Mid-Season Review 2012

There won’t be a review of last week because it’s already long gone, but there will be an in-depth analysis of each team now that we’ve reached the halfway point. I’ll be reviewing the teams by division and standings. The schedule ranking reflects how easy the teams schedule has been up to this point. the ROS indicates how easy it will be from here on out. The PWR RANK is a formula that evaluates the team based on the average points, max points, and min points. This ranking reflects how well this team scores points (duh). Disclaimer: The schedule rankings are based off of the PWR rankings, so take them for what they’re worth.

Inland Division:

Team GoInsanelyFast:

So far: TGIF came blazing out of the gates this year and hasn’t really stopped since then. All they’ve done so far this season is score the most amount of points, racked up the most wins, and had the single highest scoring week. Back-to-back championship appearances? Halfway through the season it seems likely. TGIF has relied mostly on their elite receiver core to carry them this far in the season, but with the recent acquisition of Arian Foster, you’d be hard-pressed to find a weak spot in their line-up. TGIF has faced off against some stiff competition this far in the season but has had the fewest amount of points scored against them. They are the only team to average over 100 points a game.

Looking forward: Their schedule for the second half looks to be fairly easy, and after this week most of their bye-week woes will be over. While they currently lead the league, there are two teams 1 game out in a very tough division. TGIF is the team to beat right now.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Arian Foster (133.6, #1): Arian Foster proving all season long why he was the #1 pick. He leads the NFL in rushing yards and TD’s and is the highest scoring non-QB player. Won’t give you his hat.
  • A.J. Green (106.7, #1): Building on his impressive rookie campaign, A.J. is 3rd in receiving yards and is tied for the most amount of TD’s.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Owen Daniels (14th Round, #3): Currently the 3rd ranked TE and might rip your head off.
• Biggest Bust:
  • Justin Blackmon (7th Round, #101): Blackmon got a lot of preseason buzz but has yet to put it together and is currently on the waiver wire.

The Annexation of Puerto Rico:

So far: Annexation came out of the draft with a very solid, well-rounded team that has performed as expected so far. While certain injuries have hit some role-players, the core of the team has been extremely reliable and consistent. The emergence of RGIII is the backbone of Annexation’s success, along with break-out games from Jamaal Charles, Vincent Jackson, and Frank Gore. Annexations schedule thus far has been fairly easy, and doesn’t look to get much more difficult. Not much exciting outside of RGIII, but nothing to complain about either.

Looking forward: 5th easiest schedule going ahead and one game out of first place, Annexation has a good change to make the playoffs. With not much depth at running back and a lot of question marks surrounding their receivers, the starting line-up looks fairly fragile but should continue to put up solid numbers.5th easiest schedule going ahead and one game out of first place, Annexation has a good change to make the playoffs. With not much depth at running back and a lot of question marks surrounding their receivers, the starting line-up looks fairly fragile but should continue to put up solid numbers.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Robert Griffin III (165.9, #1): Not only the top scoring quarterback but the top scoring player in all of fantasy. RG3 is the bomb.com. Probably forever.
  • Cam Newton (103.4, #13): Mostly riding the bench for Annexation with RGIII’s emergence, Cam is having a solid, if boring year.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Robert Griffin III (9th Round, #1): I think just about everyone wishes they had taken a chance on him and I had to double check to make sure he lasted until the 9th round. Some other players taken before RGIII? Isaiah Pead, Ryan WIlliams, Robert Meachem, Peyton Hillis, and the 49ers D/ST. Yep.
• Biggest Bust:
  • Cam Newton (1st Round, #13): Hard to call Cam a bust when he’s having a pretty OK season but he’s just not performing like the first-rounder Annexation hoped he would. Pretty much having the opposite season of his top-comp: RG3.

Robot Unicorn:

So Far: Unicorn’s have done pretty well this season racking up 5 wins and handing TGIF it’s only loss. Unicorn’s have had a rough schedule and had the 7th most points scored against them. While certain players came out of the gates blazing, most of Robot’s team has cooled off significantly. Romo dropped two games in a show and Flacco is reminding us that he’s Flacco and not Matt Ryan. MJD and Victor Cruz had been providing most of the stability of the team and with MJD out, Robot’s roster suddenly has a lot more holes. The PWR algorithm hates Robot Unicorn ranking them 11th. This is mostly due to the bomb they dropped last week and their low highest score.

