EFL Power Rankings - Week 6, 2024
Bonus subliminal messaging from the Swift camp included
Over the last three weeks, three or four of us kept status quo. The rest went ABSOLUTELY BONKERS!
Streaks and slides all over the place. Half of the league has a streak going that’s extended at a minimum 3 games. That’s always going to be cause for some moving and shaking in the power rankings.
Let’s go ahead and unpack everything.
Read ‘em and weep.
2024 WEEK 3 RANKINGS
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1.
ThrowUpThe X
Current Record: (6-0, 1st)
Week 3 Rank: 1 (-)
Y! Draft Grade: B-
Y! Projected Record: (7-7)
Manager: RD Gallant
Years in League: 15
Best Finish: Champ (1x - 2013)
Right after anointing ThrowUpThe X and Sweet Carolina our league’s 1&2, they matched up against each other in Week 4. It was as juicy as you can imagine it would have been. Stroud and Jackson matched each other, point for point. ThrowUpThe X’s RBs, matched by Sweet Carolina’s WRs. The defining factor? Sweet Carolina left Rashee Rice in the lineup, who had just been designated for IR, in a 104-96 loss. Would-have-been-replacement WR Jordan Addison had 19 points on the bench.
At that point, I wondered if my rankings had been wrong. Should the teams at the top have been swapped?
But, two more weeks and two more wins later, ThrowUpThe X has established themselves at the top of our rankings and our league. And, as for my doubts, as any good Jordan fan would say, “6-0, baby. 6-0.”
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2.
Sweet Carolina
Current Record: (3-3, 2nd [division leader])
Week 3 Rank: 2 (-)
Y! Draft Grade: D+
Y! Projected Record: (4-10)
Manager: Michael Schultz
Years in League: 4
Best Finish: 3rd (2021)
Lose three in a row and stay in 2nd in the power rankings? Yes, it’s a bit wonky, but so are the last three weeks. Sweet Carolina’s opponents have averaged 125 points per game against them in the last 3 weeks. Tough to hold that against them, especially when the next teams on this list, while good, have their injury flaws too. It is worth emphasizing that the Rashee Rice injury is noteworthy and Mark Andrews has been a huge disappointment at TE. But, if this team keeps consistently putting up 100 point performances, the losing streak is going to turn into a winning streak.
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3.
Butt Fumble
Current Record: (4-2, 3rd)
Week 3 Rank: 5 (+2)
Y! Draft Grade: D+
Y! Projected Record: (5-9)
Manager: Austin Owen
Years in League: 11
Best Finish: Champ (3x – 2016, 2017, 2021)
“Nonetheless, Butt Fumble will go as far as Dallas and King Henry will carry them.”
Echoing our last power rankings, the Derrick Henry machine keeps churning. Butt fumble has continued to ride monster performances from their star RB and 10+ point consistency from Brandon Aubrey. What else could you need? I guess the 22 points from DJ Moore helped in Week 5 and the 25 points from Joe Mixon helped last week, but really this team has been a turnstile at QB, WR, and RB2 all season and it hasn’t mattered one single bit.
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4.
Nick’s Fury
Current Record: (3-3, 5th)
Week 3 Rank: 6 (+2)
Y! Draft Grade: C+
Y! Projected Record: (7-7)
Manager: Nick Gosney
Years in League: 6
Best Finish: Champ (1x - 2019)
The “almosts” finally came together for Nick’s Fury in Weeks 4 and 6. Where Jayden Reed was the only contributing WR for the first few weeks, now Nick’s Fury doesn’t have enough roster spots for WRs attempting to contribute 15 points per game. Not only that, but an odd QB conundrum has come up: should he start Josh Allen and get 25 points or Baker Mayfield and get 25 points? What a pickle. Now winners of 3 of 4, Nick’s Fury is rising in standings and point totals and threatening the top of the league.
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5.
Golden Boy
Current Record: (4-2, 4th)
Week 3 Rank: 8 (+3)
Y! Draft Grade: D-
Y! Projected Record: (4-10)
Manager: Kyler Stock
Years in League: 3
Best Finish: 3rd (2023)
Golden Boy is riding high on a 3-game winning streak. But, while 4-2 is 4-2, it’s hard to trust Golden Boy, who has the 3rd-lowest point total in the league. Each of the 3 wins during the streak have happened while scoring less than 100 points. still, I can think of at least 4 other teams in the league that would trade places. The problem is, if any of them catch Golden Boy in wins, trading places is a probably reality based on points.
