We are almost 20% done with the fantasy season and I feel pretty clueless about how everything is going to turn out. It’s been a bit of a bizarre year… well that except a certain team from a certain east coast region has been putting up major points. I’ve got a shorter opener this week because I got to get back to work, but for your entertainment (and dismay in some cases), here are your definitive, objectively correct, and obviously right power rankings heading into week 4:
Week 4 Power Rankings
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Brandon McManus - @mikeastock . After years (yes, YEARS) of hyping this team up, it is time to give them some next-level loving in the power rankings. I DO NOT want to play against Todd Gurley or Jordy Nelson or Mike Evans or Russell Wilson going to Indianapolis. Mike has a slight edge as top in PF in our league - helped by his league-high 138.2 points this past week. While the team may not be as studly in its bench players, the only way you get points on a week-to-week basis is it’s starters, and I like this team’s starters. (Last Week’s Rank: 3. Trending UP 2)
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Brady is Bae and Bae is life - @Alex . Well… this. New England is in Carolina this week. Maybe the Panthers can stop that young, inexperienced play-caller of the Boston team. Crabtree has Denver, so there’s that. I’ve got nothing else for this team. We’ll just stop. (Last Week’s Rank: 8. Trending UP 6)
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Santa Barbara Sailors - @jonathan . So far these rankings have gone in order of points for (though other things were considered as well). A big reason for these first three teams is that there is a decent gap between the points they’ve scored and the rest of the league. Like Gurley, I do NOT want to play against Kareem Hunt until otherwise noted. Cam plays the Pats, but the other QBs have good matchups this week. Montgomery gets the Bears. I suspect continued success for this team this week. (Last Week’s Rank: 1. Trending DOWN 2)
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TEAM DYNASTY - @IanC . One of only two teams to go up against 100+ points every week so far, things do not get easier with Mike on the schedule. The Bills have been good against the run (Freeman) and Bell has to play the Ravens, but hey, maybe they’ll look bad again for this week. This team is full of guys I really like to watch play, but the matchups aren’t great and the opponent will be a tough one. (Last Week’s Rank: 4. Weeks at #4: 2)
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San Francisco Eagles - @awmelman . This ranking assumes Melvin Gordon plays this week. Aaron Rodgers + Dalvin Cook + M. Gordon + Tyreek Hill (WR4) is a pretty good place to be. This team is like Stock-lite where the starters can put up some huge numbers, but the bench depth isn’t amazing. But all you need is 10 starters to get you points each week and the players I’ve listed can put up some huge numbers for this team. (Last Week’s Rank: 6. Trending UP 1)
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Maclin My Way Downtown - @ventura . The matchups this week are pretty glorious for this team. This team has every reason to put up a W this week. After a hot start, this squad was in jeopardy of being lowest score, but as far as this league is concerned, Ezekiel Elliot exists only to bail Ventura out. That’s a pretty good solution for a bail out however, and this team remains in the playoff hunt. I mean… everyone is still at this point, but that’s just a detail… (Last Week’s Rank: 5. Trending DOWN 1)
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Hyde Your Emotion - @ianamunrud . I have a connection with this team on a personal level. Not just an owner-with-the-same-name kind of a connection, but a what-the-heck-is-going-on-my-boys-are-not-playing-their-best-football connection. It’s been a topsy turvy year so far in all of fantasy football and the Ian’s are seeing that play into their records. HOWEVER, there is plenty of good here and I suspect a “trending up” label next week. Why? New OC in Cincy wants to give AJG the ball. Also, Ajayi gets a dose of New Orleans. Usually that’s a good medicine after a poor performance. (Last Week’s Rank: 2. Trending DOWN 5)
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All Aboard the Wentz Wagon - @chasenrogers . What a great comeback win for The People’s Champion this past week! Let’s enjoy it as we prepare for the week ahead. This ranking is definitely impacted by the loss of Sproles. The next-man-up at RB for this team is…um… hmm. Alfred Morris has 0.1 points this year. Latavius Murray has 1.7. Yeldon has 0, as does McFadden. So Gio Bernard it is! The good news? If the Bengals play from behind like they should be, Bernard could be on the field a lot this year. Also the Elliot case looms, so McFadden may yet be a necessary asset as this team pushes for the postseason later in the year. Let’s give some draft credit to this team though. Wentz is QB6 and Fournette is RB5 this far into the season. Baldwin goes to Indy (but may be hurt), and Larry can always give you a comeback win. There is still hope here, especially with a 2-1 start! (Last Week’s Rank: 7. Trending DOWN 1)
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The Free Spirits - @PaulDawg . Here’s the deal with this team: The JAGS are the #2 defense in fantasy. My boy Will Lutz is killing it at kicker. And Alshon Jeffery / Terrelle Pryor Sr. are their QB’s go-to guys from what I’ve seen. Oh yeah, STEFON DIGGS is fantasy’s #1 WR. Plus or minus matchups, this team’s WR core is set. With three startable QBs (two of them good dynasty QBs), this team is looking better this year than it did last year and on the whole is trending up. We’ll be looking for some of that wildcard RB play to get them moving up these rankings in no time. (Last Week’s Rank: 9. Weeks at #9: 2)
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Tom Brady is My Daddy - @gbhart . The difficulty of running a team while away from the states cannot be understated. The good news: No matter which way the wind blows in that Titans offense, Garrett has the RB for the job. That should always be a point-giving spot if he picks the right guy. Also, did anyone watch PIERRE GARCON go nuts for the Thursday game this past week? I loved it! Hoping for that all season long. Also Watson is trying to get the ball to Hopkins, so there are opportunities for points on this team for sure. Tyrod goes to Atlanta and Dalton goes to Cleveland, so QB play should be strong this week as well. (Last Week’s Rank: 10. Week’s at #10: 3)
As always, I wish each of you success in your endeavors in fantasy and reality this week. You are each dear to me and having fantasy football as a means to stay in touch with you at all the crazy stages of life we are in means the world to me. May joy be yours all through the week.
Blessings.