An insane start to the season as a very interesting draft unfolds. It is hard to imagine today that anyone could have perfected the format as much as the top 2 teams have this season. Because of that, I will be ranking everyone in tiers because there's a huge gap. That doesn't mean the season is over, however. It's only just begun.

-Commish

Tier 1: Gods

1. Zark's Sharks

Zach has built a team unlike anything we've seen in Super League history. He has two legitimate stacks in Allen / Diggs & Cousins / Jefferson (which he could play all 4 almost every week), an ungodly amount of depth (Jamaal Williams would likely be a flex consideration on many teams the first few weeks, and he's one of the worst Sharks), and on top of the insane roster, he is probably the most knowledgable GM in the game with a near spotless trade record. The only consolation for the rest of the league is that there is a world where he has multiple RBs flop... But lets be real. The next time the Sharks will be out of the top 3 of this list will be next season.

2. Bud Ice Penguins

While the Penguins come in at number 2, they have also assembled a team unlike anything we've seen in Super League history. Noah has loudly acquired major assets coming into this draft, but has quietly assembled what could be the very best keeper trio in the league between Mahomes, Bijan, and Lawrence. While I don't love the Penguins depth as much as the Sharks, they have an unreal and very balanced starting lineup, and even more future pick capital than the Sharks to upgrade this roster once the pick window re-opens. Super League at its core is an experimental take on fantasy football, and the Penguins have embraced the experiment and have pushed it to its limits at every turn, which I commend highly. The goal for the Penguins is not to make the playoffs, because that should be a given, but to outdo the Sharks when they inevitably face in the post-season. Only time will tell if Noah can gain a slight edge on his fellow god tier team.

Tier 2: Playoff Hopefuls

3. Arson Wentz

If this order seems familiar so far, it's because it's the exact top 3 from my post-lottery rankings. Everything I said then rings true post draft for the veteran Arson Wentz squad. Jack assembled a very solid and balanced team with solid bench options for multiple positions. The main area of concern coming into the draft for this team was the QB position, in which Jack drafted Tua and Russell Wilson, two QBs with some sort of question marks coming into this season. If Jack bet right on these guys, we could very well see Arson Wentz challenge for a top two seed if he can manage to take a series win against the Penguins in their rival matchups. Jack will need to clean up his other rival, Play Action Jackson, and he should have everything he needs to lock up a third straight playoff appearance. 

4. Let's Go Brandon Aiyuk

Holy shit. It's been an up and down (mostly down) off-season for Christian's squad (side note: new team name will heavily determine the intangibles). Despite this, Let's Go Brandon Aiyuk has managed to have a stunning draft, taking a bold QB0 strategy that surely no one saw coming. When you look at his roster, it adds up. Joe Mixon falling into his hands at number 6 may be the best value pick of the draft, and he managed to pepper in solid NFL starters throughout his roster. QB0 has never been attempted in Super League, and considering that most teams will continue to run 2 QB's this season, it's a major bet. I love the bet, I love the roster, and I love the owner. I think this team could capture something this season and could re-define what a Super League roster could be. There's also the chance that this blows up in Christian's face and he is in the same spot as last season, but if there's any justice in the world, Christian will be fighting for a playoff spot provided good health and some additional moves. On draft night at least, Christian embraces the experiment.

5. Slatt's Slimes

I believe the expansion draft was very kind to both incoming teams, and the Slimes were the greater of the two beneficiaries. The Slimes have found themselves with the biggest X-Factor in fantasy this season, Cooper Kupp. If Kupp can find consistency, then the Slimes have more in common with the tier 1 teams than the tier 2 teams. I don't particularly believe that Kupp was the right pick however, but his keepers and some pretty sharp drafting have him well in the mix to earn his buy-in back and compete for the first ever Super League championship ring. Sam may need to leverage future draft capital later in the season to make some key additions, particularly to add a more reliable flex option, but right now I like what I'm seeing from the Slimes.

Tier 3: In the Hunt

6. PGH Crooners

Nathan is a complete unknown to me as a fantasy player, but it's clear that he knows football, which should give him a leg up on some other teams (Play Action Jackson specifically). I've seen some very positive signs from him off the field, such as evidence that the man has pipes. As far as his draft is concerned, I have some questions, but I am mostly on board with his roster. I think having Breece Hall and Javonte Williams be 2 of your 3 top RBs is a questionable choice considering both are less than a year removed from serious injuries. If one or both miss significant time, PGH will likely be a lotto team. The potential emergence of Christian's squad could spell trouble for the Crooners, as he now has no easy wins between either of his rival teams. The reason I am behind the Crooners somewhat is they have high upside players up and down the roster, and the best case scenario for this team is a top finish if they can win both rivalry series, but I think the most likely scenario is that Nathan barely misses the playoffs, and comes back in 2024 stronger with younger but capable keepers.

7. UNFINISHED BUSINESS

New year, new team identity for the Carter Tracey led franchise. After a confusing but impressive Super League debut, Carter has shocked everyone by trading and drafting his way back into playoff contention. He has a seriously impressive squad based on what he came into the season with. Having Kelce as a keeper is such a luxury right now, because Carter can continue to keep the greatest positional advantage in fantasy sports. The starting lineup is particularly talented, I may even prefer it over the Crooners (Carter is not running a two QB team, and Nathan has two high upside QB's, so I had to give Nathan the nod). I think Carter will be right in the running for the playoffs but will ultimately come short due to the talent in this league this season. If Carter can win the waivers, we may have a real playoff threat at the end of the season.

8. Play Action Jackson

I'm not totally sure what to expect from the Steven-Dion partnership, but I can say that the duo made the best of the cards they were dealt in the 2023 draft. The team lies on one man, and that man is now the namesake of the franchise. Lamar Jackson could take this team to the promised land, and having the Andrews stack is a huge bonus. I think this roster has a ton of talent on the starting side, but it's clear that more flex options will be required to make this a consistently great team week-in and week-out. This team could be major buyers or sellers once the future pick window re-opens, and I'm excited to see what newcomer and notoriously creative trader Steven Cadogan can come up with throughout the season. With their rivals both coming in at the top 3 of this power ranking, it's hard to see the path for this team today, but if they can win the rivalry series against Jack, then anything is possible for this squad. I would be dumb to count them out of the playoffs this early.

Tier 4: Rebuild Mode

9. Parma Pirates

Does this team have the 9th worst roster in the league? I don't believe so. Does this team have a difficult path to becoming a playoff team? Absolutely. With rival matchups against Noah and Christian, and a double matchup against Jack, there is little opportunity for failure this season. Because of this, I expect this team to be a selling team at the trade deadline, as they have repeatedly stated that the goal for the team is to win in 2024 (which they are very clearly number 1 in the 2024 rankings rn). I think the Pirates will be a threat to most non-rivals, and if Jonathon Taylor comes back this season they could turn into a legit playoff threat, but right now, it looks like a competitive but ultimately rebuilding year for the Pirates. Their bench is smelly too, my god.

10. Washington Fantasy Team

No surprises here, as Curtis stacked the deck against himself this season in order to win a title in 2023. I believe Curtis did well with what he gave himself, but ultimately it was too deep of a hole. Look for Curtis to trade Derrick Henry for a better keeper and attempt to stack assets for the 2024 season. With how little value is truly on this roster, it may be hard for Curtis to gain much leverage for the next season, meaning his 2023 title may have set him back multiple years. It's certainly another interesting part of this experiment, and I respect Curtis for pushing all-in last season. Curtis is undoubtedly looking for the future.