2018 Power Rankings-Week 3

## Introduction

These are strange times in the League of Champions. The Fantasy Gods are unquestionably making a statement from the Mirrorverse, where they are held captive by Glorio, the One and Only. I can sense their presence as I write this, feel their power coursing through the matchups and the trades and even the standings. 2012, the last year that Bell of Da Ball was in the league, was also the last time there was a controversial trade involving RIPDab that was ultimately vetoed. Coincidence?

Who are we kidding, right? The Even Year Cure isn’t real. If it was, there’d be a more obvious sign. Like, I don’t know, have there be eight 1-1 teams just like there was in 2012, something crazy like that…

Wait…

What?

Okay, I might be a believer. Especially since Sweet Dee is the league’s lone 2-0 team, while RIPDab is the lone 0-2 team. The Even Year Curse is back, and better than ever. Or maybe it’s The Marriage Curse? Maybe it’s a Glory Bowl hangover? Who knows, but the Fantasy Gods are pulling the strings, that’s for sure.

As for the rest of the league, we had some huge turnover in the scoring columns this week. Paddock 9 scored 120.06 more than last week. Browns4You scored 105.80 less.

## Stat Chat

* Based off all-time W/L standings, this was the first time in LOC history that the league’s top 4 teams lost and the league’s bottom 4 teams won.

* Balls is an impressive 3-0 against RIPDab and 4-10 against everyone else.

* A week after recording their 10th win against RIPDab, GBM records their 10th loss against Pain Train.

* This is the second straight game against Papa that MMMS has scored under 162 points.

* Pain Train becomes the 5th team to score over 200 in 60 games.

* RIPDab has now started 0-2, 2-0, and 0-2 over the last three seasons.
* Sweet Dee starts 2-0 for the third time in franchise history.

## All Good Things Come to an End?

It’s early, but first place is first place. Congrats to Sweet Dee for leading the league yet again. But do all good things come to an end? Here is how first place teams finished through the first seven years of the LOC.

The good news for Sweet Dee is that only one team out of seven missed the playoffs. The bad news is that team was them. Is another collapse imminent?

## Things are Looking Up?

Obviously, not the best of stats here for RIPDab, who currently sits in last. But one last place team has actually won the league, something the first place teams have never accomplished. So who is really in the better position here?

## TradeGate2.0

We had another TradeGate over the weekend. This time the controversy wasn't necessarily the trade, but the veto. It brought up the question: why do we veto? Do we only veto when it's collusion? Or do we veto if, say for example, a 6-0 team trades with an 0-6 team, and it's a fair trade but makes the 6-0 virtually unbeatable? Do we just say "screw it, we'll get them next year?" Or do we veto?

A younger me would be down to rock with a debate over ethics or morals or whatever, but grown me is exhausted. You know, we all just die at the end. So my feeling is if you want to veto the fuck out of a trade, do it as long as your reasoning is either 1.) I think this team gets an unfair advantage or 2.) this is collusion. Don't do it to be a dick, don't do it because you hate a team manager, just do it for your own survival. Or don't. I don't care. Like I said, we all just end up dead.

## LXC Update

Haven't quite decided how to tackle LXC but this month is just impossible for me with my book about to come out and we're in principal photography at work. It's sort of like Pat's Halloween season. I'm just barely able to get the rankings out and set my lineup. For now:

Quick Power Rankings for LXC

1. Ikh Mongol Uls - Jared could use a team like this in the LOC
2. The Purrrsian Empire - Chris is trying very hard. If he could play me every week he'd never have lost a fantasy game in his life.
3. The Roman Dynasty - Pat is the only 2-0 team and has an easy matchup this week. 3-0 for Roman.
4. Hong Bang Dynasty - I think this team is really good but I'm biased because I'm smart and everyone else is dumb.
5. Nat 20 Die-nasty - Nick just needs David Johnson to be die-nasty instead of die-ing out there with that terrible coaching staff.
6. Witten team of Fate - Papa better hope Big Ben doesn't up and retire with all this shit going on in Pittsburgh.
7. Shotti's Reign - It's very refreshing being able to put Shotti down here. Very refreshing indeed.
8. Tom Brady's Dynasty - How great must Nate be feeling to be the only 0-2 team in two leagues?
9. We Can Go This Long? - I don't know what this team name means. Don't tell me! I want to figure it out on my own.
10. Empire State of Mind - Best team name. Worst team.

## Bust Watch 2018

Let's check back in with our first round picks.

Bust Watch: Total Points for First Round Picks
 S.Barkley
 E.Elliot
 D.Hopkins
 A.Brown
 O.Beckham Jr.
 D.Cook
 D.Johnson
 L.Fournette
 L.Bell

Fournette, get your ASS ON THAT FIELD! Bell, you can stay off, that's cool.