Looking Forward: With so many injuries and under-performing players, the future is cloudy for the Robo’s. A lot hinges on the Cowboy’s (Romo/Dez) putting it together and the length of MJD’s injury. With all the negative that’s been said, Unicorn is still only one game out of first and has a (mostly) consistent team with a decent schedule looking forward.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Victor Cruz (104.7, #2): Dude loves salsa, and Eli loves targeting him. Tied for the lead in targets and touchdowns.
  • Joe Flacco (104.4, #12): Flacco started the year hot and everyone thought he might finally live up to expectations. He’s cooled off but has a very sexy schedule after the bye.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Joe Flacco (14th Round, #12): See above: Cooled off but still 12th QB overall and has a very easy 2nd half coming up.
• Biggest Bust:
  • Dez Bryant (4th Round, #31): Some receivers taken after Dez: Jordy Nelson, Percy Harvin, Vincent Jackson, Marques Colston. He’s getting a ton of targets but has dropped the ball way too often and has yet to consistently produce. He still has a ton of upside, but hasn’t matched his draft position.

Nellis A.F.B. Boomers:

So Far: Much like the Unicorns, the Boomers had a pretty hot start, but find themselves in a two-game losing streak and in the middle of a tough bye-week. Ray Rice has been a solid performer and the emergence of Andrew Luck and James Jones have helped carry 34 to 4 victories. Boomers have had the 2nd easiest schedule of teams so far, but have had the second most points scored against them. They follow only TGIF in points scored so it’s likely that their bad luck will turn around. PWR Rank loves the Boomers and they’re definitely a team to fear on your schedule.

Looking Forward: After the week 8 bye the Boomers should be in good shape. Ray Rice has no signs of slowing down, and Julio Jones and Matthew Stafford should bounce back. Fingers are crossed for 34 to avoid a running back injury, but they have enough depth in the other positions to feel confident going forward.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Ray Rice (106.9, #2): #2 taken off the board and the #2 running back so far. The guy is as consistent as they come.
  • Andrew Luck (104.5, #11): The other rookie QB isn’t getting as much attention as RG3, but is having a pretty bad-ass season so far. Leaving Geico commercials proving to be a good career move.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Andrew Luck (10th Round, #11): Having the best non-RGIII rookie year and putting up solid numbers every week.
• Biggest Bust:
  • Jermichael Finley (5th Round, #22): Ranked as the 5th TE going into the season Finley is currently ranked 22nd. There’s been talk of a shoulder injury, and it’ll be interesting to see how the rest of his season goes.

Scruffy Looking Nerf Herders:

So Far: Week 3 Wrap-Up: “The Nerf Herders scored the most points for the second week in a row, with 4 starters scoring 15 points or more. The combination of high scoring and consistency makes the Nerf Herders the most potent team in the league.” How quickly things can turn… The Nerf Herders rank dead last in consistency putting up scores from 128.5pts to last week’s record breaking 38.1pts (fewest points scored in Bo Knows history). The Nerf Herders have scored less points than the previous week for 5 straight weeks. I don’t point this out to to say that the Herders are terrible, just that they’ve certainly taken a turn, and certainly have room to turn it around. Centered around Eli Manning, Reggie Bush, and Mike Wallace, they’re still a team that can put up big numbers.

Looking Forward: Herders have a fairly easy schedule for the second half, but most of their success is going to hinge on their secondary players putting up numbers. They’ve still got a long way to 3 games out of first in a very tough division.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Eli Manning (118.8, #7): The mouth-breathing dummy is doing it again, week after week putting up decent numbers and leading the league in yardage.
  • Josh Freeman (99.5, #14): After a down year in 2011, Freeman is making us believe in the Bucs again. If only you could start two QBs.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Tony Gonzalez (Round 7, #2): Guy just keeps getting better and is the 2nd ranked TE. Loves bitches.
• Biggest Bust:
  • Shane Vereen (Round 10, #82): Hard to call anything after the 10th round a bust when there’s so much uncertainty, but after being injured for the first part of the season Vereen has been passed in the depth charts and has yet to make an impact.

Springfield Atoms:

So Far: The Atoms started the season with heartbreak, then a win, and then a downward spiral of shame. Currently ranked in last place, last in points, and last in PWR, the Atoms hopefully have nowhere to go but up. At the beginning of the season the roster looked full of hopeful players, high-upside players who’s sky was the limit. Unfortunately only a few of those players have panned out, while the rest of the roster looks like something that might have been picked up off the waiver wire in a bye week. The shining star of the roster, the first overall pick, Arian Foster was traded just this week in a move for better roster depth.

Looking Forward: The Atoms are currently 5 games out of first place and 3 games out of a wild card spot, but with literally every team in the league ahead of them it certainly seems like a long-shot to make it to the playoffs.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Ryan Fitzpatrick (104.9, #10): Fitz is putting it together in garbage time, salvaging some points for his fantasy owners. Might have been an extra in Good Will Hunting.
  • Carson Palmer (95.9, #18): Another mediocre season for the Oakland QB.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Ryan Fitzpatrick (Round 10, #10): Having a decent season, if even if the Bills aren’t.
• Biggest Bust:
  • Greg Jennings (Round 2, #103): Only on the field for a handful of games and has barely been productive when has. Hard to say he’s a bust because of injury, but with his most recent injury he may be gone for the season.

