AFFL Mega Playoff Preview '15

After thirteen long weeks of battle, the fantasy football gods have chosen the six teams that will duke it out for the 2015 AFFL crown: Hartan, Grabbers United, Awesomeness, Jaj Cousteau, Cobra Kai, and Atomic Bomba. Are these the six best teams in the AFFL? Many argue that HBK Shant Michaels and perhaps even BDiddy deserve to be in the playoffs as they finished the year white hot. HBK managed to trade his way back from a 1-5 start to narrowly missing out on the sixth seed. It just wasn't meant to be. That being said, these six teams were for the most part consistently in the top half of the standings for the majority of the year and are worthy of their playoff position. There are plenty of story lines to get excited about. Lets lay those out first.

Jaj Cousteau goes for Back-to-Back Titles

It has been done twice before, the last time by the Atomic Bomba ('11,'12), but Jaj Cousteau can become the third back-to-back champion of the AFFL. The Jajman has done an excellent job managing his team once again, finishing the year with an 8-5 record and 4th overall seed. Where others zig, he zags, and his reliance on non-sexy names has paid off huge, as Blake Bortles, Allen Hurns, and others have helped keep the team afloat after the loss of Jamaal Charles. However, of the former back-to-back title winners, only one team, Atomic Bomba ('12), has won the title being anything less than a 2 seed. Jaj will have to go through a dangerous Bomba squad and the top seed Hartan in order to get to the final. The road is not easy, and with tough match-ups to certain key players, the going could get rough. Will Jaj climax twice two years in a row? Answer is cumming. 

The Return of Two Lalazarian Managed Teams in the Playoffs. 

From 2008 to 2012, a Lalazarian managed team won the AFFL title. It is remarkable to believe that for five straight years this fact held true. Now, for the first time since 2009, the Atomic Bomba and Awesomeness have both made the post-season and have a chance to meet in the final once again. Should that happen, it would put both franchises in a unique place, as having been the only two teams to meet in the final three times. With six titles between the two of them, there is no question that these two are among the favorites to end up with their name etched into the AFFL trophy. Awesomeness has been steadily climbing the power ranks for the past several weeks, and has a formidable team that is centered around AP, Hopkins and Rodgers. The Atomic Bomba hasn't been as fortunate, as he has dropped two of his last three games and saw the play of Dez Bryant and Randall Cobb completely fall off. However, the Bomba karma is still strong, as evidence of his Monday night Miracle to get a must-have week 13 win. Both these squads have a ton of experience and could peak at the right time to reclaim the AFFL crown as their own.

Grabbers Looks to Beat Entire Field of Champions to claim his first Title.

Yes, the postseason is loaded with the cream-of-the-crop of the AFFL when it comes to championships. Five of the six teams represent the entire list of AFFL champions since the leagues inception: Atomic Bomba ('06,'08,'11,'12), Awesomeness ('09,'10), Hartan ('07), Cobra Kai ('13), Jaj Cousteau ('14). The exception is of course Grabbers United, who will no doubt be a fan favorite to upset the field of title winners to capture his first AFFL crown. And he's got a good a shot as any. Already in the semi-finals with a bye, Grabbers needs only one victory to reach the championship. The last time the team was this far along in the playoffs was 2012, where they finished in 2nd place, losing to the Bomba in the title game. Grabbers has come a long way, and has manged exceptionally well. The team may not be the most explosive, but with Cam and Olsen producing at a high level (and with a favorable schedule) the team has a great shot of outlasting a field of AFFL Champions to claim one of his own. What a story that would be.

Hartan Trying to Erase "10 team Title Astrisk" from Record

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They have made the playoffs four years straight, finishing fourth three times and sixth last year. They are one of the more consistent franchises in the AFFL, and yes they have an AFFL title. So how come Hartan isn't regarded as elite? One factor working against them is that the title they won was the one season the AFFL was a ten team league. Many pundits put an astrisk next to this title because it was before the 12-team format that the AFFL now functions under. Since the change in '08, Hartan has never placed in the top 3, leaving many to label the 2007 title a fluke. After losing in the semifinals from 2011-2013, Hartan desperately needs to make it to the Championship game and get over the hump. They have never been the number one overall seed, and should they fail to win in their semi-final match-up, all the heavy smack talk that they have laid on the league will come back on 'em ten fold. Hows that for pressure brotha'?

The Answer to the Cobra Kai Philosophy "Never Say Die to a Trade."

After a season long trading excursion by Cobra Kai, the team has put together a roster that is theoretically built for the playoffs. Accumulating players with favorable week 14-16 schedules, the Kai opted to emphasize match-up based planning in order to go after his second title. Now we will finally get the answer to whether this strategy paid off or not. Could the loss of Gronkowski be the sign of a collapse set to come? Did he make one trade too many? Will the heavy investment in the Steelers offense comeback to bite him? It will be fascinating to watch team Cobra go into the week 14 battle with Awesomeness knowing that three starters will be affected by one game. Ultimately, the league will be waiting anxiously to find out if the match-up based philosophy paid off, or if Kai outsmarted himself taking three steps too many.

These story-lines make for an intriguing playoffs, but they don't do anything in telling us who is most primed to breakout as the top team in 2015. To determine that, we have to look at the cold, hard facts of which team is peaking at the right time, which team is deep enough, and most importantly, which team has the most luck to carry them through. After all, this is survival of the luckiest, and the team with the most four-leaf clovers up their rear will be crowned champion in late December. So lets get to it.

How high is that Ceiling?

To win the AFFL title, you'll need to put up a plethora of points. The days of eeking out victories by barely clearing a 100 points are gone. Scores are on average at a higher clip these days than they were in years before. It use to be said that a 130 point total was a great day. Now, 140s are norms. With the point-a-palooza going around the AFFL like whooping cough, this years crop of six teams will need to make like Rappin' Fortay and "Tear the roof off the Motha" if they wish to remain a playa in the "Players Club." Long live 90's rap.

Of the six teams in the post-season, five have posted highs of 150 points or more at least once this year. If a team were to put up that amount in the playoffs, it would most certainly garnish them a win.

On the flip-side, a low total in any playoff game would be catastrophic. While there were many weeks where teams had a host of players on bye or injured, we still must consider just how low a team went during the year to see what their floor is. A week with a low point total isn't detrimental. Multiple low weeks is. Furthermore, it's important to see when these low weeks occurred. An 85 point week during the third week of the season is not nearly as bad as one week 12.

Below is a chart highlighting the highs and lows of all the playoff teams during the year, taking into consideration the weeks that those highs and low occurred as well.

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There are two things that jump out right away. The first, Awesomeness had a hell-of-a-week scoring 188 points. Two, Grabbers has failed to score 100 points five times and has a bye. Sometimes life isn't fair.

As far as high ceilings go, nobody seems to be higher than Awesomeness, who topped off at 188, but has five other weeks of 135+, three of which were in the second half of the season.  If AP, Rodgers, and Hopkins can manage to get on the same page, this team will be difficult to stop.

Hartan managed the second highest total of the season, but has only been able to clear 135 points one other week. With four other weeks where the team failed to put up 100 points, this team could may not have the offensive explosion to compete a the treetops like the other teams. What is more concerning for Hartan is that three of the four low total weeks came weeks 10,11,12. This team isn't peaking at the right time.

The same could be said of Bomba. Sneaking into the playoffs by the luck of Dez bryant can't mask the painful truth that the squad has scored below a 100 points in three of the past five weeks. The loss of Edelman could be a major factor in this down swing and something the team wont be able to overcome.

Two teams that seem to be peaking at the right time are Cobra and Grabbers. Cobra has managed his highest point total during the last two weeks of the regular season and Grabbers finished out weeks 12 and 13 with monstrous outings. Every season its the team that is peaking at the end that runs the table, and both these squads have a lot of good things going for them.

Lastly, Jaj, the former Champ, sits square in the middle of the ranks. His 153 point high week isn't too shabby, and he only has two low weeks during the second half of the season. Cousteau has a history of being an outlier when it comes to any data so we mustn't hold the Jajman to any sort of standards. He's his own enigma and there is no figuring out exactly what any thing means when it comes to his fantasy performances. 

Conclusion

Cobra and Awesomeness look to be the two teams that have the best odds at putting up a huge amount of points, along with Grabbers for his late peak. Bomba, Hartan are lower on the spectrum and will need to make the right roster calls in order to maximize points. Jaj can go either way.

1. Awesomeness ++++
2. Cobra +++
3. Grabbers +++
4. Jaj Cousteau ++
5. Bomba +
6. Hartan +

Injury Impact

Nothing can impact a playoff race like injuries. With the NFL taking more precautions with concussions and blows to the head, any player could be out for the game at any moment, swinging the outcome of a match-up immediately. The healthiest teams in the fantasy post-season are the teams that have the most line-up choices, and thus, have better odds to win any given week.

Below is a chart of significant injuries to teams and their possible replacements.

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Here, we notice that Cobra Kai and Hartan are the hardest hit when it comes to injuries. It could be argued that the loss of Ingram is a very big blow to Hartan, as the he ha been a rock solid option all year long. Cobra will get Gronk back eventually, however, in what shape is up in the air. With Will Tye as the only replacemant for Gronk, Cobra will be at a loss of points should he sit a week. Hartan has capable replacements. Jaj will be getting Eiffert back this week. 

For the most part, most teams are healthy going into the post-season and won't be affective too severly. It must also be mentioned that some players have a potential of returning from long absences to help teams out, namely Edelman for Bomba, and Luck for Grabbers. 

Injuries only test a teams depth as teams go deeper into the playoffs. All teams seem deep enough to handle the losses of positional players for the most part. The one benefit of fantasy football this year, there are plenty of WRs to choose from. 

Conclusion

Cobra and Hartan could be the hardest hit by the injury bug. Others, not so much. 

1. Cobra Kai ++++
2. Hartan ++++
3. Jaj ++
4. Bomba
5. Grabbers
6. Awesomeness

So who is going to win this years AFFL title? Here is the case for every team followed by the final predictions for the playoffs.

Jaj Cousteau

Regular Season record: 8-5

Last three - 1-2

Why he'll win it all: Jaj Cousteau packs a big whallop at the WR position with Antonio Brown. Capable of single-handedly winning match-ups by himeself, Brown has a very favorable week 14 and 16 match-up, with one tough one against Denver. The Bortles and Hurns combo could also be a boon for the Jaj meister. Bortles is coming off back to back huge weeks, and faces a suspect Indy pass defense week 14, along with a very poor Falcons team week 15. Eiffert is a huge redzone threat for Dalton and has been a top TE all season long.  Any week that Eiffert and Brown go off will surely provide a win.

With a top notch defense in Carolina and the above core, Jaj has 150+ potential, making him one of the favorites in the playoffs. 

Why he won't win it all: With losses in two of the last three games, Jaj isn't peaking at the right time.   What was once a three headed monster at RB, has now turned into somewhat of an enigma. West is caught in a timeshare, Ivory is losing touches to Powell, and Allen has a ridicullously difficult playoff schedule. Without help from the supporting cast of players, Jaj may not have enough of a complete roster to deal with a team that is loaded at RB and WR. It seems that things break Jaj's way, but an injury to Brown, Eiffert or Bortles will surely put pressure on the RBs to produce, and they may not be able to. 

Prediction: Eliminated 1st Round by Bomba

Awesomeness

Regular Season record: 8-5

Last three: 2-1

Why he'll win it all: Simply put, the team is dangerous. Rodgers, Hopkins and AP are a formidable trio. Hopkins has been an animal on the field and has put up top 5 WR numbers. It is almost a given that he'll be producing on a weekly basis. Rodgers won't be denyed too many weeks, and the week 14 and 15 match-ups are favorable. The supporting cast isn't too shabby either. Gio Bernard is being utilized far more than others give credit. With Rodgers and Reed at TE, Awesomeness has a nice duo to choose from. Djax provides a solid, albeit inconsistent WR option, as does Snead. If they can stay healthy, there is no reason this team can't win 3 games. 

70+ points from Hopkins, AP and Rodgers is dueable, which mean so are the finals.

Why he won't win it all: Match-ups. The playoffs are a lot about match-ups, both for players on the roster and on the schedule. Awesomeness has the misfortune of getting both. Bad match-ups for Rodgers and AP during week 16 and 14 respectively will be difficult to overcome. Couple that with a first round match-up against Cobra and a redhot Grabbers team, and Awesomeness could be over his head when it comes to scoring enough points. 

Prediction: 1st round exit to Cobra Kai

Cobra Kai

Regular Season record: 7-6

Last three:  1-2

Why he'll win it all: Cobra has crafted his line-up like a chemist in a lab, carefully mixing the right players for the perfect roster. In the process of doing so, the team managed to have three Steelers in the starting roster. Normally, this can be a huge risk, but if a risk like this is to be taken, the Steelers is a great team to do it with. Big Ben has been on fire of late, and the offense as a whole will support plenty of play makers. Cobra has the most direct method of victory, and it hinges on the Steelers play. Should the Pittsburgh offense do what it normally does, this team will be very tough to beat. Oh, and we didn't even mention Calvin Johnson and Gronk. Those guys are great too.

4 studs on the roster gives this team a path to the playoff finale. 

Why he won't win it all: For the same reason he will, the Pittsburgh Steelers. Fantasy is a cruel mistress, and when things are suppose to go a certain way, they often times don't. Pittsburgh plays Denver at home, in what could be a weather effected game. Couple that with an offense that will be facing the leagues top defense, and there could be a drought of points awaiting the Cobra Kai. Should he manage to get to that game, Grabbers will anxiously be waiting with his Panther stack in a very favorable match-up. It is difficult to see the Kai escaping that scenario.

Prediction: Semi-final loss to Grabbers. 

Hartan

Regular Season record: 9-4

Last three: 1-2

Why he'll win it all: With some questionable decisions to end the regular season, Hartan managed to sneak into the playoffs and straight to the semi-finals by earning the bye with a victory week 16. The roster has some great names on it, Brees, ODBJ, and Todd Gurly to name a few. The team hasn't errupted for a ton of points like others, but have enough upside to do so on any given week. With nice balance across the board and a Drew Brees schedule that just screams big outings, Hartan won't be left out of the race. Should Brees do what the team traded him for, and Gurly return to his early form, this team has enough in the key positions to win two games. 

Gurly, the world of victory rests on thee.

Why they won't win it all: Losing Mark Ingram is going to be difficult. Ingram was doing a ton in the Saints offense and was reliable for weekly output. Yes, Shaun Draughn looks to be capable of replacing Ingram, but he's not exactly of the same skill set. Couple that with a difficult week 15 match-up for ODBJ and Todd Gurly and this team may find the point total a bit on the light side. Nothing will hurt more than losing to either Bomba or Jaj in the semi's again. This team had high hopes for a title. Ingram's loss may ruin those hopes.

