It’s the halfway point of the regular season already, so let’s take a gutcheck look at each team from the top to the bottom of the standings.
KEY (10.5 FFL points) – The Longfellows posted this year’s highest score (so far) in week one, reeled off a 5-game winning streak out of the gate, and has remained atop the point standings from the outset. With starters like Kenneth Walker, Drake Maye, Trey McBride, Christian Watson (Bowers, Jefferson, etc.) there’s a scary high ceiling for this team.
NCT (10 FFL points) – The Thorobreds have only finished in the bottom half of weekly scores ONCE this year so far, and are second only behind Keystone in overall points. Josh Allen is a beast. New Chester has remarkably made no transactions up to this point.
CTW (8.5 FFL points) – The Wildcats are third in the standings, third in overall points, and on a 4-game winning streak. A solid team with positional depth at mid-season, but is there a discernible plan at QB (Bryce-Kyler-Shough???).
DAL, MIA and CHI (8 FFL points each) – Few guessed Joe Burrow would be the #2 scoring QB at the halfway point, but the Armadillos are riding him and a deep stable of receivers (Puka, Tetairoa, Malik, Warren …) into solid contention. With Jacobs and Mason returning from IR/inactive, Dallas might have another booster yet to kick in. The Muffdivers are riding the core of players that put them in last year’s Fantasy Bowl, including the RB combo of Christian McCaffrey and James Cook. The Mud lost 3 of the 4 games in weeks that Caleb Williams didn’t play and are still looking for consistency from their receiving corps.
FFL, BLF, OCD (7 FFL points each) – The Froglickers and Blowfish met in the 2024 Fantasy Bowl and the Beach Dudes won the title in 2023. All three franchises are trying to plug some holes to remain in contention this year. The Froglickers have lost 3 of their last 4 while juggling injuries to Lamar and Saquon, but Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Amon-Ra St. Brown remain elite. The Blowfish have a high ceiling but also have questions at QB; and then along came Tony Pollard (really … where did that come from!?!??). The Beach Dudes took a blow losing Davante Adams for 5 weeks — he was Orange County’s only consistent receiver to this point.
PHI, BOB (5 FFL points each) – The Griffins are struggling to defend their championship. Injuries have played a role, and so has bad luck — the Griffins scored 100+ points in back-to-back weeks and suffered losses (to CTW and KEY) each time. As for the Big Bang, they are more than struggling to defend their overall points championship. Oregon has been no higher than 9th overall in points and is the 2nd-lowest scoring team at the QB position. Running backs and receivers the Big Bang selected in the draft have contributed a grand total of 37 combined points so far this season.
HVV (3 FFL points) – At the beginning of the season the RB combo of David Montgomery, Omarion Hampton, and Jeremiyah Love looked strong, but this running back corps is the second-lowest scoring in the league. The Violence has also been wracked with injuries: A.J. Brown, Alec Pierce, and now Terry McLaurin is done for the year. It’s hard to find any silver linings for the Violence at this point.
MER (1.5 FFL points) – Are there any bright spots to the season so far for the Mustangs? (check notes …) Nope.