Week 8 #PowerRankings - Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp Edition!

I started doing Halloween candy comps, but I quickly realized I’ve pretty much exhausted all the Halloween candy I can think of from the previous 6 years or whatever. But in the spirit of Halloween coming up, I decided to go with Harry Potter Bertie Bott’s Jelly Bean Comps this year.

1. Run It Back! (Gabs) (6-2) [1]

You’d think losing Quinshon Judkins with an injury would have derailed Gabs’s week, but Jonathan Taylor scored enough points for two RBs this week. And playing the Buffalo D against an old Andy Dalton and dysfunctional Panthers offense was the right move. Even if Judkins misses time with his injury, Gabs has enough depth on his team to not skip a beat. Plus, he’s playing my sad team this week. 

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Marshmallow

In my humble opinion, the marshmallow jelly bean is the best flavor. Not only is it sweet, there is a little toasted flavor added in, as if you’re sitting by the campfire roasting a marshmallow for a s’more. It doesn’t get any better than marshmallow jelly beans, just like it doesn’t get any better than Gabs’s team.

2. Terrific (Taylor’s Version) (David) (6-2) [3]

Sure, David’s team lost in Week 8, but Rashee Rice appears to be the real deal, and David’s patience will continue to pay off as Stafford and the Detroit players return this week. Amon-Ra, Rashee Rice, and Michael Pittman make up a scary good WR trio. David’s overall Points For still is in the bottom half of the league, but I think in a few weeks, it’ll catch up to his league standing.

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Sausage

I can’t tell if sausage jelly beans are good or not. If I remember correctly, it had a meaty flavor to it, but then a weird aftertaste. I can’t tell if David’s team is good or not. It ought to be good based on record and league standings, but Points For says not particularly. Maybe better than some of the other weird flavors, but not one I’d pick as a go-to.

3. ToInfinityandBijan! (Eric) (5-3) [7]

Eric’s team had a solid showing, but he just happened to be up against Jeff Lin’s top-scoring team for Week 8, which resulted in a loss. Eric’s team has been scoring at a pretty high rate the past 3 weeks (1st, 4th, and 2nd). His RBs don’t seem to be slowing down much, and his WR play continues to improve (although McLaurin’s injury puts a damper on that). Eric’s team should continue its ascension.

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Candyfloss

Candyfloss tastes basically like cotton candy, and who doesn’t like cotton candy? Eric’s team has been solid all-around, and ought to continue to be a favorite to compete for the top spot in our league.

4. Just Didn’t Catch D’Achane (Haji) (5-3) [5]

Haji’s team lost a close one to Gabs’s seemingly invincible team, but the production from Jordan Love was encouraging to see. Haji has 3 former #2 WRs turned into #1 WRs for their respective teams (Higgins replacing Tyreek, Davante replacing Puka, and Rome because DJ Moore is toast) starting for his team. All that to say, his WRs once looked mid, but have become a strong suit due to opportunity. 

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Cherry

Cherry is a pretty classic flavor, and is definitely one of the better Harry Potter jelly bean flavors out there. It’ll consistently rank as a top flavor if you were to do a classic Family Feud survey says. Haji’s team has been pretty consistent (1st in Standard Deviation rankings) and 2nd in Points For. But in some ways, this feels like a ruse - are his players really supposed to be that good? Similarly, the cherry jelly beans look pretty similar to the cinnamon flavored jelly bean, and those will burn your tongue (see below).

5. Lamar You Ready? (Jeff Chen) (5-3) [2]

Jeff Chen desperately needs Lamar Jackson to return. His team is on a 3-game losing streak, and even with 33 points from James Cook, 17 from Javonte, and 12 from Kittle, he still couldn’t break 90 points. Baltimore’s rest of season schedule is on the easier side, so I still think Jeff will be ok once Lamar returns, but that doesn’t negate the rough past 3 weeks, in which Jeff has scored the fewest points in 2 of those 3 weeks and 2nd fewest the other week. His team is struggling.

