Embrace the Mystery: Div 3 Preseaon Primer

Embrace the Mystery

I don’t need to tell you that we live in an uncertain time.

All it takes is once glance around to see the tectonic plates shifting around us constantly. Crypto currencies are minting overnight millionaires, radical political parties are coming to the fore, technology is making previously conventional tasks obsolete…heck…even the Rams are divisional champions.

Division 3 sits at an interesting crossroads of FPF. For some, it’s the secondary division, where higher division role players strut their stuff as headliners, and star players cultivate their talents at different positions. For others, it’s the main show. Each season we see young, up-and-coming rosters brazenly take the leap and show disregard for the established hierarchy. It would be easy to sit here and tell you I’m certain how the season will play out, but it’s wouldn’t be much fun would it?

Forget what you know. With the 2018 winter season finally here and about to set off in just a few hours, let’s embrace the mystery of what’s to come. Pull up a chair, grab a bag of popcorn and get set for another entertaining rollercoaster of a ride as the best of the league’s middle division duke it out. In the meantime, here’s a brief primer for each team in the division.

 

Conference A

 

The Brotherhood

One of three teams to go 10-0 in division 3 last winter, the Brotherhood walk back into Div 3 like the Monstars from Space Jam. Their roster remains exactly intact, even better since they should be expecting the return of Omar Jackson from extended injury. I have no clue where an opposing QB should be expected to throw against this defense. Maybe tossing it into the net three times and punting will be the best way to save face against them.

All jokes aside, this team is flawless. There isn’t a rusher in the division who can touch Theo Ojeaha at QB. He’ll lean back and survey downfield until the last possible second, only to nimbly bust out to either side of the rusher as if he was dipping a pylon on the sidewalk. You can’t play them in man defense because they’re too fast, you can’t play them in zone because Ojeaha is too poised in the pocket. This team will destroy their opponents this year in the regular season. Last year they won by an average of 22.8 points per game, and this time they return a year more developed, healthier and in a softer division 3.

There’s nothing else to say about them at this point. Their kung Fu cannot be defeated. The division 3 ass whooping tour begins this Sunday, and won’t end until the roadshow in Brossard.

Prediction: 10-0

 

Dad Bods

It’s nearly impossible to look at this roster and detect any noticeable flaws. Dad Bods dropped the “squad” but return with a near replica of last year’s team that came within an overtime loss of hoisting the championship trophy.

 They’ve found the perfect formula for building an unstoppable team in this division. Building their core around savvy and talented veteran players ensures that they remain strong from top to bottom. Every player on this team was brought in to contribute to a specific role, and they all value team success over personal accomplishments. Watching them play and move in harmony is similar to an orchestra conducting a perfect concerto. There is no wasted energy, nobody off tune. This team was built to score 30 and hold their opponent to under 20. Combine that with expert game planning from Sean Avraam and Vinny Gualano and you get a team that odds makers would have favorited to return to the finals in 2018.   

They lost last year’s defensive stalwart Matthew Petrone, but have more than enough depth to account for the departure. However, losing All-World rusher Ryan Aridi and his 23 sacks will be more difficult to quantify. Without a scintillating pass rush, Gualano and Rich Humes will need to get even more creative on defense this time around. They are wizards of masking and mixing up coverages designed to confuse the opposing quarterback. Their smoke and mirrors routine will once again be on full display, to the dismay of opposing quarterbacks everywhere.

Even with a slight regression on their 19 PA/game defense from a year ago, they’re offense will be more than capable of making up the difference. Sean Avraam is on a search and destroy mission for all pundits who previously doubted his abilities. It took him several seasons to finally arrive in this league, but his late career development has been absolutely remarkable. In two seasons last year he posted a 98-to-7 TD/INT ratio, on par with the very elite ranks of FPF QBs. He’s become a master of minimizing risk while effectively moving the ball and finishing drives.

With a tough schedule on slate, there exists a nightmare scenario in which Dad Bod’s struggle to a 5-5 record. However, I just don’t see that happening to such a polished team. They will run amuck on the division once again and gear up for an extended playoff run, with their sights set on nothing less than the grand prize this time around.   

