Week 12 Recap & Week 13 Preview: CRUNCHTIME

This is the end. This is the end, my friends. In what seemed like it was just yesterday, the 2016 season has come and gone. However, a whole season is about to begin. That's right, it's playoff time baby. For some select teams, it has been playoff mode since the beginning of November. I would also like to say I hope everyone had a blessed Thanksgiving with your respective families and you know for a fact that I made it aware I was thankful for this league and all of you. The break from reality this league provides me on a daily basis during the fall is unmatched by anything else and the ability to stay in touch with each of you distance-aside is fantastic. 

We've had a great season thus far and it can only get better from here. I wish you all the best of luck in the playoffs and the consolation bracket. As we've seen from this year and TY Beanies, all it takes is one 1st round pick to change the entire fortune of a franchise. I don't know if next year's rookie class may yield talent like this season but we can certainly hope for reviving the non-playoff teams of 2016. This league prides itself on the basis of being consistently inconsistent, where teams rise and fall with each passing year, keeping everyone on their toes. Whatever happens from this point forward, will certainly not be replicated this time next season. At the end of the recap, I'll make my best attempt to determine the playoff seedings and what it will take for team's to make the playoffs at this point. Best of luck to all the rest of the way and remember to set those lineups. Playoff seeding, berths and draft picks are all at stake at this point.

GAME OF THE WEEK

(7-5) Why You Pee On My Car? - 132.9

(5-7) Dirty Birds, Inc. - 99.9

After making a hefty wager in the beginning of the season pitting each team's respective studs against each other (Brown and Jones), Aaron took a step closer to the $100 wager with a massive game from his conglomerate of Steelers. Brown, Roethlisberger and a stingy Pittsburgh defense set the tone early on Thanksgiving night, easing their way to Aaron's 7th victory of the season. Now slotted in the 3rd seed, WYPOMC has officially clinched a playoff berth after the truly unfortunate 2015 season that left fans of the team and front office wondering what could have been. Not anymore. Aaron's team rebounded from a slow start to form one of the more potent lineups in the league. Owner Aaron Pommer must be ecstatic to be back in the big dance to continue his redemption tour and has his team's sights set on the ultimate prize. A win this weekend in the season finale will officially clinch the 3rd seed, although it could be anyone in the 6th seed for his potential matchup. Who knows, it could even be Brian the way things are shaping up.

It is do or die for the final time this season for Bri. After a loss to Aaron put him in the 9th seed at 5-7, he will need to beat Dave in order to make the playoffs and will need some help from Joe as well. Julio Jones and  Matt Ryan got the W against Arizona but their scores weren't too flattering. Nonetheless, with yet another Super Bowl rematch this week against Dave, Brian has the chance to get into the playoffs with a victory. What seed he would be if he wins remains to be seen but the only thing that could keep him out would be a loss at this point. He would hold the tiebreaker over Dave with another win and if Chris happens to upset Joe, we could potentially see a Josh-Brian matchup in the first round. Talk about a true gauntlet after scratching and clawing his way to this point. Currently projected to beat Dave and enact his revenge on last year's champ, Brian will be out for blood

(5-7) Hogan Knows Best - 91.4
(6-6) EBDB BnB - 124.1
Dave finally pulled the plug on the Blake Bortles experiment and he kept his playoff chances alive. Following a huge Thursday game from Kirk Cousins, EBDB BnB rebounded to get back to 6-6. Staring at 5th straight loss, Dave's players rallied around their owner and picked up a crucial victory. We knew the defending champs would not go quietly into the night and now have another must win game this weekend. Kelvin Benjamin was once again kept in check besides a long TD and Gurley had another lukewarm performance but now is not the time to hold back. Facing Brian in a Super Bowl rematch with win and get in stakes, it is all hands on deck this weekend. Carolina plays on Sunday night while Cousins faces a difficult road test in Arizona. Brian's team has played well of late and of course, will rely on the Falcons to win him the matchup. Can Devonta Freeman steal points from Jones and Ryan to vault Dave into the playoffs? Did I mention he could knock Brian out. What a matchup it will be.

This could be the final stake in Will's season. After showing flashes of hope for the playoffs last week, he stumbled to another loss, putting him in 10th once again. Needing losses from Chris and Brian seem reasonable but the task of beating Josh seem insurmountable. Only once has Josh lost this season and Will needs a heroic performance from his squad to pull it off. It all starts on Thursday Night, it is imperative that Minnesota holds Zeke in check while Dak has the best game of his young career (update, Will started Kaepernick anyways). Then he must dodge more bullets than Neo to even consider the upset victory. Strong games from Jamison Crowder, Sammy Watkins and Fat Rob Kelley would certainly be appreciated. If all else fails, Will's team would be in great shape to snag that #1 pick for next season to start the rebuilding process.

(4-8) The Shitty Beatles - 89.3
(8-4) Brule's Rules - 77
This season most likely ends with another season without a playoff berth but you can't say anything negative against the fight in Dom's team. He'll come up a game short of the postseason but he has the chance to win 5 of the last 6 matchups to get back to 5-7. In addition, the one loss included a nailbiter against the best team in the league. He was plagued by bad luck and got beat by an ungodly amount of points each of the first five weeks but it wasn't all a wash. He totes an impressive arsenal of draft picks, readying him for a revival in 2017. Hopefully he avoids the license plate holder game and can solidify his keepers for next season in the process. Trust the process in 2017. Hopefully we can see Dom back in the spotlight for something other than massive fire sales next season.

Welp, the hits keep coming for the former #1 seed. Nick lost against Dom to put him at three straight losses. Granted Andrew Luck not playing did not help either but his team is starting to struggle at the worst possible time. He'll use this week's matchup against Aaron to sort out his final playoff roster and get the boys some necessary rest with the division and 2-seed clinched. As of today, he would face Start The Carr in the first round but we know how much that could change by next week. Nick rebounded from weak keepers in the offseason to a dynamite roster and would not want to see this season end any earlier than the Super Bowl. 

(3-9) Schenectady Schmeckles - 107
(5-7) Team New Year - 84.9
At this point Chris is simply trying to play spoiler and he has succeeded so far. In what looked like a much needed victory for Chreeyusz, the Schmeckles held firm and knocked Chris down to 5-7 with the help of Aaron Rodgers, Tavon Austin and Terrelle Pryor. This was especially comforting as it is now starting to look like Pryor could become a viable keeper option for 2017. He will most likely post 1,000 yards with a pair of incompetent quarterbacks. Rodgers will remain a top-prize QB for a few more years and with a strong draft next year, Chris can start to climb his way back to fantasy relevancy. A consolation championship is the next step from here. Also, he has the chance to potentially knock Ben out of the playoff race this weekend. Very exciting, if you're into that kind of stuff.

It seems like it's been said every week but another frustrating loss for Chreeyusz and Team New Year. Russell Wilson turned in yet another poor performance while Allen Robinson and Jarvis Landry were non-factors on Sunday. With the loss, Chris still remains in the 8 seed for the time being but he desperately needs a win. Upsetting Joe this week would give him an automatic berth in the playoffs. However, a win by Brian and a loss to Joe would result in Chris being relegated to the consolation bracket once again. Great news for Chris coming across the wire (in terms of fantasy), Gronk will not be a factor this weekend against him. However, his Patriots suffer a massive loss going forward. I'm sure a playoff berth will help ease the pain. Team New Year has not been able to score all season and this trend must end tonight if he wants in on the big dance. His trio of receivers must step up this week and strong start from Stefon Diggs and Jerick McKinnon would be vital. 

