Let's make this a quick one (I'm not bitter about not being in the final....)
MOTY
Leaky Spark Tube (Dan) vs. Marc by MarcTrestman
Eric looks to become the first repeat winner in the league's history while Dan, who's always fielded solid teams, is ready to take the next step and join the hall of champions. While Eric started off hot and looked unbeatable, Dan's been on fire the last couple of weeks.
QB: Luck gets to play a terrible Dallas secondary while Wilson plays a stingy Arizona defense where all the scores might be field goals. It won't surprise me if Luck doubles Wilson's stats. Edge: Dan
WR: How will Alshon fair with Clausen throwing him the ball? I'm a little skeptical and Cobb should put up the biggest numbers today with the Packers looking to bounce back against a terrible Tampa Bay defense. Edge: Eric
RB: Lacy and Bell have been Dan's workhorses, leading him in the latter half of the season. Lacy hasn't had a single digit performance since week 7 and Bell hasn't had under 20 points in the last 4 weeks! While DeMarco should be able to match either of the backs against a putrid Indy run defense in a must win game for the Cowboys, there's no way we can expect CJ Anderson to compete with the rest of the running backs in this group. Edge: Dan
TE: Both of these TEs have been rather streaky but I'm going to have to give the edge to Fleener here. Like I mentioned before, Luck gets to take on a terrible secondary and I assume Fleener will be able to capitalize on that. While Kelce has been solid, that KC offense just force feeds the ball to Charles. Edge: Dan
K/DEF: Carolina isn't the defense we saw last year, even though they have been improving. Meanwhile, the Rams look like they're going to complete the NFC West quartet of ridiculous defenses. Against a turnover prone Eli, I can't imagine anything but a miserable day for the Giants. Also, Gostkowski has been one of the best kickers to own in the league this season. Edge: Eric
Winner: Dan
Premature congratulations goes out to Dan Park for winning this year's championship!
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Sunday, December 21, 2014
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
Final Four
The competition for the Starbucks gift card is heating up! Brother steps on brother and JY destroys what's left of Biggie's pride as he walks over him--- Okay, enough joking around. We're in the big money rounds and we need a legit prediction for the playoffs. The problem is, I'm still in it. This means that it's hard for me to be impartial. So let's do the second Quick Hits of the season and throw out some facts and figures to let you, the reader, come to a conclusion.
- In their first meeting, Simon outscored Dan by 14.4. In the second meeting, Dan beat Simon by 14.04. They average over 100 ppg when they play each other so stay tuned for a high-scoring showdown.
- Simon and Dan were the number 2 and number 3 scoring teams in the league, respectively.
- Simon has lost 2 of his last 3, slumping as he enters the playoffs. He didn't even score 50 points during his bye week.
- Dan scored a week high 144.06 last week (for teams whose scores counted) and his top RB has a great matchup against the Falcons.
- Cho has won 4 of his last 5, including his first round thrashing of Nelson.
- Eric had a cold streak from week 9-11, losing 3 in a row, but he picked up 2 wins at the end of the season to secure the bye. He averaged 120+ ppg in the last two and had 147.52, the second highest score overall last week, falling less than a point behind Mike's ridiculous score.
- In their only meeting this season, Eric was one of those teams that destroyed Cho. He beat him by over 50 points and at the time, he shoved Cho under .500 on the season, making his climb to the playoff that much harder.
- Cho and Dan have never won the finals.
- Cho was one of my two predicted players to win the whole thing this year (Nelson being the other. Sorry, Nelson).
- Simon and Eric have both won, 2010 and 2012 respectively.
- All four are part of the original 8 that have been in this fantasy league since Simon Kim began his term as commissioner.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
- In their first meeting, Simon outscored Dan by 14.4. In the second meeting, Dan beat Simon by 14.04. They average over 100 ppg when they play each other so stay tuned for a high-scoring showdown.
- Simon and Dan were the number 2 and number 3 scoring teams in the league, respectively.
- Simon has lost 2 of his last 3, slumping as he enters the playoffs. He didn't even score 50 points during his bye week.
- Dan scored a week high 144.06 last week (for teams whose scores counted) and his top RB has a great matchup against the Falcons.
- Cho has won 4 of his last 5, including his first round thrashing of Nelson.
- Eric had a cold streak from week 9-11, losing 3 in a row, but he picked up 2 wins at the end of the season to secure the bye. He averaged 120+ ppg in the last two and had 147.52, the second highest score overall last week, falling less than a point behind Mike's ridiculous score.
- In their only meeting this season, Eric was one of those teams that destroyed Cho. He beat him by over 50 points and at the time, he shoved Cho under .500 on the season, making his climb to the playoff that much harder.
- Cho and Dan have never won the finals.
- Cho was one of my two predicted players to win the whole thing this year (Nelson being the other. Sorry, Nelson).
- Simon and Eric have both won, 2010 and 2012 respectively.
- All four are part of the original 8 that have been in this fantasy league since Simon Kim began his term as commissioner.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
The Death Knell - What Killed Their Season?
Before we celebrate the people who have a chance at the largest prize to date in this league, let's take a look back and honor the fallen. At the beginning of the year, nobody thought they'd be out of the playoffs, sitting at the bottom half of the standings. But 13 weeks later, the cold reality sets in and there can only be six teams competing while six teams try to wonder where their season went wrong. We'll examine on a team by team basis what exactly killed their chances.
12. Cry Me a Rivers (JY)
What killed him: Trade assault?, Stars of Yester-year
While there were many complaints about the trade when it happened, the trade between JY and Simon became rather even. TY Hilton found his groove, McCoy under-performed for a while, Steven Jackson and Torrey Smith were no-shows and both TEs missed some time with injuries. But as McCoy has started to heat up and Julius Thomas deals with nagging injuries, the trade seems worse in hindsight. JY gutted his thin RB corp which is now led by Lamar Miller and he didn't even get a WR1 in the process. The problem may have started earlier though. When we look at his draft, we see a bunch of big names: Doug Martin, Roddy White, Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin. The problem is, their productive years are behind them and none of them could find even mediocre success this season.
11. Ben There Raped That (Paul)
What killed him: 5 RBs with no RB1, Bryant over Parkey
I believe I mentioned this in the draft review but Paul took so many RBs in the draft and took them often. The problem is, none of them turned in to a RB1. Ball now might not even have a job when he's healthy. Vereen is in the unknown Belichick system. Bell has been wildly inconsistent and injured. Jeremy Hill has been solid recently but is no longer on the team. Ingram dealt with injuries. 5 tries and nothing good came out of it. But the backfield wasn't the only problem. Paul and I actually had a discussion shortly after the draft about the last round. He was debating between Bryant and Parkey and he ended up taking the vet. This turned out to be a mistake as the Falcons offense was a mess all season and Parkey ended up being a top 5 kicker.
10. Rice Beaters (David K.)
What killed him: WRs became his weakness, Who's running the ball?
Unlike his brother, David decided to focus on the WR position. He had what looked to be a formidable corp in Dez, Marshall and Patterson. Patterson struggled with the Bridgewater transition and Marshall, like the entire Bears offense minus Forte, struggled to be consistent and meet expectations. The result was too much expenditure in the WR position with no results. This investment ended up killing his RB depth. He drafted Reggie Bush and Ben Tate, the latter of which was dropped by his original team this season. He now has the enviable Boobie Dixon, Jonathan Stewart combo. Ew.
9. Keenan & Kel (Biggie)
What killed him: Megatron actually being human, Go as the Lions go
After the first game of the season, it looked like Biggie's team would get started on a rampage through the league. The Stafford-Calvin connection was cooking up a storm on Monday night and everyone was afraid of the possibilities. Just a week later, we saw what the team was really made of. The duo never had another game as impressive as that first week, Calvin struggled with injuries, and the whole team struggled. The lions became a defensive team, allowing Stafford to be a smarter, less-risky QB. Although it led to wins for them, it led to less yards, less TDs, and less offensive stats for Stafford and Calvin.
8. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon)
What killed him: Irrational Hope, Assault
The belief that AP will come back. The audacity to draft Ray Rice before filling out his starters. The hope that Ryan would return to 2012 form. It's good to have hope. But at a certain point in the season, you need to become realistic. When you have to rely on Antonio Brown to carry your team every week, you know you need a change. And Jon never did. He kept holding on and ended up sinking as Brown couldn't carry them any further. He was one win away from making the playoffs but I'm sure all the playoff teams would have loved to play him in round 1. The most unfortunate thing about this season for Jon was that he happened to draft the two running backs that were involved in complicated legal situations.
7. taeyeon (Mike)
What killed him: Luck, QB play
The number of points that a team scores is based on drafting and picking up the right players, playing the right players, and managing the team properly. The number of points a team scores against you is based purely on dumb luck. And in that department, Mike was the unluckiest. With the most number of points scored against him, Mike had a tough climb to make the playoffs. He did his part by scoring the 4th most points in the league. But he just couldn't overcome plain-old bad luck. The one thing that may have been in his control was his QB play. Between Cam and Kaep, it looked like he could play the matchup and have a QB1 each and every week. Instead, both QBs failed to meet expectations and struggled as they saw Luck pull away from them and enter a higher tier of QB play. Whether or not either of these QBs will be QB1s next year will be up for debate.
Although it is unfortunate for these teams to not be competing for the grand prize, the winner of the consolation bracket will win a $15 gift card! Therefore, don't give up yet!
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
12. Cry Me a Rivers (JY)
What killed him: Trade assault?, Stars of Yester-year
While there were many complaints about the trade when it happened, the trade between JY and Simon became rather even. TY Hilton found his groove, McCoy under-performed for a while, Steven Jackson and Torrey Smith were no-shows and both TEs missed some time with injuries. But as McCoy has started to heat up and Julius Thomas deals with nagging injuries, the trade seems worse in hindsight. JY gutted his thin RB corp which is now led by Lamar Miller and he didn't even get a WR1 in the process. The problem may have started earlier though. When we look at his draft, we see a bunch of big names: Doug Martin, Roddy White, Torrey Smith, Anquan Boldin. The problem is, their productive years are behind them and none of them could find even mediocre success this season.
11. Ben There Raped That (Paul)
What killed him: 5 RBs with no RB1, Bryant over Parkey
I believe I mentioned this in the draft review but Paul took so many RBs in the draft and took them often. The problem is, none of them turned in to a RB1. Ball now might not even have a job when he's healthy. Vereen is in the unknown Belichick system. Bell has been wildly inconsistent and injured. Jeremy Hill has been solid recently but is no longer on the team. Ingram dealt with injuries. 5 tries and nothing good came out of it. But the backfield wasn't the only problem. Paul and I actually had a discussion shortly after the draft about the last round. He was debating between Bryant and Parkey and he ended up taking the vet. This turned out to be a mistake as the Falcons offense was a mess all season and Parkey ended up being a top 5 kicker.
10. Rice Beaters (David K.)
What killed him: WRs became his weakness, Who's running the ball?
Unlike his brother, David decided to focus on the WR position. He had what looked to be a formidable corp in Dez, Marshall and Patterson. Patterson struggled with the Bridgewater transition and Marshall, like the entire Bears offense minus Forte, struggled to be consistent and meet expectations. The result was too much expenditure in the WR position with no results. This investment ended up killing his RB depth. He drafted Reggie Bush and Ben Tate, the latter of which was dropped by his original team this season. He now has the enviable Boobie Dixon, Jonathan Stewart combo. Ew.
9. Keenan & Kel (Biggie)
What killed him: Megatron actually being human, Go as the Lions go
After the first game of the season, it looked like Biggie's team would get started on a rampage through the league. The Stafford-Calvin connection was cooking up a storm on Monday night and everyone was afraid of the possibilities. Just a week later, we saw what the team was really made of. The duo never had another game as impressive as that first week, Calvin struggled with injuries, and the whole team struggled. The lions became a defensive team, allowing Stafford to be a smarter, less-risky QB. Although it led to wins for them, it led to less yards, less TDs, and less offensive stats for Stafford and Calvin.
8. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon)
What killed him: Irrational Hope, Assault
The belief that AP will come back. The audacity to draft Ray Rice before filling out his starters. The hope that Ryan would return to 2012 form. It's good to have hope. But at a certain point in the season, you need to become realistic. When you have to rely on Antonio Brown to carry your team every week, you know you need a change. And Jon never did. He kept holding on and ended up sinking as Brown couldn't carry them any further. He was one win away from making the playoffs but I'm sure all the playoff teams would have loved to play him in round 1. The most unfortunate thing about this season for Jon was that he happened to draft the two running backs that were involved in complicated legal situations.
