A Two Year Recap & 2016 Playoffs

The 2015 and 2016 fantasy seasons have passed since the last post, and there was plenty of calamities and orgasmic pleasures through those 32 grinding weeks.  The KPAFFL was introduced to the half-point per reception bonus, the flex position, the loss of long-time member Boulter, and the welcomed addition of Colin's Cool Team.  Let's take a little peek at what ensued over the past two years.

2015

For the first time since 2011, neither Pfunk or Tyler's Team appeared in and/or won the championship after facing each other in 2007, 2013, and 2014.  Kevin broke their three year streak of last place finishes and made the playoffs for the first time since taking home the cup in 2011.  Holmes eight year hiatus from the playoffs remained intact, and Team Sean's seven year absence continued as well. Colin's Cool Team made their first ever playoff appearance, and Wasted Talent squad won two playoff games after six winless years.  Chopkins spoiled Wasted Talent's attempt at glory with their first championship victory by a 14 point margin, thanks to fantasy beast Antonio Brown's 29.2 point effort.  Bluhm Goes The Dynamite blasted Brett's Nasty Bunch 139-86 for their first-ever Toilet Bowl championship, as they went 3-0 in the bracket despite a league-low 1228.46 point season.  Colin's Cool Team finished the season with a league high 1480.66 points, but was obliterated in the semi-finals by a 90 point margin to eventual runner-up Wasted Talent.

Even in the year of the quarterback where the top three overall point scorers were Cam Newton, Tom Brady, and Russell Wilson, Chopkins' dynamic wide receiver corps of Brown, T.Y. Hilton, and Michael Crabtree proved unstoppable.  The squad was aided by surprising top-five scoring seasons from Lamar Miller and Doug Martin, as well as Gary Barnidge's 30-year-old coming out party. Although the second half of their draft was disgustingly awful, their free agency prowess aided the few good draft picks they made into reaching the top.

2016

The regular season just ended and the upcoming weekend will be round one of the playoffs.  The 2016 season was an extremely close race for the last four playoff seeds, and ultimately came down to the final slate.  After Team Tyler and Team Sean clinched the top two seeds the previous week, seven other teams remained in contention for any of the last four spots.   After looking as though the final slots would come down to points, miraculously four teams ended up 7-6 versus the four that finished 6-7, eliminating the need for the tiebreaker.  The teams that clinched were essentially in the race the whole season, with one extremely unlucky outlier - chopkins.

After bouncing around between 1st and 3rd the whole season, they missed the cut with a final-week loss when they scored a season low 69 points.  I cannot emphasize the lack of luck enough, as seen in weeks 10 and 11. Chopkins lost to Kevin by .08 points in week 10, due to a stat correction and Doug Baldwin's monster three TD night.  They lost to Manifest Destiny by .82 points despite a roaring Sunday Night Football comeback via Robert Kelley's 31.70 points.  It was a historic fall from grace for the former champs.

Brett's Nasty Bunch was the comeback team of the year.  After an 0-6 start and daunting seven matchups looming, he executed one of the largest and beneficial trades in KPAFFL history:

Brett's Nasty Bunch Receives:

• Demaryius Thomas
• Devonta Freeman
• Jordan Matthews
• Terrance West
• Matt Ryan

Team Tyler Receives:

• Ezekiel Elliott
• Allen Robinson

At the time of the trade, Brett's Nasty Bunch occupied the cellar while Team Tyler held the one seed at 5-1. Post-trade, both the Nasty's and Team Tyler went 6-1 to finish a combined 12-2 for the 2nd half of the season. BNB ended up scoring the 4th most points in the league, while Team Tyler scored a KPAFFL record 1553.  The only game BNB lost was in week 12, and it was by .68 points.  Those .68 points were all that stood in the way of the greatest comeback in league history.  They averaged over 110 points per week during that stretch, but couldn't overcome the league-high 1477 points-against for the season.  In a nutshell, Brett's Nasty Bunch exemplified the fact that fantasy football is 51% skill and 49% luck (or lack thereof).

Some notable facts and milestones from the 2016 season:

• Team Sean powered its way to a 9-4 record and first playoff appearance since 2008, and will have their sights set on their first championship in the 14-year KPAFFL league history

• Holmes Crew ended an 8 year playoff drought by capturing the 5th playoff seed.  They will also be seeking their first championship and attempt to best their 4th place showing in 2007, which is the team's highest to date

• Brett's Nasty Bunch missed the playoffs for a 4th consecutive year after back-to-back second place finishes in 2011 and 2012.  After title wins in 2003 and 2005, the Nasty's currently have the longest championship drought of all the teams that have at least won once

• Chopkins missed the playoffs despite scoring the second most points in the league.  The last time that occurred was 2010, when Chopkins fell victim to the same scenario