Prediction: Loss to Bomba in week 15

Atomic Bomba

Regular Season record: 8-5

Last three: 1-2

Why he'll win it all: Every year there is a team that just manages to squeek into the playoffs and runs the table. Last year was Jaj. This year, Bomba takes that title. The luck factor is high with the Bomba, having survived a week 13 war with HBK for the last playoff spot. But make no mistake about it, the Bomba has the roster to put up a fight each week. Palmer has been as steady as they come, and Freeman is a solid weekly RB. Mix in Amendola, John Brown showing up, and the possible return of Edelman, and there is a lot to like on the roster. Denver is also a defense that will give Bomba an advantage a the position during most the weeks. Should all things click for the Bomba, a 150+ outing isn't out of the norm. 

Deja Vu all over again? Bomba could be in the finals should Palmer and Freeman carry the roster.

Why he won't win it all: The one thing working against the Bomba is inconsitency. The team hasn't been lighting up the scoreboard the last few weeks, and really hasn't done much in the second half of the season. There really is no telling what this team will do. Furthermore, there is a bit of a concern with the RB position. Freeman has two match-ups with a tough Carolina run def, and Hillman and Murray don't seem like high upside Rb2s. There may not be enough pop at the RB spot to survive down weeks from Wrs.

Prediction: Loss to Grabbers in the finals. 

Grabbers United

Regular Season record: 9-4

Last three: 2-1

Why he'll win it all: This team has managed to earn the bye in the Mazoon division in some fashion not understood by many. They have lost players like Luck, seen Rbs rotate throught the year in the starting roster, and managed to win games when scoring 90 points. All these point to one ineviteable truth, Grabbers is a team of destiny. But not everything was simply luck. Grabbers did a superb job managing the roster and trading for the right players. The Cam/Greg Olsen tandum is deadly, and is set-up with a great schedule. McFadden should get enough work to be a solid Rb, and Watkins has been producing big of late. 

At the end of the day, we must ask ourselves, which team is most likely to overcome the ailments, injuries, bad match-ups, and overall chaos that could happen at any given week during the post-season? The answer has been Grabbers all year long. We don't see that changing during weeks 14-16

Prediction: Finishes week 16 with a Victory an captures AFFL Title

Round 1 - Bomba defeats Jaj, Cobra defeats Awesomeness

Round 2 - Bomba defeats Hartan, Grabbers defeats Cobra

Final - Grabbers defeats Bomba

Good luck to all the teams. 

AFFL WEEK 13 Playoff Scenarios: 2 Divisions and Three Playoff Seeds up for Grabs

It has come down to this. One week, eight teams, three playoff spots, and two Division crowns all to be decided on the final week of the AFFL fantasy regular season. The commissioner wanted parody, and it looks like that is exactly what he got. No team has established themselves as the clear favorite to win it all this year, and with a cluster of teams vying for position in the post-season, the AFFL has its most intense playoff race in years.

Will upstart HBK Shant Michaels, winner of five of the last six games, sneak his way into the into the playoffs? Will the emergence of Thomas Rawls carry BDiddy into the AFFL's sacred six team playoff? Who will win the Dolma and Mazoon divisions? Will Bomba fail to make the playoffs a second year in a row? These are just a few of the story lines that grip the AFFL week 13.

Sorting through the cluster can be a mess. Many teams have multiple scenarios that will get them into the playoffs. Below are those scenarios, along with odds of that team making the playoffs. Enjoy.

Team Scenarios

BDiddy

Loss and BDiddy is out.

Win and the following scenarios would get BDiddy in:

• Scenario 1 - Bdiddy outscores Jaj by 46.11
• Scenario 2 - Fails to outscore Jaj by 46.11. Bomba loses and BDiddy outscores Bomba by 26.33 and HBK loses or HBK wins and BDiddy also outscores HBK by 16.13
• Scenario 3 - Cobra kai loses and BDiddy outscores Cobra by 88.57

Odds of getting in: 15%

HBK Shant Michaels

Loss and HBK is out

Win and the following scenarios would get HBK in:

• Scenario 1 - Bomba loses and HBK outscores Bomba by 10.21 and BDiddy loses or BDiddy wins but fails to outscore HBK by 16.13
• Scenario 2 - Jaj loses and HBK outscores Jaj by 29.99
• Scenario 3 - Cobra kai loses and HBK outscores Cobra by 71.45

Odds of getting in: 15%

Atomic Bomba

Win and Bomba is in

Loss and the following scenarios would get Bomba in:

• Scenario 1 - HBK and BDiddy loss
• Scenario 2 - HBK loss and BDiddy wins but fails to outscore Bomba by 26.33
• Scenario 3 - BDiddy loss and HBK wins but fails to outscore Bomba by 10.13
• Scenario 4 - Jaj loss and Bomba outscores Jaj by 19.79
• Scenario 5 - Cobra loss and Bomba outscores Cobra by 59.25

Odds of getting in: 70%

Bomba would win the division with a win and a Hartan loss

Odds of winning division: 50%

Jaj Cousteau

Win and Jaj is in

Loss and the following scenarios would get Jaj in:

• Scenario 1 - HBK loss and BDiddy fails to outscore Jaj by 46.11
• Scenario 2 - HBK win, but fails to outscore Jaj by 29.99 and BDiddy win, but fails to outscore Jaj by 46.11 or Bomba loss and Bomba fails to outscore Jaj by 19.79
• Scenario 3 - Cobra loss and Jaj outscores Cobra by 41.47.

Odds of getting in: 75%

Cobra Kai

Win and Cobra is in

Loss and the following scenarios would get Cobra in:

• Scenario 1 - Would only miss playoffs if three of the four teams Bomba, HBK, Jaj, BDiddy win and outscore Cobra's current margin of victory. Highly unlikely.

Odds of getting in: 95%

Can win division with:

• Scenario 1 - Win and both Grabbers and Awesomeness lose.

Odds of winning division: 33%

Awesomeness

Clinched Playoff birth

Can win division with:

• Scenario 1 - Win and Grabbers loss

Odds of winning division: 25%

Grabbers

Clinched Playoff birth

Can win division with:

• Scenario 1 - Win
• Scenario 2 - Loss, and Awesomeness and Cobra Kai loss

Odds of winning division: 57%

Hartan

Clinched Playoff birth

Can win division with:

• Scenario 1 - Win
• Scenario 2 - Bomba Loss

Playoff Seeding Predicitions

Hartan (1), Grabbers (2), Awesomeness (3), Cobra Kai (4), Bomba (5), Jaj Cousteau (6)

Magnum Sev.i releases rap album entitled "Still the team to beat B***h". League asks managers to go to grief counseling.

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After beginning the year by trading away lots of great players for a few not so great ones, the Magnum Sev.i has done what they do best: Dig themselves a hole they can't climb out of. 

Yet despite the team sitting at 1-7, managers Danny and Sevag still believe they are the team to beat and have released a rap album expressing their confidence.

"We're just tired," said Sevag. "We're tired of having to convince everyone all the time that we are the team to beat. So, we just wanted to drop this album and put it all out there at once. Still the team to beat, b***h is something that is close to my heart. We're still the team to beat. I added the bitch because it sounds harder."

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It is unclear whether or not Sevag had been drinking or under the influence of narcotics during the time he made these statements, but the confidence the team has with the albums release has led the league to intervene and ask that both managers go to counseling. Danny refuses to do so, and was outspoken about his disgust on how the league operates.

"If I should go to counseling for grief, then Ara should go to counseling for suffering, because he makes everyone in this league suffer with his idiotic trades and nonsensical rants. Get that guy a couch. Get us a throne. Still the team to beat b***, now available on Itunes and Amazon music."

The album features many interesting track titles, such as Makin' it rain FAAB money and Accept the trade Motherf***er. Here is the complete list.

1. Still the team to beat bitch
2. What round is he?
3. 1 and 7 and in heaven
4. Dropped an RB1 just cuz
5. Makin' it rain FAAB money
6. Accept the trade Motherf****
7. Stat correction erection
8. F*** inactives
9. My kicker got blanked
10. Bomba sucks my bomba
11. Got the lowest points
12. Wife be trippin. (extended cut) featuring Lucy
13. Weekly High

The album has been given a two and half star rating average on itunes and many complain that the lyrics are too offensive for teens and not offensive enough to fantasy football pundits. Others rave about the real life story that Sevag captures in his lyrics. Take for example these lines from the track Got the lowest points where Danny raps:

"Anquan Boldin in the flex. Inactive? F*** it. Andre Johnson aint shit. Even with Luck in. Senior Bowl for the old and slow. Rather a #1 who's out, than a 3 who don't show. "

Or how about this gem from Stat correction erection:

Point two! What do I do? It's 3 am. Can I call a friend? Lost my mind, when I lost the game. Wake up at six, will the score be the same? Hear my prayers lords of fantasy (echo: lords of fantasy). can you get me sprung?  You have my attention. Morning wood. Need that stat correction erection.

It's highly unlikely that Sev.i will make the postseason with a 1-7 record, but stranger things have happened. Nevertheless, it looks like their confidence isn't taking a back seat. We'll leave you with the second verse from the third track "1 and 7 and in heaven."

Mama caught me with a bag. Never liked smokin fags. And if you hoes wanna know, then get off of the rag

Before you, there was me. Rhyming smooth like Hennessy. Now things going wrong, but that's just livin.

1 and 7 and I'm still in heaven. 1 and 7 and I'm still in heaven.

That's right Sev.i. Just keep singing. Everything will be okay.

HBK gets Mani-Pedi at Cobra Kai approved Salon to Change Fantasy Karma.. and it works! Vosgee rumored to have booked appt. today.

After starting the season an abysmal 1-5, HBK needed a change. He needed to rebuild from the ground up. So what does he do? He goes and gets a pedicure.

Always "trying something new" is HBK's mojo, and his decision to go to a nail salon early Saturday morning falls in line with his off-tangent behavior during the football season. Sure, many people will point to this past weeks acquisition of Lamar Miller in a trade from Prime Time as being the primary reason for his week 7 point explosion, but HBK believes that it has more to do with the nail file an asian woman took to his pinkie toe than any running back.

"Rebuilding is an eleven part process," said HBK, "It's one part great trade, then 10 parts pedicure. One for each toe." 

HBK would comment on whether or not the decision to go to Images Luxury Nail Lounge was completely voluntary, but added, "nothing I do is voluntary. It's because I have to win."

Further adding to the story is the peculiar connection that Images Luxury Nail Lounge has with another AFFL team, Cobra Kai. It seems that the nail salon is "Cobra kai approved," as the dojo master has himself come to this salon as well. Could HBK be trying to mimic the forces of the Cobra Kai, seeing how successful they have been? The recent multi-player trade with  Prime Time and visit to a Cobra Kai approved dojo certainly suggests that this is so.

Here is a photo-timeline of HBKs trip to get his little piggies all cleaned up. 

Pre-pedicure- HBK House: 8:01 am. 

Pre-Pedi. HBK looks to be in a world of confusion as to what to expect. He's obviously been mentally stressed over the last 6 weeks of the AFFL season. He's even forgotten how to smile. If we didn't know that things got better for HBK after week 7,  it would be cruel to post these pics. 

Images Luxury Nail Salon: 8:45am 

Because if you're gonna go pedicure, you go in luxury. Notice the symbolic nature of the pic. HBK's season has been handicapped, yet, like the flowers brimming along the side, there is always hope. That is unless you are Magnum Sev.i at 1-6, then there is no hope. Sorry, no 'Stache for you!

Enter Sandman: 8:45am

"You like Clitter gel?" A mother and daughter are getting their nails done too. No doubt HBK is using the two to help his PR image. Rumor is that the little girl told him that his team would have 165 points this week. HBK's been frantically trying to get a hold of her ever since Sunday night. Notice the Cobra Kai approved sign on the front desk. Is this collusion? AFFL reports on this next week.

Dive! Dive! 9:33 am.

Feet soaking in minerals and salts that will render a very relaxing experience, all  for the super low price of $17. You can do this in your own bath, but that's not the point. At this moment, HBK is feeling euphoric and using mental imagery to visualize a successful Sunday, while broken English is spoken around him. It's all very exciting. Bubbles!

File it away: 9:45am

HBK's 165 point week 7 outing was at this point a lock. With the pedicure complete, there was nothing the Atomic Bomba could have done. Well, he could have countered the HBK pedicure with a manicure, pedicure, and massage trifecta to offset the karma, but there just wasn't enough time. Stretched out like a leg limousine, HBK is all relaxed and ready to turn his season around. Photo symbolism: Still water. Calm before the storm. 

Post-Pedi: 10:05 am

A new HBK emerges from his feminist adventure and is ready to explode during the second half of the season. Notice the relaxed face. It's much closer to a smile. Look out AFFL. Toes before bros. It's gonna go down. 

Cobra Kai Diagnosed with Trader's Addiction. Offers Olsen for Clay Jars at Local Swap Meet.

Cobra Kai may need to dial a 1-800 number very soon.

After pulling off two trades in a three week span, it seems that Cobra Kai manager Sayyad isn't satisfied. In fact, he may never be satisfied. The karate manager has an insatiable desire for trades, and has been diagnosed by fantasy doctors as having a Trader's addiction.

"Trader's addiction is developed after many years of sending out bullsh$$ trade offers," said Dr. Fienhold, head of the AFFL research and development lab in Los angeles, Ca. "The trader offers up so many BS trades that they then get the uncontrollable desire to keep offering something, just to get the 'High' of winning a trade."

While Dr. Fienhold says that the addiction can be cured, it is very difficult to do so if the patient has reached BS level #4, offering scrub players for stars.

It looks like Sayyad could have hit that level last week, when offered Awesomeness Melvin Gordon and Allen Robinson for Arian Foster. Fantasy experts don't quantify this as a BS trade, but many who imagine Foster to be an RB1 would definitely say this was indeed bullsh$$.

Photo's surfaced just this week showing Sayyad at a local swap meet attempting to trade his star tight end Greg Olsen to a Mexican woman for clay jars. When approached by a local fan of the team, Sayyad quickly scurried away to another booth, shaming the fan for not understanding "his method." Dr. Fienhold explains the reaction.

Trader's Addiction anology

"Once a patient has gone to level 4, they often times shut others out of the picture, and believe themselves to be on another level when it comes to player evaluation. To quote a Barry Manilow line, they believe, 'they write the songs that the whole world sings.'"

Trader Kai has been superb in his dealings over the years, and has won more trades than he has lost. However, we forget that for every trade he has made, there have been thousands of offers that have failed. It is clear that the addiction has been in slumber for many years and is now reaching the surface.