7. taeyeon (Mike)
What killed him: Luck, QB play
The number of points that a team scores is based on drafting and picking up the right players, playing the right players, and managing the team properly. The number of points a team scores against you is based purely on dumb luck. And in that department, Mike was the unluckiest. With the most number of points scored against him, Mike had a tough climb to make the playoffs. He did his part by scoring the 4th most points in the league. But he just couldn't overcome plain-old bad luck. The one thing that may have been in his control was his QB play. Between Cam and Kaep, it looked like he could play the matchup and have a QB1 each and every week. Instead, both QBs failed to meet expectations and struggled as they saw Luck pull away from them and enter a higher tier of QB play. Whether or not either of these QBs will be QB1s next year will be up for debate.
Although it is unfortunate for these teams to not be competing for the grand prize, the winner of the consolation bracket will win a $15 gift card! Therefore, don't give up yet!
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, November 27, 2014
MOTW - Week 13 (Judgement Week)
This is just ridiculous. It's week 13, the last of the fantasy regular season and we only have one team that's clinched a playoff spot (although it would be almost impossible for Eric to lose his spot. He would have to lose to Mike while scoring very few points and Nelson, Cho, Dan Park and the winner of the Yim v. Jon matchup would all have to surpass him in points for. With Jon and Yim more than 130 points behind, I'd pretty much say Eric is a lock. But as Yim found out playing against Jordan Matthews, nothing in fantasy is certain until the games are played.). So even if we take out Eric and myself, there are 6 teams (sorry David and Biggie, your point differentials are too much to overcome even if you win and all the teams ahead of you lose) vying for 4 playoff spots. Not only that, none of the seeds have been determined yet and Eric could still lose his bye to Nelson (or in a more ridiculous scenario to Mike, Cho or Dan). With all that being said, let's check out the potential ramifications of each matchup. There won't be a full-fledged MOTW this week but all of the matchups will be diagnosed on a team by team basis.
1. I Have a Concussion (Simon) vs. 6. Leaky Spark Tube (Dan)
Who Simon is rooting for: N/A
Who Dan is rooting for: Eric
A huge game for Dan as even if he wins, he will not be guaranteed a spot. If Eric beats Mike, that will open up a sure spot as long as he himself is able to win. Otherwise, he'll have to make sure he wins AND scores enough points to keep Jon/Yim at bay. If we take a quick look at the matchup, Dan's got Luck against a struggling Redskins team, Lacy and Bell playing against teams that can definitely be run on and Simon's got some injury issues on his team. All things are looking up for Dan to continue his season past week 13.
2. Marc by MarcTrestman (Eric) vs. 4. taeyeon (Mike)
Who Eric is rooting for: Paul
Who Mike is rooting for: Simon, David K.
Most weeks, this would definitely be the MOTW due to the standings of the two teams and the playoff implications. Eric has the luxury of controlling his own destiny: win and not only do you secure the playoff berth, but you will also receive the coveted first round bye. If he can't pull off the win, he'll need some help from Paul to keep Nelson from creeping in to the top spot. Mike should make it with a win but once again, the point differential game comes into the equation. A loss by Dan or Cho would greatly increase his odds of making the playoffs, even if he falters this week against Eric. He's done an admirable job of ripping off 2 straight much-needed wins and climbing from 9th to 4th in just 2 weeks. Who actually wins the matchup? Mike does have some tasty matchups with the Eli+Odell+Jennings (aka the entire NYG team) combo against the Jags or Tate against a Bears team that is without Fuller and will be focused on stopping Calvin. But I still have to say Eric wins. There are just too many weapons (especially at WR) that can go off for 20+. Mike will need help to keep his playoff hopes alive.
3. Turn Down for Watt (Nelson) vs. 11. Ben There Raped That (Paul)
Who Nelson is rooting for: If he wins, Mike. If he loses, Eric.
Who Paul is rooting for: His fantasy basketball team as his football one is irrelevant at this point
Nelson, whom I stated as having a 75% chance of missing the playoffs, has won 4 in a row to keep himself in the playoff discussion. He's climbed from 8th to 3rd but his position is a very fragile one due to his lowest total of points scored. However, it seems like he's either really lucky or teams have a hard time scoring on him because he's got the lowest points against as well. If he loses this week, the teams below could all overtake him quite easily. Nelson will definitely have to track more than just his matchup this week as the Eric/Mike matchup plays a huge role in his ultimate playoff seeding. If Nelson wins, he'll be looking for Mike to knock off Eric so that he can earn himself a much-needed bye. If Nelson loses, he'll be looking for a win by Eric to knock off one of Nelson's potential rivals for the 3-6 seeds. Nelson's team has been decimated at the RB position but Brees and Graham are good enough to carry the team to a victory (as we witnessed last week against David Kim, eliminating him from the playoffs on the last Saints play of the game). This matchup is too close to call.
5. Jacked Up! (Cho) vs. Rice Beaters (David K.)
Who Cho is rooting for: Simon, Eric, Paul
Who David is rooting for: For Mike, Cho, an Dan to all lose and for his team to score 300+ points, clinching him a playoff spot
Cho's team finally got a break the last 4 weeks with teams regressing to the mean and scoring under 80 ppg against him. However, he was only able to go 2-2 during that stretch and puts himself in an undesirable position of playoff uncertainty. He still has a great chance, especially if he wins, but if he had pulled out a victory last week, he could have been playing for a bye, not his playoff life. Getting Josh Gordon back has made Cho's wide receiver corp the best in the league. With him, Nelson, and Bryant/DeSean, he can compete with anyone, even Eric. David K., the other man who could have rode his WRs to the playoffs, has finally benched one of his coveted WRs who has not lived up to expectations. It's been a disappointing season as David could have really made something happen had he been willing to trade one of those studs for a decent RB. Now, he just lives to play the role of spoiler. But will he succeed? I say no. Too much firepower carries Cho in an easy victory, as Ray Rice's karma brings down David to wait until next year.
7. Pass that Blount vs. 8. Gotta Catch Jamaal
Who they are both rooting for: Eric, Simon, David K.
It all comes down to this. And a win isn't a guarantee to make the playoffs. If Nelson, Mike, Cho, and Dan all win, the winner could still see himself stuck in 7th place due to both of these teams' low point total. But let's worry about external factors later. Who actually wins this matchup to keep themselves in the playoff race? My money's on David Y. Although Jon has played with a lot of heart and some saavy (Sanu, Hill), his ridiculous inability to drop Adrian Peterson will become his downfall. Had he given up on the man and maybe tried for some other free agents, he might not even be in this position. But we all know Jon. This man does not know when to let go. And when Foster and Charles are running all over his team and Rodgers gets caught in a shootout with Tom Brady at Gillette, Jon will be looking at his team that is devoid of playmakers other than Antonio Brown and wondering why Peterson is still on his team.
Final Predicted Standings:
1. Simon
2. Eric
3. Nelson
4. Cho
5. Dan
6. David Y.
Good luck to all and Happy Thanksgiving!
Simon Kim
1. I Have a Concussion (Simon) vs. 6. Leaky Spark Tube (Dan)
Who Simon is rooting for: N/A
Who Dan is rooting for: Eric
A huge game for Dan as even if he wins, he will not be guaranteed a spot. If Eric beats Mike, that will open up a sure spot as long as he himself is able to win. Otherwise, he'll have to make sure he wins AND scores enough points to keep Jon/Yim at bay. If we take a quick look at the matchup, Dan's got Luck against a struggling Redskins team, Lacy and Bell playing against teams that can definitely be run on and Simon's got some injury issues on his team. All things are looking up for Dan to continue his season past week 13.
2. Marc by MarcTrestman (Eric) vs. 4. taeyeon (Mike)
Who Eric is rooting for: Paul
Who Mike is rooting for: Simon, David K.
Most weeks, this would definitely be the MOTW due to the standings of the two teams and the playoff implications. Eric has the luxury of controlling his own destiny: win and not only do you secure the playoff berth, but you will also receive the coveted first round bye. If he can't pull off the win, he'll need some help from Paul to keep Nelson from creeping in to the top spot. Mike should make it with a win but once again, the point differential game comes into the equation. A loss by Dan or Cho would greatly increase his odds of making the playoffs, even if he falters this week against Eric. He's done an admirable job of ripping off 2 straight much-needed wins and climbing from 9th to 4th in just 2 weeks. Who actually wins the matchup? Mike does have some tasty matchups with the Eli+Odell+Jennings (aka the entire NYG team) combo against the Jags or Tate against a Bears team that is without Fuller and will be focused on stopping Calvin. But I still have to say Eric wins. There are just too many weapons (especially at WR) that can go off for 20+. Mike will need help to keep his playoff hopes alive.
3. Turn Down for Watt (Nelson) vs. 11. Ben There Raped That (Paul)
Who Nelson is rooting for: If he wins, Mike. If he loses, Eric.
Who Paul is rooting for: His fantasy basketball team as his football one is irrelevant at this point
Nelson, whom I stated as having a 75% chance of missing the playoffs, has won 4 in a row to keep himself in the playoff discussion. He's climbed from 8th to 3rd but his position is a very fragile one due to his lowest total of points scored. However, it seems like he's either really lucky or teams have a hard time scoring on him because he's got the lowest points against as well. If he loses this week, the teams below could all overtake him quite easily. Nelson will definitely have to track more than just his matchup this week as the Eric/Mike matchup plays a huge role in his ultimate playoff seeding. If Nelson wins, he'll be looking for Mike to knock off Eric so that he can earn himself a much-needed bye. If Nelson loses, he'll be looking for a win by Eric to knock off one of Nelson's potential rivals for the 3-6 seeds. Nelson's team has been decimated at the RB position but Brees and Graham are good enough to carry the team to a victory (as we witnessed last week against David Kim, eliminating him from the playoffs on the last Saints play of the game). This matchup is too close to call.
5. Jacked Up! (Cho) vs. Rice Beaters (David K.)
Who Cho is rooting for: Simon, Eric, Paul
Who David is rooting for: For Mike, Cho, an Dan to all lose and for his team to score 300+ points, clinching him a playoff spot
Cho's team finally got a break the last 4 weeks with teams regressing to the mean and scoring under 80 ppg against him. However, he was only able to go 2-2 during that stretch and puts himself in an undesirable position of playoff uncertainty. He still has a great chance, especially if he wins, but if he had pulled out a victory last week, he could have been playing for a bye, not his playoff life. Getting Josh Gordon back has made Cho's wide receiver corp the best in the league. With him, Nelson, and Bryant/DeSean, he can compete with anyone, even Eric. David K., the other man who could have rode his WRs to the playoffs, has finally benched one of his coveted WRs who has not lived up to expectations. It's been a disappointing season as David could have really made something happen had he been willing to trade one of those studs for a decent RB. Now, he just lives to play the role of spoiler. But will he succeed? I say no. Too much firepower carries Cho in an easy victory, as Ray Rice's karma brings down David to wait until next year.
7. Pass that Blount vs. 8. Gotta Catch Jamaal
Who they are both rooting for: Eric, Simon, David K.
It all comes down to this. And a win isn't a guarantee to make the playoffs. If Nelson, Mike, Cho, and Dan all win, the winner could still see himself stuck in 7th place due to both of these teams' low point total. But let's worry about external factors later. Who actually wins this matchup to keep themselves in the playoff race? My money's on David Y. Although Jon has played with a lot of heart and some saavy (Sanu, Hill), his ridiculous inability to drop Adrian Peterson will become his downfall. Had he given up on the man and maybe tried for some other free agents, he might not even be in this position. But we all know Jon. This man does not know when to let go. And when Foster and Charles are running all over his team and Rodgers gets caught in a shootout with Tom Brady at Gillette, Jon will be looking at his team that is devoid of playmakers other than Antonio Brown and wondering why Peterson is still on his team.
Final Predicted Standings:
1. Simon
2. Eric
3. Nelson
4. Cho
5. Dan
6. David Y.
Good luck to all and Happy Thanksgiving!
Simon Kim
Thursday, November 20, 2014
Week 12...
