Week 9 Preview: First Meets Second

By Mel AIper, CTDB Analyst

First place plays second place this week, and the board is a mess around them. The Chunky Monkeys sit at 13-3. Gang Green is two games back at 11-5. The Jail Yard Boyz are third at 10-6 after hanging 174 last week. Three teams are stuck at 8-8, and LA Buffy is 3-13 with another injury pile to dig through. Pittsburgh and Tennessee are on bye, which already punched holes in three lineups that haven’t been fixed. Thursday night in Baltimore locks before dinner on the West Coast, and the Monkeys and Gang Green both have players in that game.

Last week’s preview board went 4-1. The miss was Battle Angel. Are you riding that kind of week, or fighting it?

Matchup of the week: Chunky Monkeys vs Gang Green

The series is tied 3-3 since 2021, and Gang Green has taken the last two, including a 116-to-112 squeaker last year. This is the first time these two have met with the league’s top two records on the line. They don’t see each other again until later, so this one sets the tone for the stretch run.

Coach Evan is running Trevor Lawrence at quarterback tonight at Baltimore, with Bhayshul Tuten — who just dropped 28.9 — still on the bench as questionable with an ankle and foot. Lawrence has cleared 15 in five straight games he’s played. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has caught at least five passes in every game this year and is coming off four straight weeks of 19 or more. Brock Bowers is back in the lineup. The landmines are at receiver: Rashee Rice and Christian Watson are both listed as questionable, and Germie Bernard is on the Steelers’ bye. The Giants defense came off the waiver wire Wednesday and is starting.

Coach Greg’s side is carrying even more medical tape. Christian McCaffrey, the keeper, missed Wednesday with a hamstring. Garrett Wilson is in the concussion protocol and is on the bench. Michael Wilson is starting with two broken ribs. Derrick Henry and Zay Flowers play tonight behind undrafted rookie Joe Fagnano, with Lamar Jackson and Tyler Huntley both out. Josh Allen is still the best player in this league when he’s right — 15 or more in seven straight — and he doesn’t kick off until Monday night in Minnesota.

Pick: Monkeys. The dog days of football are here and the questions on both sides are real, but Gang Green has three of them in the skill spots, and Allen can’t erase a Thursday hole by himself.

A Squad Called Blitz vs Jail Yard Boyz

Bay Area week. The Boyz lead this series 8-4 and have won the last two, including a playoff meeting last December. Victor’s team just put up the highest score of Week 8 and gets Malik Nabers, Isaiah Likely and Woody Marks back from byes. Drake Maye has cleared 28 in five straight. Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase are both humming. The Jaguars defense plays tonight against Fagnano, and Ka’imi Fairbairn walked into the kicking job Wednesday for $3.

Coach Thien has the talent — Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, CeeDee Lamb, Drake London, Brock Purdy — but the kicker slot is still Chris Boswell on the Steelers’ bye. That is a zero until somebody moves. Denzel Boston is questionable in the third receiver spot, and Emeka Egbuka (foot) is on the bench at about a coin flip for Sunday.

Pick: Boyz. Maye is too hot, Nabers is back, and an empty kicker is a gift.

Philadelphia Phreaks vs custom J

The computer’s team won the Brother Bowl last week and still can’t catch a clean week at quarterback. Lamar Jackson, the keeper, needs thumb surgery and is headed to injured reserve for at least four games. The earliest return is Week 14. Josh is running Kyler Murray, who is questionable with a hamstring for Monday night, and the projection on him right now is a blank. Tony Pollard, who just dropped 27, is on the Titans’ bye. D’Andre Swift and Jonah Coleman are carrying the backfield, and Adonai Mitchell came in Wednesday for $2.

GM Ping is rolling. Kirk Cousins has cleared 15 in all eight games and dropped 36 last week. Jahmyr Gibbs, Puka Nacua and Justin Jefferson are all starting. The worry is Saquon Barkley, who missed Wednesday with hamstring and back issues and is still in the flex. Jake Elliott is questionable too. Even so, Custom J is projected nearly 40 points behind, and that gap is mostly the quarterback hole the AI drafted into.

Pick: Phreaks. Hang in there, Josh!

Crunch Bunch vs City of Angels Masterminds

Eddie won last week’s pot by losing with 113.4. This week he has to clear the bye board first. Jaylen Warren and Wan’Dale Robinson are both still in the starting lineup on Pittsburgh and Tennessee byes. Kenneth Walker III and Quinshon Judkins are healthy. Amon-Ra St. Brown is limited with ribs and expected to play. A.J. Brown looks out again, and Kyle Monangai is trending toward a fifth straight miss. Jordan Love has cleared 15 in all eight games. Joe Burrow, who just hung 54 on the bench, is still there.

Coach Marcus has his own question list. Breece Hall is limited and trending toward a return. Deebo Samuel missed Wednesday, and Shanahan would be surprised if he plays. Travis Kelce is questionable. Dak Prescott has cleared 15 in all eight, and James Cook is back on a heater. Ryan Flournoy cost $15 on Wednesday after Davante Adams went on IR. Parker Washington locks tonight.

Pick: Masterminds. Fix the byes and this is a coin flip. Leave them, and it isn’t.

Battle Angel vs LA Buffy

Buffy has lost six straight and the roster is leaking. Jeremiyah Love is on injured reserve in a starting running-back slot. DK Metcalf is still in the lineup on the Steelers’ bye. David Montgomery is ruled out. DeVonta Smith has not practiced. Cam Skattebo is day-to-day. Tyler Allgeier is the lead back in Arizona now and just dropped 33. Matthew Stafford is active. Nico Collins and Marvin Harrison Jr. are healthy on the bench and need to move up.

GM Will is healthier. The Williams trio — Javonte, Kyren, Jameson — is all starting again. Josh Jacobs is rolling. Bryce Young is under center. George Pickens was limited with a hamstring and is expected to play. Jakobi Meyers is cleared for tonight. Chris Olave is back from the Saints’ bye and waiting on the bench. The Angels lead this series 4-2 and have taken the last two.

Pick: Angels. Buffy has to clear IR and a bye before this is a game.

Transactions

Wednesday’s run spent $40 across five teams. Gang Green led it at $20: $19 for Mike Washington Jr. as McCaffrey insurance, and $1 for Matt Gay to replace Jason Myers at kicker. The Masterminds paid $15 for Ryan Flournoy after Adams went down and cut Rashod Bateman. The Boyz spent $3 to bring Fairbairn back at kicker. Custom J got Adonai Mitchell for $2 and dropped the Commanders defense. The Monkeys swapped the Patriots defense for the Giants’ for free. Buffy, the Angels, Blitz, the Bunch and the Phreaks all stood pat — and two of those quiet teams still have bye-week zeros sitting in starting slots.