AFFL managers have been told of the diagnosis and have been asked not to be offended if they receive a BS trade offer from Cobra Kai. They hope that teams will understand that this is an affliction that will take time to overcome, and the Commissioner has asked teams to show sensitivity. An AFFL public service announcement is in the works, as are donations to the FTA (Fantasy Trader's Anonymous) the group that helps managers with fantasy trading addictions.

The Commissioner hopes that Sayyad and other managers that are addicted to sending out BS trade offers get the help they deserve. This is a serious issue that is only now coming to light.

Our prayers are with Cobra Kai and every future trade offer he sends. He needs it.

Champions Unite! Cousteau Signs Deal with Seahawks to open Seahawk Jaj Club.

The Coustau Championship Tour keeps on rolling along, this time up north in Seattle, where early Thursday morning the AFFL Champion inked a deal with the Superbowl Champion Seahawks to open an exclusive Seahawk Jaj Club at Century Link field. The merger of the two franchises will be the biggest merger for an AFFL franchise since Prime Time signed an endorsement deal with Waste Management immediately following the drafting of his 2010 AFFL team.

Cousteau manager Chris was excited about the deal, as was Seahawk GM John Schneider, who called the Jaj Club, "a place we all need in every stadium."

"I think when you're talking about Jaj, you're talking about the essence of football," said Schnieder. "We just wanted a little Seahawk Jaj in the Stadium and we got it."

The Seahawk Jaj club will be a room full of Seahawk Jaj, a combination of Seahawk and Cousteau imagery. Membership will be open to all fans on a first served, first come basis. Hot dogs in fresh buns will be available for members to enjoy, complete with a condiment bar. Fans of both teams will enjoy light music andfriendly atmosphere where they can mingle and get to know one another more intimately. Whether it is to talk about team Cousteau and shoot the Jaj, or discuss the possibility of a new Seahawk Jaj logo, there will be something for everyone.

"We really want to make this Club about Seahawk Jaj," said Cousteau owner Chris. "It's something new for me, but I'm excited about it."

Seahawk officials have not yet settled on when the Jaj Club will be opened, but many believe it won't be until next season.

Seahawk Jaj Club. Cumming soon.

But you know what they say: the bigger the build up, the bigger the release.

In the meantime, team Cousteau looks to be the first team since the Atomic Bomba to win back-to-back titles. If the first two weeks of the season are any indication, it looks like he'll get a shot to do just that.

With a 2-0 record and the most points in the AFFL, Jaj sits atop the the entire league. Kinda like a Seahawk Jajing from above. Oh the irony.

Prime Time wakes up to Discover He Really traded Le'Veon Bell.

"What the F*@% did I do?"

That was the response from Prime Time owner Ara after he was awoken early Friday morning by his wife Taleen and told that he did indeed trade one of the top running backs in Le'Veon Bell to Cobra Kai for multiple players. Rocking some sweet bed-hair, Ara immediately ran to his computer and checked his line-up to confirm the transaction. He then somberly walked into the bathroom and took a leak.

"What I did, I did," said Ara to AFFL reporters later that day. "What was done was done. It is what it is. You can't change what you can't change. We move forward to move forward."

It is quite obvious that Ara might not have been conscious when making the trade that sent Bell along with Brandon Cooks, Deangelo Williams and Vincent Jackson for a haul of injured running backs and wide receivers with quarterback problems. Despite this, the trade would not be reversed even if Ara had buyers remorse. All trades are final.

Bell is one of the top running backs in the league, and has been a keeper for Prime Time over the past two seasons. Having been suspended the first two games of the year, Bell hasn't even had a chance to hit the field, which is why many managers are confused about the trade.

"I guess he just wants to cash in when his value is high," said BDiddy co-manager monkey mike. "He's always been an a-hole to us co-managers so I hope it bites him in the ass."

Prime Time's draft grade wasn't especially great, and concern over the lack of impact players could be the primary reason Ara pulled this trade. Of course, this is Prime Time, and very little done by Ara has turned out well in the trade market. This is the same manager that drafted two qbs twice and traded a top five qb for a running back who was cut two weeks later.

We can't give Ara all the blame, just as it's unfair to give him all the credit as well. There's a good possibility that the didn't even know what was going on even while he was negotiating the deal with Cobra Kai. We wouldn't be shocked if Ara indeed made a move that he wasn't even aware of. He has a lot of stuff going on.... like life.

But a manager not knowing he made a trade would only lead to one logical conclusion, that someone other than Ara helped to facilitate the deal.

AFFL reporters speculate that an outsider by the name of House Tutu, who himself is a manager in another league, helped broker the deal and left Prime Time out-of-the-loop on the parameters. Reports claim that total trust in House Tutu's player evaluation left him in full control of the trade. Ara being totally clueless about the trade this morning only further establishes House Tutu as the ghost trader; or it could be that Ara is just clueless.

Prime Time denies that such a person exists, for he knows the ramifications that would follow if it were found out that he used a "co-manager."

Literal Image of just who or what house tutu can be. For all we know, Ara may have talked to an actual house.

"I don't know who this House Tutu Mootu guy is. I don't deal with co-managers. Why would I have someone else help me if I don't deal with managers that are helping me deal with someone else helping me? It doesn't make sense."

Nothing Ara says makes much sense, just like his last statement, and it would be a huge controversy should the reports of outside help be true. AFFL co-managers would have a field day.

"If he got help on a trade, then I think the should be kicked out of the league for hypocrisy," said BDiddy owner Baret. "I know it's extreme, but I didn't even get an extra chair for my managers in the draft, bro. I know my co-managers weren't there but still. It's principle."

Ara has vehemently denied co-manager's rights at drafts and spoken out against them in the league. If House Tutu Mootu turns out to be real, it could be a rough week of damage control for Prime Time.

It looks like it's already been a rough morning.

AFFL Draft Grades 2015: Hangin' is Bangin'. Looks Poised for Break Out Season.

After an eventful Friday night that featured the introduction of the first Intercontinental Championship Belt of the AFFL, a Luchador Bomba, and Ara drafting as if he were throwing darts at draft board, the 2015 AFFL draft is in the books. Of course, every manager walked away from the draft with confidence that their draft picks were solid (except Prime Time) and are now anxiously awaiting the first game of the 2015 NFL season. When week one arrives, managers will slowly transition their fantasy mind into fantasy depression, where upon the arrival of week three they will frequently use the most famous of fantasy phrases "what the f*** was I thinking drafting this guy?".  It's a year long struggle and the struggle is very real.

The time between the draft and opening day is a time that is used to analyze, scrutinize and criticize everything that has to do with perception. Every team has chosen players based on who the they think were the best pick at those specific spots, and over fifty percent of those picks will be incorrect. The AFFL grades do not intend to say which team is good or bad, but rather examine the thinking behind the draft of each manager. It is an assessment of how likely the perception of the players chosen by a particular manager becomes a reality. In Prime Time's case, that perception is seen through a dirty window, with closed blinds, during the blackest night, by a blind man who is looking for a black cat that isn't there. That's a roundabout way of saying that his team doesn't look good. 

So here you go. Four categories: big winners, mild winners, mild losers, and big losers (no affiliation with the show). No guarantees about how bad a team will be, so if you're a team in the Loser category (Prime Time), hey, there is no where to go but up! Did we mention Prime Time had a bad draft? Okay. Let's go.

Big Winners

Hangin' and Bangin'

Keepers: Jeremy Hill (4th), Mike Evans (5th)

Draft Picks: 1. (4) Demaryius Thomas (Den - WR) 2. (16) Justin Forsett (Bal - RB) 3. (32) Jimmy Graham (Sea - TE) 4. (40) Jeremy Hill  (Cin - RB) 5. (52) Mike Evans  (TB - WR) 6. (64) Golden Tate (Det - WR) 7. (76) Shane Vereen (NYG - RB) 8. (88) Russell Wilson (Sea - QB) 9. (100) Eric Decker (NYJ - WR) 10. (112) Michael Crabtree (Oak - WR) 11. (124) Charles Sims (TB - RB) 12. (136) Brian Quick (StL - WR) 13. (148) Marvin Jones (Cin - WR) 14. (160) Austin Seferian-Jenkins (TB - TE) 15. (172) New England (NE - DEF) 16. (184) Steven Hauschka (Sea - K)

Loved: Graham (3rd), Tate (6th), Wilson (8th), Marvin Jones (13th)

Didn't Understand: Drafting 7 Wrs.

This draft began in 2014. At the end of last season, Hangin' traded Jordy Nelson for Mike Evans and Travis Kelce. Fast forward to 2015. Jordy Nelson is out with a torn ACL and Mike Evans is a keeper three rounds after where he should be drafted. What a trade. Coming into the draft, Hangin' had perhaps the best valued keepers and really would have had to try and screw things up. They did a marvelous job of getting guys with great VALUE (AFFL managers love that word). Many of their selections were made after a players projected ADP. Jimmy Graham was had for a third round pick, after they had considered drafting him in the second round. Wilson was drafted in the 8th round and is considered a top five QB. Even their late picks, Charles Sims and Marvin Jones have nice upside. They are deep at every position and have top tier talent across the board. There really isn't much to nit pick at this draft (maybe Austin Seferian-Jenkins, but he's Armenian. Much love for drafting the Armo). If the team stays healthy, we just don't see how Hangin' doesn't have a winning season. They have yet to win a playoff game in the history of their franchise. Could this be the year they finally do it? If it's not now, it just may be never.

Grade - A

Hartan

Keepers: Odell Beckham Jr. (8th)

Draft Picks: 1. (7) A.J. Green (Cin - WR) 2. (19) Mark Ingram (NO - RB) 3. (29) Andre Ellington (Ari - RB) 4. (43) Todd Gurley (StL - RB) 5. (55) Jeremy Maclin (KC - WR) 6. (67) Ryan Mathews (Phi - RB) 7. (79) Mike Wallace (Min - WR) 8. (91) Odell Beckham Jr.  (NYG - WR) 9. (103) Philip Rivers (SD - QB) 10. (115) Delanie Walker (Ten - TE) 11. (127) Cam Newton (Car - QB) 12. (139) Dorial Green-Beckham (Ten - WR) 13. (151) Jerick McKinnon (Min - RB) 14. (163) Buffalo (Buf - DEF) 15. (175) Rueben Randle (NYG - WR) 16. (187) Brandon McManus (Den - K)

Loved: Maclin (5th), Matthews (6th), Wallace (7th)

Didn't Understand: Newton as Back-up.

Like Hangin', Hartan began the draft with a wonderfully valued keeper, perhaps the best in the draft. The luxury of having Beckham in the 8th round is that it allows you to take risks and not feel all that worried about it. Looking at the approach to the draft, Hartan opted to lean heavy on RB's early and fill the gap at WR late. Wise move. Aj Green and Beckham will be very formidable, and there is enough to like at the RB spots to know that things should be okay. Ingram/Ellington/Gurly/Matthews, should provide enough points to stay competitive, providing they stay healthy. If we do have a quarrel about Hartan's draft it's that he could potentially have some downside at his TE and QB spots. Perhaps having a Beckham and Green locked up would have made it wiser to grab a top tier QB or TE in the mid-rounds. We'd also be concerned about Cam Newton as a backup QB. Still, with all that said, a starting line-up of Ingram and Ellington paired with Aj, ODBJ, and Maclin should be very strong.

Grade - A-

Mild Winners

BDiddy

Keepers: None

Draft Picks: 1. (1) Marshawn Lynch (Sea - RB) 2. (13) DeMarco Murray (Phi - RB) 3. (36) Andre Johnson (Ind - WR) 4. (37) Amari Cooper (Oak - WR) 5. (49) Ben Roethlisberger (Pit - QB) 6. (61) Nelson Agholor (Phi - WR) 7. (73) Alfred Blue (Hou - RB) 8. (85) Martavis Bryant (Pit - WR) 9. (97) Pierre Garcon (Was - WR) 10. (109) Tom Brady (NE - QB) 11. (121) Jordan Cameron (Mia - TE) 12. (133) Darren Sproles (Phi - RB) 13. (145) Robert Turbin (Sea - RB) 14. (157) Javorius Allen (Bal - RB) 15. (169) Detroit (Det - DEF) 16. (181) Adam Vinatieri (Ind - K)

Loved: Lynch (1), Big Ben (5th), Bryant (8th),

Didn't Understand: Brady 10th (no need), Lots of rookie Wrs and Vet as Wr core.

Team Bdiddy had a good draft. We know that because they never shifted from plan A. That must be a good thing. The question is, was plan A good enough? It's apparent that picking first, Diddy decided that the value in WRs were not at the top of the draft, but in the middle. Electing to go Lynch was the right move, but Demarco Murray could be in a three man committee. Would it have been wiser to nab Rogers or go WR? That is debatable. In any case, the middle of the roster is loaded with young Wrs and an old veteran. While the offenses of these teams are quite stellar, there could be a big question mark on health and consistent production. After all, Sammy Watkins was drafted last season in the same vein as Amari Cooper, and things didn't pan out. There was also lots to like about the late picks. Getting Blue and Bryant could be huge, since both will be key contributors to their teams. We don't know whether the Brady pick will pay off or not, but it's not a bad gamble at that point. All-in-all BDiddy did a solid job of building a team that has lots of upside mixed with some uncertainty. If the rookies pan out, the two year playoff drought of the B franchise may finally be over.

Grade - B

Cobra Kai

Keepers: Lamar Miller (5th), Jordan Matthews (6th)

Draft Picks: 1. (10) Calvin Johnson (Det - WR) 2. (22) Melvin Gordon (SD - RB) 3. (26) C.J. Spiller (NO - RB) 4. (46) Greg Olsen (Car - TE) 5. (58) Lamar Miller  (Mia - RB) 6. (70) Jordan Matthews  (Phi - WR) 7. (82) Allen Robinson (Jax - WR) 8. (94) LeGarrette Blount (NE - RB) 9. (106) Tony Romo (Dal - QB) 10. (118) Roddy White (Atl - WR) 11. (130) Sam Bradford (Phi - QB) 12. (142) Reggie Bush (SF - RB) 13. (154) Andre Williams (NYG - RB) 14. (166) Kelvin Benjamin (Car - WR) 15. (178) Miami (Mia - DEF) 16. (190) Justin Tucker (Bal - K)

Loved: Olsen (4th), Robinson (7th), Romo (9th), Benjamin (keeper)

Didn't Understand: Gordon (over Ameer), Spiller (that early)

With a pair of nice keeper values in the mid rounds, Cobra Kai set himself up nicely entering the draft. It was going to be unlikely that the team came out of the draft without a solid team. Indeed they did. There were a ton of picks that were taken well beyond their ADP.  Olsen Robinson, Blount were all picks that slid a bit and rendered great value for the Kai. We weren't too excited with some of the picks that went early in the draft. While Megatron was a nice choice in the first, Melvin Gordon and CJ spiller seem a bit of a reach at those spots. Would the team look better had they gone with a 0 Rb strategy and taken Andre Johnson and another WR, perhaps Adams? What about an upside guy like Abdullah or Gurly?  Its debatable. Of course none of this matters if Gordon or Spiller stay healthy and produce all season long. A reach really is only a reach if the player turns out to be a major bust. Factor in a few nice upside Rbs at the end of the draft, and there isn't really much of an issue with how Kai approached formulating his team. Lamar Miller and Jordan Matthews gave the Cobra a head start on strong roster. Looks like the job was completed on Friday night.

