The GM’s Scouting Report (Div 1&2)

The weeks are winding down, and the playoff race is starting to get more and more interesting. Without a doubt, we’re going to be seeing the best football possible in the next few weeks, and teams that are definitely going to fight until the last whistle blows.

 

FPF Fantasy Draft

 

Some of you may or may not remember, but earlier on in the season, the 6 experts of D1/D2 drafted their fantasy teams, and we’ve been facing off against each other in a head-to-head format. Here is the current scoring thus far:

 

1. G.M. (2-1, +70.27)

2. Rehan (2-1, +67.30)

3. Moe (2-1, -16.00)

4. Vince (2-1, -21.70)

5. Daniele (1-2, -28.83)

6. Don (0-3, -71.03)

 

This week, Rehan will be facing off against Daniele, Vince against Moe, and I will have the pleasure of facing off against Don Bombsquad himself.

 

Most Underrated Players in D1/D2

 

I initially wanted to just do a section listing some of the more underrated players playing in D1 and D2 (players ranked 90 and over on either side of the ball need not apply.) As I started compiling the list, I wondered if I could put my GM skills to use and put these ‘underrated’ players on a hypothetical team. So I’d have to find 6 players who were a) Underrated, b) Capable of playing both ways and c) Collectively fit under the divisional caps. So as a GM, you’d want to spot the higher division talent and put them in the division below. So I put together a D2 team of underrated D1 players, and a D3 team of underrated D2 players. Without further ado:

 

Division 3:

 

Tony Tabet, Wolverines (81.9, 83.2) {Quarterback, DB}

– Tony is probably one of the top thinking quarterbacks in D2. He utilizes his players to their full capacity and has a deep understanding of the game. One of the first players in the league to draw out the clock as a strategy, Tony would be your ideal pivot. While not playing defense this season, his past accolades more than speak for themselves.

 

Renaldo Jordan, DK (77.5, 79.2) {Center, Safety}

– Great speed and the capability as a defender to cover an entire section of the field while baiting the QB and making him think it’s open, Renaldo is quite possibly the best defensive player in the league rated under 80. Also it turns out that he’s a hidden gem who can play the center position; who knew?

 

Paul Spencer, Road Runners (70.2, 73.0) {WR, DB}

– The rare mix of size and speed. Paul would be the perfect defender to play the middle of the field; he can cover short and deep when necessary, and has the size and capability to lock down even the most physical of players. He’s got hands like glue, and would be perfect for this hypothetical team.

 

David Polynice, Road Runners (77.3,81.1) {WR, Safety}

– Try covering Polynice on a deep pass or a jump ball, and prepare to be embarrassed. A ridiculous vertical, and the ability to make things look effortless makes him the ideal two-way gamebreaker on this team. Not bad for a virtually unknown player who played in D5 a few seasons ago.

 

James Crowe, D-Boys (80.4, 80.3) {WR, Rusher}

– If you would have told me a season ago that Crowe would be a lockdown rusher, and the replacement for Matt Kirouac, I would have called you crazy. Crowe however is making quite a name for himself at the rusher position. Pair that with team-leading stats on offense, and you have a huge darkhorse pick.

 

Francis Lapointe, Wolfpack (70.0, 70.0) {WR, DB}

– I initially didn’t want to include him as he’s a brand-new player to the league and not rated, but I decided against that. If you’ve seen Laporte play, you’d know that he’s the real deal and definitely deserves to be on this list. I’m curious to see how much damage he’ll do in future seasons.

 

Total: 457.3, 466.8

 

Division 2:

 

Tam Vilaydeth, Terror Squad (85.0, 82.4) {Quarterback, DB}

– A quarterback that has consistently moved up from season to season, it’s safe to say that Tam would be your best bet for an underrated QB who could make the most of the players put around him. Furthermore, while he hasn’t been playing full-time defense for the past few seasons, it’s easy to forget that Tam is also a shutdown corner.

 

Alex Lever, Gladiateurs (84.9, 85.3) {Center, DB}

– While he’s not playing the center position this season, some of Alex’s best offensive stats came from playing center. Furthermore, Lever uses his prowess at the QB position when playing defense, always knowing how to be at the right place at the right time to shut down opposing QBs.

 

Renaldo Jordan, Alkaholiks (77.5, 79.2) {WR, Safety}

– The only player ranked low enough to make this list twice (also he plays in both D1 and D2.) Having last played in 2012, Renaldo is by and far the best pickup in D1 and D2 with value-to-rating ratio.

