2018 Power Rankings (Week 4)

Who had reason to smile this week?

Hello everyone! Welcome to the third week of our 2018 Power Rankings. Feel free to skip to the rankings but in case you don't know by now, here's how the scoring works...

Each team was ranked in six categories for the week:
-Total fantasy points scored.
-Fantasy points averaged per game by starters.
-Total amount of points produced by the bench.
-Games missed due to inactivity (doubled for starters).
-Fantasy points per game gained or lost through transactions (using last 30 averages)
-The standings.

Then, each team was given points depending on where they were in the rankings. The better a team performed in the rankings, the less points I gave them.

I doubled the scores in the weekly total and per game average as a final touch because this game is ultimately about scoring fantasy points.

From there, I totaled each team's score across the six categories and used those final scores to sort my power rankings. 52 points would be average with the lower scores being above average.

I also added everyone's running season average (and ranking) beneath their week's score. Just another way to consider how things are shaking out.

Here are my results:

12. Foxy Ladies - Brett (1-3)

Week Total: 706 points (10th)

Per Game: 22.8 ppg (10th)

Bench Scoring: 188 points (9th)

Missed Games: 5 games (11th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (5th)

Standings: (10th)

Week 4 Total: 75
Season Average: 65.5 (11th)

 

It looks like the tank is on for Brett's squad as they dropped three spots to the bottom of the rankings after a loss to Michael this week. These number, while poor, are to be expected to a certain extent. Though Brett will need to compile more youth and value to make his stay at these part of the ranks worth his while. It will be a big off-season for Brett but I am interested in how he will make the most of the season before us.

11. TimAin't Duncan - Nick (0-4)

Week Total: 636 points (11th)

Per Game: 22.7 ppg (11th)

Bench Scoring: 211 points (5th)

Missed Games: 11 games (5th)

Transactions: +10.2 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (11th)

Week 4 Total: 68

Season Average: 64.5 (10th)

Nick's team rises a spot in the rankings this week despite minor help from the starting lineup during a loss to Matt. The starting lineup may not be much overall so far but there are a few reasons to believe this team is better than it has looked. The bench is good, Batum is returning and the transactions should help. I believe Nick's next step should be finding a way to combine a few of his quality assets into a major asset.

10. MAMA said Knock u out - Rich (0-4)

Week Total: 720 points (9th)

Per Game: 22.5 ppg (12th)

Bench Scoring: 49 points (12th)

Missed Games: 18 games (1st)

Transactions: +19.2 ppg (2nd)

Standings: (11th)

Week 4 Total: 68

Season Average: 71.5 (12th)

Up a spot from last week, Rich's squad lost a close one to Nate. The per game rate and bench total are alarming but the missed games are definitely stifling this team. The transactions ought to help as well. Overall, if things come together, this team could be looking better. The question is if it will be enough to salvage the rocky season. I still believe this team is better off focusing on the likes of Tatum and Murray rather than CP3 or Millsap. 

9. Emperor Kuzma - Tyler (3-1)

Week Total: 629 points (12th)

Per Game: 23.3 ppg (9th)

Bench Scoring: 246 points (2nd)

Missed Games: 16 games (2nd)

Transactions: -6.3 ppg (10th)

Standings: (2nd)

Week 4 Total: 58

Season Average: 37 (3rd)

This was a rough one for Tyler, falling eight spots from first and becoming our drop of the week after an ugly loss to Danny. The starting lineup was poor but I suspect the missed games aren't helping. Also, the bench suggests brighter days. I would take this as an aberration rather than a sign of things to come. I believe the season average is a better assessment of this team and even that isn't the whole picture considering Kawhi Leonard's absence.

8. Draymond Green Tornado Kick - Nathaniel (2-2)

Week Total: 752 points (8th)

Per Game: 25.1 ppg (8th)

Bench Scoring: 210 points (6th)

Missed Games: 5 games (11th)

Transactions: +21.3 ppg (1st)

Standings: (5th)

Week 4 Total: 55
Season Average: 53.5 (8th)

Holding down that eighth spot for another week after a narrow win over Rich's squad, Nate's squad continues to put up quality numbers across the board. It is unclear who will fill out these last few playoff spots but Nathaniel seems best equipped either way. I believe it will come down to his rookies to define which side of that fence the team is on. While all have shown plenty of promise, the entire trio has yet to yield much production.

7. Love Kaman My Bibby's - Danny (2-2)

Week Total: 781 points (7th)

Per Game: 27.9 ppg (4th)

Bench Scoring: 202 points (7th)

Missed Games: 9 games (6th)

Transactions: -8.2 ppg (11th)

Standings: (5th)

Week 4 Total: 51

Season Average: 54.8 (9th)

Another big win for Danny at another strong per game pace brings his squad up three spots this week. It really is bizarre how consistently inconsistent this team has been. In his two losses, Danny's guys averaged around 23 ppg while that same team has averaged over 28 in the two wins. Whatever the reason is, it has made it difficult for me to peg this team down. The wildcard of the league, this team could be in the lottery as easily as they could be winning playoff games. Only time will tell.