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Cinnamon

The cinnamon jelly bean is super spicy and hot once you bite into it. But after a bit, your tongue kind of gets so numb or used to the flavor that it becomes tasteless. Similarly, Jeff’s team started off super hot, but has since cooled way down.

6. 第六 (Abraham) (3-5) [6]

Good call on starting RJ Harvey Week 8, even though Abraham kind of had no choice with his other RBs on bye. Now that Skattebo’s out for the season, Tyrone Tracy’s stock goes up, and as a result, Abraham’s RB situation has improved. If Drake London returns, that should put Abraham’s team in decent shape moving forward, buying some more time before the return of Omarion Hampton returns.

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Black Pepper

Abraham’s team is 3rd in Points For, but 9th in league standings with a 3-5 record. What is it - good or bad? The black pepper jelly beans don’t sound very good, but they actually taste edible, almost with a licorice aftertaste to them. I personally don’t like licorice, but there are definitely worse flavors out there.

7. Unicorn QueenZ (Tim) (4-4) [4]

Losing Cam Skattebo was a big blow to my team. I don’t know how I’ll recover from it, given Kamara has been a shell of himself this year. I’ve decided to try and adapt the Aaron strategy where I get a bunch of backups and hope something happens to the starter in front of them, but in the meantime, my team’s outlook has taken a big hit.

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Lemon

Lemon is Dumbledore’s favorite jelly bean - I think it’s supposed to be sherbet lemon in the books. I guess Dumbledore is kind of like the commissioner of Hogwarts? Anyways, my team was much more sherbet-y to start the season, and it’s looking a lot more lemon-y now without Cam.

8. chinaballa (Andrew) (3-5) [9]

Andrew’s team has strung together a pair of wins with pretty impressive showings. Picking up Oronde Gadsden provided Andrew with a big boost, and based on his (Gadsden’s, not Andrew’s) athletic profile and how he’s being used, that production should continue. Derrick Henry will benefit from the return of Lamar Jackson, and Drake Maye continues to be a great QB option. With the return of JSN, I think Andrew’s team is on the upswing.

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Green Apple

Green apple jelly beans look similar to grass jelly beans, and if you don’t have them side-by-side to compare, you might mistake one for the other. Let’s just say Andrew’s team looked like grass to start the season, but I do think it’s starting to make a comeback and may turn out to be a more palatable green apple jelly bean.

9. Justina’s Team (Luke) (4-4) [11]

Luke’s / Justina’s team bounced back with a win in Week 8 after a lowest-scoring Week 7. Saquon put up impressive numbers, but unfortunately got hurt (TBD on if he’ll miss time). Luke’s team definitely has the potential to put up points, but it has just been so streaky with its performances that it’s hard to know what you’re getting on any given week.

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Booger

As mentioned, Luke’s team has kind of been all over the place. He started the season off as Week 1 #HighScore, fell to lowest score last week, and had an impressive showing this week. The booger jelly bean also takes you on a ride. Just by the name alone, you’d think it would be terrible (draft was bad for Luke), but then you take a bite and maybe that taste is familiar (don’t deny it, I’m sure everyone knows what booger tastes like..), maybe it’s not so bad after all. But then.. Yeah, it’s bad.

10. Maybabyboo (Laura) (4-4) [10]

Bo Nix had another good week, but his performances are so inconsistent. Chase Brown has seen a resurgence with the arrival of Flacco under center, but if Flacco misses time with his injury, it will spell trouble for Brown. I don’t know what’s going on with the Panthers and their run game, but I suspect Chuba’s going to get fewer opportunities with how the fanbase has really rallied behind Rico Dowdle. Maybe Chuba’s not 100% healthy. Zay Flowers should benefit from Lamar returning. Overall, stacking wins has been huge for Laura, and I hope her team can take that momentum and turn it into more wins moving forward.

