The 2014 season has come and gone, and teams in the EBFL are preparing for the 2nd go round of this dynasty endeavor, well except maybe Smitty; no one is sure he’s even alive. A few teams have already jumped the gun, making some moves before the official league roll-over to the new season. We’ve seen some quality young players, and several late 1st round rookie picks changing hands, while a few veterans have found new homes as well. Before things get too crazy, Commish HQ figured it was a good time to take a team by team look at the season ahead. Keep in mind, this is all based on where teams stand right now, and things can and will change over the next few weeks.
Yobagoya Division
Greg Schiano is an Idiot
2014 Finish: 11th in VP, 8th in Scoring
2015 Draft Picks: 1.01, 1.07, 3.11, 5.06
2015 Outlook: Things are looking up for the Idiots. Schiano is still out of coaching, and they have some nice young pieces to build around on top of the first pick in this year’s EBFL Rookie Draft. Let’s assume they hang onto the pick and go RB; the Idiots would have 3 of the best young backs in the game and the potential return of Adrian Peterson, assuming he doesn’t pull a Josh Gordon and whoop on his kid again. The QB’s are solid, but unspectacular and they have some good, but not great WR. Having Gronk at TE is a huge edge over the rest of the league, even the current Jimmy Graham owner. If the Idiots don’t make the playoffs in 2015, the offense won’t be to blame. They have a pretty uninspiring defense, with only a single player ranked as a #1 option in 2014. The good news is they don’t have a lot of youth on D, other than on the back end, so you’d have to expect some serious turnover up front, which has to be a good thing for this unit.
Long Term Outlook: The Idiots are in a solid position going forward, with a pair of high picks this year and another 3 first round selections in 2016. I have a feeling the Idiots won’t sit on these picks though, and may look to move some to give a boost to their squad for 2015. They dealt away a good young QB, but got a nice return to make up for what they gave away to get an aging Brandon Marshall. The Marshall addition was a bit of a surprise considering the make up of the squad. Without that deal, they potentially come away with 2 or 3 impact players from this draft to add to their core.
Long Snappers
2014 Finish: 9th in VP, 10th in Scoring (Frittata Award)
2015 Draft Picks: 1.12, 2.01, 2.12, 3.04, 3.06, 4.01
2015 Outlook: The Snappers are in for a long season. The team is seriously lacking an identity and probably has bottom half of the league units everywhere but LB, especially with Buffalo switching to a 3-4 and Hughes losing his DE eligibility. There are probably only a handful of players on this roster with any real worth currently. Some RB roulette in the NFL could be good news for the Snappers, and a better situation for Spiller and Ridley, could at least keep them from getting blown out week after week. You’d have to think they try and address the talent vacuum at the position in the rookie draft, but who knows what is left by the time they pick. The 2015 season is basically a write off for this squad, as they look to build up a nucleus of young talent and draft picks, similar to what the Bandits did in 2014.
Long Term Outlook: The Snappers are going to have to hope for some serious player development out of the 15 2014 rookies they currently have on the squad, and hit big with their picks in 2015 to be competitive by 2017. Unfortunately the Snappers don’t own their own first round selection in 2016, so rolling out a brutal team for long term gain isn’t even in the cards. Mark and Greg have their work cut out for themselves to turn this ship around. Hopefully it isn’t laying on the bottom of the sea before they even get the chance to.
San Juan Bananas
2014 Finish: 5th in VP, 4th in Scoring
2015 Draft Picks: 1.08, 1.11, 4.08, 4.09, 5.01, 5.12
2015 Outlook: This squad should be in the mix for the playoffs again in 2015, assuming they can fill in some depth at RB, and both Jamaal Charles and JJ Watt stay healthy. They roll out a decent compliment of WR, led by Calvin Johnson and Emmanuel Sanders. They’ve been trying to move some of their lower tier WR in attempt to get younger, but so far the asking price has been too high and/or no one is interested in what they’re selling. This was the other team involved in the Brandon Marshall deal, and I was surprised to see them do so, as they fight to stay at the top of the weakest division, and he and Megatron would have formed an admirable pair of top WR. I’m not sure how much those first rounders will help though, as this is the team that drafted Jadeveon Clowney 6th overall last season. Either way, you can count on them being active in the trade market, trying to repeat as Yobagoya champs.
