MILE HIGH FANTASY CLUB

HEADLINE

Blake Upsets Brian 137.18–134.28 as Cameron Hits 0-8

WEEK IN REVIEW

The biggest story of the week is a dead heat between a pink-shirt candidate and the league's most reliable contender. Blake (2-6, 103.16 avg) beat Brian (6-2) by 2.90 points, 137.18–134.28, and in doing so became the first team all season to look at a 103-point average and say "sure, why not." Blake's season high was 137.18, which he hit in the exact week it mattered most to someone else. Brian leaves 76.28 points on the bench, and Drake London (1.80) and Tre Tucker (0.00) sat in his starting lineup like they were waiting for a bus. Brian's reign atop the standings is over, and the Caucasians now share the 6-2 line with Jenkins.

Speaking of Jenkins, he dropped 190.42, the best score of the week and 42% above the league average of 132.22. Tee Higgins went 37.50, Ja'Marr Chase added 31.10, and Tony Pollard chipped in 28.70 while Devon's Michael Penix Jr. scored negative 1.90 at quarterback. Yes, negative. Jenkins now sits first at 6-2 with a league-best 1258.74 total points and a W2 streak. Meanwhile Cameron is 0-8 with an L8 streak after losing to Paul Todd by 88.62, and his 85.94 was 36% below the league average. At 82.68 per game, his season total of 661.44 is 164 points behind the next-lowest team. Blake owns the next-worst total in the league at 825.28.

Elsewhere, Justin (5-3, W4) beat Chas 124.20–103.36 despite starting Jake Ferguson, who scored 0.00 and is currently listed out with an ankle injury. Justin's 138.74 average is the lowest of any team above .500, and he leaves a staggering 84.70 on the bench, yet he keeps winning. Week 9 brings a pileup of 5-3 teams all fighting for the same playoff spots, so every start/sit decision will be a surgical one. Andy, if you're reading, please step away from the scalpel.

MATCHUP RECAPS

Jenkins (Chasing Championships) def. Devon (So Girthy), 190.42–131.86

Jenkins went nuclear for a season-high 190.42, beating his own previous best by an eyebrow-raising amount. Tee Higgins (37.50), Ja'Marr Chase (31.10) and Tony Pollard (28.70) combined for 97.30 points, which is more than Cameron's entire team scored. Devon's 131.86 was a fraction under the league average, and Michael Penix Jr. gave him a glorious negative 1.90 at QB. Devon's team did leave 93.00 points on the bench, which is the kind of number that makes you question every lineup decision you've ever made. Jenkins takes the top spot at 6-2 on a W2 streak, while Devon falls to 4-4 on an L1 streak and drops out of the playoff picture.

Paul Todd (Big Bauls on the Table) def. Cameron (Back in the Goodell Days), 174.56–85.94

This was a public execution with an 88.62-point margin, the biggest blowout of the week and one of the largest of the season. Paul Todd scored 174.56 (30% above league average) even though Lamar Jackson is listed out and scored 0.00 as one of his quarterbacks. Josh Allen (26.56), D'Andre Swift (27.90) and Michael Wilson (26.80) did the heavy lifting while Cameron's squad produced 0.50 from both Jaylen Wright and Travis Hunter. Cameron's 85.94 was 36% below average, and he is now the league's only winless team at 0-8. Paul Todd jumps to 5-3 on a W1 streak and bounces back nicely from last week's slump.

Blake (Bad Brakes) def. Brian (The Caucasians), 137.18–134.28

The upset of the week, and a nail-biter decided by 2.90 points. Joe Burrow's 39.48 and Tyler Allgeier's 36.10 carried Blake to his season-high score, which also happened to be his first win by a margin under 10 points all year. Brian's Drake London (1.80), Tre Tucker (0.00) and Tyler Higbee (2.90) combined for 4.70 points from three starting spots, and with 76.28 on the bench, he'll be re-reading his lineup in his sleep. Blake improves to 2-6 on a W1 streak and keeps the pink shirt conversation alive but not settled. Brian drops to 6-2 on an L1 streak and slips behind Jenkins in the standings.

James (Schrack Daddy) def. Andy (SLËËP3RÇĒLL), 134.98–113.16

James won by 21.82 despite Zay Flowers (0.00) and Baker Mayfield (1.40) doing nothing in his lineup. Puka Nacua (25.00) and Trey McBride (23.70) did the heavy lifting, and James improves to 5-3 on a W2 streak. Andy started Colby Parkinson, who scored 0.00 and is currently listed out with ribs, and the whole roster looks like it needs an overhaul. His 113.16 was 14% below the league average, and he's now on an L4 streak at 3-5. James has the league's third-best scoring at 1233.78 total points, and the record is finally starting to reflect the roster. Andy keeps finding sleepers, and the sleepers keep sleeping.