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Soap

Soap jelly beans go from smelling kind of decent - with a florally scent - to just tasting like bitter nastiness because no one likes soap in their mouth. Laura’s team has fallen hard from its initial Week 1 promising start. At least her team is 4-4 and staying out of Sacko, but she’ll definitely need to wash away the taste of soap in her mouth from this season come December.

11. 大展鸿图 (Jeff Lin) (2-6) [12]

Jeff Lin got a statement win with Week 8 #HighScore and beating out one of the top teams in our league. Big performances from Breece Hall and Tucker Kraft helped out big time, as well as solid production from Kimani Vidal and Jaxon Dart. I question whether this production is sustainable, though. Losing Skattebo might allow teams to hone in on Dart, Breece Hall trade rumors continue to linger (which could be good or bad), and I doubt Kraft will continue to produce at such a high clip. I still don’t love Jeff’s team, but he’s admittedly done enough to keep him out of Sacko for now.

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Dirt

Jeff Lin’s team has been dirt from the start. Granted, he got #HighScore this week, but I do think it was a fluke. Maybe you can find some random person who likes dirt jelly beans, but that doesn’t make them good.

12. choubacca (Aaron) (1-7) [8]

Well, Aaron’s top-scoring effort in Week 5 has faded and his team seems to be settling back in to reality at the bottom of the standings and rankings. A big part of his success was from Rico Dowdle’s 2 breakout games, but who knows how the Panthers will utilize him moving forward (even though he has looked impressive when he’s on the field). Sure, Aaron’s team still has pieces like Jalen Hurts and JaMarr Chase. But the reality is that the rest of his team is #LULZ. Week 5’s high score just provided a brief mirage.

Jelly Belly Bertie Bott’s Every-Flavour Beans Comp: Vomit

I’ve actually never had the guts to try the vomit flavor, but I can only imagine that it is disgusting and cannot comprehend why someone would choose to put that in their mouth. Why put something in your mouth that is by definition supposed to go out of your mouth? Gross.

Week 7 #PowerRankings - Midterm Grades Edition

With 7 of the 14 weeks of the FF regular season in the books, we’ve hit the midway point in the season. I figured it’d be a good time to revisit the grades I gave to each team pre-season and give an updated midterm grades.

As a refresher, here were the pre-season grades:

And now the midterm grades:

And subsequent rankings:

Here are my big-picture observations:

• Gabs’s team is still at the top of the rankings. He has improved his grade from a 89.55 to a whopping 95.20 just like the good Asian kid he was growing up. Much of that is attributed to Dak playing well, acquiring CeeDee for the stack, and Ertz still being relevant. Bravo, Gabs - keeping himself FFNUTHANG dyNASTYc-relevant.

• Jeff Chen’s team is also still 2nd. His score jumped from 89.50 to 92.45, with much thanks to better-than-expected RB play. Even though it has an improved score, his team has been trending down the past few weeks due to injuries, but that trend should self-correct with time.

• The biggest jump up was David’s team, who went from 8th to 3rd, with a 6.10 point improvement. Props to the Terrifics.

• Other teams that took jumps were Aaron’s team (from 12th to 8th with 4.60 point improvement), my team (from 7th to 4th with a 4.25 point improvement), Haji’s team (from 9th to 5th with a 3.75 point improvement), and Eric’s team (from 10th to 7th with a 3.75 point improvement).

• The biggest fall down was Jeff Lin’s team, who went from 3rd to 12th, with a -13.15 point difference. I don’t think we needed data to come to that conclusion.

• Other teams that took tumbles were Laura’s team (5th to 10th with a -5.70 point difference) and Andrew’s team (4th to 9th with a -4.60 point difference).

• Abraham’s team is still mid and Luke’s team (aka NOT Justina’s team - don’t shift the blame) still sucks.

• I thought perhaps the grader was more generous for the midterm scores, given the inflated scores of the top teams. But the average pre-season score was 84.79, while the average midterm score was 85.49. While this is a slight increase, it seems negligible. 

