2014 Power Rankings-Week 4

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*Posted 9/24/14 at 10:12am*

Every dog has his day. And this week the dogs reigned supreme. Four out of the five matchups were won by underdogs. This league, like the NFL, is an every given Sunday kind of league. Unless, of course, you’re me, in which case it’s one given Sunday per season and maybe one consolation Sunday in the post-season. For a league with so much parity, it really got me to thinking. Who would our team’s NFL counterparts be?

POWER RANKINGS

1.(+1) Money Manziel: Up to the number one spot, arguably where they have belonged all along. Despite the upset loss, Money is putting up big points. Who would have imagined that the one team that autodrafted would be the best team in the league? Money reminds me of the San Francisco 49ers. Dominant every year, makes a huge splash early in the playoffs, and then can’t seal the deal in the big game.

2.(+1) Ma ma momma said: No team looks more like the New Orleans Saints to me than a squad who up until this season has had Drew Brees as their franchise QB. Never a lot of buzz for this team despite hoisting the trophy and boasting a league best 20-9 record since the start of 2012. We’ll see if they can keep up the pace with Big Ben starting this week in place of Peyton Manning.

3.(-2) PeytonInThePlayoffs: Speaking of Manning, PITP is the spitting image of the Denver Broncos. All talk, all offense flash and sizzle until it matters most, and that’s when they choke…big. Keep breaking those offensive records, meanwhile other teams are off winning championships. Tough loss this week against their rivals and their road is not about to get any easier.

4. (0) The Shotti Bunch: Another monster day from Luck negates poor play from the flex spots for a third week in a row. Bye week comes at inopportune time for his TE as his only backup is out with a hip injury. Interesting to see a team who won with a strong RB core last season try to repeat with a starting lineup of 6 Wide Receivers. It’s almost like the New England Patriots. They did it with the Defense, now they’re trying to do it with the aerial attack and getting mixed results.

5.(+2) The Show Offs: I have to give this team props. Just like the Green Bay Packers, they have remained relevant even though they are riddled with injuries seemingly every season. Weak at RB and light on bench players, TSO is finding a way to win with great managing skills and a dash of luck. They are catching MMMS at just the right time this week, let’s see if they can keep up the longest W streak in the league.

6.(0) Flags on the Play: Playing me is like having the Bye week and being awarded a W just for kicks. Even though they outperformed their projections by 14, I’m not completely sold on them yet. Big concern going in to Week 4 against Shotti Bunch with Denver on the bye, and replacing Sanders with Owen Daniels isn’t exactly tit for tat. Similar to the Atlanta Falcons, FOTP stays relevant but hasn’t gotten over the hump when it comes to the post-season.

7.(+2) Papa’s Posse: With another win on the way for PP during their Bye week...I mean during their week 4 matchup against me, PP is about to hit .500 through 4 games and be in great position to make a playoff run. PP reminds me of the Chiefs. No one is going to claim this team is stacked, but they have some solid players scattered throughout and they had that one great season. The only way to end the discussion of whether the good season was a fluke is for him to do it again.

8.(-3) Becky the Icebox: The New York Jets of our league, Becky is like the bad version of Nate: All talk, no productivity. Just like the Jets, they have a QB that can’t throw and a Defense that can’t defend. I, of course, say this as a person who’s QB can’t throw, WR’s can’t catch, RB’s can’t run, and TE’s don’t exist. Despite all this, they should walk away .500 after a run in with Groot next week. If they don’t, they can join me at the Pity Party.

9.(-1) IAMGROOT: YOUAREBAD. I really wanted the best for this team but they got demolished. Even if you take away Julio Jones’ 50 point performance from TSO, Groot still would have lost by 15. Groot is the Tennessee Titans of this league. No one pays them much attention until they pull off a big win and then everyone’s like hey wait I forgot this franchise still exists, but then they get crushed and everyone goes back to forgetting about them.

10.(0) Winter Soldiers: The only thing worse than being the Titans? The Jacksonville Jaguars. Hey everyone, come see how bad I look! Much like the Jags, WS doesn’t have a single fantasy football player on their entire team. Like the Jags, they started the season going “wait until they see our fight ,we’re going to surprise the world” and by week 3 they’re going “hey, first pick in 2015 isn’t so bad, right?” My team is so bad that the Jaguars would probably beat me. I might be worse than the 0-16 Detroit Lions. I might be the 0-13 Winter Soldiers. I'm bitter.

Baller or Bust!?

Continuing to build our All-Ball and All-Bust teams.

Baller of the week : 6th pick in the 14th round. Steve Smith Sr. Are you serious? This dude has found new life in Baltimore and is the saving grace of IAMGROOT.

Bust of the week: I was going to wait, but what's the point. Fourth overall pick Adrian Peterson is a massive bust this season as he is likely to miss most (if not all) of 2014. Good luck replacing the best RB in the game, The Show Offs.

ALL-BUST Squad
RB: Doug Martin
RB: Adrian Peterson

ALL-BALLER Squad
RB: Darren Sproles
WR: Steve Smith Sr.

Matchup to watch: You might as well take a glance down (no, lower..lower...yup, there we are) at the battle for the bottom this week with me and Papa facing off. Yeah it's not the most important matchup but the team that loses this game is looking ahead to next season while the winner is in the thick of the hunt. Unless I win, in which case I'm still in the thick of the suck.