Elks Den - Week#15, Playoff Preview

Margins Remain Thin in Points-Based League

by Paul Pearson

The top of the table didn't change much in the Elks Den league this week, and the standings remain as tight as ever. The difference between second place and seventh place is just over 100 points. And as anyone who saw how the Ravens-Texans game ended Monday night can confirm, scores can change in a heartbeat in fantasy football. No one can rest easy on week 15. 

THE PENTHOUSE

The Wonder Twins scored only 58.55 points in week 14 but held on to the top spot with a season total of 1,105.97. Michael Vick and Peyton Hillis have more than earned their Pro Bowl bids, but Greg Jennings may have to face the New England Patriots without the benefit of the concussed Aaron Rodgers throwing him the ball.

The Green Death remained in second place and broke the four-digit barrier by scoring a league-high 86.31 points, raising their season total to 1,041.56. DeSean Jackson can score from anywhere on the field, and Arian Foster has paid off handsomely for fantasy team owners. But Ahmad Bradshaw left his game last week with an injury and remains a question mark.

By scoring 80.97 points, FIRE AND ICE moved up one spot in the rankings, to third place. This roster is top-heavy with New Orleans Saints, but they will have a tough time this week against the Baltimore Ravens. And Rashard Mendenhall's date with a ticked-off New York Jets defense won't be a picnic, either.

THE MIDDLE

Balco!! mustered only 55.05 points and slipped one spot in the rankings, to third place, roughly 2 points under FIRE AND ICE. The Balcos need Terrell Owens to spend less energy assessing blame and more energy getting open. Also, Adrian Peterson needs to come up big for both the Vikings and his fantasy team in his Monday night game, wherever it's played.

TACO'S AL VAPOR scored 72.55 points to stay in fifth place, but they trail Balco!! by fewer than 13 points. Dwayne Bowe has been shut out two weeks in a row, but the Pittsburgh Steelers defense/special teams get to attack the rattled Mark Sanchez. Also, Mike Tolbert can get the Tacos' week off to a spicy start Thursday night.

UwannaPieceOMe put up 78.43 points last week. They remain in sixth place but have pulled within 7 points of TACO'S AL VAPOR. The Pieces are happy to have Peyton Manning back in his usual form, but his Indianapolis teammate Donald Brown may be playing his way out of town. And Mike Wallace needs to spend his 60 minutes off of Revis Island.

The Bogimeisters had a week to forget, mustering only 47.98 points. However, they stay in seventh place and within 35 points of UwannaPieceOMe. Maurice Jones-Drew can take another step toward an NFL rushing title this week against the Colts, and Josh Freeman has a tasty matchup against the Detroit Lions. But Calvin Johnson has to hope last week wasn't an omen for the rest of the season.

The Bad News Barristers were the biggest movers of the week. They put up 77.05 points and rose two spots, to eighth place, and now they're within 42 points of the Bogimeisters. Matt Ryan and Michael Turner make a deadly duo for the Falcons and the Barristers. But the pickings are slim at wide receiver, where Steve Smith (Carolina version) has been an unmitigated bust.

THE BASEMENT

Where's the food? scraped together only 49.93 points and fell one spot, to ninth place, though they trail the Bad News Barristers by under 11 points. Tom Brady probably could put up points in a hurricane. Unfortunately, LaDainian Tomlinson is visiting the Pittsburgh Steelers his week.

The Snookuation mustered 61.49 points but fell one spot, to 10th place. However, they sit just 2 and a half points behind Where's the food? The Snooks need Eli Manning to stop giving the ball away. They also need big-time games from both Steven Jackson and Knowshon Moreno.

And then there's 4th and 20, who scored a league-low 36.27 points last week and remain in last place with a season total of 834.93. As if things weren't bad enough for this team, Aaron Rodgers suffered a concussion last week and may not be available this Sunday night. Reggie Wayne can still score, but Donald Driver won't if Matt Flynn is throwing the ball at New England.