Grade - B

Jaj Cousteau

Keepers: Jamaal Charles (1st), Antonio Brown (2nd)

Draft Picks: 1. (12) Jamaal Charles  (KC - RB) 2. (24) Antonio Brown  (Pit - WR) 3. (25) Ameer Abdullah (Det - RB) 4. (48) Chris Ivory (NYJ - RB) 5. (60) Charles Johnson (Min - WR) 6. (72) Markus Wheaton (Pit - WR) 7. (84) Ryan Tannehill (Mia - QB) 8. (96) Knile Davis (KC - RB) 9. (108) Terrance Williams (Dal - WR) 10. (120) Tyler Eifert (Cin - TE) 11. (132) Teddy Bridgewater (Min - QB) 12. (144) Cameron Artis-Payne (Car - RB) 13. (156) Donte Moncrief (Ind - WR) 14. (168) Vernon Davis (SF - TE) 15. (180) Indianapolis (Ind - DEF) 16. (192) Nick Novak (SD - K)

Loved: Ameer Abdullah (risk reward could afford), Ivory (4th), Tannahill (7th)

Didn't Understand: Charles Johnson (5th), Colts Defense

Disclaimer: A Jaj Cousteau draft really can't be evaluated. All players taken by the Cousteau franchise will most likely end up out performing their ADP, even though they were taken way too soon in most cases. However, despite the crazy draft picking of his team, Cousteau managed to do well enough to be competitive. Charles and Brown already provided ridiculous value late in the first and second rounds respectively, so Jaj was already ahead of the game. Opting for upside, the Ameer Abdullah pick early in the third was a surprise, but one that can pay off in a big way. We like the risk considering Charles is already a great value. Ivory was taken at pick 48, perhaps too high, but one can't argue that he's the clear workhorse back in an offense that should be forced to lean on the run. Tannehill in the seventh is great. It was wise to snag the QB there because he wasn't going to make it back. We scratch our head at Charles Johnson over some other Wrs, but can't fault Jaj for liking the wide out. The TE position could be a mess, but then again, Vernon Davis may be due for a breakout. All-in-all, a solid cumming out party for Cousteau. He should be in the thick of things come week 5.

Grade - B

Vosgee Gyank

Keepers: CJ Anderson (7th)

Draft Picks: 1. (5) Julio Jones (Atl - WR) 2. (17) T.Y. Hilton (Ind - WR) 3. (31) Jonathan Stewart (Car - RB) 4. (41) T.J. Yeldon (Jax - RB) 5. (53) Martellus Bennett (Chi - TE) 6. (65) Torrey Smith (SF - WR) 7. (77) C.J. Anderson  (Den - RB) 8. (89) Matt Ryan (Atl - QB) 9. (101) James Starks (GB - RB) 10. (113) Marques Colston (NO - WR) 11. (125) Montee Ball (Den - RB) 12. (137) Brandon LaFell (NE - WR) 13. (149) Houston (Hou - DEF) 14. (161) Kendall Wright (Ten - WR) 15. (173) Jacquizz Rodgers (Chi - RB) 16. (185) Phil Dawson (SF - K)

Loved: Julio (1st), TY Hilton (2nd), Yeldon (4th)

Didn't Understand: Torrey Smith (6th), James Starks (9th)

Stop me if you've heard this before. Vosgee has a decent draft. Vosgee then suffers injuries or mismanages his team. Vosgee ends up at the bottom of the league. Wash. Rinse. Repeat. That has basically been the way of the Gyank for the past few years. Entering the 2015 draft he had a great opportunity to turn the tides of misfortune with a keeper like CJ Anderson in the seventh round. For the most part, we think he did well. A one-two punch of Julio and TY are going to be lethal, and the roster has lots of other nice pieces to complement Anderson (barring injury). Things could have been extremely good if Gyank didn't taper off in the middle rounds with the Torrey Smith pick. That was perplexing. However, Wright could be great value in the fourteenth round. Taking Matt Ryan to pair with Julio was nice as well, especially considering where Ryan went. While the roster may not have crazy depth, there is enough to like about the line-up despite the middle round blunders. We're gonna hold out hope that Gyank did enough to turn the corner in 2015. The franchise really needs to.

Grade - B-

Awesomeness

Keepers: AP (1st), Hopkins (5th)

Draft Picks: Awesomeness VII 1. (2) Adrian Peterson  (Min - RB) 2. (14) Aaron Rodgers (GB - QB) 3. (34) Davante Adams (GB - WR) 4. (38) Arian Foster (Hou - RB) 5. (50) DeAndre Hopkins  (Hou - WR) 6. (62) Joique Bell (Det - RB) 7. (74) Giovani Bernard (Cin - RB) 8. (86) DeSean Jackson (Was - WR) 9. (98) Danny Woodhead (SD - RB) 10. (110) Zach Ertz (Phi - TE) 11. (122) Roy Helu Jr. (Oak - RB) 12. (134) Owen Daniels (Den - TE) 13. (146) Chris Polk (Hou - RB) 14. (158) Steve Smith Sr. (Bal - WR) 15. (170) Philadelphia (Phi - DEF) 16. (182) Cody Parkey (Phi - K)

Loved: Davante Adams (3rd) Joique Bell (6th), Steve Smith (14th)

Didn't Understand: Foster (4th), Owen Daniels/ Ertz TE's, No Ap handcuff

Placing Awesomeness here comes with a disclaimer. This team will be either a big winner or big loser depending on Arian Foster. We will give the Awesome one the benefit of the doubt when it comes to the Foster pick and expect to see him back in a month. Having AP and Hopkins as a core is fairly strong, and adding Rodgers to it gives the team a threesome that is very formidable at those positions. The Wr complements aren't exciting but offer plenty of upside. The biggest holes are at TE and the RB2 spot. However, Joique is an unsexy solid pick, and if he can stabilize the position until Foster returns, then there is much to like about the line-up. Where the team makes the grade is in the late rounds. Steve Smith for a 14th pick is ridiculous. That will pay off well. It is clear that Awesomeness attempted to use his two keepers to take risks elsewhere. Those risks may turn out to be the difference of finishing first or last. It all rests on the groin of Arian Foster. If his inner scrotum is strong, look out. If it's not, it's gonna be an un-awesome season.

Grade - B-

Mild Losers

Atomic BOMBA ®

Keepers: Carlos Hyde (3rd), Joseph Randle (7th)

Draft Picks: 1. (6) Randall Cobb (GB - WR) 2. (18) Latavius Murray (Oak - RB) 3. (30) Carlos Hyde  (SF - RB) 4. (42) Julian Edelman (NE - WR) 5. (54) Travis Kelce (KC - TE) 6. (66) John Brown (Ari - WR) 7. (78) Joseph Randle  (Dal - RB) 8. (90) Eddie Royal (Chi - WR) 9. (102) Devonta Freeman (Atl - RB) 10. (114) Eli Manning (NYG - QB) 11. (126) Kenny Stills (Mia - WR) 12. (138) Jordy Nelson (GB - WR) 13. (150) Jonas Gray (NE - RB) 14. (162) Anquan Boldin (SF - WR) 15. (174) Denver (Den - DEF) 16. (186) Matt Bryant (Atl - K)

Loved: Cobb (1st), Kelce (5th), John Brown (6th), Jordy Nelson (keeper)

Didn't understand: Eddie Royal (too early), Kenny Stills (11th)

Bomba a loser? That just doesn't seem to jive together. However, the team that has been a mainstay in the AFFL discussion didn't exactly wow the crowd with his draft. To be truthful, this grade has much to do with the aftermath of the draft as much as it does with the draft itself. Cobb is already banged up, and Randle's value has completely plummeted. Those two factors alone will force the team to downgrade a bit. But taking a look at the Bomba draft, the team was took a few players at spots before where they should have gone, including their keepers. Hyde was kept a bit before where he was going to go, and Royal was perhaps a reach in the 8th. The good news is that there is lots of upside on the roster with the likes of Murray and John Brown. Bold in in the 14th round is also a nice get for a consistent WR3. However, this roster has the potential of being a complete bust should the question marks not pan out. Injuries to stars may leave the Bomba with very little spark. We also don't know what possessed the Atomic one to draft Stills in the 12th. That was a horrible move. The good news is that if everything goes south, there is always the option of keeping Jordy Nelson for an 8th round pick. Here's to hoping that it won't be the only thing Bomba has to look forward to.

Grade - C+

HBK Shant Michaels

Keepers: Eddie Lacy (1st), Alshon Jeffery (3rd)

Draft Picks: 1. (9) Eddie Lacy  (GB - RB) 2. (21) Frank Gore (Ind - RB) 3. (33) Alshon Jeffery  (Chi - WR) 4. (45) Jarvis Landry (Mia - WR) 5. (57) Doug Martin (TB - RB) 6. (69) Victor Cruz (NYG - WR) 7. (81) David Johnson (Ari - RB) 8. (93) Stevie Johnson (SD - WR) 9. (105) Devin Funchess (Car - WR) 10. (117) Matthew Stafford (Det - QB) 11. (129) Brandon Coleman (NO - WR) 12. (141) Matt Jones (Was - RB) 13. (153) Kyle Rudolph (Min - TE) 14. (165) St. Louis (StL - DEF) 15. (177) Jay Ajayi (Mia - RB) 16. (189) Mason Crosby (GB - K).

Loved: Landry (4th),  Stafford (10th), Matt Jones (12th). Rudolph (13th),

Didn't Understand: Cruz (6th), David Johnson (7th). Lots of rookies as depth.

HBK is the man with a plan when it comes to the draft. He usually has a nice map of what he would like to do. Examining his draft, it is likely that the team deviated from their plan. The flow of picks perhaps forced HBK to take guys that he wasn't planning on taking. Lacy and Jeffery gave the team two nice pieces to begin, and Gore is a solid enough pick in the second to keep the team strong. But the middle rounds offered up some questionable decisions. Doug Martin, Victor cruz, and David Johnson were all picks that could have very little impact on the roster. Cruz is already hurt, Martin plays for a bad team with no o-line, and Johnson may only get third down work. This can all go very wrong very quickly. Waiting on QB and TE seemed to be the right strategy and getting a Kyle Rudolph in the latter rounds could be a huge boon for Michaels. As is, the team has few nice upside rookies along with solid starters, but we wonder what could have been if lets say the squad elected to take Martavius Bryant, John Brown or Agholor instead of Cruz and Martin, and jumped on a RB like Blue or Blount in the latter rounds. We think a lot better. But don't just take our word for it. This was a message the Courier received from Michaels regarding is projected grade:
 

"I see you giving me a B-/C+. HBK rollin the dice on rookies as always. Solid keepers to start. Solid Rb depth. Too many rookies. Not enough Wrs. QB is a question mark. Picks liked: Rudolph 13th. Matt jones. I just did the analysis for you. Move on to the next one."

Indeed you did HBK. And you were practically spot on. But not to fret, the HBK has found his way to the playoffs two years in a row. There is a good chance he will right the ship.

Grade - C+

Grabbers United

Keepers: Rob Gronkowski (1st), Andrew Luck (2nd)

Draft Picks: 1. (8) Rob Gronkowski  (NE - TE) 2. (20) Andrew Luck  (Ind - QB) 3. (28) Alfred Morris (Was - RB) 4. (44) Sammy Watkins (Buf - WR) 5. (56) Rashad Jennings (NYG - RB) 6. (68) Brandon Marshall (NYJ - WR) 7. (80) Isaiah Crowell (Cle - RB) 8. (92) Duke Johnson Jr. (Cle - RB) 9. (104) Darren McFadden (Dal - RB) 10. (116) Reggie Wayne (NE - WR) 11. (128) Jeff Janis (GB - WR) 12. (140) Dwayne Bowe (Cle - WR) 13. (152) Ray Rice (Bal - RB) 14. (164) Jameis Winston (TB - QB) 15. (176) New York (NYJ - DEF) 16. (188) Dan Bailey (Dal - K)

Loved: Jennings (5th), Marshall (6th), Jeff Janis (11th)

Didn't Understand: Watkins (4th), Ray Rice (13th), Double Cleveland Rbs.

Team Grabbers came into the draft with two keepers in the first two rounds, so things were difficult right off the bat for the team. Going without a selection for nearly 35 picks made the task of putting together a strong squad excruciatingly difficult. Alfred Morris and Jennings however were two wise picks to help offset the sieve that could have been the RB position. We didn't think there was any around the fact that the team would be left starving at the WR position and that is exactly the case. However, there is a lot of sneaky upside with Brandon Marshall and Sammy Watkins so all is not lost. Investing in the Cleveland Brown RB situation is never a good thing, and doubling down on it, well that may be fantasy suicide. Late in the draft, Grabbers managed to selecta few nice upside pieces in McFadden and Janis. Those two could become starters in the near future. Ray Rice in the thirteenth wasn't necessary. If the Grabbers team is going to make headway this season, it will be on the arm of Andrew Luck and on the back of Gronk. There are a lot of potentially strong parts that could help carry the load, but it also looks like the supporting cast could fall apart quickly and not recover. We're in a wait and see approach for Grabbers, and aren't going to count him out, but won't exactly endorse the team yet either.

Grade - C

 

Big Loser

Magnum Sev.i

Keepers: Emmanuel Sanders (3rd)

Draft Picks: 1. (3) Dez Bryant (Dal - WR) 2. (15) LeSean McCoy (Buf - RB) 3. (27) Emmanuel Sanders  (Den - WR) 4. (39) Peyton Manning (Den - QB) 5. (51) Keenan Allen (SD - WR) 6. (63) Tevin Coleman (Atl - RB) 7. (75) Jason Witten (Dal - TE) 8. (87) Tre Mason (StL - RB) 9. (99) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari - WR) 10. (111) Fred Jackson (Buf - RB) 11. (123) Denard Robinson (Jax - RB) 12. (135) Ronnie Hillman (Den - RB) 13. (147) Cody Latimer (Den - WR) 14. (159) Stephen Gostkowski (NE - K) 15. (171) Arizona (Ari - DEF) 16. (183) Cordarrelle Patterson (Min - WR)

Loved: Keenan Allen (5th)

Didn't Understand: Tevin Coleman (6th), No true RB2, Suspect WR depth.