This Week’s Pot 

This week’s prize goes to the owner of the highest-scoring player left on any bench. Last week Joe Burrow hung 54 for the Bunch and never left the pine. Watch the quarterbacks on the bench — Burrow again, Patrick Mahomes on Buffy, Jared Goff on Gang Green, Bo Nix on the Angels — and anyone who sits a hot running back for a questionable one. Set the lineup. The one you sat is the one that pays.

Week 8 Recap: Brotherly Shove

By Mel AIper, CTDB Analyst

With the regular season in full bore, Gang Green is storming back and are just two games back of the Monkeys with a 11-5 record after its third straight 2-0 week, and the Jail Yard Boyz have the third spot to themselves at 10-6 after posting the best score of the week. Behind them it’s a pileup: Blitz, Battle Angel and the Phreaks all at 8-8.

This past week, the headliner was the Brother Bowl, and it went to Josh. Custom J pushed past Eddie’s Crunch Bunch with two running backs in the high 20s and a quarterback slot that never got on the field. Elsewhere, a free-agent quarterback outscored five Eagles by himself, and one receiver played through two broken ribs and won a game. More on that below. 

The games

Custom J 123, Crunch Bunch 113

Custom J won the Brother Bowl on the ground. Tony Pollard ran for 27, D’Andre Swift for 27 more, and Jonah Coleman, a 13th-round rookie who picked up a bigger role in Denver once RJ Harvey went to injured reserve, added 18. Trey McBride caught 17, Ladd McConkey came back from the concussion protocol with 11, and the Commanders defense, a 2-dollar Wednesday claim, gave 12. That was enough to cover a zero at quarterback. Lamar Jackson, back from three missed games, hurt his right thumb on Baltimore’s first offensive snap and went straight to the locker room.

Coach Eddie got a strong game from Jordan Love, the 5-dollar pickup, who threw for 30. Jaylen Warren ran for 21 and Tucker Kraft caught 14, but the Bunch’s receivers never got going. Amon-Ra St. Brown had 9, Tetairoa McMillan 9, and the Broncos defense and Will Reichard combined for 1. A.J. Brown sat with his knee. Custom J has now won four straight in this series and is 5-2 against the Bunch since 2021. The rematch is Thanksgiving weekend. Pass the stuffing carefully.

Chunky Monkeys 158, A Squad Called Blitz 100

The Monkeys' Jacksonville stack did the heavy lifting this week. With Tyler Shough’s Saints on a bye, Trevor Lawrence threw for 28 and Bhayshul Tuten ran for 29, and came out of it on the injury report. Brock Bowers caught 25, Jaxon Smith-Njigba 21 and Luther Burden III 15, and Christian Watson added 13 and came out with sore ribs. 

Blitz got real production from unexpected places. Chuba Hubbard ran for 21, Harold Fannin Jr. caught 18 at tight end, and Jayden Daniels, picked up for 3 dollars on Thursday, threw for 19. But Blitz's keepers didn’t show. Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor and Drake London combined for 14, CeeDee Lamb had 9, and the Browns defense, a 10-dollar Thursday claim, scored 1. The Monkeys have won three straight in this Bay Area series and lead it 8-3 since 2021. Blitz has slipped from a share of third into the 8-8 crowd.

Jail Yard Boyz 174, LA Buffy 91

The Boyz cashed in the Bengals passing game. Tee Higgins caught 33 and Ja’Marr Chase 26, and Drake Maye threw for 28 with Malik Nabers, Isaiah Likely and Woody Marks all on byes. Bucky Irving ran for 21, the Jaguars defense, a 1-dollar claim, scored 19, and Matthew Golden and Dalton Kincaid added 17 each. The 174 ranks 16th among 920 team scores in this league since 2021. It isn’t even the Boyz’ best this season. They put up 194 in Week 5, the second-best score in this league since 2021.

Buffy's disappointing season continues and this week was no different. Tyler Allgeier, an 11th-round pick, ran for 34, and Tyler Bass, picked up off waivers Wednesday, kicked 14. The rest didn’t follow. Matthew Stafford threw for 12 and came out with a sore arm, Jeremiyah Love managed 2 before hurting a new part of his ankle, and DK Metcalf and Tre Tucker combined for 1. The Boyz now lead this series 7-6.

Philadelphia Phreaks 129, Battle Angel 89

Kirk Cousins, signed for free three Fridays ago, threw for 37, the best score by any starter in the league. GM Ping started five Eagles, Saquon Barkley, Makai Lemon, Dallas Goedert, Jake Elliott and the defense, and together they scored 31, less than Cousins alone. The rest of the roster made up the difference: Jahmyr Gibbs ran for 24, Puka Nacua caught 20 and Justin Jefferson 12.

The Angels needed the depth that carried them past the Monkeys a week ago, and it wasn’t there. Josh Jacobs ran for 20 and Jameson Williams caught 15, but Bryce Young threw for 14, Kyren Williams had 12, and Javonte Williams, last week’s star, managed 6. George Pickens caught 6, and the Seahawks defense closed it out with minus 2 on Monday night. The Angels posted the lowest score of the week. The Phreaks have now beaten them seven straight times.

Gang Green 120, City of Angels Masterminds 111

The game of the week came down to two Allens and a pair of broken ribs. Josh Allen came back from the Bills’ bye and threw for 33, and Braelon Allen, a waiver pickup, ran for 22. Michael Wilson caught 23 for Gang Green and said afterward that he broke two ribs in the game. Blake Corum and Derrick Henry added 13 each, which covered 2 from Kyle Pitts Sr. and a zero from Zay Flowers, a keeper. Flowers was the target on the first-snap throw that ended Jackson’s day, and the Ravens offense never recovered in a 36-10 loss at Buffalo.

Coach Marcus lost with the best lineup his roster could give him. Dak Prescott threw for 24, James Cook III ran for 17, and DeMario Douglas, a 12-dollar claim who started in place of Breece Hall, caught 15. Malik Washington had 13 and Brandon Aubrey kicked 12. Travis Kelce and Ashton Jeanty gave 9 each, while Tyler Warren and Parker Washington combined for 7 with Davante Adams out for weeks after hamstring surgery. Gang Green had lost the last two meetings, both in 2025, and now leads the series 8-4.

Heroes and Zeros

Heroes are the players who gave their teams far more than anyone could count on. Zeros are the stars and keepers who started and gave back almost nothing.

Heroes. Cousins, a free agent, led all starters with 37. Allgeier went for 34 from the 11th round. Wilson caught 23 through two broken ribs. Higgins caught 33. Coleman’s 18 came from a 13th-round rookie in a Denver backfield that just got bigger.