Hey guys,
Sorry but there will be no post this week. I am posting this on my way to the airport and won't have time to write a formal MOTW before the Thursday night game. I was going to write it last night but an impromptu Vegas trip distracted me.
I will be back next week with a potentially special edition as there should be multiple matchups that decide the playoff race and seeding. See you then!
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Sorry but there will be no post this week. I am posting this on my way to the airport and won't have time to write a formal MOTW before the Thursday night game. I was going to write it last night but an impromptu Vegas trip distracted me.
I will be back next week with a potentially special edition as there should be multiple matchups that decide the playoff race and seeding. See you then!
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, November 13, 2014
Make or break?
After 3 scintillating, Monday night, come-from-behind victories last week (Benjamin carrying Biggie over Mike, Parkey's leg carrying my team over Eric, and unlikely hero Jordan Matthews delivering a stunning blow to David Y.'s team) the playoff picture is murkier than ever. Other than JY who is pretty much eliminated from playoff contention, only one game separates teams ranked 3 to 11. Who will make it? Let's start with the easy ones. (Note: I'm skipping MOTW this week to mourn my first incorrect prediction of the season... thanks Jon)
Out:
11. Biggie (4-6) - Although he has an easy schedule (playing teams ranked 5,6,12), his team may have dug itself in to big of a hole to climb out of. He must win out, score massive points (2nd lowest points of potential playoff teams) and must do it without Kelvin and Big Ben in week 12. The first 2 matchups are against managers playing for their playoff lives so they won't be easy. By the time he gets the JY cupcake, his fate may have already been decided. Chance: 99%
10. Paul (4-6) - Another team that needs to win out in order to sniff a chance, Paul's team kept its hopes alive with a crazy win last week. But he still has two juggernauts standing in his way. Although Mike's team is only one spot higher than Paul's in rank, he's clearly been one of the unluckier teams in the league. If he can get past both Dan and Mike, he'll have a potential playoff matchup with Nelson in the final week but I just can't see him putting together a 4-game win streak to end the season. Chance: 90%
8. Nelson (5-5) - He'll be joining his brother looking in on the playoffs almost purely due to his inability to score. Not only does low scoring mean not winning many games, but when the standings are tight like this, every point counts for the tiebreaker. Nelson would either need to win out or get monster points if he does lose. But other than Brees and Graham, who can provide those points? The only good news is that his schedule is favorable. He gets 7,10,12 and all have not averaged more than 100 points per game this season. Chance: 75%
7. David K. (5-5) - The good news for David is that if he wins out, he might not just be in the playoffs but potentially clinching a bye. The bad news? He has to face the 2 of the 3 best scoring teams in the league to do it. He can afford to lose one and still make the playoffs but the question really is can he even win one of the two? Chance: 55%
Bubble:
5. David Y. (5-5) and 6. Jon (5-5) - Fittingly, the last matchup of the season is between Jon and David Y. and I believe the winner will make it and the loser will not. The problem for David is that he really needed that win last week to create a cushion for the upcoming weeks. If you look at his schedule, he has one of the toughest, playing 2,1,6 to end the year. He'll need at least two of those to be victories. If we generously give him a split against the top two teams in the league, it leaves him needing to beat Jon to get in. Jon on the other hand plays 1,12,5, setting him up for a much more palatable schedule to make it.
Final Verdict:
Out - David Y. (51%)
In - Jon (51%)
In:
9. Mike (4-6) - Although it seems like a stretch as he would almost certainly need to win out to make it, I don't doubt this team's talent to be able to do that. First off he's been the second unluckiest team in the league, only to Cho. Teams are scoring 107.7 points per game against him and producing a 3rd in the league 104.7 ppg just hasn't been enough. I expect that to change as he plays the Kim brothers in what should be two wins and fends off Eric to clinch his spot in the playoffs. With Jennings returning, he adds more firepower to this already potent offense. Chance: 65%
3. Cho (5-5) - With a cupcake schedule (12,11,7) and the law of averages bound to return, Cho's almost a lock for the playoffs. It doesn't hurt that he'll add another weapon in Josh Gordon to a team that's already the 2nd best at scoring in the league. Chance: 99%
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Out:
11. Biggie (4-6) - Although he has an easy schedule (playing teams ranked 5,6,12), his team may have dug itself in to big of a hole to climb out of. He must win out, score massive points (2nd lowest points of potential playoff teams) and must do it without Kelvin and Big Ben in week 12. The first 2 matchups are against managers playing for their playoff lives so they won't be easy. By the time he gets the JY cupcake, his fate may have already been decided. Chance: 99%
10. Paul (4-6) - Another team that needs to win out in order to sniff a chance, Paul's team kept its hopes alive with a crazy win last week. But he still has two juggernauts standing in his way. Although Mike's team is only one spot higher than Paul's in rank, he's clearly been one of the unluckier teams in the league. If he can get past both Dan and Mike, he'll have a potential playoff matchup with Nelson in the final week but I just can't see him putting together a 4-game win streak to end the season. Chance: 90%
8. Nelson (5-5) - He'll be joining his brother looking in on the playoffs almost purely due to his inability to score. Not only does low scoring mean not winning many games, but when the standings are tight like this, every point counts for the tiebreaker. Nelson would either need to win out or get monster points if he does lose. But other than Brees and Graham, who can provide those points? The only good news is that his schedule is favorable. He gets 7,10,12 and all have not averaged more than 100 points per game this season. Chance: 75%
7. David K. (5-5) - The good news for David is that if he wins out, he might not just be in the playoffs but potentially clinching a bye. The bad news? He has to face the 2 of the 3 best scoring teams in the league to do it. He can afford to lose one and still make the playoffs but the question really is can he even win one of the two? Chance: 55%
Bubble:
5. David Y. (5-5) and 6. Jon (5-5) - Fittingly, the last matchup of the season is between Jon and David Y. and I believe the winner will make it and the loser will not. The problem for David is that he really needed that win last week to create a cushion for the upcoming weeks. If you look at his schedule, he has one of the toughest, playing 2,1,6 to end the year. He'll need at least two of those to be victories. If we generously give him a split against the top two teams in the league, it leaves him needing to beat Jon to get in. Jon on the other hand plays 1,12,5, setting him up for a much more palatable schedule to make it.
Final Verdict:
Out - David Y. (51%)
In - Jon (51%)
In:
4. Dan (5-5) - Dan's team looks well-poised for the playoffs. Luck is playing out of his mind, the backfield has been solid and the young receiving corp has played good enough to compete each week. But trouble does lie ahead. This week against Paul becomes a must-win as he must face Eric and myself in the final two weeks, the current 1st and 2nd place teams in the league. If that wasn't enough, he has to face Eric without Le'Veon Bell. Yikes. It's unfortunate that he had to play Eric and myself a combined 4 times this year but so far he's been 1-1. If he can manage a split and win a game he's supposed to, he should be playoff bound. Chance: 60%
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, November 6, 2014
MOTW - Week 10
So the playoff situation is just as murky as it was a couple weeks ago. With 10 teams between 3-6 and 5-4, all the spots are still up for grabs. While it may seem like a stretch for some teams, this really becomes a make or break week for almost everyone. Even the teams at the top need to worry about a cold streak that may knock them out of the playoffs. With this in mind, we see a key matchup in this week's MOTW.
MOTW
6. Jacked Up! (Cho) vs. 4. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon)
Key Players on Bye:
Cho - D. Jackson, Bradshaw
Jon - Vinatieri
One team is rising as a potential juggernaut. With AP potentially able to return, Sanu emerging in Green's absence, and Antonio Brown sneakily emerging as the best 2014 fantasy receiver, Jon's team is rewarding him for not giving up through the loss of so many of his key players. Meanwhile, Cho's bad luck continues. His opponent finally scored under 100 last week but with Foles leaving the game with a broken collarbone and the Broncos defense getting trampled by Brady and company, Cho couldn't even squeeze out 80 points. With his playoff berth at stake, he tries to bounce back against an emerging power.
QB: I can't choose the Sanchize to win anything, even with all the weapons at his disposal. Ryan struggles on the road but the Bucs are so bad, he should get a few TDs in before sitting out the fourth in the blowout. Edge: Jon
WR: Jordy vs. Brown could have arguably been a competition for the best WR this season and maybe Jordy can make up some of the ground that Brown has created in the past few weeks against a putrid Bears secondary. The deciding factor of this matchup will come down to the secondary receivers, particularly, Martavius Bryant. A steal on the waiver wire, Bryant should be able to torch a horrendous Jets secondary with the red-hot Rapey throwing him the ball, edging out any of the other receivers on Jon's team AND taking some points away from Brown. Edge: Cho
RB: The Packers might arguably be the worst running defense in the league. They have yet to keep a team from amassing 100 rushing yards. Expect a huge day from Forte. But don't count out Jeremy Hill who should destroy another terrible run defense in Cleveland. With no Gio, he should pick up 20+ touches and use them wisely. Ellington's a better back but Hillman gets a much better matchup with the Raiders with the chance to pick up garbage time yards and scores. Basically what all this means is that it's too close to call. Edge: Even
TE: Witten does get the horrendous Jags team so this might be his best chance at an explosive game. Double the chances of that happening if Weeden plays and needs to throw to a sure-handed Witten instead of taking deep chances to Dez. Edge: Jon
K/DEF: It's weird that a kicker can be a huge loss to a team but Vinatieri has been the 2nd best kicker in the league this season. With Dan Bailey getting copious attempts against the Jags, Cundiff will have to try to keep up. As for the defense, I can't see the Broncos taking that last loss lightly. And who do they get to dispense their wrath on? The poor Oakland Raiders. Expect a slaughter. Edge: Cho
Winner: Jon
The bad luck continues for Cho and he slides to 4-6 and kicks into desperation mode to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, everything will look up for Jon as the AP details become clearer and potentially rejoins the team for the playoff stretch that he looks to be a part of.
MOTW Record: 10-0
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
MOTW
6. Jacked Up! (Cho) vs. 4. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon)
Key Players on Bye:
Cho - D. Jackson, Bradshaw
Jon - Vinatieri
One team is rising as a potential juggernaut. With AP potentially able to return, Sanu emerging in Green's absence, and Antonio Brown sneakily emerging as the best 2014 fantasy receiver, Jon's team is rewarding him for not giving up through the loss of so many of his key players. Meanwhile, Cho's bad luck continues. His opponent finally scored under 100 last week but with Foles leaving the game with a broken collarbone and the Broncos defense getting trampled by Brady and company, Cho couldn't even squeeze out 80 points. With his playoff berth at stake, he tries to bounce back against an emerging power.
QB: I can't choose the Sanchize to win anything, even with all the weapons at his disposal. Ryan struggles on the road but the Bucs are so bad, he should get a few TDs in before sitting out the fourth in the blowout. Edge: Jon
WR: Jordy vs. Brown could have arguably been a competition for the best WR this season and maybe Jordy can make up some of the ground that Brown has created in the past few weeks against a putrid Bears secondary. The deciding factor of this matchup will come down to the secondary receivers, particularly, Martavius Bryant. A steal on the waiver wire, Bryant should be able to torch a horrendous Jets secondary with the red-hot Rapey throwing him the ball, edging out any of the other receivers on Jon's team AND taking some points away from Brown. Edge: Cho
RB: The Packers might arguably be the worst running defense in the league. They have yet to keep a team from amassing 100 rushing yards. Expect a huge day from Forte. But don't count out Jeremy Hill who should destroy another terrible run defense in Cleveland. With no Gio, he should pick up 20+ touches and use them wisely. Ellington's a better back but Hillman gets a much better matchup with the Raiders with the chance to pick up garbage time yards and scores. Basically what all this means is that it's too close to call. Edge: Even
TE: Witten does get the horrendous Jags team so this might be his best chance at an explosive game. Double the chances of that happening if Weeden plays and needs to throw to a sure-handed Witten instead of taking deep chances to Dez. Edge: Jon
K/DEF: It's weird that a kicker can be a huge loss to a team but Vinatieri has been the 2nd best kicker in the league this season. With Dan Bailey getting copious attempts against the Jags, Cundiff will have to try to keep up. As for the defense, I can't see the Broncos taking that last loss lightly. And who do they get to dispense their wrath on? The poor Oakland Raiders. Expect a slaughter. Edge: Cho
Winner: Jon
The bad luck continues for Cho and he slides to 4-6 and kicks into desperation mode to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, everything will look up for Jon as the AP details become clearer and potentially rejoins the team for the playoff stretch that he looks to be a part of.