(6-6) Start The Carr - 110.1
(6-6) Kissing Suzy Kolber - 143.8
Vinnie keeps his season alive once again with a convincing win over Start the Carr this weekend. After a huge performance from Jordan Reed on Thursday, Tom Brady and company sealed the deal to vanquish the Cookie Man. Interesting side note, Vinnie was highest scorer this week and his two top receivers gave him a combined score of -0.1. Unprecedented. The rest of the team certainly picked up the slack with 5 players scoring of 20 points to help him inch closer to the playoffs. With the win, KSK now sits in the 5th seed at 6-6 a few weeks after staring elimination square in the face. This weekend, he hopes to cement a top seed as he faces the Shitty Beatles. Although a playoff spot is not 100% guaranteed at this point, it is safe to say Vinnie will be in the postseason for a third straight season to start his career. Currently, he's slotted to face Joe in the 4/5 matchup but with the fluidity of the playoffs, who knows who he'll be matched up against opening round weekend.

Cooks was unable to officially seal a playoff spot but he is still in unless a nuclear meltdown occurs this weekend. However, he is hoping to avoid a 7 or 8-seed to ensure his season doesn't end promptly in Week 14. Especially since his team is finally starting to gel. Rookie Michael Thomas continued his fantastic rookie season while Derek Carr performed well once again but it was simply not enough to stop the highest scorer of the week. This weekend he'll face a Schmeckles team playing much better of late. Aaron Rodgers holds a favorable matchup which could make Ben weary. I don't believe he would be able to lose his playoff spot with a loss, unless Brian, Will, and Chris all win but we'll see. I'm honestly too lazy to go check it again and my fingers hurt from typing out scenarios. But you got this Cooks, it's not like Chris hasn't already started playing spoiler...

(6-6) Team RUTHLESS - 108.8
(10-1) TY Beanies - 140.8
Another convincing performance from Josh on the backs of his stud players. Led once again by David Johnson, Ezekiel Elliott and Odell Beckham, Josh cruised to his record-tying 11 win this season with his sights on history next weekend. Not much else to say about this team as they enter the postseason as the overall #1 seed and the odds-on favorite to win this whole thing. Anyone on the top half of the bracket and the doomed 8th seed (currently Chreeyusz) are hoping to avoid Josh at all costs. Next week, he'll face Will in an attempt to make Slushie Sunday history with his 12th win in 2016. In addition, a win can drive a stake in any playoff hopes Will had for this season. All Josh can do is sit back and see who his first victim is next week. Could be anyone at this point. May god have mercy on whomever gets that dreadful draw.

Joe had the opportunity to officially seal a playoff spot against his oldest rival but was blown away by the juggernaut that is TY Beanies. Le'Veon played well once again in addition to superstar Mike Evans but Drew Brees was sat and Rob Gronkowski is now out for the season. At full strength, there is no question this team can compete for the title but the inconsistency has really plagued this team. Can they rebound from this injury and make a deep playoff run for the first time in Joe's career? For starters, he has to win this week to ensure he has a spot to begin with. Highly unlikely that Will, Dave and Chris all can swing upsets but you never know at this point. Anyways, Chris had a decent trio of performances on Thursday and now Joe has his work cut out for him in terms of clinching. Le'Veon faces the Giants while Drew Brees is poised for another shootout against Detroit. If Joe wins, he has the potential to remain in the Top-5 for seeding and will avoid a tougher opponent. But, the win is also crucial to his playoff chances. Chris will not hold anything back.

PLAYOFF SCENARIOS:

(Tiebreakers are a giant bitch to figure so I won't even bother at this point. I will be more than happy to break them down this weekend as matchups become more clear...to the best of my knowledge of the tiebreaker format. Strictly requirements for playoff berths below.)

Josh, Nick & Aaron: Clinched

Joe, Ben, Chreeyusz, Dave & Vinnie: Win & In

Brian: Win + Loss from Chreeyusz

Will: Win + Losses from Chris & Brian

Dom & Chris Casey: Eliminated

Week 11 Recap: Primetime Performers

Of course, this week is Thanksgiving, arguably the best time of the year for the playoff regular season. The playoff race has already begun to heat up and the three games on Thursdays cause great panic for teams equally with overreactions and over-confidence. This week, our matchups don't disappoint either, including a must-win battle of 5-6 teams with Will and Dave. Will knocked off Nick in impressive fashion and Dave has now lost 4 in a row, dropping him from 3rd place to 10th in a matter of a month. The winner of this game may seal a potential playoff berth, while a loss puts either team on life support. Then, there's the friendly rivalry of Aaron and Brian, who have traded shots back and forth all season and now, Aaron is in the position of power at 6-5. Brian, fresh off a devastating loss to Joe, now sits at 5-6 in the 8th seed, hoping for a win to take some pressure off.

Going into last week, there was a logjam of 5-5 teams and after the weekend, 5-6 teams are all the rage. Aaron, Ben and Joe did themselves huge favors by improving to 6-5, while Will and Vinnie kept their season's alive with victories over Nick and Dave, respectively.  This weekend will be chocked full of matchups with ultimate playoff implications. I for one cannot wait to watch it all unfold. As usual, I want some good, clean, wholesome competition to top off my holiday weekend. I know you all want the same. Be sure to give thanks to the fantasy gods. Happy Holidays everyone, and god bless.

Now, let's recap the week that was...

GAME OF THE WEEK

(6-5) Team RUTHLESS - 125.4

(5-6) Dirty Birds, Inc. - 117.1

The best matchup on the board turned out to be the most exciting with the back and forth nature of the Monday Night game. Essentially, it came down to Lamar Miller against Amari Cooper and after a strong start to the game for Miller, Joe came from behind with a clutch TD from Cooper. Cooper, the most recent addition to Team Ruthless, was instrumental in the victory, along with other acquisitions, Drew Brees and Coby Fleener. The win for Joe would clinch him a playoff spot with a win in either of the next two weeks but he is hoping for a Top-4 seed in the process. Le'Veon Bell continued his dominance again but the squad was dealt another blow with CJ Prosise out for the rest of the year. In addition to Gronk being out and a short bench, Joe may need to utilize the waiver wire to fill his roster going forward. He'll need it this weekend, as he faces Josh in a roommate rival that has more at stake then just playoff seeding. It could potentially be a playoff preview in addition to all the bragging rights. 

An absolutely devastating loss for Brian on Monday Night. After Lamar Miller had a touchdown called back, Amari Cooper was able to break through in the closing minutes, dropping him to 5-6 along with nearly half the league. Thankfully, due to tiebreakers, he's currently slotted in the 8th seed but he realizes that he must win at least one more game to give him a potential playoff berth. The trade for LeSean McCoy and Dez Bryant has paid dividends already in terms of production but will McCoy's injury linger into this week's matchup where he is needed the most? At least he can lean on the dynamite tandem of Demarco Murray and Lamar Miller for the time being, both runners are producing at an amazing clip, as it seems Miller is back on track for the stretch run. Matt Ryan and Julio Jones return from bye this weekend and it is perfect timing as Brian will face Aaron in a heated rivalry game where the projection is currently razor thin and you know Aaron would like nothing more than to cripple Brian's playoff chances. 

