Around the League – Week 9
Two Jims, One Throne, a Half-Point Heartbreaker, and a Paper Bag Full of Problems
Nine weeks into the Soleil Fantasy Football season, and things are getting interesting. The AFC has a Pigskins problem, the NFC has a Jim who apparently forgot how to lose, and somewhere in the league, Eric is still trying to find an extra 0.53 points.
With 24 teams battling for bragging rights, Week 9 delivered everything we love about fantasy football: dominant performances, heartbreaking losses, impressive winning streaks, and a few managers who might want to avoid checking their scores until next Sunday.
The Battle for Soleil Supremacy
There’s a new sheriff atop the overall standings, and his name is Jim Meeder.
Jim’s 2-Min Drill improved to 8-1, claiming the No. 1 overall ranking with 1,123.96 season points and an impressive eight-game winning streak.
But don’t start engraving the trophy just yet.
Diane’s Pigskins are also 8-1, sitting second overall after posting a league-leading 138.64 points in Week 9. Diane now has three consecutive victories and remains firmly in control of the AFC.
The two conference leaders are separated by just 41.48 season points.
Jim may have the throne, but Diane is standing nearby with a football and a very convincing argument.
And let’s not forget Eric’s Buzzing Jackets, sitting third overall at 7-2 while leading the entire 24-team league with 1,154.50 points scored.
That’s right. Eric has scored more points than anyone in Soleil, yet somehow finds himself looking up at two teams in the standings.
Fantasy football has never been particularly interested in fairness.
The Half-Point Heard Around Soleil
If Week 9 had a signature moment, it belonged to Carol and Eric.
Carol’s Ground & Pound defeated Eric’s Buzzing Jackets by the microscopic score of 121.74 to 121.22.
A difference of 0.52 points.
Carol didn’t just win the closest game in either conference. She also posted the NFC’s highest score of the week and snapped Eric’s four-game winning streak.
Imagine scoring 121.22 points, feeling pretty good about your lineup, and then discovering that Carol found an extra half-point hiding somewhere in the couch cushions.
Eric probably would have preferred a 40-point blowout. At least then he could have turned off the television and gone to bed.
Instead, he’ll spend the week wondering whether one more receiving yard could have saved his Sunday.
Carol improves to 7-2, joining the crowded group chasing Jim for the NFC lead.
Eric remains 7-2 as well, although his blood pressure may have a considerably worse record.
Diane Wins the Weekly Scoring Crown
While Carol and Eric were arguing over decimal points, Diane was busy putting up the biggest number in Soleil.
The Pigskins scored 138.64 points, defeating Steve’s Let’s Go!! squad, 138.64 to 92.38.
That’s 46.26 points of separation and another reminder that Diane is not particularly interested in close games.
Steve, meanwhile, has now lost five straight and sits at 1-8.
Diane’s performance earns her the Week 9 Soleil Scoring Crown, with Carol’s 121.74 and Eric’s 121.22 rounding out the week’s top three.
Denise and John Bring the Wrecking Balls
Two managers apparently missed the memo about keeping games competitive.
In the AFC, Touchdown Dance Denise crushed Brian’s Brown Paper Baggers, 120.26 to 64.16, producing the largest winning margin anywhere in Soleil this week: 56.10 points.
Over in the NFC, John Fowler’s FowlBall handled Dan’s Waddle We Talking About Here, 100.66 to 54.42, a 46.24-point victory.
Brian and Dan combined for 118.58 points.
To put that into perspective, Carol scored 121.74 all by herself.
That’s right. One manager outscored two entire teams combined.
Brian may need a stronger paper bag, and Dan might want to check whether his players knew there was a game scheduled.
Denise improves to 6-3, while John moves to 7-2 with six consecutive victories.
Both are looking dangerous. Brian and Dan, meanwhile, are looking for answers.
The Streaks Are Getting Serious
A few managers are making winning look suspiciously easy.
Jim Meeder leads the way with eight consecutive victories, followed by John Fowler with six.
In the AFC, Deb’s Gray-t Gridiron has won five straight, while Jim Kappes’ Fantasy Force has won four.
David McCleskey’s Senior Football has quietly put together three consecutive victories and improved to 6-3.
And then there’s Dave, whose five-game winning streak ended courtesy of Jim Kappes.
Apparently, Out of My Way doesn’t work when Jim refuses to move.
With both conferences tightening up, these winning streaks are becoming more than bragging rights. They’re shaping the race toward the postseason.
Richard Wins the AFC Nail-Biter
Not every close game involved Carol and Eric.
Overtime RICHARD edged Rick’s Motor City Cats, 100.30 to 96.56, a margin of just 3.74 points.
In most weeks, that would be the kind of finish everyone talks about.
Unfortunately for Richard, Carol and Eric decided to settle their matchup with the fantasy equivalent of a photo finish.
Still, a win is a win. Richard improves to 5-4, while Rick drops to 3-6 after a third consecutive loss.
Richard gets the victory. Rick gets another week of wondering what went wrong.
Kenneth Walker III Steals the Player Spotlight
For once, the AFC and NFC agree on something.
Kenneth Walker III earned Best Performing Player honors in both conferences with 34.3 fantasy points.
That’s the kind of performance that can make a fantasy manager feel like a genius, even if the decision to start him was simply because everyone else was injured.
At the opposite end of the spectrum, the AFC recognized Adonai Mitchell for a score of 0, while the NFC featured Mike Washington Jr. at -0.3 points.
Negative points deserve special recognition.
It’s one thing to contribute nothing. It’s another to actually subtract from your team’s total.
Some players help you win. Others make you wonder whether leaving the roster spot empty would have been a better strategy.
The Other End of the Standings
While the leaders are dreaming about championships, several teams are having a very different kind of season.
Brooke View Trailblazers (Sheila and Mitch) sit at 1-8 and occupy the No. 24 spot overall.
Dan’s Waddle We Talking About Here is also 1-8, sitting 23rd after scoring the league’s lowest Week 9 total of 54.42 points.
Chris on 3 and Steve’s Let’s Go!! round out the other two 1-8 teams.
There is still time to finish the season with some pride, spoil somebody else’s playoff hopes, and remind everyone that even a struggling team can ruin a contender’s Sunday.
Besides, somebody has to keep the waiver wire interesting.
Looking Ahead: The Race Is On
With Week 9 in the books, Soleil has two 8-1 conference leaders: Jim Meeder in the NFC and Diane in the AFC.
But the chasing pack isn’t exactly small.
Eric, Deb, Jim Kappes, Carol, and John are all 7-2, waiting for an opportunity to move up. Denise, David McCleskey, and Dave aren’t far behind at 6-3.
One upset could shake up the entire top ten.
One missed catch could change a playoff race.
And as Eric learned this week, sometimes half a point is all that separates celebration from staring silently at your phone.
Week 10 is coming, and nobody is safe.
Except perhaps the managers facing Brian or Dan.
But even they should probably set their lineups.
Until next week, may your starters stay healthy, your bench stay quiet, and your opponents forget to check their injury reports.