The NFC East went to the Dottsville Toasters for the third time in franchise history and he’ll look to make it four this year.
But the two divisional newcomers from last year both have teams that rival the Toasters lineup, while T-Money is the king of lucky matchups.
Last year, the Super Bowl Champ T-Money road the League's fourth-lowest point total to the title.
Strangely enough, two of the other three JFL-worst point totals came from his division.
The Toasters scored 48 fewer points than T-Money during the regular season, yet he still won the division. Chalupa had just four points more than the Toasters, yet because he saw opponents compile a whopping 1,313 points on him, he finished 3-10. Conversely, the Toasters saw just 1,063 points go up on the board against him, and he went 8-5.
The big scorer in the division was the Cheese Steaks with 1,222 points, but his 6-7 record wasn’t good enough to get into the playoffs.
This year, the Steaks have a lineup that should lead the division in points once again, and if all goes well, he’ll find himself at the top when the dust settles in Week 13, because at the end of the day, in a division that has four strong fantasy QBs, I like Bradford to shine the brightest in 2015.
The JFL voting was split between the Cheese Steaks and Toasters, and they share the preseason nod.
NFC East Poll
T-1. Philly Cheese Steaks, 37 points (5 first-place votes)
T-1. Dottsville Toasters, 37 points (5 first-place votes)
3. Chalupa Batman, 31 points (2 first-place votes)
4. T-Money, 15 points
4. T-Money, 15 points
1. Philly Cheese Steaks
2014 Record, Finish: 6-7, 3rd in NFC East
Career Record : 6-7
Playoff Record: 0-0
★★★★★ QB
★★★★☆ RB
★★★★☆ WR/TE
STRONG DRAFT TO FUEL FIRE ON CHEESE STEAKS' GRILL
With a great keeper in Mike Evans, who scored 12 TDs as a rookie last year, the Steaks found himself in a great position in the draft, scooping up Julio Jones in the first round and C.J. Anderson in the second to lock up three of his four RB or WR positions.
Then, in the third, he added Sam Bradford, right before I was about to click DRAFT on the Eagles QB.
I thought about snagging Bradford second round but I had hope he’d fall to me in the third. That hope was dashed by the Steaks.
He’ll be happy he pulled the trigger on him because I think the oft-injured QB will fair much better in Philadelphia and be a fantasy stud. We’ve seen a few flashes of what this Eagles offense can be under Bradford and it will only get better when the season gets underway.
Anderson came on strong toward the end of last season, scoring 20 or more fantasy points six times from Week 9 to 17. Steaks will need that kind of production Weeks 1 through 9 to set him up for the playoffs.
If he gets that, he’ll just need to figure out that final starting spot. Does it go to Joseph Randle, Darren Sproles or Darren McFadden, or does a receiver like Eric Decker or Zach Ertz get the nod?
These will be the type of questions he’ll need to figure out in the first couple weeks.
No matter what, though, the Steaks are in great shape. If Bradford suffers yet another injury, the Steaks have Mark Sanchez in waiting.
Not many JFL teams used their third QB slot to get their backup, but the ones who did are in great shape to not have to pray the waiver wire works in their favor after an injury.
Depth is scary in other areas, but nevertheless, I’m looking at starters, and to me, the Steaks have the best team in the NFC East.
1. Dottsville Toasters
2014 Record, Finish: 8-5, 1st in NFC East
Career Record : 66-58
Playoff Record: 4-3
★★★★½ QB
★★★★☆ RB
★★★½☆ WR/TE
SO CLOSE, YET SO FAR AWAY FOR WILSON AND THE TOASTERS
Whereas the Toasters didn't make the Super Bowl, he was oh-so close, and Wilson's 15.7 points against T-Money in the NFC Championship Game doomed him.
Those low point totals hit a few times last year, and the Toasters will hope the addition of Jimmy Graham will help the Seahawks passing game be more efficient.
The key to Wilson’s fantasy value has been the running game. He hit 100-plus yards three times and scored six rushing TDs. That’s better than three of four running backs on the Toasters’ roster this year.