Zeros. Flowers, a Gang Green keeper, scored zero. Metcalf, a Buffy keeper, managed 1. Blitz keepers London, Taylor and Robinson combined for 14.

The wire did its part. Douglas paid off his 12 dollars, and Bass, a free pickup, kicked 14. Omar Cooper Jr., Custom J’s 22-dollar claim, went from 20 in his debut to a bagel.

Manager of the Week

This award goes to the start and sit call that won a game.

Manager of the Week: Greg, Gang Green. Wilson and DJ Moore both came into the week questionable, and GM Greg went with Wilson. He caught 23 and outscored Moore by 8 in a game Gang Green won by 8.

Honorable mention: Marcus, City of Angels Masterminds. He benched Hall, who sat out again, for Douglas, who caught 15. Nothing on the Masterminds bench would have scored more.

Calls that cost. Coach Eddie stuck with Love, who threw for 30, and Joe Burrow went for 54 on the Bunch bench in a 10-point loss. Love had earned the job. Burrow picked his week.

The Trainer’s Room

In a keeper league, an injury costs this week’s points, the waiver money spent to cover it, and sometimes next year’s keeper.

Custom J. Jackson, a keeper, needs surgery on his right thumb and is going on injured reserve, which keeps him out at least four games. Kyler Murray, the 1-dollar Friday pickup, is the cover, and the Vikings are evaluating him for a sore hamstring. De’Von Achane, another keeper, is still on injured reserve.

The Monkeys. Harvey went on injured reserve on Oct 31 with a knee injury from practice, and his work in Denver now goes to Coleman, on Custom J. Tuten missed Monday’s walkthrough with an ankle and foot problem, and the Jaguars play Thursday. Rashee Rice, a keeper, returned from his hamstring and knee trouble and caught a touchdown, though from the Monkeys bench.

The Masterminds. Adams had surgery on a ruptured hamstring tendon on Oct 28 and is looking at six to ten weeks. Hall missed a fifth game with his quad but is expected back in Week 9.

Gang Green. Christian McCaffrey, a keeper, is trending toward a return after the 49ers’ bye. Jaylin Noel went on injured reserve with a toe injury and is expected to miss the rest of the season. Wilson plans to play through the ribs.

Blitz. Taylor, a keeper, may not be a Colt much longer. Indianapolis now looks likely to trade him before the Nov 10 deadline, and nobody knows yet where he would land.

Buffy and the Bunch. DeVonta Smith, a Buffy keeper, missed a second straight game with a hamstring injury, and Love’s ankle gets an update later this week. A.J. Brown, a Bunch keeper, sat with a knee flare-up, and the Patriots haven’t committed to him for Week 9.

The Pot and the standings

Week 8 paid the highest-scoring team that lost. The Bunch lost with 113, the best losing score of the week, so Coach Eddie takes the Pot. Week 9 pays the owner of the highest-scoring player on any bench, so this week a big day on the bench at least pays something.

The Monkeys lead at 13-3, and Gang Green is two back at 11-5. The Boyz are third at 10-6. Blitz, the Angels and the Phreaks are 8-8, the Masterminds and Custom J 7-9, the Bunch 5-11 and Buffy 3-13. Every team gets two results a week: one for its game, and one for finishing in the top or bottom half of the league’s scores. Ties break on head-to-head record.

Next week

First place hosts second. The Monkeys and Gang Green split their six meetings from 2021 through last season, and Gang Green comes in with Josh Allen back and McCaffrey possibly back too.

Blitz hosts the Boyz in a Bay Area game, the Phreaks host Custom J, the Bunch host the Masterminds, and Battle Angel hosts Buffy.

Week 8 Preview: Brother Bowl, Bye-Week Blues

By Mel AIper, CTDB Analyst

We're now officially at the mid-way point. The Monkeys continue to lead the pack but the lead has narrowed somewhat the past two weeks. Gang Green is two games back at 9-5, and three teams are bunched at 8-6. At the bottom, LA Buffy has lost five straight and 2026 is quickly becoming a lost season for Buffy. Week 8 throws byes at Houston, New Orleans, the Giants and San Francisco, and Thursday morning’s waiver wire looked like a bus station. Christian McCaffrey, Brock Purdy, Nico Collins and Malik Nabers all get the week off, so the lineup you set this week matters more than the one you drafted. 

For this week match up - the headliner is Brother Bowl between brothers Josh and Eddie -- both with five wins apiece, playing for the right to say something at the next family dinner.

Matchup of the week: Custom J vs Crunch Bunch, the Brother Bowl

The Brother Bowl has been friendly to Custom J. Josh’s teams lead the series 4-2, and the last meeting wasn’t close: 139 to 81 in Week 6 last year. The home team has won three straight in the series, and Custom J is home again. This is the first of two meetings, and they play again in Week 12.

Both teams are 5-9, but they took different roads. Custom J, the roster the computer drafted, put up a league-best 153.6 last week behind Tony Pollard’s 35. That was only its second top-half week of the year. The Bunch has lost three straight and got nothing from its flex spot last week, because Kyle Monangai sat there and never played. He still hadn’t practiced as of Wednesday, and Chicago doesn’t play until Monday night.

The big question is at quarterback. Lamar Jackson practiced fully Wednesday for the first time since early October and is on track to play at Buffalo. As of Thursday morning, Josh is still running Kyler Murray, who has been fine, with Lamar on the bench. Ladd McConkey practiced fully but is still in the concussion protocol, and Devaughn Vele is on bye.

Eddie’s side has its own questions at receiver. Amon-Ra St. Brown sat Wednesday on a planned day off for his ankle, and A.J. Brown was limited. Jordan Love, who has scored 15 or more in all seven games, plays tonight against Carolina, with Joe Burrow and his 39.8 from last week on the bench. Eddie is sticking with the hot hand.

Pick: Custom J, if Lamar is back under center. The computer still has a little left in it. Good luck, Josh.

Chunky Monkeys vs A Squad Called Blitz

Coach Thien spent Thursday rebuilding a third of his lineup. Purdy, the kicker and the 49ers defense are all on bye. Overnight, Blitz picked up Jayden Daniels for $3 and dropped Sam Darnold. They also grabbed Chris Boswell at kicker and paid $10 for the Browns defense, which the Monkeys had dropped the day before. Daniels played for the Monkeys the last two seasons, and Battle Angel cut him last Saturday. Now his third team in this league gets him for a date with his old one.

Even without Purdy, Blitz has plenty: Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor, CeeDee Lamb and Drake London, all keepers. The worry is form. They’ve won two straight, but at 107 and 112, a long way from the 170s they hung in Weeks 3 and 4.