MOTW Record: 10-0
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, October 30, 2014
MOTW - Week 9
Before we start, I have to mention something about last week's MOTW: my prediction came true to a tee. Bailey's extra point on Witten's TD pushed Cho over Mike during MNF. I may have the gift of fantasy prophecy. Anyways, time to look to the future...
David vs. Goliath. A classic story about how someone who looked unfit to win a battle overcame obstacles to eventually become king. Well, this week's matchup pits two Davids against each other. Which one will stay true to his name and which one will receive the terrible fate suffered by Goliath?
MOTW
7. Pass that Blount (David Y.) vs. 8. Rice Beaters (David K.)
Yim has gotten to this point with inconsistency. One week his team looks like world beaters, the next week they suffer a loss they shouldn't have. Which team will show up this week? Kim meanwhile was on a hot streak until his team fizzled out and suffered a blowout of the week. Can he bounce back to reclaim his first playoff berth?
Key Players on Bye:
Yim - Rodgers
Kim - Marshall
QB: No Rodgers means a huge leg up for Kim's team. He gets an angrier-than-usual Philip Rivers who wants to bounce back from a tough Denver loss with 10 days of preparation. Although he plays on the road, Miami's weather should be similar to what Rivers is used to in San Diego. Edge: Kim
WR: Without Marshall, this matchup becomes slightly more interesting. Although in the past I had anointed David's team as arguably the best WR corp in our league, an inconsistent Patterson and an injury-plagued Marshall have limited the output. But with that being said, Dez should beast his way to his usual numbers and Allen Robinson should get decent looks in a matchup that will require a ton of throwing. On the other side, David's going with a very unusual strategy. He's using two receivers from the same team that's not even a pass-happy offense. They play with a QB who hasn't started this season and against a Chiefs team that's starting to get their players healthy. Yim may be hoping that sneaking a 3rd running back at the WR spot is what will swing this battle for him but in the end, he'll fall short. Edge: Kim
RB: Last week, Yim's RB produced the best score from a pair of running backs the league has seen this season. Although Charles plays a tough run D in the Jets, he'll get plenty of touches, even if it comes in the pass game. Foster should be able to dominate his touches against a porous Eagles line. Meanwhile, one of the worst backfields in the league tries to keep up with this two-headed monster. Let's just say there's no chance. Edge: Yim
TE: Heath Miller? I don't expect Rape-lisberger to repeat last week's feat and you can see in the 3 weeks before the fluke of the century, Miller was barely averaging a point a game. Let's stick with Olsen who has been Cam's security blanket and red zone threat. Edge: Kim
K/DEF: Seattle gets to play Oakland. At home. Over/Under on 20 points? Although Philly's special teams has played admirably, they won't be able to match the demolition the Seahawks will perform. Both kickers should get plenty of looks in games that should see drives stall out in the red zone. Edge: Yim
Winner: Yim
I should have given myself an easier matchup as this is probably going to be one of the toughest matchups to call. If Rodgers had played, this would have easily gone Yim's way but without him, he'll have to bank of his RBs providing at least half of his team's points. Although he only wins two position battles, I believe he'll thoroughly dominate those while keeping it close at the other positions.
MOTW Record: 9-0
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
David vs. Goliath. A classic story about how someone who looked unfit to win a battle overcame obstacles to eventually become king. Well, this week's matchup pits two Davids against each other. Which one will stay true to his name and which one will receive the terrible fate suffered by Goliath?
MOTW
7. Pass that Blount (David Y.) vs. 8. Rice Beaters (David K.)
Yim has gotten to this point with inconsistency. One week his team looks like world beaters, the next week they suffer a loss they shouldn't have. Which team will show up this week? Kim meanwhile was on a hot streak until his team fizzled out and suffered a blowout of the week. Can he bounce back to reclaim his first playoff berth?
Key Players on Bye:
Yim - Rodgers
Kim - Marshall
QB: No Rodgers means a huge leg up for Kim's team. He gets an angrier-than-usual Philip Rivers who wants to bounce back from a tough Denver loss with 10 days of preparation. Although he plays on the road, Miami's weather should be similar to what Rivers is used to in San Diego. Edge: Kim
WR: Without Marshall, this matchup becomes slightly more interesting. Although in the past I had anointed David's team as arguably the best WR corp in our league, an inconsistent Patterson and an injury-plagued Marshall have limited the output. But with that being said, Dez should beast his way to his usual numbers and Allen Robinson should get decent looks in a matchup that will require a ton of throwing. On the other side, David's going with a very unusual strategy. He's using two receivers from the same team that's not even a pass-happy offense. They play with a QB who hasn't started this season and against a Chiefs team that's starting to get their players healthy. Yim may be hoping that sneaking a 3rd running back at the WR spot is what will swing this battle for him but in the end, he'll fall short. Edge: Kim
RB: Last week, Yim's RB produced the best score from a pair of running backs the league has seen this season. Although Charles plays a tough run D in the Jets, he'll get plenty of touches, even if it comes in the pass game. Foster should be able to dominate his touches against a porous Eagles line. Meanwhile, one of the worst backfields in the league tries to keep up with this two-headed monster. Let's just say there's no chance. Edge: Yim
TE: Heath Miller? I don't expect Rape-lisberger to repeat last week's feat and you can see in the 3 weeks before the fluke of the century, Miller was barely averaging a point a game. Let's stick with Olsen who has been Cam's security blanket and red zone threat. Edge: Kim
K/DEF: Seattle gets to play Oakland. At home. Over/Under on 20 points? Although Philly's special teams has played admirably, they won't be able to match the demolition the Seahawks will perform. Both kickers should get plenty of looks in games that should see drives stall out in the red zone. Edge: Yim
Winner: Yim
I should have given myself an easier matchup as this is probably going to be one of the toughest matchups to call. If Rodgers had played, this would have easily gone Yim's way but without him, he'll have to bank of his RBs providing at least half of his team's points. Although he only wins two position battles, I believe he'll thoroughly dominate those while keeping it close at the other positions.
MOTW Record: 9-0
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, October 23, 2014
MOTW - Week 8
So somehow I still haven't missed a pick! Time to really challenge myself this week:
MOTW
4. taeyeon (Mike) vs. 6. Jacked Up! (Cho)
The two unluckiest teams go head to head in a showdown that could end up having huge playoff implications. While both are top 5 in the league in scoring, they are 1st and 2nd in points against. If anyone played the schedules they've had to play, they would probably have no chance of sniffing the playoffs. Let's see what happens when these cursed teams play each other.
Key Players on Bye:
Mike - OBJ, Kaepernick
Cho - Crabtree
QB: With Kaepernick out, Mike must resort to his only other option in Cam Newton. He plays the Seahawks who may have looked beatable in recent weeks, but are still a formidable defense. But Foles has just as tough of a matchup with the Cardinals in the desert. He comes off a bye but that secondary is arguably the best in the league. Edge: Even
WR: If AJ Green does not play AND with OBJ on his bye, Mike will be forced to use Quick. If that's the case, and it's looking more and more like it is, Jordy should steal this matchup single-handedly for Cho. He plays one of the worst secondaries and although Keenan Lewis has been solid, Jordy will find his space. The only problem would be if they win too easily and Jordy gets taken out halfway through like he did against the Vikings. Edge: Cho
RB: The Carolina front was supposed to be a defensive monster but it's been anything but this season. Beast Mode should feast on that d-line like it's made out of Skittles. Oliver and Hillman play on Thursday, which I always believe is an advantage for the offense. Expect solid games from both. So it'll come down to whether or not Forte can match Marshawn's production. Against a Pats team missing Chandler Jones, I'll say he's a huge factor in the pass game. Edge: Even
TE: With Jimmy missing half the season, Gronk has fallen in as arguably the 2nd best TE in the league (although, Olsen is making his case known). Against a Chicago defense who has a white safety? GG. Bennett will do his best to keep it close but Brady's only got Gronk on his mind. Edge: Mike
K/DEF: Although lately they've looked more competent, a solid defense against Jacksonville should still be counted on for double digit points. However, I have a feeling about Dan Bailey... meaning:
Winner: Cho
Here's my actual crazy prediction: Cho will be behind going into Monday night but a Dan Bailey field goal will ultimately push him ahead of Mike to get back to .500.
MOTW Record: 8-0
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
MOTW
4. taeyeon (Mike) vs. 6. Jacked Up! (Cho)
The two unluckiest teams go head to head in a showdown that could end up having huge playoff implications. While both are top 5 in the league in scoring, they are 1st and 2nd in points against. If anyone played the schedules they've had to play, they would probably have no chance of sniffing the playoffs. Let's see what happens when these cursed teams play each other.
Key Players on Bye:
Mike - OBJ, Kaepernick
Cho - Crabtree
QB: With Kaepernick out, Mike must resort to his only other option in Cam Newton. He plays the Seahawks who may have looked beatable in recent weeks, but are still a formidable defense. But Foles has just as tough of a matchup with the Cardinals in the desert. He comes off a bye but that secondary is arguably the best in the league. Edge: Even
WR: If AJ Green does not play AND with OBJ on his bye, Mike will be forced to use Quick. If that's the case, and it's looking more and more like it is, Jordy should steal this matchup single-handedly for Cho. He plays one of the worst secondaries and although Keenan Lewis has been solid, Jordy will find his space. The only problem would be if they win too easily and Jordy gets taken out halfway through like he did against the Vikings. Edge: Cho
RB: The Carolina front was supposed to be a defensive monster but it's been anything but this season. Beast Mode should feast on that d-line like it's made out of Skittles. Oliver and Hillman play on Thursday, which I always believe is an advantage for the offense. Expect solid games from both. So it'll come down to whether or not Forte can match Marshawn's production. Against a Pats team missing Chandler Jones, I'll say he's a huge factor in the pass game. Edge: Even
TE: With Jimmy missing half the season, Gronk has fallen in as arguably the 2nd best TE in the league (although, Olsen is making his case known). Against a Chicago defense who has a white safety? GG. Bennett will do his best to keep it close but Brady's only got Gronk on his mind. Edge: Mike
K/DEF: Although lately they've looked more competent, a solid defense against Jacksonville should still be counted on for double digit points. However, I have a feeling about Dan Bailey... meaning:
Winner: Cho
Here's my actual crazy prediction: Cho will be behind going into Monday night but a Dan Bailey field goal will ultimately push him ahead of Mike to get back to .500.
MOTW Record: 8-0
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, October 16, 2014
MOTW - Week 7
This is getting scary. I'm 7-0 at predicting the winners in MOTWs this season. The one year I don't play pick'ems...
Nonetheless, I'll look to keep my streak going in the highest rated matchup we've had to date.
MOTW
2. Marc by MarcTrestman (Eric) vs. 3. Rice Beaters (David K.)
QB: Although Rivers has the better real season, Cutler's been a beast in the fantasy world. Last week was the first week he did not throw for multiple touchdowns this season but he put up 381 yards to make up for the lack of another score. He'll keep Eric right in this matchup with arguably the best QB to date. Edge: Even
WR: What I believe to be the two best WR corps in the league get to take a shot at each other. Let's do a head to head:
Marshall vs. DT: I like Marshall for 2 reasons: 1) He plays a softer defense and 2) Marshall should negate some of the points that Cutler amasses in the game
Bryant vs. Cobb: Dez has not found the end zone against the Giants since 2011. Meanwhile, Cobb faces a Carolina team that hasn't been able to stop anybody.
Holmes vs. Smith: The wildcard. I will not make the same mistake as Carolina. I pick Steve Smith. Always pick Steve Smith.
Edge: Eric
RB: Ben Tate does get a look against an awful Jacksonville team but nobody is stopping Murray. I don't even think Andre + Tate will be enough to equal Murray's points. Edge: Eric
TE: Kelce has been a consistent weapon in Andy Reid's TE happy schemes. But Olsen has been Cam's favorite target since the aforementioned Smith has left town. I expect Carolina to have to throw to keep up with Rodgers and company. Edge: David
K/DEF: In a bubble, San Francisco's defense is better than the Cowboys. But I can't trust them going against Peyton and the Broncos, even if Manning has struggled against the 49ers throughout his career. Gostkowski should hit around 20 points as a high-scoring, revamped New England team go against a Jets team that's just been miserable. Edge: Even
Winner: Eric
Too much talent as Eric pushes his way towards the top spot in the league. He ends David's 4 game winning streak while pushing his own to 4. Eric has eclipsed the 130 point threshold in half of his games this season. No other team has eclipsed that mark more than once. A true juggernaut is forming.