Prediction: 9-1

 

Purple Reign

The Frosty Bronsons put down their beer mugs for a season in order to pay homage to the greatest musician of our time. Last time we saw a similar core in this division they fumbled to a forgettable record. But time and experience are valuable teachers, and the old Mayhem crew have paid their dues and deserve to sit at the head table of this division.

A couple of key offseason acquisitions will be instrumental in turning the tide for this proud franchise. If things work out this season as planned, Joel Malkin and Josh White will become household names in FPF. The pair of towering receivers will find room to operate on the outside, with veterans James Nowakowski and Danny D’Amour commanding attention over the middle. Captain Bronson Terry Tam will once again bring his leadership and reliable snapping to the offense. There are few in this league who provide a more inspiring and calming presence in the huddle, and he will be relied upon to help navigate the ship through any stormy waters.       

The offense will be able to put up points, but as has always been the case with this core, their ability to make a serious run will come down to their capacity to create stops on defense. That’s where long time defensive guru Francois Deslauriers was brought in to change the culture. He calls the defense two steps ahead of his opponent at all times, and if this team buys into his style early on they will be rewarded handsomely. If early sentiments are any indication, the unit is completely thrilled to have him as their leader.

The boys in purple reunite once again to put a thorn in the backside of established div 3 favorites. They should have some good dark horse appeal in a loaded conference A.

Prediction: 6-4

 

2HD

The perspective on Joey Taylor’s offensive style varies widely from player to player, based on personal taste and how you interpret performance. There could be a whole barbershop conversation around his place in the hierarchy of FPF QBs, with some saying that his legendary career efficiency already makes him hall-of-fame worthy, while others argue that his style is not conducive to higher division success, or to the eyes for that matter. One thing remains absolutely certain however, Joey is an excellent division 3 quarterback and is poised for another big season this winter.

Returning to form the 2HD core are dependable allies Brandon and Danny Aylward, Jasmin Rioux and Matthew Rupcic. The Dans defensive unit, which started out as a sieve, has transformed itself into one of the most consistent and efficient defenses each year. Danny is the mainstay of this unit and remains a vastly underrated defender at this level, capable of patrolling the secondary from the high safety position like few others. This might finally be the season he gets the credit he deserves. Jasmin is the defensive captain that this team needs in order to thrive. He has an innate feel for defensive game calling, and has a knack for strategically placing his guys in the right position to succeed. Rupcic will be the headlining 2WAY star for this team, using his incredible athleticism to lead the offense while playing lockdown specialist on defense. If he can make the majority of games then you can pencil him in for another all-star season.  

There were some very intriguing additions this offseason that will no doubt raise some eyebrows in the division. Tony Lalla at snapper is simply a pest to deal with. He’ll develop an instant chemistry with Joey’s style of play. Justin Cerantola thrived in a similar system with his Div D team in the spring. He has excellent shiftiness off the line of scrimmage and can shake himself open short against most defenders. Shaq Lattimore is an explosive playing, dripping with potential and ready to make his mark in the higher divisions. He’s coming off a monster season in div D as well.

2HD have a juicy second half of season schedule. If they can emerge from the first half with a winning record they should consider themselves set up for success. However, as is always the case with Taylor at this point, his legacy will no longer be cemented by how well he performs in the regular season, but rather by how well he can lead his team to success in the playoffs.

Prediction: 6-4

 

Recipe 4 Disaster

On behalf of the division I’d like to officially welcome back Jake Applebaum, who makes his long awaited return to QB following a knee injury in spring 2016. You know that you’ve made an impact on this league when you have a lineup of talented receivers waiting to play for you again. That’s to be expected when you have a career 63.75% winning percentage like Applebaum. He was making major strides prior to his injury, with a 22-5-3 record across 3 teams in 2016.

Speaking of the receiving core, they find themselves going at least 5 deep, with a diverse array of complimenting skill sets. The Great Aridi Brothers headline the offense with their high-low attack. They are masters at their craft, with Jad pounding the underneath routes and Ryan taking the top off defense. Daniel Farag is one of the most underrated possession receivers in the game. He’s a monster over the middle of the field, and provides an excellent outlet for jump balls in the redzone. Kevin Boustany should lineup opposite of Ryan and create a virtual speedway which will keep defenses spread open all season.