The Monkeys lose Tyler Shough to the Saints’ bye, so Trevor Lawrence steps in. He scored 15 or more four games in a row before the Jaguars’ bye. Jaxon Smith-Njigba has caught at least five passes in every game. Rashee Rice practiced Wednesday for the first time since Week 4, but he’s still on the bench. Brock Bowers was limited again with his calf and is listed as questionable.

The Monkeys lead this Bay Area series 7-3.

Pick: Monkeys. Lawrence is back, and the Blitz quarterback just walked in the door.

City of Angels Masterminds vs Gang Green

These teams opened the season against each other in Week 1, and now Gang Green has the edge in the rematch. Gang Green leads the league in points, and Josh Allen is back from Buffalo’s bye. He’s averaging 32.3 points a game and has never scored under 19. The bye cost them both McCaffrey and George Kittle, so Blake Corum and Kyle Pitts are stepping in. Braelon Allen is starting at running back with an ankle, and DJ Moore, working back from a shoulder injury, is still on the bench.

The Masterminds have lost two straight and averaged 98 over that stretch. Coach Marcus finally has his best running backs back together. James Cook returns from the bye, and Breece Hall was limited Wednesday but is trending toward a return from the quad injury he suffered in Week 3. Alvin Kamara is on the Saints’ bye, so Cook, Hall and Ashton Jeanty make up the whole backfield. Dak Prescott has scored 15 or more in all seven games. Tyler Warren is in the lineup even though he’s questionable with a groin injury.

Gang Green went 7-4 against the Masterminds from 2021 through last season, though the Masterminds won both meetings in 2025.

Pick: Gang Green. Josh Allen is the best player on the field.

Philadelphia Phreaks vs Battle Angel

The home team has won this series six straight times, and the Phreaks are at home. Then there’s the Phreaks’ own pattern: win, loss, win, loss, win, loss, win. If it holds, they’re due for a loss.

GM Ping’s problem is his backfield. Saquon Barkley missed Wednesday’s walkthrough with hamstring and back issues, and Jahmyr Gibbs sat with a shoulder injury nobody had mentioned before. Both are keepers, and both are starting. Barkley plays Sunday night, which at least gives Ping the latest call in the league. Kirk Cousins keeps the ship steady, with seven straight games of 15 or more, and Puka Nacua should see plenty of targets with Davante Adams out.

Battle Angel is hot: two straight wins and 140 last week against the Monkeys. GM Will loses Chris Olave to the bye, and George Pickens was limited with a new hamstring injury on top of his shoulder. The Williams trio is all starting: Javonte, Kyren and Jameson. Bryce Young and Josh Jacobs play tonight.

Pick: Battle Angel. The home streak is cute, but Ping’s two best running backs are both in doubt.

Jail Yard Boyz vs LA Buffy

The Boyz have scored 194, 146 and 142 over the last three weeks, the best run of any team in the league. This week, though, they’re missing Nabers, Woody Marks and Isaiah Likely to byes, and the injury list is long. Ja’Marr Chase sat Wednesday with an ankle injury but is expected to play. Jaylen Waddle didn’t practice Wednesday or Thursday and is on the bench. Aaron Jones Sr. is starting at flex with a knee that kept him out Wednesday. Drake Maye has scored 32 or more in four straight games, so GM Victor’s offense still starts in the right place.

GM Roger has lost five straight, and the byes took Cam Skattebo, Collins and kicker Ka’imi Fairbairn. He swapped in Tyler Bass at kicker. Matthew Stafford has scored at least 23 in three straight games, but Buffy is starting three questionable players: DeVonta Smith, Jeremiyah Love and Tyler Allgeier.

The series is tied 6-6, and Buffy won the last meeting.

Pick: Boyz. Maye is too hot to pick against.

Transactions

The Wednesday run was quiet. Only four teams made claims, and they spent $14 total. The Masterminds paid the most, $10 for Emanuel Wilson, whom the Monkeys had cut a week earlier. Marcus dropped Tyrone Tracy Jr., also on bye, to make room. That reads like insurance on Hall’s quad.

Custom J handled the bye-week spots: Cam Little at kicker for $2 in place of Dominic Zvada, and the Commanders defense for $2. To make room, Josh dropped Josh Downs, who reportedly asked Indianapolis for a trade the same day. Buffy got Bass for free, and the Monkeys swapped the Browns defense for the Patriots’.

Then came Thursday, when Blitz had the busiest morning in the league: Daniels, Boswell and the Browns defense, $16 in all, to fill three bye-week holes.

This Week’s Pot 

This week’s prize goes to the highest-scoring losing team. The Boyz would have won it last week with 142. Watch the loser of Monkeys vs Blitz, the two deepest lineups on the board this week. Set your lineups. A good loss pays this week.

Week 7 Recap: Too Many Williamses

By Mel AIper, CTDB Analyst

Seven weeks in, the Chunky Monkeys are still alone in first at 11-3 but the lead is dwindling. Gang Green is two games back at 9-5 and has quietly become the league’s top scorer, 1.1 points ahead of A Squad Called Blitz. Three teams sit at 8-6 including the hottest team in the leauge - Battle Angel who was 0-4 after two weeks, eight wins in ten results since.

The City of Angels Masterminds are headed the other way. They were 7-3 after Week 5 and are 7-7 now, after two straight 0-2 weeks. LA Buffy has lost five straight and sits alone in last for the first time all season.

The Monkeys finally lost their first head-to-head matchup this past week and it was the Angels who did it with a lineup that sounds like a family reunion: two Williamses ran the ball and a third caught it.

The games

Battle Angel 141, Chunky Monkeys 124

Three running backs, two of them named Williams, carried the Angels. Javonte Williams put up 22, Kyren Williams 17 and Josh Jacobs 18, and the three of them outscored the Monkeys’ running backs 56 to 28. Jameson Williams, a first-round pick, led the team with 24, and Colston Loveland added 16 at tight end. Bryce Young gave GM Will only 9 at quarterback, and the backs covered for him easily. That’s depth.

The Monkeys’ passing game held up its end. Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught 27, Luther Burden III added 22, and Rhamondre Stevenson scored 20, most of it on a broken reception. With Trevor Lawrence’s Jaguars on a bye, the weekly QB1 debate took the week off, and Tyler Shough gave the Monkeys a serviceable 19. It was a top-half score, so the Monkeys still banked a win in the standings. The Angels have now won eight of thirteen in this series since 2021. 

Custom J 154, Jail Yard Boyz 142

This ended up being the game of the week. Custom J got help from everywhere in the cousins’ game. Tony Pollard, a fifth-round pick, went for 35, the best day by any starter in the league. Trey McBride added 22. Then came the kids: Omar Cooper Jr., the 22-dollar Wednesday claim, caught 20 in his first week, and KC Concepcion, a ninth-round rookie, added 19. GM Josh signed Kyler Murray on Friday for a dollar with Lamar Jackson out and got 17. Custom J’s 154 was the best score of the week, the first time it has topped the board all season.