We're not gonna call their team a bust, or not likely to do some damage. But from a purely draft stand point, the Sev.i missed on more picks than it made. First off, there is still lots of good on the roster. Dez and Sanders should be a fine WR core, and Allen should be good as a WR3. The areas that is most concerning is the RB core. Lesean McCoy already has a hamstring issue, and the depth behind him is Tevin Coleman, Tre mason, Fred Jackson, Denard Robinson and Ronnie Hillman. Yikes. None of those names are in situations that inspire confidence. Injuries will have to play a role as to whether they become relevant at all. Couple that with the fact that teams later picks have little upside, and we don't know what to make of things should bye weeks hit. One thing is for certain, Tevin Coleman in the 6th round was probably too high for a rookie in a time share with a bad O-line. Ultimately, the team Sev.i will be relying on their Wrs to carry their roster. If a few injuries to some lead backs happen, then their roster would look a whole lot better. Until that happens, we're gonna have to say that there is a lot of uncertainty on their selection of RBs. With all due respect to the stache.

Grade - C-

Prime Time

Keepers: Levon Bell (3rd), Brandon Cooks (4th)

Draft Picks: 1. (11) Matt Forte (Chi - RB) 2. (23) Drew Brees (NO - QB) 3. (35) Le'Veon Bell  (Pit - RB) 4. (47) Brandin Cooks  (NO - WR) 5. (59) Vincent Jackson (TB - WR) 6. (71) Michael Floyd (Ari - WR) 7. (83) Breshad Perriman (Bal - WR) 8. (95) Bishop Sankey (Ten - RB) 9. (107) DeAngelo Williams (Pit - RB) 10. (119) DeVante Parker (Mia - WR) 11. (131) David Cobb (Ten - RB) 12. (143) Jeremy Langford (Chi - RB) 13. (155) Seattle (Sea - DEF) 14. (167) Ty Montgomery (GB - WR) 15. (179) Josh Hill (NO - TE) 16. (191) Matt Prater (Det - K)

Loved: Handcuffing LeVon bell with Deangelo Williams to guarantee a starting RB week 1.

Didn't Understand: Everything. Drafting injured players. Just Everything. Still don't.

We are as surprised as you. Prime Time walked into the draft like a stuttering dyslexic trying to win a reading contest. It was quite apparent early on that he was ill prepared for what was going down Friday night.  Drew Brees had no business being drafted in the second round. Considering that Levon Bell was already a superb value in the 3rd round, it would take a stroke of genius to screw this roster up. Enter the IQ of Prime Time. Michael Floyd is injured and fallen out of favor in Zona. Perriman is hurt and has no time table to return. Vincent Jackson has a rookie Qb and is a second fiddle deep threat on an offense that has no o-line. David Cobb is injured. As is Devante Parker. We could go on for days. There is quite honestly not a selection on the roster, aside from the keepers, that has any value. It was clear that Prime Time was in over his head when it came to the draft and now has the arduous process of trying to rectify a terrible situation. Breaking down which players should have been selected instead of the ones that were taken will take days. Rather, its easier to just step back and call the whole thing a mess, one that Prime Time will have to find his way out of. We're not saying that the team will be horrible. We're saying that the teams perceived strength is the worst of all teams. That makes Prime Time the biggest loser of the draft.

Grade - F-

BREAKING!: Jaj Cousteau Fined $50 For Keeper Violations. Commissioner asks for Cell Phone.

Jaj Cousteau Manager Chris's reaction after discovering he had been fined $50

The AFFL was hit with its first scandal of the 2015 season on Thursday morning when Commissioner Lalazarian announced that current AFFL champion Jaj Cousteau would be fined fifty dollars by the league for violations relating to keeper player procedure. 

"I have spoken with the Commissioner and will accept the fine," said manager Chris in front of reporters early Thursday morning. "We're disappointed in what happened, but like everything else, you just have to Jaj on."

The violations occurred late Monday night, when Chris forgot to make his keeper selections.  After he was contacted by the league in light of this error, Chris asked that the oversight be fixed. AFFL rules stipulate that all managers can elect to keep up to two players from their previous years roster if they so choose, but selections must be made prior to the keeper selection deadline. Any changes made after that deadline would be open to league mandated fines or the loss of draft picks.  The two keepers he failed to keep were Jamaal Charles and Antonio Brown.

Commissioner Lalazarian addressed the situation Thursday morning.

"Managers must understand that the rules are rules for a reason, and nobody is above them, not even a team with as cool a name as Cousteau. Mr. Jaj has failed to follow procedure and so he must now pay for it.  And he will. 'I didn't get the text message is no excuse."

What has caught the ire of the commissioner is that the league made it a point to avoid this type of situation with frequent reminders to managers over the past two months. Subsequently, the league sent out text messages reminding managers to set their keepers the night of the deadline, a text message that Chris says he never received. 

Reports out of AFFL headquarters claim that the Commissioner became "incensed" with Chris's lack of follow through and excuses, and the two "had it out." The situation has escalated to the point that the office requested that Chris hand over his cell phone so the league can examine text messages and phone settings. It is not clear if Chris has followed through with the request. A few people close to the AFFL manager suggested that the phone may have been destroyed in a "jaj accident." Further penalties could be forth coming.

The "Cousteau cover-up" comes at a terrible time as the league is prepares for the 2015 AFFL draft this Friday at 8:30pm at the house of Cousteau.   It remains to be seen if the negative publicity will have an effect on the draft and on the way Chris drafts. It is unfortunate that the team that is hosting the draft is forced to hand over monetary fines despite their hospitality.

But, as Chris puts it, "sometimes you forget to Jaj. It happens. The more important lesson is that you don't forget the second time."

More to cum..

AFFL Franchise Rankings: 2015 Edition

Managers in the AFFL will often claim that, besides Bomba, their team deserves to be recognized as a "successful" franchise. They will profess that they draft exceptionally well, trade players at the perfect time, and if things went wrong, it was because of injuries and never about their managerial skills. Yeah. Sure.

But let's put the managers of these teams aside and just focus on results. Some managers can take a decrepit roster and make the most out of it. Others can ruin a perfectly good situation in the blink of an eye. Whichever the case may be, where they finish at seasons end builds up their franchise's value (or takes it down a notch). The more you win, the better your team's brand is. Rack up losses and sub-five-hundred seasons and those team jerseys wont exactly be flying off the shelves.

So how should we rank the AFFL brands? In this article, we'll attempt to rank each team's franchise based solely on their brand's value. We will take into consideration the end of the year finishes, lifetime record, as well as factor in some caveats such as number of years in the league and whether or not a team has a co-manager (the Prime Time rule) in order to determine which team names have the most impact in the league.

At the end of the day, it's all about what goes on the mantle. Teams aren't considered great because of a great trade here or there, or a how strong of a draft they had. It's about how many trophies you have to show for it. Those trophies or lack there of bolster or hinder a team's brand image, which correlates to the impact a team has on the league.

Let's get at it then. Your 2015 brand value ranking.

The Formula

We looked at every team and the place they finished at seasons end. We gave each place a point value then added those numbers together to render a team's composite place ranking.  Top three finishes were weighed heavier than others. Here is a chart of the scale.  

Basically, each top three finish is valued at a slightly better value than other playoff teams. Finishes that are not in the top six were weighed heavier than those that were. 

Supposing that Team A finished in 3rd, 6th, 8th, and 2nd. They would would have a total place value of 18 (2 +6 +9 +1). 

After gathering the average composite place of Team A, we then took the career winning percentage and converted that to a career win score. We did this by multiplying the lifetime career win percentage of a team into 13, the number of regular season games in any given year.  This gave the team a career win mark placement. 

Let's say Team A was 34-38 over their career, a 47% winning percentage. Multiplying .47 into 13 would give us 6.11. So Team A's career win mark would be 6.11. We did this with every team and created a career win standings, giving each team an overall place of finish. Once we had our standings, we took each place and converted it to a point value, just as we did earlier with their career finishes, and added it to their existing total. Lastly, we divided this number by the total years, plus one, they had been in the league. This gave us a value that included weight for career finishes as well as win/loss record. 

We added all the points together and then divided by the number of years the team was in the league plus one.

Here is the formula

Total composite place mark(all places added by converted point value) + career win mark standing point value (win%x13 converted to point value)/ # of years in the league plus one.

The Parts

Below is a chart with each teams career place finishes, along with the total point value. Click on the image to make it larger.

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Each place is given a Value and added up for a total. Number of years in league are given to give a perspective.

After gathering the Composite place value, we took the career records of all teams in the AFFL and created standings based on career win percentage. We took the career win percentage and multiplied that into 13 to get a total career win mark. Playoff percentages were used to break ties, as well as total number of games played. The chart is below

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Now, converting these ranks into points and adding them to the previous total and dividing by the number of years in the league plus one will give us an overall composite place that includes yearly finishes and career records. 

Here is the final tally and rankings below.

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The above chart shows some interesting facts about our teams. We notice immediately just how good Bomba and Prime Time have been against their peers. Their composite score makes them an odds on favorite to finish in the top 3/4 nearly every season. That is pretty amazing. Hartan and Jaj both rank next, each with different backgrounds. Hartan has been in the league more years, so they will get the benefit of being placed higher. Jaj has been just as good, but has done so in two less years. We have to consider that when assessing their composite 5th place finish. A few more years sample size on Jaj will make the picture clear.

Awesome and Cobra round out the teams that will consistently finish in or near the playoffs. Awesome has the lower win percentage, but has more titles than Cobra, so will be given that as a tie breaker. Cobra has managed a very strong showing in recent seasons, which has helped his cause greatly.

The bottom of the chart showcases teams that have relatively little success in the AFFL. Hangin' and Grabbers both have an average finish of 8/9th place, while Vosgee will finish near the bottom of the standings on most years. All three of these teams have made the playoffs but have rarely done much their, or much over a long period of time.

The interesting group is the middle group of HBK, Sev.i and Diddy, three teams that are sandwiched in among a 7th place composite. This essentially says that they are for the most part, fringe playoff teams, making the playoffs some seasons, and not the others. Their regular seasons can be anywhere from mediocre to good, just not exactly dominating.

Taking all this into consideration, we can now group the teams into tiers based upon the power of their teams name as it pertains to success. Just which team names pack the most punch and are associated with success the most? Find out below.

Here are the tiers for ranking the Franchises, starting from the bottom and working their way up.

The Floor (Tier 7)

Vosgee Gyank

Brand Image - Gotta learn to crawl before you can walk

There isn't much to say here. A whopping 11.5 composite score is very telling of how successful the Vosgee brand has been. Finishing on average at the bottom of the pack isn't something to celebrate. We don't know what Vosgee has to do to crawl back to the top, but victories need to come quick. They have all the makings of a great brand, just without the wins.

The Stool ( Tier 6)

Grabbers United and Hangin' and Bangin'

Brand image - Waiting for the excitement.. yup still waiting.

These two teams have had flashes of success over the years but haven't really put it together for long periods of time. Grabbers United has only recently turned the corner and made the playoffs in two of the last three seasons. The resume has one finals appearance so all is not lost. With a win in '15, they can make significant strides to move up into the next rung. We believe it is possible.

Hangin' has had a similar road as Grabbers. More playoff appearances than GU, but with less success in the postseason. Hangin' has plenty of woulda-coulda seasons, nearly winning the mazoon division one year, and failing to win playoff games the next. Their overall composite speaks to the lack of consistency at performing at a high level, rather than how bad they are. Still, there hasn't been much to get excited about with team Bangin'. We're waiting to hear it. As are they

The Swivel Chair (Tier 5)

HBK, Magnum Sev.i & BDiddy

Brand Image - Flirted with success, but always seems just out of reach.

All three teams in this tier have tasted success at different times, but have left true glory just out of reach. They have all had successful moments in the playoffs and at times had many believing they could win it all. Alas, it was not to be.

HBK had a long period of playoff-less seasons that severely hurt the teams brand. Up until recently, HBK was thought of as a pretender, a franchise that was more a paper tiger than a true lion. However, with a few fourth place finishes in the past few years, the team seems to building up momentum to jump to tier 4. They'll need to win a title under the HBK brand before they can have a seat at the head table.

Magnum Sev.i was one of only a few teams that made the finals, and only one of two that made the finals in their first season. Despite the early success, the franchise hasn't much to show in the way of success. The regular season record has sputtered down to average, and without much definition as to what exactly the franchise is all about, we are still waiting for team stache' to wow us with yearly production. The team will have to win in multiple years and not take time off.

BDiddy has been sporadic with their success. They have managed to be one of only a few teams that have finished in the top three in three consecutive seasons. Despite the top three finish, they haven't had the consistency to leave their mark on the league. They are like a water fountain that goes flat just when you are about to take a drink. We're waiting for the stream to be consistently strong year-in and year-out.

The Rocking Chair (Tier 4)

Cobra Kai & Jaj Cousteau

Brand Image - Sitting on the porch of success, about to come into the main room.

We now enter the winners lists, where the champion brands live. Two of the more recent champions have managed to crawl their way into the top half of the league.

Cobra Kai endured many years of mediocrity and finishing near the bottom only to have an evolution of sorts the last few years. With a title under their belt and a third place finish, Cobra has changed their franchises value in a short amount of time. While the team name now has "top tier" associated with it, there is still much room to improve. In order for the league and their critics to forget about the many years of hardship, the Kai would be wise to finish in the playoffs again for the third year in-a-row. If he does, he may soon be considered elite.

Jaj Cousteau is perhaps the one team that nobody likes to play. They have managed to brand their team as a winner quicker than any other team. Over the past six seasons that the team has been in the league, Cousteau has an impressive resume: A championship, four of six playoff appearances.  It's a small sample size, so we cannot give the current champ a key to the main mess hall just yet. However, there is no doubt that the name "Jaj" is now synonymous with winner.

The Living Room Recliner (Tier 3)

Hartan

Brand Image - Store front items. Really nice. Shiny. But have lost a little bit of luster.

Are these two teams elite? Well it almost seems like they should be, but they've relaxed a bit on their way to the top. Both the squads in this tier have had their fair share of success, but are here for entirely different reasons.

Hartan is the '07 AFFL champion, something that many don't really associate with the team. They have managed to slowly but surely fade into the background of the league despite being one of the few teams that can claim to be an AFFL Champion. Hartan has been consistent in all their years in the league, either consistently mediocre or consistently good. They just haven't been great for an extend long time. By great we mean winning another title. They have tasted success in the playoffs many times, but have yet win a second title to let everyone know they have arrived. They don't have the shine that the teams above them have, and their brand is one that seems to be one that is really really really good. Just not great. Plus, we have to down grade them for having two managers. It's only fair.

