Our 36th season has come to an end. The Body Shop notched their 4th championship and also grabbed the all-important week 18 helmet (2nd tear in a row). The Jelly Beans was the highest scoring team but that was only good enough for 2nd place (The Beans surely upset the Fantasy Gods somewhere along the line). The Black Assassins grabbed a thrilling victory (more about that later) in week 18 and pushed the Croatans out of the Money (now is that any way to treat a former partner). The Roxborough Wranglers hung on to the final money spot despite a disappointing Week 18. I would like to handle settling up as we have the last few years (just more efficient). Will send details in e-mail. Whether we have a party or just put the party fee towards next year’s draft buffet is to be determined. The last week’s notes are always bittersweet, but more bitter than sweet when the Dream Team finishes in eighth place.

  The old web (http://swffl.50megs.com) has updated archives and historical records. I will also add some web-exclusive content. Send any ideas to me and I will see what I can do.

   OK, this is the part where I look back at the draft analysis that I do at the beginning of most years. This year it picked 0 of the 4 Money teams making it 55 of 120 (46%) in the past 29 years, a little worse than a coin toss. Alternatively, the CBS Guru selected 1 of the 4 Money teams, which makes them 17 of 36 (47%) in the last 9 years. Apparently, the Guru's system is better than mine, which makes sense since CBS uses projections instead of last year’s numbers.

   Both Spock and Norm both picked 2 of the 5 winners in week 18. Both finished 35 of 80 or 44% correct for the season. So, we have a tie, but 44% is a poor showing for both prognosticators. Spock will start next season with top billing.

   Since we have some extra room in the last week, I will be doling out my season-ending awards for the year. The 2024 Fantasy MVP award goes to Ja’Marr Chase. The homer in me wanted to give it to Barkley, but in the end Chase was 100 points ahead of the nearest WR and Barkley (thanks in part to having Week 18 off) had a bit more competition at RB. The RAVENS get the 2024 Fantasy NFL Team of the Year award by grabbing a top 4 spot in 2 of the position rankings (QB, RB), Bengals were close second. Saquon Barkley gets the 2023 Comeback Player of the Year after escaping the GIANTS (had to get him in somewhere). There were many candidates for 2024 Bust of the Year, has to be Run CMC. I know it was mostly due to injury but when the top pick of the draft goes from “he will be in the starting lineup” in Week 1 to deactivation for the first half of the season and then comes back for a few games before being shelved for the season. That is bad (Le’Veon Bell bad). The 2023 Worst Fantasy NFL Team goes to the BROWNS. The 2023 SWFFL Rookie of the Year goes to Brock Bowers (sorry Daniles, Nix, Nabers and Thomas but he broke all kinds of records).

   In a family affair the Jelly Beans edged out the Good Fellas and completed the season sweep. The Beans capped off a very nice season with a nice effort by McMillan. The Beans missed out on the trophy, but they did finish up as the highest scoring team of the year (which with a few bucks will get you a cup of coffee). Fortunately, the Beans also snagged second place which is like an upgrade to a Grande Coffee. The Fellas were led by Nabers in the season ender. One could argue their season ended with the drafting if Rub CMC (the coaches of the Fellas were a touch concerned about the injury). A Geno start would have given them a nice end.

   The Body Shop wrapped up the trophy, notched the week 18 helmet and completed the season sweep of the Dream Team with a huge game in week 18. The Shop was led by Nix, Robinson, Mims and Smith as they put the proverbial cherry on top of the season. The Drema Team did put in some effort to (mainly win that last week helmet), but some moves worked and some did not. None if it really mattered when Sam Darnold reverted to JETS form on the Sunday night season capper.

   The Money Takers ended the disappointing 2024 campaign on a positive note by avenging their early season loss to the Croatans and essentially knocking the Croatans out of the money. The Takers were led by Herbert and London in the victory. The Croatans were eld by Action Jackson and Moore in the loss.

   The Black & Blue Attack completed the season sweep of the Roxborough Wranglers in a very low scoring affair (neither team cleared 90 points). Mayfield was the only 20-point plus score in either lineup. It was still a close game and the Wranglers had several options on the bench that would have kept them in fourth place, but “in the money” is still “in the money”.

  The "Game of the Week" honors go to the contest between the Black Assassins and the Fightin’ Irish. Going into Sunday night the Irish looked like they had a “W” in hand due ti nice performances by Young, Adams, Myers and Sutton. Then they played Sunday night and Gibbs (with a little help form the Sun God and the LIONS) put up an MVP performance with a 50 burger. Toss in a god Scary Terry game and the Assassins just edged out the Irish by 1.6 points. A couple of bench players (Robinson or TEXANS) would have given the Irish the “W” and they would probably have replaced the Assassins in the money.

CHATTERBOX:(Get Quotes in by Monday Night)
Dream Team (Norm): Suspiciously Absent

BEST & WORST OF WEEK 18

MVP: Jahmyr Gibbs (50.0) Black Assassins       Best on Bench: Kyler Murra (34.2) Body Shop      Low Scorers: Roxb. Wranglers (82.0)    Coaching Efficiency: High: Body Shop (99%) Low: Roxb. Wranglers (63%)

Top Rostered Players By Position (Rostered Players Only)
QB – Jackson(530.1),Burrow(505.1),Mayfield(475.2),Allen(441.5)
RB – Barkley(403.3),Gibbs(379.9),Henry(348.4),Robinson(336.7)
WR – Chase(442.0),St. Brown(329.5),Jefferson(329.3),Thomas(296.0)
TE – Bowers(269.1),McBride(248.8),Kittle(236.6),Smith(227.4)
PK – Aubrey(271),Boswell(233),Fairbairn(224),Dicker(215)
ST – BRONCOS(166),VIKINGS(136),TEXANS(131),COWBOYS,PACKERS(124)

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