DeMarco Murray, the Toasters’ first-round pick, is the only exception to that as he had a monster 2014 season, averaging 19.4 points per game with 1,845 yards and 13 TDs.
Now, he’s an Eagle and in the middle of a crazy talented backfield that also includes Ryan Mathews and Darren Sproles.
A huge reason for Murray’s big fantasy season was the number of touches he got — 392 rushes and 57 receptions. Those numbers will drop significantly this year as Chip Kelly will certainly mix in Mathews and Sproles in the running game.
Still, Murray should be a lock — if healthy — to get 1,200 yards and eight TDs. It’s a far cry from the numbers he put up in 2014, but the Toasters will certainly take it.
The RB/WR slot will likely house a wideout for most of the season, barring a breakout year from one of three backs, Alfred Blue, Lorenzo Taliaferro or Jonas Gray.
So taking that spot will be any member of the five wideouts the Toasters boast. Andre Johnson is now in Indy and I’d really expect to see a bounce-back year from him, and Steve Smith, Allen Robinson and Percy Harvin were all solid choices. Playing the right matchups will lead the Toasters into contention for the division and the wild card.
3. Chalupa Batman
2014 Record, Finish: 3-10, 4th in NFC East
Career Record : 3-10
Playoff Record: 0-0
★★★★½ QB
★★½☆☆ RB
★★★★★ WR/TE
SPICING THINGS UP AFTER A MILD JFL DEBUT
A dreadful three-win season led to the second overall pick in the draft. That, in turn, gave him Antonio Brown and Dez Bryant in the first two rounds, followed by Jordan Matthews in the third.
Three strong wideouts, who were later joined by Victor Cruz and Marvin Jones. If Cruz can return to his Pro Bowl form, Batman will have so many weapons at WR, he won’t know what to do with them.
Perhaps, he’ll trade on for an RB, because when Isaiah Crowell is your No. 1 back, you’re in the market for another back. Fortunately, Chalupa will only need to start one RB a week with those receivers, and he should be able to survive low-point totals from that position.
His saving grace for 2015 may be the fifth-round keeper of Philip Rivers, who quietly averaged 24.4 fantasy points a week en route to a No. 10 ranking at the position.
That production will help Chalupa get out of the basement, but I don’t think it’ll be enough to win the NFC East. Instead, he’ll be in the running for the wild card.
4. T-Money
2014 Record, Finish: 7-6, 2nd in NFC East
Career Record : 62-65
Playoff Record: 5-5
★★★★☆ QB
★★½☆☆ RB
★★½☆☆ WR/TE
CHAPTER 11 IN SIGHT FOR T-MONEY, TROY SHOULD ATTACK NOW
The stock market has crashed. The dollar has lost its value. The Money Man is basically making Greece look like an economic success right now.
That may be a bit harsh, but it's OK. People are still vacationing in Greece, and T-Money can still make this team successful.
Because let's be frank, I wasn't really impressed with last year's squad either, and T-Money rode the luck train to championshipville.
T-Money’s squad was a low-scoring machine last year, yet he somehow ran into the right matchups and earned a wild card spot. Then, in the playoffs, the luck continued as he scored 59 points and won the Super Bowl.
It was rather interesting how an unimpressive team, led by a strong Tony Romo season, was able to win it all.
So, while I’ll pick T-Money for last once again, I can’t help but think he’ll do it again.
Romo was the keeper and I like him there.
My problem with the Money Man is his top RB is Alfred Morris, who had just one 100-yard game last year, and his top receiver is Mike Wallace, who had just one 100-yard receiving game.
Morris is backed up by Fred Jackson, who was just released by the Bills — although it looks like he’s going to Seattle — Montee Ball and Todd Gurley.
A lot has been written on Gurley, but he’s still a long shot needing to come back healthy. One thing is clear, Coach Jeff Fisher loves him. Maybe this will be T-Money’s saving grace for 2015.
If so, with Morris and Gurley, he’ll be able to piece together a pair of receivers out of Wallace, Michael Floyd, Malcolm Floyd, Pierre Garçon and Marquis Lee to compete and hopefully score more than 59 points.
Still, that’s a lot of “Ifs” for a reigning Super Bowl champ.
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