MOTW Record: 7-0 (I'm adding it now because it's something I can be proud of)
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Nonetheless, I'll look to keep my streak going in the highest rated matchup we've had to date.
MOTW
2. Marc by MarcTrestman (Eric) vs. 3. Rice Beaters (David K.)
QB: Although Rivers has the better real season, Cutler's been a beast in the fantasy world. Last week was the first week he did not throw for multiple touchdowns this season but he put up 381 yards to make up for the lack of another score. He'll keep Eric right in this matchup with arguably the best QB to date. Edge: Even
WR: What I believe to be the two best WR corps in the league get to take a shot at each other. Let's do a head to head:
Marshall vs. DT: I like Marshall for 2 reasons: 1) He plays a softer defense and 2) Marshall should negate some of the points that Cutler amasses in the game
Bryant vs. Cobb: Dez has not found the end zone against the Giants since 2011. Meanwhile, Cobb faces a Carolina team that hasn't been able to stop anybody.
Holmes vs. Smith: The wildcard. I will not make the same mistake as Carolina. I pick Steve Smith. Always pick Steve Smith.
Edge: Eric
RB: Ben Tate does get a look against an awful Jacksonville team but nobody is stopping Murray. I don't even think Andre + Tate will be enough to equal Murray's points. Edge: Eric
TE: Kelce has been a consistent weapon in Andy Reid's TE happy schemes. But Olsen has been Cam's favorite target since the aforementioned Smith has left town. I expect Carolina to have to throw to keep up with Rodgers and company. Edge: David
K/DEF: In a bubble, San Francisco's defense is better than the Cowboys. But I can't trust them going against Peyton and the Broncos, even if Manning has struggled against the 49ers throughout his career. Gostkowski should hit around 20 points as a high-scoring, revamped New England team go against a Jets team that's just been miserable. Edge: Even
Winner: Eric
Too much talent as Eric pushes his way towards the top spot in the league. He ends David's 4 game winning streak while pushing his own to 4. Eric has eclipsed the 130 point threshold in half of his games this season. No other team has eclipsed that mark more than once. A true juggernaut is forming.
MOTW Record: 7-0 (I'm adding it now because it's something I can be proud of)
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, October 9, 2014
MOTW - Week 6: Super MOTW
As a certain individual pointed out, I have been slacking quite a bit on these MOTWs this season. I missed the first three weeks and sloppily made an excuse about... something. So to make it up, here comes a super MOTW your way.
Looking at the standings, we have 10 teams within a game of each other at 3-2 or 2-3 and the craziest part is, each 3-2 team is playing a 2-3 team this week. We could end up with 10 3-3 teams next week or 5 teams separating themselves from the teams that will eventually miss the playoffs. Most likely, we'll end up with a healthy mix that will muddy the playoff picture more. Let's take a look at how things could shake out. I'll put them in order of what I predict to be the largest margin of victory to the smallest.
MOTW 5
7. Leaky Spark Tube (Dan) vs. 5. Turn Down For Watt (Nelson)
Key Players on Bye:
Dan - None
Nelson - Brees, Graham
Ouch. Without his 2 best fantasy players, what can Nelson do to keep himself from dropping three games in a row?
QB: Luck has arguably been the best QB in fantasy this year (him or P. Manning). Meanwhile, Nelson needs a struggling Cousins to fill in for Brees. Can he get it going against one of the best secondaries in the league? My sources say no. Edge: Dan
WR: Nobody really stands out in this group but if there's any chance of an upset, Vincent Jackson will need to step up big. We saw what he can do when he has a competent QB throwing bombs his way so with Glennon at the helm, I'm expecting a big day from him. On the flip side, I really do think Alshon has been overrated but he's still a legit top 20 WR. I'm going to say he has a huge day against this awful Falcons secondary. Edge: Even
RB: When you have to start two RBs from the same team, you know you're not in a good spot. Sure, you'll pick up pretty much all the rushing yards and scores for the team but it limits the damage your team can do. Meanwhile, a revitalized Lacy gets to face a relatively soft Dolphins front and Bell has been a top 10 RB all season. Edge: Dan
TE: Donnell's been hit or miss this season and last week he was as big of a miss as you can get. 1 target, 0 catches, 0 points. Will Philly be up to the task to stop the big man? Owen might just squeeze out enough to give Nelson his first position win. Edge: Nelson
K/DEF: Detroit gets to take on an unsure Minny offense that got demolished by the Packers last week. Houston has to try and stop the Colts, whose offense has looked dominant even in their losses. Edge: Dan
Winner: Dan
Nelson and Dan end up even at 500, with one looking to snag a bye and the other slowly falling out of the playoff race altogether.
MOTW 4
11. Keenan & Cal (Biggie) vs. 2. Marc by MarcTrestman (Eric)
Key Players on Bye:
Biggie - None
Eric - Kelce
Half of Biggie's team name will be gone for this crucial matchup while Eric's been the best team in the league, according to total points scored. Will someone step up and get the points Calvin should have gotten this week?
QB: Stafford's ability as a fantasy QB has always relied very heavily upon Megatron. Now that he's gone, what can we expect? Golden Tate's a decent second option but what if Minnesota brackets him and leaves only a slew of TEs? It'll be a long day for Stafford. Meanwhile, Cutler gets to throw against a Falcons defense that I think I could throw a couple TDs on. Edge: Eric
WR: Eric's WRs are arguably the best in the league. With Demaryius finally finding his form, Cobb as the WR1B (B standing for black) in the dangerous Packers offense, and a Steve Smith who is literally out for blood, it would be hard pressed to find a better trio. With Calvin, Benjamin and Keenan become a solid 2 and 3 that can keep up with Eric's team. But with Terrance Williams against the Seahawks secondary? GG. Edge: Eric
RB: If anybody is going to flip this script, it'll be CJ2K. He gets to play a Denver defense, which is the best matchup any of the RBs have. His pass catching ability should come into play as Ellington torched them on a long catch and run last week. Murray, the best RB in football so far, has to face a Seattle line that will try to keep him behind the line of scrimmage. Even with that being said, there's too much talent on Eric's side to give the full edge to Biggie. Edge: Even
TE: With Kelce out, this becomes a crapshoot. I'll give a slight edge to Ertz as he's playing in a game I expect to be a shootout, even if he has been allergic to the end zone for the past 4 weeks while Allen's become a consistent red zone target for Luck. Edge: Biggie
K/DEF: Both kickers should get a lot of reps in games with defenses that will bend but not break, leaving the points to be scored in multiples of three. But San Francisco gets to face a terrible team in the Rams. Austin Davis's reign ends here. Edge: Eric
Winner: Eric
Eric separates himself from the .500 pack while Biggie's season continues to go as Calvin's ankle goes.
MOTW 3
6. Pass that Blount (David Y.) vs. 9. Jacked Up (Cho)
Key Players on Bye:
David - Charles
Cho - None
With Charles back and Rodgers in form, David's been rolling for the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Cho has been the unluckiest team with opponents averaging 120+ points per game against him (you gotta work on that defense, Cho). Can David continue Cho's bad luck?
QB: While Rodgers is clearly the better QB, especially in recent weeks, I can see Foles keeping up this week. He gets to play an underrated but still leaky Giants secondary and like I mentioned before, I believe this game will be a shootout. Edge: Even
WR: Decker's questionable, Percy and Welker are great slot receivers but don't have an affinity for the end zone. Meanwhile, Jordy will negate a ton of Rodgers's points and Crabtree and DeSean are black. Edge: Cho
RB: What do you do when your best player is out? You try to find a home run threat to replace him and that's exactly what David's done. Antone Smith only touches the ball 2 times a game, but somehow ends up with 100 YFS and a TD. There is literally no better lottery ticket. Foster gets an Indy defense that's struggled with the run for about 15 years. While I believe Forte will have a lot of touches and Bradshaw's been better than expected, I think this will be closer than it looks on paper. Edge: Even
TE: Ew, Heath Miller. He's old, slow, big, and not even the top end zone threat thanks to Antonio. Bennett has become a consistent target for Cutler, especially in the end zone. Edge: Cho
K/DEF: Denver's defense gets to FEAST on the Ge-chael Smick combination that hasn't been able to make anything work with that Jets offense. Denver's defense is teeming with big names and I think this is the week they get their first double digit fantasy game. Edge: Cho
Winner: Cho
Cho finally ends the string of bad luck while David tries to recoup for a playoff push now that his best player has gotten over the awful bye week.
MOTW 2
4. Rice Beaters (Davik K.) vs. 10. Ben There Raped That (Paul)
Key Players on Bye:
David - Khiry Robinson
Paul - None
Both teams started on a losing streak but have since turned it around, fighting for a chance at the playoffs. Can Paul pull even with all of the other contenders or will David use his brother as a launching pad to fight for a top two spot and the bye that comes with it?
QB: Right after Manning and Luck lies a spot reserved for another top 3 QB. Is it Rodgers? Is it Brees? In most years, I would say yes to either, or even both. But this year, Rivers has been a monster. He's kept his 2013 form and continues to find ways to make plays. Plus, I don't want to root for a rapist even if he does have a good matchup (although, I'm finally glad that Ben ended up on the team that has his namesake) Edge: David
WR: The WRs in this matchup are a list of who's who in the receiving world. Dez, Marshall, Patterson, Julio, E. Sanders (okay, that's kind of a stretch), and Wheaton... Wheaton? What's he doing here? I don't know if Garcon is benched at this time of writing because of his struggles and the bad matchup against the Cardinals but Wheaton is what will end up being Paul's demise. Edge: David
RB: Every running back in this matchup was a backup as recently as a year ago. Tate behind Foster, Williams behind Jennings, Vereen behind Ridley, and Bell behind Bush. Now they are all starters due to some combination of trade, injury, bad performances by the lead back, or a 1A/1B option depending on the situation. Of the group, I expect Tate to put up the best performance against a surprisingly gap-filled Steelers defense. Edge: David
TE: Olsen has become one of Cam's favorite targets, especially in the red zone, which is great news for David. The bad news is, the Bengals defense is still one of the best in the league, even after being torched by the Pats. I expect Gates to have a field day against a team that I'm not even sure has a defense. Edge: Paul
K/DEF: Philly has surprisingly been a great fantasy defense thanks to a ton of big defensive plays and special teams scores. They give up a ton of points but who cares if they score two touchdowns of their own? I expect that to continue as they match Cincinnati's performance against a bi-polar Panthers team that has struggled to generate offense on the road. Edge: Even
Winner: David
I know David wins 3 matchups but this doesn't mean that he'll be able to relax. This one will come down to the wire with David ripping Paul's heart out as he puts himself in a better position for that first round bye.
MOTW 1
8. Taeyeon (Mike) vs. 3. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon)
Key Players on Bye:
Mike - None
Jon - Colston
The closest matchup this week. Jon's positive attitude has actually been backed by his players and although he dropped a spot in the rankings from last week, he still remains firmly in the playoff picture even after losing 2 RBs to the law. Can he continue or will Mike's explosive yet inconsistent team find the right week to pull off a win?
QB: When Mike took Kaep and Cam, it looked like he had 2 top QB1s that he could switch between depending on who had an easier matchup. Through 5 weeks, both QBs look like borderline QB2s and it's been a struggle to really trust either one. However, Kaep should run through, around, and over the struggling Rams to match Matt Ryan's passing numbers against a relatively competent Bears pass defense. Edge: Even
WR: Ouch. AJ Green getting hurt just might have swung this position battle the other way. Not only did Mike lose Green this week, but Sanu, who Jon has, might add insult to injury by scoring against him. Although Tate will get a chance to put up huge numbers with Calvin out, I still think Brown and company gets it done even without Colston. Edge: Jon
RB: If Jennings was around, this would be a landslide victory for Mike. But without him, it looks like he'll be banking on Oliver to reproduce his numbers from last week. Against a struggling Raiders defense, this is most definitely a possibility. Beast Mode will continue to do Beast Mode things and Ellington will be the focus of a Washington defense that can contain running backs. Edge: Mike
TE: Gronk is a faster, more athletic, more involved in the offense version of Witten. And Witten has to deal with Kam and Earl. Edge: Mike
K/DEF: None of the kickers or defenses stands out in this matchup. Edge: Even (by default)
Winner: Mike
Gronk is the main difference as Mike climbs his way a little bit closer back into playoff contention. Meanwhile, Jon remains positive that this will be the season he breaks his 3 year playoff drought.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Looking at the standings, we have 10 teams within a game of each other at 3-2 or 2-3 and the craziest part is, each 3-2 team is playing a 2-3 team this week. We could end up with 10 3-3 teams next week or 5 teams separating themselves from the teams that will eventually miss the playoffs. Most likely, we'll end up with a healthy mix that will muddy the playoff picture more. Let's take a look at how things could shake out. I'll put them in order of what I predict to be the largest margin of victory to the smallest.