On defense they should leverage their existing chemistry to form a scrappy bunch. Ryan is the best rusher in the division, and will help this unit mask some of its deficiencies. Good QBs will put points up on them, but they have a strong offense so they won’t need more than 2 stops to win games. 

They have a relatively difficult schedule on deck, and will need to beat more esteemed div 3 teams in order to thrive. I think they have a solid regular season and end up in the upper echelon of the second tier, just outside the elites. The playoffs are a different story however, since they will definitely be a team that ramps up as the year progresses.

Prediction: 5-5

 

Darksiders

After taking some time apart in spring, the Darksiders are coming out to play once again, albeit with an almost completely rejuvenated cast of faces than we’ve become accustomed to in seasons past.

In Fred Morissette we trust. The man is a machine. He can take seasons off and come right back to insert himself in the top 5 of the division. The freakish brainchild he built with Paolo Della Rocca all those years ago remains valid despite the roster inconsistencies that have plagued them recently. To address those issues they’ve brought in 3 core pieces from last season’s semifinalist F.O.E. team. Jeremy Anderson and Travis Moses are proven winners in this league. They will immediately carry the load on both sides of the ball, and will be especially valuable in reshaping a traditionally horrible defense. Lamar Joseph is a pugnacious competitor, sometimes with his own team as much as the competition. But when his head is in the game he’s an excellent depth piece to an overhauled defensive unit. Alexis Bessette and Alexandre Jubinville, previously of Trinity fame, have the potential to take this team over the top. This is their chance to make an impression on the league on a bigger stage. They’re known stars in the lower caliber divisions, but will need to quickly adjust to the faster tempo and greater efficiency of the div 3 game.  

The major knock against Darksiders will be their brutal schedule over the first 7 weeks. A team without much chemistry coming in will be immediately tested for it, as they will certainly encounter some rocky paths along the way. Will they have the character to take an initial shot in the jaw and get back up? Or will conflicting personalities get the best of them and unravel a potential playoff dark horse. Maybe they should do some team bonding over the Rocky movies to get set for what’s to come.

Prediction: 4-6

 

Lightweight

Say what you want about the man’s choice of style (I personally believe that the Terminator haircut can be touched up for 2018) but there’s no denying that Simon Dagenais has willed himself into a quality mid-tier quarterback over the past few seasons. He continues to push defenses with one of the most aggressive aerial attacks, but he’s become more poised over the years and has learned through osmosis how to mitigate some of the riskier throws in his arsenal. He’ll need to summon his div B All-Star persona from this past spring season in order to give his team a chance at the second season.

Lightweight chose to once again go very traditional with their lineup this winter and forgo the headlining co-stars who typically support them in the spring. We forget because he did not play this past season, but Cory Kennedy is one of the very best receivers at this level. His chemistry with Simon is uncanny, and the pair will inevitably hookup on numerous occasions once again. Francois Raymond is a two-way star. Period. If he’s present for the majority of Lightweight’s games he’ll once again be a game changer. I’m intrigued by the addition of Eddy Lee to this roster. He’s a rapidly emerging commodity at receiver and will provide Simon with the type of gritty, hard-nosed outlet that he usually excels with. I think he’ll slide right in as a strong WR3 in this offense.

The defense may not look like much on paper, but don’t sleep on this unit. They’ve played together for years, through thick and thin, and there are few with as much chemistry and belief in one another as this group. I still think they will struggle at times to stop the higher octane offenses in the division, but they’ll be an opportunistic bunch and make key stops in critical moments. 

Unfortunately for Lightweight, they landed in the conference of death, and with a brutal schedule they will need to battle tooth and nail to achieve a .500 record at season’s end.

Prediction: 4-6

 

ODB’s

You’ve got to immediately root for a team that chooses to honor one of the most significant hiphop artists of all time with their name. It’s also pretty easy to root for a team that sports all three of the brothers Lanni, perhaps the most accomplished family in FPF history. They are class acts on the field and pure winners through and through. There’s few last names in this league that summon the kind of admiration and veneration that these guys command.

Having played with two of them this past spring, even in the midst of a losing season I can tell you that there’s few guys that you’d want with you battling in the trenches.

So what if this roster seems not quite up to par for division 3? You’ve got to appreciate the effort to get a team of good friends together to show up to the field once a week and throw down with the best of them.

