In Week 8, Optimal Talent Was No Match for This Megatron – “The Thursday Morning Quarterback” (SATURDAY UPDATE!)

What’s going on my fantasy league family?!?! We are at the halfway mark of the NFL season and I don’t know about you, but these three and four team bye weeks are killing my fantasy teams. I didn’t mind it so much when it was only 2 teams per week, that I can manage! Lol, as always we will discuss all of the usual suspects as well as touch on a few other league related topics in this weeks edition of The Thursday Morning Quarterback. So sit back, relax, read on and as I always like to say…, “Let’s Get To It!!!”

***SPECIAL LEAGUE REPORT: The Keeper’s Report***

Because I wasn’t able to get to this report this past weekend, and because I didn’t want to post it during the week or before this weeks Thursday Morning Quarterback, I will get this report posted on this Saturday! Fortunately, the report is basically done as I just need to tweak it and get one remaining Class of 2013 members keeper’s for next season (Dan, Owner/Coach of The Pride of Detroit, I still need your keepers).

***The League Poll***

The last league poll has officially been closed as I never did get every Owner/Coach to vote on which way they wanted to go. We have a few more polls to be voted on and I can’t lose four weeks on one poll. With that being said, the poll has been approved by myself, my co-commissioner Charles Anderson, and last season champion & co-commissioner of the Class of 2013 Rich Perez, as we all voted for it to be added. If you voted against this being added, or didn’t want to see this change added but didn’t vote, this is the reason the polls are in place so everybody can voice their opinions on league matters at hand…

***E.L.S.I.E. University***

Class of 2013, don’t forget to start sending in your profile pics so I can begin building your teams profile pages. I have a few members pics already. Please send in your profile pics at enviousstaff@gmail.com.

***The Chase for the E.L.S.I.E.***

The Chase for the E.L.S.I.E. begins, now that we are past the halfway mark of the season. As of Week 9, every team in both leagues (Origins & Class of 2013) are still mathematically in the playoff chase. Even you Ron (Maclin on Your Girl…lol) at 2-6, you can still put a run together to make The Chase. Here are The Chase results for Week 9, if the playoffs began today.

The League! – Origins

1. I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks (6-2) (North Division Leaders) (Head-to-Head Win over St. Pete ConVICKS)
2. St. Pete ConVICKS (6-2) (South Division Leaders)
3. Weapons of Mass Production (5-3) (Head-to-Head Win over BUCKNASTY’S BOYS)
4. Clam Diggers (5-3)
5. BUCKNASTY’S BOYS (5-3)
6. Pick 6’n (4-4)
7. NC Bad Boys (4-4)
8. DemBoys* (3-5) (Head-to-Head Win over The Monstars) (Still Currently Being League Managed)

On the outside looking in…

1. The Monstars (3-5) (Head-to-Head Win over Peyton’s Girl)
2. Peyton’s Girl (3-5)

On the bubble…

• Maclin on Your Girl (2-6)
• Hakeem I Saw I Conquered (2-6)

The League! – Class of 2013

1. DeSeantourage (7-1) (South Division Leaders)
2. PizzaFreak (6-2) (North Division Leaders)
3. Cinderella (5-3)
4. The Pride of Detroit (4-4)
5. Hero7861 (4-4)
6. V-Town (4-4)
7. F-U-Pay-Me (4-4)
8. The Wilkesboro Boxers (4-4)

On the outside looking in…

• Surprise Scorpians (3-5)
• Eventual Champions (3-5)

On the bubble…

• I go Deep (2-6)
• Over Dwayne Bowe (2-6)

***End of the Year Awards!***

I’ve provided a quick look and an explanation of The League’s End of the Year Awards. See below to get an idea of what you’re playing for. Outside of The E.L.S.I.E. that is.

Coach of the Year Nominees…

The Coach of the Year award is determined by using NFL.com’s True Ranking. It is compiled by giving out a number score (with 12 being the best, 1 being the worse) to every team for 1.) Overall Record, 2.) Points Scored, 3.) Breakdown, and 4.) Coach Ranking. I’ll explain further below…

• Overall Record – The team with the best record among the 12 league teams is awarded 12 points. (I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks & the St. Pete ConVICKS both have 6-2 records and have both been awarded 12 pts).
• Points Scored – The team with the most points scored among the 12 league teams is awarded 12 points. (I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks has scored a league best 1,138.38 this season and have been awarded 12 pts).
• Breakdown – The team with the best Overall Breakdown W-L-T Record among the 12 league teams is awarded 12 points. This is compiled by your teams score against IF you played every league team that week. In Week 1, my St. Pete ConVICKS scored 163.78 pts, which would have beaten nine teams that week and only lost to two. Hence my 9-2 record for my Week 1 Breakdown. (I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks has a league best 71-17 Overall Breakdown W-L-T record and has been awarded 12 pts).
• Coach Ranking – The team with the best Coach Ranking among the 12 league teams is awarded 12 points. This is compiled by the fantasy points from your starting line up, against your ideal line up. (Maclin on Your Girl has a league best -81.90 Coaching Rank among the 12 league teams and has been awarded 12 pts).

Team of the Year Nominees…

Team of the Year nominees can not be compiled until the end of the season unfortunately. The award goes to the team (Owner/Coach) who have won or have been nominated for multiple awards or categories. This will be compiled at seasons end.

Draftologist Award Nominees…

The Draftologist Award goes to the Owner/Coach who drafted one of this seasons top fantasy players in the lowest round. In example, last season I drafted Randall Cobb in the 14th Rd and he finished among the Top 5 players in fantasy points. This too will also be compiled at the end of the season.

Juggler Award Nominees…

The Juggler Award goes to the Owner/Coach who made the most MEANINGFUL adds, drops, & trades for the entire season. Obviously, this can’t be compiled until season end.

Trash Talk Award Nominees…

Outside of the League Champion and Division Winner Awards, this one should be the most self-explanatory. This will also be compiled at seasons end.

***Week 8 Recaps (Origins)***

Pick 6’n Smashes Weapons of Mass Production, Ends Their 4 Game Winning Streak

Pick 6’n picked up 19.20 points from Josh Gordon (132 Rec Yds, 1 TD), pummeling Weapons of Mass Production, 127.36 – 86.66. It was a beating to remember, with the 40.70-point margin being the 10th-highest recorded in the league this season. Peyton Manning led Weapons of Mass Production with 20.86 points (354 Pas Yds, 4 TD/3 Int) while Barry Church racked up 10.00 (7 Tack). Pick 6’n started one player with zero points while Weapons of Mass Production also served up one goose egg, meaning each team left something on the table. Weapons of Mass Production (5-3, 1,128.06 points) drops to fifth in the latest rankings while Pick 6’n (4-4, 1,079.02 points) jumps back into the Top 10. In Week 9, #10 Pick 6’n takes on the #4 St Pete ConVICKS (6-2, 1,061.28), while #5 Weapons of Mass Production goes up against the NC Bad Boys (4-4, 958.64).