MOTW 5
7. Leaky Spark Tube (Dan) vs. 5. Turn Down For Watt (Nelson)
Key Players on Bye:
Dan - None
Nelson - Brees, Graham
Ouch. Without his 2 best fantasy players, what can Nelson do to keep himself from dropping three games in a row?
QB: Luck has arguably been the best QB in fantasy this year (him or P. Manning). Meanwhile, Nelson needs a struggling Cousins to fill in for Brees. Can he get it going against one of the best secondaries in the league? My sources say no. Edge: Dan
WR: Nobody really stands out in this group but if there's any chance of an upset, Vincent Jackson will need to step up big. We saw what he can do when he has a competent QB throwing bombs his way so with Glennon at the helm, I'm expecting a big day from him. On the flip side, I really do think Alshon has been overrated but he's still a legit top 20 WR. I'm going to say he has a huge day against this awful Falcons secondary. Edge: Even
RB: When you have to start two RBs from the same team, you know you're not in a good spot. Sure, you'll pick up pretty much all the rushing yards and scores for the team but it limits the damage your team can do. Meanwhile, a revitalized Lacy gets to face a relatively soft Dolphins front and Bell has been a top 10 RB all season. Edge: Dan
TE: Donnell's been hit or miss this season and last week he was as big of a miss as you can get. 1 target, 0 catches, 0 points. Will Philly be up to the task to stop the big man? Owen might just squeeze out enough to give Nelson his first position win. Edge: Nelson
K/DEF: Detroit gets to take on an unsure Minny offense that got demolished by the Packers last week. Houston has to try and stop the Colts, whose offense has looked dominant even in their losses. Edge: Dan
Winner: Dan
Nelson and Dan end up even at 500, with one looking to snag a bye and the other slowly falling out of the playoff race altogether.
MOTW 4
11. Keenan & Cal (Biggie) vs. 2. Marc by MarcTrestman (Eric)
Key Players on Bye:
Biggie - None
Eric - Kelce
Half of Biggie's team name will be gone for this crucial matchup while Eric's been the best team in the league, according to total points scored. Will someone step up and get the points Calvin should have gotten this week?
QB: Stafford's ability as a fantasy QB has always relied very heavily upon Megatron. Now that he's gone, what can we expect? Golden Tate's a decent second option but what if Minnesota brackets him and leaves only a slew of TEs? It'll be a long day for Stafford. Meanwhile, Cutler gets to throw against a Falcons defense that I think I could throw a couple TDs on. Edge: Eric
WR: Eric's WRs are arguably the best in the league. With Demaryius finally finding his form, Cobb as the WR1B (B standing for black) in the dangerous Packers offense, and a Steve Smith who is literally out for blood, it would be hard pressed to find a better trio. With Calvin, Benjamin and Keenan become a solid 2 and 3 that can keep up with Eric's team. But with Terrance Williams against the Seahawks secondary? GG. Edge: Eric
RB: If anybody is going to flip this script, it'll be CJ2K. He gets to play a Denver defense, which is the best matchup any of the RBs have. His pass catching ability should come into play as Ellington torched them on a long catch and run last week. Murray, the best RB in football so far, has to face a Seattle line that will try to keep him behind the line of scrimmage. Even with that being said, there's too much talent on Eric's side to give the full edge to Biggie. Edge: Even
TE: With Kelce out, this becomes a crapshoot. I'll give a slight edge to Ertz as he's playing in a game I expect to be a shootout, even if he has been allergic to the end zone for the past 4 weeks while Allen's become a consistent red zone target for Luck. Edge: Biggie
K/DEF: Both kickers should get a lot of reps in games with defenses that will bend but not break, leaving the points to be scored in multiples of three. But San Francisco gets to face a terrible team in the Rams. Austin Davis's reign ends here. Edge: Eric
Winner: Eric
Eric separates himself from the .500 pack while Biggie's season continues to go as Calvin's ankle goes.
MOTW 3
6. Pass that Blount (David Y.) vs. 9. Jacked Up (Cho)
Key Players on Bye:
David - Charles
Cho - None
With Charles back and Rodgers in form, David's been rolling for the last two weeks. Meanwhile, Cho has been the unluckiest team with opponents averaging 120+ points per game against him (you gotta work on that defense, Cho). Can David continue Cho's bad luck?
QB: While Rodgers is clearly the better QB, especially in recent weeks, I can see Foles keeping up this week. He gets to play an underrated but still leaky Giants secondary and like I mentioned before, I believe this game will be a shootout. Edge: Even
WR: Decker's questionable, Percy and Welker are great slot receivers but don't have an affinity for the end zone. Meanwhile, Jordy will negate a ton of Rodgers's points and Crabtree and DeSean are black. Edge: Cho
RB: What do you do when your best player is out? You try to find a home run threat to replace him and that's exactly what David's done. Antone Smith only touches the ball 2 times a game, but somehow ends up with 100 YFS and a TD. There is literally no better lottery ticket. Foster gets an Indy defense that's struggled with the run for about 15 years. While I believe Forte will have a lot of touches and Bradshaw's been better than expected, I think this will be closer than it looks on paper. Edge: Even
TE: Ew, Heath Miller. He's old, slow, big, and not even the top end zone threat thanks to Antonio. Bennett has become a consistent target for Cutler, especially in the end zone. Edge: Cho
K/DEF: Denver's defense gets to FEAST on the Ge-chael Smick combination that hasn't been able to make anything work with that Jets offense. Denver's defense is teeming with big names and I think this is the week they get their first double digit fantasy game. Edge: Cho
Winner: Cho
Cho finally ends the string of bad luck while David tries to recoup for a playoff push now that his best player has gotten over the awful bye week.
MOTW 2
4. Rice Beaters (Davik K.) vs. 10. Ben There Raped That (Paul)
Key Players on Bye:
David - Khiry Robinson
Paul - None
Both teams started on a losing streak but have since turned it around, fighting for a chance at the playoffs. Can Paul pull even with all of the other contenders or will David use his brother as a launching pad to fight for a top two spot and the bye that comes with it?
QB: Right after Manning and Luck lies a spot reserved for another top 3 QB. Is it Rodgers? Is it Brees? In most years, I would say yes to either, or even both. But this year, Rivers has been a monster. He's kept his 2013 form and continues to find ways to make plays. Plus, I don't want to root for a rapist even if he does have a good matchup (although, I'm finally glad that Ben ended up on the team that has his namesake) Edge: David
WR: The WRs in this matchup are a list of who's who in the receiving world. Dez, Marshall, Patterson, Julio, E. Sanders (okay, that's kind of a stretch), and Wheaton... Wheaton? What's he doing here? I don't know if Garcon is benched at this time of writing because of his struggles and the bad matchup against the Cardinals but Wheaton is what will end up being Paul's demise. Edge: David
RB: Every running back in this matchup was a backup as recently as a year ago. Tate behind Foster, Williams behind Jennings, Vereen behind Ridley, and Bell behind Bush. Now they are all starters due to some combination of trade, injury, bad performances by the lead back, or a 1A/1B option depending on the situation. Of the group, I expect Tate to put up the best performance against a surprisingly gap-filled Steelers defense. Edge: David
TE: Olsen has become one of Cam's favorite targets, especially in the red zone, which is great news for David. The bad news is, the Bengals defense is still one of the best in the league, even after being torched by the Pats. I expect Gates to have a field day against a team that I'm not even sure has a defense. Edge: Paul
K/DEF: Philly has surprisingly been a great fantasy defense thanks to a ton of big defensive plays and special teams scores. They give up a ton of points but who cares if they score two touchdowns of their own? I expect that to continue as they match Cincinnati's performance against a bi-polar Panthers team that has struggled to generate offense on the road. Edge: Even
Winner: David
I know David wins 3 matchups but this doesn't mean that he'll be able to relax. This one will come down to the wire with David ripping Paul's heart out as he puts himself in a better position for that first round bye.
MOTW 1
8. Taeyeon (Mike) vs. 3. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon)
Key Players on Bye:
Mike - None
Jon - Colston
The closest matchup this week. Jon's positive attitude has actually been backed by his players and although he dropped a spot in the rankings from last week, he still remains firmly in the playoff picture even after losing 2 RBs to the law. Can he continue or will Mike's explosive yet inconsistent team find the right week to pull off a win?
QB: When Mike took Kaep and Cam, it looked like he had 2 top QB1s that he could switch between depending on who had an easier matchup. Through 5 weeks, both QBs look like borderline QB2s and it's been a struggle to really trust either one. However, Kaep should run through, around, and over the struggling Rams to match Matt Ryan's passing numbers against a relatively competent Bears pass defense. Edge: Even
WR: Ouch. AJ Green getting hurt just might have swung this position battle the other way. Not only did Mike lose Green this week, but Sanu, who Jon has, might add insult to injury by scoring against him. Although Tate will get a chance to put up huge numbers with Calvin out, I still think Brown and company gets it done even without Colston. Edge: Jon
RB: If Jennings was around, this would be a landslide victory for Mike. But without him, it looks like he'll be banking on Oliver to reproduce his numbers from last week. Against a struggling Raiders defense, this is most definitely a possibility. Beast Mode will continue to do Beast Mode things and Ellington will be the focus of a Washington defense that can contain running backs. Edge: Mike
TE: Gronk is a faster, more athletic, more involved in the offense version of Witten. And Witten has to deal with Kam and Earl. Edge: Mike
K/DEF: None of the kickers or defenses stands out in this matchup. Edge: Even (by default)
Winner: Mike
Gronk is the main difference as Mike climbs his way a little bit closer back into playoff contention. Meanwhile, Jon remains positive that this will be the season he breaks his 3 year playoff drought.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
MOTW - Week 5
This is an interesting week for MOTWs because there are no close battles. Everyone is playing somebody who is at last 4 places away from them in the standings. With that being said, I'll give a special MOTW shout out to 2 perennial under-performers who may have found a team that can take them to the playoffs.
MOTW
2. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon) vs. 8. Rice Beaters (David K.)
I usually don't get to write too many MOTWs about these guys because their teams are never involved in the playoff hunt. David's been in the league for 3 years before this one but has yet to sniff the playoffs. The last time Jon was in the playoffs, David hadn't joined the league yet. They're both hoping to flip that script this season and this week will be a huge step in the right direction for one team and a step towards continued futility for the other.
2. Gotta Catch Jamaal (Jon) vs. 8. Rice Beaters (David K.)
I usually don't get to write too many MOTWs about these guys because their teams are never involved in the playoff hunt. David's been in the league for 3 years before this one but has yet to sniff the playoffs. The last time Jon was in the playoffs, David hadn't joined the league yet. They're both hoping to flip that script this season and this week will be a huge step in the right direction for one team and a step towards continued futility for the other.
