As Season Winds Down, A Few Remain in Contention
by Paul Pearson
When you run a total-points-based fantasy football league like the Elks Den, you don't have to worry about qualifying for a postseason tournament or locking up byes. All you have to do is keep on scoring and your rivals have trouble doing the same.
THE PENTHOUSE
The Wonder Twins racked up 89.89 points last week and maintained their place at the top of the standings. All they really have to do at this point is avoid stumbles. Michael Vick has turned himself into an every-week starter in fantasy football. Peyton Hillis has a juicy matchup against the Buffalo Bills, but Brandon Lloyd might not have as many opportunities if the Denver Broncos run a lot against the Arizona Cardinals.
The Green Death scored 75.66 points last week and remain in second place. It's too bad this league doesn't award extra points for broken noses. Ben Roethlisberger gets to heal his face and his stats against the Cincinnati Bengals this week. Chris Johnson is hoping to return to form Thursday night against the Indianapolis Colts, but Arian Foster will be hoping just to emerge intact from his Monday night date with the Baltimore Ravens.
Balco!! scored a league-high 99.9 points last week to leap three spots in the standings, to third place. That's what happens when you have Adrian Peterson scoring three touchdowns. The Balcos will be hoping to continue getting points from All Day and from Philip Rivers. However, they'll have to find someone to take Todd Heap's place this week, and Cedric Benson may not find too many gaps in the Pittsburgh Steelers defense.
THE MIDDLE
FIRE AND ICE scored only 62.46 points this week to remain stuck in fourth place. If they want to contend for the league title, they'll need Drew Brees to perform like a defending Super Bowl champion and Rashard Mendenhall to perform like someone facing the Cincinnati Bengals. It also would help if the Green Bay Packers defense/special teams would remind the Detroit Lions who's a contender and who's still a pretender.
TACO'S AL VAPOR put up a league-low 33.89 points and slid two spots to fifth place. That's what happens when Dwayne Bowe puts up a donut bigger than even Homer Simpson can imagine. He'll need to become relevant again (and Matt Cassel will need to heal quickly) to get the Tacos back into contention. They certainly can't put their hopes into the Blair White Project, which has been derailed lately by the Peyton Manning Breakdown.
UwannaPieceOMe compiled only 45.9 points this week and dropped one spot in the standings, to dead-center sixth place. Peyton Manning giveth, and lately he taketh away, too. At least Antonio Gates has shown he's healthy again. Andre Johnson has the unenviable task of getting open against the Baltimore Ravens, so Miles Austin may be the best hope for the Uwannas to climb back into position to contend for the league title.
The Bogimeisters scored 81.28 but remain stuck in seventh place. Calvin Johnson and Maurice Jones-Drew are playing like stars on less-than-stellar teams, but quarterback may be a problem for the Bogimeisters this week. Carson Palmer has to solve the Pittsburgh Steelers, and Josh Freeman visits a Washington Redskins team that's either good stopping the pass or just god-awful against the run. (The New York Giants aren't telling us which.)
Where's the food? amassed a solid 84.07 points and jumped two spots in the standings to eighth place. Two words: Tom Brady. Three more words: He's damn good. And he'll need to stay good for the Foods to keep rising. LaDainian Tomlinson needs to shake off his Monday night beatdown and attack the Miami Dolphins. And Matt Forte will have to do better than Tomlinson did against the New England Patriots.
THE CELLAR
The Snookuation mustered only 42.32 points last week and slipped one spot to ninth. Roddy White keeps scoring touchdowns, and Knowshon Moreno is taking over the Denver Broncos offense. But Brett Favre's brittle body may hold down Visanthe Shiancoe's production.
The Bad News Barristers scored 51.12 points and fell a spot to 10th place. They may be without the appendix-less Matt Cassel this week. Michael Turner always puts up impressive stats, but the San Francisco quarterback switch may not bode well for Michael Crabtree.
4th and 20 is making a late move to get out of last place, scoring 88.21 points last week. The 4ths can't complain about what they're getting out of Aaron Rodgers. Braylon Edwards? That's another story. And would Reggie Bush please pick up the white courtesy phone? A bunch of fantasy players are waiting for him to show up.
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