The first week of the inaugural Razzball Elite League (REL) is in the books! While my team surely disappointed, I have a lot of young talent and minor injuries I’m getting through and still have a very positive outlook to the future. Then again maybe I’m Wiggin’ out for Wiggins!
So if you’re not in the REL, why should ya even care? Well, the league is a 20-team deep dynasty league, and tracking our esteemed players’ moves can help keep you mindful of your own dynasty leagues or even guys to add to your Watch List in redraft leagues that may be breaking out under-the-radar or on the verge of a big step forward. It also can help gauge FAAB movements and your bidding throughout the season – although owners were very shy this week! The ear of every team is on the pulse (or some metaphor like that) of any new NBA moves and developments and can help keep you attune to the guys emerging off the wire. Every pickup can be a $1 keeper on a lifetime contract (rookies every year in drafts will go extremely high), so FAAB bidding is the life’s blood of winning the league.
I’ll be recapping the unlikely heroes of the top teams, the busts of the bottom, and the FAAB movements each owner makes weekly in our REL Power Rankings. Power Rankings are made without any concrete formula, just a look at overall record and the overall standings (main determinant) and each team’s stats as they compare to the league.
1. Martyball – IBFL (8-1-0)
FAAB Remaining: $100 FAAB Moves this week: n/a
Big start from Martyball who not only put up the best record but leads the league in 3PTM, Pts & Asts by a pretty nice margin, and is second in FT% and Reb. Huge starts from his bigs in Chris Bosh and Dirk Nowitzki, the breakout from Eric Bledsoe a lot of people saw, then the crazy start Trevor Ariza had (last nigh’t 4-16 notwithstanding). Steve Blake has also proved useful with Steve Nash limping his way around. A great start for Marty who starts the year with the only 1 loss record.
2. Pete Nice – Razzball (7-2-0)
FAAB Remaining: $69 FAAB Moves this week: Hedo Turkoglu ($10), Derek Fisher ($5)
Pete crushed me this week. Chris Paul was unstoppable, Klay Thompson had a career high and Jrue started pretty solid for his new team. Thaddeus Young also had a big game in there. My week was nothing but disappointments… Anyway, Pete remains active on the pickups, taking a shot on Turkoglu playing somewhere this year.
3. The Nature Boy (7-2-0)
FAAB Remaining: $84 FAAB Moves this week: Nate Wolters ($16)
Well anyone that landed Michael Carter-Williams has had a good start, and with this a dynasty, I’m sure the Nature Boy is lovin’ it. Paired with Paul George starting hot and Nikola Vucevic manning down low, it’s a solid core. Wolters has played well, but I’m hoping my boy Brandon Knight can get back out there!
4. Cigar Smoking Monkey (7-2-0)
FAAB Remaining: $99 FAAB Moves this week: Peyton Siva ($1)
Anthony Davis, who I chased pretty hard in the auction, has been everything as advertised for the Monkey. Wanna trade? A nice start for Isaiah Thomas and Ricky Rubio has the Monkey looking good right now.
5. Breaking Batum (7-2-0)
FAAB Remaining: $99 FAAB Moves this week: n/a
The surprising big standout for team Batum has been Mario Chalmers and his 13 steals. Sure the Heat have played 4 games, but who’s counting?! Batum and LaMarcus Aldridge have also been pretty good in Breaking’s Blazers core.
6. Hoopus Alleyoopus (7-2-0)
FAAB Remaining: $100 FAAB Moves this week: n/a
The Hoopus stayed quiet on the wire, but didn’t need any help yet with solid outputs across the team from Oladipo last night, to Blake Griffin all week, to Andre Drummond starting well – Hoopus has a strong start.
7. Barking BassetHounds (6-3-0)
FAAB Remaining: $39 FAAB Moves this week: Xavier Henry ($61)
The only 6 win team this week, Barking got nice starts from his veteran bigs in Carlos Boozer and Tyson Chandler, then good guard play from Jeremy Lin and Wesley Mathews. Another week without Beverley should have Barking excited for a second nice week from Lin. The big FAAB move this week was the huge bid on Henry at $61, outbidding the next highest bidder by $45. But hey, without vickery, Barking wanted to be sure he landed him.
8. Nashed Potatoes (5-4-0)
FAAB Remaining: $100 FAAB Moves this week: n/a
If by Nashed Potatoes you mean what Nash’s bone density is… then yes! Spencer Hawes has been fantastic and drafting Miles Plumlee a godsend. Unfortunately, Deron Williams and Marc Gasol have started pretty slow. But Plumlee drafted for a $1 is looking like the steal of the draft.
9. Like A Josh – IFBL (5-4-0)
FAAB Remaining: $68 FAAB Moves this week: n/a
Dwayne Wade already sitting out a game put a dent into a good week, but the post-draft pickup of Norris Cole is sure helping that! Wesley Johnson has arguably been the best player for Josh, surprising with his 8 blocks and 6 3s in the first 4 Lakers games.