The Main Table (Tier 2)

Prime Time and Awesomeness.

Brand Image - Success unlike other teams, despite some blemishes.

In this tier we have two teams that have had much success over the past years, but have lost a little bit of shine along the way.

Awesomeness was once a king in the AFFL. Exploding onto the scene in '08, the team managed to tear apart both divisions on their way to three straight finals; coming away with back-to-back titles in '09-'10. Despite doing what only one other team has ever done, win two championships, the team's brand has lost its shine with horrendous finishes in three of the last four years. There is still a remembrance of the glory years when you think of Awesomeness, so the name hasn't completely evaporated into obscurity, however, if the team doesn't turn the losing seasons around, it may find those glory years to be buried in the veils of time for good.

Prime Time has been one of the most successful managers in the league. Their resume is ridiculous. The team has managed to finish in the top three in six of nine seasons. Wow. Talk about scary good. That kind of consistent winning is impossible to come by.  Thanks to their winning ways, it has almost been ingrained into the minds of others around the league that the Prime Time brand will indeed make the playoffs. However, their success is like a sundae without a cherry on top: no title makes their brand incomplete. Like an uncomfortable erection, Prime Time comes strong, but gets hurt in the end. Just one title will catapult Prime Time's brand into a tier all their own.

The Throne (Tier 1)

Atomic Bomba

Brand Image - With success comes the inevitable task of having to protect the throne. 

It is of no surprise that the top tier features a franchise that has epitomized over the past nine seasons like no other. Six of Nine seasons have found the Atomic Bomba finish in 1st or 2nd place. That is worth repeating. Over nine seasons, the Bomba has finished in the top two six times, with a back-to-back title thrown in. The teams career win percentage ranks number one, and despite not making the playoffs last season, they still carry the reminder of all the years of success very strongly. The Bomba brand is associated with winning and we don't see that changing anytime soon. Either the rest of the league will need to catch up to the four titles the Bomba brand has claimed, or their will have to be a serious drought as it pertains to winning in the coming ten years. Expect the throne to be occupied for a little longer. The real question is.. will there be company coming soon? Hmmm..

AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: BDiddy

BDiddy Baret (middle), Mikey (left), Tiggy (right)

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page

1. BDiddy

History:

• Two 3rd place finishes ('09, '10)
• Made playoffs in four of seven seasons
• Has never won more than eight games in a season (twice)
• Ten wins in last two seasons combined.
• 44-48 lifetime record (48%). 4-4 playoff record (71%)

Since joining the league in 2008, the team named after the famous rap artist Sean Combs, PDiddy, has managed to put together a resume with mixed results, but has been a steady presence in the league none-the-less. After finishing with a lowly 4-9 record during the '08 season, Diddy managed to make the playoffs for the next four seasons straight, collecting two third place finishes in the process. In doing so, the quickly established themselves as a yearly contender. However, with the high comes the low, and Diddy has failed to make the playoffs the last two years, amassing five wins in each season. Even in the years that the team made the playoffs and finished at the top of the group, they only had eight wins and never more. This points to the idea that Diddy hasn't exactly dominated the league. If they want to be considered elite, a nine win season would do wonders.

Some may say that the drop-off from the playoffs is a result of "too many cooks in the kitchen. BDiddy is the only AFFL franchise run by three managers and they get a lot of heck for it. Since adding a third manager to the franchise, Diddy has failed to finish higher than third place. Is Tiggly Wiggly the reason for the lack of success of the team? It would be far fetched to blame the struggles on one manager. Diddy has a unique way of running things and the division of labor falls on all three managers equally.

Where "Buff Daddy" makes his mark is in-season management. The team does a great job of picking up players and making winning moves. If drafting is an art form, than Diddy is Picasso. They have a variety of strategies or "plans" mapped out prior to the draft each season, and quickly shift strategies as players fly off the board. It's fun to watch and highly entertaining.

The team is also very strong in the trade department. Rarely do you see a Diddy trade go sour on them. A great example of this is last season where Diddy capitalized on the uncertainty of the Ray Rice appeal to trade to fleece Cobra Kai of Zach Ertz and Alfred Morris. It was a brilliant move, as Ray Rice didn't play all year and Josh Gordon was a non-factor. In 2013, they pulled the same kind of trade with Prime Time, nabbing Tom Brady for Darryl Richardson who got benched shortly after trading him. It's safe to say that BDiddy wins when it comes to the trade market.

It seemed like every year BDiddy was on the brink of breaking through and winning the AFFL title only to fall short. Recently the team hasn't tasted success like in years past. 2015 could be a chance for the BDaddy to move into the top half of the league in regards to successful franchises. An AFFL title would legitimize the three manager structure, the years of great trading, and all else the team has going for it. A breakout season is always just around the corner. 

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Poor

• None

Schedule = Medium

• x2 = HBK and Hangin'

Draft

Diddy is the only team that doesn't have any great keeper options. This is why jumping the odds and selecting first in the draft was so crucial for them. In so doing, they will have a choice of Lynch or Dez Bryant at the first overall pick. Subsequently, they will then choose thirteenth, or first in the second round, and have top tier RB or WR talent still available. There is also a good chance that Aaron Rodgers will be available at that spot should the team wish to nab the #2 ranked QB. It would be wise for Diddy to load up on a top tier RB in his early picks, as the one area that has plagued him the past two years was the RB department. Lynch would be a fine grab, as would Demarco Murray. Forte is there too. Expect the team to load up on enough talent to feature a balanced roster and be competitive out the gate. This is something that couldn't be said of the team in the past two years. It very well could be said now.

Schedule

Without any keepers, there is no way of knowing how Diddy's core roster will be built, making the assessing of a schedule difficult. Playing HBK and Hangin' twice is a mixed bag, as one team is a playoff team, and the other a lottery team. However, HBK has two keepers in the high rounds (1-3) while Hangin' selects in the top four and has keepers in rounds (4 & 5). Both teams will have a strong core to start, but Hangin' will have two high picks to add to their keepers, potentially making them quite formidable. As for bye weeks, both match-ups versus HBK will be on non-bye weeks, so both rosters will be at full strength. Week eight will be the only week that the Hangin' battle will take place during bye weeks, but their roster will not be affected. All their keepers will be active. Division games are crucial and a strong draft for Diddy will be needed if they hope to have a shot at the postseason. These four games could be tough.

AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: Awesomeness

Awesomeness owner David

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page.

2. Awesomeness

History:

• Back-to-Back champion '09-'10
• Finished top three first three years in league
• Made playoffs in four of seven seasons
• One of two teams to win eleven games in regular season
• Finished in last place back-to-back seasons. two and three win seasons.
• 45-46 lifetime record (49%). 5-2 playoff record (71%)

Hey there Awesomeness! It's been awhile. After exploding onto the AFFL scene with a top two finish in each of their first three years in the league, team amazing has gone ice cold, making the playoffs only once in the past four seasons and finishing dead last in the past two. What happened?  The Awesome one was once dominating the league in all sorts of ways. They were the first AFFL franchise to win back-to-back championships and the first team to win eleven games during the regular season.  After such a hot start for the franchise, it became a forgone conclusion that Awesomeness would be at the top of the AFFL almost every season, battling with the Atomic Bomba for the league title. Both franchises managed to make the finals every year for six straight seasons, squaring off against one another in two. Looking back, it was an incredible feat, one that may not be duplicated for quite some time if at all.

Putting the championships aside, Awesomeness's resume has many blemishes. We have already mentioned the losing seasons, but what is most troubling is the amount of wins in those years. No champion has ever had a season, let alone two, as bad as the one this franchise has produced over the last two years. Five combined wins in that span is very shocking. While bad luck and injuries were the main cause of it, other teams face the same obstacles yearly yet have managed to overcome their crippling situations through trades or FA pick-ups. A strong showing is crucial in 2015 so as to remind the league of just how dominant the Awesome one once was.

Awesome teams are often built with proven veterans that offer very little risk. The squad doesn't make many moves during the season and isn't very involved in the trade market. This could be one of the areas the team may want to address in 2015. Relying heavily on the draft is wonderful if the draft goes well. However once a season begins and the team starts to dig themselves into a hole, action needs to be taken, and that might mean trading away some rewarding pieces to take risks. In the years when the team was successful, they drafted well. In the years where things have gone south, the core that was drafted began to fall apart, but little was done to rectify the situation. Better in-season management will help the squad greatly and more player movement might be the change Awesomeness needs to return to glory.

2015 is a huge year for the team as they look to avoid history and become one of the four AFFL franchise that have gone three consecutive years without making the playoffs. It's company nobody thought would be possible for team Awesomeness after they won back-to-back titles. Fortunately, with relatively solid keepers and an early draft position, the team is positioned to have a great draft; and if history is any guide, should they have a solid draft, the results will be awesome.

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Good

• Adrian Peterson #2
• Deandre Hopkins #59

Schedule = Difficult

• x2 = Cobra Kai and Grabbers United

Draft

With Adrian Peterson out to get revenge on the league after sitting out a year, Awesomeness has himself one of the top RB's in 2015 and a player that he can build around. Hopkins is also nice value in the fifth round and could have a monster year as the only pass catching option in Houston. With two solid players at RB/WR, the team is set-up nicely to build a strong core. The team will draft early in the second round, so more than likely, they will have the option of selecting a top tier WR or RB or perhaps Aaron Rodgers. Nabbing a player like Rodgers to pair with AP will give the team a great safety blanket should the rest of the draft go sour. A top WR, say AJ Green, will also be a great alongside AP. It's a win-win situation early in the draft. We don't think that there is anyway that the team could screw this up.

Schedule

An early peek at the division schedule reveals two very difficult opponents: Cobra and Grabbers. Cobra has been playing well the past few years and will be bolstered with great keepers in the middle rounds. Grabbers will have Luck and Gronk ready to do battle weekly. If Awesomeness hopes to contend in the Mazoon division, they will need to draft well. Match-ups against Cobra won't be effected with bye weeks. Both teams will have all keepers available. The same goes for the match-ups against Grabbers. Looking at week 5, AP's bye week, Vosgee will be at full strength, putting Awesomeness at a slight disadvantage. Hopkins has a bye the week the team plays Hangin' & Bangin' who will have all keepers available. Looks like Awesomeness will have his work cut out for him when in more than a few of their division games.

AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: Magnum Sev.i

Magnum Sev.i owners Danny and Sevag

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page.

3. Magnum Sev.i

History:

• Last team to Join AFFL 2010
• Made playoffs twice in five years (2nd and 3rd place finishes)
• 3 seasons with less than six wins.
• Life time record of around 50% (32-33)
• Historically in the playoff hunt until the last week of season
• Sneaky trader. Takes risks and they pay off.

Respecting the 'stache isn't given, it's earned. Magnum Sev.i earned the respect of the AFFL after they reached the finals in their inaugural year in the league, a feat that only four other teams could claim to have done.  After a down year in 2011, they returned to the post-season in 2012, losing in the semi-finals and finishing in third place, joining three other teams to have a finals appearance and at least a third place finish within three seasons: Bomba, Awesomeness, and Prime Time. That's pretty good company to be with. Sev.i's strong start has slowed down quite a bit of late, as the team has failed to make the playoffs in back-to-back seasons. The young franchise is still making a name for itself, and should they once again manage to finish in the top three or win-it-all in 2015, they will surely be considered to be one of the premier teams in the league.

The MSi brand is built around a conservative approach with timely risk. You won't find MSi selecting players that aren't proven or don't come close to a sure thing. When drafting, the team will often find players that have the biggest upside with low risk (Knowshon Moreno in the 13th anyone?) However, during the season, MSi waits until just the right moment to pull off a trade that will propel him into the postseason. In middle of the 2014 season, the team was struggling to stay relevant.  With a 3-4 record and in dire need of a victory to stay alive in the playoff race, MSi opted to trade their big ticket Calvin Johnson for Emmanuel Sanders despite heavy ridicule from other managers. The trade resulted in a win for MSi that week, and spurred a three game win streak, keeping MSi relevant until the end. It was a move that many managers wouldn't make because of the "name" status of a guy like Calvin Johnson, but MSi has shown he is all about production not personality.

The league considers MSi a formidable team with managers that know what they are doing, but it seems to be an all or nothing proposition with them. If history is our guide, the team will either finish in the top three or have a miserable season. There is no in-between. Having failed to make the playoffs the past two years, MSi is looking to stop the downward spiral and return to their winning ways in 2015. Four teams have gone three seasons or more without making the playoffs (Vosgee, HBK, Cobra, and Grabbers) and we're fairly certain that MSi doesn't want to be included in that group.

As the MSi book is being written, it remains to be seen which title will be headlining the 2015 chapter. Will it be the 'stache is back with a playoff comb or the stache' gets snipped for the third time in a row? With all due respect, we await the answer.

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Poor

• E. Sanders #27

Schedule = Difficult

• x2 = Grabbers and Prime Time

Draft

MSi doesn't have many options when it comes to keepers. Most all of their players would be overvalued if they were kept. Other AFFL teams will have the luxury of building from a solid core of keepers that have great value, but MSi will need to build their team from the ground up. Emmanuel Sanders provides moderate value in the third round, but nothing exceptional. Having the WR locked up in the third, MSi would still be expected to go WR or RB in the first round. The team could elect to draft Aaron Rodgers if they feel comfortable with Sanders as their top wide-out. Selecting third in the draft will also mean that they will get pick number fifteen, as snake drafting doesn't start until at the end of the second round. There will be plenty of great RB/WR combo's avail to the team as well as TE. Fortunately for MSi, they should have enough top talent avail to them at the start of the draft to offset not having many keepers. Of course, the latter rounds are where a teams money is made, and it will be crucial for their draft to be solid until the end to offset a lack of value at the top.

Schedule

MSi faces one of the more grueling division schedules of any team in the AFFL. Both Grabbers and Prime Time were playoff teams last season and enter the 2015 year with great keepers. MSi will need a strong draft in order to ensure that the team can compete against these two squads as both teams should be very formidable. Week 7 is the only week when byes will effect the Grabbers match-up, and MSi will be without Sanders that week while both keepers will be avail for Grabbers. Grabbers has the early advantage. Neither one of the match-ups against Prime Time will effect keepers for either team. We will know more about these rosters as it pertains to bye weeks, but it looks like wins will have to be earned for MSi in the four games he plays within the division this year.

AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: Hangin' & Bangin'

Hangin' and Bangin' owners Dre and Avo

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page.

