EFL Power Rankings - Week 15, 2021

Elite Fantasy League

2021 POWER RANKINGS - WEEK 15 

And here. We. Go.

This is it, gentlemen. 3 weeks to determine your fantasy cunning and the league’s next champion.

The Elite Fantasy League has seen 9 different champions in 12 years. Strong parity means that the door is always wide open for a first-time winner in the league’s 13th season.

Some interesting (and, perhaps, telling?) statistics from the season:

• Most Points from Drafted Players (Season Avg): The Falcoholics

• Most Points from Post-Draft Players (Season Avg): Champa Bay

• Most Passing Yards Per Game (Season Avg): The Falcoholics

• Most Rushing Yards Per Game (Season Avg): Champa Bay

Ironically, our top drafter and best passer is our hottest team going into the playoffs. Our top waiver wire-r and our top rusher is our second-hottest team going into the playoffs. 

How is it all going to pan out?

Playoff Predictions at the end.

Read ‘em and weep.

Final Regular Season Standings

Final Power Rankings

FAVORITES (1-3)

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1.

Champa Bay ^xy (1^st | 13-1)

Week 12 Ranking: 1 (-)

Manager: Sy Gallimore

Years in League: 13

Best Finish: Champ (2x – 2010, 2020)

2 more wins in Weeks 13 and 14 have Champa Bay on a 9-game win streak. The team has been scoring in bunches over the last many weeks. Two worries here: 1) Injuries have left Champa a bit thin on the bench, and 2) Round 1 against Jets Jets Jets is no cake walk. Still, have to be happy with how things have panned out to this point. Championship or bust for Champa Bay.

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2.

The Falcoholics ^x (3^rd | 8-6)

Week 12 Ranking: 5 (+3)

Manager: Ryan Johnson

Years in League: 3

Best Finish: 3rd (2019)

What a finish to the season. The Falcoholics is rolling with back to back wins of 138 and 158 points. If this is a sign of what’s to come (and I think it might be), look out.

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3.

#Blessed ^x (4^th | 8-6)

Week 12 Ranking: 4 (+1)

Manager: Nick Gosney

Years in League: 3

Best Finish: Champ (1x - 2019)

Make it 4. Huge streak for #Blessed to wind up in the 4th spot after flirting with missing the playoffs altogether. This has been a VERY streaky team this season. And it looks like they’re streaking at the right time. If you split the season into 4 parts, #Blessed has been great in the 2nd and 4th quarters. Does that make them clutch? 

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FALLING OUT OF LOVE (4 & 5)

4. 

Sweet Carolina ^x (2^nd | 9-5)

Week 12 Ranking: 3 (-1)

Manager: Michael Schultz

Years in League: 1

Best Finish: N/A

It probably felt a little better to finally score over 115 points again, but unfortunate that it came in a loss to Jets Jets Jets. Thankfully, Sweet Carolina’s first round against ThrowUpThe X might be the week’s most winnable matchup… assuming they don’t forget how to score.

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5. 

Butt Fumble ^x (5^rd | 7-7)

Week 12 Ranking: 2 (-3)

Manager: Austin Owen

Years in League: 6

Best Finish: Champ (2x – 2016, 2017)

“Option 2: Butt Fumble’s own collapse leads them to two losses, and some putrid points performances could drop Butt Fumble to 4^th or even 5^th if #Blessed and The Falcoholics have some impressive weeks.” - Week 12 Power Rankings

Sorry, man. I called it unlikely for Option 2 to happen, but here we are. Butt Fumble is 5th and has carved out a difficult road to the championship. They’ve seemed better than 7-7 this year, and yet, going .500 in the playoffs seems about their ceiling. Butt Fumble is in for a tough Round 1 matchup with #Blessed.

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DARK HORSE (6) 

6.

Jets Jets Jets (8^th | 5-9)

Week 12 Ranking: 6 (-)

Manager: Tim Cook

Years in League: 13

Best Finish: Champ (1x - 2015)

Jets Jets Jets should be kissing the feet of Ruthlessberger today, who were able to put up 106 points to beat Taters Tots despite Lamar Jackson and Darren Waller combining for less than 2 points.

And with that, Jets Jets Jets scrapes into the playoffs. Now, it’s anyone’s game. And with how well they’ve been playing of late, running the table isn’t out of the question.

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HERE FOR A SHORT CAMEO (7 & 8)

7.