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6.
Ruthlessberger
Current Record: (2-4, 6th)
Week 3 Rank: 9 (+3)
Y! Draft Grade: B
Y! Projected Record: (7-7)
Manager: Ian Svendsen
Years in League: 8
Best Finish: Champ (2x - 2022, 2023)
What started abysmally has started turning around for Ruthlessberger, who now finds themselves in 6th position in the standings after starting 0-3. That has to feel really good. Speaking of feeling good, after stashing him for 6 weeks, is Nick Chubb finally ready to return as a workhorse? If so, Pacheco’s injury might finally be in the rearview mirror for this team.
Odd fact of the week:
Across three leagues that I am in this year, each of the teams that has Kelce also has Swift on the roster. In the case of our league, it's Ruthlessberger. Our subconscious is so weird.
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7.
Turn down for Watt
Current Record: (2-4, 7th)
Week 3 Rank: 10 (+3)
Y! Draft Grade: B+
Y! Projected Record: (10-4)
Manager: Joshuwa Shelton
Years in League: 10
Best Finish: 3rd (2018)
That’s more like it. After an 0-3 start, Turn down for Watt has won 2 of 3, including Week 5’s 138 point explosion over Sweet Carolina. This team is looking much more like the team it was expected to be and its balance is evident over the last 3 weeks. The only downside is unpredictable QB play. Jalen Hurts and Kyler Murray should both be offering 30-point upside in games this year, but save for a singular week, that hasn’t been the case. If that changes, Turn down for Watt becomes increasingly dangerous.
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8.
Stevie Kicks
Current Record: (2-4, 9th)
Week 3 Rank: 4 (-4)
Y! Draft Grade: A+
Y! Projected Record: (12-2)
Manager: Stevie Collins
Years in League: 1
Best Finish: N/A
After two quick wins to start the season, Yahoo’s preseason favorite has stumbled in 4 straight. McCaffrey still hasn’t played this season and Anthony Richardson has failed to pan out. Add to that spot injuries to KWIII and Nabers and this team has been forced to be active on waivers, which, to their credit, they have. It’s probably the only thing keeping them alive until CMC’s debut.
The good news: Stevie Kicks will be full-strength soon, and they are currently tied for the last playoff spot.
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9.
Pewter Pirates
Current Record: (2-4, 8th)
Week 3 Rank: 7 (-2)
Y! Draft Grade: A+
Y! Projected Record: (11-3)
Manager: Sy Gallimore
Years in League: 16+
Best Finish: Champ (2x – 2010, 2020)
“A great running game from Jonathan Taylor, Aaron Jones, Devin Singletary and JK Dobbins is keeping Pewter Pirates afloat (just barely) until the aerial attack turns it around.” - Week 3 PR
I’ve gotta stop saying stuff.
If you’re wondering why Wandale Robinson is my WR1 the last 3 or so weeks and why Alexander Mattison is starting for me this week, and why Pewter Pirates altogether is 2-4 this year, look no further than this screenshot of my bench last week:
There’s only so much you can do when your entire team is on the bench. The only reason Pewter Pirates isn’t 10th in this week’s power rankings is because there is hope for something better when the roster is healthy. The problem is it might be too late by then.
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10.
Jets Jets Jets
Current Record: (2-4, 10th)
Week 3 Rank: 3 (-7)
Y! Draft Grade: D
Y! Projected Record: (3-11)
Manager: Tim Cook
Years in League: 16
Best Finish: Champ (1x - 2015)
A three game skid and a massive tumble.
Since Week 3, Jets Jets Jets have been stuck in the 80s.
84.5 in Week 4, 84.1 in Week 5, 89.6 in Week 6. The worst part is, despite the positives that their last game offered, both Chris Olave and Travis Etienne managed negative points while getting injured and Dallas Goedert hurt his hamstring. Chuba Hubbard will soon be splitting carries with Jonathan Brooks. Brock Purdy won’t score 25 each game. An already thinning roster is becoming more thin and the 80s might become a regular sight for this team.