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*S38 Consensus Fantasy Rankings - Pvtpenne - 10-11-2022
Hello and welcome to the third annual Simulation Football Writers Guild fantasy rankings! In this article we will be providing some insight, analysis, and honestly some guesswork as to who will be producing in ISFL fantasy for S38. We will try to update the rankings a little bit if there are any big moves or roster changes that happen after the rankings go live, but no guarantees there. This season the rankings are brought to you by Pvtpenne, TubaDeus, RussDrivesTheBuss, Slate, Michiganonymous, and 124715 but if you have any negative comments, please direct them towards Russ. Without further ado, let’s get into the rankings.
QUARTERBACK *****When rankings were made, we were told Elessar Jones would be switching from scrambler to gunslinger, thus reducing his fantasy value. We were just told after posting this that that is not the case and he will remain a scrambler. Elessar Jones finished as QB4 last season*****
1. Malcolm Savage
Malcolm Savage has reclaimed the top spot in both fantasy QB scoring and now the fantasy QB rankings. After a down Season 36 where he threw dozens of interceptions, he got it done again on the ground and through the air in S37. NYS has also made moves to improve the offense and thus the quality of attempts that Savage gets. He has just hit his 1st regression but being a max earner, it won’t really affect his build too much and he will still be at full strength. Savage is a cheat code at QB for fantasy. - Penne
2. Carter Knight
Carter Knight has been remarkably consistent as the franchise QB in Sarasota, throwing for 4500 or more yards and at least 30 touchdowns in each of the past 4 seasons, and rewarding fantasy owners accordingly. Last season he finished as the QB3 behind do-everything Malcolm Savage and TE82’s surprise 5500-yard final season in Austin. While Carter isn’t likely to overtake Savage, if you don’t want to pay the draft premium for the Silverbacks QB it’s hard to see anyone getting past Knight for the second spot. Sarasota’s offense is powered by his ability to get the ball out quickly and accurately to their fast receivers and running backs in space. Saleem Spence may have retired, but the Sailfish replaced him by acquiring rising star Sconnie McSix from Baltimore in a draft-day trade, so Knight still has a full complement of weapons. He had a concerning uptick in interceptions last season, and that higher turnover rate might continue with him hitting regression this season. However, the volume is easily high enough that a few extra INTs shouldn’t amount to more than a rounding error in the final fantasy standings. -- Michiganonymous
3. Wendell Sailor
Following a QB5 finish in fantasy scoring last season, I think Sailor will be even more valuable for fantasy players this season. Of the 4 QBs that finished with more points than him, 1 retired and the other switched from a scrambler archetype to a pure passing archetype. The only real knock on Sailor for fantasy is from a volume perspective since Jay Cue Jr. runs the ball so damn much. But this team will score a ton and Cue can’t be the only one scoring touchdowns right? :copium: - Penne
4. Kaguya Shinomiya
Admittedly Shinomiya didn’t exactly perform well last season, limping to a QB9 finish. However, a mere 20 points separated Shinomiya from the QB4. That’s not exactly the Grand Canyon. What’s more, 3 of the QBs that finished ahead of him retired. That means 3 rookies who will likely be coming up the rear with low TPE and no experience. Much like in real life, running QBs are a cheat code for fantasy, so with an extra year of experience and less competition for the top spots, S37 should just be a blip for Shinomiya and not the new norm. - Tuba
5. Bageshwari Singh
For those of you keeping track at home, Bageshwari Singh was indeed the league’s worst fantasy quarterback last year. So why would he be in the top 5 this year? To start, he’s got another season of experience under his belt from last year, plus a nice chunk of TPE still left to be applied. The Fire Salamanders also upgraded his weapons, replacing the corpse of Troy Abed with up-and-comer Octavio Perez. Free Agent signing Maximilian Hamilton rounds out the group at WR3. It’s not a great WR crew, but it’s good enough. More importantly, Berlin is starting to come out of their rebuild and if they intend to compete this season, their running game with Rab Thecrab and Marvin Toledo simply is not going to cut it. Look for the Sallys to be one of the heaviest passing teams in the league, and Singh’s fantasy value should benefit. - 124715
6. Owen Farrell
The Sabercats run one of the most balanced offenses in the league in terms of Run/Pass split. Even though they were 7th in passing attempts, Farrell made the most of them in his rookie campaign, finishing with the 3rd most passing TDs. This bodes well for his possible production this season. Blondin, Higgins and Penne are all great receiving options and don't forget about King out of the backfield. If Farrell can do a better job of protecting the ball, in terms of both INTs and fumbling, he could absolutely be a fantasy viable option for QB. I would suggest waiting until the late rounds to grab him to maximize your value. - Russ
7. Tron Carter
The Philadelphia Liberty paid a big price to acquire Carter just about a season ago and were rewarded with a QB6 fantasy finish and the team’s first winning record since S32. Once again, Carter will have to deal with a very deep group of weapons that doesn’t include any elite-level players. Escanor Sama and Erwin Kemp are both strong options but rather weak WR1s, and while American Boot is one of the better TEs in the league he’s in the same category as Sama and Kemp. With the ascension of Jarvis Harbinger-Marjin in the backfield, it seems unlikely that the Liberty will employ a particularly pass-heavy offense, which limits Carter’s ceiling. Still, if he goes undrafted in your group, keep an eye out for any surprise performances from Tron Carter. - 124715
8. Live Laughlove
The Yeeti are dead and Laughlove’s fantasy prospects died with them. The former perennial league passing yards leader finished as just the QB12 in S37, just 2.7 points above last place Bageshwari Singh. Laughlove scored fewer fantasy points than the OCO defense last season. That said, it didn’t really make much sense for the Yeti to be running the ball so much last season and we might expect to see the passing game come back a bit. Plus a lot of other QB situations got much worse this offseason, creating more situations that would probably be best to avoid. These two factors have L3 still just making our rankings as the 8th best QB, but I personally would avoid drafting him and just watch out as to whether he might be a good waiver addition midseason. - Slate