Who knows? There definitely exists a hidden scenario where several of the unrated players on the roster end up being instant impact players in the flag game. If that ends up being the case, this defense could just be scrappy enough, and the offense hungry enough to will themselves to a few upsets over some complacent powerhouses of the division.

Prediction: 2-8

 

Looney Goonz

I don’t know much about this roster yet to be honest, other than the fact that Sebastien Simon is an absolute physical specimen and a monster on defense. It seems to be a fresh take on the Gros Chefs Bandits team that went 3-7 in this division last winter. Alexandre Aristyl and Maxime De Falcis showed promise as offensive weapons last winter, while Nicolas Desjardins was legitimate game changer on defense. Let’s see if they can all progress on solid rookie campaigns and help support this roster.

I can only speculate at this time that Vincent Richard was brought in to play QB for this team, otherwise it would likely be one of the several new names on this roster with beginner FPF ratings. I learned a while ago not to try to predict the outcome of unknown rosters, so I will wisely refrain form it this time.

Let’s see what they look like on the field. I wish them the best of luck this time around. One major caveat however, they have a brutally hard schedule ahead.

Prediction: 2-8

 

Conference B

 

Laval’s Finest

These guys were surely pleased when the schedule was released and they found themselves in conference B. As if playing in the softer conference wasn’t enough for this veteran team, they went out got two mercenaries to take the offense from good to unbelievable.

Dylan Taylor immediately steps in as a preseason favorite for QBOY. He’s made a rapid ascension in recent years and has already achieved success in some of the league’s toughest divisions. To guarantee his success, Laval’s Finest brought along his BFF Jamie Ojeaha, a filthy smooth target with a knack for making the spectacular look common. As if that wasn’t enough, returning receiving stars Rod Mashtoub and Theo Bekelis shake out what should be the most lethal big 3 in the division. That’s not even considering Zach Zwirn, whose remarkable career stats should speak for themselves.

On defense they may have lost All-World talent Jordan Maclaren, but saved enough cap room to make it worthwhile. Besides, if you ask me, with Ojeaha and Mashtoub patrolling the secondary he won’t be too badly missed. This unit gave up a paltry 21.5 PA/game last winter, but I’m curious to see who will replace Phil De Kovachich at rusher, one of the best in the business. Nobody on their current roster jumps off the page as a threatening presence for opposing QBs. Maybe they have an ace up their sleeve when the season begins. Either way, a revamped offense can make up for a slight regression on defense.

If I were pressed to pick a team today to represent conference B in the finals, I would say Laval’s Finest would be a smart bet. The path of least resistance plus a retooled roster should equal a big payoff for the 450.

Prediction: 9-1

 

Top Sauce

It’s time for QB Vince Nardone to take the next step and enter the top notch of div 3 gunslingers. He’s flirted with elite QB numbers for two consecutive seasons, following his QBOY season in 5A, but has yet to breech the premier ranks in this tier. I’d like to see him put together a campaign of 2000 yards and 50 TDs, while keeping his INTs under 10 this winter.

He’ll have all the tools at his disposal to accomplish such lofty expectations with this roster. Pairing the Justins together (McLean & Blanchard) creates arguably the most formidable receiving duo in the division. If I’m drafting a div 3 team from scratch and have the first overall pick, McLean would be on my shortlist of players to choose from. You can’t ignore that Chris Milard is one of the hottest names in FPF right now, having just made a big impact for MTL’s Finest in the fall tournament. He’ll formally join our league’s most acclaimed franchise for his first full season in div 1 this winter, but will continue to moonlight for the team that put him on the radar. To add to their abundance of riches, they went out and got KTFL legend and Steve Nash doppelganger Rob Allen, who brings an unmatched physical presence to the interior of this offense. I can’t think of a defense that will be able to account for the unique combination of speed and size that this offense will present.

I foresee a lot of high scoring shootouts ahead for Top Sauce this season. If Nardone can find himself in conversation for the QB award at season’s end, then business will be booming for the men in camouflage.

Prediction: 7-3

 

Bearskins

It’s impossible to ignore the departure of a monumental talent like Sasha Papich, who seems to have departed to live out his childhood dream of becoming Mowgli from the Jungle Book. But the Bearskins are a rowdy bunch, and they won’t go quietly into the night without raising a little hell.