(5-6) Hogan Knows Best - 136.6
(8-3) Brule's Rules - 114.5
Staring elimination in the face, Will's squad buckled down for a monumental comeback against Nick on Sunday Night. Down over 50 points with a 20-point projected loss staring him in the face, "Fat" Rob Kelley, James Starks and Jamison Crowder combined for nearly 70 points to topple Brule's Rules and plant himself right in the thick of the playoff hunt yet again. But the win would be overshadowed by the painful loss of AJ Green, the franchise centerpiece after already losing Thomas Rawls and Sammy Watkins. It will be difficult to overcome that loss but role players have stepped up as of late. This week Will has yet another must-win game, facing his old pal Dave is what looks to be the matchup of the weekend. The projections have this matchup being extremely tight and I expect nothing less from these two, both hungry to make it into the postseason. Will, who has gone two straight years without tasting a playoff berth, needs to take care of business to have any chance going into Week 13. This matchup could certainly be swayed by the Dallas-Washington game on Thursday. Will's lineup features 4 players while Dave will trot out Kirk Cousins for the first time this year. It is imperative for Will to get off to a strong start. Will was amped about the win, here's what he had to say, "Shout out to Fat Rob and Duke-Alum Jamison Crowder for keeping my fantasy season alive. Nick and his squad have been a pillar of excellence in Slushie Sundays since the beginning and I am ecstatic to have pulled this one out. Need to figure out how to replace AJ Green quickly against the defending champion."

A strong week muddied by a late surge by Will has Nick experiencing his first losing streak of the season. Not a bad time to get it out of the way however, as his team gears up for a deep playoff run. By default, he's clinched the division but there are new problems at hand. Andrew Luck may sit this weekend after being placed in concussion protocol, while his team is still looking to solidify it's playoff roster. Bench contributions were noted last weekend as Doug Baldwin continues to perform but he's not been able to crack the starting roster. Doug Martin and Theo Riddick are in a battle for the 2nd RB spot behind Frank Gore and Tyler Eifert looks to be supplanted by Eric Ebron for the present time. A deep bench is certainly not  the most problem to have but it will make some decisions tougher come playoff time. As for now, Nick still has a small outside shot for the number one seed and he's focused on ending the season on a strong note. However, back in his championship season in 2013, he stumbled to the finish losing two of his last three matchups, only to rip off three straight wins and claim the crown. The postseason push starts now with a matchup with Dom, fittingly a family affair on Thanksgiving of all days. Prayers up to Andrew Luck as well.

(3-8) The Shitty Beatles - 97.7
(10-1) TY Beanies - 102.8
David Johnson is just too good. Really all there needs to be said. An off week for Josh's team's standards, but another win nonetheless. A win this week will clinch the number one overall seed. But don't get too excited, that spot currently belongs to Brian. Regardless, Josh is the team to beat right now and it's quite apparent. Scoring far more points than anyone else this year, it's his title to lose at this rate. He has three Top-5 running backs, Odell Beckham and Cam Newton. A loss would be a monumental achievement for his opponent at this rate. But we'll save this talk for the postseason. Right now, Josh has his sights set on the number one overall seed. A prestigious honor that has also been an omen for teams of the past. I digress, a win this week gives Josh the #1 spot and it also puts him one win away from setting the all-time single season record for wins in a season. Three teams have reached the 11-2 plateau but no one has ever won 12 in a season and Josh has a legitimate chance at this point. This week, he'll take on his roommate Joe, who he easily beat in Week 1. Now, Joe is hoping to wrap up a playoff spot with a revamped roster but we know Josh will not show him any mercy.

In memoriam, Dom's 2016 season. After a rough start, he was able to stick around until Week 11 and nearly knock off the top dog to keep his playoff hopes alive. Unfortunately, it wasn't meant to be. Still technically alive but barely breathing, Dom will be playing for pride at this point. Frantically hoping to avoid a 'Shit Bowl' appearance with the license plate holder at stake. Since he's stockpiled enough draft picks to last a nuclear winter, having the first overall pick would work wonders next season. This week he'll face his older brother, hoping to exact some revenge for what he claims as "bad fantasy advice" from the past weekend. Nick mollywhopped Dom in Week 1 and will certainly be out for a repeat performance over the holiday weekend.

(2-9) Schenectady Schmeckles - 94.2
(6-5) Why You Pee On My Car? - 117.4
After experiencing a mountain of shitty luck in 2015, Aaron is one win away from being back in the playoffs. Sitting at 6-5, he took care of Chris Casey in impressive fashion, posting 117 points as the postseason inches closer. This weekend, it wasn't Brown or Roethlisberger doing the damage, it was Steelers Defense leading the charge for WYPOMC. Very balanced attack from the rest of the team nonetheless. Roethlisberger and Brown will be fine going forward and this team is starting to resemble a threat with a healthy Carlos Hyde. Brandon Marshall is currently the 4th best receiver on this team and it will be interesting to see how Aaron treats one of his star players moving forward. Another factor has been the rebirth of Jimmy Graham, now playing like we have been accustom to for so long, Aaron has a legitimate threat from the TE spot each week. 

Well, the regular season was already over for Chris but he is just unable to have any luck of the sort. Aaron Rodgers turned in another fantastic performance, but half of the team shouldn't have bothered showing up. Spoiling strong games from LeGarrette Blount and Sterling Shepard. The decimated running back core and the loss of a 4th round pick really hurt Chris this season but it can be salvaged by winning the consolation bracket and nabbing the first pick. Already having Rodgers as a keeper is a fantastic start, paired with the potential of Eddie Lacy and Terrelle Pryor, things could be looking up for 2017. This weekend, he hopes to play spoiler against Chreeyusz, as he'll be hungry for his 6th win to keep his playoff chances alive.
(5-6) EBDB BnB - 69.8
(5-6) Kissing Suzy Kolber - 83.3

Huge victory for the boys from Lake George. Tom Brady was special once again in San Francisco, leading Vinnie's team to a mild upset over EBDB BnB. Sitting at 5-6, Vinnie finds himself right back in the playoff hunt with two to play. In fact, thanks to tiebreakers, he clings to the 5 seed at this current juncture, jumping 4 spots in one week. However, he realizes that he must keep the pedal down to ensure a third straight playoff appearance in his young career. In addition, the rest of his roster besides Brady were extremely underwhelming and hopefully they were saving it for when it really matters most. Martellus Bennett will be relegated back to the bench after Gronk heals but Jordan Reed shows no signs of slowing down in return. Mark Ingram and Brandin Cooks look the bounce back against the Rams while Ty Montgomery hopes to factor into the offense more than last week. With a team that's been beat up as much as KSK has, it would be a blessing to be to make the playoffs. Here's to hoping he can make the most of it. This week, he takes on Ben in what proves to be a hotly contested matchup between two rosters hurting to score points on a weekly basis. 

More disappointment from the BnB. After the five-game winning streak put Dave back in serious contention for the division, his team has unraveled at the hands of Blake Bortles, and others. Failing to score over 100 points in each of his last four losses, he's struggling to find offense from any of his players at this point. Michael Crabtree has cooled off from his fast start while Kelvin Benjamin has yet to live up to expectations in 2016. Desperate times now as he sits in 10th place and a tough matchup against Will's team looms large. It could be a pseudo-elimination game depending on other team's results and Dave will look to fire up the roster once more to keep his quest for a repeat alive. Thankfully, Devonta Freeman returns from bye and Kirk Cousins has been summoned from the bench to officially replace Bortles. However, Will's roster features Robert Kelley and Jamison Crowder in addition to Dak Prescott, making the late afternoon game as pivotal as they come. All the best to Dave in his playoff push. The heroic story of perseverance in 2015 can't possible end with a consolation appearance right?