RUNNING BACK
1. Jay Cue Jr.
Nice of the group to let me have the easiest of all the player write-ups. Yawn, ho-hum, Jay Cue Jr. scored a bazillion touchdowns and was the top overall player in fantasy again. One of the greatest workhorse running backs we’ve ever seen, he shows no signs of slowing down and Arizona seems to have no intention of reducing his usage rate either. And why would they? Expect a 5th consecutive season of 2000+ scrimmage yards and 20+ touchdowns. How much longer can he keep this up? Who knows, but he should be the first pick in every fantasy draft this season and every season until the wheels fall off. -- Michiganonymous
2. Michaelangelo McTurtle
For a team with a mobile QB and a fantastic RB in McTurtle, the Silverbacks don't tend to run that often. They had the 4th lowest rush attempts last season at exactly 400. Even with that lower volume AND having their TD production hampered by a rushing QB, McTurtle was able to finish as RB3. What you're paying top dollar for in McTurtle, is his dual threat usage. He ended last season just shy of 600 yards receiving and added 6 TDs to his total. With Speedman and Oath getting wrecked by regression, there seems to be a clear path to very similar volume and usage for this McTurtle bro. Draft with confidence in the first round. - Russ
3. The Stig
Take a top 5 fantasy scoring RB entering his peak TPE season and remove his biggest weakness, sounds juicy right? Stig is one of the best rushers in the league, but his problem is finding the end zone. Well his QB just switched from scrambler to a passing archetype, freeing up some goal line carries for The Stig. I see no weaknesses in The Stig’s profile for fantasy as he is one of the few high-TPE bellcows in the league. - Penne
4. Lalu Zohri
Back to back peak TPE bellcows being ranked here, but Zohri finds himself in a slightly different position than The Stig coming into this season. Zohri and the Butchers run the ball significantly less than NOLA does, but they should be more adept at finding the end zone. The top receiving options for Chicago are regressing, so the team could lean on Zohri even more than ever before. - Penne
5. DeAndre King
This season may be a major milestone for DeAndre King - he may finally become the most fantasy relevant RB who shows up in the index as King, D. The King of San Jose reached a major milestone last season, leading a backfield for the first time in his career as he passed Mason Malone en route to a RB11 fantasy finish. This year, the pieces are starting to fall into place again for another strong year. Instead of competing for carries with the very capable Malone, the Sabercats’ second back is rookie CG Breezy, and even when Breezy is on the field King will be lining up at WR3. Based on the overall strength of the San Jose offense, the touchdown opportunities should be there as well. King should be a legit RB1 for this season. - 124715
6. Zane Cold
While Zane Cold’s rushing volume took a step back in Season 37 relative to some of his previous seasons thanks to backfield mate Goat Tank Jr. spending less time split out wide or in the slot, his efficiency saw a large boost thanks to improvement as well as the continued improvement of the greatest fullback in the league, Leandre Diarra. With the passing game sometimes struggling last season and his main backfield competition in Goat Tank Jr. retiring, Zane Cold is set to become the Otters’ workhorse back in an offense that will likely lean more towards the run than many teams in the league. Cold has a high floor and a high upside, making him an appealing rising star in the fantasy RB landscape. - Slate
7. Bean Delphine
Delphine earned a RB14 finish last season despite being stuck as Honolulu’s second back, and this year it’s the Bean’s time to shine. Delphine, like the other backs ranked highly on this list, figures to stay on the field for every snap this season. Unlike the other backs ranked highly on this list, Honolulu’s leading legume isn’t particularly close to maxing out TPE-wise. The Hahalua offense is also, er, not exactly competitive, which could be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the Hahalua will likely lean away from the Adrian St. Christmas-lead passing game. One the other hand, Bean and co. will likely face a lot of unfavorable game scripts through the course of the season. At the end of the day, Delphine is still an unquestioned RB1, just with more uncertainty than usual. - 124715
8. Ozamataz Buckshank
This might seem like an ambitious ranking given Buckshank’s TPE level and the state of the Austin offense, but what if I told you Buckshank was the RB4 on the season in S37? Notably Buckshank’s production profile leaned very heavily toward the receiving side rather than the rushing side, but it’s very possible that continues in S38. Austin’s offense is made up of mostly the same pieces, outside of the rookie QB situation. That could lead to a lessening in the quality of targets that Buckshank gets, but overall I like his prospects for this season. - Penne
9. Kumquat Archipelago