Perennial 2WAY threat Marco Bertoldi is lined up to have a historically high usage percentage in this offense. He’ll get all the work he can handle, but it won’t take long for opposing defenses to key in on him and he’ll need his supporting staff to step up and help ease the burden. FPF newcomer Guillaume Bourassa will be thrust right into the action as he attempts to fill some of the void vacated by Papich. There’s always risk involved with giving a major role to a first time player, but Bourassa has the football pedigree to make an instant impression on this division. Kevin Libman is an underrated asset on this team. He’s demonstrated spurts of game breaking ability on offense in the past, but the Bearskins will need to feature him prominently in the gameplan this time around and give him the chance to put together a complete season. Adding Kyle Britton was a solid roster move as well. He’s been a key role player for Broccasion for several seasons, and brings his hard-nosed style of athletic play to a team that desperately needs it. 

If there was one word to describe Neil Etinson’s game it would be CRATFY. He would be a nightmare to compete against on Chopped Canada, seemingly capable of taking any random assortment of ingredients and transforming them into a gourmet dish. However, this season he’ll be facing his tallest task yet, and I’m curious to see how much deeper he can reach into his bag of tricks.

The Bearskins will need to set themselves up for success by benefitting from a softer front end of their schedule. If they can take care of business early on and build some momentum for the home stretch they may be able to surprise once again. We all know it wouldn’t be the first time they beat our expectations.

Prediction: 6-4

 

KGP

There’s not much to make of a preseason roster that lists 3 guys on it. But with KGP you can expect an ensemble of the usual suspects with perhaps a few new faces to fill up some vacancies. As long as Phil Cutler is involved at QB you can expect this team to be competitive each week. This will be his first full winter season in over 3 years, but he’s riding momentum from a strong campaign in div B this past spring.

Whoever ends up playing for them better be ready to come out of the gates swinging, because they face a difficult first half of the season, although their schedule seems to be of average difficulty on the whole. Let’s reserve judgements until we see the on field product for now. However, I do expect them to challenge for an extended run come playoffs.  

Prediction: 6-4

 

Les Maloudes

I’m stoked to see this team in div 3 this season. They took div 4A by storm last winter on route to a 9-1 record and demolished an undefeated SST team in the finals. I was fortunate enough to partially cover them last year and witness the emergence of Anthony Beauchamp-Frezza (hereby known as ABF) as a legitimate breakout star at QB. He’s the real deal as a mobile QB, and outside of Theo Ojeaha will be the most athletic passer in the division. His greatest skill is using his scrambling ability to buy time outside the pocket, thereby keeping his turnovers way down.

Dragann Mallette and Ludwik Jananji are the fire and earth for this offense. They are fearless targets over the middle and make the contested catches in the clutch to help move the chains. Look for Sebastien Thibault to make major waves this season. He had tantalizing stats last year in only 7 games, and brings the explosive speed this team will need to maximize at this level.

On defense Louis-Philippe Paquette and Christophe Vezina anchor one of the most balanced units in the division. Don’t forget the supposed full time return of Vincent Morissette, who was arguably their best player in 2016. I wonder if Thibault will be the full time rusher this season, or if they’ll try to mix and match different looks like they did last year. They’ll quickly learn that a solid rusher becomes necessary at this stage of FPF.

While I don’t see them blitzing through this division anywhere near as easily as they did in 4A, they should still have a successful landing this winter. They’ll get a good taste of a div 3 caliber team right off the bat, with a tough matchup against a veteran Darksiders team. A win would be a great way to announce their arrival to the rest of the division.

Prediction: 5-5

 

Drop the Mic

I don’t know what to expect from this roster to be honest. It’s a mishmash of players with varying degrees of talent and experience, but without any veritable pattern among them. It looks like a Frankenstein experiment, with ascending QB Mario Porreca at the helm to tie them all together. The fact that they were looking for last minute additions on FB just a week prior to the season beginning gives me doubts to the cohesiveness of this unit also.