Onto the rankings!

1. Run It Back! (Gabs) (5-2) [1]

Gabs’s team keeps getting scarier every week. Jonathan Taylor is a beast, Quinshon Judkins has been incredible as a rookie, the Dak-CeeDee stack is going to cause problems, and Zach Ertz doesn’t seem to be going away. There are very few weaknesses in his team, except arguably at the TE position, but even there he has pretty good depth.

2. Lamar You Ready? (Jeff Chen) (5-2) [2]

Jeff Chen’s team continued its downward spiral last week, as predicted with the injuries and byes. When Lamar returns, Jeff’s team should be on more solid ground. Egbuka will continue to eat, Javonte should continue to be a reliable RB1, and Kittle will produce with time. 

3. Terrific (Taylor’s Version) (David) (6-1) [8]

David’s team is demanding more respect, now that it’s sitting at 1st place in league standings after a convincing performance against Jeff Chen. Rashee Rice is already making David’s wait worth it, and the Detroit Lions offense has been rolling. Maybe I was wrong to question David’s strategy of starting KC and Detroit players. His team has been solid across the board, in spite of a relatively lower Points For.

4.  Unicorn QueenZ (Tim) (4-3) [5]

CMC continues to carry my team (and the 49ers), and Trey McBride as the #2 overall TE so far has been a massive help. But Jayden Daniels’s injuries continue to put my QB situation in flux. Also, the lack of consistency at WR will eventually come to haunt me as the season progresses.

5. Just Didn’t Catch D’Achane (Haji) (5-2) [3]

Haji has really nice depth at RB, but as we were reminded of last week, Jeanty can have down weeks as well. Tyler Warren at TE has been solid, though. Haji’s main weakness is at QB, but I wouldn’t be surprised if we see Jordan Love do better in the 2nd half of the FF season.

6. 第六 (Abraham) (2-5) [6]

Abraham’s team has been low-key good, being 4th in Points For so far this season. Unfavorable matchups have put his team at 2-5, but he’s got the best QB in the NFL and a good WR corps that somehow has Jordan Addison (who has been really good since returning) on the bench. Abraham needs a lot of help at RB and TE, but his team is still playoff-relevant with a 2-5 record.

7. ToInfinityandBijan! (Eric) (5-2) [4]

Eric’s strength at RB continues to dominate our league, but Ladd hasn’t been consistent and Terry McLaurin has been hurt, so he’ll need more consistency at WR to continue vying for a top spot in these rankings, even with his impressive 5-2 record. The potential for a Herbert-Ladd stack is definitely an X-Factor that could help, though.

8. choubacca (Aaron) (1-6) [10]

I was surprised at where the midterm grades put Aaron’s team, but the numbers are the numbers. There was a blip in time where Aaron’s team seemed to have turned a corner, but last week saw another down week for him. JaMarr Chase has definitely returned, though - if Aaron can utilize Chase’s production with Flacco at QB, and get consistent points from Jalen Hurts, he can definitely avoid Sacko.

9. chinaballa (Andrew) (2-5) [9]

Andrew’s team got a much-needed win with help from Drake Maye, JSN, and Cleveland’s D. But with JSN and Marvin Harrison Jr on bye, this week may not be so friendly. The underperformance of Derrick Henry has hurt his team pretty badly, and his TE situation has been suspect as well. We’ll see if his FAAB spend on Gadsden will help, but I think Andrew will need a lot more from the RB spot to move up in the rankings.

10. Maybabyboo (Laura) (3-4) [12]

What was once seemingly Laura’s strength (RB) has now become a major weakness due to injury or overall underperformance. Her team got a win off the crazy comeback from Bo Nix and the Broncos, but whether that’s a sustainable formula moving forward is yet to be seen. At least Ferguson has been FF’s best TE so far, and I believe Laura has enough going in her favor to at least keep her somewhat relevant.