I seem to be the highest on Kumquat Archipelago this season among my fellow fantasy rankers, but all I’ve done is predict him to equal his RB7 finish from last season. Either my colleagues know something that I don’t (which is… actually pretty likely, so grain of salt and all that), or they aren’t paying close enough attention to Yellowknife (which, in fairness to them, is very cold and quite far away.) Certainly there’s concern that “thunder” back Adebayo Akinfenwa might dominate carries in the red zone and vulture some rushing TDs, but that wasn’t a problem for the “lighting” half of the Wraith’s RBBC last season. It’s really Archipelago’s usage in the passing game that has me excited, since Akinfenwa doesn’t (currently) have that dimension to his game. Last season Archipelago caught 82 passes for 904 yards and 2 TDs. Having 8 rushing TDs to Akinfenwa’s 6 despite ~200 fewer yards suggests regression to the mean might be coming there, but I think Archipelago has a shot at 1000+ yards and 5+ TDs in the passing game. Combine that with his rushing production and he should pick up right where he left off as a solid fantasy RB2 with RB1 upside. -- Michiganonymous
10. Dante King
The Baltimore offense is a bit tough to predict this season. Their new QB will be under around 500 TPE to start the season, which is certainly not ideal. So, while they will likely try to lean on Dante and the run game a lot, gamescripts will likely not be in his favor. That being said, he's been a great dual threat his whole career and that should serve him well. The receiving work could keep him afloat even if the TD production is down in what should be a struggling offense. If he's still available I'm the early 3rd round, I'd feel good about taking him there. - Russ
11. Jarvis Harbinger-Marjin
IF YOU READ LAST YEAR’S FANTASY RANKINGS, YOU’LL RECALL THAT 1) I FREAKING LOVE THIS KID AND 2) I SAID LAST SEASON WAS PROBABLY A YEAR EARLY FOR THE JHM BREAKOUT. BELIEVE IT OR NOT I WAS FINALLY RIGHT ABOUT SOMETHING, AS THE HARBINGER FINISHED THE YEAR AS RB20. WELL NOW I’M CALLING MY SHOT AGAIN: THE HARBINGER OF DOOOOM WILL RISE FROM THE PIT AND RAIN DOWN DESTRUCTION UPON US ALL THIS SEASON. PHILADELPHIA HAS GOTTEN YEARS OF INCREDIBLE PRODUCTION FROM FAITHFUL WORKHOUSE LONNIE JACKSON, AND HE’S NOT GOING AWAY ENTIRELY JUST YET, BUT CLEARLY THE YOUNGER BACK IS MORE THAN READY. UNLEASH THE DEMON! IF YOU’VE EVER WATCHED JHM PLAY AND THOUGHT TO YOURSELF “HE RUNS LIKE A MAN POSSESSED!” WELL, YOU WERE RIGHT, BECAUSE HE’S LITERALLY A MAN POSSESSED. SO SIT BACK, ENJOY THE SHOW, AND NEVER LOOK HIM DIRECTLY IN THE EYES IF YOU VALUE YOUR SOUL! I ALSO HIGHLY RECOMMEND THAT YOU TRY LIBERTY STADIUM CONCESSIONS’ NEWEST ITEM, THE HARBINGER SACRIFICIAL GOAT CHEESESTEAK. BUT GET IN LINE EARLY: THEY USUALLY SELL OUT BEFORE HALFTIME! -- MICHIGANONYMOUS
12. Rab Thecrab
It’s true that Rab Thecrab’s user is inactive, so the running back will not be gaining any TPE going forward. However, that doesn’t mean you should dismiss the back as a fantasy option. Rab is the workhorse back on the rebuilding Berlin Fire Salamanders. Sure, Berlin is probably going to be one of the more pass-heavy offenses in the league, but nobody throws the ball 100% of the time. Someone has to log a carry now and then. What’s more, Berlin’s passing game is quickly becoming a powerhouse, which means the offense as a whole should be more prolific than last season. That means more plays on offense, which leads to more touches and, ultimately, more opportunities to score. With no one to compete with Thecrab for those valuable carries, he should prove to be a solid late target for fantasy. - Tuba
T-13. John Huntsman
Huntsman was somewhat disappointing in Season 37, finishing as the RB9 after mostly being drafted in the first round. The culprit was reduced volume, with many of his carries going to standout rookie Pete Zuh, as well as significant touchdown regression, securing only 10 total TDs after averaging well above 15 for the prior several seasons. These factors are definitely still at play in S38, but it’s hard to say how much of a damper they’ll make on the performance of the lead RB in a top offense in the league. I personally expect to see Huntsman finish much more in line with his RB9 S37 performance than tied for RB13 as in these rankings, but relying on Huntsman as one of your top 2 RBs definitely comes with some risks. - Slate
T-13. Ceti Pyxis
Ceti Pyxis represents a risky investment. On paper, the Yeti have a very good QB and their receiving weapons are better than their rushing weapons, feeding into the whole Yeeti mythos. Plus, Pyxis doesn’t exactly have a stranglehold on the Colorado backfield in terms of TPE. However, there is upside lurking under the surface. While it is true that the Yeti backfield is somewhat crowded, Pyxis is the only member who isn’t inactive. That, combined with the fact that Pyxis does have the TPE lead (however small it may be), means that Pyxis could be a dark horse workhorse. Adding fuel to the upside fire is the surprising run heavy approach exhibited by the Yeti last season. If Colorado subverts expectations again, we could be talking about Pyxis as a fringe RB1 next season. - Tuba
15. Busch Goose
Let’s face it; Baltimore’s offense stinks. The Hawks have blown everything up as they enter a rebuild, leaving their rookie QB with no one to throw to. Enter the prolific RB duo, King (mentioned above) and Goose. King will undoubtedly be the lead back, but Goose is still good enough to function as a prolific receiver in this offense devoid of talent. Volume will be questionable with what is likely to be the worst offense in the ISFL, as will scoring in general. However, whatever Baltimore does manage to do will most likely be funneled through King and Goose. The upside isn’t great, but there is something to be said for a safe floor. - Tuba
WIDE RECEIVER
T-1. Nick Kaepercolin Jr.