6. All-NBA 5th Team - Matt (2-2)

Week Total: 803 points (5th)

Per Game: 25.9 ppg (6th)

Bench Scoring: 161 points (10th)

Missed Games: 8 games (7th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (5th)

Standings: (5th)

Week 4 Total: 49

Season Average: 52.8 (7th)

After a tough start the season, Matt's team is really starting to look like the solid squad from last year. Despite missing key guys, the team is looking more and more like a good bet for the playoffs. If the injuries clear up, Matt could climb higher and be a real problem for his opponents. Regardless, this team is already looking like a part of the better half of the league.

5. Deng Girl - Freddy (3-1)

Week Total: 802 points (6h)

Per Game: 25.9 ppg (6th)

Bench Scoring: 228 points (4th)

Missed Games: 6 games (8th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (5th)

Standings: (2nd)

Week 4 Total: 43

Season Average: 40.8 (5th)

It was a bit of a down week for Freddy and it cost him a loss and a spot in the rankings. The numbers are all still strong but this team is looking for elite. While this is very promising if this can be Freddy's floor, it is the ceiling that matters most here. I believe the team is better than this and there is time to prove how much better. I believe these next few weeks will tell us a lot about Freddy's squad.

4. Team Greek God - Chris (2-2)

Week Total: 840 points (4th)

Per Game: 31.1 ppg (2nd)

Bench Scoring: 191 points (8th)

Missed Games: 14 games (3rd)

Transactions: -11 ppg (12th)

Standings: (5th)

Week 4 Total: 40

Season Average: 31 (2nd)

Slipping two painful spots, Chris was surprised for the second week in a row, this time by Alex. While it may be easy to get excited, I think this is simply a bad week strewn with a lot of injuries for Chris. His starting lineup is still putting up elite per game numbers and I imagine that will shine through going forward. The transaction of dropping Bender for Rondo is controversial but I think it was worth it given his position.

3. RIM JOBS - Alex (4-0)

Week Total: 862 points (3rd)

Per Game: 26.1 ppg (5th)

Bench Scoring: 146 points (11th)

Missed Games: 6 games (8th)

Transactions: 7.4 ppg (4th)

Standings: (1st)

Week 4 Total: 40

Season Average: 49 (6th)

These rankings have been very reluctant to give this team the respect their place in the standings would suggest but after a big win over Chris, Alex climbs two more spots to third. While this is the final undefeated team, I have yet to see an elite per game production or a convincing bench. The transaction was solid but I feel like this is the highest we'll ever see this team ranked. Much like with Tyler, I imagine the season average to be a better indicator of what this team is.

2. Admiral Kryptonite - Gus (2-2)

Week Total: 906 points (2nd)

Per Game: 28.3 ppg (3rd)

Bench Scoring: 353 points (1st)

Missed Games: 6 games (8th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (5th)

Standings: (5th)

Week 4 Total: 29

Season Average: 40.5 (4th)

There is a reason I was so quick to get these rankings out. Clinching the win over Freddy and the jump of the week with five spots, my team looked good. My starting lineup had a good numbers and my bench was even better. This was definitely a hot week for me and it happened to occur during a week when other contenders were cold, making me look even better. While it is all very promising, I would like to see more of it before I starting buying it.

1. Team Penetration - Michael (3-1)

Week Total: 941 points (1st)

Per Game: 34.9 ppg (1st)

Bench Scoring: 244 points (3rd)

Missed Games: 12 games (4th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (5th)

Standings: (2nd)

Week 4 Total: 18

Season Average: 26.5 (1st)

Michael beat on poor Brett this week as he rose two spots to his usual spot on top. The per game average was extremely high but I imagine that is due to the team being hot. That being said, I doubt there are three other teams that could ever reach those numbers this year. This was definitely a strong week and another strong reminder of which team is truly the front runner.

2018 Power Rankings (Week 3)

Who's clawing their way up the rankings?

Hello everyone! Welcome to the third week of our 2018 Power Rankings. Feel free to skip to the rankings but in case you don't know by now, here's how the scoring works...

Each team was ranked in six categories for the week:
-Total fantasy points scored.
-Fantasy points averaged per game by starters.
-Total amount of points produced by the bench.
-Games missed due to inactivity (doubled for starters).
-Fantasy points per game gained or lost through transactions (using last 30 averages)
-The standings.

Then, each team was given points depending on where they were in the rankings. The better a team performed in the rankings, the less points I gave them.

I doubled the scores in the weekly total and per game average as a final touch because this game is ultimately about scoring fantasy points.

From there, I totaled each team's score across the six categories and used those final scores to sort my power rankings. 52 points would be average with the lower scores being above average.

I also added everyone's running season average (and ranking) beneath their week's score this week. Just another way to consider how things are shaking out.

Here are my results:

12. TimAin't Duncan - Nick (0-3)

Week Total: 712 points (12th)

Per Game: 19.2 ppg (12th)

Bench Scoring: 237 points (8th)

Missed Games: 10 games (5th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (11th)

Week 3 Total: 75
Season Average: 63.3 (11th)

 

Holding the same spot as last week after a big loss to Alex, Nick's squad put out their second lame week in a row after a promising opening to the season. The surest way for a team to land in this spot is by coming in last in both the weekly total and per game average from the starters. Nick's bench put up some solid numbers but this starting lineup is simply not getting it done.