Coastal Division:

Shelbyville Shittysauruses:

So Far: The Shittysauruses have had a bit of a hit and miss season to this point but still find themselves on top of their division. After starting the first two games on top of the league they quickly came back to earth in week 3. It’s been a bit back and forth during bye weeks but they’ve still managed to bag a few more wins. Shittysauruses player performances has been all ove rthe place with Matt Ryan and Hakeem Nicks blowing up in the early weeks, but weak performances from the rest of the roster.

Looking Forward: Many of the Shelbyville players are beginning to pick up momentum and an easy 2nd half schedule gives hope that they might stay on top of their division. There are 4 teams within 1 game so every win from here on out counts.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Matt Ryan (124.9, #5): Matt Ryan picked up right where he left off last year proving that he’s no Flukko (right?). Ryan should continue to tear it up in the second half.
  • Reggie Wayne (76.6, #10): Old dude isn’t too old and loves making sweet connections with their new young Luck-y QB.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Reggie Wayne (Round 7, #10): Somehow the whole world forgot that Reggie Wayne is only two years removed from one of his best seasons. Broke his yardage record this year with Peyton Manning Andrew Luck.
• Biggest Bust:
  • Darren McFadden (Round 1, #20): No one knew how DMC would recover from his injury last season, but it’s been his own ineptness keeping him at bay this season. He’s ranked 20th right now but there’s still ton of talent and a soft schedule ahead to see if he can turn it around.

Fluffy Bunnies Strike Back:

So Far: The Bunnies are emerging as a sleeper for the second half of the season. 3rd in points scored behind only TGIF and Boomers (two of the top teams), the Bunnies have had a mix of bad luck and uneven performances. Even though they had the easiest schedule of any team, they managed to have the most amount of points scored against them. After suffering through weak performances the first few weeks, Peyton Manning, Jordy Nelson, and Chris Johnson have all turned it on. With the best receiving corps in the league, this team is unstoppable when it’s clicking.

Looking Forward: Unfortunately, the Bunnies also have the hardest schedule in the second half. Their offense is potent enough to overcome most teams, and they play in a division that could be won by anyone.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Peyton Manning (121.1, #6): After exactly one horrible, interception ridden game people were ready to call Peyton Manning toast. He’s been unstoppable since then and ranks 4th in TD’s and 7th in yards.
  • Matt Schaub (97.1, #17): All you need to know about Matt Schaub.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Peyton Manning (Round 8, #6): Old dude can still throw eh? Still went ahead of RG3. Wants to give you a million pizzas, or have you buy a million, or two million. Shit is retarded.
• Biggest Bust:
  • Steven Jackson (Round 2, #23): Old guy can still run, kind of. Hasn’t produced much and his team has been getting their younger guys more involved. Currently ranked 23rd running back, but still talented enough to make a big difference down the stretch.

Dreadmetal Pumaskulls:

So Far: While the Pumaskulls haven’t done anything exciting thus far, they haven’t been disappointing either. Injuries to key players (Ahmad Bradshaw, DeMarco Murray) have certainly kept this team at bay, and it’s certainly exciting to think about what they’ll do once healthy. The Pumaskulls also have the closest margin of defeat of any team and have a couple losses that could have easily gone the other way. Their first half schedule was the second easiest, but they had the 5th most points scored against them.

Looking Forward: So you have a team that has gotten this far with injuries, bad luck, and underperforming players. The second half of the season holds nothing but upside for a team that is hoping to repeat their success in the 2010 Bo Bowl. With a well rounded line-up and a majority of players recovered from injuries the Pumaskulls look poised to overcome their rough second half schedule.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Drew Brees (147.7, #3): Going against his own advice from the previous year, Pumaskulls snagged a QB in the first round. This year there are no tears of anguish, just tears of joy, yardage, and touchdowns. Won’t sell you pizzas, but still kind of a weirdo.
  • Stevan Ridley (86, #7): The Patriots decided they want to involve their run game and Ridley has flourished. Belichick has done his best Shanahan impression, but Ridley continues to produce.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Stevan Ridley (Round 7, #7): The kid’s produced as a top 10 talent and will continue.
• Biggest Bust:
  • Brandon Lloyd (Round 5, #41): The expectations were sky-high for Lloyd who was coming into a very potent offense, and has managed to produce no matter who was throwing to him. He’s still getting a lot of targets but hasn’t managed to do much with them.