NKJ is one half of the best QB/WR duo for fantasy in the entire league and that should continue on into S38. This dude finds the endzone more often than anyone in the league not named Jay Cue Jr., and as a wide receiver, that is nutty. With Huntsman regressing even further, and no real other threats to NKJ’s volume on the depth chart, I expect to see more of the same from NKJ this season, which is great for fantasy. - Penne
T-1. Zayne Dangle
Alright, I need to come clean about something: I didn’t actually intend to rank Zayne Dangle as my top fantasy wide receiver. I mean to have him as the WR2 behind NKJ. But I didn’t notice my misplaced numbers, so CHOO CHOO! all aboard the Zayne Train! (Trayne?) I’m not alone, tubadeus is here too! We’re not going off the rails on this crazy train either: you might not have noticed, but even as Berlin scored the fewest points of any team in the league (the only team with less than 300 points scored on the season), Dangle sneakily finished as the fantasy WR3. RB Rab Thecrab has so far not been up to the task of replacing the legendary GOAT TANK, and when Berlin found success last season it was usually through the air. Young QB Bageshwari Singh is only going to get better, and with Troy Abed now traded to Honolulu, Dangle has no competition as Singh’s top target. 1500 yards and 10 TDs might be the floor. Watch out for the Fire Salamanders this season. -- Michiganonymous
3. Kotoni Staggs
As Wendell Sailor’s favorite target, Kotoni Staggs was able to secure enough volume in the high powered Arizona offense to finish as the WR5 in Season 37. This was only 7 points behind WR3 Dangle and 2 behind WR4 Brot, so despite finishing a ways back from the top 2 WRs Staggs was clearly in that second tier of receivers. With Patey falling due to the retirement of “Tight End” Eighty-Two, that clears room at the top for Staggs to rise up a few spots in the WR rankings, and with Jay Cue Jr. regressing there is the potential for even more passing volume to be created in that offense which would benefit Staggs immensely. I personally have Staggs as my WR1, but I think it’s difficult to argue that he isn’t in line for a top 5 finish at the position. - Slate
4. Bernd D. Brot
As mentioned in the Staggs writeup just above, Brot finished as the WR4 last season in that clear 2nd tier of fantasy receivers. While Dustin Parmelee’s regression and the ascent of the duo of S35 RBs might reduce the passing volume of the YKW offense, Brot is still in line for a very productive year as the clear cut #1 pass catching offense up north. Brot is a high floor option but maybe has a limited ceiling relative to some other top WR options and is pretty unlikely in my mind to contend for the #1 spot among fantasy WRs. - Slate
5. Johnny Patey
*since ranking, we have heard rumblings that Beeblebrox might be WR1 for Austin, adjust accordingly*Last season, Patey was the undisputed WR1 by a 20+ point margin. So, why isn't he #1 in our rankings for this season? 2 major changes: regression has its grimy fingers on Patey's TPE and Austin has made a quarterback change to their rookie, Queen Elizabeth II. While those are significant changes, I don't think they're enough to keep Patey from finishing outside of the top 5 WRs. Queen will be over 800 TPE to start the season and, if regressed correctly, Patey should be able to stay at 100 speed and keep the Deep Threat trait. Draft with confidence. - Russ
T-6. Escanor Sama
This is Sama's final season before regression, and I predict it will go quite well. He was 2nd in receiving yards last season, but, due to horrible TD production, finished as WR10. The chances of that happening again are pretty slim. If you add just 2 TD catches to his totals from last season, he moves from WR10 up to WR4. With that in mind, I think it should be safe to take Sama as one of the top 5 WRs off the board this year. Even if his yards regress a bit, his TDs should come back up toward double digits. - Russ
T-6. Erwin Kemp
Perhaps surprisingly to many, Kemp came out of relative obscurity to finish as the fantasy WR6 last season in Philly’s revamped offense with the addition of QB Tron Carter. Kemp is only a handful of TPE behind the slightly older Escanor Sama on his same team, and should continue to be designated as the team’s primary WR and receive the bulk of the targets. With the retirement or otherwise changing situations of many other top WRs, Kemp holding onto or improving from his placement at the end of Season 37 seems like a pretty solid bet, and I think given the surprising nature of their performance and their lower TPE relative to Sama you may see Kemp falling a bit below where he should in many drafts. (Unless people read this media closely!) - Slate
8. Mandrews McHollywood
It’s time for Hollywood in New York! Mandrews McHollywood cracked the 1000-yard mark as a rookie last season, but only finished as WR22 in fantasy due to his weak touchdown production. Things look different for this year, with Ken Oath getting his first visit from the regression demon and McHollywood looking prepared to take the WR1 spot for the Silverbacks. This year, the only major competition for targets will be from the former Baltimore Hawk Lenard Graf at TE, and Mandrews should come out very well in that battle. Assuming even fairly modest increases in yards and touchdowns from last season puts McHollywood in the range of elite fantasy WR2s and potential WR1s. - 124715
9. Cole Maxwell
Maybe I’m living in the past. Maybe the Yeti have turned a new leaf and have forgone their Yeeti ways. But I can’t help but look at this roster and think, “Man, why aren’t they just going Vert 80 every play?” Colorado certainly isn’t the highest TPE team around, but they do boast one of the best QBs in the ISFL, and their receivers - while not exactly great - are at least decidedly better than their RBs. That receiving corps is led by the (nearly) ageless Cole Maxwell yet again in S38. Maxwell’s potential could be capped hard if the Yeti go run heavy again (he only finished as the WR11 last season, and both his and his QB’s TPE are getting hammered by regression), but the potential for a return of the Yeeti high flying offense is enough to embrace the upside. - Tuba
10. Zaphod Beeblebrox
*since ranking, we have heard rumblings that Beeblebrox might be WR1 for Austin, adjust accordingly*Beebs may be a surprising inclusion purely based on age and TPE, but boy does this player rack up the volume. Coming off of a top 12 fantasy finish last season and 150+ targets, the only thing that should change for Beebs and Austin as a whole is who is throwing the football. So while the quality of targets will decrease for Zaphy, the volume could go up even more based on game script. - Penne
