It is officially the halfway point in the season... typically in many different activities the halfway point is considered the best point.... and I find myself in concordance with that statement. If you really think about it - you get to reminisce on all the good times had in the beginning and then look forward to more good times to be had in the backhalf - and I love myself a good backhalf.
Speaking of backhalf, my wife and I got into a discussion about whether or not da gays get into an argument or have a competition for who is pitching later that night. Why did we discuss this? We watching a show that a gay actor plays a straight guy and we commenting that he could kiss actress and it would be nothing for him. Then we were discussing how "catching" would be the worst part about being gay. Thus, the discussion of how they settle on when it is your turn came about.
Anyways, before we start to look towards our backhalf.... let's look at our fronthalf.... whooo-ha!!
Fantasy MVP: Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Penias and Ferb
We are looking at a wild run from a top tier WR. Now, don't get me wrong - this is not really that big of a surprise - but it is still something that is crazy when it happens from WR that was taken as the 3rd WR and 6th overall. He is currently leading all positions and and 2nd at WR is over 60 points behind him and 6 points per game behind him. JSN is lapping the WR field in the first half of the season.
Steal of the Draft: Isaiah Likely, Shough my Jeanty
Likely was drafted in the 9th round and now he is the 2nd TE overall. To put that in perspective, the 2nd TE was drafted 24th overall in the 2nd round and Isaiah Likely was drafted 123rd overall.... now who is laughing? It should also be noted that Likely is averaging 16.1 and that would put him inside the the top 15 WR's... which would put his ADP right at 37... remember he was drafted 123rd overall - as it stands... this is an amazing find (too bad he was traded).
Trade of the Year: Check My Chubb and Penias and Ferb
Check My Chubb traded: Drake Maye and Puka Nacua
Penias and Ferb traded: Patrick Mahomes/Emanuel Wilson/Tre Tucker
Obviously, looking at this trade on paper and going into week 8 - one side won the trade. However, at the time of the trade.... Puka had yet to return from his injury and Drake Maye had gone 2 straight games with under 10 points. There was some definite risk involved with the trade - Mahomes looked really good in the first 3 weeks, Wilson was poised to take over the backfield for the foreseeable future and Tre Tucker is the clear top WR in Oakland. In fact, since the trade Check my Chubb went 3-1 and has fought their way back into playoff contention.
On the flip side, Penias has kept Maye - who has figured how to play football since the trade and is averaging 26.5 points ppg from week 4 and on. That would put him as the 2nd QB in terms of ppg. Puka then exploded for Penias and then was traded in route to acquiring JSN - who is currently the Fantasy MVP. The ironic part about Puka... has be apart of 3 trades and been on 4 different teams. Which is wild to consider that means that another top 5 WR has been moved in every trade except this trade... which is what makes this the Trade of the Year.
Waiver Wire Pick-up (Diamond in the Rough): Ollie Gordon, AR's Broken Finger
If you haven't paid attention to the league (I've killed for less), RB's are a premium. They are hard to come by and they are hard to find. AR's Finger just happen to be in the right place and low enough in the standings at the time. The crazy part is that this team wouldn't even have had the top waiver selection - they would have been 3/4 in the order. Which means there were teams that passed up on Gordon. To put it in perspective - in a league with FAAB (Free Agency Acquisition Budget) I spent $30 (roughly 1/3 of my season budget).
Gordon is a top level position and he is a guaranteed starters. Now, Miami is terrible - but everyone knew that when Achane was getting drafted inside the 1st round. Why not take his bell cow starter off the waiver? Since the Achane injury, Gordon has scored every week and is averaging 16 ppg. If I told you that was guaranteed from a waiver wire RB - you would take that in a heartbeat!
Team to Beat: Penias and Ferb
We don't need to beat a dead horse, buuuuuuttttt they haven't lost yet. They have won the belt an unprecedented 4 out of 7 weeks. They are currently on pace to set the season record - barring any freakish injuries or really dumb trades (always in the cards with the owner)... they are the team to beat. However, there is always the Commissioner's Curse.
The year was 2015 and a former football coach was apart of the league. I was a fantasy team that was part away from making a run... and I needed the right patsy to give it to me. In comes ole' head shakin' Handy Rubbins' - not a clue in the world about fantasy football. We make a trade - I traded away Kirk Cousins (a waiver wire QB pick-up that week)... he traded me Doug Martin a top 3 RB during that year.
Yes, that would be the equality of getting a top 3 RB off the waiver wire to finish out the season. There were words had by many disgruntled team owners - the next year Handy didn't come back to the league and the Commissioner's Curse was put in place. How do you know I am cursed?