11. Justina’s Team (Luke) (3-4) [7]

Is Luke giving up after a 62.14 point showing in Week 7 and handing the reins over to Justina now? On a positive note, Olave played well. But things seem to be falling apart fast for Luke. At least Josh Allen will have a field day against the Panthers this week, and Luke hopes Puka will return soon. Losing Puka was huge, and having Saquon underperform so far this season has been another reason Luke has gotten such poor grades.

12. 大展鸿图 (Jeff Lin) (1-6) [11]

Props to Jeff Lin for starting Flacco at QB - now he’ll have the tough decision each week on whether to start Jaxon Dart or Joe Flacco. Interestingly enough, he might be able to trade one away to help him at other positions. But I do think Jeff’s outlook is a bit more positive if AJ Brown can continue trending upwards, and with more clarity on NE’s RB situation, at least starting Rhamondre might be more palatable than before (although probably not this week vs. Cleveland). Tucker Kraft has also been pretty decent as far as TEs go. But staying out of Sacko will be an uphill battle.

Week 6 #PowerRankings - NC State Fair New Foods Edition!

As Abraham has reminded all of us - the NC State Fair begins soon! And with it comes new foods to try AND... NC State Fair Food Comps! Once again, I’ve collected all the “New Foods” posted on the NC State Fair website and created comps for each team. Whoever ends up going will have to let us know if they end up trying any of these.

1. Run It Back! (Gabs) (4-2) [2]

Gabs’s team continues to roll. It is just solid all around, with very few flaws - the fact that Gabs is able to sub in Quinshon Judkins and / or Kenneth Walker for an injured Bucky Irving in a pinch is a testament to how good his team is. While neither of those subs had great weeks, they both have the potential to be solid RB2s for most teams. Dak is cruising, DK Metcalf is producing, and Brian Thomas Jr may have finally arrived this season. Even though Jeff Chen’s team has been more impressive from Weeks 1-5, I think the recent injuries to Jeff’s team will hurt him for the next few weeks. Add to that the potential for a Dak-CeeDee stack once CeeDee returns (maybe Week 7?), and I had to bump Gabs up in the rankings.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: South Of The Border Stuffed Turkey Leg

Gabs has had a solid base of old reliable fantasy assets from the beginning of the season (Jonathan Taylor, Kenneth Walker, DK Metcalf, Dak Prescott, Zach Ertz) and managed to add some new and youthful flair to spice things up in a good way (Quinshon Judkins is the newest add, but also Brian Thomas and Bucky Irving as keepers from last year). This South of the Border Stuffed Turkey Leg takes a classic Fair Food (Turkey Legs) and adds some flair (Mexican Street Corn and Cheese) to elevate it to the next level.

2. To Hamstring A Mockingbird (Jeff Chen) (5-1) [1]

Jeff Chen decides to change his team’s name, I guess after nearly half of his players get their hamstrings injured. But why a mockingbird? I get that it’s a play on the book, but I also don’t get it. Maybe it’s too sophisticated for me to understand. Anyways, let’s talk about his #LowScore in Week 6. Was that a one-week fluke or is this indicative of things to come? It doesn’t sound like Emeka Egbuka will be returning soon, but on the brighter side, Quentin Johnston and George Kittle may see the field soon, and Lamar might return after his bye this week. James Cook and Javonte’s weeks were likely flukes. All things considered, I think Jeff’s team is still solid, but it’ll be on some shaky ground the next few weeks with the injuries piling up. Once his players get healthy again, it should be smooth sailing.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Carolina Shawarma Burger

This was easily the best-looking New Fair Food on the entire list (in my opinion.. by now you should know my love for lamb). Everything about it sounds delicious, from the brioche bun to the beef and lamb shawarma, to the BBQ sauce, to the pickled onion, fresh cilantro, and coleslaw. Plus a side of fries! This is the full package - a tasty and filling meal - just like Jeff’s team has been the full package this season. You might be tempted to eat it too fast, though, so you have to be careful not to pull a jaw muscle like Jeff’s players have pulled their hamstrings? But given some recovery time, it will all be well worth it.