NC Bad Boys Pulverizes BUCKNASTY’S BOYS, Stops Their Streak at Three

The NC Bad Boys got the third-highest point total by a player this season from Calvin Johnson with 37.90 points (329 Rec Yds, 1 TD), stomping the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS, 126.48 – 87.74. The NC Bad Boys took a 13.50-point lead on Thursday and never looked back. It was the second blowout win on the season for the NC Bad Boys. Each team left something on the table as the NC Bad Boys had one starter turn in zero points and the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS also had one. The NC Bad Boys (4-4, 958.64 points) evens their record at .500 while the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS (5-3, 994.06 points) drops to seventh in the latest rankings. The NC Bad Boys gets a challenge in Week 9 when they go up against #5 Weapons of Mass Production (5-3, 1,128.06), who averages a solid 141.01 points per game. The #7 BUCKNASTY’S BOYS take on the #6 Clam Diggers (5-3, 1,099.36).

Clam Diggers Beat Hakeem I Saw I Conquered to Capture Their Second Straight Victory

The Clam Diggers got the highest score this week and defeated Hakeem I Saw I Conquered, 160.16 – 120.64. Hakeem I Saw I Conquered met their projections and scored 3.3% more than their projected 116.74 points, while the Clam Diggers failed to hit their projections and eked out 89.0% of a projected 179.90. Hakeem I Saw I Conquered was led by Cam Newton with 24.84 points (221 Pas Yds, 50 Rsh Yds, 2 Pas TD, 1 Rsh TD) and Stevan Ridley who scored 13.90 (79 Rsh Yds, 1 TD). The Clam Diggers (5-3, 1,099.36 points) climbs to sixth in the latest rankings while Hakeem I Saw I Conquered (2-6, 877.42 points) are looking to get hot when it matters. The #6 Clam Diggers will meet the #7 BUCKNASTY’S BOYS (5-3, 994.06) next week. Hakeem I Saw I Conquered gets the always formidable #2 I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks (6-2, 1,138.38).

Maclin on Your Girl Gets the Upset In Late Rally on St Pete ConVICKS, Knocking Them from First Place

Maclin on Your Girl (2-6, 969.76 points) dumped the St Pete ConVICKS (6-2, 1,061.28 points) out of first, beating them, 138.24 – 121.32. They registered the second-highest point total this week and also came back from a 30.18-point deficit on Sunday night. The St Pete ConVICKS scored 73.6% of their projected points in this loss, and they’ve failed to hit their projections for seven weeks straight. This is the third consecutive week Maclin on Your Girl has improved upon their previous week’s point total. They got 114.16 points two weeks ago, 126.22 last week, and 138.24 this week. In Week 9, Maclin on Your Girl takes on The Monstars (3-5, 984.68), while the #4 St Pete ConVICKS matches up against #10 Pick 6’n (4-4, 1,079.02).

I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks Grinds Out Victory Against DemBoys to Take Over Top Spot in The League – Origins

I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks (6-2, 1,138.38 points) assumes the top spot in The League – Origins after edging DemBoys (3-5, 908.68 points), 132.82 – 128.70. DeAngelo Hall picked off two passes (2 Int, 1 TD, 4 Tack) and registered 17.00 points. I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks took a 5.50-point lead on Thursday and remained in the lead for the rest of the match up. I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks has made a name for themselves as a tough match up after winning their last six games. It could have gone the other way had DemBoys not had a starter score zero points (Bernard Pollard). Next week, #2 I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks faces the last-place team in The League – Origins, Hakeem I Saw I Conquered (2-6, 877.42). DemBoys takes on Peyton’s Girl (3-5, 910.58).

The Monstars Scare the Hell Out of Peyton’s Girl In Blowout Fashion

The Monstars made easy work of Peyton’s Girl, who found it difficult to score this week, 117.58 – 66.54. The Monstars took a 40.64-point lead on Sunday afternoon and never looked back. Peyton’s Girl is now on a three-game losing streak with their playoff hopes fading away. These two teams are both On the Bubble in The Chase with 3-5 records, but The Monstars has a clear lead in points, 984.68 – 910.58. On top of the loss, Peyton’s Girl had five starters put up zeroes. The Monstars square off against Maclin on Your Girl (2-6, 969.76) next week, while Peyton’s Girl matches up against DemBoys (3-5, 908.68).

Interesting Notes from The League – Origins in Week 8

• I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks won this week, even without starting a top-30 scoring WR.
• Maclin on Your Girl has now increased their score each of the past three weeks.
• The St Pete ConVICKS has now fallen short of their projected score for seven weeks in a row.
• I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks is on a six-game winning streak.
• So far this season, teams have won only 40.0% of the time when starting the league’s top-scoring QB of the week (2-3 overall).
• Teams have won 51.1% of the time this season when they throw no interceptions in a week.
• The Monstars has fallen short of their projected score each week this season.
• The Clam Diggers probably wishes they had started Cordarrelle Patterson. The 31.40 points he scored would have represented the third-highest individual score this week.

***Week 8 Recaps (Class of 2013)***

Cinderella Brings Down F-U-Pay-Me, Tacks On 3rd Consecutive Win

Cinderella picked up 24.84 points from Cam Newton (221 Pas Yds, 50 Rsh Yds, 2 Pas TD, 1 Rsh TD) and 15.30 from Alfred Morris (93 Rsh Yds, 1 TD) to beat F-U-Pay-Me, 115.34 – 104.90. Cinderella took a 35.24-point lead on Thursday and maintained a lead throughout the match up. Cinderella has found its stride and is on a three-game winning streak. Both sides missed scoring opportunities as Cinderella had one starter turn in zero points and F-U-Pay-Me also had one. Cinderella (5-3, 964.98 points) climbs into the Top 10 being ranked eighth in the latest rankings while F-U-Pay-Me (4-4, 978.82 points) drops their second in a row. #8 Cinderella will meet top-ranked #1 DeSeantourage (7-1, 1,079.54) next week. F-U-Pay-Me gets Hero7861 (4-4, 1,070.66).

Led by a Big Game from Calvin Johnson, I go Deep Picks Up Victory over Hero7861

The production of Calvin Johnson led the way, as I go Deep defeated Hero7861, 116.64 – 89.06. Johnson blew up for 37.90 points in a 27.58-point win for I go Deep. He racked up 329 yards as part of his big outing (329 Rec Yds, 1 TD). He also recorded the third-highest point total in the league this season. If Hero7861 didn’t have six starters put up goose eggs, things could have been different. I go Deep (2-6, 940.76 points) gets a much needed win while Hero7861 (4-4, 1,070.66 points) drops out of the Top 10. I go Deep plays The Wilkesboro Boxers (4-4, 978.76) in Week 9 while Hero7861 gets F-U-Pay-Me (4-4, 978.82).