11. MAMA said Knock u out - Rich (0-3)

Week Total: 754 points (11th)

Per Game: 19.8 ppg (11th)

Bench Scoring: 98 points (11th)

Missed Games: 3 games (12th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (11th)

Week 3 Total: 72

Season Average: 72.7 (12th)

Coming in eleventh for the second week in a row after losing a big one to Matt, this was a bad week from Rich's team. Besides the almost meaningless results of this week's transaction standings, MAMA said Knock u out bottomed out in every other category. Points were not produced on any part of this roster and there were very few missed games to explain that. Things may need to change here.

10. Love Kaman My Bibby's - Danny (1-2)

Week Total: 863 points (10th)

Per Game: 23.3 ppg (10th)

Bench Scoring: 81 points (12th)

Missed Games: 14 games (2nd)

Transactions: +15.5 ppg (1st)

Standings: (6th)

Week 3 Total: 61

Season Average: 56 (9th)

Falling six spots this week after a painful loss to Brett, Danny is our drop of the week. After a week where I remarked on Danny's sudden 5 ppg jump, his team falls 5 pgg back down this week to look like they did in week one. The bench has been bad all season so Danny may find himself depending heavily on what seems to an inconsistent starting lineup.

9. Foxy Ladies - Brett (1-2)

Week Total: 914 points (8th)

Per Game: 24.1 ppg (8th)

Bench Scoring: 234 points (9th)

Missed Games: 4 games (10th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (6th)

Week 3 Total: 60

Season Average: 62.3 (10th)

Rising one spot from last week after a quality win over Danny, Brett's team seems to be in an interesting position. While the Wall trade indicated tanking intentions, Brett's team still may be good enough to sneak into the playoffs. That or Brett may still have some value trades on the horizon as he slims his team down into the lottery. Either way, this team is in the mix.

8. Draymond Green Tornado Kick - Nathaniel (1-2)

Week Total: 913 points (9th)

Per Game: 24 ppg (9th)

Bench Scoring: 294 points (3rd)

Missed Games: 3 games (11th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (6th)

Week 3 Total: 59
Season Average: 53 (7th)

Slipping a spot this week after a close loss to Tyler, Nate's starting lineup had a down week against a good opponent. The bench looks good which is promising but hopefully the starting lineup can be better than this going forward. It is hard to know what the right direction for this team long-term but value will need to be converted into elite production if Nate is looking for the higher ranks.

7. Admiral Kryptonite - Me (1-2)

Week Total: 939 points (7th)

Per Game: 26.1 ppg (6th)

Bench Scoring: 292 points (5th)

Missed Games: 8 games (6th)

Transactions: -6.4 ppg (12th)

Standings: (6th)

Week 3 Total: 55

Season Average: 44.3 (5th)

Dropping two more spots after a beat down from Michael, my team had what feels like a down week. I had pretty average numbers across the board and it landed my team in an average rankings. The bench still looks strong but even that was only marginally good. Hopefully this is the worst my team ever looks this season.

6. All-NBA 5th Team - Matt (1-2)

Week Total: 974 points (5th)

Per Game: 25.9 ppg (7th)

Bench Scoring: 346 points (1st)

Missed Games: 6 games (9th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (6th)

Week 3 Total: 43

Season Average: 54 (8th)

Up two spots from last week after a decisive win over Rich's team, Matt's team burst onto the scene with a ton of points after a pretty quiet start to the season. His bench has been putting up points all year but his starting lineup finally joined in on the fun. The per game average has been somewhat limited all year, even here which makes me question this team's ceiling.

5. RIM JOBS - Alex (3-0)

Week Total: 982 points (4th)

Per Game: 28.1 ppg (5th)

Bench Scoring: 187 points (10th)

Missed Games: 7 games (8th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (1st)

Week 3 Total: 40

Season Average: 52 (6th)

The big win over Nick grants Alex our jump of the week this week with four spots. The weekly total was good and it was on the back of an impressive per game average. The bench still needs work but it looks like this team may be sticking around. I'm not sure what to make of this team yet but they are clearly in the playoff running. I do expect that per game average to come back down to earth though.

4. Deng Girl - Freddy (3-0)

Week Total: 1064 points (2nd)

Per Game: 29.6 ppg (4th)

Bench Scoring: 306 points (2nd)

Missed Games: 3 games (11th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (1st)

Week 3 Total: 29

Season Average: 40 (4th)

Rising two spots after a big win over Chris, Freddy's team really looked strong this week. Coming in second in total scoring for both the starting lineup and the bench is nice but the per game average is what I'm really noting. It's hard to tell just how real this all is because I think Freddy's team has played more games than most but, either way, this squad is definitely a dangerous one.

3. Team Penetration - Michael (2-1)

Week Total: 1252 points (1st)

Per Game: 33.8 ppg (1st)

Bench Scoring: 251 points (7th)

Missed Games: 12 games (3rd)

Transactions: -2.8 ppg (11th)

Standings: (4th)

Week 3 Total: 29

Season Average: 29.3 (2nd)

Dropping another spot despite putting up the week's highest score total in an easy win over me, Michael's team is clearly elite but he lands this low for a few reasons: the bench was average on the swap of Jerian Grant for Emmanuel Mudiay resulted in a decrease in points per game thus far. This is all probably much ado about nothing but its worth considering when comparing this team to the other top teams.