Jujus on that Beat (6^th | 6-8)

Week 10 Ranking: 7 (-)

Manager: Joshuwa Shelton

Years in League: 6

Best Finish: 3rd (2018)

Jujus has lost 4 of 5, but the one win they did get was their most important of the season. Jujus was able to lock in a playoff spot after a Week 13 victory. And, for the record, they scored 120 points in a Week 14 loss to The Falcoholics - a point total that would have beaten all but one other team in the league last week.

But they’re gonna need some good Juju to get out of the first round this week in a rematch with The Falcoholics.

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8.

ThrowUpThe X (7^th | 6-8)

Week 12 Ranking: 9 (+1)

Manager: RD Gallant

Years in League: 12

Best Finish: Champ (1x - 2013)

I’d left ThrowUpThe X for dead after Week 12, and they went ahead and won in Week 13 to secure a playoff spot and completely throw me off. But Week 14 got them right back into their losing ways, and truth be told, there isn’t a playoff team I have less faith in than ThrowUpThe X. So, let’s see if they can prove me wrong twice.

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BUMMER (9 & 10)

9. 

Taters Tots (9^th | 5-9)

Week 12 Ranking: 8 (-1)

Manager: Tate VanEgmond

Years in League: 3

Best Finish: 8th (2019)

Coulda made the playoffs but..

Rage quit.

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10.

Ruthlessberger ^e (10^th | 3-11)

Week 10 Ranking: 10 (-)

Manager: Ian Svendsen

Years in League: 5

Best Finish: 2nd (2020)

Congrats, bud! Way to finish strong. You got your third win of the season and greatly impacted the playoff picture in Week 14. And you won a trophy, too! The John Sewage is all wrapped up for ya. :) 

Final Playoff Predictions & Analysis

^ This took me forever to make.

I know picking the top 4 seeds to make it to the semis isn’t all that daring, but let me explain my theories.

QUARTERS

1. Champa Bay vs. 8. Jets Jets Jets

I won’t lie to you, this game gives me heartburn. I was praying for Taters Tots to set their lineup for the final week because I would much rather be paired with them for this first round matchup. Yet, here we are, and kudos for Jets Jets Jets rebounding to get to this point after starting the season 0-6. An upset here would not be surprising, and we could see another 8th seed make a deep run.

Still, if I was to put my money on it, I’d bet on myself. Champa in a nail-biter.

2. Sweet Carolina vs. 6. Jujus on that Beat  ThrowUpThe X

Sweet Carolina should be worried here, too. Their performance the last many weeks has been lackluster at best, and Jujus is coming off of a good week (albeit a loss) in Week 14. An upset here would be a bit of a surprise, but certainly isn’t out of the question. Still, Sweet Carolina has the better roster and I expect to see them in the semis.

EDIT: Sweet Carolina doesn’t have to be as worried. They’re playing ThrowUpThe X. An upset would be less surprising than it would’ve been for The Falcoholics, but Sweet Carolina should still take care of business.

3. The Falcoholics vs. 6. ThrowUpThe X Jujus on that Beat

If there’s a team I don’t trust right now, it’s ThrowUpThe X, and if there’s a team I wouldn’t want to play right now, it would be the Falcoholics. I would be stunned to see an upset here. The Falcoholics in a blowout.

EDIT: The Falcoholics might be in for a tighter matchup than they would have against ThrowUpThe X, and it is ironic that we get a rematch of Week 14 in this spot, but none of that lends itself to the thought that things will be any different. Possible, but not likely.

4. #Blessed vs. 5. Butt Fumble

Whatever is going on in Butt Fumble town isn’t good, and #Blessed has seen a recent uptick in point average to go along with their 4-game winning streak. At their best, Butt Fumble can beat anyone. However, they aren’t at their best. #Blessed makes it 5 in a row.

SEMIS

1. Champa Bay vs. 4. #Blessed

Despite #Blessed’s recent run of success, no team has averaged more PPG this year than Champa Bay. Consistency is key. Picking Champa to return to the championship is the safe bet.

2. Sweet Carolina vs. 3. The Falcoholics

Again, there’s not a whole lot of faith to stand on right now if you’re Sweet Carolina averaging a hair under 100 points for the past many weeks, and with The Falcoholics scoring at will recently, I believe Sweet Carolina’s season comes to an earlier end than we anticipated around Week 8 or so.

CHAMPIONSHIP

1. Champa Bay vs. 3. The Falcoholics

Most weeks I would pick Champa Bay. However, the matchups in Week 17 just really favor the Falcoholics. Brady plays the Jets, 3 Niners players face the Texans, and only one starter will be playing a team with a winning record. It may be time for a new champ. Or maybe I’m strategically jinxing you?

Best of luck out there in Round 1 y’all. 

And by “y’all” I mean everyone except for Tate and Ian.