Giant Octopus:

So Far: With a very unimpressive 0-4 start to the season, Giant Octopus has gone 3-0 since, racking up the most points in the league in that period. With many of their early picks underperforming Giant Octopus had to make use of the waiver wire to cover critical positions until the stars started performing. Disappointing games from Philip Rivers and Ryan Mathews led to losses that appeared to be easy wins. LeSean McCoy has yet to produce a game over 15pts, very unspectacular for the 3rd overall pick. Octopus first half has been very mediocre overall, ranking 7th in points, consistency, and schedule.

Looking Forward: With a healthy, performing line-up and the 2nd easiest second-half schedule, Giant Octopus looks ready to keep rolling. A lot of the success of this team depends on their player’s performance matching their preseason expectations.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Ben Roethlisberger (113.5, #8): The newest addition to Giant Octopus, Roethlisberger has had a surprisingly decent start to the season, averaging 18.9pts per game.
  • Adrian Peterson (96.7, #4): All Day continues to impress after coming off a season-ending injury in 2011.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Pervy Harvin (4th Round, #3): The 17th WR off the board, Harvin has provided not only big games, but consistency in a position that is usually described as feast or famine.
• Biggest Bust:
  • The 2012 San Diego Chargers: Philip Rivers (6th Round, #26) is having another disappointing season and Ryan Mathews’ (3rd Round, #29) coaching has yet to give him the opportunity to be the top-5 running back he was once thought to be.

Philadelphia Shenanihads:

So Far: The Shenanihads have been back and forth this season, providing a consistent amount of points, but an inconsistent amount of victories. With a slow start by some of his early picks, the Shenanihads success mostly hinges on Aaron Rodgers and Trent Richardson’s success. The toughest challenge of the season has been slotting in the correct defense. The Shenanihads have found a lot of value in their waiver wire pickups this season, with two receivers who both rank in the top-30. After a “slow” star, Aaron Rodgers has been absolutely dominating, and threatens to overtake RG3 as the top scoring player.

Looking Forward: The Shenanihads have the easiest schedule of any team going forward, but they’ll need their players to put up more points to guarantee more wins. With little depth at running back, Trent Richardson’s health is more important than ever and will play a big part of Philadelphia’s success.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Aaron Rodgers (161.7, #2): And it’s not close. Not much to say about Aaron Rodgers except for that he loves kicking ass and making commercials that are oddly funny for some reason.
  • Bears D/ST (106, #1): Although they’ve only made a handful of appearances on Philadelphia’s roster, they’ve scored 20 more points then the next closest player.
• Best Value Pick:
  • Bears D/ST (10th round, #1): The top defense through 7 weeks, they look absolutely unstoppable, averging 17.7pts per game, their worst week being 9pts, and leading the NFL in TDs (5), INTs (14), and fewest points allowed (78).
• Biggest Bust:
  • Andrew Johnson (2nd round, #27): Hard to tell if it’s the Texan’s dedication to the run, Matt Schaub’s ineptness, or something with Johnson himself, but he has yet to produce like top talent he is.

Mega Shark:

So Far: Mega Shark is just beginning to show us the amount of points they’re capable of putting up each week. With a brutal first half schedule and the 10th most points allowed, there’s been a good amount of bad luck keeping Shark down. With that said they have scored the second fewest amount of points in the league, but this is mostly due to an abysmal first two weeks where they scored 115.8 combined. The Shark’s slow start has had the benefit of a high priority on the waiver wire and they have absolutely capitalized, nabbing talents like Alfred Morris, Alex Green, and Rashad Jennings. A team that lacked depth at the beginning of the season suddenly has a robust bench and continue to put up bigger points each week.

Looking Forward: A definite sleeper, Mega Shark has the 3rd easiest schedule in the league. Even with a disappointing start, they remain only 2 games out in a very winnable division.

• Highest Scoring Players:
  • Tom Brady (139.1, #4): Might not be having the over-the-top games that Rodgers or Brees are having, but Brady is still putting up very good numbers every single week. Ranks 2nd in yards only to Eli Manning.
  • Alfred Morris (97.3, #3): Proving just how fickle fantasy football can be, your number three ranked running back half-way through the season is a running back who was picked up off the waiver wire. No Shanahan Shenanigans this year, as Morris has been the only healthy runner in the backfield and has completely dominated the position. (I skipped Dalton cause that’s boring)
• Best Value Pick:
  • Alfred Morris (WW, #3): I wanted to pick just players that were drafted, but there were a ton of injuries to Mega Shark’s draft picks and the ones that haven’t been injured are playing at the level we expected.
• Biggest Bust:
  • Larry Fitzgerald (2nd Round, #19): Not quite a bust but hasn’t produced like a second rounder either. He’s absolutely one of the best receivers in the NFL, but unfortunately never has a good QB to pass to him.