(5-6) Team New Year - 74.2
(6-5) Start The Carr - 107.6
A much needed win for the Cookie Man this weekend as Start the Carr is finally poised to clinch a playoff berth. Led by Derek Carr and Minnesota's Defense yet again, he finds himself back over .500 in the closing weeks of 2016. This team simply won't quit on an owner hoping to bounce back from a troubling 2015 season. Although much wasn't needed this weekend to get the victory, it will be interesting to see who will step up for Ben in upcoming weeks. Spencer Ware continues to produce while Demaryius Thomas and Devontae Booker return from bye weeks. If Michael Thomas can continue his strong rookie season, he has the opportunity to make some noise in the postseason, especially if he can remain in the top-5 for seeding. Quietly Rishard Matthews has become a perfect flex option as well, creating a balanced lineup that features favorable matchups this weekend again. Facing KSK, he can exercise his demons of yesteryear and inch closer to finally clinching a spot in the big dance once again. "Start the Carr is back on the right track. With DC and Vikings D finally playing back up to their potential, the rest of the squad is slowly following suit. This team is in good shape for the final weeks of the season."

Another disappointing week from Chreeyusz's squad. Desperately needing a win to keep pace, his team once again let him down with weak performances from his running backs and basically the rest of his team. Once again, Russell Wilson turned in a great performance, only to be spoiled by the rest of the roster. Jerick McKinnon has proven that he is not a startable running back anymore and Jonathan Stewart is certainly not able to shoulder the load on his own. The success for Chris lies in his trio of receivers. Stefon Diggs, Jarvis Landry and Allen Robinson have yet to get hot at the same time and it is severely plaguing his team. Next week, more than anything he will need them to carry his team. Toting favorable matchups for his players, he'll face an already eliminated Schmeckles roster only playing for consolation seeding at this point. Chreeyusz realizes it is must-win territory, and a win will put him in great shape for Week 13.

Week 10 Recap: Staying Alive

Another week in the books and the playoff picture remains just as muddled as before. Now, 6 teams remain at 5-5 with only three weeks remaining. As of right now, Chris Casey appears to be on life support sitting at three games back. However, everyone else remains in contention, even Dom, who pulled off an upset victory over Dave this weekend. In addition, his brother (Chreeyusz) was busy pulling off a major upset to keep him right in the playoff hunt, beating his older brother Nick.

This weekend is shaping up to feature some epic matchups to determine the fate of several teams. In fact, three separate matchups feature both opponents sitting at 4-6 or 5-5. At this rate, it is must win mode from here on out and I for one can't even begin to imagine how it will work out. Unfortunately, we all won't be around to watch the games together but hopefully we can coordinate something over the holiday weekend. Just remember, even though your playoff chances may look bleak, there is still so much more to play for. The number one pick and not having a license holder declaring your fantasy ineptitude comes to mind.

GAME OF THE WEEK

(5-5) Team New Year - 127.5

(8-2) Brule's Rules - 124.5

"I think we know who the title belt goes to now in the Caputo household...". The only close matchup of the weekend took place in the same household as Chreeyusz improved his postseason chances with a win over his older brother. Chris, no stranger to beating Nick in the past, caught a great opportunity when nearly half of Nick's roster was on a bye. Thanks to this YUGE victory, Chris can control his own destiny for the rest of the season with a favorable schedule ahead. Jameis and Russell Wilson have both been playing well and it is now just a decision between matchups at this point for Team New Year's QB dilemma. The main catalyst in his playoff chances is the run game, which has plagued him the entire season. Matt Jones has been phased out of the offense while Jerick McKinnon and Jonathan Stewart have been lackluster thus far. Hoping to keep the good vibes going, Chris faces the struggling Start the Carr. Ben has lost 5 of the last 7 games and has been unable to put up many points in recent weeks. Can Chris string together 100+ point performances for the first time this season? Jarvis Landry and Allen Robinson will look to finally carry this team for the same time. 

A rare loss for Nick this weekend but it should certainly being a positive experience for the team. With mostly reserves, Brule's Rules were able to put up a great deal of points and nearly win in a shootout. As of right now, he has the division locked up with one more victory, in addition to a Top-2 seed. The depth on his roster was on full display this week and will be a major factor the rest of the season. In regards to this matchup, Nick was proud of how his team fought with most of the starters down and wishes his brother luck for the remainder of the season. It is imperative to stay focused because winning out and a Josh loss could result in the #1 seed for Nick. This weekend, he faces Will, a team on their last legs for a playoff berth. Nick doesn't want to slow up at this point in the season and is certainly not prepared to lose back to back matchups.

(4-5) Dirty Birds Inc. - 134.1
(2-8) Schenectady Schmeckles - 110.5
It would appear that the team is finally back on track. Strong games from Dez Bryant and DeMarco Murray were more than enough to take care of the Schmeckles. After making a beneficial trade two weeks ago, Brian is poised to make a deep run once again in the playoffs. Here's what Brian had to say after his second win in a row, "This is the time of year where the league should be very nervous I'm in contention for a playoff spot. This is a championship caliber team. My record doesn't accurately reflect how good my team. Just look at my total points! The league's luck is about to run out. Daddy's home and he's looking to f**k." This week, a much more difficult opponent in Joe and Team Ruthless. Weeks prior, they made a massive trade and this matchup will certainly make it clear who won this particular transaction.

Well, this appears to be the final nail in the coffin for Chris' season. Nearly mathematically eliminated from playoff competition, it was certainly a let down after all the progress that was made in 2015. The Aaron Rodgers trade looked promising but it was the core of the team that really let Chris down. Eddie Lacy was injured right away and LeGarrette Blount could only do so much to bolster the run game. In terms of keepers, Terrelle Pryor was a great addition and could be a fringe keeper based on his play for the rest of 2016. For now, all Chris can focus on is avoiding the license plate. The first pick in next year's draft could really turn things around for a team. Case in point, Ezekiel Elliott.

(3-7) The Shitty Beatles - 83.1
(5-5) EBDB BnB - 77.8
This team still has life after an upset victory over Dave. It wasn't pretty, but Philip Rivers was able to provide enough points to seal the deal for Dom. Jay Ajayi and Antonio Gates continued their strong play while Delanie Walker, albeit on the bench had a huge game as well. Unfortunately for Dom, he faces Josh next week but he's not concerned, at least until he found out that Rivers and Gates are on bye. With an extremely large task at hand, Dom is ready for the fight, simply making his quote "Hello Josh" for this week. Everyone on the Beatles needs to be firing on cylinders this weekend in order to pull off the major upset. If not, he is most like relegated to the consolation bracket, hoping to avoid the license plate holder. But the season isn't a total wash, Dom has obtained an absurd amount of picks over the past season and will be looking to reload with a revamped roster next season regardless.

After rattling off 5-straight wins to put him in prime position for a playoff spot, Dave is now back to fighting for his life with the majority of the league. Once again, Dave was plagued by the play of Blake Bortles. A rocky season at best, Bortles has tested Dave's mettle far too often to receive a vote of confidence. Kirk Cousins has been brought in to work out and may get the start this weekend in a pivotal game against Vinnie. With Greg Olsen and Kelvin Benjamin playing in primetime, it is imperative that Dave gets out to a great start in order to make his decision easier at QB. Bortles has a decent matchup but will he go back to the well again? Todd Gurley, who has also been M.I.A. most of the season, faces MIA this weekend, hoping to recapture the magic from 2015, especially with Devonta Freeman on bye. The x-factor as usual, will be Michael Crabtree, returning from a quiet game and then a bye, can he post another massive game to will Dave to victory and end the 3-game skid? A typical DeAndre Hopkins-like performance would also be appreciated too. 