4. Hangin' and Bangin'

History:

• One of the founding teams of the AFFL
• Made playoffs 4 of last 6 seasons
• 51-53 Lifetime AFFL record (49%) 0-5 in playoffs
• 5 seasons with 6 wins or less including one 4 win season
• Historically involved in the most games decided by less than a point
• Great foresight to trade for great keepers this year: Hill (4th), Evans (5th)

Welcome to team Enigma. After changing there franchise name more than any other team (7 times in 9 years), Team Bangin' remains a mystery. The franchise has had some success in recent seasons, making the playoffs every year between '09-'11, and four of the past six seasons. Only a few teams could claim such a feat. Even after a down year in 2012, the team bounced back to make the playoffs in '13, only to be eliminated in the first round. There in lies the problem. Despite the many playoff appearances the team has yet to win in the post-season. They are the only team with more than two playoff appearances that has zero post-season wins.  Incredible. This ultimately leaves H&B to feel more like a "paper tiger" than a true fantasy lion. Their resume looks great at times, but feels empty. Thus begins the mystery of what this team really is. Are they a winner or a loser? Seems like they are somewhere in-between.

H&B has had the misfortune of being involved in many of close wins and losses in the AFFL, more so than any other team. Nay a season goes by without a scoring change of some kind to a H&B match-up that would lead to a win/loss . In '07, a stat correction helped Bangin' win by less than three-tenths of a point against HBK. In '08 the team beat Varout by .6 points. In '09, a last second dump off to Wes Welker helped H&B beat Bomba by .9. In '12, BDiddy defeated H&B by .64. The list goes on. The narrow losses during these years often cost the team playoff opportunities, which would have drastically changed their image. Instead, H&B remains a team that is either unlucky or merely unable to manage their way to AFFL stardom. We don't believe in curses, but if the team continues to make the post-season and fail to win, we would have to wonder if they are indeed cursed. After all, that was their team name in '07.

Where Hangin' makes their mark is in the trading department. While injuries and other mishaps have happened during a season, the team has done a great job of trying to pick-up via free agency or trade for the right player to remain competitive. The most recent evidence of this is their foresight to trade for Jeremy Hill and Mike Evans last season in hopes of having two great keepers in 2015. The gamble could pay off in a big way, as Hangin' is positioned at the front of the draft and has two great keepers along with three picks in the first three rounds. The knock on the team is that H&B teams fall apart as the season progresses. If they can maintain proper management through the second half of a season and use their foresight to bolster their team just before the playoffs, they could well be on their way to their first post-season victory. The league has been waiting for their arrival for sometime.

2015 is a crucial year for Hangin' if they wish to change their teams image from one of pretender to contender. What exactly will define team Hangin'? Will it be the close losses? Will it be bad luck? Or will it be a new era of success built on smart play? Ladies and gentleman, I present to you.. the enigma. We're waiting to solve the mystery.

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Excellent

• Jermey Hill #40
  
• Mike Evans #56
  
• Travis Kelce #64
  

Schedule = Good

• x2 = Hartan and BDiddy
  

Draft

Jeremy Hill and Evans should be the two keepers kept by H&B. Hill is being drafted in the late first/early second, while Evans is going at the end of the second. Both keepers offer great value in the 4th and 5th round respectively. Kelce could be kept if the team so chooses, but we would think the better play is the RB and WR. With three picks in the first three rounds and two in the top 16 picks, H&B will have a hard time screwing this up. The team can go any direction in the first round, including QB. They will get a crack at the best WR and RBs available at pick 4. In the second round, their embarrassment of riches will give them a lot of versatility. They can grab their QB or TE there or elect to continue building depth at RB/WR. We expect H&B to walk away from the draft with a ridiculous core of players in their first five picks, potentially a top player at each position. Should they play their cards right, they could be very formidable in 2015.  

Schedule

H&B will face off against Hartan and BDiddy twice this season. Each team is radically different in how they enter 2015. Hartan will have ODBJ for a late round keeper and, most likely, Lesean McCoy in the first. BDiddy on the other hand doesn't have a keeper of any value, but has the first pick. Both teams should be solid, but initially, Hartan looks to be the stronger of the two by means of OBDJ. H&B wont get the benefit of bye weeks effecting match-ups against Hartan, as the two square off week 1 and week 12. Both teams will be at full strength those weeks. BDiddy on the other hand comes to town week 8, a week where DeMarco Murray is on bye, should they draft him #1 overall. It is likely however that both those games will not be effected by bye weeks. Week 6 has Mike Evans on bye, the week that H&B plays Bomba. Bomba will have Randle on bye that week, so both teams will lose one player as of now. Prime Time is the match-up when Jeremy Hill is on bye, week 7. PT doesn't have a keeper sitting that game out, so he begins that match-up with a slight advantage.

AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: Vosgereechee Gyank

Vosgee owner Mardig

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page.

5. Vosgereechee Gyank

History:

• Only one winning season in 8 years ('08)

• Three straight seasons with four wins ('12-14)

• Lowest lifetime record of current AFFL teams 40-64.(38%)

• Historically involved in controversial trades.

• Perhaps the best 2015 keeper in Cj Anderson (7th round)

We love the Gyank franchise. It is one of the more uniquely themed brands in the league. However there is just no beating around the bush, it hasn't been a successful brand up until this point. The Gyank has struggled to find winning seasons since joining the league in '07. After making the playoffs with an 8-5 record in '08, the team hasn't been back to the post-season since. What is more disconcerting is the fact that team Gyank hasn't had more than four wins in a season in the last three years. Yikes. Last season marked the first time the team had finished higher than ninth place in five years. With a lifetime record hovering in the high thirties, team two-fist needs to string some winning seasons together or the Gyank brand will be doomed to be the doormat of the league.

While Gyank hasn't effected the league much records wise, the team has been quite a powerful game changer in the trade department. For many years Vosgee was somehow in the center of controversial trades which resulted in an uproar from league managers. Whether it was Pierre Thomas for a waiver spot, or trading Ray Rice for a variety of uninspiring pieces, Vosgee has managed to make his mark on many seasons in a manner that we're sure he never intended. His history of trading could be scrutinized and picked apart, but there are many other managers who have made trades that were worse than his (see Prime Time: Brady for Darryl Richardson). Trading is never a certainty, and at least Gyank isn't afraid to do what he feels is best for his team. Eventually the deals he makes will begin to skew in his favor if they hadn't done so in the past. The law of averages says so.

Despite the lack of success in past seasons, there is much to be optimistic about in 2015. Gyank has never drafted poorly. There have been many years where he exited the draft with a roster that many thought was one of the best in the league (last season was an example). Be it bad luck, injuries, or poor line-up choices,  those rosters never materialized into winning seasons. What gives us hope for Gyank this year is the exceptional value in his keeper and draft position. CJ Anderson in the seventh round is a wonderful get for the "golden knuckles," and he gets the benefit of drafting in the top six and getting two picks in the top sixteen. This sets up very nicely for the teams chances of success. 

We're still waiting on Vosgee to break-out and climb the ladder to the top of the mazoon division, but his time is coming. He may need to change his approach and try something new this year, but eventually, we have faith that Gyank will make his presence known and be a player for the playoffs. Vosgee in da hooouuse? We sure hope so.

 

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Excellent

• Aaron Rodgers #5

• Frank Gore #17

• C.J. Anderson #80

Schedule = Fair

• x2 = Bomba and HBK

Draft

Cj Anderson is one of the best keepers in the AFFL. His seventh round value is exceptional. We know that Gyank will surely keep him. As for his other option, Gyank could keep Aaron Rodgers at pick five and start his draft off with two studs at their respective positions. While the typical drafting strategy usually calls on teams to not select QB's in the first round, with keepers eliminating many of the options in the top 25, it makes sense that quarterbacks inch closer to the top of the draft. Factor in that the AFFL is a six point TD league for QB's and Rodgers as a keeper isn't far fetched at all. Gyank could elect to keep Gore in the second round along with Anderson and draft Rodgers, giving him three pieces. Gore is typically going around that pick, so the value won't be there, but his upside as a Colts Rb still will be. Assuming that Anderson is the only keeper, we would expect Gyank to go either Rodgers in the first or an RB. Demarco or Forte will be available. A WR will be available as well, but Vosgee could get those at any point, including the second round. This is all theory. We don't know what Gyank will do. In either case, he's set up quite nicely.

Schedule

Vosgerechee will square off against Bomba and HBK twice during the season. We don't think that Gyank's squad will be poor, so these match-ups will be battles. Bomba is a lottery team for the first time in six years. We would expect his team to be a tad upset about this and provide much resistance to any opponent. Bye weeks won't be a factor in the match-ups between these two, so we'll call the Gyank vs Bomba battle a push. Games against HBK are the same, full roster of keepers available to both teams. We project HBK to be a strong squad as well. Looking at the week CJ Anderson is on bye, week 7, Jaj Cousteau will have both Brown and Charles active, giving Gyank a slight disadvantage to start. All-in-all, the schedule doesn't seem too daunting for Gyank pre-draft.

AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: Atomic Bomba

Atomic Bomba manager Raffi

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page.

6. Atomic Bomba

History:

• One of the original founding teams

• 4 AFFL titles ('06, '08, '10 '11)

• Finished top 2 in the league 6 of 9 seasons

• Highest AFFL lifetime win percentage 65-39 (62%), 12-3 (80%) playoffs

• 2 seasons with only five wins

• five different seasons with nine wins or more

If team Hartan was the placebo, then the Atomic Bomba is the ideal. The team that nobody likes to talk about is has had the most success out of any other in the league. Along with Awesomeness, Bomba is the only team to win multiple titles and hoist a back-to-back trophy ('10,'11). The Dynasty essentially began in 2008, when the Bomba won the title or finished second in five of six straight seasons ('08-'13). That sort of dominance hasn't been replicated and perhaps won't be for a long time. Bomba gives the rest of the league something to gun for, and gun for the Atomic one they have.  Much of the league's animosity is directed at the franchise in hopes of taking Bomba off the throne. Despite the animosity, the team has put together a lifetime record of 65-39, winning 62% of his games and amassing an 80% playoff win percentage. Quite impressive.

But success hasn't come without failure. There are some blemishes on Bomba's record. He has two seasons where he has had a record of five and eight, meaning that when the team is bad, it's bad. While he has been solid in the trade department over the years for the most part, he has made moves that cost him the playoffs in those lack-luster seasons. Last year, Bomba traded Emmanuel Sanders for rehabbing Calvin Johnson just before Sanders was set to play in a Thursday night game. Bomba was forced to watch as Sanders went bananas in the match-up, scoring four TDs and winning the fantasy match-up for Sev.i. It would end up costing the Bomba a chance at a playoff birth, something that he regrets to this day. And after bidding a heavy amount of FAAB for a Raider wide receiver in week 9 last season, its safe to say he's still figuring this new free agent system out.

Where the Bomba has made his bread and butter is the draft. Not afraid to take risks and draft in a manner others wouldn't, the dynasty of the Bomba is founded on the principle of "explosive players." The team has regularly found late round gems that have propelled the team to the top in many seasons (Ap rookie year, Deangelo, Hillis, Gordon). The team's draft strategies could include all possibilities, from drafting three WR's in the first three rounds ('09) or taking all the falcons offensive players in rounds one through  three ('12).

The Bomba failed to meet expectations last season for the first time in five years. Will he be held out of the playoffs for the first time in consecutive years? Odds are against it. History tells us that no matter what happens, you must always beware the Bomba.

 

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Good

• Carlos Hyde #31

• Joseph Randle #79

Schedule = Fair

• x2 = Vosgee and Hartan

Draft

Should Joseph Randle keep the reigns on the starting job in Dallas, he will most certainly be a member of the Atomic Bomba at a seventh round value. Hyde is a question mark, as his keeper spot doesn't really offer much value and perhaps could be had later in the round. It will be interesting to see what Bomba decides to do. Assuming he keeps both RBs, we'd expect the team to go WR in the first round. However, there could be a solid WR option at his second pick and the team could elect to draft RB/QB in the first, and pick up a top tier WR in the second. It will depend on how comfortable the team feels with Hyde and Randle or just Randle as the starting RBs. Having the sixth pick in the order will give Bomba the ability to control what happens in the draft. His choices in the middle round will effect what happens on both edges of the snake style selection process.

Schedule

The team will face Vosgee and Hartan twice during the season. Vosgee is a lottery team like Bomba, but has a very solid keeper. Hartan has one as well. Many would think that the Gyank could be a push-over given his history, but don't be so sure. With a solid keeper and early picks in the first two rounds, chances are his team will be strong. Furthermore, he'll face Bomba weeks one and thirteen, meaning both teams will be at full strength (granted Vosgee has a 1-9 record lifetime versus Bomba, but that's neither here nor there). Hartan has ODBJ as a keeper, but will face Bomba on a week when he is on bye. This will put his team at a slight disadvantage. Bomba could have an edge here. Looking at the weeks that SF and Dallas are off, weeks ten and six respectively, Bomba will face Hangin' who would presumably be without Mike Evans, and Jaj, who will be at full strength. Early on, it looks like the bye weeks help Bomba on two occasions.

AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: Hartan

Hartan owner Harout and Vartan

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page.

7. Hartan

History:

• 2007 AFFL Champion (10 team)
• 4 straight playoff appearances. Inc. 3 straight semi-final games '11-'13
• Third highest AFFL lifetime win percentage 58-46 (55%)
• 3 straight years without a winning record '08-'10
• Draft strategy is very solid, with value based drafting
• One of the best keepers in '15, Odell Beckham Jr round 8.

Every science test must have a placebo. A constant. Something to act as a baseline for which all things can be measured. In the AFFL, with teams that can go from conservative to wild, Hartan is team consistent. They are the AFFL's placebo. Their history is full of 8th place finishes and consistent playoff production. Four straight seasons making the post-season with three fourth place finishes is evidence of this. Sprinkle in three straight seasons before that where the team finished in 8th place every year, and you have predictability with consistency. AFFL's Ph 7.4? I give you, team Hartan.

While many teams may opt to reach for rookies or high risk players, Hartan's teams typically center around low risk moves. Theirs is a conservative approach centered around proven production, veterans with a track record. That doesn't mean that they don't take risks, but will often mitigate their risk with strength at the position they are taking a gamble on. Their draft strategy has been successful in recent years, as they have reached the playoffs the last four seasons, finishing in fourth place three of those years.

Hartan has fairly solid in-season management, with solid pick-ups that help maintain depth. When it comes to trading, they are always active, but at times have miscalculated their own teams needs. In 2013, Hartan was struggling at the QB position as Matt Ryan was failing to live up to expectations. In need of help at the position, they traded Jamaal Charles for Drew Brees. While the players were comparable in value, they were not when it comes to their value in respect to their position. Losing a top Rb wasn't worth the QB help, as other Qb's could have been had for cheaper. Granted, the team did make the semi's but eventually lost to the team they traded with.