10. Kinsey’s Team (5-4-0)
FAAB Remaining: $100 FAAB Moves this week: n/a
The last of the above .500 teams (but not least! I need to figure out a tiebreaker that works better…) Kinsey got big starts from his ThrAGNOFs in Kyle Korver and Ray Allen (4 games). Also, the $1 draft buy of Zaza Pachulia is looking like money.
11. Ben – RotoGold (4-5-0)
FAAB Remaining: $100 FAAB Moves this week: n/a
Our friends over at RotoGold.com had a decent week but lost by 1 with no real stand out performances past John Wall’s semi-decent week. DeAndre Jordan had some nice games, but Paul Millsap started a little disappointing and Ben is waiting for Rondo to come back. Tell Rondo to get a second procedure from Westbrook’s doctor!
12. Scurry to the Left (4-5-0)
FAAB Remaining: $100 FAAB Moves this week: n/a
Of course right when Harrison Barnes is looking like he’s ready to come back, Goran Dragic gets a bad ankle sprain last night for Scurry. Flanking Kevin Durant, the big week from Francisco Garcis has Scurry just under .500.
13. ChazTop-KevinBottom (4-5-0)
FAAB Remaining: $78 FAAB Moves this week: Jodie Meeks ($13), Travis Outlaw ($5), Mike Harris ($2), Kyle O’Quinn ($2)
The only team as busy as I was with FAAB this week, I had bids on Meeks, Harris and O’Quinn as well. They were mainly backup bids should the guys I really wanted get heavy bidding, but I like all 3 to be useful in this league. Wanna trade? Chaz/Kevin is ecstatic that he got back Russell Westbrook so early and a big start for Monta Ellis and a surprise from Brandon Bass has Chaz/Kevin right near.500.
14. Doug – tdbsports.com (3-6-0)
FAAB Remaining: $98 FAAB Moves this week: Aaron Brooks ($1)
Our friend at The Double Bonus had a lackluster start to the year (hey, a lot better than me!), despite nice starts from Stephen Curry, Brook Lopez and Arron Afflalo. I’m actually a little jealous of this team. Want to trade me Gortat?
15. Mr Green – Nowhere (2-7-0)
FAAB Remaining: $99 FAAB Moves this week: Timofey Mozgov ($1)
Our friends from, well, nowhere I guess had a tough start, with not enough support past Harden and Parker. But can’t forget that Tony Wroten! No one else really delivered, but Mr Green is sitting on two high upside rooks in Nerlens Noel and Trey Burke. Wiggin out for Wiggins!
16. Team Tough Guy Town (2-7-0)
FAAB Remaining: $100 FAAB Moves this week: n/a
Tough guy had a tough week, with Beal starting cold and Nash starting old. LeBron is obviously a good centerpiece then Amir Johnson played well, but past that no one stepped up.
17. I’m a Currian (2-7-0)
FAAB Remaining: $99 FAAB Moves this week: Nando De Colo ($1)
Currian had some pretty good efforts to start the year from Jeff Teague, Enes Kanter and Jimmy Butler, but it wasn’t enough against the Cigar Smoking Monkey and Currian drops back to the bottom of the barrel with me and Slim. It’s only one week in, and Tobias Harris should be a big boost if he can get back healthy. Interested in trading him away? I’ll pick him up from ya!
18. Slim – Razzball (2-7-0)
FAAB Remaining: $99 FAAB Moves this week: Daniel Orton ($1)
Slim recapped his tough week on my Daily this morning, and he’s got a solid core to get him outta the dumps. Very tough start from Larry Sanders, but I think he turns it around, then surprise hot starts from Andrew Nicholson and P.J. Tucker has Slim in the optimism ozone.
19. JB Gilpin – Razzball (2-7-0)
FAAB Remaining: $66 FAAB Moves this week: Cartier Martin ($19), Mike Scott ($9), Khris Middleton ($6)
I’ll admit it – I had a pretty brutal week. Losing 2 starters (Brandon Knight, Wilson Chandler) to an immediate injury and to a lingering injury, then the whole Andrew Bynum fiasco (but he was a draft day discount), plus Omri Casspi is looking like a good buy and he misses a game… Injury bug killing me! Then my last three draft picks were bad, so I spent heavy FAAB early bringing in some depth. The next highest bid on Martin was only $5, which I would’ve won had I left in my original big of $6, but bid higher after he had another nice game Sunday. Pairing him with Mike Scott gives me all the front court depth the Hawks have, and Middleton should keep getting run too. My plan is to stay quiet now that I have no dead spots and hope to ride out the injury bug and work my way to .500.
20. Kap’s Team (1-8-0)
FAAB Remaining: $100 FAAB Moves this week: n/a
Hate to pick on ya Kap, especially since Martyball had by far the best week, but as the only 1 win team, I at least am not the worst. Kevin Love has been fantastic, but Pau Gasol and Carmelo starting slow hasn’t helped, and the upside of Gerald Henderson hasn’t shown up either.