Long Term Outlook: It’s tough to get a read on the long term viability of this franchise. Personally, I think they have a solid team for the next 2 seasons, then start to regress as other teams in their division take a step up. Will they draft and develop some players, or continue to let talented rookies go for help right away? They are a very active team, so they could look very different this time next year, which may improve their long term outlook.
Tom Selleck’s Moustache
2014 Finish: 7th in VP, 6th in Scoring
2015 Draft Picks: 1.06, 2.04, 2.06, 4.06
2015 Outlook: This was a team I expected more out of in 2014, and would expect to turn things around this year. They have studs at the 3 key positions on offense, with Luck, Beckham/Cobb and McCoy. They could be one of the teams most affected by NFL free agency, with the likes of Trent Richardson, Randall Cobb and Michael Crabtree, and it will be very interesting to see where they all end up. Will it help the Stache or hurt them? Looking to the draft, having 3 selections in the top 18 should net them some useful players that could be contributors by year end. The defense really let this team down last season, and a marked improvement could be the key to earning a playoff spot. If Smitty can turn around the defense, they could give the Bananas a run for their money for the division crown.
Long Term Outlook: This team should be competitive for several years with Andrew Luck at the helm. If they can continue to nab guys like Odell Beckham in the rookie draft to surround Luck, look out. The key to this team likely will reside in the draft and develop model, as this is one of the least active teams on the trade market. I have a feeling they wish they pulled the trigger on a number of players prior to, or during this past season. Again, the key will be defense; if it improves, they improve, and are likely competing with the Idiots for division titles from 2016 to 2018.
Senor Crabs Division
Chalupa Batman
2014 Finish: 2nd in VP, 6th in Scoring
2015 Draft Picks: 3.08, 4.03, 4.11, 5.04, 5.10
2015 Outlook: You heard it here first. The Chalupas are the team to beat in 2015…if Marshawn Lynch returns to Seattle. Even if he doesn’t, the addition of CJ Anderson should help replace some of that lost productivity. The Chalupas roll out one of the best, if not the best, WR trios in the league with Brown, Jones and Allen, have a huge positional advantage at TE with Graham and a top 5 QB with Wilson. The defense is the epitome of sub par, and they’re looking to move their top scoring LB…figure that one out. To earn the championship, they’re going to have to improve this unit, without a doubt. They do have some solid young pieces to build around, but will they take the next step? It should be another dog fight between them and the Nagintas for the division crown.
Long Term Outlook: The Chalupas have a decent mix of both young and old, but lean a little heavier towards old at the RB position. Eventually replacing the immense talents of Marshawn Lynch and Arian Foster will be key to the long term success of the Chalupas. At QB and WR, they are set for a long time, and they have 4 solid LB that are heading into their 2nd year as well. This team should be competitive year in and year out for a while.
Deadly Nagintas
2014 Finish: 1st in VP, 3rd in Scoring (Igloo Bowl Finalist)
2015 Draft Picks: 1.10, 5.09, 5.11
2015 Outlook: The surprise team of 2014 shouldn’t fool anyone in the coming season. They should be in the playoff mix again, with their eyes on a taking that next step towards a title. Their chances were dealt a bit of a blow with the recent news Josh Gordon would be missing the season, but they did it without him in 2014 as well. One of the younger WR or RB will have to step up to fill the void. The Nagintas roll out one of the best defenses in the league, and that shouldn’t change this year. There are some questions at QB, with their aging vets taking a step backward in 2014, and at RB, where it’s anyone’s guess who will step up and take the starting spots. There is plenty of potential there, but this team needs production. When all is said and done, it should be another great race for the division title with the Chalupas, likely coming down to the final weeks again.