(4-6) Kissing Suzy Kolber - 77.8
(5-5) Why You Pee On My Car? - 112.8
Roethlisberger is healthy once again and so are Aaron's playoff chances. Huge performances from Ben and Antonio were more than enough to get WYPOMC back to an even record. The rest of the team phoned it in this weekend but once the byes are over with, Aaron totes a formidable roster which could be a tough out for anyone. The returns of Tevin Coleman and Carlos Hyde are crucial for any success in the postseason. For now, it would appear that Aaron will be in the playoffs, meaning he has an opportunity to rid himself of the infamous hot-pink license plate holder. A win this week will certainly allow him some breathing room and he won't be holding anything back this weekend against the Schmeckles, who are one foot out the door in the playoff race. Chris will be at full strength and is hoping to play spoiler with Rodgers and Blount leading the charge. For Aaron, the Steelers face the Browns and it appears Ben/Antonio could be in store for huge performances. 

It may be a lonely postseason for the boys from Lake George. Thankfully, Tom Brady is still on the roster and has a favorable matchup this weekend against San Francisco. Gronk nearly lost a lung and Martellus Bennett may be a play this weekend. Ty Montgomery has cooled off but will be called upon in primetime as the backup running back, hoping to fill the void of Forte. At this point, it is a must-win game sitting at 4-6 but he is certainly not done yet. Matt Forte's bye week is a killer but at least he isn't subjected to watching the Jets for a week. This weekend, he faces Dave which looks to be a closely contested matchup. Mark Ingram and Brandin Cooks will need to bolster the roster on Thursday night while Dave's duo of Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen look to gain an early lead. A loss this weekend could put Vinnie too far behind the 8-ball to get into the postseason. 

(5-5) Team Ruthless - 117.8
(4-6) Hogan Knows Best - 99.8
Strong performances from Le'Veon Bell and Drew Brees were enough to propel Joe to a huge victory over Will. His trade may appear to be a bunch of damaged goods but if they can stay healthy, he will have a lineup that can rival any squad. This weekend, he has a big test against Brian. We can finally see who won the trade from a few weeks back. Gronk is banged up, in addition to Jordan Howard and Will Fuller but it appears as though all three will play. Thankfully, Brian will be without his Falcons duo while Drew Brees and Le'Veon Bell has extremely favorable matchups. The x-factors come down to CJ Prosise with Rawls' return and Coby Fleener filling in for Gronk. Any significant contributions from them could decide this matchup. Obviously, the winner sitting at 6-5 will have a great chance to claim the 3rd seed.

Unable to pull off the upset in Week 10, Will now sits at 4-6, the outside looking in for the playoffs for yet another year. Similar to last season, he's allowed more points than he's scored and just can't seem to figure things out. The lineup is consistent each week but simply not enough to compare with some of the elite rosters. Tyrell Williams, Kenny Britt and AJ Green provided huge games but it wasn't enough to make up for weak RB play. As Christine Michael is phased out of the offense and Thomas Rawls is slowly making his return back to the field, Will has had to rely on Robert Kelley to lead his backfield and it is not enough. Perhaps, pickups of Charcandrick West and James Starks could provide a spark late in the season. In regards to his team, Will had this to say, "My team has lost some serious firepower over the course of the season. Barring a miracle, I have to accept I might not be a contender this year. Regardless, I will continue to give everyone my best shot and hope to sneak into the playoff picture." Love the attitude from Will here. His quest for a playoff shot goes through Brule's Rules this weekend.

(9-1) TY Beanies - 151
(5-5) Start The Carr - 80.1
Dominance once again from Josh. Everything is clicking at this juncture and he has vanquished every team he has played recently. David Johnson once again but up big numbers while the rest of the team followed suit. But this was the Ezekiel Elliot show. Arguably the league MVP at this point, he posted 40 points in an unbelievable performance against the Steelers. Cam Newton has appeared to turn things around and the team is clicking on all cylinders. Now with the inside track for the #1 seed, everyone should look out for TY Beanies. This week, he has the chance to finish off Dom's season and he will be more than willing to finish the job. "Another week our opponent  failed to break 100 points. I suppose it will be hard to keep up with a juggernaut that is averaging 136.3 points per game. Good luck to you Shitty Beatles. I hope you're getting used to the idea of that pink license plate on the back of your car."

"Man, I suck. Need to win out to have confidence. Start the Carr may need some re-shuffling. Always a challenging week with Denver on bye, but despite the recent slip, I'm staying confident that I can repeat my early season magic." The tailspin continues for Start the Carr after such a great start. Plagued with hardly any RB depth, Ben has been reeling in recent weeks. With Derek Carr on a bye and Jay Cutler being absolutely terrible, he never really stood a chance. This weekend, he gets his cornerstone QB back from bye but is unfortunately subjected to playing without Demaryius Thomas, McManus and Booker, who have kept his team afloat in recent weeks. Donte Moncrief and Michael Thomas will need to have special performances, or at least get in the endzone to beat Team New Year this week. Look for this one to be the closest game of the weekend, with Derek Carr's Monday Night performance ultimately being the difference.

WILL GAVIN'S SEXY SIX-PACK PICKS: WEEK ELEVEN EDITION

Brule’s Rules Vs. Hogan Knows Best

Winner: Brule’s Rules

​Two games should decide the bulk of this matchup. Will needs the Redskins and Packers game to be a slugfest, while Nick needs the Colts Titans game to be the same. The way its looked lately is like it will probably be Titans and Colts. Nick wins. 

Start the Carr Vs. Team New Year

Winner: Start The Carr

​This one comes down to Ben’s AFC West players. Look for Spencer Ware to have a big day against a below average Tampa D, while Derek Carr’s Monday night game will be the deciding factor. Chris’s WRs have come on lately, but let him down this week in a critical match-up of 5-5 teams. Ben wins.

Sch’dy Schmeckles Vs. Why You Pee on My Car?

Winner: Why You Pee on My Car?

​Aaron’s pair of Steelers play the Browns while Edelman looks for a big game against a lackluster 49ers defense. Peyton Barber and Tavon Austin turn in subpar performance against a pair of surging defenses.

Kissing Suzy Kolber Vs. EBDB BnB

Winner: Kissing Suzy Kolber

​Vinnie plugs in Martellus Bennett who connects with Tom Terrific early and often, while Eddie Royal has a modest day filling in for the suspended Alshon Jeffrey. Dave’s team takes a hit while his RBs fail to produce, and Blake Bortles disappoints yet again. Vinnie wins.

The Shitty Beatles vs. TY Beanies

Winner: TY Beanies

​The Chargers' passing game has been kind to Dom for the last few weeks. They are on bye this week, and despite Josh’s Melvin Gordon also being on bye in this one, Gio Bernard is a more than capable fill in. Josh wins easy.

Team Ruthless Vs. Dirty Birds Inc.

Winner: Team Ruthless

​The Falcons bye week hurts Brian, and despite his hoard of star RBs, he gets hit with a well-balanced facial of points from Joe. Team Ruthless is powered by Evans and Cooper’s big days, while Le’Veon Bell smokes (no pun intended) Cleveland. Joe wins a critical game with playoff implications.