2. Team Greek God - Chris (2-1)

Week Total: 994 points (3rd)

Per Game: 30.1 ppg (2nd)

Bench Scoring: 276 points (6th)

Missed Games: 8 games (6th)

Transactions: +4 ppg (2nd)

Standings: (4th)

Week 3 Total: 28

Season Average: 28 (1st)

After a surprise loss to Freddy, Chris' team slips from first into second in our rankings this week. The bench is looking better and the transactions suggest improvement but Chris' starting lineup just couldn't quite pull it off this week. What would be spectacular numbers for most was a down week for Chris and it came against one of the few opponents who can make him pay. 

1. Emperor Kuzma - Tyler (3-0)

Week Total: 963 points (6th)

Per Game: 30.1 ppg (2nd)

Bench Scoring: 293 points (4th)

Missed Games: 15 games (1st)

Transactions: 0 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (1st)

Week 3 Total: 25

Season Average: 30 (3rd)

Jumping two spots to the top after a nice win over Nate, Tyler's team has had a very good start to the season. The weekly total is rather modest here but everything else looks very good. The amount of missed games may also explain the large difference in Tyler's per game and weekly total standings. Armed with a good bench and elite starting lineup, there is a reason this team is undefeated.

2018 Power Rankings (Week 2)

Who's dishing out the fantasy points?

Hello everyone! Welcome to the second week of our 2018 Power Rankings. Feel free to skip to the rankings but in case you are curious, here's how the scoring works...

Each team was ranked in six categories for the week:
-Total fantasy points scored.
-Fantasy points averaged per game by starters.
-Total amount of points produced by the bench.
-Games missed due to inactivity (doubled for starters).
-Fantasy points per game gained or lost through transactions (using last 30 averages)
-The standings.

Then, each team was given points depending on where they were in the rankings. The better a team performed in the rankings, the less points I gave them.

I doubled the scores in the weekly total and per game average as a final touch because this game is ultimately about scoring fantasy points.

From there, I totaled each team's score across the six categories and used those final scores to sort my power rankings. 52 points would be average with the lower scores being above average.

I also added everyone's running season average (and ranking) beneath their week's score this week. Just another way to consider how things are shaking out.

Here are my results:

12. TimAin't Duncan - Nick (0-2)

Week Total: 659 points (12th)

Per Game: 22.7 ppg (11th)

Bench Scoring: 225 points (4th)

Missed Games: 14 games (3rd)

Transactions: 0 ppg (9th)

Standings: (9th)

Week 2 Total: 71
Season Average: 57.5 (8th)

 

Dropping six spots to the bottom after a big loss at the hands of Freddy, Nick's team lands here for the usual reasons: a poor week total at a poor per game average. The high rate of missed games and the strong output by the bench may be distracting but the starters simply did not bring it this week. Overall, it was a disappointing outing after a promising opening week.

11. MAMA said Knock u out - Rich (0-2)

Week Total: 701 points (11th)

Per Game: 21.2 ppg (12th)

Bench Scoring: 126 points (11th)

Missed Games: 17 games (1st)

Transactions: +20.9 ppg (4th)

Standings: (9th)

Week 2 Total: 71

Season Average: 73 (12th)

Up a spot from last week despite a large loss to Tyler's squad. It almost feels too forgiving to put Rich's team here considering the poor rankings in the first three categories but the positives are worth noting. Bottom line though, the missed games are painful and the waiver acquisitions are nice but this team needs a lot more fantasy points if it wants to contend.

10. Balls to the Wall - Brett (0-2)

Week Total: 807 points (8th)

Per Game: 26 ppg (6th)

Bench Scoring: 180 points (10th)

Missed Games: 5 games (12th)

Transactions: +23.5 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (9th)

Week 2 Total: 62

Season Average: 63.5 (11th)

After a close loss to Nate and a big trade with Tyler, Brett actually landed in the same spot as last week. The weekly total was modest but the per game average was actually pretty good. The bench wasn't great but Brett actually added fantasy points through transactions this week, not through his trade but through replacing his second round picks with quality guys. A mixed bag overall.

9. RIM JOBS - Alex (2-0)

Week Total: 741 points (9th)

Per Game: 23.9 ppg (10th)

Bench Scoring: 197 points (8th)

Missed Games: 13 games (5th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (9th)

Standings: (1st)

Week 2 Total: 61

Season Average: 58 (9th)

Slipping a spot from last week despite beating the team that jump above him, this is one of those rankings that look hard to justify at first glace. However, when taking a closer look at the numbers I can see the general lack of point production across the board, regardless of what the win column says. Alex's squad is definitely in the playoff hunt but, right now, it's looking like a first round exit at best.

8. All-NBA 5th Team - Matt (0-2)

Week Total: 716 points (10th)

Per Game: 24.7 ppg (9th)

Bench Scoring: 243 points (1st)

Missed Games: 15 games (2nd)

Transactions: 0 ppg (9th)

Standings: (9th)

Week 2 Total: 59
Season Average: 59.5 (10th)

Flipping spots with the team that beat them this week, Matt's squad has had a rough start to the season. Another below average weekly total and per game pace are clear concerns but what bumps this unit up this week is the league-leading bench. Matt's start hasn't been ideal but with his promising bench and the prospect of healthier days, there is room for optimism here.