Justin (Bitch Pigeons) def. Chas (Veteran Minimum), 124.20–103.36

Chas scored 103.36, which was 23% below the league average, and the Chas Effect finally ran out of road. Jacoby Brissett gave him a glorious 3.46 at QB, Parker Washington added 3.60, and Jordan Mason added 2.00. Chas's 37.94 bench points were actually fine, but the lineup wasn't. Justin's team won with Josh Jacobs (23.20) and Jordan Love (21.52) leading the way, and he now has a four-game win streak at 5-3. That's despite a 138.74 average, the lowest of any team above .500. Chas falls to 5-3 on an L1 streak, while Justin's 84.70 bench points should terrify him.

Ryan (tRyan to Contend) def. Tolby (big nasty), 143.60–113.16

Ryan beat Tolby by 30.44, and the tank-as-contender thesis lives another day at 4-4. Bhayshul Tuten (29.90), Harold Fannin Jr. (28.40) and Patrick Mahomes (25.44) from the QB2 slot led the way. Tolby's 113.16 was 14% below the league average, and Kirk Cousins (28.18) provided the best score on a roster that left 64.20 on the bench. The commissioner falls to 3-5 on an L2 streak, and the Championship Curse is alive and well. Ryan's W1 streak puts him right in the thick of the congested middle, which is exactly where he said he wouldn't be.

POWER RANKINGS

1. Chasing Championships (Jenkins, 6-2): 190.42 this week, a 1258.74 point total, and a 42% above-average blowout. The class of the league right now.
2. The Caucasians (Brian, 6-2): Lost to Blake by 2.90 with 76.28 left on the bench. Still the second-best record in the league, but the cracks are showing.
3. Schrack Daddy (James, 5-3): Third in total points at 1233.78, and the record is finally catching up to the production. Dangerous.
4. Big Bauls on the Table (Paul Todd, 5-3): Bounced back with 174.56 even with Lamar Jackson listed out. A W1 streak and a roster that suddenly looks alive.
5. Bitch Pigeons (Justin, 5-3): Riding a W4 streak on a 138.74 average and 84.70 bench points. Winning ugly is still winning, but the math is nervous.
6. Veteran Minimum (Chas, 5-3): Dropped a 103.36 clunker after scoring a 205.24 in Week 1. The Chas Effect has bad weeks too, apparently.
7. So Girthy (Devon, 4-4): Third in the league in total points at 1219.90 and only 4-4. Penix's negative 1.90 and 93.00 on the bench tell the whole story.
8. tRyan to Contend (Ryan, 4-4): Beat Tolby by 30.44 and keeps the contender thesis alive. The 129.75 average says the thesis is thin.
9. SLËËP3RÇĒLL (Andy, 3-5): Four straight losses and a TE who scored 0.00 and is listed out. The roster needs surgery, and soon.
10. big nasty (Tolby, 3-5): L2 streak and a 113.16 score, 14% below average. The trophy case remains empty and the curse remains undefeated.
11. Bad Brakes (Blake, 2-6): Beat Brian with a season-high 137.18, and Joe Burrow's 39.48 did the heavy lifting. Still, a 103.16 average says regression is coming.
12. Back in the Goodell Days (Cameron, 0-8): L8 streak, 82.68 average and 661.44 total points. Nothing to add that the numbers haven't already said.

LOOKING AHEAD

• ›Marquee Matchup: Jenkins (6-2, 157.34 avg) is the class of the league, and Brian (6-2) is the only team chasing him at the top. Any matchup involving either of them will matter for the top seed.
• ›Streak Watch: Cameron's L8 is the longest losing streak in the league, and Andy's L4 is the second-longest at 3-5. Justin's W4 is the longest active win streak, and the question is whether a 138.74 average can sustain it.
• ›Must-Win: Brian can't afford another slip after losing to a 2-6 team. Devon at 4-4 with a 152.49 average and a QB who scored negative 1.90 also needs a win to stay in the picture.
• ›Revenge Game: Brian has a bone to pick with the league after Blake's 137.18 hung a loss on a 6-2 team. Blake should enjoy the win, because every contender now has his name circled.
• ›League Trend: Bench management is the story of the year. Devon left 93.00 on the bench, Justin 84.70, Brian 76.28 and Tolby 64.20. Somebody in this league is going to lose a playoff spot by fewer points than they left sitting on their own roster.