It’s been a couple weeks since we’ve given you a true recap of the goings on in the XN Sports League of Champions. For that, I can only take full responsibility. I had been out of the country for a trip you will be able to read about very soon. But things are now back to normal and we can return to the important stuff: fantasy football. Things are still tight in the League of Champions with 10 teams within two games of each other. Here is how Week 6 helped get us there.
STUDFELDSVILLE (Salvatore Stefanile) 164, MAKE IT WAYNE (Igor Derysh) 105.5
After losing in Week 1, Sal has rattled off five in a row to stand alone atop the league. And, in Week 6, his 164 points led all teams, marking the second time this season he was the top scorer. This week, seven of his starters scored in double digits with four picking up at least 19. None had fewer than seven points. That’s consistency. And when one’s defense, in his case the Chiefs with 26, lead the way on such a week, it’s probably going to end well. Igor recognized as much as the Monday night game wound down.
If Allen puts up negative 56 points to finish out the game, I got my XN league matchup vs @2QBFFB in the bag. #FeelingLucky
— Igor Derysh (@IgorDerysh) October 15, 2013
@IgorDerysh I like your odds.
— Salvatore Stefanile (@2QBFFB) October 15, 2013
The fate of the Wayners was pretty much spelled out by his leading scorer: DeAngelo Williams. That’s never a good thing. Especially when other players like Adrian Peterson, Demaryius Thomas, and Tom Brady are also in the same lineup. The Whirling Deryshes have now lost two in a row and are two games under .500.
FANTASY FOUNDATION (Rich Hribar) 156, THE WINTER CLASSICS (Chris Blanchard) 113
While “foundation” may imply being at the bottom, Rich is proving it doesn’t have to be that way. His 156 points were the second-highest in Week 6, and he owns the highest scoring team in the league. This week, two players alone, Jamaal Charles and Vernon Davis, combined for 60.5 points. The fact that Davis had a monster day, putting up 34 points, didn’t go unnoticed.
Vern is killing it vs ARI, who has been getting torched by TE all year. Second TD before the half on a dime from Kap.
— Rich Hribar (@LordReebs) October 13, 2013
With the four other players the regal one started who reached double digits, he’d already beaten the snow birds. Chris did get very nice days from Andy Dalton and the reemergence of Stevan Ridley. Unfortunately, some of his other players with upside were downers. Garrett Graham, who was expected to pick up the slack with the absence Owen Daniels, managed only three points. Nate Washington, who had shown some recent promise for Tennessee, contributed a paltry 1.5. And it also didn’t help that Danny Amendola crumbled in a heap and missed much of the game. Another loss for Chris puts him 11th out of 12 in the standings.
FIFTY SHADES OF CATS (Felipe Melecio) 143, MY BUDDY AND ME (Dave Major) 83
Even while spending most of his time captivated by the MLB playoffs, Felipe still managed to put a major whooping on Dave, winning his third straight. Melecio has benefited mightily from the surprising Knowshon Moreno, who once again exploded. His 31.5 points were second to only Davis among all NFL players in Week 6. Not bad for a 12th round pick. Combined with 24.5 from Brandon Marshall, 20.5 from Reggie Bush, and 19 from Joe Flacco, and that was already enough to sink My Cruddy. This week, Peyton Manning was some form of human, and was actually outscored by Thad Lewis, Mike Glennon, and Brandon Weeden. But Manning was still Dave’s second-highest scoring player. Jimmy Graham, who has been a weekly superstar, was shut out by the Patriots defense, and the Pats’ LeGarrette Blount couldn’t even manage a single point. It was a minor week for Major all around as he put up the lowest point total of the week. After winning his first three, Dave has now lost his last three.
BLURRED GOAL LINES (Tony Consiglio) 121, @BRYKNO RHINOS (Bryan Knowles) 86
This one didn’t offer a whole lot of excitement, but a win is a win. I’ll take it. It’s a bit bittersweet, though, as I’ve lost Randall Cobb for pretty much the season. But Giovani Bernard is continuing to show that he should be the lead back in Cincinnati and is becoming the RB2 I was hoping he could be, putting up a nice 18 points. Paired with my other running back, LeSean McCoy, it was a pretty good day for my guys at that position. My quarterbacks also had a decent day, with Matt Stafford and Colin Kaepernick combining for 38. The same can’t be said for the Odd-Toed Ungulates. His QB1 was Ryan Fitzpatrick. As if that wasn’t bad enough, his QB2 was Josh Freeman, who didn’t even play.
@TonyConsiglio12 @XNSports No other options — I worked the trade wire during the week, but basically Lynch-for-Henne was my best offer.
— Bryan Knowles (@BryKno) October 13, 2013
Such can be the way of life sometimes in 2QB leagues. But now he’ll at least have Freeman to start in Week 7. And it’s probably a good thing he didn’t make that Lynch-for-Henne deal. Marshawn’s 28 points made up about a third of his total points for the week. It’s just another disappointing week in what’s turned into a very tough year for the K Men. He is the only winless team in the league and is averaging a league-worst 107-points per week. It may be time to work the trade market.
COCONUT PETE (Tom Fitzgerald) 116.5, KEEPIN HEADS RINGIN (Michael Clifford) 106
Mr. Fitz was able to eke out what was the closest matchup of the week. He was able to survive even with the loss of James Jones. It didn’t hurt that Larry Fitzgerald was still able to contribute 18 points while on virtual crutches. Arian Foster’s 21 and Kyle Rudolph’s 19.5 also gave Petey a decent start and helped him overcome a pitiful 6.5-point total performance from his three wide receivers. 3.5 points from Anquan Boldin was the best he could do at the position? Ouch. He just got lucky that Slim Cliffy was a little heavy after his appetizing a.m.
Not even noon, already been to McDonalds twice today. Football Sundays, man.
— Michael Clifford (@SlimCliffy) October 13, 2013
It looks like all of his McGriddles weighed down his starters. Outside of Cam Newton and his 30 points, no one had a particularly spectacular day. Alshon Jeffrey regressed after a couple great weeks, Fred Jackson got caught in a time share, Brandon Myers was goose egged, Le’Veon Bell was shut down, and DeMarco Murray was injured. He now sits in eighth, at the bottom of the 3-3 teams. He’ll need to be McBetter next week if he wants to avoid putting his season in McDanger. Coco sits just outside the postseason periphery in fifth. Coincidence or not, the top five teams in the standing registered the five highest point totals of the week, in order.
DERWOOD #DEGENERATES (C.D. Carter) 109, 4TH AND GOAL (Neil Parker) 98
After falling in each of the first four weeks of the season, the Fighting Carters have put together some momentum and are now riding a two-game winning streak. It may have been the lowest score of any winner this week, but it’s still a W all the same. And he even did it without starting a kicker or defense, as if he was daring Neil to beat him. Luckily for him, he got some good numbers from most of the players who were actually in his lineup. Led by Vincent Jackson’s 27.5, C.D. had six players reach 10 points or more. For Neil, this week had to be considered something of a disappointment. Andrew Luck, Dez Bryant, Golden Tate, Willis McGahee, and Martellus Bennett all turned in single-digit performances. Donnie Avery even ended up with a -1. Even a 26 spot from Justin Blackmon was not going to be enough to make up for all of that lack of production. If his season-long pattern holds up, though, he should pick up win number four next week. So far, he’s gone W-L-W-L-W-L through Week 6. Let’s see how far he can take it.
Here are the current standings in the XN Sports League of Champions:
