2022 - Corona Bowl XIV preview & LOC Awards

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! We've made it at last, championship weekend is here, Corona Bowl XIV has arrived. Commissioner Stubbs will be recapping the semi-finals and previewing the big one, whilst also doling out some awards!

2022 - Happy Christmas from the LOC!

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! It is a special Christmas eve edition of the show, and we'd like to wish you all a Happy Christmas! But enough of that, as Commissioner Stubbs has a wildcard bowl to recap, and also needs to preview the semi finals!

2022 - The Commish's Best Birthday Present

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! We have officially crossed into the postseason now, and as the title suggests, Commissioner Stubbs had a very well received birthday present. Tune in to find out what that was, recap week 14 and the happenings, as well as previewing the Wildcard Bowl.

2022 - Choo Choo all aboard the playoff train

Hello and welcome to the final regular season edition of the LOC Report for the 2022 season! Commissioner Stubbs is back with Co-host Chris Leach to recap week 13 and preview week 14 in the all important final week to dictate the remaining 2 playoff spots. Who will be joining the 3 who have already clinched? Watch to potentially find out.

2022 - STICK A FORK IN 'EM, THEY DONE

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! Commissioner Stubbs is rejoined by Co-host Chris Leach, and it's a special episode as the cutlery is coming out! We give you our verdict on who is done for the year, whilst we recap Week 12 and preview the penultimate week of the 2022 LOC Regular Season, Week 13.

2022 - Thanksgiving Thunderdome

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! No live Thansgiving special this year unfortunately, but you still have HOF Commissioner Stubbs delivering another episode of the HOF LOC Report for you! Solo today, but with all the action going on that's not going to matter, as we recap the riveting Week 11 matchups and preview the crucial Week 12 matchups in a Divisional Week.

2022 Power Rankings: Week 12

Good evening, Coaches! Welcome to the first pre-Sunday edition of the Power Rankings for this season. Of course, due to Thanksgiving, more games than usual have also already happened, so it’s kind of irrelevant. So, in the spirit of the Black Friday I find myself writing on and, more importantly, because the pub beckons for a certain World Cup fixture this evening, here’s some cut-price Rankings for y’all.

-

12. Vickers Circle (2-9) – No Change

A tight game, despite anticipated struggles. One of two teams on the final chance this week, they have to win. Speaking of wins, they finally stumped game aficionado, Coach Stubbs Jr., quite the vistory in itself. 

11. Tom’s Tyrants (2-9) – No Change

The second team clinging on to the slimmest of slim hopes, if last week was a warm up, they didn’t make the most of it. Back to full strength after the byes, they’ll need their committee RBs to keep up the efficiency.

10. Napolitans (5-6) – No Change

A narrow win last week, but they need to start upping the box scores to make a push at the playoffs. If this was a, very late, breakout game for Najee Harris, it is well-timed. He needs to keep finding the end zone.

9. U R Gould (4-7) – No Change

Not a bad week for them, but they lose the division lead on points scored. Jamaal Williams has definitely been the best thing about their season, which sounds like more of an insult than it is. If they sneak the playoffs, he’ll be pushing for best waiver add of the year.

8. Patistan (4-7) – No Change

A good win (against a slightly lacking opposition, admittedly), and they’ll be pleased to have put up a good score on an off week for main-man Jefferson. They’ll need to keep it up still under heavy pressure for Winchester’s crown – which has lost some lustre since the days of Saxon Wessex.

7. Forge Flyers (6-5) – Down 1

Yeah, nothing went right this week, epitomised by the -2 from Gano (lmao), definitely one to chalk off. They’re losing ground at a critical time, getting Kyler back will help, but they have other injury concerns.

6. The Dream Team (4-7) – Up 1

A much better week, the bounce-back they needed. Big performances from Pollard and Burrow led the way, they’ll be hoping Chase returns to provide some more juice to the stat-lines. High scoring continues to place them well and will continue to be necessary.

5. Buccing The Trend (8-3) – No Change

In what was definitely the game of the week, they toppled the form team by the slightest of margins, thanks in no small part to the monster contribution from Maher. There’s no doubt they are still contenders and, back to full fitness, they could round into form in perfect timing.

4. Gridiron Gang (7-4) – No Change

They may have lost, but it was still a good week and they were against the top ranked side. They continue to look dangerous and, perhaps more importantly, continue to extend the record for most waiver budget spent in a single season after picking up Perine – a record that could last for some time.

3. Bear Necessities (7-4) – No Change

Back to winning ways, but not in the most convincing of fashions. They’ll be hoping that the Bucs figure out their offense before the business end of the year. The gap between teams 3, 4 and 5 is so close for me that I’ve elected not to move any of them. A better compromise than King Solomon’s somehow justifiable homicide.

2. Burdettinators (7-4) – No Change

Points on the bench could easily have continued the run of wins, but they continued to roll into another strong week either way. Henry continues to remind us never to question him, even though we seem to every year, whilst Olave, Hopkins and Pacheco all showed the points can come from anywhere in this roster. 

1. IKSAN (10-1) – No Change

An emphatic celebration of the rightful claim to the top spot. Solid contributions from across the board, particularly from Amari Cooper this week. They don’t have the deepest of benches, but they’re healthy and ready for the playoffs, which (I believe) they are now guaranteed to be in – although I spent the entire season writing about a playoff picture I didn’t understand last year, so who knows.

-

Yep, definitely a Black Friday themed amount of movement in the Rankings, at least 50% off. But not bad blurb length, and some sweet non-topical references from centuries past. Maybe Black Friday is more than just consumerism? Eh, who cares, it’s pub time. Good luck lads! *That’s you Coaches and the Tree Lions…

2022 Power Rankings: Week 11

Hello all, welcome to another LOC Sunday! Of course, this is also the Sunday that marks the start of the World Cup. If the group running that was as well organised and non-corrupt as the LOC, perhaps we wouldn’t be about to undertake the first ever midseason edition, with countless niggling injuries and a host nation that were awarded a ‘suspiciously high’ number of penalties in warm up matches, 5 out of 7 of which were behind closed doors. Basically, we’re great, the world sucks. Rankings time.

-

12. Fall Guy (2-8) – Down 2

An appropriate name change for their movements this week. A bad week in general and Kupp going to IR. Andrews is still banged up as well, and the season is starting to look bleak. They were unlucky not to pick up more wins early on, but the battle is looking drastically uphill at the moment.

11. Tom’s Tyrants (2-8) – Up 1

Amazingly, their season continues. With the new playoff rules and the worst division in LOC history, the fork has reached near mythical status this season. Taylor did show up, and they have some options at receiver finally. If this was the start of some steam-building, they can’t pause.

10. Napolitans (4-6) – Down 1

Another lopsided week leading to a middling score, they are victims of their division’s success. Still very much in the race for the high score playoff spot, fuelled by Hurts and Hill, they just need a couple more consistent performers to make the push, Christian Kirk just got hot. The drop reflects their route to the playoffs more than anything else, they’re better than teams above them.

9. U R Gould (4-6) – Up 2

Still the low scorers, now actually leading the division. In fairness, it may have been their best game of the season. Finally getting some points at QB was a big boost, but it was the Cook/Jones combo, that finally lived up to draft status, making the difference.

8. Patistan (3-7) – No Change

Despite losing their division crown last week, they are still the strongest team in the division. Elliott screwed them over last week with a late IA, there is enough talent on this roster to pick them back up though. 

7. The Dream Team (3-7) – No Change

If they are going to cling on to the high scoring playoff spot, their only feasible route to the playoffs, they can’t afford many more weeks like that. The injuries have piled up at just the wrong time, but Edwards and Williams are close. Pollard getting a featured role would be a big bonus.

6. Forge Flyers (6-4) – Down 1

No Kyler last week, and the RB trio of the early season isn’t looking quite so dominant anymore. Juju being out and Toney seeing valuable targets is making him look like a hot start from now on, this could provide the juice to continue the push.

5. Buccing The Trend (7-3) – Up 1

That was a good bounce-back week. Jeff Wilson looks great, and they won the Watson sweepstakes, which appears to be a straight route to TDs (and nothing else) at the moment. Good time of the year to start looking dangerous again.

4. Gridiron Gang (7-3) – No Change

A decent week, and a win. That’s kind of all that happened last week. Of course, Joe Mixon is now fresh off the bye so, who know, his 50-pointer could have just been the start.

3. Bear Necessities (6-4) – Down 2

I’ve been high on this team all year, but they looked decidedly average last week. Without Lamar and with Brown locked up, it was far from their best. It’s been so close up top for a while, but perhaps this fall was a little overdue.

2. Burdettinators (7-3) – Up 1

High scorers again, with Fields remaining the catalyst. But, Lamb and Foreman showed their match winning potential too, and we all know what King Henry is capable of – including passing TDs now! Yeah, this team is hot in all the right places still.

1. IKSAN (9-1) – Up 1

It’s yet another good week from them. Mahomes is in crazy form at the moment, and Conner returned to a newly emptied backfield to great reward. They still have highs and lows, but they have probably been deserving of the top spot for a while. I mean, look at that record. My  bad guys.

-

And there we have it, another week in the books! Now get excited people, the LOC playoff race and a World Cup at the same time, what a time to be alive.

2022 - Even We Could Beat The Raiders

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! Co-host Chris Leach returns to deliver another HOF episode of the LOC Report with Commissioner Stubbs. If any NFL teams need us to face off against the Josh McDaniels lead Raiders let us know, if Jeff Saturday can do it, why not us? But in the meantime, we'll stick to recapping week 10 and previewing week 11.

2022 Power Rankings: Week 10

Good afternoon, everyone! We’re back and I’m sure we’ve been sorely missed. Actually, I’d accept just ‘absence noticed’ as a compliment, to be quite honest. But anyway, EDOTLOCCA holiday over, back to the Power Rankings. So, three whole weeks have passed, and what have we missed? The undefeated team are no more, the winless have also scored themselves a 1 in the column, and still no one wants to go to the playoffs in Winch. Plus, 6-3 has become the trendy place to be, so a hot playoff race is on the cards. Obviously I got the memo about 6-3, but I consider myself more of a trend-setter than a sheep… Anyway, where have we all landed?

-

12. Tom’s Tyrants (1-8) – No Change

Picking up the win will have course been celebrated, but still a sorry season on the whole. The roster is probably looking better than at any stage in the season so far, but they still lack for consistent starters. Maybe Taylor can return to 2021 form after getting healthy again.

11. U R Gould (3-6) – No Change

The low scorers in the league remain joint level on record on their division. Yeah, Winchester really has become the NFCS of the LOC. They seem to have a fantastic habit of making FAs notably worse after they pick them up, along with the fantastic talent of ending QB careers. Does that make them Indy?

10. Overcooke (2-7) – No Change

Week 9 was their unluckiest yet, which is good timing for this article. They’ve had some players round into form, led by Kupp and the Pats D. Despite going 0-3 since we last touched base, they look the most likely team in the Winch division to actually do something.

9. Napolitans (4-5) – No Change

A decent spot of form but still 2 back in their division and struggling to catch up. Tyreek and Hurts are the stars, Stevenson has also been great, they may just be suffering from too little too late. Of course, this is exactly when they made a mad charge at the playoffs last season, so they could well surprise me.

8. Patistan (3-6) – No Change

They hold onto the division, despite a lack of wins In the past 3 weeks. They never seem to have gotten past the Adams/Jefferson combo, struggling to find valuable contributors and with lower input than expected from Herbert. Getting Patterson back should have been helpful, but his committee has gotten far stronger in his absence.

7. The Dream Team (3-6) – Down 1

The defending champs haven’t had things fall their way this year. They’re the 4^th top scorers at the moment, but languish 3 games away from their division rivals and with playoffs looking like a tough ask. Of course, the top scorers outside of the playoffs do get in with the latest rules.

6. Buccing The Trend (6-3) – Down 2

Perhaps the odd one out of the 6-3ers. With a notably lower points for, they have continued to pick up wins nonetheless. Good health and early season form for the key Lions personnel would help dramatically, the roster is too good to be so low scoring.

5. Forge Flyers (6-3) – No Change

They missed a prime opportunity to distance themselves from the pack last week, which has left them playing catchup in a very competitive division. It didn’t quite all come together, but Kamara and Waddle have proven to be consistent scorers. Heavy on the trade-acquisitions, Toney and Claypool have time to pay dividends, despite a poor first week.

4. Gridiron Gang (6-3) – Down 1

Fresh off the back of a statement win, they return to first place in the division, just. Walker has certainly returned on the heavy waiver investment, but this team still isn’t as star studded as those around them (outside of Allen and Kelce, of course).

3. Burdettinators (6-3) – Up 4

Definitely the team who have had the best run since the Week 7 edition. With a roster that was already on the up and key additions, primarily Fields, they are making a solid push for their division as the most in form team. The biggest movers of the EDOTLOCCA bye weeks, by far.

2. IKSAN (8-1) – No Change

Despite having finally dropped a game (very nearly 2 after last week), they still sit a very nice two games clear of anyone else. They continue to be fairly middling scorers, playing the right players at the right time. It’s a great way to win lots of games, I just can’t help but feel they won’t be the strongest team come the playoffs.

1. Bear Necessities (6-3) – No Change

Continuing to pick up wins, whilst still scoring at a very high rate. This team certainly hasn’t gotten worse in my time away. Brown, Ekeler, Jackson have all been week-winners, whilst Pierce has developed into a reliable starter. The top is all so close, I can’t see a reason to knock them down. 

-

Wow, much less movement than I had expected. That is mainly due to everything being so damn close, of course. Let’s see what Week 10 brings and whether the playoff hunt starts to take a clearer shape. And, more importantly, let’s hope we speak again next week, it’s been nice. Until then, time to enjoy some German football before Qatar, when it becomes relentlessly infuriating.

2022 - The weather and the NFL sharing double digits

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! As the title suggests, we are now heading into the double digit weeks in the LOC season (whilst unseasonably warm weather in the UK sees our temperature remain in the same range), but before we go ahead and preview week 10 we'll of course take a look back at what happened in week 9, as commissioner Stubbs delivers the pod solo today.

2022 - He did it, Coach Barnes finally got a win!

 Hello and welcome to another HOF episode of the LOC Report! We're not one to usually spoil things, but Tom's Tyrants are finally on the board with their first win of the 2022 LOC Season! Join Commissioner Stubbs and Co-host Chris Leach to recap that game, as well as the others in week 8, and preview week 9.

2022 - Jags first home game of the season!

Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! Commissioner Stubbs and Co-host Chris Leach back again to bring you another episode of the HOF podcast, on the week the Jags play their first and only home game of the season in London no less! This week we're reviewing what happened in Week 7 and taking a look forward to Week 8.

2022 Power Rankings: Week 7

Hello all! Welcome to another edition of the Power Rankings, brought to you by your (still totally interested) EDOTLOCCA. Going to be another speed edition today, busy busy here. You know, places to see, people to meet, terrible fantasy decisions to make. So anyway, let’s crack on.

-

12. Tom’s Tyrants (0-6) – No Change

Bad to worse here, twelfth is starting to look generous. A truly dismal week 6, followed by a double IR designation in the week to starters. But here we are, 2023 can’t come quickly enough.

11. U R Gould (2-4) – No Change

Not too much encouragement to take from this one either. Cook and Pittman looking more like expected could help in the long run, but they’re going to need more support.

10. Kupphead (2-4) – No Change

They’ve backed it up with another decent week, and another win. A much more well-rounded performance from a team that appears to have found its feet across the roster. Getting Dak back could help things further.

9. Napolitans (2-4) – No Change

Bit of bad luck to be up against one of the only teams that showed up in Week 6, but an encouraging score, nonetheless. Stevenson is looking more and more like a consistent starter, which is a big bonus.

8. Patistan (3-3) – No Change

They all count! A bit of good fortune in the opposite box score could be just what they need to kick start their campaign again. Still in a great position in their division and getting key byes out of the way. Eno Benjamin could be a difference-maker.

7. Burdettinators (3-3) – Down 1

They didn’t crash all the way back to where they started, but it was a disappointing week again, maybe a few too many risky starts. Jeff Wilson just lost a lot of his appeal to boot.

6. The Dream Team (2-4) – Up 1

That’s more like it from a team I’ve been high on all year. The big performances came from exactly where you’d expect, without a lot of excitement from elsewhere, but still encouraging moving forward. Gus Edwards could pan out very nicely too.

5. Forge Flyers (4-2) – No Change

Just as things started to look like they were hitting the next level, we have a bit of a dud. Nothing to be overly concerned by, but just a reminder of what is keeping them below the teams higher up the Rankings.

4. Buccing The Trend (4-2) – No Change

Bit of an ugly loss there, coupled (and somewhat caused) by more bad luck at QB. They had a good opportunity to separate themselves from the 4-2 hoard, and might go on to regret missing it.

3. Gridiron Gang (4-2) – No Change

Walker hit the ground running and instantly became a key cog to an already solid team. They picked up a comfortable win, some more FAB, ad are looking good approaching the halfway point.

2. IKSAN (6-0) – No Change

Not the hardest game they’ll have, but another win all the same. The big news here is the CMC trade. The LOC leading team just got one of the league’s most dynamic players on one of the league’s most effective rush attacks. Look out.

1. Bear Necessities (4-2) – No Change

A good win, and a good all-round performance. Remarkably few roster movements this year, from a Coach normally known for them, he must be happy with the team. Must be nice…

-

There we have it, a Week with surprisingly few fantasy points generates surprisingly few movements in the Rankings. Hey, if the NFL can make fantasy dull, I can make these dull. You’ll get what you’re given, and you'll like it.

2022 - You get a trade, and you get a trade!

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! Commissioner Stubbs back in the chair again alongside Co-host Chris Leach to deliver another HOF episode of the LOC Report. We have a bumper news edition this week, comprising of 2 trades, as well as recapping week 6 and previewing week 7 for you on a GAME DAY edition of the pod!

2022 Power Rankings: Week 6

Good afternoon, everyone! Another week, another Sunday pushing me to the very limit of my finely honed procrastination. I can’t claim to always have this column at the top of my priority list anyway, (I know, admit it after the LOC elections, such a tory) but do you know how much harder it gets when you’re nearly half-way through the season and your team is still sitting on a big fat goose egg? No, you don’t, because you don’t write a column, and you’re not 0-5. Rub it in. Right, moan over, let’s get on with this.

-

12. Tom’s Tyrants (0-5) – No Change

I mean, pretty much read above. There are still a couple of glimmers of hope, but this team is hurtling towards irrelevancy. Jonathan Taylor, arguably the surest fire No. 1 pick in years, has done no favours, but it is far from all down to him.

11. U R Gould (2-3) – Down 1

Coach Gardner is certainly playing QB roulette. He seems to keep going all in on green however, not much panning out thus far. Did we just witness the return of Dalvin Cook though? Finally looking like his old self and touching paydirt, now they’ll just be looking for another two or three guys like that.

10. Perfect Dak (1-4) – Up 1

Yeah, that’s what we’ve been waiting for. Auto-draft, I mean Coach Nunn, proving once again that haters won’t stop him. Everything went right this week, highlighted perfectly by Gabe Davis nearly going for 10pts a catch, they just need to prove it wasn’t a fluke. Normally I start their blurb talking about the name change, (nice to pay homage to an on-team player, by the way) but this week was too impressive to ignore.

9. Napolitans (2-3) – Down 1

Call that one a right off. Some highlights, in Hurts continued strong season and Stevenson’s improved usage bearing fruit, but other than that, time to dust yourself off and go again. Getting Higgins back would help, plus a few positive gamescripts for Najee.

8. Patistan (2-3) – Up 1

Every week we seem to come back to Jefferson and Adams, who need a little support to be quite frank. Until proven otherwise, they are still the most consistent team in their division, which offers a far easier route to the playoffs than a league of this quality should. Coach Allen is keeping active on the personnel, he just needs a couple of hits.

7. The Dream Team (1-4) – Down 1

Until they start boosting the win column, they are going to have to keep falling. It wasn’t a terrible week, but they just can’t muster enough big performances or consistency. DJ Moore finally got some notable targets, and Henderson just got the keys, so things could be looking up.

6. Burdettinators (3-2) – Up 1

Another big score! Chalk and cheese from the start of the season. Does the Hill/Geno pickup combo suggest it has gone to his head? Maybe. But, ride the wave man. They have always been the LOC’s unltimate boom or bust team, and they are going to continue to live up to that. For now at least, everything is trending upwrds.

5. Forge Flyers (4-1) – No Change

Last week I said they were solid, but not too intimidating. Well, if Kamara gets 29 touches a game, I can go ahead and scratch that off the record. This teams weekly floor will probably end up being their strongest quality, they just seem to have a roster that comes with guaranteed touches/targets/points. They’re stuck in a bit of congestion here, could easily be another 1 or 2 spots higher.

4. Buccing The Trend (4-1) – No Change

A solid win to get them back on track, and it is important to note that they are far from fully fit, so better things still to come. This time Josh Jacobs really stepped up, having somewhat of a renaissance under Josh McDaniels, which I’m not sure many people could have claimed to see coming?

3. Gridiron Gang (3-2) – No Change

Solid week for Allen and Kelce. Some other guys were probably there as well, not that they were needed. The big news would of course be the Walker waiver add, if he can take over the backfield with the kind of role $113 would suggest, it could be a key turning point in the 2022 LOC season. Watch this space.

2. IKSAN (5-0) – No Change

Still undefeated, another quality week fuelled by a Mahomes who has more than proven that he may have been the key figure in the Hill partnership after all. Lockett turning up to 2022 will ease the woes for Connor and Harris, as would some of these CMC rumours – seriously, can you imagine him on the Bills or Chiefs?

1. Bear Necessities (3-2) – No Change

Did I curse them? Maybe. Did they deserve to win that game anyway? Probably. With a 122 score that would have beaten all but two other league members, they can feel a little hard done by. Fournette, Ekeler and Pierce are all looking better with every game they play, this team is better than 3-2.

-

Another week in the books, not too much change this time around, particularly at the top. I mentioned it in one of the blurbs, we are seeing a little upper-middle congestion amongst teams, so it will be interesting to see who pulls ahead. Similarly with the Winchester Division, are any of these teams even capable?

2022 - Founding Fathers

Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! Commissioner Stubbs back again to bring you another Hall of Fame episode of the LOC Report with Co-host Chris Leach. The duo recap week 5 and preview week 6, which just happens to feature 3 founder bowls, games featuring the founding teams of the league - the max we can have with our current league members!

2022 Power Rankings: Week 5

Hello Coaches! Welcome to another NFL Sunday, one which will in fact start before these Rankings reach the bustling hubbub of the internet. A new one here for me, actually writing to you as an NFL game takes place, in fact Gano has literally just kicked us off. If this was coming at you live, I could give updates, but alas. You’ll just have to make do with some slightly distracted opinions instead.

-

12. Tom’s Tyrants (0-4) – No Change

Pffft, that sucked. Talk about shooting yourself in the foot. All the points left on the bench in what would have actually been a good week. But here we are. One good decision they made? Picking their division mates, with Winchester remaining wide open.

11. Aaronimal Crossing (0-4) – Down 1

Nice team name, not a nice week. They’re being kept from bottom spot by the poor decisions of the team below them but, arguably, they may be the worse overall team. They’re relying on Kupp and Andrews to make the difference each week.

10. U R Gould (2-2) – Down 1

A win is a win, with an excellent pick up of Williams carrying them just over the line. They need to work out their QB situation, which is holding them back currently. There are signs of a decent roster, but they can’t seem to get all the players going with any consistency.

9. Patistan (2-2) – Down 1

Is this history, right here? An entire division sat at the bottom of the Power Rankings. Well, one of these teams will make the playoffs, that is for sure, but right now they all look like the one-and-done is the best case result. Patistan are the pick of the bunch, so well done them, I guess?

8. Napolitans (2-2) – Down 1

They got blown out the water a little bit last week, with some injuries starting to pile up too. They’re striving for some consistency from the RBs which will increase the weekly floor drastically, but the total points is still good. Doesn’t help that their division looks stacked.

7. Burdettinators (2-2) – Up 4

That sneak up on anyone else? What a week. Massive score, with the whole team going above 10 points. Suddenly, they look loaded all over the roster. If they can keep this momentum going, they will look back and laugh at the sorry start.

6. The Dream Team (1-3) – Down 3

Starting to feel a bit sorry for the reigning champs. They haven’t been massive scorers by any means, and they aren’t shipping an unprecedented level coming the other way, they just can’t seem to get a result. My faith in the roster can only argue with the maths for so long.

5. Forge Flyers (3-1) – Up 1

Penny recapturing some of that late-21 form pushes this Forge Flyers team back into the standard model of RB heavy. Even without anything notable coming from Kamara, to date. Maybe not looking the most intimidating team yet, but certainly solid.

4. Buccing The Trend (3-1) – Down 2

In the battle of the undefeated teams, they came out underneath. It didn’t quite hit the heights expected, with a messy situation around Tua denying them a fair shot at the matchup. It wasn’t a terrible week, but they’ll need to bounce back to prove they deserve to be at the top of the pile.

3. Gridiron Gang (2-2) – Down 2

An off week for sure, and it ends their grip on the top spot. The good news for them, is that Melvin Gordon’s role just got far more valuable in Denver. But, as of right now, there are more consistently strong teams in the league.

2. IKSAN (4-0) – Up 3

Would they have been my pick for most likely to remain undefeated? Clearly not. But, they are, and they look good for it. They continue to climb the Rankings, and they continue to play the matchups and get good returns. A savvy season, thus far.

1. Bear Necessities (3-1) – Up 3

A very big score this week. I lauded over the RB corps to start the season, and so far they had flattered to deceive. Until Week 4. Well, now they’re the top scorers in the league and looking every bit as tough to take down as expected.

-

And we’re finished. Most of the way through the 1^st quarter, just seen Lazard do the Haaland celebration to baffle some Americans and, I would imagine, piss off some local Spurs fans. Time to enjoy the rest of the game and the rest of the weekend. Until next time.

2022 - We're Probably More Interesting than DEN v IND

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! Commissioner Stubbs and Co-host Chris Leach are back to hopefully provide some entertainment after the snooze fest that was Thursday night football, looking back at the goings on of week 4 and forward to Week 5.

2022 Power Rankings: Week 4

Good morning, esteemed Coaches. Another fine Sunday of sport to enjoy ahead of us. Some big NFL games, including the first London game of course, the Manchester Derby. Maybe you’re like me, and you’re looking forward to the British Open snooker final, or maybe you’re more into the London Marathon. Ah, you’ll be glad to hear we’ve reached the point, a tired and laboured cliché; the LOC fantasy season is a marathon, not a sprint. Worth it, right? No. But now, an additional curveball, this article is not a marathon, it is a sprint. So, quit dawdling.

-

12. Tom’s Tyrants (0-3) – Down 1

They’ve conceded a lot of points, that’s fair to point out, but they’ve scored alarmingly few. It’s already starting to look dangerously like a lost season, and giving up early on draft sleeper Doubs instantly looked like a bad idea. The only way is up.

11. Burdettinators (1-2) – Up 1

Still not the biggest score, but a vast improvement. Seeing Henry looking like a first round draft pick, and his old self, will have been a big relief. Coach Burdett will be hoping that those first two horror weeks will soon just be a distant (and bad) memory.

10. The Legend of Zuber (0-3) – No Change

Anyone else have to Google the ‘Zuber’ in question? They should perhaps feel aggrieved at remaining winless (I’m sure it will boil into another accusation-heavy group chat rant at some point…), as they’ve had some decent scores. A couple of injuries and a light bench are starting to look more impactful.

9. U R Gould (1-2) – No Change

Not a lot to get excited about in Week 3, unless you count tumbling down the coaching ranks by leaving all your top scorers on the bench? Williams could be a steal off the wire, but it still feels risky thinking the Lions can support so many fantasy relevant players.

8. Patistan (1-2) – Down 2

My Jefferson hype is starting to look misplaced, but he is a superstar and will bounce back. Maybe London is the key? Patterson continues to amaze as a now featured RB, his career comeback defies belief, so perhaps he can inspire Patistan back to better weeks.

7. Napolitans (2-1) – Up 1

Mixed scoring across the starters and the bench, overall resulting in a good week. Hurts carried them to this win, but he has a good supporting cast, just like the real-life Eagles, they have the feel of a team who will be involved until the end.

6. Forge Flyers (2-1) – Down 2

The undefeated season is gone, but this one can be chalked up as a bad week I feel. They still have good players playing featured roles in their offenses. Sutton looks like the player they wanted him to be when they drafted him, now he just needs to get into the end zone. They fell more due to the logjam of good teams around them.

5. IKSAN (3-0) – Up 2

A good week with a very balanced set of scoring across the roster. Benching Conner and Deebo, so soon after the draft, was bold, but showed that they know what they have here. A group of good, matchup-based starters, capable of winning each week. Oh, and a questionable CMC.

4. Bear Necessities (2-1) – Up 1

Reminiscent of his MVP year, this may be a good season to have Lamar on board. Maybe someone should tell the Ravens before that contract gets even more out of hand? Pierce also had his best NFL day to date, in what was a very good week.

3. The Dream Team (1-2) – Down 2

Not good. I try not to flip flop on opinions, but I guess that is what happens when you rely too heavily on WRs. Some weeks, the targets (or TDs) simply aren’t there. I trust the team to bounce back, they’re still crazy loaded, they have just shown everyone their weakness this week.

2. Buccing The Trend (3-0) – Up 1

Now, normally that would have looked like a lucky win, and you could still argue that point. But, in reality, they had three major injuries, including face-of the-franchise QB, Tua, and still came away with 75 points and an unblemished record. Let’s see how they cope with the injuries in Week 4.

1. Gridiron Gang (2-1) – Up 1

Perhaps not their most convincing win, with a big heap of K/DST points to carry them over the line, but still a good week. This team has taken a fat load of points so far, they are giving as good as they get though, and looking strong. James Robinson continues to do what he has for the whole of his career, far exceed expectations.

-

Well, I don’t think I’m going to close in on Usain any time soon, but that was a relatively speedy edition. To those of you at the game today, I assume you have already left and will see this on Monday. In which case, hope it was good.

2022 - The co-host's (not so) triumphant return

 Hello and welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! Commissioner Stubbs is reunited at long last with the co-host himself Chris Leach after his couple of weeks absence, as he delivers his verdicts so far on this still young 2022 LOC season, recapping week 3 and previewing week 4.

2022 - We're Onto Week 3

 Welcome to another episode of the LOC Report! Commissioner Stubbs is joined once again by Coach Taylor to recap all the happenings in the LOC, looking back at week 2 and giving a live build up to week 3

2022 Power Rankings: Week 3

Hello, once again! Welcome all to another Sunday edition of the Power Rankings, courtesy of your EDOTLOCCA and his disorganised social life. So, Week 3, what have we missed so far. Half the league is at .500, we’ve got a division leader as the 7^th overall seed, and the top seed has scored more than twice as many points as the bottom seed. So, nothing out of the ordinary really. Ahh, it sure is good to have the LOC back. Read on, fine folk.

-

12. Burdettinators (0-2) – Down 2

Another bad week for a team that looks like offseason hype was comfortably misplaced. Breece Hall getting more involved was the major positive, but he needs to get more of a hold on the Jets backfield to repay his draft position. I’m sure things will improve but, for now at least, they are justifiably bottom of the pile.

11. Tom’s Tyrants (0-2) – No Change

Last week, I said they weren’t actually that bad in the loss. This week, they were. They would have gotten blown out of the water by their opponents anyway, but having a middling DST as the high scorers was just plain bad to see. The only reason they didn’t go bottom is thanks to the graciously poor effort from Coach Burdett.

10. Mariota Kart (0-2) – Up 2

Firstly, new favourite name, period. In fact, I’m going to go ahead and say this one can’t be topped. Secondly, they had a much better Week 2. They didn’t get the win, and the bench leads you to question the depth, but they are trending back in the right direction. David Montgomery and Javontae Williams touch counts could well be the key.

9. U R Gould (1-1) – Down 2

Better performance, opposite result, exactly how things are meant to go in fantasy land. The team was more or less split down the middle, some big times performances, some no shows, one literal no show. If they’d been healthy, you can’t help but feel they may have picked up a win here. More importantly, they need to start seeing more from top selection, Cook. Didn’t deserve to drop, but had two undefeated teams below them *shrug*.

8. Napolitans (1-1) – Down 2

Big performance from Tyreek, if there are more of them in the bank, we’ll be laughing. Hurts also has a look of a QB who is going to supersede matchups. With Kirk and Dotson, outperforming Higgings, Pitts and even Harris, this is a strangely built roster. Though, they look ready for the fight in a competitive division. Also didn’t deserve to drop, please see above.

7. IKSAN (2-0) – Up 1

Not their most impressive week, but they netted another win to stay undefeated. Still a lot of question marks across the roster but it will be nice to see Amari Cooper recapturing some Dallas types vibes. Exactly the same stat-line in Week 3 as well, what are the odds!? See, if we were PPR, I wouldn’t be able to say that, another reason to stay far away. Yay, media propaganda!

6. Patistan (1-1) – Down 2

Hmm, big difference for key men Adams and Jefferson. And, in what was certainly a winnable week, no one else was able to make the difference. I am far from ringing alarm bells, and they sit atop a division which doesn’t scream world-beating, but it will be interesting to see whether this becomes a team that blows hot and cold.

5. Bear Necessities (1-1) – Down 2

They got the win, a comfortable win, and they scraped to over 100 points. But, nearly half of that came from Lamar in what was, quite possibly, they least Ravens-esque performance I’ve ever seen. It was still a decent week all around, although the top pick RBs don’t appear to have fully regained the roles that earned them their high draft spots. They’ve dropped more due to good performances below.

4. Forge Flyers (2-0) – Up 1

Far from the perfect team performance, but Murray, Waddle and Chubb combined to make an effortlessly high score. They’re not necessarily the most deserving team of the 2-0 record thus far, but they also just put up 120 points without top pick Kamara. There is still a lot to come from this team.

3. Buccing The Trend (2-0) – Up 6

So, posting up a modest 140, and benching a 50pt player, is this the ultimate LOC flex? I’m not really sure what to say, other than that the Tua hate should probably slow down, the Lions are rockstars and Wentz…. Errr…. I dunno, these words all feel strange. Either way, Coach Taylor was clearly languishing below his place. I try not to overreact with weekly movements, but this had to change.

2. Gridiron Gang (1-1) – Down 1

Not a bad week, but came up against a stronger team. We may have seen some of their fragility in Week 2, with Josh Allen picking up a fair amount of slack and covering for his teammates. Kelce will bounce back, but we will wait to see what other strong contributors emerge on a consistent level.

1. The Dream Team (1-1) – Up 1

I said the first win was close, and it was an impressive one. Seeing Moore and Williams more involved is very encouraging, but Diggs is the superstar. This receiver heavy approach could be talked about for years if they all keep performing.

-

Pretty turbulent for a Week 2 Power Rankings - what an exciting early season we must be having! Now, if everyone could try not to cause any upsets in Week 3, it is much easier to edit these articles when the ‘No Change’ count is nice and high. Thanks in advance.

2022 Power Rankings: Week 2

Good afternoon, coaches! It’s the second NFL weekend of the year and we have another full night of football ahead. It’s also the first week of the year where I’m late with my Rankings, start as you mean to go on and all that jazz. So, I shall not keep you eager beavers waiting any longer, let us see how you all shuffle around with some actual football under your belts. Rankings time.

-

12. Pittsman (0-1) – No Change

No matter which side of the conspiracy debate you fall on, we can all appreciate the injustice that happened last week. We can also say that, with or without those extra 3 points, it wasn’t going to be a score worth celebrating. Add in losing Dak to the equation, and you can see why they haven’t managed to move up this week.

11. Tom’s Tyrants (0-1) – No Change

Week 1 wasn’t actually terrible. They lost, comfortably to a better team, but still put up a respectable score. Then TNF happened, and they started off Week 2 with an inactive kicker. Outrageous. Inexcusable. A terrible ambassador for the league. Lucky to cling on to spot 11, I for one would vote for them to have all LOC duties and responsibilities removed, with immediate effect.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Anyway, enough messing around. If I got once laugh, I’m saying that was worth it. On with the Rankings.

10. Burdettinators (0-1) – Down 2

Sometimes, it’s hard to work out why a team lost. Other times, it’s hard to work out quite who you are most upset with, because your entire team sucked. This was not an example of the former. Wilson was alright, Henry still got a huge workload, Juju had a good target share, it wasn’t all bad. Watson may be in the doghouse for that drop for a little while though.

9. Buccing The Trend (1-0) – Up 1

Well, Tua didn’t answer too many questions, but he didn’t need to with those RB performances. Swift and Barkley were both electric, with CEH looking handy on the bench. It’s only one week into the season, but that looks encouraging. No one else laid out too much of a marker in Week 1, but they have time to work out the best starting roster.

8. IKSAN (1-0) – Up 1

I said they’d make me look bad, but it was mainly just down to Mahomes this week. He certainly doesn’t seem too affected from the loss of Tyreek Hill. Gibson and Carter both made good use of their touches, and if they can hold off respective rookies, this could be a very deep squad. It would be good to see more of CMC in the Baker era, is he still the game-changer?

7. U R Gould (1-0) – No Change

The term gypsy win is probably overused in this league, but this was the Tyson Fury of fantasy wins. Week 1, score in the 70s, win by a point, after a stat-correction. If that is a warning for the season, the rest of the league will hate playing them. It is hard to move them down after a win, but shaky QB play and losing Pittman (they’re top performer in Week 1) isn’t ideal and is certainly stopping any ascent.

6. Napolitans (0-1) – Down 2

A slightly DST-inflated score here? They were the Dolphins we were focused on with this roster. Hurts looked good, but Harris looked like he will face the same struggles as last year, without such a heavy usage. There is lots still to prove pretty much roster-wide. If Dotson can become a Wentz favourite target, he could be an absolute steal.

5. Forge Flyers (1-0) – No Change

Well, doesn’t matter how you win, as they say. Poor kicker and DST points actually make this week look worse that it was as well. Not to mention losing Mitchell halfway through the game. Anderson and Landry were nice additions, if Chubb and Hunt can both be weekly starters as well, they will be very happy with that result.

4. Patistan (1-0) – Up 2

Well, they more or less took shape as promised, big WR performances and solid play from Herbert. An impressive win in Week 1, with the heavy lifting done by Jefferson and Adams. I see no reason not to expect that to continue, so this could be a season of searching for the right complimentary pieces. Patterson exceeded expectations on the bench, but they were otherwise light there.

3. Bear Necessities (0-1) – Down 2

Well, that didn’t go quite as I expected. It was far from a bad week, but their strong core of RBs near unilaterally underwhelmed. Only AJ Brown really looked dominant for them, with his target share and usage no doubt a relief to Coach Stubbs Sr. Other than that, safe to say they left a lot on the field, we’ll see how Week 2 goes before overreacting.

2. The Dream Team (0-1) – No change

Up and down, could have been better, but could have been much worse for the defending champs. Safe to say, they would have liked to start with a win, particularly after posting over 100 points, but they should be happy that the WR heavy strategy is going to pay dividends in terms of points. No change for them yet, the first win shouldn’t be far away.

1. Gridiron Gang (1-0) – Up 2

Well, we mentioned the TE/QB high draft capital plays last week, and they look masterful so far. They couldn’t have had a better start to the season, with solid scoring across the board. Mike Thomas and James Robinson both also proved they are going to maintain huge roles in their offenses, potentially both draft day steals.

-

Nothing too drastic in Week 1 then. Although, we also have a 50:50 split of winners and loser in the top and bottom half of the Rankings, so perhaps I’m just getting lenient. Check in again next week to have those and other questions answered!