Long Term Outlook: While this team is good now, they’re also young pretty much everywhere but QB, so don’t expect a significant drop-off anytime soon. They did off-load a pile of picks to acquire AJ Green, but having the youth they do, allowed them to take a bit of a risk there. If they can manage to put something together at QB after the 2015 season, they should be contenders for at least 3-4 more seasons.
Fear Boners
2014 Finish: 8th in VP, 12th in Scoring
2015 Draft Picks: 1.05, 2.05, 2.11, 3.05, 4.10, 5.05
2015 Outlook: Despite finishing last in scoring last year, they managed to stay out of the Frittata Bowl. Don’t be surprised if their scoring improves, but they find themselves in a similar position in 2015. The key to a quick turnaround for the Boners will be the running back position. They don’t currently have a single RB you’d feel comfortable starting heading into the season, as the guys most likely to do so probably see some competition added via FA or the draft. Outside of that, they have several nice pieces, including a solid DL, and several good young receivers to complement a couple of great vets in Johnson and Fitzgerald (who may have a new home in 2015). If their LB can stay healthy, they’re definitely a top half unit. All in all, this team is still building and 2015 will be a stepping stone in that process.
Long Term Outlook: There is a ton of solid youth on offense, including a stable of WR in their first 3 years of the league, who could grow into a formidable unit with a bit more seasoning. Will they move some of these players for help at RB to try and expedite the process? The playoffs are going to be a tall order for the next couple years, but solid drafting could have them poised to compete by 2017. Moving a few of their veteran pieces could potentially help long term, while causing some short term pain.
Loose Bandits
2014 Finish: 10th in VP, 9th in Scoring
2015 Draft Picks: 1.02, 1.04, 1.09, 2.02, 2.10, 2.13, 3.02, 3.09, 4.02, 4.05, 5.02
2015 Outlook: This team is young everywhere you look, and should be much improved in 2015. If 2 or 3 of those high picks can come in and contribute right away, this team could compete for more than just a playoff spot this season. Without immediate production from a few 2015 rookies, they’ll have a tough time overcoming enough teams to make the dance. I’ll hedge and put them somewhere between 5th and 8th at the end of the regular season though. I’m not sure they have the room to make all of those picks, so don’t be surprised if they’re trading up in this draft or pushing some picks off until 2016.
Long Term Outlook: This team is going to be loaded with young talent after the rookie draft, which should put them in a great position going forward. Don’t be surprised to see some great 3 or 4 team races for the Senor Crabs title in the near future. This is shaping up to be quite the division with the Chalupas being great from the get-go, and the Nagintas and Bandits building for the future from the start up draft. Maybe Cordarrelle Patterson even learns to run routes one day and becomes more than a gimmick player, to put them over the top.
Taco Corp Division
Endzone Dancers
2014 Finish: 12th in VP, 11th in Scoring
2015 Draft Picks: 1.03, 2.03, 2.08, 2.09, 3.03, 3.07, 3.10
2015 Outlook: The Dancers vastly under-performed in 2014, but have acquired plenty of young talent, with several very interesting names at all of the offensive positions. Look for them to add to that stable with their vast array of early picks in what is expected to be a deep RB draft. The Dancers dealt their high end WR talent away in 2014 to get all of those picks, so they’re now missing that stud WR that can carry a team. The defense is middle of the road, and shouldn’t hurt the team, but won’t win them many match ups either. With all of the young talent this team has assembled, expect there to be some growing pains in 2015, and likely another trip to the Frittata Bowl.
Long Term Outlook: The Dancers have hitched their wagon to the pitch and catch combo of Teddy Bridgewater and Charles Johnson this off-season. I’m not so sure it gets them over the hump in 2015, but look for them to help lead this team to their first playoff berth in 2016 or 2017. If they can make the best of drafting and developing talent this year and next, they could run the division for several years as their aging competitors have to rebuild, without a stocked cupboard of draft picks.