3. Just Didn’t Catch D’Achane (Haji) (5-1) [3]

Haji barely squeezed out the win with Odunze’s 4.2 points - he needed every bit of that production to beat Aaron. I feel like things have really opened up for Haji since Week 1. He’s on a 5-game winning streak, and he’s got the pieces to continue the streak - Achane, Jeanty, and Warren have been rolling. And with Puka injured, Davante should see a lot more production. I like Haji’s outlook.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Maple Bacon & Fruity Pebbles Korean Corn Dog

Someone might look at the fruity pebbles on this Korean corn dog and think the whole thing is gimmicky and artificial. So appearances may be offputting at first, but I would expect that the combination of sweetness from the fruity pebbles and savoriness from the bacon and deep fried cheese would be a winning combination. After all, it’s their “fan favorite.” I think when given the time to develop over the season, Haji’s team has performed nicely (Jeanty just needed some time), and I would expect this Korean Corn Dog is one of the better performers as a New Food at the Fair.

4. ToInfinityandBijan! (Eric) (4-2) [5]

Eric’s team continues to dominate at the RB position. Bijan is basically the entire Falcons offense (minus some help from Drake), and Josh Jacobs has dominated his past 2 weeks. Even with Etienne seemingly on the downswing, D’Andre Swift on the bench is there if needed. TBD on whether Ladd’s production will continue once Quentin Johnston returns, but at least things look a lot better after Eric’s team Week 6 #HighScore following a Week 5 #LowScore.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Deep Fried Lamb Chops

Eric’s team relies very heavily on its RBs, as seen the last two weeks. His Week 5 bye-pocalypse kept Bijan, Jacobs, and Swift out and subsequently gave him that week’s #LowScore, but then he came roaring back with his RBs at full strength in Week 6 and earned a much-deserved #HighScore. Just like these Deep Fried Lamb Chops, Eric’s team isn’t anything super fancy (deep fried meat), but it does one thing really well (deep fried meat), and it gets the job done (deep fried meat).

5. Unicorn QueenZ (Tim) (3-3) [4]

I really thought my team was going to lose to Abraham in Week 6, but Jayden Daniels saved me yet again (last season included) from another disappointing loss. Consistency at WR continues to be my team’s problem, but thankfully I’ve had a few fairly consistent bulwarks (CMC, Skattebo, and McBride) as anchors.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Double Decker Korean Donkatsu Burger

This burger is a double-decker of two hunks of white meat (fried pork cutlets) between some plain buns and with a little slaw and sauce. My two hunks of white meat (CMC and Skattebo) have been carrying my team, and the rest of my team has been some plain buns and a little slaw - nothing impressive, but enough to create a palatable team / dish.

6. 第六 (Abraham) (2-4) [7]

Patrick Mahomes seems to have returned to fantasy relevance, which is great news for Abraham’s team. Hopefully Pickens will continue to produce when CeeDee returns from injury, and Drake London has put up 2 impressive weeks recently. That’s good timing for Abraham, since Keenan seems to be losing steam, likely from his old age. Abraham will still need help at RB with Omarion out (maybe for longer than expected) - Kyren has held his own, but RJ Harvey / Bam Knight are short-term bandages at best. Abraham’s team has been all over the place this season - he’s ranked last in Standard Deviation rankings, meaning his team has been really bad for 3 weeks and really good for the other 3 weeks. Ultimately, I think Abraham’s team will be fine with the rise of Mahomes.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Hot Honey Jalapeno Popper Donut

Abraham’s team is kind of like this donut - I can’t tell what it’s supposed to be. Sweet? Savory? Spicy? All of the above? The 1st two weeks were Sacko-level performances, followed by two weeks of top-tier production. I would imagine this donut is similar - take one bite and you might get a totally different experience than the next bite. Plus, after staring at this photo for 5 minutes, I still can’t tell whether I would like it or not.