7. Draymond Green Tornado Kick - Nathaniel (1-1)

Week Total: 856 points (7th)

Per Game: 25.9 ppg (7th)

Bench Scoring: 211 points (7th)

Missed Games: 9 games (7th)

Transactions: +10.8 ppg (6th)

Standings: (5th)

Week 2 Total: 53

Season Average: 50 (6th)

Holding the same spot after a nice win over Brett, Nathaniel's squad was the epitome of league-average this week. In each category, Nate was able to put up strong numbers while refraining from being particularly impressive. I believe this is an indication of Nate's well-balanced team that, like many team in this league, is simply missing that top-tier, outlier fantasy producer.

6. Deng Girl - Freddy (2-0)

Week Total: 876 points (5th)

Per Game: 25.8 ppg (8th)

Bench Scoring: 224 points (5th)

Missed Games: 7 games (8th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (9th)

Standings: (1st)

Week 2 Total: 49

Season Average: 45.5 (5th)

Sliding a spot from last week despite throttling Nick's team this week. Freddy has been able to put up good point totals from his bench and starting lineup both weeks now, yet his per game average continues to lag behind. It is clear that this is one of the better teams around but the per game average so far gives me pause. I believe that stat will need to change if this team wants to break into the top ranks.

5. Admiral Kryptonite - Me (1-1)

Week Total: 868 points (6th)

Per Game: 26.3 ppg (5th)

Bench Scoring: 235 points (3rd)

Missed Games: 6 games (10th)

Transactions: +16.8 ppg (5th)

Standings: (5th)

Week 2 Total: 45

Season Average: 39 (4th)

Dropping a spot  after a tough loss to Danny this week, my starting lineup slipped some while my amount of missed games increased. Overall, I think it was a minimal slip which, I believe, is due to the depth of this team. My bench was good and I even added some more production through waiver wire. Like I said last week, I expect this team to hover in this range all year.

4. Love Kaman My Bibby's - Danny (1-1)

Week Total: 895 points (4th)

Per Game: 28.9 ppg (3rd)

Bench Scoring: 110 points (12th)

Missed Games: 14 games (3rd)

Transactions: +27 ppg (2nd)

Standings: (5th)

Week 2 Total: 36

Season Average: 53.5 (7th)

Jumping seven spots this week after a big win over my squad. It is remarkable to see over a 5 point increase in Danny's per game pace this week compared to last week, which goes to show how misleading these early weeks can be. It was a great outing from Danny's unit this week but the inconsistent ppg and the questionable bench makes me doubt the stability of this team overall.

3. Emperor Kuzma - Tyler (2-0)

Week Total: 930 points (3rd)

Per Game: 27.4 ppg (4th)

Bench Scoring: 219 points (6th)

Missed Games: 6 games (10th)

Transactions: +38.4 ppg (1st)

Standings: (1st)

Week 2 Total: 32

Season Average: 32.5 (3rd)

Up a spot from last week after a convincing win over Rich and a very splashy trade. Tyler seems to be one of the few owners with a team that could rival the top contenders. His weekly total, per game average, and bench have all been strong so far and now he will be welcoming a new top-tier talent in John Wall. This was a big week for Tyler and the league as a whole. Hopefully it mixes things up.

2. Team Penetration - Michael (1-1)

Week Total: 997 points (2nd)

Per Game: 31.2 ppg (2nd)

Bench Scoring: 243 points (1st)

Missed Games: 7 games (8th)

Transactions: +3 ppg (8th)

Standings: (5th)

Week 2 Total: 30

Season Average: 29.5 (2nd)

Down a spot from last week after a somewhat surprising loss to Chris. Despite the loss, Michael's team is still an outlier of talent. Look no further than his per game average and bench scoring to see how many points are being produced on this roster. Yet, this week did show that, at the very least, Chris is certainly on his level. Maybe this will be a closer race than I first expected.

1. Team Greek God - Chris (2-0)

Week Total: 1065 points (1st)

Per Game: 32.3 ppg (1st)

Bench Scoring: 185 points (9th)

Missed Games: 10 games (6th)

Transactions: +10.7 ppg (7th)

Standings: (1st)

Week 2 Total: 27

Season Average: 28 (1st)

Taking the top spot this week after a big win over his biggest competitor, Chris's team looked like the monstrosity that redefined this league over the last few years. I said all last year that Chris had the best starting lineup and it looks like he will be making that case again this year. Which is probably his only chance given how mundane his bench has looked thus far. We'll see how much that matters.

2018 Power Rankings (Week 1)

Who is starting the season off with a bang?

Hello everyone! Welcome to the first week of our 2018 Power Rankings. Feel free to skip ahead to the rankings if you want but in case you are curious, here's how the scoring works...

Each team was ranked in six categories for the week:
-Total fantasy points scored.
-Fantasy points averaged per game by starters.
-Total amount of points produced by the bench.
-Games missed due to inactivity (doubled for starters).
-Fantasy points per game gained or lost through transactions (using last 30 averages)
-The standings.

Then, each team was given points depending on where they were in the rankings. The better a team performed in the rankings, the less points I gave them.

I doubled the scores in the weekly total and per game categories as a final touch because this game is ultimately about scoring fantasy points.

From there, I totaled each team's score across the six categories and used those final scores to sort my power rankings. 52 points would be average with the lower scores being above average.

I will also be adding everyone's running season average (and ranking) beneath their week's score beginning next week. Just another way to consider how things are shaking out.

