Power Rankings: Final Week

And thus, the end of another fun regular season.  With this week being the last of my power rankings, I added some treats: Strength of Performance, which comes from the chart I posted last week, and Strength of Schedule.  For Strength of Performance, if you scored the most points that week, you got a 9, meaning you were the strongest performer that week.  Then all the weeks were averaged.  Strength of Schedule I calculated by basically doing the inverse of Strength of Performance: if your team played the team that scored the most points that week, you got 9 points for playing the hardest team that week.  I did that for all the weeks and averaged them up.  Sure, there might be flaws in that approach, but I think it makes sense to me.

Thanks to everyone for a good season, and best of luck to everyone in the post-season.

Records for predictions are below.  Congrats to Eric for beating me out at the end of the season.

	Tim	Luke	Eric
Last week's record	(1-4)	(0-0)	(3-2)
Overall record	(37-28)	(8-7)	(39-26)
Percentage	0.57	0.53	0.60

1. Spider Pig (10-3) [1], Strength of Performance: 1st, Strength of Schedule: 7th

Marshawn Lynch was probably the best acquisition through a trade in our league this season.  With him, Luke can be confident going in to the playoffs that he'll have an upper hand in almost all of his matchups.  And props to being the regular season champ.  It brings a little more legitimacy to the legacy he's building.

2. MUSCLE Hamster (5-8) [4], SOP: T-5th, SOS: 6th

This one was a tough one for me.  On paper, Aaron's team has bigger-name players, and has performed better overall during the season.  However, Eric has been kicking pretty much everyone's butts the last five weeks... and pretty consistently, too.  Plus, in a straight-up matchup, Eric came out victorious by a long shot.  He's been getting help from unexpected places, but I think it's a testament to his managing skills - not giving up on Megatron or Doug Martin early on in the season, acquiring Bryce Brown and Lance Moore..  It was more than luck that took him from zero to hero in a month's time.

3. choubacca (7-6) [2], SOP: 2nd, SOS: 1st

On paper, Aaron's team has big-name players that definitely look scary, but the last half of the season was overall a dismal one that I'm sure Aaron would like to forget.  At least his team proved these last few weeks that it can score.  I think they will carry that momentum in to the playoffs, but how far it will sustain itself?  We shall see.

4. The Debbinator (10-3) [3], SOP: 3rd, SOS: 10th

David ends the season with a seemingly meaningless win, but as Gabs pointed out, he has potentially opened up a can of worms for himself in two weeks.  The true test will come soon enough.  He's won enough games to earn the bye week, but there are plenty of hungry teams out there, and David's performances in the last five weeks have been mediocre at best.  I wouldn't discount him, though, in spite of his league-worst strength of schedule.  After all, he's proved himself by getting the job done all season and winning games, so maybe that will carry in to the playoffs.

5. THE Pain Train (8-5) [5], SOP: 4th, SOS: 8th

Gabs got a win to end the season, but one that he probably didn't want to get, because now he'll be facing the Hamster in the first round of the playoffs.  I'm not convinced that his team is ready for said matchup, but they'll have to be, or else it's bye-bye Gabs's season.  He started the season off strong, was able to put in a few great performances during the mid-season, and earned himself 3rd place for the regular season.  So it's far from over - I think Gabs's team definitely has the potential to surprise everyone - it certainly has the personnel to do so.

6. RelientK (5-8) [6], SOP: T-5th, SOS: 4th

Laura ends the season on a sour note, but with a valiant effort.  I think her team should have made the playoffs, so here's the next best thing - top 6 in the power rankings, oh yeah!

7. Rainbow Warriors (5-8) [10], SOP: 7th, SOS: 3rd

9 points too little, too late.  If not for Jeff's terrible November performance, he would have easily made the playoffs.  Blame it on Rodgers and Jeff's no-name WRs.  What a shame.

8. Terrific Tortoises (6-7) [7], SOP: 8th, SOS: 9th

I'm happy for David making the playoffs, I really am.  But in all honesty, his team has been stinking of poop the past two weeks, and in my opinion, is the worst team amongst the final 6 still standing.  David's team needs to get its act together, and fast, or else his post-season glory days will end quickly.

9. Kardashian Esk. Bros (4-9) [8], SOP: 9th, SOS: 2nd

Not last, not bad!  Keep blaming law school while you can.  That's what I'd do.

10. odoyle RULES (5-8) [9], SOP: 10th, SOS: 5th

I rented Moneyball and am planning on watching it to get inspired for next season's draft.  That's what that movie is about, right?  Picking the right players to make a baller team?  So much to learn..


Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes my fantasy football blogging for this season.  Thanks to everyone who cared enough to read it.  Please feel free to continue posting throughout the playoffs.

Until next season,