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RCT Fantasy Football Week 14

Well the first round of the playoffs is complete, and so far, the seeds have held – including in the consolation bracket, in case anybody cares about that.

Some fun facts:

All of the teams in the Consolation bracket outscored the highest scoring team in the Championship bracket (not counting the #1 and #2 seeds, who were on bye).

The last-place Wheat Farmers would have tallied 163 points last week, good enough to beat anybody. And that includes anybody on bye.

Should the Sharknadoes have been able to slip into the Championship bracket as the #6 seed, they would have been bounced immediately. As it is, they got a bye in the Consolation bracket.

Let’s take a detailed look at our Championship bracket matchups. This is the Final Four baby!

#1 Glengarry Glenn Dorsey vs #4 Denver Fax Machines.

GGD took the first meeting of these two teams 132.8-117.3 way back in Week 1. Winners of nine in a row, GGD hopes the first round bye won’t slow down their momentum. Nick Foles put up 20+ points in six inches of snow, so it seems like nothing can stop that guy. Chris Johnson is hit or miss, but Jamaal Charles is usually a big producer. Alshon Jeffery has been very reliable over the past several weeks, and Pierre Garcon seems to be the only reliable member of the Redskins this year.

DFM has won six of their last seven, including four in a row, averaging 105.17 points in those six wins. That number is skewed a bit by a season-low 78.7 points registered this past week in the first round of the playoffs, but it was enough to get past the Anti-Dentites (who curiously enough, did not start Bilal Powell).

DFM is going to have a rough go of it. Matt Ryan has only been serviceable this year, and downright average after the Falcons Week 6 bye. To make matters worse, Adrian Petersen is out. They’re going to have to roll with Giovanni Bernard and a bunch of receivers. With Bernard in place of Petersen (and no other changes by either team), FleaFlicker has the line set at GGD -23.45. I think that seems about right. Look for GGD to roll.

Prediction: GGD 135, DFM 108

#2 Fighting 5.7s vs #3 Land Crab

Fighting also spent last week at home on a bye. Losers of two in a row to end the season, Fighting will look to get back on the winning track vs the team that spent most of the season at #1 in our power rankings. Land Crab won the regular season matchup back in Week 4 by a score of 111.65-106.45. Can the Fighting KStaters 5.7s avenge themselves in the playoffs? They have questions at the RB position (injuries), but as long as Riley Cooper keeps catching passes, Fighting will have a fighting chance. Also, Aaron Rodgers is rumored to be back for the Packers and Jordy Nelson is expected to be the primary beneficiary.

Land Crab is Peyton Manning and Brandon Marshall and… that’s about it. Well, except for that one time when Ben Tate went off for 28 points and sent The Wheat Farmers to the cellar two weeks ago.

LC has won their last three matchups and looks to keep the momentum going after knocking off Hip Hops team in the first round last week. LC scored 7 points below their weekly average, but it was enough to hold off HHT, which scored 3 points above their average. Of course, when you’re the lowest scoring team in the league, it’s going to take more than slightly above average to advance in the playoffs. The playoffs are all about survive and advance, and that’s exactly what Land Crab did.

FleaFlicker currently has the line set at Land Crab -10.2, but that is with Fighting’s Willis McGahee projected for zero points. I imagine Fighting will eventually be installed as a two or three point favorite.

This is going to be an interesting matchup, as many players on both sides have favorable matchups. So obviously, that means that this will be a low scoring game. My gut tells me to go with the upset and take Land Crab, and that’s what I’ll do.

Prediction: Land Crab 87, Fighting 5.7s 85

Due to all of the seeds holding in both brackets, the power rankings haven’t changed from last week. Although, I feel like The Wheat Farmers should move up after that impressive-yet-way-too-late-to-help-me outburst of points last week. Once again, power rankings don’t correlate to playoff seeds due to divisions and tiebreakers.

(Last week's ranking and regular season record in parentheses.)

1 (1). Glengarry Glenn Dorsey (10-3)

It’s still RCTFF Super Bowl or bust for GGD. Can they bring the heat against #4 DFM and keep a stranglehold on #1?