GM Victor did nothing wrong - just came up a bit short. Drake Maye threw for 35, Tee Higgins caught 24, Bucky Irving ran for 24, and the Boyz set the best lineup they could have, with nothing worth starting left on the bench. It was the second-best score in the league, and it lost. The Boyz won this matchup last year. Not this time.

Philadelphia Phreaks 116, Crunch Bunch 105

GM Ping won this one before kickoff. He started Makai Lemon and Ollie Gordon II over J.K. Dobbins and Darius Cooper, and Lemon and Gordon gave him 16 and 17. Kirk Cousins, the free Friday signing from two weeks ago, threw for 27, and Saquon Barkley came back on Monday night and scored 14 on nine snaps. The Eagles defense finished at minus 8 in the same game, but the Phreaks had already done enough.

Coach Eddie stuck with Jordan Love, the 5-dollar pickup who had earned the job, and Love gave him 24. Joe Burrow, of course, picked this week to throw for 40 from the bench. Amon-Ra St. Brown caught 20, but Kenneth Walker III, A.J. Brown and Tetairoa McMillan combined for 20, and Kyle Monangai, ruled out before Thursday’s game, stayed in the lineup for a zero. The Bunch had won the last four in this series. The Phreaks, who win every other week like clockwork, ended it.

Gang Green 129, LA Buffy 94

This one was won and lost at receiver. Zay Flowers, an early MVP contender, caught 24 for Gang Green, and Jared Goff, filling in during Josh Allen’s bye, threw for 25. Christian McCaffrey hurt his hamstring on the opening drive and still finished with 19, and Braelon Allen, a waiver pickup, added 16. Derrick Henry gave Gang Green 5 and Garrett Wilson 4, and they won anyway.

Buffy’s backfield and quarterback showed up. Matthew Stafford threw for 25, Tre Tucker caught 19, and Cam Skattebo ran for 19 a week after a bagel. Buffy’s receivers and tight end did not. Nico Collins, a keeper, scored 2, Sam LaPorta 2, Jordan Addison 3 and DK Metcalf 7, and the lowest score of the week followed. Gang Green has now won four straight in this series, and Buffy is alone at the bottom. GM Roger deserves better luck than this.

A Squad Called Blitz 107, City of Angels Masterminds 101

Coach Marcus played the closest game of the week short-handed. Davante Adams and Alec Pierce are on injured reserve, Tyler Warren and Deebo Samuel Sr. were out, and James Cook III and Parker Washington were on byes. Dak Prescott threw for 31 on Monday night, Ashton Jeanty ran for 18 and Brandon Aubrey kicked for 13. But Coach Marcus’s receivers and tight end managed under 20 between them, and Breece Hall, inactive again, stayed in the lineup for a zero in a 6-point loss.

Blitz didn’t need its best day. CeeDee Lamb caught 22, Jonathan Taylor ran for 18, Drake London caught 16 and Bijan Robinson added 15. Coach Thien’s 49ers trio of Brock Purdy, the kicker and the defense combined for 17. That’s not much of a stack, but it was enough. Blitz has now beaten the Masterminds five straight times, and the Masterminds’ drop from second to sixth took exactly two weeks.

Manager of the Week

This award goes to the start and sit calls that won a game.

Manager of the Week: Ping, Philadelphia Phreaks. Lemon and Gordon outscored the two players GM Ping benched by 23, in a game the Phreaks won by 10.

Honorable mention: Victor, Jail Yard Boyz. A perfect lineup and the second-best score of the week. Fantasy football doesn’t always pay you back.

Calls that cost. Two running backs who didn’t play stayed in lineups and scored zero, Hall for the Masterminds and Monangai for the Bunch. Both teams lost close ones.

The Trainer’s Room

In a keeper league, an injury costs this week’s points, the waiver money spent to cover it, and sometimes next year’s keeper.

Custom J. Jackson, a keeper, missed a third straight game with a high ankle sprain, though his coach says he’s in a decent spot for Sunday. With Brissett cut, Murray is the only cover. Ladd McConkey, another keeper, is still in the concussion protocol, and De’Von Achane remains on injured reserve.

The Masterminds. Hall, a keeper, has missed four games with a quad strain and is week to week. Samuel has a chance to return after the 49ers’ Week 8 bye.

Gang Green. McCaffrey, a keeper, has a mild hamstring strain, and the timing is kind: the 49ers are off this week. Jadarian Price, the first-round rookie, is practicing again and could come off injured reserve.

The Phreaks. Barkley tweaked the hamstring again on Monday night but doesn’t think it will keep him out. Jalen Hurts stays on injured reserve, so Cousins keeps the job.

The Monkeys and the Boyz. Rashee Rice, a Monkeys keeper, missed his third straight game with no timeline. Jordan Mason came off injured reserve and led the Vikings’ backfield on the same day Aaron Jones Sr., the Boyz’ back, aggravated his knee. Jones is day-to-day. Jaylen Waddle, a Boyz keeper, left Sunday with a chest injury.

Buffy and the Bunch. Jeremiyah Love, Buffy’s first-round rookie, missed a second game with a sprained ankle but is back at practice Wednesday. Skattebo tweaked a hamstring in overtime and gets the Giants’ bye to heal. St. Brown tweaked an ankle for the Bunch and should practice Thursday.

The Pot and the standings

Week 7 paid the David: the winner who came in furthest behind its opponent in season scoring. The Phreaks had scored 121 fewer points than the Bunch through six weeks and won anyway, so the Phreaks take it. Week 8 pays the highest-scoring team that loses.

The Monkeys lead at 11-3, and Gang Green is two back at 9-5. Blitz, the Boyz and the Angels share third at 8-6. The Masterminds are 7-7, the Phreaks 6-8, the Bunch and Custom J 5-9, and Buffy 3-11. Every team gets two results a week: one for its game, and one for finishing in the top or bottom half of the league’s scores. Ties break on head-to-head record. Of the three 8-6 teams, only Blitz and the Boyz have met, and Blitz won that one in Week 4.

Next week

The Brother Bowl returns. Josh and Eddie meet for the first of two times this season, Custom J against the Bunch, both at 5-9. Custom J is 4-2 against the Bunch since 2021 and comes in off the best score in the league. The rematch is Thanksgiving weekend, so somebody’s carving the turkey in a bad mood.

The Monkeys host Blitz in a Bay Area game, the Masterminds host Gang Green, and the Phreaks, due for a loss if the pattern holds, host the Angels. The Boyz host Buffy.

Midseason Power Rankings: Good or Lucky?

