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.
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