Here are my results:

12. MAMA said Knock u out - Rich (0-1)

Week Total: 506 points (12th)

Per Game: 22 ppg (12th)

Bench Scoring: 111 points (10th)

Missed Games: 13 games (2nd)

Transactions: +8.8 ppg (8th)

Standings: (7th)

Week 1 Total: 75

 

Rich's squad missed a lot of games last week but that can't cover everything. The bench gave very little and the starting lineup gave even less. Despite making a positive change by dropping Mozgov for CJ Miles, the lowest point total at the lowest pace will usually land a team here. Rich may need to find sources of scoring pop beyond Miles if he hopes to move up the ranking this season.

11. Love Kaman My Bibby's - Danny (0-1)

Week Total: 556 points (10th)

Per Game: 23.2 ppg (11th)

Bench Scoring: 76 points (12th)

Missed Games: 10 games (4th)

Transactions: +11.4 ppg (6th)

Standings: (7th)

Week 1 Total: 71

Much like with Rich's team, Danny's guys started the season with a general lack of fantasy points. The scoring pace of the starting lineup and output of the bench were alarmingly low when put side-by-side. Yes, Danny's squad missed more games than most and the addition of Allen Crabbe in lieu of Dwyane Wade should help but the real issue is with what to expect from Danny's team overall.

10. Balls to the Wall - Brett (0-1)

Week Total: 583 points (9th)

Per Game: 24.3 ppg (9th)

Bench Scoring: 204 points (4th)

Missed Games: 4 games (9th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (9th)

Standings: (7th)

Week 1 Total: 65

It was a rough first outing for Brett last week. The starting lineup was missing the punch we became accustomed to last year. The might have something to do with the injury to Gordon Hayward. On the bright side, Brett's bench was very strong and his team exhibited good health outside of Hayward. It's hard to tell what is going to become of this team this season but week one was certainly painful.

9. All-NBA 5th Team - Matt (0-1)

Week Total: 546 points (11th)

Per Game: 26 ppg (8th)

Bench Scoring: 175 points (5th)

Missed Games: 8 games (5th)

Transactions: +16.7 ppg (5th)

Standings: (7th)

Week 1 Total: 60

Despite the low weekly total, Matt's squad was able to slot in at ninth due to the quality rankings in other areas. The bench scoring was above average, the starting lineup's pace was reasonable and the addition of Tyson Chandler can only help. Meanwhile, Matt also experience a fair amount of missed games. All of this is to say that I think this team is better than the point total suggests.

8. RIM JOBS - Alex (1-0)

Week Total: 636 points (7th)

Per Game: 23.6 ppg (10th)

Bench Scoring: 146 points (7th)

Missed Games: 2 games (10th)

Transactions: +25.5 ppg (3rd)

Standings: (1st)

Week 1 Total: 55

The lowest ranked team that won last week is put here due to the mundane point total and surprisingly low points per game pace by the starting lineup. The bench was alright and the addition of Dillon Brooks should make it even better but I'm not so sure I like these numbers overall for Alex. I think there might be more work to be done here than expected.

7. Draymond Green Tornado Kick - Nathaniel (0-1)

Week Total: 605 points (8th)

Per Game: 27.5 ppg (4th)

Bench Scoring: 174 points (6th)

Missed Games: 11 games (3rd)

Transactions: +11.3 ppg (7th)

Standings: (7th)

Week 1 Total: 47

The week total wasn't good but the per game pace actually was. Nate's bench also put up some decent numbers despite a high amount of missed games. Factor in the addition of Ed Davis for Jahlil Okafor's dead weight and Nate had a better week that it may appear at first glace. If Nate is able to reduce his amount of missed games, his team could climb even higher.

6. TimAin't Duncan - Nick (0-1)

Week Total: 651 points (6th)

Per Game: 27.1 ppg (6th)

Bench Scoring: 105 points (11th)

Missed Games: 14 games (1st)

Transactions: +46.7 ppg (1st)

Standings: (7th)

Week 1 Total: 44

Nick has the highest ranked team that lost for a few reasons. The weekly total and per game average were both marginally above average, his team missed the most games, and he added the most fantasy production this week by attaining Terry Rozier and Darren Collison for the remains for Jeremy Lin. All of this implies that Nick's team is primed for an even more productive week two.

5. Deng Girl - Freddy (1-0)

Week Total: 745 points (3rd)

Per Game: 26.6 ppg (7th)

Bench Scoring: 308 points (1st)

Missed Games: 1 game (11th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (9th)

Standings: (1st)

Week 1 Total: 42

Freddy's squad came out looking better than they had all last year. Coming in third on the weekly total at a reasonable pace is even more impressive since Freddy also had the most productive bench this week. The main issues deterring a higher ranking is the lack of missed games combined with the pedestrian per game average. Freddy may need to find more pop if he wants to climb higher.

4. Emperor Kuzma - Tyler (1-0)

Week Total: 652 points (5th)

Per Game: 28.3 ppg (3rd)

Bench Scoring: 136 points (9th)

Missed Games: 8 games (5th)

Transactions: +33.3 ppg (2nd)

Standings: (1st)

Week 1 Total: 33

A solid weekly total and particularly high per game average has this team looking good. The bench was sub par but that should change since Tyler bolstered his lineup with Al Farouq-Aminu, Trevor Booker and Larry Nance Jr. Really though, the biggest thing to note here is the per game pace since it is not too far off from the highest in the league.

