.  Like I mentioned with Luke - on any given Sunday, the 6 teams in front of me would outscore me.  Hence, my ranking.


8. Relient K (0-1, 85.02 pts) [8] - Wow, who knew Tolbert would blow up like he did.  Even so, Laura still needs a more reliable QB and WRs - her bench doesn't offer much help.  She can blame the Panthers for Fitzgerald's low numbers.  RAWR.


9. THE Pain Train (0-1, 90.18 pts) [10] - I'm still not sold on Tony Romo, but McFadden put up some good numbers, as did Johnson.  The rest of his team?  Eh.  The only reason he got promoted was because there was a team that deserved to be lower.


10. aaronisyourdaddy (0-1, 68.20 pts) [5] - So while I underestimated Justina's team, I clearly overestimated Aaron's.  Granted, he still has Arian Foster, but he won't be any good on the bench.  And as long as he's on the bench, Aaron's team looks dismal.  Nicks may be out for a while, which gives Aaron a further blow.  He'll be playing the waiting game until he can find some healthy players.

Predictions - Week 1

For simplicity's sake and to save my time, I'm just going to do straight predictions with very little explanation.  My predictions were never that much better than a coin-flip anyways.  So here goes nothing.

odoyle RULES (0-0) v. Spider Pig (0-0)
Spider Pig wins by 20+ points.  Peyton Manning's status doesn't look too good.  Rebuilding year for me (refer to the power rankings).

Rainbow Warriors (0-0) v. aaronisyourdaddy (0-0)
Rainbow Warriors by less than 10.  Yahoo predictor sucks - Arian Foster will not get more than 20 points, if he plays at all.

JohnKasay#1 (0-0) v. Terrific Tortoises (0-0)
JohnKasay#1 wins by 15.  Outside the RB position, Eric's got David in all other spots.

JUSTINA OWNS (0-0) v. THE Pain Train (0-0)
JUSTINA OWNS wins it by 10.  Justina lucks out by playing the worst team in our league.  She may even step up in the rankings after this week, thanks to Gabs.

Relient K (0-0) v. what's poppin slime (0-0)
what's poppin slime by 10.  QB makes the difference.


Predictions 2011: (0-0)


[edit 11:58PM: You guys realize now that I've picked up John Kasay, my team is invincible.]

Pre-Season Power Rankings

What?!?!  That's right, ladies and gentlemens.  Power rankings are BACK.  At least for pre-season.  "What I thought you didn't have time, Tim?"  Well, technically I shouldn't have time, but I'm tired of reading over my CV and personal statement for the 10293898th time, and I'm not invincible to the forces of peer pressure.  It's funny that people still think my analysis is legit.  I haven't followed football nearly as much as I used to (see my draft day decisions).  But hey, if this is what the people want, I will give it to them.  So let the fun begin.


Pre-Season Power Rankings
1. Spider Pig (0-0)
With a solid RB (Charles), a highly-anticipated $100M QB (Vick), pretty reliable WRs (Jennings, Jackson, Colston), and a could-be-pretty-good-but-yet-to-prove-himself RB (Moreno), I think Luke has a pretty nice starting roster.  That's about where it ends, though.  Matt Ryan is a fair backup, but all his others are sleepers (Best, Spiller, Bush) or busts (Steve Smith, sadly enough) at best.  Plus, Yahoo said he had the best draft of 2011.  Yahoo has got to be right some of the time, right?

2. Rainbow Warriors (0-0)
Wow Jeff has a pretty good team this year.  Jeff, don't screw it up by leaving it alone.  He's only got 1 reliable RB - Adrian Peterson is a no-brainer, but Felix Jones (as well as Ryan Grant) may end up disappointing more than performing.  WRs are a nice bunch, though - Welker may not be fully healthy, but Jones and Garcon aren't bad options.  It's hard to go wrong with Brady as your QB (might want to find a backup, though), and I like his TE pick.

3. JohnKasay#1 (0-0)
Eric - rather, John Kasay - has put together a nice looking team.  Two solid RBs (Mendenhall and Gore), a top QB (Rivers), 3 good WRs somewhere in the mix (Wayne, Boldin, Moss - I'm fairly confident Ochocinco is a bust), and a TE steal (from me - I just forgot to pick him before Eric did), he's put together a nice starting crew.  The rest of his team still has a bit to prove (Newton, for starters), but he can afford to wait for their development while he rides his starters.