11. Vincent Sharpei Jr.
Vinny Sharpei has been a fantasy staple for a few seasons now, but he doesn’t come into S38 without question marks around his production for fantasy. The regression tax man has come hard for both him and his QB. Oles is down around 600 TPE so whether or not he will be a productive enough QB to facilitate Sharpei for fantasy purposes is definitely up for debate. I’m in on Sharpei mainly based on his competition for targets, he should get fed this season. - Penne
12. Louis Blondin
Blondin has several things going for him fantasy-wise this upcoming season. He’s lapped Jaycee Higgins to become San Jose’s top wide receiver (though not necessarily its top passing option - see Penne, Deshawn) and quarterback Owen Farrell has another year of experience and TPE under his belt. Additionally, the Sabercats have lost RB Mason Malone to retirement. Looking at the big picture, San Jose’s offense should skew more heavily to the pass this season, and Blondin should benefit. There are risks with a young QB and so many mouths to feed, but Blondin still looks like a strong WR or flex option. - 124715
13. Octavio Perez
Berlin won the sweepstakes for the services of a shiny new toy in their offense, Octavio Perez! Perez is asking to be in a situation to get some high volume and it seems Berlin agreed to those terms. So Perez should see a healthy dose of targets in 2nd most pass heavy offense from last season. They will be behind Dangle in the depth chart, but this offense can definitely be capable of supporting two stars with the volume of passes they put up. I'd look to target Perez around the 4th round onward. - Russ
14. Ttollem Mada
There’s change in the air in New Orleans. QB Elessar Jones has reinvented himself, changing his focus from being a running QB to a more traditional pocket passer. This can only mean good things for the receivers he’s throwing to, and especially his WR1 Ttollem Mada. Granted, the revamped offense doesn’t guarantee a good season for the Second Line’s passing game. The single best weapon NOLA has is still their RB The Stig, so it’s likely the team will opt to go with a fairly run heavy approach. Not to mention Mada himself isn’t doing so hot in the TPE game. Nevertheless, a more pass focused QB should lead to at least better production for the New Orleans receivers. Mada’s WR21 finish from a season ago should be his floor going forward, with expectations of a much improved S38 on the horizon. - Tuba
15. Captain Billy Stinkwater
The Outlaws this season appear to be a near carbon copy of last season’s squad. Wendell Sailor is still there and still maxed. Jay Cue Jr. is still, well, Jay Cue Jr. Kotoni Staggs still leads the WR group. And Captain Billy Stinkwater is still the second option in a very strong but somewhat low volume passing offense. Arizona may pass a little more than last season with Cue finally feeling the effects of regression, and thus Stinkwater may get a little boost from last season’s WR16 performance. - 124715
TIGHT END
1. Lenard Graf
There were probably bigger trades over the offseason - the Second Line sponsoring Baltimore’s rebuild comes to mind - but from the fantasy point of view Graf may have been the biggest player to move. Graf will be the strongest weapon on the Silverbacks by a comfortable margin, and should heavily feature in the passing game for Malcolm Savage and co. There’s reason to be wary - New York’s offense still features two capable running threats in Savage and Michelangelo McTurtle, plus they haven’t been historically TE-heavy. But the passing game was strong last season, and Graf is a huge upgrade over last year’s Back/Man tandem. No other TE is set up to feature as prominently as Graf, so his floor seems high. - 124715
2. Deshawn Penne
Lenard Graf certainly could end up finishing TE1 this season, but he swapped Gimmy Jaroppolo Jr. for Malcolm Savage when he changed teams this offseason, and I’m a little leery of how he might perform in the new offense. Jaroppolo was never the rushing threat that Malcolm Savage is, and I think Savage’s rushing upside could eat into Graf’s opportunities, especially in the red zone. I’m a huge fan of Deshawn Penne, and while he slipped to a TE3 finish last season behind Graf and a breakout season from American Boot, in my opinion he’s the most likely of the three to come out on top this year. I also love to see consistent production, and for three straight seasons Penne has had at least 80 catches for around 800 yards (although just 747 last season) and 5-10 TDs. Penne is a worry-free player at a fantasy position where the points drop off quickly. Don’t take chances, take Penne. -- Michiganonymous
3. Lucius Salem
Salem finished a cut behind the top 3 TEs of Graf/Penne/Boot in Season 37, 14 points behind #3 Penne and 23 behind #1 Graf. Their fundamentals still appear very solid, however, given the highly successful offense they play in and their high TPE (likely to crack 1000 TPE by the quarter way mark of the regular season). Salem has 3 seasons above 800 receiving yards in their time in the pros and cracked 900 last season, but their TD numbers have kept them just behind the top fantasy TE options most times. With reliable red zone target Saleem Spence out in favor of younger WR Sconnie McSix, it’s possible that Sarasota’s red zone offense will be reconfigured in a way to boost Salem’s TD prospects and propel them into that top 3 fantasy territory they clearly have potential for or maybe even contend for #1. But until they demonstrate it they’ll be ranked below those who have consistently done it in practice. - Slate
4. American Boot