2 (2). Land Crab (10-3)

LC knocked off #6 Hip Hops team in the first round to advance. A matchup with Fighting 5.7s awaits. Can LC hold onto the #2 spot and challenge for the RCTFF crown?

3 (3). Fighting 5.7s (8-5)

Fighting spent the first week of the playoffs twiddling their thumbs and worry about what running backs on their roster will be available for the second round. It will be interesting to see who Coach Grad goes with this week.

4 (4). Denver Fax Machines (7-6)

DFM has a tall task in front of them, taking on GGD. Adrian Petersen going down really hurts DFM, and it will be interesting to see how Coach KUmitch handles his roster.

5 (5). The Anti-Dentites (7-6)

The Dentites still haven’t cut Bilal Powell, but at least they had him on the bench last week. Alas, that move was a week too late, as they scored a season low 48.75 points on their way to a first round exit from the playoffs at the hands of the Denver Fax Machines. Looks like they could’ve used the momentum of a win in Week 13 after all. Coach fizzle406 can’t be happy with the way the season ended.

6 (6). Rock Chalk Tupac (6-7)

Tupac held the #8 seed and was on bye last week in the consolation bracket. They play #9 seed The Pinkys, who knocked off #12 seed The Jayshox in the first round in dominating fashion. Be ready, Tupac. Be ready.

7 (7). Papa Wheelie’s Boys (6-7)

#10 seed PWB knocked off #11 Dante’s Afro in the first round of the consolation bracket. They will face #7 seed Sharknadoes this coming weekend.

8 (8). Hip Hops Team (6-7)

HHT was the #6 seed and last team to qualify for the Championship bracket, where they promptly lost. Admittedly, it was not unexpected, as HHT was the lowest scoring team in the league this year. Over their last six games it was even worse, as HHT averaged only 80.55 points per game, well below their season average of 88.24. Their season is over, it remains to be seen whether or not they will move in our power rankings.

9 (9). The Pinkys (6-7)

#9 seed The Pinkys put an end to their scoring woes in the first round of the consolation bracket with a season high in points scored, defeating #12 seed The Jayshox 145.65-125.25. Up next is #8 seed Rock Chalk Tupac.

10 (10). Sharknadoes (6-7)

#7 seed Sharknadoes will face the #10 seed Papa Wheelie’s boys in the second round of the consolation bracket. Kinda weird how these teams are flip-flopped in seeding vs the power rankings. This one’s for all the marbles! Well… almost, anyway.

11 (11). Dante’s Afro (5-8)

Afro bowed out of the consolation bracket after round one to Papa Wheelie’s boys. Their season is now complete, and their spot in the power rankings etched in stone.

12 (12). The Jayshox (5-8)

The Jayshox also bowed out of the consolation bracket after round one. Their season is also complete, and will not move out of this spot in our power rankings.

13 (13). Mantis Shrimp Murder Sticks (5-8)

MSMS did not qualify for postseason play, and will end the season watching the other games from home.

14 (14). The Wheat Farmers (4-9)

The unluckiest team in the history of fantasy football will rest here. My apologies to all of you who were looking forward to see a white guy try to do the McLemore. My thanks to those who didn’t complain when I weaseled my way out of it. As it is, my public shaming is complete; my profile pic is updated. The sign spent about ten seconds on the Allen Fieldhouse jumbotron in front of 4,017 volleyball fans during the Kansas-Wichita State match.

Going streaking: Glengarry Glenn Dorsey, nine wins in a row

Going sliding: The Anti-Dentites, four losses in a row

Lots of big scorers again this week.

Fantasy player of the week: Josh McCown ( Land Crab), 46 points

Honorable Mentions:

Jason Campbell (Free Agent) 43 points

Andrew Luck (The Wheat Farmers), 41 points

LeSean McCoy (The Jayshox), 39.1 points

Peyton Manning (Land Crab), 39 points

Chiefs Defense (The Pinkys), 31 points

Yes, it’s an embarrassment of riches at the QB position for Land Crab. Too bad for them this isn’t a two-QB league.

Fantasy owner of the week: The Pinkys, 94%

Fantasy owner of the weak: The Anti-Dentites, 70%. The Dentites would have received this award anyway for only scoring 48.75 points, a record low in the league this year. It just happened that they also had the lowest percentage.