Week 9 Recap: Playoff Race Intensifies

As the weeks wither away in our 6th Slushie Sunday season, the playoff race is tightening and teams are in a full-on sprint to the finish. With the bye weeks suddenly expanded to six teams a week, teams were crippled for their current matchup and tough decisions had to be made. No one experienced this more than Brian, who let go of Gronk, Jordan Howard and Will Fuller (all on byes) to Joe for LeSean McCoy and Dez Bryant. The core of this trade seems fair but it was simply a trade Brian needed to make. Thankfully, an off-week for Ben provided an easy victory, but a loss for Brian would have put him at 3-6 with only a few weeks left and more bye-heavy weeks going forward. Dodging this bullet, he now goes forward with a completely different roster, hoping these new additions can propel him towards the playoffs. 

As for the matchups this week, most of them weren't necessarily exciting but some surprising results for sure. Dom kept his season alive with a win over Will and Vinnie avoided a 3-6 record with an upset victory over Joe. As it stands right now, teams 5 through 10 in the playoff race all sit at 4-5. Two more teams at 5-4, 8-1 and 2-7 respectively. Chris and Dom are still clinging to life, making each game crucial for the rest of the season with either playoffs or punishment at stake. Can't wait to see how this one shakes out, especially if I'm holding the trophy (wink, wink). At this point, it's shaping up to be another exciting finish and who knows, maybe one of the championship-less teams can finally add their names to the list.

GAME OF THE WEEK

(4-4) TY Beanies - 113.9

(5-4) EBDB BnB - 114.1

Not as many fireworks as we expected this weekend as Josh took care of business once again. TY Beanies continue to show why they're the odds on favorite to win this entire thing. Zeke, OBJ and Melvin Gordon combined for huge games and the rest was history. Not sure what it will take for this team to lose but godspeed to all of his challengers. "This division was locked up from week 1. But unlike our opponents that we've played and are playing this week, we do not settle for divisional titles or low scoring wins. We only settle for championships and scores of 140+." Josh has a chance to ultimately clinch the division with a win this weekend against Ben. Cook's team is scuffling right now and Josh is projected to go off once again this week. He's not going to take any chances, especially with David Johnson coming off of a bye.

A lackluster performance in the name of Harambe this weekend.  Blake Bortles, Garbage Time Warrior, put up another strong performance in terms of points but the rest of the squad could not replicate the scoring. Kelvin Benjamin and Todd Gurley had quiet games while Michael Crabtree was non-existent. When Dave's team is clicking, they are elite. Simple as that. However, more often than not, they have remained inconsistent. Hopefully for Dave, they can buck this trend in time for the postseason because Harambe's Heroes is looking at a Top-4 seed if things go as planned.

(4-5) Dirty Birds Inc. - 114.4
(5-4) Start the Carr - 74.1
Huge gamble from Brian paid off this week as he avoided falling to 3-6. Although the new additions weren't necessarily needed, it was bold move to shake things up to avoid another loss and I respect it. LeSean McCoy looked strong against Seattle while Dez Bryant wasn't a factor in a blowout against Cleveland. A win this weekend was nice, but he realizes there is plenty of work to be done. Here's what Brian had to say about his team, "I'm not in love with the recent moves I've made. I traded away Gronk because I thought McCoy had taken his Bye week already. These mistakes could end up costing me a playoff spot. This is a must win week for me against Chris Casey. Unfortunately the Falcons are on a by week against Joe and then I play Aaron and Dave to close out the regular season. Team has only put up under 100 points once. Need some other teams to crumble. In the Falcons we trust." Next week, he faces off with Chris Casey, hoping to start his ascent back into the Top-4 after an extremely slow start.

After a great  start to the season, Ben has tread water with disappearance of DeAngelo Williams and the loss of Jamaal Charles. The fact that he's over .500 is a testament to his ownership skills and he must be satisfied with sitting in a tie for 3rd place with only three weeks to go. However, someone else on his team must step up. Spencer Ware appears to be healthy once again and will need to carry to load for his Running Backs. Michael Thomas posted yet another strong game against the Niners and has established himself as flex option going forward. With Devontae Booker and Demaryius Thomas each facing the Saints, Ben has an opportunity to get to 6-4 as Josh comes to town. The projections aren't flattering, but in order to make a deep run, he must be able to compete with teams like this. 

(2-7) The Shitty Beatles - 85.2
(4-5) Hogan Knows Best - 123.5
This team just will not die. With Will about to put the final nail in the coffin for a frustrating 2016 season, Latavius Murray bailed out Dom with a 30 point performance against Denver. On Sunday, Dom hopes to keep the comeback alive with a matchup against his old pal, Dave and EBDB BnB. Already without Murray this week, Dom will lean on Jay Ajayi once again to anchor his roster, while hoping for another huge performance from Philip Rivers. Dave has recently had trouble scoring points lately while Dom's offensive outputs have been on the rise.

A huge opportunity missed for Hogan Knows Best, especially after the crushing loss to Cooks last weekend. Dom had a miraculous performance from a few players and Will was once again unable to take that next step towards the playoffs. Christine Michael appears to be starting to get phased out of the backfield and Charcandrick West is back into the backup role with a healthy Spencer Ware. He is now in the 6-team log jam for 6th place and at least two wins is crucial the rest of the way. It won't get much easier. This weekend, he faces a revamped Team Ruthless roster and must pull off a significant upset to keep pace with the rest of the playoff hopefuls. Can AJ Green and Carson Palmer carry this team for one more week?

(4-5) Team New Year - 88.2
(4-5) Why You Pee On My Car? - 108.4
"Chris should have won, 3 guys scored 0 points for me and I still pulled it out...talk about total grit...we are all Gritnesses." An absolute miracle this weekend for Aaron. With two players not playing and Jets D scoring no points, he was able to beat Chreeyusz and keep his season alive. Allen Hurns' early injury and Carlos Hyde's inactivity put him in a massive hole but the decision to start Marcus Mariota proved to be the difference even though Roethlisberger was back. Antonio Brown caught a TD in a late comeback attempt and Jimmy Graham looked like his old self on Monday against Buffalo. Tim Hightower even got into the endzone to make matters worse. If Aaron's team can remain healthy, he still has a shot at the playoffs and making some serious noise with the matchups in his favor. This weekend, he has a must-win matchup against another 4-5 squad, Kissing Suzy Kolber. Both teams are coming off surprise victories, desperately seeking another win. I couldn't get the picture to work but it was Marcus Mariota at the Heisman ceremony wearing traditional Hawaiian garb. The caption was "Everyone's getting laid." Unfortunately, it wouldn't load. 

Truly a crushing loss for Chreeyusz. Three separate players don't even put up points and he can't even get a win. Jarvis Landry and Allen Robinson have yet to team up for a huge performance to carry the squad and the running backs have been extremely disappointing. Jameis played well on Thursday along with Cameron Brate and Stefon Diggs caught 13 passes but the rest of the team grossly underperformed. A microcosm of how Chris' season has gone. Lacking any sliver of consistency, he can hope the scoring comes alive this weekend against his brother, Nick. Thankfully, 6 of his starters are out and if there ever was a chance to pull an upset and get his season turned around, it is right now. In regards to his team's performance, Chris had this to say, "IDEK (I don't even know)."

(4-5) Team Ruthless - 96.5
(4-5) Kissing Suzy Kolber - 117.6
Arguably the biggest win of the weekend went to the boys from Lake George. Staving off a potential nail in the coffin, Vinnie's team had an offensive outburst, led by Mark Ingram, Stafford and Forte. Forte continues to perform in KSK's wins and will continue to be the catalyst going forward alongside Tom Brady. With Brady and Jordan Reed returning from bye, Vinnie hopes to start a much needed winning streak to break away from the pack and gain his third straight wild card. Riding high off of the Republican victory, he'll hope to Make KSK Great Again, facing Aaron. Brady plays in primetime and it will be difficult for two Jets fans to have to sit back and watch the Pats decide their fantasy fates.