Another beneficiary of the Liberty offensive revival, Boot finished only 3.8 fantasy points behind Lenard Graf at the end of Season 37. I am not sure what all of the rest of the rankers are thinking when they rank him at #3 or #4 at the position despite this demonstrated success. Boot also is only 40-60 TPE behind the Liberty WRs and could easily push to be at or near the top in TPE among Liberty pass catching options by the end of the season. I anticipate that given Lonnie Jackson’s continued regression, Philly will continue to have plenty of passing volum to go around and Boot will make the most of it and end up as a clear top-tier option at the TE position, but apparently this view is not particularly common among the rankers. - Slate
5. Mister Hogmally
I find myself doing a surprising number of write-ups for the Yeti this season. Here I am once again extolling the virtues of nabbing a piece of the typically prolific Colorado offense. Mister Hogmally may not be a WR, but he is the second highest TPE receiving weapon on Colorado’s roster last I checked (and that gap might be closing after regression). Much like NFL fantasy football, the tight end landscape in ISFL fantasy football is bleak. The potential upside of owning one of the higher TPE weapons in a traditionally very pass happy attack is enough to make Hogmally a notable fantasy option in S38. - Tuba
6. Rex Crenshaw
Tight end isn’t the most attractive position for fantasy in this league, especially when you get past the first couple of studs, but you could do a lot worse than what Crenshaw provides. A decent TPE vet that gets 20% target share is great value for where you can take him in our draft. Add on the fact that his QB just switched from scrambler to a passing based archetype. NOLA is one of the most run heavy teams in the league, but maybe that changes a little bit based on the QB change. - Penne
7. Gronku Muerto
Muerto has unfortunately not been a fantasy relevant asset for quite some time and did finish outside of the top 6 last season. With that said, the Berlin offense is on the upswing and that could spell a top 6 finish for the veteran in the twilight of their career. Regression will take another chunk of TPE this offseason, so it is probably still wise to avoid drafting them but keep an eye out as a possible waiver add if the production is there. - Russ
8. Herc Kirkby
I think Kirkby is a TE to watch for a possible waiver claim rather than a TE to draft. He’s probably the 4th or 5th option in the Outlaws offense, so he won’t catch many passes or touchdowns, but he has a decent shot to lead all TEs in pancakes, and unless fantasy scoring has suddenly changed again that could push him into the eventual top 6. Even if Kirkby has to make do without pancake points, I find very little to differentiate the borderline tier of TEs. If you wait until late to draft your TE, keep an eye on the Kirkby/Muerto/Crenshaw/Hogmally group and try to ensure that you end up with the best out of the four on your roster by the end of the season. -- Michiganonymous
OFFENSIVE LINE
1. Beniri T’Chawama
Beniri was absolutely dominant at the OL position last season and he should do it again. Notable T’Chawama was just traded from Honolulu to New Orleans, but based on Honolulu going full rebuild that should actually help him from a fantasy perspective. New Orleans should have a more proficient offense giving Beniri more opportunities to rack up cakes. - Penne
T-2. Stumpy Jones
![[Image: unknown.png]](https://media.discordapp.net/attachments/763938744180015104/1029138007443382293/unknown.png)
Enough said. - Slate
T-2. Swantavius Payne
Philadelphia drafted Swantavius Payne as the successor to elite left tackle Alexander Franklin, and they have to be pleased with how the plan is working out so far. He answered any concerns fans may have had after his lackluster sophomore season by stacking 123 pancakes in his third year, definitively proving that he deserves a place in the upper echelon of ISFL offensive linemen. Fantasy OL1 is perhaps more of an aspirational ranking for Payne when Beniri T’Chawama is still going strong, but he’s certainly capable of getting there in what should be a strong Philadelphia offense. -- Michiganonymous
4. J.T. Kurbis
Kurbis finished as OL5 last season, and there's no reason they should finish any worse this time around. Another season of TPE under the belt and a high-powered offense should spell more success for the young lineman. - Russ
5. D’Nickashaw Mangoldson
Mangoldson was a little bit disappointing last season, allowing 3 sacks while pancaking opposing defensive linemen only 95 times, finishing as the fantasy OL9. But Arizona fans won’t be complaining after their Ultimus winning campaign, and the new Senator from Vermont is trending up after taking over the Outlaws’ left tackle spot from Bernie Sanders. High-TPE tackles in strong offenses tend to be the OLs to target for fantasy production. With the confidence boost from the Ultimus, we expect Mangoldson to finish the year as one of the top 6 in the position, stacking pancakes while protecting Wendell Sailor’s blind side and clearing lanes for Jay Cue Jr. -- Michiganonymous
6. Theo Awardssystemisbad
There aren’t many high TPE offensive linemen in the ISFL, so the fact that Theo should cross the 800 TPE line this season is particularly notable. In fact, he’s already top 5 in the league. That’s usually grounds to be placed at the all important left tackle position, the most stat rich position in the trenches. Hard to say no to a high TPE LT. - Tuba
7. Franz Udo Culman-Kaiser
Some of the rankers, including yours truly, did not take into account the Beniri T’Chawama trade into their rankings. While Culman-Kaiser is a strong player and would be fantasy viable on many other teams, he’s not worth the draft spot at RT. Look elsewhere for your OL. - 124715
