Parity has set in right? Have we ever been four weeks into a season and NOT had a winless team? Well
this year we not only have no winless teams, and the entire Spunky Misunderstood Geniuses division is at 0.500 or better. The only two teams with a losing record in the league are Buffy and Tiiite End Jammers, and they are only one game out of first place in this young season. Let's take a quick look at how everyone's teams are faring in our first four weeks.
Fobsters (3-1)Can one man lead a team to the top? Well, when that man is Tom Brady, currently averaging 36.7 ppg, that answer is "yes." While losing Calvin Johnson must hurt, RB Michael Turner has been providing the grinding work he was acquired for. With WR Steve Smith having a comeback year -- paired with Cam Newton -- the Fobsters have the parts to stay at the top along with TE Jason Witten, RB Beanie Wells, and WRs Dez Bryant and Jordy Nelson. Of course it's been nice to play the second easiest schedule in the league, but the Fobsters have been over 100+ three times already and lost only to a 135 point Battle Angels' explosion in WK3.
Ante Up (2-2)Our highest scoring team in the league, it's incredible what Aaron Rodgers has been doing so far. He's averaging 37.9 points per outing and sits atop the fantasy world, especially after his recent 58 point outing in WK4. Jae's team also features two 20+ ppg running backs in LeSean McCoy and Ray Rice. The concern for this team is in the WR department, where rising star Kenny Britt was tragically derailed for the season, and old veteran Reggie Wayne misses Peyton Manning something awful. So far Santonio Holmes, Lance Moore, and Mario Manningham have not been the answer. If Ante Up can find some receivers, this team could ascend another level.
Gang Green (3-1)As always, Greg's team is faring well. WR Steve Johnson has continued his ascent, becoming a top ten receiver. Hakeem Nicks isn't far behind either, as he averages 14.7 ppg, good for eleventh best WR on the charts. With RB Peyton Hillis proving that he's not a one year wonder and Ahmad Bradshaw emerging as a reliable running mate (pushing underwhelming Shonn Greene out of the picture), the backfield is solid if unspectacular. Overall the Greenies have been very consistent, putting up 100+ in each of their first four games. Despite not being explosive, they have acquired a lofty perch by taking care of business and beating teams when they stumble.
Fat Jubas (2-2)Things were not looking good in Jubaville as franchise QB Peyton Manning was on the sidelines to begin the season. Then GM Eric took Cam Newton off the waiver wire in WK2 and everything changed. Oh and how about Darren McFadden, who finally has solidified his status as a fantasy all-star. McFadden is the third best non-QB in the game right now, and he continues to look great each week. With Chris Johnson barely rounding into shape after his lockout, Frank Gore has been working to get his way into the lineup. Eric has juggled a lot of players this season and if all three RBs start playing to their expectations, he may need to move one of them. On the receiver side, it's TE Jimmy Graham taking the fantasy world by storm as he averages 16.7 ppg while never having touched single digits. He pairs nicely with deep threat Vincent Jackson on the outside. With Killer Cam now the automatic starter, we see the Jubas climbing the standings very soon.
Battle Angel (2-2)Somehow Vu's team has put up the second most points in the league this season. Yes, QB Drew Brees is up at 32.0 ppg, and sure WR Greg Jennings has been amazing. But with Cedric Benson and DeAngelo Williams both sucking it up in the backfield, how is this team winning? May we offer Fred Jackson!
Our draft analysis said, "While we like Fred Jackson, he'll hardly be the new face of the franchise." Well 20+ ppg later, he just might be! The Angels could be in for some dark times though, as Andre Johnson is out for his customary mid-season injury break, and there is nobody helping Fred out in the backfield. Maybe if rookie Daniel Thomas can crank it up some, Vu's team can keep fighting for a playoff spot.