V-Town Brings Down The Wilkesboro Boxers, On Their Way Back Up to .500

Colin Kaepernick scored two touchdowns (27.96 points) and Eddie Lacy added 17.20 points as V-Town got past The Wilkesboro Boxers, 116.96 – 103.60. The Wilkesboro Boxers has had a bad run after losing their third in a row. The Wilkesboro Boxers was led by Demaryius Thomas with 14.50 points (75 Rec Yds, 1 TD) and Mason Crosby who scored 14.00. The gap could have been wider as V-Town had a starter score zero points (Mike DeVito). V-Town (4-4, 992.46 points) climbs back to .500 with their second straight win while The Wilkesboro Boxers (4-4, 978.76 points) drops their third in a row. Next week, V-Town meets the last-place team in The League – C/O 2013, Over Dwayne Bowe (2-6, 839.24). The Wilkesboro Boxers plays I go Deep (2-6, 940.76).

DeSeantourage Gets Late Win Against PizzaFreak In Game of the Week

This week’s two highest-scoring teams met in an epic battle that lived up to the Game of the Week hype, as DeSeantourage came back and took down PizzaFreak, 147.38 – 141.28. This is the fourth-most a team has scored this season without getting the victory. PizzaFreak falls to 6-2 and ends a six-game win streak. DeSeantourage (7-1) takes over the top spot in The League – C/O 2013 and has the second-highest points per game average at 134.94. Drew Brees (332 Pas Yds, 5 TD) had the best game for DeSeantourage with 30.18. Dez Bryant (72 Rec Yds, 2 TD) recorded 20.30 points for PizzaFreak. Major Wright, who is averaging 9.36 points per game, was on bye this week for PizzaFreak. Brandon Marshall (12.29 points per game) was also on bye. The gap could have been wider, as DeSeantourage had a starter who didn’t score (Jared Allen). #1 DeSeantourage will match up against #8 Cinderella (5-3, 964.98) next week. #3 PizzaFreak squares off against #9 The Pride of Detroit (4-4, 1,084.58), who has averaged a league-leading 135.57 points this season.

Surprise Scorpians Beat Over Dwayne Bowe, Notches Second Straight Victory

Over Dwayne Bowe could not get off the starting blocks this week and lost to Surprise Scorpians, 111.34 – 79.86. Over Dwayne Bowe has failed to meet expectations for five consecutive weeks, managing 57.6% of their 138.58 projected points in this match up. Dexter McCluster led Over Dwayne Bowe with 17.00 points (67 Rec Yds, 1 TD) while Russell Wilson brought in 9.16 (139 Pas Yds, 2 TD). With Surprise Scorpians delivering goose eggs from two of their starters, the outcome could have been worse. Surprise Scorpians (3-5, 1,043.74 points) looks to get hot when it counts as Over Dwayne Bowe (2-6, 839.24 points) sinks into the cellar. The Surprise Scorpians take on Eventual Champions (3-5, 964.04) in Week 9, while Over Dwayne Bowe matches up against V-Town (4-4, 992.46).

Eventual Champions Comes Back to Nip The Pride of Detroit for Second Straight

Eventual Champions (3-5, 964.04 points) slipped by The Pride of Detroit (4-4, 1,084.58 points) by oh such a narrow margin, 122.34 – 122.12. They were led by Tony Romo (206 Pas Yds, 3 TD) with 22.84 points. Eventual Champions came into the Sunday games already in front, 19.50 – 4.50. They gave up that lead after the late Sunday games and were behind 119.62 – 102.94. However, Eventual Champions rallied to victory on Monday night, with the aid of 12.90 points from Zac Stacy. Eventual Champions squares off against Surprise Scorpians (3-5, 1,043.74) in Week 9 while #9 The Pride of Detroit goes up against #3 PizzaFreak (6-2, 1,072.42).

Interesting Notes from The League – Class of 2013 in Week 8

• Cinderella won this week, even without starting a top-30 scoring WR.
• PizzaFreak has now increased their score each of the past three weeks.
• Unfortunately, The Wilkesboro Boxers fell short of their projected score for the seventh straight week.
• Teams have won 52.3% of the time this season when they throw no interceptions in a week.
• No surprise here, teams have won 83.3% of the time this season when starting the league’s top-scoring QB of the week (5-1 overall).
• Over Dwayne Bowe has now fallen short of their projected score for five weeks in a row.
• Unfortunately, The Pride of Detroit fell short of their projected score for the fifth straight week.
• V-Town has fallen short of their projected score each week this season.

***Top 10 E.L.S.I.E. Poll (Week 9)***

1. DeSeantourage (7-1)
2. I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks (6-2)
3. PizzaFreak (6-2)
4. St. Pete ConVICKS (6-2)
5. Weapons of Mass Production (5-3)
6. Clam Diggers (5-3)
7. BUCKNASTY’S BOYS (5-3)
8. Cinderella (5-3)
9. The Pride of Detroit (4-4)
10. Pick 6’n (4-4)

Honorable Mention
– Hero7861 (4-4)
– V-Town (4-4)

***Week 9 Match Up Previews (Origins)***

#5 Weapons of Mass Production (5-3) at NC Bad Boys (4-4)

X-Factors:

Weapons of Mass Production: Mike Wallace-WR (27.30) / NC Bad Boys: Antonio Brown-WR (22.60)

A great WR match up between two former teammates is lined up for Week 9, as Antonio Brown goes head-to-head against Mike Wallace when the NC Bad Boys (4-4, 958.64) battles #5 Weapons of Mass Production (5-3, 1,128.06). Brown is projected to be the No. 4 WR this week and is expected to score 22.60 points, while projected No. 1 WR Wallace is predicted to score 27.30. Last week, the NC Bad Boys blew out the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS, 126.48 – 87.74, while Weapons of Mass Production was dominated by Pick 6’n, 127.36 – 86.66. It could be a disaster for Weapons of Mass Production, with the NC Bad Boys favored to win by the largest margin in the league at 111.00 points according to projections.

Weapons of Mass Production has the advantage in terms of scoring this season, ranking second with 141.01 points per game. The NC Bad Boys ranks ninth with 119.83. Weapons of Mass Production has Mike Wallace (27.30 projected points) playing in the Thursday night game. All of the players in the starting lineup for the NC Bad Boys won’t play until later this week.

The NC Bad Boys has the advantage at six positions: DB, LB, and four others. The largest margin is at LB, where they’re projected to outscore Weapons of Mass Production 53.00 – 11.00. Weapons of Mass Production is stronger at WR, where they should beat the NC Bad Boys 38.50 – 22.60. To increase their projected match up lead, the NC Bad Boys could be interested in adding Kendall Wright (WR, 17.60 projected points). Weapons of Mass Production might consider adding Parys Haralson (LB, 18.00 projected points).

Both teams will be missing players due to byes this week. Calvin Johnson won’t be available for the NC Bad Boys, while Weapons of Mass Production will be without Eric Decker, Julius Thomas, and four others. Ryan Mathews (14.00 projected points), Jay Cutler (0.00 projected points), and two others return from bye for the NC Bad Boys this week. For Weapons of Mass Production, Arian Foster (17.90 projected points), J.J. Watt (3.00 projected points), and three others come back.

Saturday Update!