Key players lost to bye:
Jon - None
David - None
Jon - None
David - None
QB: Rivers has been hot this season. Other than a semi-dud against Arizona, he's been firing on all cylinders with his offense. He gets a horrendous Jets secondary at home in the heat. Ryan's been solid except a dud against arguably the best defense. He's a little more human on the road but can the Giants stop all the weapons the Falcons have? My answer is yes. Edge: David
WR: While I might have to call the police to pre-report a rape for what Antonio Brown is going to do to that horrendous Jags secondary, take a look at David's WR corp: 3 arguably top 20 WRs, with 2 arguably in the top 5. His third option could be your ace. That's just ridiculous. I don't care who they're playing, David's WRs always win. Edge: David
RB: If you told me that the four starting RBs in this matchup should be drafted before the season, I would have punched you in the face. A Colts castoff who hasn't shown us anything special since his days at UConn? A perennial backup for a prolific offense who couldn't get snaps in front of another busted Alabama running back? A backup to the (then) most reliable player in the NFL who can't average more YPC than Adrian Peterson could if AP ran backwards? Oh wait, there's Ellington. Ellington wins. Edge: Jon
TE: 2 white boys with good hands. I'm going with the younger one. Edge: David
K/DEF: Pittsburgh's been struggling on the defensive side on the ball this year. But Christmas comes early this year. Here comes Jacksonville!!! Philly has been surprisingly useful due to their special teams. But nothing beats playing Jacksonville. Edge: Jon
WR: While I might have to call the police to pre-report a rape for what Antonio Brown is going to do to that horrendous Jags secondary, take a look at David's WR corp: 3 arguably top 20 WRs, with 2 arguably in the top 5. His third option could be your ace. That's just ridiculous. I don't care who they're playing, David's WRs always win. Edge: David
RB: If you told me that the four starting RBs in this matchup should be drafted before the season, I would have punched you in the face. A Colts castoff who hasn't shown us anything special since his days at UConn? A perennial backup for a prolific offense who couldn't get snaps in front of another busted Alabama running back? A backup to the (then) most reliable player in the NFL who can't average more YPC than Adrian Peterson could if AP ran backwards? Oh wait, there's Ellington. Ellington wins. Edge: Jon
TE: 2 white boys with good hands. I'm going with the younger one. Edge: David
K/DEF: Pittsburgh's been struggling on the defensive side on the ball this year. But Christmas comes early this year. Here comes Jacksonville!!! Philly has been surprisingly useful due to their special teams. But nothing beats playing Jacksonville. Edge: Jon
Winner: Rice Beaters (David K.)
No AP. No Rice. Jon's team finally comes down to earth after scrapping together three big wins. That receiving corp makes up 50% of Jon's points and carries David to victory.
No AP. No Rice. Jon's team finally comes down to earth after scrapping together three big wins. That receiving corp makes up 50% of Jon's points and carries David to victory.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, September 25, 2014
Finally... a MOTW
While there are tons of matchups this week that are intriguing (the undefeated teams take each other on, two 2-1 teams face each other as well as two 1-2 teams), the most important one might be the one featured in this week's MOTW.
MOTW
12. Cry Me a Rivers (JY) vs. 11. Ben There Raped That (Paul)
These two teams are the only teams left without a win in this young season. Now at 0-3, their chances at making the playoffs hovers somewhere around 16% (according to some Yahoo blogger based on last year's data). While 0-4 isn't an impossible hole to dig out of, as shown by myself and Paul in past seasons, it drops your chances of making the playoffs to 8%. With a win, you put yourself on the right track and get closer to 25%. So this game isn't just about which team is the most pathetic; it's about which team can actually hope to play past week 13.
Key players lost to bye:
JY - None
Paul - Emmanuel Sanders, Cincinnati Defense
At first glance, I definitely would have given the edge to Paul's team as he showed in the past week that he can put up points with the best of them. However, these are three crucial players on bye. Sanders has emerged as one of Peyton's favorite targets. Cincinnati's defense has grounded every team they've played, including the vaunted Falcons offense. Looks like we're going to have to do a position breakdown for a verdict on this MOTW.
QB: Like I said in the short draft preview, Tom Brady was taken way too high. He's look terrible in his first three starts but KC could be where he finds his bearings unless he's reminded of the time they tore his ACL (this is not a jinx...). Romo on the other hand has had some up and down weeks but he should be in a shootout against a leaky Saints defense. Edge: Paul
WR: Both sets of WRs are pretty weak but one stands out: Mr. Jones. He might single-handedly beat the entire WR corp of JY's team. Edge: Paul
RB: If you noticed, I didn't put Montee Ball as a key player on a bye. This is because Montee Ball has done nothing but waste starting space for better players like Joique Bell and Terrance West. Having him and West on bye makes the decision easy for Paul. But Bell plays a Jets defense that nobody seems to be able to run on and KC, while not as great as last year, shouldn't get destroyed by Vereen, who doesn't even have the RB1 job secured in New England. Meanwhile, JY has the inconsistent Martin and Lamar Miller, who has been getting more reps in recent days. The two don't face any stiff competition in the middle of the field. Edge; JY
TE: Paul has done nothing but pick the wrong TE to play from week to week. Between two 30+ players, he's having a hard time figuring out which one will break out. This week isn't much easier as Gates plays a horrendous Jaguars defense and Witten should be involved in a shootout. Hopefully he'll make the right choice as JY has only Fleener after trading away Walker for Julius Thomas (who is on a bye). Edge: Paul
K/DEF: Neither Kicker figures to make a significantly larger impact than the other but Chicago has continued their turnover forcing ways. Not only that, they keep scoring more than some offenses do (looking at you Oakland). Paul's gotta pick up somebody from the free agent pool but nothing is as enticing as the Bengals defense that has been so dominant to this point but is unfortunately on a bye. It looks like he'll have to cede this battle this week. Edge: JY
Winner: Ben There Raped That (Paul)
Paul climbs out to join at least a few teams at 1-3 and stay in the hunt for a playoff spot. JY makes a trade for an elite tight end, but his team is still in a tight spot with an ignominious end to the season fast approaching.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
MOTW
12. Cry Me a Rivers (JY) vs. 11. Ben There Raped That (Paul)
These two teams are the only teams left without a win in this young season. Now at 0-3, their chances at making the playoffs hovers somewhere around 16% (according to some Yahoo blogger based on last year's data). While 0-4 isn't an impossible hole to dig out of, as shown by myself and Paul in past seasons, it drops your chances of making the playoffs to 8%. With a win, you put yourself on the right track and get closer to 25%. So this game isn't just about which team is the most pathetic; it's about which team can actually hope to play past week 13.
Key players lost to bye:
JY - None
Paul - Emmanuel Sanders, Cincinnati Defense
At first glance, I definitely would have given the edge to Paul's team as he showed in the past week that he can put up points with the best of them. However, these are three crucial players on bye. Sanders has emerged as one of Peyton's favorite targets. Cincinnati's defense has grounded every team they've played, including the vaunted Falcons offense. Looks like we're going to have to do a position breakdown for a verdict on this MOTW.
QB: Like I said in the short draft preview, Tom Brady was taken way too high. He's look terrible in his first three starts but KC could be where he finds his bearings unless he's reminded of the time they tore his ACL (this is not a jinx...). Romo on the other hand has had some up and down weeks but he should be in a shootout against a leaky Saints defense. Edge: Paul
WR: Both sets of WRs are pretty weak but one stands out: Mr. Jones. He might single-handedly beat the entire WR corp of JY's team. Edge: Paul
RB: If you noticed, I didn't put Montee Ball as a key player on a bye. This is because Montee Ball has done nothing but waste starting space for better players like Joique Bell and Terrance West. Having him and West on bye makes the decision easy for Paul. But Bell plays a Jets defense that nobody seems to be able to run on and KC, while not as great as last year, shouldn't get destroyed by Vereen, who doesn't even have the RB1 job secured in New England. Meanwhile, JY has the inconsistent Martin and Lamar Miller, who has been getting more reps in recent days. The two don't face any stiff competition in the middle of the field. Edge; JY
TE: Paul has done nothing but pick the wrong TE to play from week to week. Between two 30+ players, he's having a hard time figuring out which one will break out. This week isn't much easier as Gates plays a horrendous Jaguars defense and Witten should be involved in a shootout. Hopefully he'll make the right choice as JY has only Fleener after trading away Walker for Julius Thomas (who is on a bye). Edge: Paul
K/DEF: Neither Kicker figures to make a significantly larger impact than the other but Chicago has continued their turnover forcing ways. Not only that, they keep scoring more than some offenses do (looking at you Oakland). Paul's gotta pick up somebody from the free agent pool but nothing is as enticing as the Bengals defense that has been so dominant to this point but is unfortunately on a bye. It looks like he'll have to cede this battle this week. Edge: JY
Winner: Ben There Raped That (Paul)
Paul climbs out to join at least a few teams at 1-3 and stay in the hunt for a playoff spot. JY makes a trade for an elite tight end, but his team is still in a tight spot with an ignominious end to the season fast approaching.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Sunday, September 21, 2014
Week 3
It's only week 2 and I'm already behind on posts and at a loss for words. With the whole Ray Rice saga, Peterson, Dwyer, Hardy, and many more, I feel like this season is just out of control. This doesn't excuse my lack of a post but this whole situation is affecting me in a weird way.
On top of this, I found out that Rob Bironas has passed away in a car crash. To the average person, he's not really someone notable. But in our fantasy community, I'm sure at least half of us have rooted for Bironas to knock a couple 50 yarders through for our team. I feel like adding all of this on top of all the sad news that's already come out just multiplies the amount of sadness in the league.
I'll get back on track next week. Hopefully we'll be able to go back to thinking about the NFL as a form of entertainment and not a collection of criminals.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
On top of this, I found out that Rob Bironas has passed away in a car crash. To the average person, he's not really someone notable. But in our fantasy community, I'm sure at least half of us have rooted for Bironas to knock a couple 50 yarders through for our team. I feel like adding all of this on top of all the sad news that's already come out just multiplies the amount of sadness in the league.
I'll get back on track next week. Hopefully we'll be able to go back to thinking about the NFL as a form of entertainment and not a collection of criminals.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, September 11, 2014
Was it just me or...
was this last week of fantasy the most boring we've had in a while. Although we had some monster games (Matt Ryan, Julius Thomas, Calvin Johnson, Marshawn, Cruz), there were way too many duds by stars (D. Thomas, Charles, Rodgers) and no-namers that stole the show that were either in the FA pool or sitting on people's benches.
Here's to a week 2 that hopefully has many more breakouts from our favorite players. As much as we love the come out of nowhere stories, we love fantasy because we love watching the stars play. We don't want to see a 1-yard John Kuhn plunge or a reception from 10th receiver Allen Hurns for TDs.
I was going to write a MOTW but instead I realized its a) way too early in the season to do a proper MOTW and b) my team would probably be involved in the MOTW and I refuse to write about my own team.
So here's to hoping our stars shine. But that my stars shine brighter than yours. Especially you, Dan.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Here's to a week 2 that hopefully has many more breakouts from our favorite players. As much as we love the come out of nowhere stories, we love fantasy because we love watching the stars play. We don't want to see a 1-yard John Kuhn plunge or a reception from 10th receiver Allen Hurns for TDs.
I was going to write a MOTW but instead I realized its a) way too early in the season to do a proper MOTW and b) my team would probably be involved in the MOTW and I refuse to write about my own team.
So here's to hoping our stars shine. But that my stars shine brighter than yours. Especially you, Dan.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Thursday, September 4, 2014
No-Huddle™: A quick recap of the draft
Hey guys,
With the draft happening less than 48 hours ago, my travel back from New York, and catching up on work e-mails, I wasn't able to write a full draft review AND a separate MOTW. So instead, I've brought something new for this season: No-Huddle™. These will be short, bullet-pointed columns that allow me to mind-dump on the blog instead of trying to coherently organize and piece together every thought I have. So yes, it's a way for me to be lazy when I've run out of time.
I couldn't let you guys go into week 1 without something, so here's the first No-Huddle™ of the year (as I'm pretty sure it will not be the last)!
Draft Recap:
Best Draft:
1. Cho
2. Mike
3. David K.
Cho and Mike have very balanced teams with different strategies (Cho going hard on RBs and hoping that Foles can repeat the magic of last year, Mike taking some risks in Gronk, Wallace, and Jennings that could pay off huge). The surprising best draft was by David K. who might actually be able to back up his trash talk this year after missing the playoffs every year. With the best TE, 3 arguably top 20 WRs, 2 boom or bust RBs and a Rivers who looks to be on track after the turnaround in 2013, Rice Beaters might do to the league what Ray did to Janay.
Curious Moves:
I don't think anybody had a terrible draft (just goes to show the collective IQ and improvement of this league) but I think there were a few interesting picks.
1. JY Lee - Tom Brady in the 4th.
He became the 4th QB taken, over the likes of Ryan, Luck, and Stafford. I may be bias because I hate the Patriots with a passion, but after what happened last year, I believe that Brady is on a legit decline.