8. Dallas Fort-Worth
DFW, now supported by many fellow airports along the OCO offensive line, turned in an alright season in S37, finishing as the #8 OL, exactly where our consensus lists him here. It was a bit of a down season pancakes-wise after posting 112, 116, and 116 pancakes in the previous 3 seasons but dropping to only 102 in S37. But his sacks allowed stayed low relative to his earlier career, following up his 0 SA S36 with a 2 SA S37. If his pancakes can rebound a bit, DFW could easily finish as a top 6 OL, so no issue taking him late in the draft if you want given the relatively low importance of OL in ISFL fantasy thanks to changing their scoring to just 1 point per pancake. - Slate
KICKER
1. Swantavius King
The league’s best kicker on one of its most potent offenses, what’s not to like? Swanty King made headlines last season by drilling a 62-yard field goal (one yard shy of Matty McDairmid’s record) and an 89-yard punt (a new record by an 8-yard margin) in the same season, and there’s no reason to think the King of special teams will slow down now. Normally the kicker section is pretty close to just an offense ranking, and the Sailfish are still elite, but Swantavius’ gigantic leg can enable him to try kicks that no other kickers even attempt, raising his ceiling. To be clear - the kicker position is never any guarantee, and King finished as last season’s K8. But he’s about as safe as it gets to not lose your league for you, and that’s all you can really ask for. - 124715
2. Savathun T Witchqueen
DO NOT FEAR THE WITCHQUEEN! USE HER POWERS TO WIN YOUR FANTASY LEAGUE AND CONSUME THE SOULS OF YOUR ENEMIES! Savathun kicks for one of the top offenses in the league. And, in a time of some offensive downtrends, AZ is as strong as ever, so things should continue to click for them. Sailor and Jay Cue Jr were the most productive offensive pair in the league last season, and there's no reason to believe they won't be again. And all those TDs translate to points for the queen! Draft without fear. - Russ
3. Alfonso Dos Santos
Only 3 teams scored less than NOLA last season, which capped ADS' point output. This offseason saw the big shakeup of their QB trading I'm his wheels for guns…linger. I predict that change, coupled with unleashing The Stig's potential as a pure workhorse back, should see the NOLA offense improve quite a bit. As such, ADS should see more opportunities to score. This should be a pretty safe pick for the position. - Russ
4. Ikick Ballz
Philadelphia’s kicker has the name, but not the respect. After three consecutive seasons as K11 or K12, Ikick Ballz rolled all the way up to K3 behind a suddenly potent Philadelphia offense. I’ve discussed elsewhere in this article the premium I place on consistent production, which Ballz hasn’t really shown up to last season. However, the offensive personnel additions that inflated Ballz’s numbers are all back and now they’ve had a full offseason together to gel as a unit, so I think they repeat and avoid the dreaded “one-season wonder” label. Tron Carter may be in the back half of his career, but there’s still life in that arm, and Erwin Kemp, Escanor Sama, American Boot, and The Harbinger OF DOOOOOM give him plenty of options. The Liberty are for real this season, and that should make Ballz a legit fantasy kicker as well. With just 3 career XP misses and impressive power, he’s a good bet to deliver those long FG bonus points. -- Michiganonymous
T-5. Booter McGavin
Despite just being drafted and immediately called up, I think McGavin will have a decent enough season to be worthy of a draft pick in your fantasy league. San Jose looks to have a decent enough offense that should have little trouble moving the football up and down the field and giving McGavin plenty of opportunity to show off his leg and put the ball through the uprights. I’m not too concerned about McGavin’s TPE because his user has been a max earner historically and he should catch up to the pack pretty quickly. - Penne
T-5. Double Doink
Bit of a homer pick for me, but hear me out. Everyone knows the Wraiths defense is dominant, but the offense is just starting to really hit its stride as well. The QB and top WR have only just started hitting regression while the pair of lethal RBs continue their quick ascent into stardom. The balanced attack combined with a defense that gives them plenty of chances should mean plenty of scoring for the 2nd highest TPE kicker in the league. - Tuba
7. Levy Tate
My operating theory for fantasy kickers is that you want to take one in a good offense. Chicago has a pretty decent offense, although maybe it’s getting a bit worse with Oles’s continued regression and the loss of some receiving options. Still, Zohri should be capable of carrying them to a pretty respectable scoring offense and Tate would benefit from that with the increase in kick attempts. Tate finished as the 6th best kicker last season and is 7th highest in TPE at the position after regression, so they seem perfectly capable of posting a top 6 kicker finish and are an option worth considering late in the draft. - Slate
8. Jeremy Crouse Jr
Outside of the most elite TPE kickers, the best way to rank them is by the offense they’re attached to. It is true that the S38 Otters aren’t exactly the dominant Otters of old, but the offense really hasn’t lost much to regression since S37. This is particularly notable as Orange County’s last kicker was the K1 last season. I get it, new kicker is a rookie, no experience, probably won’t perform as well, yadda yadda. The fact remains that the Otters’ offense is getting overlooked, and by extension so is their rookie kicker. - Tuba