What is often not mentioned is that Hartan is an AFFL champion, winning the league crown during the 2007 season. However, that was in a 10 team format, and team two-face hasn't been back to the finals since. We may have to ask whether or not Hartan will ever return to the finals. Are they just a team that will always be good and not great? Having two managers can at times be more of a burden than a benefit. When two cooks are in the kitchen there is a greater chance that the stew can be ruined. It's fair to wonder if there have been times when the team would have gone all the way but didn't because of a decision compromised due to Hartan not seeing eye-to-eye.

With their level of consistency and proven track record, it's safe to put Hartan in the top four of AFFL teams, and one could argue that they could be higher. With a solid keeper in Odell Beckham Jr. for the 2015 season, team two-face is set-up nicely to have a successful run at their first twelve team title. That is if they can make sure to get out of their own way.

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Excellent

• LeSean McCoy #7
• Odell Beckham Jr #91

Schedule = Fair

• x2 = Hangin' and Bangin' and Bomba

Draft

LeSean Mccoy and Odell Bekcham Jr are the two most likely keepers for Hartan. While it is conceivable that McCoy could be released back into the draft pool, Odell Beckham will certainly be kept. With great value out of ODBJ as an eighth round keeper, Hartan can go any which way he wants in the early rounds. Typically, they have held off on QB in the early rounds and will more than likely take the best RB/WR avail with their 2nd round pick. You can almost rest assured that they will do the same in the fourth round. With pick seven Hartan will be able to choose twice before the person behind him, Grabbers, picks at all. This is a nice advantage to have. We don't think that Hartan can do much of anything wrong in the draft given their position, but it will be interesting to see if they remain conservative in their player approach or take more risk being that they are already a leg up with ODBJ.

Schedule

Hartan gets two match-ups against two teams that may have better-than-you-thought chances of doing things in 2015. Hangin' has two very good keepers along with two picks in the top sixteen. Bomba is the most successful franchise in the AFFL and has earned the right to be labeled a threat in any season. Both these teams will be formidable, which makes the four games that Hartan has to face between these two a mixed-bag. Looking at the bye weeks, Hangin's match-ups don't fall on any bye weeks, so they'll be at full strength. Bomba gets a week five and eleven tilt versus Hartan. While week five won't effect either teams keepers, week eleven is the week OBDJ is on bye. Hartan will lose a keeper for that week. The team will also lose McCoy week 8 where Hartan plays Vosgee. Vosgee will have all keepers available.

AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: Grabbers

Grabbers Owner Sassoon

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page.

8. Grabbers United

History:

• 2012 AFFL Runner-up
• 2 playoff appearances last three years
• Second lowest lifetime win percentage 40-51 (43%)
• 4 losing seasons of less than six wins. One with only two wins
• Improved drafting has lead to recent success
• Two solid keepers in Luck and Gronk sets up 2015 well

Forgive the pun, but when you've hit bottom, there is no where to go but up. Grabbers United is a team that began its AFFL career with a tight grip on finishing in close to last place. Out of the first four seasons in the league, Grabbers would only claim a winning season once, and failed to make the playoffs in any of those years. It took some time for team United to figure out how to build a winning roster, and those tough years would soon provide the soil for which Grabbers would blossom out of.

In 2012, Grabbers got a taste of the AFFL sweet life, as they managed to squeak into the playoffs for the first time and ride the momentum all the way to the title game. While they didn't win-it-all, a successful season was much needed to bolster the teams confidence and redo his lowly image.

The success of the 2012 season would come back again last year, when the franchise found its way back into the playoffs thanks to the arm of Andrew Luck. With risky draft moves and free agent pick-ups, Grabbers didn't just have luck on his side, he managed his team exceptionally well. It was a welcomed site to others in the league who had written Grabbers off as a "weak" franchise.

Grabbers strength lies in his "ignorance is bliss" strategy of drafting. It can be argued that too much information about anything is not good. Grabbers isn't the most knowledgeable teams in the AFFL when it comes to  the draft, but that sometimes works in his favor. While everyone else is going by what experts predict, Grabbers isn't afraid to trust his gut on guys. Take for example last season. Without an RB in the first four rounds, many around the AFFL thought that Grabbers would fall apart. Taking Luck in the fourth gave Grabbers no shot at any worthy RBs. Add to that the fact that he drafted Mark Ingram, an Rb that was thought of as a bust and doesn't catch passes, and team United was building their team that was "anti-expert." Staying true to his risk averse ways, he then went out and spent half his FAAB budget on Justin Forsett early in the season when he hadn't proved much. Again he was mocked for going against the "experts." In the end, Grabbers had the last laugh, as he formed a strong team and managed his way from a lottery team to a playoff team. He deserves all the credit for his managerial skills. It was well done.

Looking forward into 2015, Grabbers has the chance to have a great season. The team will need to build on their success and make the playoffs for consecutive years before it can truly be considered a player in the league. However, things are definitely looking up for team United and a few more winning seasons will force everyone to forget where Grabbers started: at the bottom.

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Very Good

• Rob Gronkowski #8
• Dez Bryant #8
• Andrew Luck #20

Schedule = Good

• x2 = Magnum Sev.i and Awesomeness

Draft

Grabbers enters the draft with solid keeper options. It doesn't get much better than getting to keep the #1 QB last year at the 20th pick, so expect Luck to be kept. As for the first round pick, Grabbers has two ways he can go. If he opts to keep Dez because he is weary of keeping a TE that early, he would set himself up with a top 3 WR at pick 8. Not bad. If he elects to keep Gronk, he'll begin the draft with two players at the top of their respected positions. It's a win-win. We would think that Gronk would be the keeper of choice in the first round, then the be best avail RB/WR in round three. Grabbers could have the most difficult task of any manager, as they will be without a pick until after twenty-five selections have gone by.  He may not have the crazy value other teams have, but he has great players. Definitely something to build on.

Schedule

The two division opponents that Grabbers will play twice, Magnum and Awesomeness, aren't two of the strongest teams in the league, but they will provide a challenge. Awesomeness gets to keep AP and has Hopkins in the 5th round, a solid value. Magnum is a bit weaker with only Sanders as a 3rd round keeper. Looking at bye weeks, Grabbers will square off against Awesomeness during week 8, a week where neither team is effected. Magnum will come in week seven, and will be without Emmanual Sanders, giving Grabbers a leg-up in that game. Looking at when Grabbers is effected by byes, week 4 and week 10, neither of the teams they play those weeks (Vosgee and Hartan respectively) will be hurt with keepers sitting out. Those may be tough match-ups for Grabbers to win, depending on how he drafts.

AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: HBK Shant Michaels

HBK owner Shant Apelian

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page.

9. HBK Shant Michaels

History:

• One of the leagues founding members
• 2006 Champion with Bomba
• 4th place finish 3x
• Failed to make playoffs '09-'12
• 6 of 9 seasons finished with six wins or less.
• Isn't afraid to draft Rookies.
• Solid Keepers over the past two seasons.

When we ask the question, who is the league's "flashiest" manager, there is only one answer: HBK. Since '08 HBK has had a flair for the dramatic and a brand that is all about respecting the styles of his idol, Shawn Michaels. In true HBK fashion, Michaels' teams have been about players who have flash, and that "sex appeal." It's this kind of approach that has left HBK without much sustained success over the past years. Since venturing on his own in the '07 season, team "sexy boy" has only had three winning seasons, winning only four games in two seasons, and failing to win six games in two-thirds of the time. That's not good. Because of this, It's easy to forget that manager Shant was a co-champion in with Bomba in '06. The good news is that despite failing to make the playoffs in four years straight, HBK has seen the post-season in the last two, reaching the semi-finals in 2013. This is something to build on.

HBK teams are a blend of a conservative and radical approach. Seemingly stubborn to move on many trades early in the season, the team often becomes a player in the trade market late. With the flair for the dramatic, HBK has been known to make his presence known during draft day, and typically takes risks on players others wouldn't, namely rookies. Eddie Lacy was one such risk that has turned into a two year keeper, as was Alshon Jeffery.  Despite the drafting abilities, the team is fairly strong in-season, and will make roster moves that help sustain a competitive edge. What has been lacking in HBK's department is foresight. Often times, when faced with tough decisions or risky choices, the team is afraid of making the wrong move, and so makes no move at all. A perfect example of this was his decision to stay with Stafford in the 2013 semi-finals despite reports of a snow game. Conversely, Bomba benched Kurt Warner in 2008 for Shaun Hill when the weather in New England called for snow. The decision won Bomba the title. Not benching Stafford cost HBK a chance at a title.

Expect things to get better for team sexy boy. He hasn't peeked as a franchise yet, and needs to continue making the playoffs to help the league forget the dark years of playoff-less football. If he can manage to make the right choices and take enough risk, his entire brand will benefit from it.

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Good

• Eddie Lacy #9
• Alshon Jeffery #28

Schedule = Good

• x2 = Vosgee Gyank and BDiddy

Draft

Eddie Lacy and Alshon Jeffery are almost locks to be kept by HBK when the draft roles around. Both players are elite and offer good enough value for where they are being kept. Selecting at the ninth spot will mean that HBK is going to be the first pick of the back third of the draft, where Cobra, Prime and Jaj await. Watching them battle for picks will be very interesting. With HBK's history of poaching rookies, we would expect that a few of those players won't make the latter half of the draft more times than not. With an RB and WR locked up in rounds one and three respectively, HBK has the option of going with any position in round two. Typically, based on his history, an RB would be where the Michaels will lean, and Gordon, Gurly, Spiller or Morris could be had. If he elects to go WR, Kelvin Benjamin or Andre Johnson. We don't anticipate a quarterback to go early to HBK, but you never know.

Schedule

Based on last years finishes, HBK gets to play Vosgee and BDiddy twice. Both teams were lottery teams, and while don't expect them to both be horrible, based on last years records, this is an advantage for HBK. Neither of the match-ups with the teams will benefit HBK, as they mostly occur outside the bye weeks. Week 10 is when Vosgee comes to town, but all keepers will be active. Unfortunately, HBK didn't luck out with the keepers' bye weeks, as both the Bears and Packers are on bye the same week, week 7. That week, Bomba, the team HBK plays will be at an advantage. Otherwise, the four games against the two division opponents in the Dolma division should be winnable depending on how well HBK drafts.

AFFL Team Pre-Draft Preview '15: Cobra Kai

Cobra Kai owner Sayyad

For the next twelve days, the AFFL will give you a break down of each manager and preview their 2015 Fantasy season. We will take a look at what the team has done up to this point, their current keeper situation, and take an early look at how the difficulty of their schedule. Teams will be previewed in reverse draft order, starting with 12 and ending at 1. You can further see more about each manager and team by clicking on the teams tab and visiting each team page.

10. Cobra Kai

History:

• 2013 AFFL Champion
• 2014 3rd place finish
• Has made playoffs 4 of 8 years
• Has won 9 games during regular season only once.
• Has routinely had great quality keepers over past two years.
• Analytics used to determine best draft strategy
• Shrewd trade dealer. Once had five separate multi-player trades in two day span

Cobra Kai has become a viable force in the AFFL rather quickly, coming out of nowhere to win the league title in 2013 and becoming the first non-Lalazarian team to do so since Hartan did it in 2007.  Prior to the 2013 season, Cobra had gone three season without making the playoffs, and had only one victory in the post-season in the years between '07-'09. His history isn't one that showcases much dominance over a long period of time  (54-51 lifetime record; 51% winning percentage; 5-4 playoffs). In fact, he has won at least nine games during the regular season only once, while all other AFFL Champs and Prime Time have done it multiple times: Bomba (5), Prime (3), Hartan (2), Awesome (2), Jaj (2). Critics may add all this up and say his AFFL title was merely a flash in the pan. Then again, Kai could just now be finding himself. Since the AFFL turned into a keeper league, Cobra has relied heavily on analytics to guide his team to the top, and its worked. He is often times one of the most tuned in managers in the league, and crunches the numbers as well as or better than anyone else. Entering the 2015 season, Kai has plenty of keeper of options and is viewed as one of the teams that shouldn't be taken lightly on anyone's schedule.

Cobra makes his money during the season, primarily with his in-season management. While he hasn't drafted terribly in years past by any means, his in-season roster moves and trades are what have typically defined the Cobra brand. Weekly starting line-ups hardly have big points wasted on the bench. Kai works the phones like nobodies business, frequently exploring trades to make his teams better every week. He's one of the shrewdest traders in the business, frequently exploring multi-team and multi-player deals. It was this kind of work that resulted in his championship in 2013. You can rest assured that as the trade deadline approaches, Cobra will use whatever leverage he has to improve his roster for one final playoff push.

With a title under his belt, and a third place finish last year, Cobra can further solidify his place at the head table with another strong finish in 2015. He has established himself as one of the top teams in the league, and if he can continue to show sustained success, he will quickly move into the realm of elite.

2015 Preview

Potential Keepers = Good

• Jordy Nelson Pick #22
• Lamar Miller Pick #52
• Jordan Matthews #71

Schedule = Medium

• x2 = Jaj Cousteau and Awesomeness

Draft

Jordy Nelson should be one of the keepers Cobra hangs onto prior to the draft, and we anticipate he will do just that. Pick number twenty-two is good value for one of the top WRs in the game. Depending on Kai's draft strategy, he could elect to keep either Lamar Miller or Jordan Matthews. Lamar Miller could be had in the fourth round, so it's possible that Kai will keep Matthews and draft Miller to retain both. The interesting part of the draft will be watching The last four teams, HBK, Cobra, Prime, Jaj battle it out for picks. All four have similar situations, with one RB and one WR as a keeper. Cobra may elect to do what everyone else isn't doing in the back four and that might not be a bad idea. At pick #10, we'd expect Cobra to select any position, including quarterback. A Rodgers to Jordy combo would be very tempting. If he chooses to go with a WR, Megatron should be there for the team to select.

Schedule

Bye weeks are crucial to any team, and by the looks of things. Cobra will face both Jaj and Awesomeness with all keepers available. Cousteau's team could be very strong with Brown and Charles, and despite the poor showing the last few years, Awesomeness has AP and Hopkins as keepers. Both teams won't be push-overs come the regular season. Looking at Cobra's keeper's byes, he will face Sev.i week five without Lamar Miller, Hartan week 7 without Jordy Nelson, and Bomba week 8 without Jordan Matthews. All those teams will have keepers intact, so Kai will be at a slight disadvantage in those games as it sits now. Of course, this is an extremely early look and more will be known after the draft. As it stands now, Cobra looks to have a fairly mixed bag when it comes to ease of schedule.