3. Admiral Kryptonite - Me (1-0)

Week Total: 742 points (4th)

Per Game: 27.5 ppg (4th)

Bench Scoring: 261 points (2nd)

Missed Games: 8 games (5th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (9th)

Standings: (1st)

Week 1 Total: 33

My team put out an above-average weekly total, per game pace, and bench total. I missed a fair amount of games as well. My team gives widespread production which makes me feel like my team will be reliably in the top half of the rankings but will struggle to get much higher than this. That is, unless some major changes are made.

2. Team Greek God - Chris (1-0)

Week Total: 808 points (2nd)

Per Game: 29.9 ppg (2nd)

Bench Scoring: 141 points (8th)

Missed Games: 7 games (8th)

Transactions: +23 ppg (4th)

Standings: (1st)

Week 1 Total: 29

Chris' squad looked much like it did last year. The only difference here is that Chris' team would often claim the 1st place ranking in the per game pace last year. This week, Chris came in second in both the weekly total and per game pace. For anyone else, that would be great. But for a team with championship expectations, that isn't where he wants to stay. Added points for picking up Kelly Oubre Jr., which should help the below-average bench.

1. Team Penetration - Michael (1-0)

Week Total: 876 points (1st)

Per Game: 32.4 ppg (1st)

Bench Scoring: 217 points (3rd)

Missed Games: 0 games (12th)

Transactions: 0 ppg (9th)

Standings: (1st)

Week 1 Total: 29

This story is an old one but a true one. First place in the weekly total and per game pace by significant margins. Also, Michael's bench was one of the best. The only thing to knock this team for is the lack of additions made and lack of missed games. Both of which are flimsy weaknesses. If anyone wants to dethrone this team, it is clear that they will need to add firepower. This is quite a team.

2018 JBL Preseason Rankings

2018 JBL Preseason Rankings

Hello and welcome to another season of dynasty basketball! It has been an exciting off-season with many big changes. As usual, I am here in an attempt to make sense of everything. To do that, I decided to rank all our teams from bottom to top. I evaluated each team on their ability to produce fantasy points this year while factoring in their prospects of adding more firepower over the course of the season.

I judge all this based on three main resources: production, prospective upside, and contract values. I also considered if a team has extra picks that could be used to trade for production in-season. However, above all else, these ranks are about expected production because that is what everything comes back to.

Enjoy!

Tier 4 - Pining for the Playoffs

Who can elevate their team to the playoffs?

12. TimAin't Duncan (Nick)
Top Producers: Nikola Vucevic, Carmelo Anthony, Jeremy Lin
Top Prospects: Lonzo Ball, Luke Kennard
Top Trade Assets: Lonzo Ball, Nicolas Batum, Evan Fournier

Many improvements have been made on last year's regular season sacko squad. Carmelo, Gallinari, Batum and Fournier are all quality assets that could help any playoff team. Meanwhile, Lonzo Ball is one of the most interesting incoming rookies on what should be an above-average rookie class. An improvement on last season's win total seems inevitable but the overall production is still below average. Work may still need to be done for a coveted playoff spot.

11. MAMA Said Knock u out (Rich) 
Top Producers: Chris Paul, Paul Milsap, Klay Thompson
Top Prospects: Jamal Murray, Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum
Top Trade Assets: Jamal Murray, Jayson Tatum, Jaylen Brown

This team is bizarre because while it has a lot of quality individual assets, the group really sputtered last season. I like the acquisitions made but I'm not sure it will be enough to jump start this team back into playoff contention. I love the core of prospects but it is hard to see them always pulling their weight this season. This bunch strikes me as a team that could either trade all their prospects for a push this season or trade all their producers for top tier prospects. Either way, I believe this is the season where a major move is made.

Tier 3 - Playoffs or Bust

Who will be spectators come playoff time?

10. All-NBA 5th Team (Matt)

Top Producers: Hassan Whiteside, Kyrie Irving, Blake Griffin
Top Prospects: Lauri Markkanen, Caleb Swanigan
Top Trade Assets: Isaiah Thomas, Kyrie Irving

The surprisingly good team of last season may see a regression this time around. The squad relies mostly on veterans with injury histories. Meanwhile, there is a general lack of resources here which puts the unit at a disadvantage for making improvements through trade. All this leads me to believe that Matt will have to be one of the more attentive wavier wire owners if he wants to experience the same sort of success he did last season.

9. Balls to the Wall (Brett)

Top Producers: John Wall, Kyle Lowry, Gordon Hayward
Top Prospects: De'Aaron Fox, Skal Labissiere, Thon Maker
Top Trade Assets: De'Aaron Fox, Skal Labissiere, extra picks

Brett's squad has been a reliable playoff team since he took charge of the sputtering franchise. However, this season may be his biggest challenge yet. Although I feel uncomfortable ranking what I know to be a good team so low, I think there is going to be a real battle at this range of the league. I imagine a lot of shuffling of the standings this season and Brett's depth has questionable immediate production. Fortunately for Brett, his team appears to be a more attractive trade partner than most which should come in handy over the course of the season.