Knuckle Ballers
2014 Finish: 3rd in VP, 1st in Scoring
2015 Draft Picks: 2.07, 3.01, 4.04, 4.07, 5.07, 5.08
2015 Outlook: The Ballers are in a very weird spot right now, as neither of their QBs are a lock to return in 2015. All signs point to Manning and Brady returning, but what if Manning decides his body can’t take it anymore, and Brady wins a title and rides off into the sunset a champion? This team would then be in serious scramble mode at that point. Thankfully for them, that’s at least improbable, if not impossible. The Ballers have added a bunch of depth at the RB position, but currently don’t have a dominant back to carry the team. They’ve traded 2 key WR from their 2014 roster, but the cupboard is far from bare. They have a decent defense that could be much better with the return of Mayo and Washington. All in all, this team should be in the mix for a playoff spot in 2015, but don’t look for them to repeat as the scoring leader.
Long Term Outlook: It’s tough to really consider their chances beyond 2015 with their QB situation. I don’t think too many have faith in Johnny Football living up to the hype after his first season in the league. Who knows though, maybe he matures and takes the reins from the pair of Hall of Famers the Ballers are rocking right now. There isn’t a ton of youth on the offense as a whole, but they have been working on moving some of their aging stars for whatever they can get. Devante Adams doesn’t look like such a reach after a couple big games, and could be a nice pairing with Demaryius Thomas for them for a long time. We expect a sharp decline in 2016, and that they’ll be a middle of the pack squad for a bit.
Rex in the City
2014 Finish: 4th in VP, 2nd in Scoring (Igloo Bowl Champion)
2015 Draft Picks: 4.12
2015 Outlook: The Rexes will be another squad watching free agency closely, with DeMarco Murray, Julius Thomas and Shane Vereen all up for new deals, while Greene, Wallace and Bowe are serious candidates for release. This could cause quite the shake up for the Rexes, and seriously hamstring their chances at repeating as Igloo Bowl Champions. The Rexes have ridden a solid defense, and that is likely to continue. They have the best set of DB’s in the league, and roll decent depth at the DL and LB positions, playing the match ups well. If there isn’t a sharp drop off from the Forte’s and the Murray’s, they should compete for a title again in 2015. Unfortunately it’ll be tougher to bolster their line up down the stretch without many draft picks, so we expect them to fall short.
Long Term Outlook: This is a team that is going to get old in a hurry, and with not much in the way of picks, and devoid of any taxi eligible players currently, it’s going to be a tough rebuild when it happens. I doubt it happens this season, but it’s coming. The defensive talent Commish puts together should keep them from Frittata territory during the process though. As long as Jordy sticks in Green Bay for a while, that pairing with Rodgers makes this team dangerous. With a little luck, they could have their name on the Igloo Bowl trophy a couple times before it falls apart.
What Does John Fox Say
2014 Finish: 6th in VP, 7th in Scoring
2015 Draft Picks: 3.12, 5.03
2015 Outlook: WDJFS caught several lucky breaks on their way to a semi-final loss in 2014. That said, they belonged, having made it through while being in the toughest division. Despite the team lacking much in the way of young talent, they should be in another 3 team fight for the Taco Corp pennant in 2015. They have a good but not great defense, and they tend to roll their line up differently that most others. A couple of their LB should greatly improve this season as well. They are playing with fire with Big Ben being their only QB likely to start in 2015, and are likely to add a back up at some point, at least you’d think. There are enough RB and WR to fill out a decent line up week in and week out, but don’t expect monster weeks, and a high number of VP. All in all, expect them to be close to where they were in 2014, unless the schedule does a complete 180 on them, and they end up like the Stache in 2014.
Long Term Outlook: This could get ugly. Having only 1 3rd rounder and 4 5th rounders over the next 2 rookie drafts does not bode well for their long term well-being, especially since this is another relatively old team on offense. Since they don’t own their own first in 2016, expect them to try and compete this year, then blow it up the year after, provided they actually hang onto a couple of their own 2017 picks. 2015 could be the last season anyone takes this team seriously for a while.
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