 

Charles Baillargeon, Gladiateurs (85.3, 87.7) {WR, Rusher}

– Despite his rating, it’s safe to say that Charles is one of the best rushers in the league who also plays offense full-time. Speed, long reach and a never quit attitude makes him a solid pickup for this hypothetical team.

 

Mathieu Thuot, Express (86.6, 84.7) {WR, DB}

– Hands like glue, and one of the best attitudes in the whole league, you’d be hard-pressed to find reasons NOT to have Thuot on your team. The ability to shed coverage and always find the open spot in the zone, Thuot is just as solid on offense as he is on defense.

 

Jonathan Beaulieu-Richard (81.4, 89.2) {WR, Safety}

– A scary, scary player to line up against on either side of the ball. While it seems obvious to include an Alouette on this list, keep in mind his ratings on both sides of the ball are still under 90. Expect to hear his name more and more as games continue this season.

 

Total: 500.7, 508.5

 

{Honorable mentions: Karl De Nie, Kevin Wilson, Marc-Andre Paquin, Jean-Francois Marquis, Michael Samman}

 

Predictions

 

Division 2:

 

DK vs. Team Padon: DK are a runaway freight train and Team Padon have the unfortunate luck of being tied to the railroad tracks. In order for Padon to stay in this one, Gab Cousineau is going to need to hold onto the ball for as long as possible on offense and march the ball upfield, keeping the red-hot DK offense sitting for as long as possible. But I don’t see this upset happening.

Prediction: DK

 

Top Gunnz vs. One Night Stands: Another David vs. Goliath type matchup. Top Gunnz excel when they get into offensive shootouts with the opposition. However, getting into an offensive shootout with Kevin Wyeth is without a doubt a losing game. Furthermore, the ONS defense (which I’ve previously been critical of) has been playing lights-out this season. Best of luck Top Gunnz, this’ll be a tough one.

Prediction: One Night Stands

 

Ice Up Son vs. Bodyhype: This will probably be the most competitive game in D2 of the week. Ice Up Son are playing well and have a wealth of knowledge in what works well in the league, but Bodyhype are the wild-card. When you don’t know what to expect from your opponent, you can find yourself behind really fast. I see Bodyhype taking IUS by surprise at the beginning of this game, but it’s not going to last.

Prediction: Ice Up Son

 

Wolfpack vs. D-Boys: As far as playoffs go, this is a must-win for Wolfpack. If not, they’ll be putting themselves behind the 8-ball and will need to rely on other teams as well to make playoffs. D-Boys are coming off of a loss, and will be looking to vent their frustration on the Wolfpack, which does not seem like good news.

Prediction: D-Boys

 

Road Runners vs. Pantheres: I’m a big fan of trap games, because you never know what to expect from them. On paper, Road Runners should take this one in a big way, but I’m not convinced. Pantheres are down but not out, and I think they’re going to use this game to springboard back to their second wind. I see this being a good one.

Prediction: Pantheres

 

 

Division 1:

 

Terror Squad vs. Maniax: With the playoff format in D1 being the way it is, Maniax can use this potential win as a way to crossover into Conference B if they have a better (or equal) finishing record to Terror Squad. As such, this game needs to be priority one for Terror Squad or they risk not making playoffs. However, after coming off of a close game with the Finest, and a solid season in general, I think that Terror Squad can hold off.

Prediction: Terror Squad

 

Alkaholiks vs. Montreal’s Finest: Game of the week, and the anticipated rematch to the midnight tournament upset, this’ll be an entertaining one to watch. While the Alkaholiks roster has changed since that tournament game, I’m sure the Finest are looking to crush their opposition regardless and hold onto their undefeated record.

Prediction: Montreal’s Finest

 

Rainmakers vs. Gladiateurs: Gladiateurs are having their roughest season to date, but can still bring out some success from this season. They’re facing a Rainmakers team who are strong but tend to take a long time on offense. If the Glads can start on O, and go up early on the Rainmakers, their chances increase. It’s going to be closer than the last game, but experience tells me to still side with the past.

Prediction: Rainmakers

 

 

If you’re sick and tired of what I have to say and want to hear a different opinion, you can always tune into the KHAN & Bomb podcast with Moe Khan and Donald Shepherd Wednesdays on www.theunclehood.com or by downloading the podcast at http://fpf.podomatic.com

 

If you’re not sick and tired of me just yet, you can follow me on twitter at @GMKole44 where I sometimes live-tweet D1, D2 and D3 games if I’m not scorekeeping. I’ll start adding D1/D2 final scores even if I am scorekeeping starting this week.

 

Until next week, the GM is out.