8. Draymond Green Tornado Kick (Nathaniel)

Top Producers: Marc Gasol, Kristaps Porzingis, Dennis Schroder
Top Prospects: Markelle Fultz, Malik Monk, Frank Ntilikina
Top Trade Assets: Dennis Schroder, Draymond Green, Avery Bradley

One of the more intriguing collection of assets, Nate might have the most trade-able roster in the league. Last season has pretty disappointing but we can excuse a lot of that with injuries. Meanwhile, Nate might have had the best rookie draft out of all of us since he is entering this season with three NBA rookies who all ought to see rotation minutes by season's end. The on-court production is still a slight question mark but there is more than enough here to have playoff expectations.

7. RIM JOBS (Alex)
Top Producers: LeBron James, DeAndre Jordan, D'Angelo Russell
Top Prospects: Kris Dunn, Justin Jackson
Top Trade Assets: DeAndre Jordan, extra picks, D'Angelo Russell

After the most productive season in franchise history, this year's most mysterious team had a bit of an awkward off-season due to it's changing of owners and, in turn, visions. As the team's fourth owner in six seasons, Alex will hopefully bring some lasting stability to our cursed franchise. There are certainly tools to work with here, including the King himself and Alex is an owner that brings championship experience. All things considered, there is a lot to be optimistic about here since this team could very well be in the finals hunt if everything breaks right.

Tier 2 - Contenders or Pretenders?

Who are the real contenders?

6. Love Kaman My Bibby's (Danny)

Top Producers: DeMar DeRozan, CJ McCollum, Eric Bledsoe
Top Prospects: Hernangomez, Saric
Top Trade Assets: McCollum, Randle, Saric

Since taking over this team, Danny has consistently produced a playoff-level squad. This off-season was the most active I've ever seen Danny be and I believe it will pay off for him this year. The additions of McCollum, Randle and Aldridge will prove a big boost while Gasol and Wade should provide nice value from the end of the bench. The only thing holding this group back is the general lack of trade appeal. Danny may have to look to waiver wire for a majority of his improvements this campaign.

5. Deng Girl (Freddy)

Top Producers: Damian Lillard, Stephen Curry, Paul George
Top Prospects: Josh Jackson
Top Trade Assets: Jusuf Nurkic, Gary Harris, Clint Capela

The most disappointing team of last season has two more seasons with the core we all know and love. This year demands a bounce back and I believe Freddy has every intention of making that happen. This team finished our first three regular seasons as a serious championship contender and everything that made that happen is still on the team. While the core is undoubtedly elite, the difference will come down to what kind of production Freddy can get from the ends of his roster. If that is right, true contention is definitely possible.

4. Blow Me (Tyler)

Top Producers: Karl Anthony-Towns, Kawhi Leonard, Kemba Walker
Top Prospects: Ben Simmons, Donovan Mitchell, Jarrett Allen
Top Trade Assets: Kawhi Leonard, Ben Simmons, extra picks

Tyler has one of the rare collections of top tier talent, prospects and assets all on one team. It is easy to see all kinds of moves being made that could put Tyler into serious championship contention and that bodes well for his squad. Most teams don't have any round one talents and this group might have two. Meanwhile Simmons, Mitchell and the extra picks are all assets that could field serious firepower in the trade market if it came to that. All of this is to say that Tyler is a clear front-runner to break up the Chris-Michael trilogy.

3. Admiral Kryptonite (Me)

Top Producers: Miles Turner, Kevin Love, Devin Booker
Top Prospects: Dennis Smith Jr., Brandon Ingram, Taurean Prince
Top Trade Assets: Devin Booker, Miles Turner, extra picks


This feels like possibly the most abundant glut of assets I have ever had yet the team lacks obvious pizazz due to noticeable absence of any first round talent. I may have the deepest team in the league but it is going to take much more than that to actually knock on the championship door. Much like with Tyler, I feel prime to make some moves but moves are most certainly going to need to be made if I want to elevate to the next tier. It's hard to tell if I'm so close or so far.

Tier 1 - Championship or Bust

There can only be one Fantasy King

2. Team Greek God (Chris)
Top Producers: Russell Westbrook, Giannis Antetokounmpo, Kevin Durant
Top Prospects: Marquese Chriss, Jonathan Issac, Dragan Bender
Top Trade Assets: Giannis Antetokounmpo, Joel Embiid, Jabari Parker

Three first round talents, two second round talents and two third round talents. In any other league, this would be an outlier champion but, in our beloved league, there happens to be two outlier, champion-level teams. It really is remarkable how close these two teams are while being so dominate, like two perfectly paired outliers, battling it out. Chris made a lot of intriguing acquisitions this off-season, injecting his squad with a lot of youth on useful contracts. However, the investment in guys like Parker and Embiid might be the difference in this razor thin race for supremacy.

1. Team Penetration (Michael)
Top Producers: Anthony Davis, James Harden, DeMarcus Cousins
Top Prospects: John Collins, Buddy Hield, Juan Hernangomez
Top Trade Assets: Nikola Jokic, Anthony Davis, Rudy Gobert

The defending champions start this season where they left off last season: in pole position for the first back-to-back championship ever. I hope it doesn't happen! Really though, this team is going to be tough for anyone to beat and that includes Chris. With five first round talents all on one team and one of the most attentive owners around constantly uncovering diamonds in the rough, there is no doubt that this team will be a team to be feared come playoff time. Until something dramatic happens, this is the team to beat.

That's it! Good luck everyone! I hope you all beat each other and lose to me!