4. what's poppin slime (0-0)
David surprised a lot of us when he picked Rodgers in the first round.  I'm guessing his rationale was that passing TDs count for as much as running TDs, and with the way Rodgers has been playing the past few years, he's bound to rack up major points for David versus picking a (by then) lower quality RB.  He was probably right, but now is faced with a mediocre RB corps (Ingram might prove to be legit with time, who knows).  He also has a pretty decent set of WRs.  So while his team doesn't look super spectacular now, we all know his game-day vulturous habits, so I wouldn't be surprised if David spruces up his team over the course of the season.

5. aaronisyourdaddy (0-0)
I truly believe Arian Foster will not perform like he did last year.  That's not to say he will have a terrible year, but I wouldn't be surprised if Aaron has trouble deciding whether or not to start him in the later weeks of the season.  I could be wrong, though.  If I am, Aaron's team belongs higher up on the rankings.  But as for now, he's brought down a few notches because of it.  His WR group is decent - has promise in Nicks, but not sure where else he's planning to go with his other receivers.  He managed to pick up the best TE in the league (Gates), which is an added bonus.  With Schaub as his only QB, I question how much production he'll get at that spot, but maybe he has some secret plan up his sleeve with the 6 RBs he has.  Maybe he's found a way to put one of them in the QB slot or something.

6. Terrific Tortoises (0-0)
David, in his first year playing fantasy football with us, claimed to have no knowledge how to play.  His picks weren't terrible, though - I've definitely seen worse (Yahoo autodraft aka Gabs - see below).  Besides Chris Johnson, his RB situation doesn't have any superstars, but he's got a good rotation going on (LT?, Blount, Bush) that could help in tighter weeks.  Brees will add a good bit of production, as well as his group of WRs (Austin, Bowe... maybe Harvin).

7. JUSTINA OWNS (0-0)
Justina has a pretty nice 3-RB lineup (Rice, Forte, Green-Ellis), some good talent at the WR spot (Calvin Johnson, Marshall, and Britt - Britt may surprise us all.. or not, but he has upside), so-so QB, and a sleepy bench.  By sleepy, I mean that they are sleepers.  As in, could be good, could be sucky.  Let's hope they're all good, because potential doesn't win games (you can quote me on that one).

8. Relient K (0-0)
Poor Laura, settled for the little brother, who ends up blowing up (in a bad way) over the preseason.  That's not to condemn Eli's regular season, but it certainly is a bad omen.  Her starting RBs are decent, her TE should have a good season, and her top 2 WRs are pretty good, but her team kind of falls flat after that.  Did she pick 2 Mike Williams-es on purpose?  Mind games.

9. odoyle RULES (0-0)
I'll be the first to admit that I made some bad decisions on draft day.  But I'd like to think I somewhat redeemed myself.  I've got at least one stable RB (McCoy), but Jones-Drew may end up disappointing more than appointing.  I think Peyton Manning was a steal in the 5th round, even though he may not even start week 1, which is troubling.  Who am I trying to convince?  Overall, I'd say my team is looking pretty pitiful.  Wallace will have to carry the WR workload while my other minions prove themselves worthy of starting - and I don't think that's happening anytime soon.  Similar to Justina's team, I'm riding on potential to win me some games in the future (Bryant, Meachem, Little, Olson, etc. etc. basically everyone on my team).  I'd like to think of myself as the Panthers - let's call this a rebuilding season.

10. THE Pain Train (0-0)
Poor Gabs had to autodraft for whatever reason.  His RBs aren't worth too much at this point - I have questions about McFadden, and Greene has yet to really prove himself.  Tony Romo is inconsistent.  Besides Andre Johnson, his WRs aren't looking so great either.  Tony Gonzalez would have been a nice pickup like.. 10 years ago.  Looks like Gabs got the raw end of the autodraft deal.  That's why, boys and girls, you never autodraft if you can help it.  Especially with Yahoo's system.