Playoff preview and predictions
This is the Elite Eight. They are Eliter than the Four Failures, who sit sadly at home cursing the fantasy football gods and wishing they could be as Elite as these Eight. Someday, they may get a special paragraph written about themselves, but not now. Such words are reserved for the Elite.
8. Cupcakes of DOOM! (Regular Season: 5-8, 10th in total points)
With Ivory and Woodhead coming up big over the last few weeks, the Cupcakes are certainly a better team than at the start of the year. If this collection of solid, non-stars can continue to give Brees some support, they have a chance to pull off an upset or two.
7. Z Power (7-6, 6th in total points)
Since their trade for Johnson in the middle of the year, the Z’s have had the most impressive RB’s – on paper. In reality, only Jones-Drew has lived up to his end of the bargain lately. Hasn’t mattered yet due to the rest of the roster stepping up, but the Z’s will need both stars to shine to continue their tradition of postseason excellence.
6. Fat Cats (7-6, 3rd in total points)
The Cats are back in the playoffs after a one-year hiatus with a roster that is alternatingly thrilling and horrifying. Solid RBs, along with very active and quality GM-maneuverings have kept this team strong, even if the record leaves a bit to be desired. If they can regain their midseason form, the Cats could keep their all-time postseason record perfect with a 2nd title in 3 years!
5. Minions (8-5, 8th in total points)
The Minions will go as their opponents go. Their own upside is limited, with only two truly great players, but if things continue to break right (as they have all season long), the Minions have shown they are capable of putting up big enough numbers to knock off even pretty good teams.
4. Left Hand Strangers (8-5, 4th in total points)
The Strangers roster is the kind that can blow up in a big way any given week, loaded at receiver, a strong RB1 and TE, and a QB that can be great or awful. While they haven’t quite lived up to the overly high expectations placed on them from this end, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if they turned it on in the postseason and won the title in their inaugural year.
3. A Sheep at the Wheel (9-4, 5th in total points)
How far the Sheep go in these playoffs really depends on one position: QB. If Vick or Rodgers is otherworldly, and the Sheep pick the correct performer each week, they could easily win it all. If they only get average production from this position, they’re in deep trouble.
2. Cool Runnings (9-4, 2nd in total points)
How do you prefer a great fantasy team? The Runnings have performed nearly as well as the front-running Showers this entire season: slightly more explosive, though slightly more inconsistent. Biggest concern: Gore’s recent injury and Bradshaw’s recent demotion really hurts the RB corps. Can Brady and the receivers make up for it? Probably, but the timing couldn’t be worse.
1. The Hot Showers (11-2, 1st in total points)
As we know well, building a great regular season team is quite different from a team that can withstand the one-and-done pressure of the postseason – witness the 1-3 opening round record of top seeds thus far in league history. Still, the Showers have quite the talented group here, having pushed the right buttons almost all season long. If they can continue to count on their balance, they stand a pretty good chance at becoming the first number one seed to also walk away as the postseason champ.
*****
And now for some predictions:
Quite frankly, I was terrible last year with my playoff predictions, going only 3-9. The year before that was better at 7-5 but only thanks to picking all four games correctly in the final week. In ’07, I went 6-6, and in the inaugural year, I somehow went 8-4. What does that mean? After 4 years of trying to figure out what will happen next, I’m completely average: 24 right and 24 wrong. So, take these predictions with that big old grain of sea salt sitting over there in Andy’s hair, since they’re no more accurate than a coin flip. That said, here’s what will happen this week.
(1) The Hot Showers over (8) Cupcakes of DOOM!
It’s not quite a first round bye, but it’s also not too far from it. Though they’ve performed significantly better the past few weeks, a Cupcakes win would rival the greatest upsets in this league’s storied history. Don’t see it happening.
(2) Cool Runnings over (7) Z Power
Somehow, Yahoo thinks the Z’s are favored in this matchup - by 18 points! They are wrong. While the Z’s have looked pretty good lately (up until last week, at least) the Runnings have looked better and even the loss of Gore won’t slow them down here.
(6) Fat Cats over (3) A Sheep at the Wheel
This is as tough to pick as a 3 vs. 6 game gets – the Sheep have been more consistent and have more wins, but the Cats have more high profile weapons and have scored more points. If it’s at all close for Rice going into Monday’s game – as I think it will be – the Cats will come away with the win.
(4) Left Hand Strangers over (5) Minions
The Minions have proven doubters (read: me) wrong all year long, but they can’t possibly take down the surging Strangers this week, can they? Actually, the matchups might be as favorable as they can get for the underdog, so the game should be quite close; still, you simply have to favor the deeper, more talented team when the disparity is this large.