The following year (2016) I won the regular season, led the league in scoring by over 100 points and lost in the championship to a team whose owner would later end up in jail.
It was a mere two years later where I finished 11-2.... round 1, I scored the 2nd highest in the league only to lose to a team that squeaked in at 6-7. To matters worse, I then proceeded to lose int he Consolation bracket with the 2nd highest in league during that week as well.
In 2019 (one year later), I lead the league in scoring - finishing first in the regular season by 2 games only to lose in the playoffs to a team that started the stack of Eli Manning (QB40) and Kaden Smith (TE 35) - a tight end that scored a combined 22 points in the regular season.
And then there was last year, (2025) Nips and Salsa outscores the league by 100 points - finishes 1st in the regular season. All for nought, the starting QB (Lamar) gets hurt during a first quarter drive (during round 2) and Nips and Salsa loses by 2 points.
Maybe, I am not closer - Maybe, I have been blessed in other areas of life - OOORRRRR Maybe I AM CURSED!!
I say all this to say.... is Penias and Ferb really the team to beat?
There will be no Power Rankings this week - due to the lack of hustle....
Matchup of the WeekGOTI (4-3) v Ertz/Eifert** (5-2)
This is the only matchup with 2 teams with winning records and one of the teams fall inside the playoff line. GOTI has been a more active manager on the trading block and Ertz/Eifert has been one of the less active managers. This is a conflicting styles battling for a big middle of the season win.
How GOTI wins: Help, I need somebody... Not just anybody (Beetles)... They are going to need somebody to have a big week. Ertz/Eifert is a top team and in order to take them down - they are going to need a big week provided by a big time player. The other big decision is whether or not Jadarian Price is going to be ready after he comes off IR. He is going to be needed throughout the rest of the season other wise they are relying on Skatt (who sucks) and Allen (backup to Breece).
How Ertz/Eifert wins: Stacks on Deck, Patron on Ice (T.I.)... This is the week that we will see just how good the Vikings defense is - generational or just lucky with the schedule? On the flip side, we are going to see how good Goff and ARSB is - both are ranked 4th in their respective position. It is interesting that Ertz/Eifert has Minnesota's defense in the lineup and Goff/ARSB in the lineup - hedging their bets? Either way, this should be their matchup to lose.
Prediction: Ertz/Eifert
Mystery Guest: Ertz/Eifert
Penias and Ferb**** (7-0) v Cleveland Streamers (3-4)
How Penias wins: I wake up in the morning, I got murder on my mind (YNW Melly)... if ESPN projections meant anything... this should be a beat down. The only positional player that is not in the top 10 is TE - but they are "projected" for 139 points. Do we trust ESPN? Probably not. But this might be the best team that has been assembled in this league in a few years. Eventually they will lose, but it probably won't be this week. Too many players that have opportunities to have a big games.
How Cleveland Streamers wins: The rule of thirds dictate my life, something suffers (Death by June).... If Cleveland wants to pull off the upset - they will need to rely on the big 1/3's. Obviously, Kenneth was a great find and nobody really saw it coming - especially Seattle. James Cook is a stud and is in a solid offense. Burden is the top WR in an offense that looks to move the ball and put up points. At some point, you just want to have players in big time offenses and this team has players that will have opportunities because of their offenses.
Prediction: Penias and Ferb
Mystery Guest: Penias and Ferb
Ankle Holster (2-5) v AR's Broken Finger (3-4)
How Holster wins: Welcome back, Betha's back - I know you like that (Mase).... It was a long wait - but having Josh Jacobs back is a huge help. Can you imagine the RB room if Bijan was still around, Bijan and Jacobs would make a pretty nasty duo, but now Kyren is going to have to suffice. Either way, Jacobs is in the RB1 tier from here on out. With Wilson and Watson holding it down for WR's.... this team looks poised to make a run in the post-season - if they get there. This would be a a big win for that cause.
How Broken wins: Catch me outside, How 'bout dat? (Bhad Bhabie)... If this team is going to win, it is not only going to take the WR's catching the ball on the outside... it is going to take the RB's getting some catches as well. Don't read into Gainwell's last game, the script was heavy in favor of run... this is the first game Gainwell went without a reception. On top of that, Coleston Loveland is waking up from his coma and is finally looking like the projected top tier TE that everyone was expecting. Look for Broken to win with lots of receptions and racking in those ppr's.