TEAM DEFENSE
1. Yellowknife Wraiths
The Yellowknife Wraiths have the best defense in sim football. They proved this conclusively by outscoring every single other fantasy player not named Jay Cue Jr. or Malcolm Savage. (Notably, Cue Jr., Savage, and the Wraiths are the only three players to receive a unanimous #1 ranking on this year’s fantasy poll.) Remarkably, Yellowknife should be even better this year. Most of the players on the unit are still actively earning and only one full-time starter dealt with regression last year. Draft as early as you can. - 124715
2. Philadelphia Liberty
Boasting one of the best F7s in the league, Philly should be poised to have a solid outing as a top defensive unit. One of the biggest driving factors in defensive fantasy production is a great pass rush, and with players like Marciano, Dreams, Pizzaman and Fireball getting after the QB, they should see plenty of sacks and fumbles. Their young secondary is also growing quite well, and should present a stingy front to pass against, especially if Willie Miller can have one last great season to cap off his career. Draft with confidence as one of the first defenses off the board. - Russ
3. Sarasota Sailfish
The fast-paced, high-scoring “SAR Raid” offense might get more attention, but Sarasota’s defense has arguably been their stronger unit for several seasons now. Monster edge rusher David Moyes finally retired, much to the relief of quarterbacks everywhere, but Sarasota reloaded at DE with young stud Harley Andrews and free agent acquisition Mrs. McHits. Defensive tackle Lennay Kekua consistently gets pressure up the middle, and the linebacker corps is anchored by “dont draft,” the venerable Big Erner himself, Ernest Lover, and another promising young player in Aqeel Steele. As seems to always be the case in Sarasota, the strength of the defense is the secondary, which is right up with Yellowknife as one of the league’s very best. Veteran safeties Spike Daniels and Rocky Rhoads might be the league’s best safety pairing, and they’re joined by CBs Calvin Hobbes, King Zeus, and prized rookie Dip Dhillon. Defensive scoring is always difficult to predict, but drafting a defense with this much talent puts the odds in your favor. -- Michiganonymous
4. Arizona Outlaws
After finishing outside of the top 6 defenses last season by less than a point, Arizona is poised to move back up the ranks. While they don't exactly have superstars at multiple positions, they do boast one of the more well-rounded defensive units in the league. They do have two of the famous McTurtle bros anchoring their pass rush and one of the top 3 CBs in the league with Mark Goodhead. The rest of the secondary is quite solid, with only a couple players hitting regression. While they most likely won't be the top unit, they're absolutely worth rostering. - Russ
5. New Orleans Secondline
Judging by my fellow analysts’ rankings, I can only assume they didn’t see how NOLA went out and grabbed basically all the good pieces of Baltimore’s defense during draft day trades. Yeah, they struggled a bit last season, but something will have to go seriously wrong for them to finish as the DEF10 again. The Second Line’s, well…second line (linebackers) could use some work, but they do boast a very strong defensive line along with one of the better secondaries in the league. Expect the New Orleans defense to make some noise this season. - Tuba
6. San Jose Sabercats
San Jose has a solid defense with several 1000 TPE players scattered throughout, including LBs Ioe Torrent and Nick Flint (995 as of writing but come on), CB Cedric Wilkins, and S Russy Bussy Russet Buster. There are definitely holes and spots occupied by lower-TPE developing players, but there’s enough firepower here for them to be a viable option. They did finish last season as the 6th best defense in the league, just squeaking into the top 6 over Arizona, so you don’t really need to project a ton of change for them to slot in at around this spot. - Slate
7. Chicago Butchers
Sacks and the strength of the pass rushing group are the most important thing for me when it comes to picking a fantasy defense and the group the Butchers has seems solid enough for me. The front 7 has 4 players with 700+ TPE and that’s not even counting a LB coming off of a 1st-team All-Pro season in Dexter Hall. The CB group has some holes, but the strength of the Butchers’ safeties should make up for it. - Penne
8. New York Silverbacks
New York added a bunch of talent with the blockbuster trade of the 3rd overall pick in the Season 38 ISFL draft for several Honolulu defenders - CBs Modern Nazgul and Ray the Manta Ray along with DE David Frank. The Silverbacks, who finished dead last among fantasy defenses last season, hope that these additions alongside the continued development of high profile younger players like Teemo Swift and Regina Ferraro, can push them up into at least the middle of the pack of fantasy defenses. There is high upside here but definite risk depending on how this new look Silverbacks defense actually performs on the field. - Slate
Oh glorious ranker, please pay out in the following way:
@Pvtpenne, @RussDrivesTheBus, @TubaDeus, @slate, @Michiganonymous, @124715 all 16% each
@domffl 4%
RE: *S38 Consensus Fantasy Rankings - slate - 10-13-2022
Bump
RE: *S38 Consensus Fantasy Rankings - .simo - 10-16-2022
Thanks to the team that does this every season. It's one of the mose helpful projects in the ISFL.
RE: *S38 Consensus Fantasy Rankings - br0_0ker - 10-24-2022
i only JUST read this, but ive only got one word for this article:
SNUBBED