By Mel AIper, CTDB Analyst

Halfway home, and the defending champion Monkeys are right where they finished last December: on top. The Chunky Monkeys are 10-2 with a three-game lead, the only team still unbeaten head to head, and they’ve been first or tied for first after every week of the season. Behind them, four teams are stuck at 7-5, and one of them, A Squad Called Blitz, has scored more points than anyone.

It’s been a topsy-turvy first half. Gang Green has scored like the best team in the league: if every team played every other team every week, it would be 39-15, the best mark anywhere. In actual games it’s 2-4 head to head, and a 5-1 record in the bonus results is what has it at 7-5. The City of Angels Masterminds won four straight with a roster built entirely in the draft room, then lost both ends of Week 6 and half their receiving corps to the trainer’s room. The Jail Yard Boyz finished last in two of the first three weeks but have recently come alive, posting the top score two weeks running. And five of the top 10 quarterbacks this season came off the waiver wire, one of them a Friday signing who sat unclaimed until a desperate GM came calling.

So here’s the question the second half has to answer: who’s actually good, and who’s just been lucky? 

The Rankings

Records are through Week 6 and include the weekly bonus result.

These rankings weigh all-play record (how a team would do against all nine opponents every week), luck, position groups and the schedule ahead, not just wins.

Tier 1: The Contenders

1. Chunky Monkeys (10-2, 6-0 head to head)

The reigning Super Bowl champions again have the best record in the league, and they’ve also had the most luck. Against all nine teams every week they’d be 37-17, second-best in the league, which says a team this strong usually has about four head-to-head wins by now, not six. Monkeys opponents have averaged 97 points a week, the fewest anyone has faced, which is how 104 in Week 2 and 101 in Week 4 still got wins.

The roster is real, though: the league’s best receiving corps and two top-six quarterbacks, Trevor Lawrence and Tyler Shough, who finished first and second at the position in Week 6. Coach Evan’s defining decision came at the top of the draft: the Monkeys led off by selecting Bhayshul Tuten and Christian Watson - both of whom are fixtures in the starting lineup. What has to go right: Rashee Rice has to get healthy, because the hardest remaining schedule in the league is waiting, with two games against Blitz. On the bright side, word from the Monkeys front office is that the kicker search is over.

2. A Squad Called Blitz (7-5, 4-2)

Nobody has scored more. Blitz has 836 points, almost 140 a week, and it’s the only team with three top-12 running backs: Bijan Robinson, Jonathan Taylor and Chuba Hubbard, a seventh-round pick. Its 32-22 all-play record is third-best, and its luck is close to even. The 7-5 is mostly one bad Sunday: the league’s lowest score in Week 5, which in this league costs you twice.

Coach Thien’s defining decision was Brock Purdy in the third round, the QB2 on the season and the steal of the draft. His lineup calls just won him a 6-point game over Buffy, too. What has to go right: CeeDee Lamb, the WR2 on the season, has to look like himself, not the receiver who gave Blitz 2 points in Week 5. Blitz still plays the Masterminds and the Monkeys twice each, starting with the Masterminds on Sunday, so Coach Thien gets to settle the top of the table himself.

3. Gang Green (7-5, 2-4)

The standings are lying about this team. Gang Green is 39-15 against the whole league, the best all-play record by two games, and 2-4 where it counts. Its opponents have averaged 143 points a week, the most in the league, and it lost four straight with the third-, fourth-, seventh- and second-best scores of those weeks before finally beating Custom J in Week 6. A 5-1 bonus record is the only reason it’s above .500. Fantasy football can be brutal.

It isn’t the manager, either. GM Greg has set the most efficient lineups in the league, with the best quarterback room behind them: Josh Allen, the QB1, and Jared Goff, an eighth-round pick who is QB2 per game. What has to go right: nothing new. Gang Green has the easiest schedule left, and if the luck evens out, nobody will want to see this team in December.

4. City of Angels Masterminds (7-5, 4-2)

Four straight wins, then a Week 6 that took the wins and the receivers. This is a new MasterMinds team, different from yesteryear for sure. Every Masterminds starter point this season has come from keepers and draft picks, not one waiver pickup, and James Cook III, the RB1 over the last three weeks, is still the engine. It's the best roster this franchise has put together but now, the most banged-up.

Davante Adams, the first pick after the keepers, ruptured a hamstring and is out 6 to 10 weeks. Romeo Doubs is on injured reserve, Deebo Samuel Sr. is nursing a hamstring, and Breece Hall, a keeper, and Tyler Warren are out too. The 29-25 all-play record already said the Masterminds were almost a win luckier than their scores, the quarterback room ranks ninth, and the receiving corps is down to eighth. Coach Marcus’s defining decision was Parker Washington in the second round, now WR9 on the season, and he’ll need every catch. MasterMinds should probably make a trade or two. What has to go right: survive Blitz in Week 7 and Gang Green in Week 8, two of the four best teams on paper, with a patched-up lineup.

Tier 2: The Muddled Middle

5. Jail Yard Boyz (7-5, 3-3)

The hottest team in the league moves up a spot. Last year’s runner-up was bottom 3 through the first 3 weeks and tied for seventh after Week 4 ... then Victor held a team-only meeting. Rumor was it that jobs and rec time were threatened. Since then, the team has gone and posted the top score two weeks running, 194 and 146. Drake Maye, who was QB27, QB26 and QB32 in the first three weeks, is the QB1 over the last three, and C.J. Stroud, a free waiver pick up, is the QB2. Malik Nabers is the WR1 over that span, and Isaiah Likely, a sixth-round pick, is the TE1.

GM Victor’s decision to start Maye in Week 5 reset the team as they went on to set a season high in points scored that week. What has to go right: the lineup calls, after 158 points left on the bench, second-most in the league. The Boyz also have the second-easiest schedule left, starting with Custom J, and if the Weeks 4-6 version is the real one, nobody wants to draw them.

6. Crunch Bunch (5-7, 2-4)

The Bunch is better than 5-7. It’s tied for fourth in all-play (30-24) and fifth in points, and its backfield ranks second, with Kenneth Walker III at RB2 and Jaylen Warren at RB3 over the last three weeks. Nobody got more out of the early rounds, either: Joe Burrow, Warren, Quinshon Judkins and Carnell Tate have given GM Eddie 259 starter points.

The catch is picking the right ones. The Bunch has left 167 points on the bench, the most in the league, which is what happens with this many good running backs. Games are never won on the bench, as every GM in this league knows. GM Eddie’s defining decision may turn out to be the 5-dollar claim on Jordan Love, the QB7 on the season. What has to go right: A.J. Brown, a keeper, back from injured reserve, and a few better guesses on Sunday mornings.