8. Cupcakes of DOOM! (Regular Season: 5-8, 10th in total points)
With Ivory and Woodhead coming up big over the last few weeks, the Cupcakes are certainly a better team than at the start of the year. If this collection of solid, non-stars can continue to give Brees some support, they have a chance to pull off an upset or two.
7. Z Power (7-6, 6th in total points)
Since their trade for Johnson in the middle of the year, the Z’s have had the most impressive RB’s – on paper. In reality, only Jones-Drew has lived up to his end of the bargain lately. Hasn’t mattered yet due to the rest of the roster stepping up, but the Z’s will need both stars to shine to continue their tradition of postseason excellence.
6. Fat Cats (7-6, 3rd in total points)
The Cats are back in the playoffs after a one-year hiatus with a roster that is alternatingly thrilling and horrifying. Solid RBs, along with very active and quality GM-maneuverings have kept this team strong, even if the record leaves a bit to be desired. If they can regain their midseason form, the Cats could keep their all-time postseason record perfect with a 2nd title in 3 years!
5. Minions (8-5, 8th in total points)
The Minions will go as their opponents go. Their own upside is limited, with only two truly great players, but if things continue to break right (as they have all season long), the Minions have shown they are capable of putting up big enough numbers to knock off even pretty good teams.
4. Left Hand Strangers (8-5, 4th in total points)
The Strangers roster is the kind that can blow up in a big way any given week, loaded at receiver, a strong RB1 and TE, and a QB that can be great or awful. While they haven’t quite lived up to the overly high expectations placed on them from this end, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all if they turned it on in the postseason and won the title in their inaugural year.
3. A Sheep at the Wheel (9-4, 5th in total points)
How far the Sheep go in these playoffs really depends on one position: QB. If Vick or Rodgers is otherworldly, and the Sheep pick the correct performer each week, they could easily win it all. If they only get average production from this position, they’re in deep trouble.
2. Cool Runnings (9-4, 2nd in total points)
How do you prefer a great fantasy team? The Runnings have performed nearly as well as the front-running Showers this entire season: slightly more explosive, though slightly more inconsistent. Biggest concern: Gore’s recent injury and Bradshaw’s recent demotion really hurts the RB corps. Can Brady and the receivers make up for it? Probably, but the timing couldn’t be worse.
1. The Hot Showers (11-2, 1st in total points)
As we know well, building a great regular season team is quite different from a team that can withstand the one-and-done pressure of the postseason – witness the 1-3 opening round record of top seeds thus far in league history. Still, the Showers have quite the talented group here, having pushed the right buttons almost all season long. If they can continue to count on their balance, they stand a pretty good chance at becoming the first number one seed to also walk away as the postseason champ.
*****
And now for some predictions:
Quite frankly, I was terrible last year with my playoff predictions, going only 3-9. The year before that was better at 7-5 but only thanks to picking all four games correctly in the final week. In ’07, I went 6-6, and in the inaugural year, I somehow went 8-4. What does that mean? After 4 years of trying to figure out what will happen next, I’m completely average: 24 right and 24 wrong. So, take these predictions with that big old grain of sea salt sitting over there in Andy’s hair, since they’re no more accurate than a coin flip. That said, here’s what will happen this week.
(1) The Hot Showers over (8) Cupcakes of DOOM!
It’s not quite a first round bye, but it’s also not too far from it. Though they’ve performed significantly better the past few weeks, a Cupcakes win would rival the greatest upsets in this league’s storied history. Don’t see it happening.
(2) Cool Runnings over (7) Z Power
Somehow, Yahoo thinks the Z’s are favored in this matchup - by 18 points! They are wrong. While the Z’s have looked pretty good lately (up until last week, at least) the Runnings have looked better and even the loss of Gore won’t slow them down here.
(6) Fat Cats over (3) A Sheep at the Wheel
This is as tough to pick as a 3 vs. 6 game gets – the Sheep have been more consistent and have more wins, but the Cats have more high profile weapons and have scored more points. If it’s at all close for Rice going into Monday’s game – as I think it will be – the Cats will come away with the win.
(4) Left Hand Strangers over (5) Minions
The Minions have proven doubters (read: me) wrong all year long, but they can’t possibly take down the surging Strangers this week, can they? Actually, the matchups might be as favorable as they can get for the underdog, so the game should be quite close; still, you simply have to favor the deeper, more talented team when the disparity is this large.
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