• Manifest Destiny rebounded from a 4-6 record to clinch the 3 seed by beating top-four teams in each of the last three weeks.  They can thank David Johnson's NFL-leading 290 fantasy points for the comeback

• None of Wasted Talent's players finished in the top 25 in scoring, despite holding the number two pick in the draft.  The highest scoring player they drafted was Odell Beckham who finished 28th - and was traded to ItsAllAbouttheW mid-season

• Bluhm Goes The Dynamite missed the playoffs after losing six of their last seven, with point totals fluctuating between 68 and 124 per week.  The 124 points they scored in week 13 were a season high, yet still resulted in a 27 point loss

• Pfunk scored a league-low 1198 points while facing the 3rd lowest points against total.  Pfunk scored the most points in the league two of the past three years, and appeared in the championship three of the last four.  After going 28-14 in the regular season from 2012-2014, they have since gone 12-14

• ItsAllAbouttheW snuck into the 6th seed through the back door by winning their last two games.  That extends their playoff streak to three years, second only to Team Tyler's. Since 2013, ItsAllAbouttheW's average place-finished is 5.23, tied with Team Tyler for best in the league

• At 6-7, Kevin just missed the playoffs thanks to consecutive losses at the end of the season. Though disappointing, they have gone 14-12 over the past two years after finishing dead last all three previous years with an aggregate record of 11-31.  Kevin's missed playoff opportunity ultimately stemmed from a week one loss when they scored a season high 135 points, but fell to Holmes Crew's 170 point masterpiece

• Team Tyler finished in 1st place with the most points scored.  Their 1553 points scored are the most in league history (post dual QB & 4 WR era).  Since 2010, only Pfunk has finished 1st in the regular season, 1st in points scored, and also won the championship.  

2016 Playoffs

Team Tyler and Team Sean have byes.  Team Tyler will face the winner of Colin's Cool Team vs. Holmes Crew. Team Sean will face the winner of Manifest Destiny vs. ItsAllAbouttheW.

Colin's Cool Team (4) vs. Holmes Crew (5) Matchups

Colin's Cool Team

QB Kirk Cousins

RB LeSean McCoy

RB Frank Gore

WR Brandin Cooks

WR Michael Floyd

TE Jason Witten

FLEX Julio Jones

K Chandler Catanzaro

DEF Arizona

Notes:  Cousins is on fire.  McCoy has 51 points in his last two games.  Gore should eat.  Cooks is due.  Floyd has had just two double digit fantasy weeks.  Same deal for Witten.  Julio hasn't practiced this week and will be a GTD.  Catanzaro is a kicker.  Arizona is overrated.

Holmes Crew

QB Drew Brees

RB Spencer Ware

RB Matt Forte

WR Jamison Crowder

WR Tyrell Williams

TE Hunter Henry

FLEX Donte Moncrief

K Matt Prater

DEF Atlanta

Notes:  Brees should rebound.  Ware is regressing.  Forte will bust.  Crowder has been consistent.  Tyrell has scored in four straight.  Henry has 6 total targets in the last three games.  Moncrief scores every week.  Prater is a kicker.  Atlanta is underrated.

Prediction - Colin's Cool Team by single digits.  Big days from RB's and Cooks.  Julio doesn't play or plays as decoy, puts up dud.  Saved by Cousins' 20 point outing.  Holmes RB's and Brees bust, WR's keep them afloat. Henry scores but doesn't get over 10 points.

 Manifest Destiny (3) vs. ItsAllAbouttheW (6) Matchups

Manifest Destiny

QB Dak Prescott

RB Jay Ajayi

RB David Johnson

WR Jarvis Landry

WR Brandon LaFell

TE Ladarius Green

FLEX Mark Ingram

K Matt Bryant

DEF New England

Notes:  Dak has a solid floor.  Ajayi has scored once in last four.  Johnson is usually a 25 point lock.  Landry has a tough matchup.  LaFell does not.  Green is breaking out.  Ingram is breaking his body.  Bryant is a kicker.  New England is overrated.

ItsAllAbouttheW

QB Tom Brady

RB Jordan Howard

RB Jeremy Hill

WR Kelvin Benjamin

WR Odell Beckham

TE Kyle Rudolph

FLEX Isaiah Crowell

K Stephen Gostkowski

DEF Kansas City

Notes:  Brady on MNF should be nice.  Howard and Hill have good matchups.  Benjamin hasn't done much.  Beckham is extremely inconsistent.  Rudolph has low upside.  RGIII will make or break Crowell.  Gostkowski is a kicker.  KC has tough matchup.

Prediction - ItsAllAbouttheW by over 25.  Their players have too many good matchups and Manifest Destiny gets duds from Dak, Jarvis, Green, and Pats.  15 point gap after Sunday's games can't be overcome in MNF Brady vs. NE Defense.