7. Battle Angel (6-6, 3-3)

GM Will has taken two Pots, the most in the league, and that sums up the Angels’ first half: great moments, not enough wins until lately. They started 0-4 and are back to 6-6 after beating the Masterminds in Week 6. The 26-28 all-play record and even luck say .500 is about right. The good news is the backfield, where keepers Kyren Williams and Javonte Williams are RB4 and RB6 over the last three weeks.

The defining decision was a free one: Bryce Young, claimed for 0 dollars in September, is QB3 per game and won the Week 4 Pot. With Jayden Daniels and Bo Nix also on the roster, picking the right one is the hard part; Daniels’s 34 on the bench in Week 5 would have flipped that game. What has to go right: Chris Olave, the WR4 on the season, has to stay healthy, since Travis Etienne Jr., another keeper, is on injured reserve until around Week 9.

8. Philadelphia Phreaks (5-7, 3-3)

The playoff seat the Phreaks held a week ago is gone, and so is their quarterback. Jalen Hurts, a keeper, is out for the season with blood clots in his lungs, and Kirk Cousins, a free Friday signing, is QB1 for the foreseeable future. The numbers saw this coming. The Phreaks’ 14-40 all-play record is tied for the worst in the league, and they’re about a win and a half luckier than their scores, second only to the Monkeys. Sorry, Ping.

Star power keeps them in it: Jahmyr Gibbs is the RB1 on the season and Puka Nacua is WR2 per game. GM Ping’s defining decision was 31 dollars for Ollie Gordon II, the biggest bid of the season, and Gordon was RB10 over Weeks 3 through 5. What has to go right: Saquon Barkley, a keeper, back from his hamstring, and a receiving corps that ranks ninth playing above its station, with Gang Green on the schedule twice.

Tier 3: Fighting to Stay Alive

9. LA Buffy (3-9, 1-5)

Here’s a surprise: only the Boyz have gotten more out of the draft than LA Buffy, with 447 starter points from its picks, led by Sam LaPorta, the TE5, and Tre Tucker, whose 24 in Week 6 was the best receiver day in the league. The problem is the keepers. They’ve given Buffy 200 points, the fewest of any team, with David Montgomery out with a groin injury, DeVonta Smith dealing with a hamstring and a toe, and Marvin Harrison Jr. yet to score as a starter.

It also has the league’s weakest backfield, with its top three running backs at RB28, RB30 and RB34, and the 19-35 all-play record says 3-9 isn’t bad luck. Four straight losses say the same. GM Roger’s best move was handing the job to Matthew Stafford, the QB8 over the last three weeks. What has to go right: the keepers get healthy, fast.

10. Custom J (3-9, 2-4)

The computer built this team, and the computer has some explaining to do. Custom J has scored the fewest points in the league and shares the worst all-play record, 14-40. De’Von Achane, a keeper, is done for the season, and now so is Terry McLaurin, the second-round pick, with a torn patellar tendon. Jacory Croskey-Merritt is on injured reserve, Lamar Jackson has missed two straight with an ankle, and TreVeyon Henderson, the third-rounder, is on the bust list below.

There are bright spots. Trey McBride is the TE2 on the season, D’Andre Swift, the first pick after the keepers, is RB10, and GM Josh’s 3-dollar claim on Jacoby Brissett won the Week 5 Pot. What has to go right: Lamar back, and more Sundays like Week 5. Last December this team played in the semifinals. Hang in there, Josh. The computer still believes in this team.

Early Draft Review

The best drafts. The Jail Yard Boyz won the draft, with 466 starter points from their picks, and they won the late rounds outright: 265 from picks in round five or later, the most in the league. The Crunch Bunch won the early rounds. And Blitz made the best pick of the draft, Purdy in the third, who has scored more as a starter than any other non-keeper.

The Monkeys’ class. Tuten and Watson were Coach Evan’s first two picks after his keepers, and both have earned their spots. Watson has started all six weeks and is WR3 on the season. Tuten has started five and is RB11 over the last three weeks. Then, at pick 100, came Lawrence, who’s the QB3 on the season. Three weekly starters from a draft that began at pick 60 is a good day’s work.

Late-round steals. Likely, the Boyz’ sixth-rounder, is the TE1. Matthew Golden, their tenth, is WR6 on the season. Blitz found Hubbard in the seventh and Jalen Coker, WR14 per game when he plays, in the 12th. And Goff, Gang Green’s eighth-round backup, is QB2 per game.

The ones that haven’t paid off yet. Every draft has a few. Makai Lemon, the Phreaks’ first-round rookie, is WR90 on the season. Jadarian Price, Gang Green’s first-rounder, is on injured reserve, and DJ Moore, its second, is WR66. Rome Odunze has started once for Blitz, and Courtland Sutton hasn’t started for Battle Angel yet. McLaurin and Henderson belong to Custom J, which means the computer owns two of the seven.

The thinnest drafts belong to Gang Green (196 starter points from draft picks, the fewest) and the Phreaks (198). Both lean on keepers, and Gang Green’s have scored 570, the most in the league by more than 100.

Draft Capital vs. the Waiver Wire

Draft capital buys a head start; the waiver wire is where seasons get saved. This year it’s where the quarterbacks were.

• Bryce Young, Battle Angel, 0 dollars: QB3 per game and a Pot.
• Tyler Shough, Monkeys, 5 dollars: QB6 on the season, and a top-12 quarterback in four of six weeks. With Lawrence, the Monkeys have two top-six quarterbacks, one from pick 100 and one for five dollars.
• C.J. Stroud, Jail Yard Boyz, 0 dollars: QB2 over the last three weeks.
• Jordan Love, Crunch Bunch, 5 dollars: QB7 on the season, claimed only on October 14.
• Jacoby Brissett, Custom J, 3 dollars: QB6 over Weeks 3 through 5, and the Week 5 Pot.
• Kirk Cousins, Phreaks, free: QB4 on the season, and nobody touched him until Friday, when GM Ping needed a quarterback.

Beyond quarterback, Emanuel Wilson (6 dollars) is RB12 over the last three weeks for the Monkeys, and GM Greg found two startable tight ends for a combined 1 dollar, Mike Gesicki (TE7 per game) and Pat Freiermuth (TE8 over the last three weeks). Then there’s Germie Bernard, Coach Evan’s 16-dollar claim on October 14, who had his coming-out party in Week 6: 20.2 points, WR3 for the week, nearly double his previous best.

That makes the champs the most waiver-built team in the league, with more than one in five starter points coming off the wire. The Masterminds have yet to start a pickup. Opposite blueprints, and they meet in Week 11.

Still sitting there. Aaron Rodgers was QB2 over Weeks 3 through 5 and is still on nobody’s roster. And Kyle Pitts Sr. is TE3 over the last three weeks, dropped the same morning the Boyz paid 8 dollars for Dalton Kincaid, who’s TE29 over that span. GM Victor may want that one back.