Mike Wallace (82 Rec Yds) scored only 30.0% of his 27.30-point projection Thursday night, but Weapons of Mass Production still leads the NC Bad Boys 8.20 – 0.00.

The NC Bad Boys has stood pat on their lineup since Thursday, but still has two players projected to score zero points. They might want to think about starting Pierre Thomas (18.60 projected points) over Ryan Mathews (14.00 projected points) and adding Donnie Avery (10.00 projected points) to start in place of Dwayne Harris (0.00 projected points).

Weapons of Mass Production has kept their lineup the same, but still has DeMarco Murray (0.00 projected points) listed as a starter. They could be interested in picking up Thad Lewis (15.08 projected points) to start over Philip Rivers (11.74 projected points) and adding Willis McGahee (7.00 projected points) to start in place of DeMarco Murray (0.00 projected points).

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: The NC Bad Boys should consider starting Pierre Thomas-RB and sitting Darren Sproles-RB.

#7 BUCKNASTY’S BOYS (5-3) at #6 Clam Diggers (5-3) (Game of the Week)

X-Factors:

BUCKNASTY’S BOYS: Matt Ryan-QB (21.96) / Clam Diggers: Tony Romo-QB (23.94)

Week 9 will feature a battle of top QBs, as Tony Romo leads #6 Clam Diggers (5-3, 1,099.36) against Matt Ryan and the #7 BUCKNASTY’S BOYS (5-3, 994.06). Romo, the projected No. 1 QB this week, is expected to score 23.94 points, while the projected No. 3 QB Ryan is predicted to score 21.96. The Clam Diggers enters the match up after they beat Hakeem I Saw I Conquered, 160.16 – 120.64, last week, while the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS was crushed by the NC Bad Boys, 126.48 – 87.74. According to the projections, it has the makings of a victory for the Clam Diggers, who is favored to win by 42.48 points.

Each team ranks in the top half of the league in scoring average. The Clam Diggers ranks third, with 137.42 points per game, while the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS ranks sixth with 124.26. The Clam Diggers is starting Caleb Sturgis (8.00 projected points) in the Thursday game, while the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS is going with Rey Maualuga (5.00 projected points) and A.J. Green (12.00 projected points).

The Clam Diggers has the edge at three positions: WR, TE, and RB. Their biggest strength is at WR, where they’re projected to outscore the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS 44.60 – 26.00. To tighten the match up projections, the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS might be interested in adding Kendall Wright (WR, 17.60 projected points).

Both teams are riddled with byes this week. The Clam Diggers has seven players out: Joique Bell, Colin Kaepernick, and five others. On the other side, the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS will be without five players: Maurice Jones-Drew, Justin Smith, and three others. Danny Woodhead (13.00 projected points) returns from bye for the Clam Diggers this week. For the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS, Chris Johnson (10.30 projected points), Martellus Bennett (6.00 projected points), and five others return.

Saturday Update!

A.J. Green (128 Rec Yds) scored 13.80 points Thursday night to give the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS a 13.80 – 8.00 lead over the Clam Diggers. For the Clam Diggers, Caleb Sturgis scored 8.00 points.

The Clam Diggers didn’t make any lineup changes since Thursday. They may consider picking up Arthur Jones (16.00 projected points) to start over Chris Clemons (1.00 projected point) and adding Melvin Ingram (15.00 projected points) to start in place of Lamarr Houston (2.00 projected points).

Meanwhile, the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS has made three changes to their lineup, starting Chris Johnson (10.30 projected points), Robbie Gould (9.00 projected points), and Alshon Jeffery (6.50 projected points) while placing Maurice Jones-Drew (bye), Josh Brown (bye), and Larry Fitzgerald (bye) on the bench. With Justin Smith (bye) and Stephen Tulloch (bye) remaining in the lineup, there are still potential moves to be made. the BUCKNASTY’S BOYS might want to think about picking up Donnie Avery (10.00 projected points) to start over Alshon Jeffery (6.50 projected points) and adding Rob Bironas (13.00 projected points) to start in place of Robbie Gould (9.00 projected points).

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: The BUCKNASTY’S BOYS should strongly consider starting Martellus Bennett-TE and sitting Tony Gonzalez-TE. The Clam Diggers should consider starting Danny Amendola-WR and sitting Cordarrelle Patterson-WR.

Hakeem I Saw I Conquered (2-6) at #2 I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks (6-2)

X-Factors:

Hakeem I Saw I Conquered: Cam Newton-QB (17.06) / I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks: LeSean McCoy-RB (25.20)

Two teams headed in opposite directions meet this week as #2 I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks (6-2, 1,138.38) rides a six-game winning streak into their match up against last place Hakeem I Saw I Conquered (2-6, 877.42), who has lost their last two. Last week, I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks edged out DemBoys 132.82 – 128.70, while Hakeem I Saw I Conquered took a loss against the Clam Diggers, 160.16 – 120.64. This looks to be a beat down, with I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks favored to win by 52.18 points according to initial projections.

These two teams are at opposite ends of the scoring spectrum. I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks leads The League – Origins in scoring, averaging 142.30 points per game, while Hakeem I Saw I Conquered ranks last with 109.68. Neither I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks nor Hakeem I Saw I Conquered have players playing on Thursday.

I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks has a remarkable advantage at DB, where they’re projected to outscore Hakeem I Saw I Conquered 14.00 – 4.00.

Each team is missing several players due to bye weeks. I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks has four players out: Calais Campbell, Daryl Washington, and two others. On the other side, Hakeem I Saw I Conquered will be without six players: Hakeem Nicks, Von Miller, and four others. I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks gets Andrew Luck (16.46 projected points) and Justin Tucker (8.00 projected points) back from bye this week. Hakeem I Saw I Conquered will get back Torrey Smith (4.50 projected points) and Zach Brown (0.00 projected points).

Saturday Update!

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: Hakeem I Saw I Conquered should consider starting Steven Jackson-RB and sitting Joseph Randle-RB. I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks should consider starting Greg Jennings-WR and sitting Eddie Royal-WR.

#4 St. Pete ConVICKS (6-2) at #10 Pick 6’n (4-4)

X-Factors:

St. Pete ConVICKS: Giovani Bernard-RB (24.70) / Pick 6’n: T.Y. Hilton-WR (24.60)

Pick 6’n (4-4, 1,079.02), who crushed their opponent last week, will be battling the #4 St Pete ConVICKS (6-2, 1,061.28) in Week 9. Pick 6’n is coming off a 127.36 – 86.66 win, while the St Pete ConVICKS took a loss against Maclin on Your Girl, 138.24 – 121.32. The early projections have Pick 6’n on top by 17.28 points, 90.68 – 73.40.

Each team ranks in the top half of the league in scoring average. Pick 6’n ranks fourth, with 134.88 points per game, while the St Pete ConVICKS ranks fifth with 132.66. Pick 6’n will start Vontaze Burfict (2.00 projected points) on Thursday, while the St Pete ConVICKS has Reshad Jones (4.00 projected points) and Giovani Bernard (24.70 projected points).