7. Spider Pig (Luke) (3-3) [8]

If Puka misses time, Luke’s team is going to struggle. Josh Allen will be fine, Olave has been serviceable, and Jaylen Waddle has taken advantage of the Tyreek injury. But Saquon hasn’t been the same Saquon as last year, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt hasn’t stepped up when given the opportunity. Harold Fannin should see an increased role with Njoku injured, but I don’t think it’ll be enough to make up for the loss of Puka.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Chicken Caesar Mac Stack

Pre-season Luke’s team looked weak, with his team ranked 11th in the pre-season #PowerRankings, but then came out of the gate strong as the Week 1 #HighScore. Since then, his team has been so-so, with a flash in Week 5, but not enough to propel him into a strong playoff contender yet. I imagine this Chicken Caesar Mac Stack is similar: It doesn’t look or sound super special when you look at the photo or read the description, but I could see how taking the first bite would taste really good. However, keep at it for a few more bites and I would imagine the experience loses its appeal quickly.

8. Terrific (Taylor’s Version) (David) (5-1) [6]

David got a favorable matchup against a struggling Laura’s team in Week 6 to pull out a win and somehow land the #3 spot in the League Standings in spite of being 8th in Points For. I guess this is David reaping the harvest from previous seasons when it’s been reversed - high in Points For but low in the win column. I think his team will improve greatly with the return of Rashee Rice, but I find it hard to believe that starting 3 receiving options from KC (Rice, Worthy, and Kelce) and two TD-offsetting offensive options for Detroit (ARSB and Gibbs) will be a sustainable winning formula, but you do you. David likes his Chiefs and Lions players, I guess.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Hawaiian Street Corn

Like this Hawaiian Street Corn, David’s 5-1 record looks very nice on the surface, but is it substantive? I’m sure the corn tastes delicious, but let’s consider the problem of the pineapple. What are you going to do with half of a pineapple cut like that? You can’t eat the rind, and it’s not like the plastic cutlery they give you will be strong enough to peel the rind or scoop the fruit out. Are you going to carry it around the State Fair and take it home to eat later? The rind and leaves are so pokey, I would imagine even eating trying to eat the corn would be an ordeal. So yeah, not a practical State Fair Food, even though it looks appealing. I feel like David’s team looks nice with its 5-1 record, but it’s not a practical team, it doesn’t appear to be well thought out, and too many questions remain for me to buy in completely.

9. chinaballa (Andrew) (1-5) [9]

After an ugly loss to Jeff Lin’s team, Andrew’s finding himself on a destructive downward spiral 5-game losing streak. It really hasn’t been pretty for Andrew’s team, and he tried to make a splash trade to help navigate his team out of the losing streak, but Marvin Harrison Jr and JK Dobbins were not the answer in Week 6. I’m not sure if MHJ will miss time with his concussion, but I do think JK Dobbins will bounce back. At least Drake Maye has been solid at QB and JSN continues to dominate as Andrew’s WR1. Derrick Henry has been.. ok, but not the same as last year. Before the trade, I would have said if Andrew can wait out CeeDee’s injury, he’ll be on more solid ground in a few weeks. But now, I’m not so sure. Things don’t look great with a tough matchup against Haji in Week 7.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Flaming Hot Cheetos Pickle Pizza

Andrew’s team looked decent to start the season: CeeDee, JSN, Derrick Henry, Pacheco, Drake Maye were all promising fantasy assets. I had him ranked 4th in pre-season rankings. But as the season has progressed, his team is looking worse and worse by the week. One might be tempted to try this Flaming Hot Cheetos Pickle Pizza, thinking visually it looks interesting, conceptually it might work, the individual separate flavors are all pretty good, and mix most things on a pizza and you can get it to be decent, right? The first bite might even be not-half-bad. But I would imagine the more you eat, the more you regret, and I think Andrew has major #RegretZ right now.