Position Groups

Every point below is a starter point through Week 6: what each team actually put in its lineup, not what sat on the bench. Ranks are full-season position ranks unless noted.

Quarterbacks: Gang Green. Josh Allen, the QB1, has given Gang Green 193.8 points, 32.3 a week, all by himself. Blitz is second with 176.6 from Brock Purdy, the QB2. The Monkeys are third at 163.2, split between Tyler Shough (89.6, QB6 on the season) and Trevor Lawrence (73.6, QB3).

The bottom: the Phreaks (131.0), and 105.4 of that came from Jalen Hurts, who’s done for the year. Battle Angel is last at 126.1, and that’s a lineup-call problem, not a talent problem: Bryce Young is QB3 per game, but the Angels have started three different quarterbacks. The so-what: Gang Green gets about 11 more points a week from one slot than the Angels do.

Running backs: Blitz, by a mile. Bijan Robinson (RB3), Jonathan Taylor (RB5) and Chuba Hubbard (RB11) have given Blitz 303.0 starter points, the only team with three top-12 backs. The Bunch is second at 268.7, mostly Kenneth Walker III (131.0, RB2), and Gang Green third at 261.8 with Derrick Henry (RB4) and Christian McCaffrey (RB7).

The bottom: the Monkeys (161.7) and Buffy (139.2), whose top three backs are RB28, RB30 and RB34. Yes, the first-place team has the ninth-best starting backfield. Bhayshul Tuten (RB14) carries it. The so-what: the Monkeys are winning in spite of their running backs, and that’s the spot where a trade would help most.

Wide receivers: the Monkeys, and it isn’t close. Monkeys receivers have put up 336.1 starter points, 56 a week, 94 more than anyone else. Jaxon Smith-Njigba (WR1, 140.5) and Christian Watson (WR3, 104.3) do most of it. Blitz (242.0, CeeDee Lamb at WR2) and the Boyz (241.9, Ja’Marr Chase, Malik Nabers and Matthew Golden, the WR6) are basically tied for second.

The bottom: the Phreaks (183.3, with Puka Nacua the only big number) and Custom J (138.2), where Mike Evans (WR12) is the lone regular and Terry McLaurin is now out for the year. The so-what: the WR gap between the Monkeys and the field is worth about 16 points a week, more than any other position.

Tight ends: a three-way tie. Gang Green (78.6, George Kittle at TE3), Custom J (78.6, Trey McBride at TE2) and the Monkeys (78.2, Brock Bowers, TE1 per game) are separated by less than half a point. Surprise: Isaiah Likely is the TE1 on the season, but the Boyz have only 66.0 starter points at the spot because some of his points came on the bench.

The bottom: Blitz (44.1, all Harold Fannin Jr.) and Battle Angel (23.2, which works out to under 4 a week). The so-what: the top three are almost even, but the bottom two are giving away about 6 to 9 points a week.

FLEX: Blitz and the Monkeys. Blitz has 87.8 from the flex spot and the Monkeys have 84.4, both built on depth. Custom J is last at 30.7, about 5 a week from a slot meant to be a weapon.

Kickers and defenses. Buffy gets the most from its kicker (58.0, Ka’imi Fairbairn), and Custom J’s defenses lead the league (43.0). The Phreaks are last in both, 30 from the kicker and 8 from the defense. Gang Green (12) and the Monkeys (15) have also gotten almost nothing from their defenses. The so-what: small numbers, but the Phreaks trail the top kicker-plus-defense teams by about 9 points a week, and that decides close games.

The test: are the Monkeys’ pass catchers the deepest group in the league? Coach Evan figures Smith-Njigba, Watson, Bowers, Germie and Rice are. He’s half right. On the roster, the Monkeys’ top five pass catchers have scored 412 points, the most in the league, and four of them rank in the top 24 at their position over the last three weeks: Bowers (TE2), Smith-Njigba (WR3), Watson (WR9) and Bernard (WR21).

But it’s top-heavy. Rice has 31.5 points on the season (WR65) and hasn’t scored in three weeks, which makes Luther Burden III the fourth-best receiver on the roster. On season ranks the Boyz are deeper, with six top-24 pass catchers to the Monkeys’ four, plus the TE1 and the WR1 over the last three weeks. Best? Yes, by 94 starter points at wide receiver. Deepest? No, that’s the Boyz.

Midseason Awards

• MVP: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chunky Monkeys. He’s the WR1 by 33 points, about the same gap that separates WR2 from WR12. Josh Allen, the QB1 by 17, is a close second.
• Best pickup: Bryce Young, Battle Angel. Free, QB3 per game, and a Pot.
• Unluckiest team: Gang Green. Best all-play record, 2-4 head to head.
• Luckiest team: Chunky Monkeys. About two wins ahead of their scores, with the Phreaks close behind.
• Best manager: GM Greg, Gang Green. His lineups have captured 91% of the best possible score. Coach Thien is next at 90%.
• The Pot so far: Battle Angel in Week 1 (closest loss) and Week 4 (waiver hero, Young’s 28.75), Blitz in Week 2 (best flex, Taylor’s 27.2), the Masterminds in Week 3 (best kicker and defense, 29.0), Custom J in Week 5 (lowest-scoring winner, 112.6) and the Monkeys in Week 6 (best rookie, Bernard’s 20.2).

Second-Half Outlook

The schedule. The Monkeys have the hardest road left. Their Week 7 through 14 opponents average 127.3 points a week, and the list includes Blitz in Weeks 8 and 14, Gang Green in Week 9 and the Masterminds in Week 11. The easiest paths belong to Gang Green (116.2) and the Boyz (116.8), and that’s bad news for everyone else.

The Trainer’s Room. Week 6 was rough. McLaurin and Hurts are done for the year, Adams is out 6 to 10 weeks, and Doubs is on injured reserve. Rice and Barkley are still listed out, Hall is week to week, A.J. Brown is back from injured reserve, and Etienne could return around Week 9. Custom J has lost Achane and McLaurin for the year, and every week Lamar misses makes the climb steeper.

If the season ended today: the Monkeys, plus Blitz, Gang Green, the Masterminds and the Boyz at 7-5, and Battle Angel at 6-6. The Bunch and the Phreaks are one game out, and Buffy and Custom J are three. With 16 results still to play, that’s nothing.

The projected six: the Monkeys, Blitz, Gang Green, the Masterminds, the Boyz and the Bunch. Good or lucky? The champs are a little of both. Gang Green has been good and unlucky, which tends to fix itself. The Phreaks were the team the second half was coming for, and it came early. Without Hurts, they have eight weeks to prove the numbers wrong.