Pick 6’n has a noticeable advantage at two positions: LB and QB. The largest margin is at LB, where they’re projected to outscore the St Pete ConVICKS 22.00 – 8.00. The St Pete ConVICKS is superior at K, where they should beat Pick 6’n 10.00 – 0.00.

Due to bye weeks, both teams will be missing players. Frank Gore and Matt Prater won’t be available for Pick 6’n, while the St Pete ConVICKS will be without Matthew Stafford, Vernon Davis, and two others. Pick 6’n gets Ray Rice (16.70 projected points), Major Wright (6.00 projected points), and two others back from bye this week. The St Pete ConVICKS will get back Matt Forte (14.40 projected points), Antoine Bethea (8.00 projected points), and DeAndre Hopkins (4.00 projected points).

Saturday Update!

Giovani Bernard (79 Rsh Yds, 25 Rec Yds, 2 TD) scored 22.40 points Thursday night to lead the St Pete ConVICKS to a 27.90 – 6.72 advantage over Pick 6’n. The 22.40 points scored by Giovani Bernard was a season-high. Reshad Jones (5 Tack) chipped in 5.50 points, exceeding his projected 4.00 by 37.5%. For Pick 6’n, Vontaze Burfict (5 Tack) scored 5.00 points while Andy Dalton (338 Pas Yds, 3 Int) recorded 1.72.

Pick 6’n has made some changes to their lineup since Thursday, starting Ray Rice (16.70 projected points), Major Wright (6.00 projected points), and four others while benching Kam Chancellor (6.00 projected points), Chris Ivory (5.50 projected points), and two others. They’ll still need to replace Matt Prater (bye) in the starting lineup. Pick 6’n could be interested in starting Kendall Wright (17.60 projected points) over Josh Gordon (7.00 projected points) and adding Arthur Jones (16.00 projected points) to start in place of Jared Allen (2.00 projected points).

Meanwhile, the St Pete ConVICKS has made one lineup change, starting C.J. Spiller (0.00 projected points) while benching DeAngelo Williams (8.40 projected points). They’ll still need to replace Perry Riley (0.00 projected points) as a starter. The St Pete ConVICKS might consider starting DeAngelo Williams (8.40 projected points) over C.J. Spiller (0.00 projected points) and substituting Kenny Stills (8.00 projected points) for DeAndre Hopkins (4.00 projected points).

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: The St. Pete ConVICKS should consider starting Kenny Stills-WR and sitting DeAndre Hopkins-WR.

DemBoys (3-5) at Peyton’s Girl (3-5)

X-Factors:

DemBoys: Aaron Rodgers-QB (17.60) / Peyton’s Girl: Tavon Austin-WR (27.00)

Peyton’s Girl (3-5, 910.58) enters Week 9 looking to end their three-game losing streak. Their opponent, DemBoys (3-5, 908.68), has dropped two in a row. DemBoys dropped to 3-5 with a 132.82 – 128.70 loss to I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks last week, while Peyton’s Girl was beaten by The Monstars, 117.58 – 66.54. Early projections have DemBoys as the favorite by 59.70 points, 100.90 – 41.20.

Each team ranks in the bottom half of the league in scoring average. Peyton’s Girl ranks 10th, with 113.82 points per game, while DemBoys ranks 11th with 113.59. DemBoys starts BenJarvus Green-Ellis (5.60 projected points), Brian Hartline (4.40 projected points), and Geno Atkins (4.00 projected points) in the Thursday night game, while Peyton’s Girl goes with Philip Wheeler (2.00 projected points) and Charles Clay (0.00 projected points).

DemBoys has the edge at three positions: RB, QB, and K, the largest of which is RB. At that position, they should outscore Peyton’s Girl 31.40 – 3.60. Peyton’s Girl has a remarkable advantage at LB, where they’re projected to beat DemBoys 11.00 – 6.00. To increase the projected match up difference, DemBoys may consider adding Parys Haralson (LB, 18.00 projected points). Peyton’s Girl might be interested in adding Donald Brown (RB, 9.00 projected points) and Thad Lewis (QB, 15.08 projected points).

Each team is missing several players due to bye weeks. DemBoys has four players out: Demaryius Thomas, Michael Floyd, and two others. On the other side, Peyton’s Girl will be without seven players: Justin Forsett, DeAndre Levy, and five others. DemBoys gets Ben Tate (7.30 projected points), Garrett Graham (4.30 projected points), and Bernard Pollard (5.00 projected points) back from bye this week. Peyton’s Girl will get back Kareem Jackson (7.00 projected points), Ed Reed (4.00 projected points), and Robert Mathis (0.00 projected points).

Saturday Update!

Lamar Miller (105 Rsh Yds) exceeded his 5.60 projected points by 94.6% Thursday night to give DemBoys a 10.90 – 10.50 lead over Peyton’s Girl. For Peyton’s Girl, Philip Wheeler (7 Tack) scored 7.00 points while Charles Clay (22 Rec Yds) recorded 3.50.

DemBoys has not made any lineup changes since Thursday, but still has Mason Foster (0.00 projected points) in their starting lineup. They might be interested in picking up Arthur Jones (16.00 projected points) to start over Muhammad Wilkerson (4.00 projected points) and adding Melvin Ingram (15.00 projected points) to start in place of George Selvie (9.00 projected points).

Peyton’s Girl has not made any changes to their lineup, but still has seven players with zero projected points. They could be interested in picking up Willis McGahee (7.00 projected points) to start over Felix Jones (3.60 projected points) and substituting Tavon Austin (27.00 projected points) for Sidney Rice (0.00 projected points).

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: Peyton’s Girl should strongly consider starting Golden Tate-WR and sitting Sidney Rice-WR.

The Monstars (3-5) at Maclin on Your Girl (2-6)

X-Factors:

The Monstars: Drew Brees-QB (19.54) / Maclin on Your Girl: Tom Brady-QB (18.04)

The Monstars (3-5, 984.68) faces off with Maclin on Your Girl (2-6, 969.76) in Week 9. The Monstars is coming off a 117.58 – 66.54 win, while Maclin on Your Girl knocked off the St Pete ConVICKS, 138.24 – 121.32. The Monstars has a 12.30-point advantage in the early projections, 120.14 – 107.84.

Both teams rank in the bottom half of the league in scoring. The Monstars ranks seventh, averaging 123.09 points per game, while Maclin on Your Girl ranks eighth with 121.22. The Monstars has Carlos Dunlap (1.00 projected point) playing in the game Thursday night, while all of the players for Maclin on Your Girl are scheduled to play later in the week.

The Monstars has a pronounced advantage at RB, where they’re projected to outscore Maclin on Your Girl 24.00 – 17.20. To reduce the margin, Maclin on Your Girl might be interested in adding Donald Brown (RB, 9.00 projected points).

Both teams are missing several players due to byes this week. The Monstars has five players out: Peyton Hillis, Wesley Woodyard, and three others. On the other side, Maclin on Your Girl will be without three players: Ndamukong Suh, Patrick Willis, and Reggie Bush. Jacoby Jones (16.80 projected points), Eric Weddle (4.00 projected points), and two others come back from bye for The Monstars this week. For Maclin on Your Girl, Antonio Gates (8.20 projected points), Nate Washington (6.00 projected points), and Whitney Mercilus (11.00 projected points) return.

