Week 6 Preview: Start the Rooks!

By Mel Alper, CTDB Analyst

Five weeks in, the Chunky Monkeys sit alone in first at 8-2, the only team still unbeaten head to head, and they’ve been first or tied for first after every week of the season. The defending champs keep rolling. The hottest team in the league is the one chasing them: the City of Angels Masterminds have won four straight and sit a game back. A Squad Called Blitz, in third, posted the lowest score in the league last week and still leads everyone in points. It’s been that kind of season.

Gang Green is the record that makes no sense: second in points, four straight losses. Last week its 154 would have beaten eight of the nine other teams, and it drew the ninth, the Jail Yard Boyz, who put up 194, the best score of the season, behind Drake Maye’s 51. Both sit at 5-5 with the Philadelphia Phreaks. The Crunch Bunch and Battle Angel are a game behind that pack, and LA Buffy, losers of three straight, shares last place at 3-7 with Custom J.

My picks went 2-3 last week, with misses on Gang Green, Blitz and Battle Angel. Was this good, bad? Are you on a hot streak, cold streak?

Puka Nacua caught 17 passes for the Phreaks last week, matching what CeeDee Lamb did for Blitz the week before. Lamb followed his 17 with two, so enjoy it while it lasts, Ping.

Cincinnati, Detroit, Miami and Minnesota are off this week, the biggest bye of the season so far, and they take Joe Burrow, Amon-Ra St. Brown, Jahmyr Gibbs and Ja’Marr Chase with them.

Matchup of the week: Philadelphia Phreaks vs Chunky Monkeys

Round two between the former roommates, and the Phreaks are starting this one three players short. Gibbs and Ollie Gordon II are on a bye and were still in the lineup Thursday afternoon. Jalen Hurts is listed out after a full practice on Wednesday?? He’s the only quarterback on the roster, so if the tag holds, GM Ping needs one off waivers before Sunday. His bench has Keenan Allen and Kenny Gainwell with no injury tag, and Saquon Barkley, a keeper who missed practice Wednesday and is trending toward next week. That leaves Nacua, coming off 29 points, carrying a lot of weight.

The QB1 competition between Trevor Lawrence and Tyler Shough remains a weekly thing. Shough is in the lineup as of Thursday, and Coach Evan is staying uncommitted on a starter for Sunday. Lawrence put up 29 as the starter last week, and Shough scored less than a point on the bench. If Coach Evan wants my vote, it’s Lawrence, who has cleared 15 in three straight games. The call locks when Lawrence’s game kicks off at 6:30 Sunday morning Pacific. The rest of the Monkeys’ case is two keepers: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, with at least 5 catches in every game, and Brock Bowers, with a touchdown in each of his three. Bowers is questionable after a limited Wednesday, though it reads like load management. Rhamondre Stevenson could see more of the ball too, since the Patriots’ carries go to him if Custom J’s TreVeyon Henderson sits.

The Monkeys have won the last four meetings, and the Phreaks are projected for 62. My pick: the Monkeys.

Crunch Bunch vs Jail Yard Boyz

The cousins meet again in a Bay Area division game, and the quarterbacks decide this one. One of them cost 5 dollars. Jordan Love has scored 15 or more with two touchdown passes in every game this season, and nobody in this league had him until GM Eddie claimed him Wednesday to cover Burrow’s bye. It may be the best money anyone spent this week. Maye has thrown seven touchdowns in his last two games, though the bye takes Chase and Aaron Jones Sr. away from the weapons around him. Kenneth Walker III is back for the Bunch, with 20 or more every time he’s played.

The Boyz have won the last four against the Bunch, and this is the tightest projected game of the week. My pick: the Bunch, if GM Eddie benches his kicker, Will Reichard, a Viking. Tyler Loop, claimed Thursday morning, is sitting right there on the bench.

The Custom J watch: Custom J vs Gang Green

I built this team, and last week it finally won, on Jacoby Brissett’s 34. Josh Allen, on the other side, averages 34 every week, the most of anyone in the league, and Derrick Henry has scored a touchdown in every game. GM Josh is sticking with Brissett over Lamar Jackson, who missed practice Wednesday but has a real chance to play. GM Josh is also benching TreVeyon Henderson, who has gone under 5 points in three straight games, along with Josh Downs. Devaughn Vele, at 10 a game, and Jacory Croskey-Merritt are starting in their place. I’d have made the same moves. Custom J has lost the last five to Gang Green. My pick: Gang Green. Hang in there, Josh. The computer is still rooting for this team.

LA Buffy vs A Squad Called Blitz

Matthew Stafford has thrown for 300 yards in four straight games, and only the last one counted for Buffy. The problem is everyone around him. GM Roger is starting DeVonta Smith, a keeper, at flex after he missed practice Wednesday with a hamstring and a sore toe, and Jeremiyah Love missed the same practice with an ankle. If Love sits, his backup in Arizona, Tyler Allgeier, is already on GM Roger’s bench. Blitz’s Brock Purdy has thrown two or more touchdowns in every game, and Bijan Robinson has gone over 100 yards in three straight, even in last week’s dud. Blitz has won the last two in this series, both on the road. My pick: Blitz.

City of Angels Masterminds vs Battle Angel

The Masterminds’ four-game run belongs to James Cook III, who has scored 15 or more with a touchdown in every one of those games. Coach Marcus is starting Breece Hall at flex, but Hall is listed doubtful and hasn’t played since Week 3. Romeo Doubs and Alvin Kamara are behind him. I’d start Doubs, the one without an injury tag.

Battle Angel’s GM Will has three quarterbacks and is starting the right one. Bryce Young is back from his bye with 15 or more in every game he’s played, so GM Will is sitting Jayden Daniels again after Daniels put up 34 on the bench last week. The kicker is another story. Battle Angel’s only one plays for Detroit, which is off, so GM Will needs one off waivers. Chris Olave, a keeper, also missed Wednesday’s practice with an illness. My pick: the Masterminds.

Transactions

Coach Evan did most of the shopping Wednesday morning, 22 of the 41 dollars spent. He paid 16 for Germie Bernard, a rookie receiver, with Rashee Rice, a keeper, missing practice. My read is that Bernard is Rice insurance. He also paid 2 for the Patriots defense and 4 for Spencer Shrader, the kicker he cut for Tyler Loop on October 2, releasing Loop to get him back. Word from the Monkeys front office is that the kicker search is over.

GM Eddie claimed Loop the next morning. Last week I said GM Eddie bought two receivers to replace one A.J. Brown. Eight days later both are gone, Roman Wilson on Wednesday for the Chiefs defense and Keon Coleman on Thursday for Loop.

GM Greg dropped Will Shipley, last week’s 7-dollar bet, now doubtful with a foot injury, and Michael Pittman Jr., his fourth-round pick, who is on injured reserve. He took Pat Freiermuth and the Ravens defense for nothing. GM Victor paid 8 for Dalton Kincaid, dropping Kyle Pitts Sr., and 4 for Emmett Johnson, a rookie back. My read is that Johnson is cover for Aaron Jones Sr.‘s bye.

This Week’s Pot 💰

Week 6 pays the best rookie in a starting slot, so start your rookies this week. Denzel Boston of Blitz is the favorite at 12 a game, and his questionable tag looks like low concern. The other rookie starters are Jeremiyah Love, if the ankle allows, Carnell Tate of the Bunch and Makai Lemon of the Phreaks. Custom J’s best entry is its kicker, Dominic Zvada, a rookie who averages 9. Custom J took last week’s Pot, so the computer is on a heater.