10. choubacca (Aaron) (1-5) [12]

Rico Dowdle has been Aaron’s (and the Panthers’) workhorse the past 2 weeks, and will probably continue to be fantasy-relevant even after Chuba returns to play. If Rachaad White can continue to produce with Bucky Irving out, Aaron’s RB situation won’t be as bad as it was to start the season. He has definitely been the benefactor of injuries. Garrett Wilson and Calvin Ridley might miss time, but JaMarr Chase should be more consistent with Joe Flacco throwing to him. Aaron’s team looks better than it did to start the season, but I also feel like this is a flash in the pan of the entire season, and I still question the long-term sustainability of his (relative) success.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Chicken Corn Dog

How in the world does Chicken Corn Dog count as 2025 NC State Fair New Foods? Do better, State Fair. This is just a corn dog with mystery meat on the inside. That’s what all corn dogs are. Just because you say it’s chicken doesn’t mean it’s any less mysterious, and don’t try to put more words to describe how it tastes to try and get me to buy it. You can still get these for like 50 cents at RCCC lunch, right? Or is it $1 now? Aaron’s team is like a Chicken Corn Dog - trying to be a legit “New Fair Food” but in reality it’s still just a corn dog. Don’t hear me hating on corn dogs - they are easy to eat and will satisfy your hunger. Similarly, Aaron’s team has been performing well as of late - I’m not hating on it as much as I was earlier in the season. But don’t be fooled, it’s nothing special.  

11. 大展鸿图 (Jeff Lin) (1-5) [11]

Jeff Lin finally gets his first win! Not that his team did that spectacularly, but Jaxon Dart might prove to be a valuable fantasy asset with his ability to run. Kimani Vidal may end up being a crucial waiver pickup for Jeff if he wants his team to move up in fantasy relevance. But where Jeff lacks in consistent production is at the WR position, and I just don’t see a sustainable path forward with the WRs he has on his roster. At least his team isn’t last in the #PowerRankings anymore!

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Pickle Sub

Just look at the photo and I shouldn’t need to explain any more. Why would you replace the best part of a sub (the bread) for the worst part of the sub (a whole pickle)? And how tiny is this sub if it all fits into a pickle? I think this might be the lamest New Fair Foods I’ve ever seen. And similarly, Jeff’s team has been pretty lame this season.

12. Maybabyboo (Laura) (2-4) [10]

Well, at least Laura’s team didn’t score the least amount of points in Week 6. While her team currently has a little cushion from Sacko with 2 wins, her low Points For may propel her team down to last place in league standings if her team doesn’t get their act together. I really don’t know what to say - I thought her team looked solid to start the season, but after a promising Week 1, things have gone downhill fast. Injuries have plagued her team (McCarthy, Chuba, James Conner, Trey Benson, Cedric Tillman), and developmental players like Travis Hunter and Bhayshul Tuten haven’t panned out. Justin Jefferson and Jake Ferguson have been the two lone bright spots, but her team will need much more than that to get out of last place in the rankings.

NC State Fair New Foods Comp: Chicken Feet

C’mon on, who goes to the State Fair to eat Chicken Feet? Whoever is selling Chicken Feet at the State Fair has to do better with figuring out their target audience. There’s no way you can get any White people within 10 feet of Chicken Feet - good luck trying to feed them any meat that resembles the actual animal - I think they would rather starve first. Maybe some adventurous Black and Latino folks would be willing to try, but most would rather have other fair food. And I can already hear my dad’s voice echoing the sentiment of all the Asians going to the Fair and seeing $20 for Chicken Feet: “Why you pay $20 for something you can make it at home? Too expensive, not worth it, rip off!” No one at the State Fair is going to want to pay money to eat that. And I hate to say it, but Laura’s team is like Chicken Feet - no one in their right minds would pay money to manage that.