Chunky Monkeys (2-2)The Monkeys had a chance to go 3-1 this pass weekend but lost on MNF to LeGarrette Blount's late night heroics. With Jamaal Charles out for the year, the Monkeys have a big hole to fill in the backfield. The good news is that sophomore RB Ryan Mathews has finally become dependable option, and is #8 among non-QBs so far. Even better,
recently acquired WR Calvin Johnson has set the record books on fire with his eight touchdowns in four games streak. He has been absolutely carrying the receiving corps, as Brandon Marshall, Santana Moss, and Jermichael Finley have been erratic at best. Rookie WR Julio Jones may be coming on though, which would be a desperately needed complement to Johnson. While down on his luck this season, Evan's team is still looking pretty good, even as it's come down to earth some.
Philadelphia Phreaks (2-2)The Phreaks could have one more win, but they lost by 0.40 in WK1 to Battle Angel upon debut of our decimal scoring system. Ping is the only owner to not have made one lineup move so far, and considering the wide gap in quality between his starters and his bench, he may not need to until byes hit. While
newly acquired Michael Vick hasn't been able to lead the Eagles to victory, his 24.5 ppg has still been just as advertised. For a team that hasn't really hit their stride yet, the Phreaks are very well balanced with upside at every position. WR Mike Wallace is a true number one, and the combination of DeSean Jackson and Jeremy Maclin means at least one of them will produce each week. Jahvid Best has surprisingly outperformed LeGarrette Blount but that's hardly a bad thing. We see the Phreaks taking a big step forward in upcoming weeks as Vick and Co. start to go into hyperdrive.
Dirty Birds (2-2)When there's no clear leadership, sometimes a talented ship can go astray. GM Jon has continued to select the wrong QB to lead his team, alternating between Josh Freeman and Ben Roethlisberger on wrong weeks. That will have to stop. While Adrian Peterson has quietly been a top back, a big gaping hole at RB2 is there, despite having Mike Tolbert and Darren Sproles on the roster, both of whom deserve a starting nod. The vaunted passing attack has been good, but having Calvin Johnson still around sure would have been nice. Instead, TE sensation Rob Gronkowski is going to be the fourth receiver here. The Birds have proven to be explosive but also highly inconsistent. They'll have to find more consistent play from the QB position if they hope to soar this season.
Buffy (1-3)Who's the best fantasy receiver in the land? How about Wes Welker! With ten catches a game, 616 yards, and 5 TDs already under his belt, Mr. Welker is having an all universe year. Not only is he the top receiver around, he's the best non-QB player so far this season. With Arian Foster struggling with injuries early on, Matt Forte has been outstanding, with 22.1 ppg and ranking in the top five overall. QB Jay Cutler was great for three weeks before last week's stumble, but he should remain the starter. What this team needs is receivers who can help out Welker. So far it's been rookie AJ Green who has been the top contributer, which is great news, but Buffy needs more. This team is on the rise though, as they've fought hard WK1-3 before notching an explosive victory versus Ante Up in WK4.
Tiiite End Jammers (1-3)The only team so far in CTDB not averaging 100+ per week, in this season of wild scoring, the Jammers may find themselves slightly underpowered. The first Jammer to appear on the non-QB scoring rankings is waiver wire WR Eric Decker, who has only played two games for the franchise. New Jammer RB Maurice Jones-Drew has been okay, but averaging 13.8 ppg isn't going to carry this team to any victories. Tony Romo has been a top ten QB so far this season but his health continues to be a question and he'll likely split time with Ryan Fitzpatrick some more. What the Jammers need is for all of their receivers to step up, and to find out what is wrong with Rashard Mendenhall. Otherwise the Jammers are only going to be a top contender for the Toilet Bowl.
After a 76.4 - 122.7 loss to division leader Ante Up this past week, the Dirty Birds are in desperate straits. Despite a roster featuring the likes of Adrian Peterson, Roddy White, Larry Fitzgerald, Miles Austin, Dwayne Bowe, and Rob Gronkowski, the Birds are have only two wins and three straight losses.
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