Saturday Update!

Daniel Thomas (38 Rsh Yds) scored only 71.2% of his 5.90-point projection Thursday night, but Maclin on Your Girl still leads The Monstars 4.20 – 4.00. For The Monstars, Carlos Dunlap put up 4.00 points.

The Monstars has made some lineup changes since Thursday, starting Nick Roach (7.00 projected points) and Le’Veon Bell (8.70 projected points) while benching Paul Posluszny (bye). They may consider picking up Donnie Avery (10.00 projected points) to start over Keenan Allen (6.80 projected points) and adding Rob Bironas (13.00 projected points) to start in place of Garrett Hartley (10.00 projected points).

Maclin on Your Girl has not made any lineup changes, but still has Da’Norris Searcy (0.00 projected points) in their starting lineup. They could consider picking up Arthur Jones (16.00 projected points) to start over Sheldon Richardson (2.00 projected points) and adding Melvin Ingram (15.00 projected points) to start in place of Whitney Mercilus (11.00 projected points).

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: Maclin on Your Girl should consider starting Nick Foles-QB and sitting Tom Brady-QB.

***Around The League – Origins***

• The Clam Diggers has this week’s top-ranked QB (Tony Romo) and TE (Jordan Cameron) from a projected points perspective.
• Falling short of their projected score for seven weeks in a row, the St Pete ConVICKS hopes to live up to the hype soon.
• LeSean McCoy of I Got Sacks On Sacks On Sacks has the most projected points of any RB in the league this week. Surprisingly, teams have won just 33.3% of the time this season when starting the top-scoring RB.
• With a margin of 77.30 points, DemBoys is projected to win by the most points in the league this season.
• The Monstars has had a tough start relative to expectations, missing their projected score every week of the season so far.
• Tony Romo of the Clam Diggers has the most projected points of any QB in the league this week. Surprisingly, teams have won just 40.0% of the time this season when starting the top-scoring QB.
• A couple of teams (St Pete ConVICKS and Maclin on Your Girl) are expected to lose by between 10 and 20 points this week. In this league, projected losers of that magnitude have pulled the upset 58.3% of the time.
• The BUCKNASTY’S BOYS is expected to lose by 24.18 points this week. Underdogs of that magnitude have won the game 50.0% of the time this season.

***Week 9 Match Up Previews (Class of 2013)***

F-U-Pay-Me (4-4) at Hero7861 (4-4)

X-Factors:

F-U-Pay-Me: Adrian Peterson-RB (19.20) / Hero7861: Arian Foster-RB (17.90)

Both F-U-Pay-Me (4-4, 978.82) and Hero7861 (4-4, 1,070.66) have lost some momentum heading into their Week 9 match up, with each team on a two-game losing streak. F-U-Pay-Me is coming off a 115.34 – 104.90 loss to Cinderella, while Hero7861 took a loss against I go Deep, 116.64 – 89.06. According to early projections, it has the makings of a victory for F-U-Pay-Me, who is favored to win by 24.10 points.

Hero7861 has the advantage in terms of scoring this season, ranking fourth with 133.83 points per game. F-U-Pay-Me ranks seventh with 122.35. Neither team has players in action on Thursday.

F-U-Pay-Me has the edge at two positions: RB and QB, the largest of which is QB. At that position, they should outscore Hero7861 17.60 – 0.00. Hero7861 has a sizable advantage at K, where they’re projected to beat F-U-Pay-Me 10.00 – 0.00. To make their match up lead safer, F-U-Pay-Me might be interested in adding Kai Forbath (K, 13.00 projected points).

Each team is missing several players due to bye weeks. F-U-Pay-Me has six players out: Ndamukong Suh, Cecil Shorts, and four others. On the other side, Hero7861 will be without four players: Nick Fairley, Vernon Davis, and two others. Ryan Mathews (14.00 projected points), Torrey Smith (4.50 projected points), and Bernard Pollard (5.00 projected points) return from bye for F-U-Pay-Me this week. For Hero7861, Arian Foster (17.90 projected points), Tim Jennings (1.00 projected point), and five others come back.

Saturday Update!

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: Hero7861 should strongly consider starting Jake Locker-QB and sitting Peyton Manning-QB.

I go Deep (2-6) at The Wilkesboro Boxers (4-4)

X-Factors:

I go Deep: Tom Brady-QB (18.04) / The Wilkesboro Boxers: Darren Sproles-RB (20.70)

After losing three in a row, The Wilkesboro Boxers (4-4, 978.76) looks to end their skid this week against I go Deep (2-6, 940.76). Last week, The Wilkesboro Boxers lost to V-Town 116.96 – 103.60, while I go Deep knocked off Hero7861, 116.64 – 89.06. It’ll go down to the wire, with The Wilkesboro Boxers favored to win by just 2.52 points.

Each team ranks in the bottom half of the league in scoring average. The Wilkesboro Boxers ranks eighth, with 122.34 points per game, while I go Deep ranks 11th with 117.59. I go Deep has A.J. Green (12.00 projected points), Terence Newman (6.00 projected points), and Tyler Eifert (3.90 projected points) playing on Thursday. None of the starters for The Wilkesboro Boxers are playing in the game Thursday night.

I go Deep has a remarkable advantage at two positions: LB and K. Their biggest margin is at LB, where they’re projected to beat The Wilkesboro Boxers 14.00 – 8.00.

The Wilkesboro Boxers has five players out due to bye weeks: DeAndre Levy, Daryl Washington, and three others. On the other side, I go Deep will be without three players: Calais Campbell, Calvin Johnson, and Victor Cruz. Ben Tate (7.30 projected points), Garrett Graham (4.30 projected points), and Andrew Luck (16.46 projected points) return from bye for The Wilkesboro Boxers this week. For I go Deep, Danny Woodhead (13.00 projected points), Devin Hester (10.10 projected points), and Bernard Pierce (0.40 projected points) come back.

Saturday Update!

A.J. Green (128 Rec Yds) put up 13.80 points Thursday night and Terence Newman (3 Tack) recorded 4.00 to lead I go Deep to a 20.92 – 6.60 advantage over The Wilkesboro Boxers. For The Wilkesboro Boxers, Marvin Jones (66 Rec Yds) scored 6.60 points.

I go Deep made three pickups since Thursday, adding Aldon Smith (bye), Curtis Lofton (10.00 projected points), and George Selvie (9.00 projected points) while dropping Akeem Jordan (3.00 projected points), Jerod Mayo (0.00 projected points), and Calais Campbell (bye). They’ve also made three changes to their lineup, starting Danny Woodhead (13.00 projected points), Andy Dalton (9.24 projected points), and Devin Hester (10.10 projected points) while benching Tom Brady (18.04 projected points), Brandon Bolden (3.70 projected points), and Calvin Johnson (bye). They’ll still need to replace Victor Cruz (bye) in the starting lineup. I go Deep may consider picking up Alex Henery (15.00 projected points) to start over Matt Bryant (10.00 projected points) and adding Melvin Ingram (15.00 projected points) to start in place of Marcell Dareus (6.00 projected points).