Another step back for Team Ruthless. After trading away McCoy and Dez for three bye week players, he suffered his 5th loss of the season at the hands of Vinnie. Howevah! (Stephen A. Smith voice), his team is now more complete than it was before by adding Gronk and another running back in Jordan Howard. The loss of Shady hurts but Joe had already reaped the benefits of his very strong start to 2016 and sold high. Coby Fleener has been inconsistent and with Gronk as the starting TE, the lineup is closer to completion. All this is happening while LeVeon Bell has yet to even reach the endzone. Certainly a sleeper team to watch out for at this point. "This is the week to see if this trade with pays off. It f***in' better." Hoping to get back to .500 once again, he'll take on Willy G and the Boyz.

(2-7) Schenectady Schmeckles - 89.4 
(8-1) Brule's Rules - 108.6
Business as usual for Brule's Rules. Even with a light performance, they didn't need much to sneak past a depleted Schmeckles roster. Nick has stated that he wouldn't mind never losing again and the team is set up to make that a reality. However, he'll have to really flex his roster management muscles this weekend as his entire team (The Colts) are on bye in addition to Theo Riddick and Eric Ebron. Chreeyusz will be hungry for a win to keep him in the thick of the playoff race and Nick does not want to compromise his roster for a non-playoff week at this point with the division seemingly wrapped up. Nick was brief in his comments, "A valiant effort for the Schmeckles even after the injuries the team has endured. Next week will certainly put our depth to the test but it is clear the Colts need a much-deserved rest."

Strong performance from Aaron Rodgers would not be able to bail out Chris this weekend. The Colts alliance was too much for him and his team is now one loss away from being eliminated for playoff contention. Things don't get much easier this weekend as he faces Brian and the Dirty Birds. The current projection is close but if Chris wants any chance to win, he'll need a signature performance from Aaron Rodgers. LeGarrette Blount will be back and Peyton Barber appears to have the start in Tampa. If he could pull out a win, he could one game out of playoff contention with a reasonable schedule left. 

Week 8 Recap: Monday Night Madness

Although the point totals were eerily low on Halloween, Week 8 produce three thrillers on the holiday weekend. Starting with your incumbent 1-seed, Brule's Rules. In a classic battle of Dolan Drive residents, Nick staved off Dave's comeback as Carson Wentz was not able to produce enough points to mount a comeback while the Eagles D caved and allowed 29 points to Dak Prescott. Next, there was the clash of the Cleveland residents with Ben and Will. A matchup that was back and forth the entire day on Sunday

As we look to this week's updated standings, there are two teams holding firm with Josh and Nick at 7-1. After that, it's anyone's game. Seriously. Spots 3 through 10 are seperated by just two wins with only 5 weeks left. The trade deadline is next Thursday and I would be surprised it was a quiet week. With trades coming in at a frantic pace to start the season, there are certainly some teams that could desperately use a roster shake-up. One of the big matchups resides with Team New Year and WYPOMC. A win for either team would be a massive uptick to their playoff chances. For Chreeyusz, a rare two game winning streak and Aaron would be given new life after losing three in a row. This is crunch time gentlemen, no turning back from here. Bye weeks have caused the matchups to be low scoring, making every roster decision even more crucial in the upcoming weeks. Best of luck to all and enjoy the games. I know I certainly will.

GAME OF THE WEEK

(4-4) Hogan Knows Best - 113.9

(5-3) Start The Carr - 114.1

"Can't think of anything witty for a quote this week. Was very stressed out during the matchup. Much respect to Will. Just happy to get the win and move onto the Dirty Birds." Start the goddamn' Carr indeed. Ben needed every possible yard this weekend and the legend, Derek Carr certainly delivered. Facing a potential loss in four of the five weeks, the young gunslinger (Ben, not Carr) was rewarded for his loyalty to Carr and saw 44 points in his favor. Just enough to squeak by for his 5th win. Next week, with a chance to keep pace in the division with Dave and Josh playing one another, Ben travels to Hotlanta to face the Dirty Birds. Brian has been struggling and much of his team is on bye this week, leaving Ben in a prime position to steal a victory and grab his 6th win. However, nothing is easy when it comes to these two. Let's not forget the epic battles they had a Summer Classics of the past. Too many rounds to count. Whether it's a spear, a push onto the asphalt, anything, it will be a bloodbath whenever these two are involved. I can still envision the infamous "punch" thrown at SC2 that nearly sent Ben on a bloody rampage. Don't think he hasn't forgot, Bri.

Another heartbreaker for Will. Him and Ben traded leads the entire weekend and witnessing this game firsthand was truly a treat for me. Not a treat for William however. Vikings Defense got torn apart by Jordan Howard and Jay Cutler but did just enough to get a point for Ben. Regardless of the loss, he's still in strong shape and is currently tied with Chreeyusz for 2nd in the division. AJ Green put up another monster game while John Brown and Carson Palmer found their footing against Carolina. This combination could prove more Lethal than Mel Gibson with an Australian accent in the upcoming weeks. Here's what Will had to say, "Heartbroken this week, all the credit in the world to Ben and his squad. Roll Tribe?" Yikes. We definitely jinxed the Indians in Cleveland this weekend but oh well. Next week, Will faces Dom in what looks to be a tight matchup based off of projections. A win puts Will in great shape to finally get back in the playoffs but Dom will hope to extend his season one more week. Can Dak Prescott save Will's team as well?

(3-5) Dirty Birds Inc. - 108.4
(4-4) Team New Year - 116
Another incredible finish in this one. Trailing by 20 points going into Sunday Night, Chreeyusz needed some magic in primetime for a crucial upset to keep his team on pace for the postseason. After 12 points from Dan Bailey, Stefon Diggs only needed 11 points to get him back to 4-4. Diggs, who has severely cooled off after his incredible start to 2016, dialed up a huge performance as the Vikings tried to make a comeback. Needing one more catch to complete the comeback, Slingin' Sam Bradford found Diggs in the endzone to give Chris his 4th win of the season. A team that had struggled so much in crucial points so far this year came through when he needed it the most. Russell Wilson looked like hot garbage again and it appears Chris will be playing Jameis for the significant future. Allen Robinson was a no-show until garbage points and with Jarvis Landry coming off a bye, expect some fireworks from Chris' squad in Week 9 against Aaron. He has stated that he will avoid eye-contact in the halls of Schalmont this week to avoid giving his opponent an edge. A win really helps Chris' playoff chances. Chris did not mince words about his opponent either, "I was pleased with my team and Stefon Diggs' TD with 5 minutes to play...really funny how Brian talked up his team so much this year and he is sitting with a 3-5 record."

"At least the Falcons won." Really all that Brian could say after a disappointing loss in the waning moments of the Monday Night game. Although he's stressed that he isn't panicking, there has to be some sense of concern as he sits at 3-5, in a three way tie for the playoff spot. In addition, he has lost to both Aaron and Vinnie, technically making his the 10th seed at the present time. Matt Ryan had a fine performance but Julio Jones was hampered with an injury, resulting in a 5-point performance. Things are starting to intensify over at the Dirty Birds facility and what better time then to have half your roster on a bye? Brian will need to plug some serious holes this weekend (no pun intended) in order to avoid falling too far behind the 8-ball. A loss would put him at 3-6, his worst record this late in the season in over 4 years. Ben is fresh off a clutch victory against Will and is certainly out for blood to improve his playoff stock. Certainly a matchup to keep one's eye on this weekend, although half of Brian's team will play tonight against Tampa.