Prediction: AR's Broken Finger
Mystery Guest: Ankle Holster
Shough Me, Jeanty* (4-3) v Factory of Sadness (3-4)
How Shough Me wins: Get comfortable, hop up in the car (Cartier God)... This is a good week in terms of comfy matchups for Shough Me. P. Washington comes off a bye week and gets the gift of Indianapolis defense (a team that is currently trading away anybody worth value). Tet gets Green Bay - a team with little pressure on the QB without Parsons and this could be a good week for Tet. AJ Brown get Miami and we all know what is happening down there. Buck Buck gets Atlanta - who has been good against the run... but RB's have performed well catching out of the backfield - giving up 10 receptions to backs last week. Buck Buck has been heavily involved in the air attack and this could be a 5+ reception week.
How Sadness wins: N**gas in London (Jay-Z and Kanye)... First off, let me state that yes I know the darker fellas aren't from London - they are from Paris. However, London might be the key to this week for Factory. He can do a couple things this week - big catch and big plays.... keep Buck Irving off the field. The other location in London that is pretty key to this fantasy team is the Hampton Court Palace - bout time for him to get going, if you are trackin'!
Prediction: Factory of Sadness
Mystery Guest: Factory of Sadness
My Team Sucks (3-4) v Tuten My Horn (4-3)
How Sucks wins: Ohhhh, the Island of misfit toys (Mr. Kite and Rudolph)... When you look at this lineup - it doesn't have the pizazz as some other lineups. But in reality, these misfits are getting the job done - don't let the record fool you... My Team Sucks has the 4th most scored points in the league. Tuten and Warren are both inside the top 15 RBs.... both players were drafted outside the top 50. Typically, Purdy is the starting QB - but for his bye... they still have C. Williams. Then they rock Zay Flowers and Pickens at WR, and Hunter Henry at TE. Outside of Flowers (and maybe including him), this is an island of players that other managers necessarily want to trade for - but it works. Time to start getting those points to turn into wins.
How Tuten wins: Im makin' big play, boss moves (Patrick Paige II)... With the newly acqured Bijan Robinson and Puka on the squad - it is time for the boys to make some big plays. Bijan has Tampa Bay - who ranked 2nd against the run... so it is going to take a big play or two to be successful. Puka has a floundering Chargers team... which is needed. There also could be some big plays for the Pats defense in line for this week with a matchup against Miami's offense. Who knows maybe they turn back to the clock to when the defense was a top 20 player in fantasy.
Prediction: My Team Sucks
Mystery Guest: Tuten My Horn
The J-Bones (4-3) v Check My Chubb (3-4)
How JBones wins: As long I know how to love, I know I'll stay alive (Gloria Gaynor)... At this point, you are just trying to survive - you already don't have CMC or Nabers for this week. The goal is to not lose anyone to injury and it will have been a successful week. Obviously, you would like to win - but with CMC and Nabers out, Woody Marks would have been your next man up (also on a bye).... you really just want to get out of this week with a certain TE not getting injured.
How Chubb wins: Baby come back, any kind of fool could see (Player)... It is clear that Bowers and Pollard didn't have their best stuff last week. That is now 2 weeks like that Bowers... it is time for him to go back to what he was doing when he came back from injury. Pollard is another key player that had his worst game last week. There is a lot that falls on his shoulders to hold it down for the RB's on this team.... can he handle the pressure? Mahomes also had his worst outing last week, and now he has a tough Denver secondary. Come back and be the Mahomes that Chubb needs!
Prediction: Check My Chubb
Mystery Guest: Check My Chubb
Mounsey Zombies (3-4) v Nailor? I hardly know her (1-6)
How Mounsey wins: How I realized they were the best year of my life (Johnny Hates Jazz).... This lineup would be a dominate lineup 3-5 years ago, can we channel those years? King Henry, Saquon, Godwin, Lamar, Pacheco.... all were just studs in the yesteryear. If they can "Turn Back the Clock" - this team has more than a chance of winning this week... they could win long term and make a deep playoff run.
How Nailor? wins: It ain't no lie baby, bye bye bye (N'SYNC).... this is a tough week, especially when you really need a win. It already is not looking good for Nailor? but now having 4 players on the bye week is not going to help. Especially, when one of those players is a top 5 WR and the other one is a key RB for the squad (should be back from IR after this week because of the bye). Gonna be a tough week and tough scene for the Nailor? boyz.
Prediction: Mounsey Zombies
Mystery Guest: Mounsey Zombies
As always, good luck to everyone - except you, Cleveland Streamers - may your entire roster declare to be drafted in the WNBA and forever be stuck in the cycle of women's basketball hell.
With Love
Commish
Week 7 Results
Fantasy Guru: 4-3
Mystery Guest: 5-2
Season Totals
Fantasy Guru: 33-16
Mystery Guru: 23-26