Only time will tell as to how well they will mesh and synergize together. In the meantime, we can’t deny the strong talent that exists here. Obviously Alex Pilon is one of the very best players in all of FPF, and to have him hooking up with Porreca will be a devastating connection for div 3 defenses to contend with. Jelani McLaren is a physical beast, and he and his QB showed great chemistry together in a limited div B sample in spring. Look for them to build off that momentum this season. Hinsley Adams never met a deep ball he couldn’t catch up to, and Porreca never met a receiver he couldn’t overthrow. The two seem like a match made for each other.

The rest of the roster is filled out with underrated assets like David Beltrami, Chris Valentine and Mark Ferraro. For what it may lack it top notch talent behind Pilon, it more than makes up for with solid depth across the board. There shouldn’t be any major weaknesses here on either side of the ball.

The major thing that I’m left wanting with this roster is leadership. I don’t see who will THE GUY to rally around and bring everyone together. In seasons past Porreca had the benefit of playing with established FPF cores who didn’t need to be held accountable. He could just focus on playing QB, and demonstrated rapid improvement each season. This year will challenge his leadership abilities, as he’ll need to not only have a career season behind the helm, but will also need to carefully balance the contrasting egos that this kind of roster may present, and make sure everyone is held accountable to their roles.

I’m very compelled by this team at the onset, and curious to see where they go this winter. Their chance to strike will be right at the beginning, as they have at least 4 winnable games in their first 5 outings. Nothing brings a team together faster than winning, so they best take advantage early and build some positive juice for the second half of the season.    

Prediction: 5-5

 

Junkyard Dogs

Kudos to the ever courageous JYD team for pushing the envelope and registering in div 3, rather than lower their roster cap slightly and contend in 4A. It’s an ambitious attempt, considering they no longer list big names like Bernett, Allamano or Lapointe on this winter’s iteration.

In their place, expect Carmine Pollice, Alexandre Noel and Rory Semerjian to shoulder the burden. Pollice will likely receive one of the highest usage rates in the division. Jason Rossie will throw everything he can handle at him, so expect him to be in strong contention for the ROY trophy by season’s end. Semerjian is Jordan Rossie’s favorite toy in div E for the past two seasons, and Jordan will kindly lend him to his brother in need this winter. We’ll see if he can make a significant impact amidst tougher competition.

Dilan Daoust was added to help solidify the middle of the field. He’s a guy that can anchor this defense, and brings a much needed edge to this roster. He’ll need to keep head in the game despite the early struggles his team may face, and emerge as the confident leader that he’s capable of being. If he’s healthy and focused he’ll make a big impact for JYD.

Jason Rossie is taking on a lot of risk with this team. He’s coming off his best season yet this past spring in div C, having tossed 47 TDs, but will find the sledding to be a lot tougher with a weaker roster and better opponents. He’s a fierce competitor and I expect him to find a way to do what’s needed for his team. If this team falters it will not be because of the quarterback play.

Prediction: 4-6

 

Hometown Heroes

There hasn’t been such an anticipated reunion since the Meeting of the Five Families.

The cougars are back on the hunt. With this retooled amalgamation of the STL Cougars and BMS Goats rosters, they’re looking to make a name for themselves in this new territory. I love the selection of Erminio Iadeluca as Capo. Coming off his best season in FPF and a QBOY award in div 4B, he’ll fit right into the top 10 QBs of the division. This is his time to get the notoriety he deserves.

Supporting him in his quest is a solid receiving core led by the incredible AJ Gomes, Domenic Benevento and Anthony Lazzara. Gomes played the part of Kyrie to Jordan Allard’s Lebron this past spring in div C, but will now be unleashed as the focal point of the offense. Teams will definitely game plan around stopping him, so look for the underrated and always reliable Benevento to have another strong season balancing out the offense.

Something that could not be said in previous seasons for BMS Goats but now rings absolutely true: I really like the leadership on this team. Anthony Lazzara was always a level-headed influence amongst the shenanigans that transpired in seasons past. Now he links up with a respected veteran like Iadeluca to help steer this team in the right direction.

I don’t know how well they’ll do in the standings this season, since they were cursed with a brutally difficult schedule, but you can be sure that they’ll be competitive each week and will always collect their debts on time. Also, there are few teams in FPF with a stronger home field advantage (ie. Hebert) than the Hometown Heroes.