## Power Rankings

This week I highlighted some early injury concerns for each team.

### 1(1). The Shotti Bunch (1-1)

**Injury Concern**: Dalvin Cook (hamstring) isn't practicing. Hm. Josh Gordon practiced. 'Sup with Cook?

Shotti has started 2-2 three times, so shoot me for not wanting to take the champ off his perch at 1-1. Slow Start Shotti feels a bit different this year though, doesn't he? You know times are changing when Shotti is a 12-point dog to Sweet Dee.

### 2(2). Garoppoblow Me (1-1)

**Injury Concern:** Leonard Fournette (hamstring) looks to be back this week, bringing the team to full force.

GBM drops their annual game to Pain Train and now hasn't won against PT since October, 2016. But the team will be at full strength with more favorable player matchups this week and faces a Browns team going through an identity crisis.

### 3(4). Sweet Dee (2-0)

**Injury Concern:** Larry Fitzgerald (hamstring). What's going on with the hamstrings, people?

This might not be par for the course for Sweet Dee, but the team might regain some believers if they can defeat The Shotti Bunch this weekend. Sweet Dee has a rare roster, with 11 starters from 11 different teams. That's portfolio diversification.

### 4(3). WhatCanBrownsDo4You (1-1)

**Injury Concern:** Jarvis Landry (knee) is expected to play Thursday, but the short week doesn't help.

Josh Gordon was traded to the Patriots, Jarvis Landry has a knee injury, Antonio Brown sent an ill-advised tweet about being traded and then was a no-show for Monday meetings, and Duke Johnson has been banished to the bench for all eternity (or until the bye weeks). So I don't know, Zach, what CAN the Browns do for you?

### 5(6). Bell of Da Ball (1-1)

**Injury Concern:** LeSean McCoy (ribs) might just be done for. He has that old RB who isn't relevant vibe going and the Bills are so damn bad players are quitting at halftime.

There's certainly a lot of loose change on Bell's bench, which worries me when the bye weeks approach, but so far we've seen two solid performances from BODB upon their return to the league. I wouldn't be surprised if Ball gets himself two wins in a row for the first time in franchise history.

### 6(5). RIPDab (0-2)

**Injury Concern:** Julio Jones (calf) will probably be good to go this weekend. He always takes precautionary days off during the season.

Not even Tevin Coleman's promotion to RB1 was enough to overcome Ball's onslaught this week, leading to another 0-2 start for RIPDab. But we've seen him excel in this position before, and the team numbers tell us that he is better than his record. 2-2 when Edeleman returns would be nice. 0-4 and they might as well have not drafted him.

### 7(8). Papa's Posse (1-1)

**Injury Concern:** None. Everyone is healthy.

Did Papa scoop up a league winner when he nabbed Chicago Defense on September 9th? Decent performance by Papa and there are rumblings that David Johnson needs to be more involved in Arizona, so if he starts being used as an RB1 than watch out.

### 8(9). Paddock 9 (1-1)

**Injury Concern:** Devonta Freeman (knee) is likely out at least another few weeks, leaving rookie Sony Michel with the tall task of being fantasy relevant. This feels low for P9, who had a great performance this week. But let's wait and see if P9 is his week one self or his week two self then he goes up against his arch rival this week.

### 9(10). Pain Train WOO WOO (1-1)

**Injury Concern**: His Ego if he loses to Paddock 9

Look, same thing can be said for PT as far as this being really low in the rankings. He did his thing. He beat the one team that he always beats, even during the 3-10 seasons. I'm not leaving him down here out of spite. There's just a lot of powerhouses, it seems, and we need to wait and see which version of Pain Train is the real one.

### 10(10). ma ma momma said (1-1)

**Injury Concern:** Doug Baldwin and Jay Ajayi. Only his top WR and second RB. No big deal.

I feel for momma, who has had his season stunted by some bad injuries. I feel for him because in this other league I'm in I have Bell (hold out), Mixon (neck? Back. IDK), and Baldwin. So needless to say I'm in last place in that league. This team reminds me of my team in that league. Very bad vibes.

## Matchup of the Week

I am pissed at myself but I ran out of time for matchup of the week and it is a big one. We got Pain Train vs. Paddock 9, the league's most bitter rivalry right now. I wanted to do a whole breakdown but now it's 7 on Thursday and we got the night game coming, where P9 plans to start one of these defenses. The fate of the season rests in the hands of the...Jet and Browns! Anyway, YUGE statement game here from these 1-1 teams desperate to remain over .500.

Michael Thomas/Lindsay stats