Meanwhile, The Wilkesboro Boxers has made one change to their lineup, starting James Jones (0.00 projected points) while placing Julian Edelman (6.90 projected points) on the bench. With Da’Norris Searcy (0.00 projected points), DeAndre Levy (bye), and two others remaining in the lineup, there are still potential moves to be made. The Wilkesboro Boxers might be interested in starting Andrew Luck (16.46 projected points) over Case Keenum (-1.22 projected points) and substituting Julian Edelman (6.90 projected points) for James Jones (0.00 projected points).

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: I go Deep should consider starting Nate Washington-WR and sitting Devin Hester-WR. The Wilkesboro Boxers should consider starting Andrew Luck-QB and sitting Case Keenum-QB.

V-Town (4-4) at Over Dwayne Bowe (2-6)

X-Factors:

V-Town: Marshawn Lynch-RB (18.90) / Over Dwayne Bowe: Michael Vick-QB (21.92)

V-Town (4-4, 992.46), who has won two in a row, battles last place Over Dwayne Bowe (2-6, 839.24) in Week 9. V-Town got the win last week with a 116.96 – 103.60 victory over The Wilkesboro Boxers, while Over Dwayne Bowe took a loss against Surprise Scorpians, 111.34 – 79.86. The initial projections have this one as a beat down, with Over Dwayne Bowe favored to win by 48.08 points.

V-Town has the advantage based on scoring average for the season, ranking sixth with 124.06 points per game. Over Dwayne Bowe ranks 12th with 104.91. Over Dwayne Bowe will start Carlos Dunlap (1.00 projected point) and Marcus Thigpen (0.00 projected points) in the Thursday night game, while V-Town will play James Harrison (5.00 projected points).

Over Dwayne Bowe has the edge at six positions: WR, DB, and four others, the largest of which is WR. At that position, they should outscore V-Town 37.00 – 8.00. V-Town has a healthy advantage at RB, where they’re projected to beat Over Dwayne Bowe 36.10 – 3.90. To increase their projected match up lead, Over Dwayne Bowe might be interested in adding Donald Brown (RB, 9.00 projected points). V-Town might consider adding Kendall Wright (WR, 17.60 projected points) and Parys Haralson (LB, 18.00 projected points).

Both teams will be missing players due to byes this week. Rashard Mendenhall and Brandon Pettigrew won’t be available for Over Dwayne Bowe, while V-Town will be without Eric Decker, Colin Kaepernick, and three others. DeAndre Hopkins (4.00 projected points) comes back from bye for Over Dwayne Bowe this week. For V-Town, Elvis Dumervil (11.00 projected points), Nate Washington (6.00 projected points), and Justin Tucker (8.00 projected points) come back.

Saturday Update!

Marcus Thigpen put up 7.90 points Thursday night to give Over Dwayne Bowe a 7.90 – 2.00 lead over V-Town. For V-Town, James Harrison scored 2.00 points, though it was just 40.0% of his projected 5.00.

Over Dwayne Bowe picked up four players since Thursday, adding Whitney Mercilus (11.00 projected points), Arthur Jones (16.00 projected points), and two others while cutting Lamarr Houston (2.00 projected points), William Moore (9.00 projected points), and two others. They’ve also made one change to their lineup, starting Dwayne Harris (0.00 projected points) while benching Steve Smith (7.50 projected points). They might consider starting Steve Smith (7.50 projected points) over Dwayne Harris (0.00 projected points) and adding Alex Henery (15.00 projected points) to start in place of Garrett Hartley (10.00 projected points).

V-Town hasn’t made any changes to their lineup. They might be interested in picking up Danny Amendola (11.60 projected points) to start over Denarius Moore (8.00 projected points) and adding Zach Ertz (8.20 projected points) to start in place of Heath Miller (5.10 projected points).

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: Over Dwayne Bowe should consider starting Steve Smith-WR and sitting Dexter McCluster-WR.

#1 DeSeantourage (7-1) at #8 Cinderella (5-3)

X-Factors:

DeSeantourage: Giovani Bernard-RB (24.70) / Cinderella: Mike Wallace-WR (27.30)

Cinderella (5-3, 964.98) goes for their fourth straight win as they battle top ranked DeSeantourage (7-1, 1,079.54) this week. Last week, Cinderella beat F-U-Pay-Me 115.34 – 104.90, while DeSeantourage knocked off PizzaFreak, 147.38 – 141.28. According to the projections, it could be a disaster for DeSeantourage with Cinderella favored to win by 70.32 points.

Based on scoring average for the season, DeSeantourage has the advantage, ranking second with 134.94 points per game. Cinderella ranks ninth with 120.62. Both Cinderella and DeSeantourage have two starters taking the field in the Thursday night game. Dannell Ellerbe (12.00 projected points) and Mike Wallace (27.30 projected points) start for Cinderella, while DeSeantourage goes with Charles Clay (0.00 projected points) and Giovani Bernard (24.70 projected points).

Cinderella has the edge at five positions: WR, DL, and three others. Their biggest strength is at LB, where they’re projected to outscore DeSeantourage 33.00 – 2.00. To make the match up closer, DeSeantourage might be interested in adding Parys Haralson (LB, 18.00 projected points) and Kendall Wright (WR, 17.60 projected points).

Both teams will be missing players due to byes this week. Wesley Woodyard and Andre Ellington won’t be available for Cinderella, while DeSeantourage will be without Von Miller, Patrick Peterson, and two others. Cinderella gets Matt Forte (14.40 projected points) back from bye this week. DeSeantourage will get back Robert Mathis (0.00 projected points), Terrell Suggs (9.00 projected points), and three others.

Saturday Update!

DeSeantourage had Giovani Bernard (22.40 points) and Charles Clay (3.50 points) both score less than expected Thursday night, but still leads Cinderella 25.90 – 18.20. The 22.40 points scored by Giovani Bernard was a season-high. For Cinderella, both Dannell Ellerbe (10.00 points) and Mike Wallace (8.20 points) scored below their projected points.

Cinderella has stood pat on their lineup since Thursday. They could be interested in picking up Zach Ertz (8.20 projected points) to start over Greg Olsen (5.50 projected points) and adding Alex Henery (15.00 projected points) to start in place of Stephen Gostkowski (10.00 projected points).

DeSeantourage has not made any changes to their lineup, but still has Robert Mathis (0.00 projected points) starting this week. They might want to think about picking up Danny Amendola (11.60 projected points) to start over Jarrett Boykin (8.70 projected points) and might also consider adding Alex Henery (15.00 projected points) to start in place of Nick Novak (11.00 projected points).

