Week 15

It’s Week 15 of ‘A View from Row Z’, your vaguely informed take on the madcap happenings in the Leytonstoners Bowl Fantasy League. Some big scores in the first week of the playoffs and a close, hard(ly) fought final, along with two smug BYE week team coaches, is the flavour of the week.

Top Stats - Week 15

Highest Score

God Bless Ramerica189.13pts

Lowest Score

Changed like OchoCinco103.29pts

Highest Bench Score

SnowshufflerJr78.26pts

Highest Scoring Rostered Player

Jared Goff53.06pts

Gillette Mach 3 Award

Dali’s Salvadors vs Changed like OchoCinco0.8pts

Mind the Gap Award

SnowshufflerJr vs Sacrificial Lamb43.65pts

Wow. What a week. I will say it again. What. A. Week. With only three matchups, it was one of the quieter weeks on the waivers. Andy picked up Hubbard and Jennings, with absolutely no upside for him in his matchup. Matt H made three pickups and played none of them 👍. Just as well, because they were mostly, pretty poor. I brought Fairbairn back into my lineup and made an 11th hour TE pickup of Andrews for the injured Njoku. Rich even got in on the action picking up Chubb, who now has a broken foot. Top!🏅. We’ll start with the playoffs and then get to the final in due course.

Week 15 - 1st Round Playoff: SnowshufflerJr (134.71) // Sacrificial Lamb (178.36)

First up, it’s Jen vs Matt H. On paper, I am definitely saying this should have been Jen’s. I think I speak for everyone when I say we would have all happily put money on that win, given Jen’s record over the season against Matt’s patchy, at best, form. However, Matt H had other ideas. Or, I probably should say, Jared Goff had those ideas - the star of the show this week with a sensational 53.06pts. Ably backed up by Gibbs (28.40), the Broncos DEF (22.20) and the non-sacrificial Lamb (26.60). A big mention has to go to Amari Cooper (0pts), who played 32 of the Bills 70 snaps and saw 0% involvement. Maybe he upset Josh Allen? Probably not one to rely on next week. As for Jen, well, it was a pretty dire performance from everyone except Amon-Ra St. Brown, who made a very impressive 40.30pts against the Bills, and Jordan Love (21.56). The bench looked very healthy though, but when I did the math(s), playing the right team only would have earned an extra 27.9pts, which wouldn’t have been enough to close that 43.65pts gap. And so, Matt marches onwards to the semi-final playoff against Besty and Jen drops into the 5th/6th place consolation game.

Week 15 - 1st Round Playoff: God Bless Ramerica (189.13) // Game of Throws (171.69)

This game was fun. Not only a replay of Week 14’s matchup, with a little revenge at stake, but also a matchup that just kept throwing up surprise after surprise. Stupid scores from both teams, it’s difficult to believe that Andy lost this with a score of 171.69pts. I am certain that is a record for the season. There were a lot of stand out players, but for my team, the ever reliable Josh Allen (45.28) delivered, followed by second half wonder Davante Adams (45.8) finally having a good game for the Jets and lastly, the Chiefs DEF with a surprising season's best 25.55pts. It was wonderful and stressful at the same time. For Andy, I have to admit, I thought he might take it going in Monday night’s game, but thankfully (for me) it wasn’t to be. Despite Daniels (26.64), McLaurin (26.30) and a season's best game from Mike Evans (39.90) it really all came down to Andy’s decision (one that I am sure we all would have made) to play Hubbard (8.90) over Conner (30.80). It could have been a win by 4.46pts. To add a little insult to injury, I have played Andy three times this season and won three times. To be fair, only one win was convincing, but still, it feels good. So, Andy drops into the 5th/6th consolation match with Jen next week and I have set up a nice little matchup with Rich, looking to avenge my two losses this season and last year’s loss in the final. #neverforget

Week 15 - S**t King Final: Dali’s Salvadors (104.09) // Changed Like OchoCinco (103.29)

So, we leave the dizzy heights of the playoffs and we look at the S**t King - Toilet Bowl - Final. Two TITANS of this year's fantasy football. A 12-game losing streak team and Reece’s inconsistent rookie team came together in a final that looked like nobody wanted to win for a really long time. Only two players made it over the 20pts marker, Jacobs (21.60) and Jefferson (20.30). For Dali, he went back into Week 1-6 mode and played the wrong QB, where Baker Mayfield scored a huge 39.02pts and would have made the win much more convincing. Reece wasn’t immune from bench mistakes either. He left Chase Brown (26.30) and Khalil Shakir (15.90) on the bench. Yet again, Reece fell victim to another under 1pt loss. I think it’s happened three times this season, which is just the hardest of hard luck for the rookie. To the eventual winner, Dali got the spoils. Perhaps he deserved to win something this season after enduring the worst losing streak we’ve seen in this league. Perhaps this was his plan all along, win the S**t King trophy and then win it all in ‘his other league’? I am certain he will let us know the outcome. A clean sweep of all the silverware is no less than what we expect at this stage.

I guess at this point I should mention our two BYE week coaches, Rich and Besty. Besty would have had the 2nd worst score of the week, 103.65pts and Rich scored a nice, round 147pts. Rich is still in a very good vein of form but obviously 😏 carried by Lamar. I am definitely hoping he stubs his toe or hurts a finger next week…maybe I will have more of a chance that way. Besty, watch out for the proverbial dark horse in Matt Hulme. That 178.36pts this week is a warning shot to all.

And so ends the first round of the playoffs. This sets up the following matchups in Week 16:

Semi-Finals - Round 2:

Leytonstoners vs God Bless Ramerica

Multiple Goregasms vs Sacrificial Lamb (name subject to change)

5th/6th Consolation Game

Game of Throws vs SnowshufflerJr

It’s all over for Dali and Reece for this year. Thanks to Dali for being such a good sport through what must have felt like 15 weeks of torture and thanks to Reece for keeping me on my toes with the assists, although clearly they didn’t help much 🤷. We shall see you both again in the 2025 season.

According to Sleeper, our top picks on the waivers include:

Kyler Murray - QB

Tyrone Tracy - RB

Keenan Allen - WR

Hunter Henry - TE

Harrision Butker - K

Green Bay Packers - DEF

Good luck to everyone in Week 16, except Rich. See you then!