Playoffs: Round 1

Well, the regular season is over and it looks like Hong and Galvez are on the outside looking in with identical 4-9 records. Our other six esteemed owners will now face off for a chance at the ring. Aquino, the rookie manager looks like a complete ringer as he compiled a 9-4 record on the way to the most wins in the league and a first round bye. Ryan, as always, had an excellent regular season but now his real challenge (struggles) begin. Both Aquino and Ryan have a bye so this week we'll play for who gets a chance to knock off a big boy.

Fobsters (8-5) vs Jedi Knights (5-8)
Jimmy is having quite the fantasy season. In our other keeper league, he's gone from winless a year ago to almost earning a bye in the playoffs. With our Black Hole league, Jimmy's doing almost the same. Despite finishing with a very good record, Jimmy's team just didn't score more points than Ryan's. In fact, during the last six weeks, Jimmy's highest output has been 124 points (WK9) -- discounting a 157-point aberattion in WK 12 -- and he's had plenty of sub one hundred games.

Then again, Chris' team had six losses in a row before winning last week to stumble into the playoffs. Those losses are deceiving though, as the Knights have scored more than 107 points in every game since WK8 (120+ five times in that span). That doesn't bode well for the Fobsters, who are much more erratic.

The key to the Knight's success? Tom Brady and Carson Palmer. I'm not sure how Chris only won five games with such an amazing QB duo but that's why they play the game! More importantly, Chris' team is fully healthy now. Steven Jackson and Adrian Peterson are going to rip it up these next few weeks. Roy Williams and Andre Johnson are back and ready to light it up next to Braylon Edwards. In fact, the Knights look like my favorite dark horse despite their weak record. Who can argue with such excellent depth? My pre-season picks had Chris being a very dangerous team and it may just prove to be so.

The Fobsters will have to counter with the best fantasy running back in the land, Brian Westbrook. With Marion Barber slugging it out all season and Packers rookie Ryan Grant contributing mightily, the Fobsters have a good running game. They have good receivers too, with Chad Johnson, Greg Jennings (way underrated), and Hines Ward. However, Jimmy's got quarterback problems. Can Philip Rivers have a good game? Can AJ Feeley have a good game? Who would you rather have in your backfield? Brady-Palmer or Rivers-Feeley?

I'm gonna go out on a limb here and say that Chris upsets Jimmy. Nothing personal but the lineups are just too uneven. Use the Force Chris! Use the Force!

Dirty Birds (7-5-1) vs babysrus (6-6-1)
Oh boy, Jon versus Gene. The matchup the fates deemed must happen. I think I've been knocked out by Gene in the playoffs at least twice so even if that's not true, I'm making it my revenge game this week. The Dirty Birds are riding high recently with a wave of huge games (except last week's 76 point dud). Almost every loss they've had has been because they've stumbled and scored 80 points or below. If the Birds get over the century mark, they usually win.

Gene, of course, is the hottest team in the league. babysrus started off the season 0-6 and then proceeded to not lose again. 6 wins and 1 tie later (to Jon no less) and Gene's team is poised to annihilate the competition. Has this ever happened, it's incredible right? During their winning streak, they've never scored less than 124 points and they've been crushing the competition. What did Gene put in the baby formula?

His team doesn't look amazing on paper but QBs Kurt Warner and David Garrard have been quietly effective. Heck, old man Warner has been straight playing out of his mind. With a good running attack featuring Willie Parker and Chester Taylor, Gene can churn up yardage on the ground. The real star for babysrus though, is Terrell Owens. He's been nothing short of a legend this year. Sure, Randy Moss is getting all the publicity but TO is outperforming him in fantasy. With Reggie Wayne flanking him and young Brandon Marshall on the outside, Terrell Owens has had lots of space to operate. Will Rudi Johnson, Brandon Jacobs, Marshawn Lynch supplant Reuben Droughns in the flex spot? That's up to Gene. What we do know is that management has lost faith in Donovan McNabb -- again.

The Birds feature an aerial attack second to none. Torry Holt, TJ Houshmandzadeh, Anquan Boldin, and Wes Welker are all top ten WRs. Then again, are they? Holt has been sub-par this year, Boldin has been hurt, and while Wes is an animal, he might be facing additional converage this week. It looks like Donald Driver will go if Boldin is still out. The biggest question here is if Brett Favre will play this weekend. With him available, Favre and and Jon Kitna form a serviceable duo. Without him, it's JP Losman. Ouch. Can the Birds get more good performances out of Reggie Bush and Frank Gore -- two backs who are big names but very erratic? I guess we'll see.

We're predictinig a tight game that could go either way. If Favre plays, then Jon wins. If he doesn't, then Gene wins. Simple as that.