Prediction: 3-7

 

LGM

As a fan of FPF, as well as a competitor and analyst, I’m grateful to see the return of Alex Lever to QB in div 3. He used to run this division just a few short years ago, before a major roster rebuild left his former championship caliber Prestige World Wide team without much bite. Now he looks to have inherited some variation of the Blue Devils roster, spruced in with a few trusted faces like Charles Baillargeon and Nicolas Guimier.

Sure this was a good move for Lever to help jump start his QB career, but it was equally a good move for the Blue Devils guys; who get a 5 time champion, 7 time all-star, and hall of fame quarterback to lead them into the next stage of their development. Of the Blue Devils, Maxime Chateauneuf is the most valuable asset. He’s consistently produced WR1 number in four straight seasons despite regularly drawing the other team’s best defenders. He’s a smart and agile receiver with excellent route running ability, the type that Lever excels with.

Robbie Dejean is another unheralded talent who’ll have the chance to finally shine with a premier gunslinger feeding him the ball. He was an impact player for Dope Boys in div 5 the past 2 seasons, but was restricted by one of the least efficient offenses in all of the lower divisions. Playing with Lever will be a breath of fresh air for this breakout candidate.

Flag is a game with two sides of the ball, so until I can see them capable of slowing down offenses at this level, I can’t possibly rank them in the upper half of the division. But they will be a fun team to watch and put up points in bunches all season long.

Prediction: 3-7

 

Dirty Dawgs

You’ll have to excuse me for not getting out of my seat for this team, but the 3-7 record by the Jonesers last winter in div 3 doesn’t inspire much hype. More aptly known as the Ryan Lelinowski and Dave Chitayat show, these two higher division stars will likely once again find out that div 3 takes a complete team effort in order to compete at a high level.

Don’t get me wrong, I respect both these FPF veterans and understand just how much talent they bring to the table. Lelinowski is a stud athlete who can keep this team afloat with his mobility outside the pocket. Every time he plays QB he produces solid numbers, but I’d still like to see him refine his ability to read the defense and follow through on his progressions. He’ll need to have his best season yet as a signal caller in order to give his team a fighter’s chance. Playing with a tiny margin of error can bring the best out in some competitors, but it’s also exhausting and catches up with the best of us over the course of a full season.

Luckily, Ryan will have his main target by his side in Chitayat. Like Frasier and Niles, these two have the ability to keep it classy at all times, despite the shenanigans that might be going on around them. If you want to see what elite receiver numbers look like, look no further than Chitayat’s player profile for seasons where he teams up with Ryan. Just for reference, last winter he put up a mind boggling 892 yards and 22 TDs on 52 catches. He was simply unstoppable. Expect him to once again trounce the division, as his already hefty target share figures to increase even further with the departure of football black hole Yossi Saleh.

Let’s hope the Dirty Dawgs have some tricks up their sleeve for the season ahead. They have a very manageable schedule on tap, but will need to execute with razor sharp precision to make themselves relevant again.

Prediction: 3-7

 

The QB Movement

What is this madness that’s come upon us? What movement are they talking about? And more importantly, what QB are they referencing? With 14 players registered preseason we have absolutely no idea who is legitimately on the roster, or who will throw for them for that matter.

I see Andre Frederick, I see Adrien Kellman and I see a bunch of new guys with beginner FPF ratings entering div 3. Cool. This is where I made my start in FPF in 2010 with a completely unknown team called the Ballhawks. We went 2-8 and I threw 24 INTs. The QB Movement should similarly find out that div 3 is not too forgiving to newcomers. Ahem, enough said for now! Let’s reserve judgement until we see them on the field.

Welcome to div 3 gents. Dilly Dilly!

Prediction: 1-9

 

Peeking into the Future

Alex’s Preseason Picks for Award Winners and divisional Champions

 

2WAY

Favorite: Jamie Ojeaha

Runner-Up: Marco Bertoldi

 

WROY

Favorite: Dave Chitayat

Runner-Up: Justin McLean

 

DPOY

Favorite: Danny D’Amour

Runner-Up: Sebastien Simon

 

QBOY

Favorite: Theo Ojeaha

Runner-Up: Sean Avraam

 

Championship Prediction

The Brotherhood over Laval’s Finest