Surprise Scorpians (3-5) at Eventual Champions (3-5)

X-Factors:

Surprise Scorpians: Tavon Austin-WR (27.00) / Eventual Champions: T.Y. Hilton-WR (24.60)

Week 9 will feature a battle of top QBs, as Tony Romo leads Eventual Champions (3-5, 964.04) against Matt Ryan and Surprise Scorpians (3-5, 1,043.74). Romo, the projected No. 1 QB this week, is expected to score 23.94 points, while Ryan, the projected No. 3 QB, is predicted to score 21.96. Eventual Champions enters the match up after they got by The Pride of Detroit, 122.34 – 122.12, last week, while Surprise Scorpians knocked off Over Dwayne Bowe, 111.34 – 79.86. The end result might be ugly, with Eventual Champions favored to win by 47.78 points according to early projections.

Surprise Scorpians has the advantage in terms of scoring this season, ranking fifth with 130.47 points per game. Eventual Champions ranks 10th with 120.51. Eventual Champions calls on Philip Wheeler (2.00 projected points) and Geno Atkins (4.00 projected points) in the Thursday game, while Surprise Scorpians has Vontaze Burfict (2.00 projected points).

Eventual Champions has the edge at two positions: DB and RB. Their biggest strength is at RB, where they’re projected to outscore Surprise Scorpians 43.60 – 24.90. To tighten the match up projections, Surprise Scorpians may consider adding Donald Brown (RB, 9.00 projected points) and Ike Taylor (DB, 15.00 projected points).

Both teams are riddled with byes this week, with each team missing five players. Eventual Champions has Geno Hayes, Hakeem Nicks, and three others on bye. Surprise Scorpians will be without Glover Quin, Karlos Dansby, and three others. Chris Johnson (10.30 projected points), Ray Rice (16.70 projected points), and two others come back from bye for Eventual Champions this week. For Surprise Scorpians, Martellus Bennett (6.00 projected points), J.J. Watt (3.00 projected points), and four others return.

Saturday Update!

Philip Wheeler (7 Tack) put up 7.00 points Thursday night to lead Eventual Champions to an 11.00 – 5.00 advantage over Surprise Scorpians. Geno Atkins (1 Sack) also added 4.00 points. For Surprise Scorpians, Vontaze Burfict (5 Tack) put up 5.00 points.

Eventual Champions has stood pat on their lineup since Thursday, but still has Zach Brown (0.00 projected points) starting this week. They may consider picking up Alex Henery (15.00 projected points) to start over Ryan Succop (8.00 projected points) and adding Melvin Ingram (15.00 projected points) to start in place of Muhammad Wilkerson (4.00 projected points).

Surprise Scorpians has not made any changes to their lineup, but still has three players with zero projected points. They might be interested in starting Tavon Austin (27.00 projected points) over Keenan Allen (6.80 projected points) and may also consider adding Alex Henery (15.00 projected points) to start in place of Robbie Gould (9.00 projected points).

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: Eventual Champions should consider starting Pierre Garcon-WR and sitting Ted Ginn-WR.

#9 The Pride of Detroit (4-4) at #3 PizzaFreak (6-2)

X-Factors:

The Pride of Detroit: LeSean McCoy-RB (25.20) / PizzaFreak: Terrelle Pryor-QB (22.44)

A great WR match up is lined up for Week 9, as Dez Bryant goes head-to-head against Antonio Brown when #3 PizzaFreak (6-2, 1,072.42) battles #9 The Pride of Detroit (4-4, 1,084.58). Bryant is projected to be the No. 5 WR this week and is expected to score 20.30 points, while projected No. 4 WR Brown is predicted to score 22.60. Last week, PizzaFreak fell to DeSeantourage, 147.38 – 141.28, while The Pride of Detroit was clipped by Eventual Champions, 122.34 – 122.12. PizzaFreak has a 20.40-point advantage in early projections, 138.50 – 118.10.

Each team ranks in the top half of the league in scoring average. The Pride of Detroit ranks first, with 135.57 points per game, while PizzaFreak ranks third with 134.05. The Pride of Detroit has Cameron Wake (5.00 projected points) playing in the Thursday night game. None of the starters for PizzaFreak are playing in the game Thursday night..

Each team has a considerable advantage at one position. PizzaFreak has the edge at QB, where they’re projected to outscore The Pride of Detroit 20.00 – 0.00. On the other side, The Pride of Detroit should beat PizzaFreak at DL 11.00 – 4.00. To increase the projected match up difference, PizzaFreak might consider adding Arthur Jones (DL, 16.00 projected points). The Pride of Detroit may consider picking up Terrelle Pryor (QB, 22.44 projected points).

Both teams will be missing players due to byes this week. Anquan Boldin won’t be available for PizzaFreak, while The Pride of Detroit will be without Knowshon Moreno, Matthew Stafford, and four others. PizzaFreak gets Major Wright (6.00 projected points), Brandon Marshall (8.80 projected points), and Antonio Gates (8.20 projected points) back from bye this week. The Pride of Detroit will get back Eddie Royal (16.60 projected points), Adam Vinatieri (8.00 projected points), and Philip Rivers (11.74 projected points).

Saturday Update!

Cameron Wake (3 Sack, 1 Fum, 5 Tack) exceeded his 5.00 projected points by 260.0% Thursday night to give The Pride of Detroit an 18.00 – 0.00 lead over PizzaFreak.

PizzaFreak didn’t make any lineup changes since Thursday, but still has DeMarco Murray (0.00 projected points) in their starting lineup. They could be interested in starting Le’Veon Bell (8.70 projected points) over DeMarco Murray (0.00 projected points) and adding Alex Henery (15.00 projected points) to start in place of Steven Hauschka (11.00 projected points).

The Pride of Detroit has kept their lineup the same, but still has one empty position and five players projected to score zero points. They might be interested in starting Eddie Royal (16.60 projected points) over Sidney Rice (0.00 projected points) and starting Adam Vinatieri (8.00 projected points) in the empty K position.

Start ‘Em/Sit ‘Em Advice: The Pride of Detroit should strongly consider starting Eddie Royal-WR and sitting Wes Welker-WR.

***Around The League – Class of 2013***

• Eventual Champions has this week’s top-ranked QB (Tony Romo) and TE (Jordan Cameron) from a projected points perspective.
• V-Town has had a tough start relative to expectations, missing their projected score every week of the season so far.
• LeSean McCoy of The Pride of Detroit has the most projected points of any RB in the league this week. On the season, teams have won 66.7% of the time when starting the top-scoring RB.
• Tony Romo of Eventual Champions has the most projected points of any QB in the league this week. Teams have won 83.3% of the time this season when starting the top-scoring QB.
• I go Deep may have received a gift from the schedule-makers, as their 110.24 projected points are the fewest this season for a team expected to win.
• The Wilkesboro Boxers hopes to top their projections this week. It has been a tough run of seven straight weeks where they have not hit their estimated point production.
• A pair of teams (V-Town and Hero7861) are expected to lose by fewer than 10 points this week. This season, that type of small underdog has won 30.8% of the time.
• Over Dwayne Bowe hopes to top their projections this week. It has been a tough run of five straight weeks where they have not hit their estimated point production.