2. Paul Kim - Shane Vereen in the 3rd.
I really don't know if there was a clear better choice but it seemed a little early for Vereen. With some top flight TEs and a slew of WRs, could this pick have been used more wisely?
3. Nelson Kim - Gerhart in 4th, Spiller in 5th
I understand that his draft up to this point had left him needing to take RBs before they ran out. But a white guy on a terrible team and a back who hasn't been able to take the starting job from an old CFL-er don't really make up the backfield of your dreams. With players like Mathews, Gore, and Bush, Nelson definitely could have done better.
Best Picks:
1. David Y. - Aaron Rodgers - 23rd Overall
The top 3 QBs are Manning, Brees, and Rodgers. I thought for certain once Brees and Manning had gone off the board, Rodgers would be snatched up because the pressure would be on to snag a top tier QB. Instead, he wasn't taken until 6 picks later by David. I think if Dan had taken him and had Lacy AND Rodgers, that would have been a scary force to be reckoned with.
2. Rich K. - Chris Johnson - 6th Round, 67th Overall
It wasn't long ago that CJ2K was the most ridiculous thing anybody had seen. Since that one season, everyone has acted like he's been dead. But did you know he's been averaging 1500 yards from scrimmage each season? He was still averaging over 4YPC and the biggest problem between his breakout year and the past 4 have been the number of touches. While he got 400+ in 2009, he's averaged around 325 in the 4 years after. I'm not saying he's going to be your number one back, but with Chris Ivory injured and finally refocused, why can't he accumulate 2000 yards from scrimmage on 375 touches this year? What a steal.
3. Eric Lee - Steve Smith - 13th Round, 151st Overall
I'm just going to leave this quote by Steve Smith: “Put your goggles on cause there’s going to be blood and guts everywhere.”
Week 1 Predictions:
Easiest Victory to Call: Marc by MarcTrestman over Leaky Spark Tube
An injured kicker and too many unproven players means Eric starts off the year with a bang.
Toughest Victory to Call: Cry Me a Rivers over Gotta Catch Jamaal
While there are tons of other players on the roster, this one comes down to Shady vs. AP. My pick to win the fantasy RB MVP this year is McCoy so I'll have to take him over AP. The similarities in these two teams is downright scary though. 2 immobile QBs, 2 young secondary RBs, awful TEs, and defenses whose strength relies on sacking the QB.
Best player of Week 1: Calvin Johnson - its my vick in a box
He gets to play a terrible NYG secondary, at home, in a dome. Good luck, Cho.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
With the draft happening less than 48 hours ago, my travel back from New York, and catching up on work e-mails, I wasn't able to write a full draft review AND a separate MOTW. So instead, I've brought something new for this season: No-Huddle™. These will be short, bullet-pointed columns that allow me to mind-dump on the blog instead of trying to coherently organize and piece together every thought I have. So yes, it's a way for me to be lazy when I've run out of time.
I couldn't let you guys go into week 1 without something, so here's the first No-Huddle™ of the year (as I'm pretty sure it will not be the last)!
Draft Recap:
Best Draft:
1. Cho
2. Mike
3. David K.
Cho and Mike have very balanced teams with different strategies (Cho going hard on RBs and hoping that Foles can repeat the magic of last year, Mike taking some risks in Gronk, Wallace, and Jennings that could pay off huge). The surprising best draft was by David K. who might actually be able to back up his trash talk this year after missing the playoffs every year. With the best TE, 3 arguably top 20 WRs, 2 boom or bust RBs and a Rivers who looks to be on track after the turnaround in 2013, Rice Beaters might do to the league what Ray did to Janay.
Curious Moves:
I don't think anybody had a terrible draft (just goes to show the collective IQ and improvement of this league) but I think there were a few interesting picks.
1. JY Lee - Tom Brady in the 4th.
He became the 4th QB taken, over the likes of Ryan, Luck, and Stafford. I may be bias because I hate the Patriots with a passion, but after what happened last year, I believe that Brady is on a legit decline.
2. Paul Kim - Shane Vereen in the 3rd.
I really don't know if there was a clear better choice but it seemed a little early for Vereen. With some top flight TEs and a slew of WRs, could this pick have been used more wisely?
3. Nelson Kim - Gerhart in 4th, Spiller in 5th
I understand that his draft up to this point had left him needing to take RBs before they ran out. But a white guy on a terrible team and a back who hasn't been able to take the starting job from an old CFL-er don't really make up the backfield of your dreams. With players like Mathews, Gore, and Bush, Nelson definitely could have done better.
Best Picks:
1. David Y. - Aaron Rodgers - 23rd Overall
The top 3 QBs are Manning, Brees, and Rodgers. I thought for certain once Brees and Manning had gone off the board, Rodgers would be snatched up because the pressure would be on to snag a top tier QB. Instead, he wasn't taken until 6 picks later by David. I think if Dan had taken him and had Lacy AND Rodgers, that would have been a scary force to be reckoned with.
2. Rich K. - Chris Johnson - 6th Round, 67th Overall
It wasn't long ago that CJ2K was the most ridiculous thing anybody had seen. Since that one season, everyone has acted like he's been dead. But did you know he's been averaging 1500 yards from scrimmage each season? He was still averaging over 4YPC and the biggest problem between his breakout year and the past 4 have been the number of touches. While he got 400+ in 2009, he's averaged around 325 in the 4 years after. I'm not saying he's going to be your number one back, but with Chris Ivory injured and finally refocused, why can't he accumulate 2000 yards from scrimmage on 375 touches this year? What a steal.
3. Eric Lee - Steve Smith - 13th Round, 151st Overall
I'm just going to leave this quote by Steve Smith: “Put your goggles on cause there’s going to be blood and guts everywhere.”
Week 1 Predictions:
Easiest Victory to Call: Marc by MarcTrestman over Leaky Spark Tube
An injured kicker and too many unproven players means Eric starts off the year with a bang.
Toughest Victory to Call: Cry Me a Rivers over Gotta Catch Jamaal
While there are tons of other players on the roster, this one comes down to Shady vs. AP. My pick to win the fantasy RB MVP this year is McCoy so I'll have to take him over AP. The similarities in these two teams is downright scary though. 2 immobile QBs, 2 young secondary RBs, awful TEs, and defenses whose strength relies on sacking the QB.
Best player of Week 1: Calvin Johnson - its my vick in a box
He gets to play a terrible NYG secondary, at home, in a dome. Good luck, Cho.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Pre-Season Predictions
Welcome back!
For the first post of the season, I can't really predict much based on each person's team because people don't have any players on their team. However, we can play the superlative game and predict how the season will go for a few of our owners.
Least likely to suffer from the injury bug: Nelson Kim
I promise this isn't some type of reverse jinx. Nelson has had such horrible luck in the past with injuries, there's no way it can continue. His team always looks so promising before a slew of torn ACLs, broken feet/hands, and groin pulls. Regression + Law of Averages says that this the year where Nelson will have no excuse but his own skills if he fails to make the playoffs.
Most likely to execute a trade: Richard Kim
Although I feel like I engage people in trade talks more than anyone in the league, nobody likes to trade with me. However, Biggie always seems to find a way to finagle a player or two he wants from someone else's team. He's great at packaging multiple smaller pieces and sacrificing his depth for the ultimate star. He did that last year, trading away Cam, DeSean Jackson, and Marshawn Lynch, into the beast that was Peyton Manning and eventually capturing the league title.
Least likely to execute a trade: Jon Lee
This guy believes that nobody in the world has a better team than him. Even if his team's record is at 0-6 and scoring 50 points a week, he'll believe that his team is going to come around. While his faith in his team is admirable, it makes him overvalue all his players and really hamper him from trading for pieces he really needs.
Most likely to have the best draft: Brian Cho
Most likely to have the worst draft: David Kim
No matter what position or what other managers are around him, Cho seems to consistently draft the best players. His teams usually start off raging hot before they are hit with injuries and under-performances. Meanwhile, David has never made the playoffs. He reaches too frequently on players that are hyped way too much during the pre-season and has some of the same delusion about his team that Jon does (it must run in the family) and ends up with a team that's mediocre at best. Hopefully his year in college has done him some good.
Most likely to shock us in the draft (in a bad way): Mike Lee
Most likely to shock us in the draft (in a good way): JY Lee
This is different from the previous category in that these people could have overall good or bad drafts, but there will be one moment in the draft that just makes the chat box blow up. Mike was already secretive about his picks when he was in America, but with nobody to even try and pry his brain about what he's thinking, he's going to come up with a sleeper that nobody saw coming or take him a round earlier than people wanted to, causing a riot. JY on the other hand is the man that drafted 3 QBs for his team. He's taken wide receivers way before anyone even thought they had to worry about them disappearing off the board. Granted, some of these picks have panned out, but we'll gladly take a chance to take one of our highly rated players at the expense of JY.
P.S. Good and bad are in the way you'll react to their pick. Mike's pick is bad because we'll be angry he took our player while it is good for his team.
Most likely to win the Championship: Brian Cho (4)/Nelson Kim (8)
Going with arbitrary statistics here. The last 4 champions drafted at 6, 7, 3, and 5. There has not been a repeat champion. Therefore, my pick is under the assumption that the champion will continue to come from the middle of the draft AND that it will not be a repeat champion. I've picked two so that I have a better chance to be right. If you have a problem with this, please send a notarized letter to the league office.
Hopefully I've thoroughly jinxed enough people for me to win the league.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
For the first post of the season, I can't really predict much based on each person's team because people don't have any players on their team. However, we can play the superlative game and predict how the season will go for a few of our owners.
Least likely to suffer from the injury bug: Nelson Kim
I promise this isn't some type of reverse jinx. Nelson has had such horrible luck in the past with injuries, there's no way it can continue. His team always looks so promising before a slew of torn ACLs, broken feet/hands, and groin pulls. Regression + Law of Averages says that this the year where Nelson will have no excuse but his own skills if he fails to make the playoffs.
Most likely to execute a trade: Richard Kim
Although I feel like I engage people in trade talks more than anyone in the league, nobody likes to trade with me. However, Biggie always seems to find a way to finagle a player or two he wants from someone else's team. He's great at packaging multiple smaller pieces and sacrificing his depth for the ultimate star. He did that last year, trading away Cam, DeSean Jackson, and Marshawn Lynch, into the beast that was Peyton Manning and eventually capturing the league title.
Least likely to execute a trade: Jon Lee
This guy believes that nobody in the world has a better team than him. Even if his team's record is at 0-6 and scoring 50 points a week, he'll believe that his team is going to come around. While his faith in his team is admirable, it makes him overvalue all his players and really hamper him from trading for pieces he really needs.
Most likely to have the best draft: Brian Cho
Most likely to have the worst draft: David Kim
No matter what position or what other managers are around him, Cho seems to consistently draft the best players. His teams usually start off raging hot before they are hit with injuries and under-performances. Meanwhile, David has never made the playoffs. He reaches too frequently on players that are hyped way too much during the pre-season and has some of the same delusion about his team that Jon does (it must run in the family) and ends up with a team that's mediocre at best. Hopefully his year in college has done him some good.
Most likely to shock us in the draft (in a bad way): Mike Lee
Most likely to shock us in the draft (in a good way): JY Lee
This is different from the previous category in that these people could have overall good or bad drafts, but there will be one moment in the draft that just makes the chat box blow up. Mike was already secretive about his picks when he was in America, but with nobody to even try and pry his brain about what he's thinking, he's going to come up with a sleeper that nobody saw coming or take him a round earlier than people wanted to, causing a riot. JY on the other hand is the man that drafted 3 QBs for his team. He's taken wide receivers way before anyone even thought they had to worry about them disappearing off the board. Granted, some of these picks have panned out, but we'll gladly take a chance to take one of our highly rated players at the expense of JY.
P.S. Good and bad are in the way you'll react to their pick. Mike's pick is bad because we'll be angry he took our player while it is good for his team.
Most likely to win the Championship: Brian Cho (4)/Nelson Kim (8)
Going with arbitrary statistics here. The last 4 champions drafted at 6, 7, 3, and 5. There has not been a repeat champion. Therefore, my pick is under the assumption that the champion will continue to come from the middle of the draft AND that it will not be a repeat champion. I've picked two so that I have a better chance to be right. If you have a problem with this, please send a notarized letter to the league office.
Hopefully I've thoroughly jinxed enough people for me to win the league.
Good luck to all!
Simon Kim
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