(1-6) The Shitty Beatles - 85.2
(4-3) Team Ruthless - 123.5
This week, it was certainly Joe who received the better part of the trade with Dom. Mainly, because he has Amari Cooper. With a career day in Tampa, Cooper was the icing on the cake for Joe's 4th win of the season. Back at .500, he's slated for the 6th spot, hoping to gradually rise in the standings to cement his status as an elite team. Derrick Henry starting in place of LeSean McCoy provided a huge spark on Thursday with the best game of his career. Even CJ Prosise was able to add double digits in the blowout effort. Dez Bryant returned with 100 yards and a score and now Joe's team looks as scary as ever. With Joe's upcoming schedule, he has a great chance to create some separation between himself and the team's around him. This week he faces Vinnie, then Will and Brian in Week 11 where the Falcons are all on bye. We could be in the midst of a patented Joe Bergami late-season run to get a Top-4 seed in the playoffs.

The winning streak was not be for Dom unfortunately. After his first win of the season, he ran into the highest scoring team of the week (again), and crushed by Team Ruthless. A low scoring week but there were a few bright spots. Philip Rivers continues to produce with his "never say die" attitude and can still be counted on for close to 20 fantasy points each week. Thankfully, he won't need to deal with the Broncos again this season. However, all of this really doesn't matter as the Cubs(!) are now World Series Champions. Talk about a roller coaster ride of emotions yesterday. The highest of highs and lowest of lows, Dom finally can rest peacefully knowing his Cubs have won it all. An unbelievable experience that trumps any fantasy football season. Anyways, Dom will take on Hogan Knows Best in a game he desperately needs to keep any playoff hopes alive. Most of Will's team is on a bye so it's a great chance for Dom to snag Win #2. Go Cubs Go.

(6-1) TY Beanies - 121.7
(1-6) Why You Pee On My Car? - 58
As usual, Josh's opponent had an off-week, leading to his 7th win this season. Complete balance from Josh's team once again. No one scored more than 20 out of his skill players but none scored less than 12. Simply remarkable. Even with bye weeks, he has enough depth to put out a roster that is capable of beating anyone on a given week. Assuming the health stays intact, we may have found our champion already. While Josh's roster is as potent as anyone's, it is interesting to note how little his opponents score against him. The most points scored against Josh this season are a whopping 103 by Joe. Granted, he has blown most teams away but as we've seen in the past, team's that don't allow many points during the regular season, tend to have it balance out in the postseason. Just something to keep in the back of your head, Mommy's Lil' Slut. Regarding his team's performance this week, Josh had this to say, "Our goal every week is to create separation in our division and that's exactly what we did. Hell of a job by these men. On to EBDB BnB. Good Luck." A huge matchup this weekend that has huge implications in the AFC. A win for Josh would all but seal a division title.

Welp, Marcus Mariota didn't die. That's always the main thing to focus on with each one of Aaron's matchups. Already in a tough spot due to byes, he didn't stand much chance against Josh on Sunday. But there is some good news, potentially great. Roethlisberger is back and with Antonio Brown returning from his bye week, he is all hands on deck for next week against Team New Year, hoping to avoid another loss. Julian Edelman finally started to display his true value against Buffalo, unfortunately, he won't be able to play this week on a bye. The interesting decision lies with Aaron keeping in a hot Mariota for the possibility of double points with Antonio Brown. Certainly something to look out for before kickoff. A win can vault him right back into the playoff picture with his team regaining health. Brandon Marshall's play against Miami will certainly be the driving force this week.

(2-6) Schenectady Schmeckles - 103.3
(3-5) Kissing Suzy Kolber - 95.1
A major upset in the battle of Lake George kept Chris alive in the playoff race for the time being. Aaron Rodgers was strong yet again but the contributions from Terrelle Pryor, LeGarrette Blount and others were just enough to get past Kissing Suzy Kolber. However, Chris saw the demise of two more running backs as Knile Davis was cut by Green Bay and Arian Foster retired. As this present moment, Chris has 0 running backs that could physically be played this week. Serious roster adjustments will need to be made as he faces Nick in Week 9. Another upset win would keep his team alive but with a depleted running back core, it may not seem too likely. Andrew Luck and Aaron Rodgers square off this weekend and should ultimately decide this contest right away. If he could piece together a roster to dethrone Nick, it would make for one of the greatest upsets in recent history.

Another step back for KSK this weekend after a huge win against Chreeyusz. His team really let one slip away in an attempt to get to 4-4 and now sits outside looking in for this year's playoffs. Tom Brady was fantastic yet again but the rest of the lineup severely let him down. Matt Forte registered a huge game but only Brandin Cooks was able to top double digits for the rest of the lineup. A mysterious illness right before game time for Ty Montgomery gave Vinnie no time to react and the 8-point loss without him playing seems to make matters worse. Just a terrible break for a team desperately needing a win. Now, his depleted roster due to byes faces Team Ruthless in what could be a must-win game for KSK. Anything to avoid dropping to 3-6 and a full game out of the last playoff spot. A bounce back performance from Mark Ingram after failing to score a point would be appreciated on Vinnie's behalf. Thankfully for Vinnie, there are some winnable games after this weekend.

(5-2) EBDB BnB - 90.3
(7-1) Brule's Rules - 92.8
Best matchup on the board was fairly underwhelming until the Sunday Night matchup. Nick jumped out to an early lead even with a weak performance from his 5 Colts but strong contributions from Jordy Nelson, Larry Fitzgerald and Isaiah Crowell allowed him to maintain a strong lead into the late game. With his lineup set, he sat and watched on gamecast to the last play as the Eagles D and Carson Wentz could not muster three more points to give Dave the upset. Certainly an off-week for Nick but these are the problems when having half your roster on the same team. Thankfully, with no injuries and only Larry Fitzgerald on a bye next week, he can pretty much clinch a playoff spot and a potential division title all in one-full swoop against the banged up Schmeckles. Jordy Nelson can hopefully neutralize the damage of Aaron Rodgers as the Packers take on a suspect Colts defense. Expect Indy to be playing from behind in this one again. I smell garbage points. Nick wasn't able to get a full look at his team in action so he declined to comment, expect for praising his friend/opponent on another great matchup.

After a few nail-biters falling in his favor, Dave suffered an unfortunate loss on Sunday Night at the hands of his QB Carson Wentz. He has shuffled his quarterbacks all season and it finally caught up to him. Blake Bortles didn't play well but his late garbage points were more than enough to get the job done. The inconsistencies of both signal-callers have really plagued Dave in all three of his losses. Thankfully, the rest of the squad looks strong, even with Todd Gurley returning from bye. Devonta Freeman is silencing all his doubters with week after week of great play. Kelvin Benjamin and Greg Olsen has experienced a rough patch and are looking to breakout against a favorable second half schedule. Next week, Dave his sights set at the top of the division against Josh. Needing a win to prevent Josh from essentially clinching, he will look to pull out all the stops this weekend. Cam Newton will be playing against Dave but thankfully he has his two favorite targets. Gurley and Freeman have yet to click at the same time and it would be a massive boost for both to put up 20+. Regardless, Dave is in great shape for the playoffs and the only thing holding him back is the QB dilemma.