Tiebreakers were won and lost in week 7, and guess what? They're on the line again in week 8 with every team facing a team they will not see again this season. The thing I'm starting to realize with this new schedule is that every game actually matters. There wasn't a ton of shake up in the rankings this week, but still an interesting week to say the least.

-Commish

Tier 1: Top Tier

1. Bud Ice Penguins (-)

Dooobeeee... The Bud Ice Penguins have arrived. With 3/4 of the previous weeks over 140 points, the concerns I had early in the season about production have vanished. This team is a finished product, and that's scary when there are still moves on the board for the Penguins. Bud Ice proved it again this week, by ousting Jack despite a nice bounceback week attempt from the Orcas. The Penguins really only have 2 games they need to care about left: this week vs. the Crooners and one of the two remaining matchups against the Parma Pirates. If the Penguins win both, there's almost no question a top seeded finish and the coveted 14-0 run would be in the cards. It's really hard to see the Penguins losing this spot unless the Sharks or Slimes do something that can't be ignored. The Kamara / Mahomes lineup will be incredibly hard to beat when out on the field this season. One question mark for this team has become Bijan Robinson, but they can literally afford to not play their 1.01 pick and still win out. The regular season is more about accolades at this point than playoff positioning for this club. A+ season so far.

2. Slatt's Slimes (-)

It was a relative down week for the Slimes, but they get the job done and move past 500. A recent midseason poll revealed that the Slimes are becoming a league favorite to win the title, and many feel that Sam has been the Executive of the Year so far. The Slimes are becoming a Super League institution, and I couldn't be happier that this franchise joined the league this year. If you look at his lineup this week, there were a decent amount of flops, and he still dropped over 110 points. That's the scoring consistency that sets this team apart. This team only has two games left versus projected playoff teams, so this team is a virtual lock for a top 3 seed barring something horrific occurring.

3. Zark's Sharks (-)

After a terrible week, the Sharks bounce back with a huge win that essentially ends PAJ's season. It may have been a bit closer than the Sharks wanted, but they get the job done and position themselves well to win the 2 seed. The problem is, the 2 seed might lead to a first round matchup with the Slimes. This would be horrible news for both teams, as they both are the top scoring teams in the league. We will focus on the now however, where the Sharks are being slept on honestly. They still have an honest shot at winning any matchup any week against any team in the league, and likely being favored to do so. This will be true in the playoffs too. Zach has been less active with trades since the season has begun, but I believe a lot of this is due to the roster strain he's experiencing from having multiple starters on IR, and it becomes harder and harder to trade with an increasingly better roster. Look for the Sharks to be aggressive in the next couple weeks to bolster their chances and very possibly ascend this list once again.

Tier 2: Playoff Hopefuls

4. PGH Crooners (-)

The Crooners put up some points on Monday, but it was not enough to make the comeback. It was a schedule loss in my opinion, and I still expect this team to be in the play-in or better. This team has a huge task this week - do what no one else has and beat the Penguins. I will get more into that matchup on the predictions article, but I do believe the Crooners have a real shot in that matchup. I wanna see this team get back into the 120 points range before I put them back in top tier. I'm also wondering if this team will make any moves soon, or how they will approach the trade window once it opens. This team has some disadvantages vs. the three teams ranked above them in the schedule department, with several tough matchups left on the docket. They also have an advantage over the teams below them however, with 3 matchups against the bottom 2 teams remaining, which should virtually guarantee a finish over 500. The main thing for this team would be to avoid finishing with the same record as Washington Fantasy Team, as that's the one tiebreaker they don't hold at this point. A 3-way tie between the Pirates, Crooners, and WFT could be the worst case scenario for this team, but it seems unlikely. For now, they're in the drivers seat headed straight for a playoff spot. 

5. Parma Pirates (-)

The Pirates are right in the playoff 4-3 group, with a chance to jump up at least a spot this week. A win versus WFT this week would be essentially add 3 games of cushion between the two teams. The problem with the Pirates going forward is they have easily the toughest schedule of any team currently holding a playoff spot, with 2 matchups versus the Penguins and 2 crucial matchups versus the newly named Orcas. Selling at the deadline could threaten this team's playoff chances. It will be a tough decision for the team, but with the spot currently locked down, a win this week could really help in the long run.

6. Washington Fantasy Team (-)

WFT win a crucial matchup and immediately find themselves in another one. The team is averaging a very respectable 122.63 points since switching to the empty lineup strategy. The intangibles around this team have done a 180 this season, and it's just more proof that Curtis is that guy. It just can't be understated how important this week is to the outlook of the future. A loss to the Pirates could completely put them out for good, but a win could catapult them into the top 4 as soon as this week. Out of the remaining two matchups versus the Sharks, I think this team will need to take one to guarantee a playoff spot, but this team has been good enough to compete with anyone recently. Curtis is a true Executive of the Year candidate for his performance this season, and regardless of how the coming weeks play out, he's earned more of my respect once again.

Tier 3: Comeback SZN?

7. Bridge Road Orcas (-)

This team is in a very weird spot. Yes, they are 2-5 right now and they have lost all of those in a row, but look at the teams they played during this stretch: Slimes, Penguins, Sharks, Crooners, and Penguins again. That's a tough schedule for all 10 teams in the league. Now the schedule tides turn, and Jack has all the games he needs to get back in this thing on his schedule already. His public enemy number one is clearly the Pirates right now, as they have a 2 game advantage over the Orcas and, quite conveniently, there are two matchups remaining between the teams as they face each other on the random rival week as well. They also have a matchup and tiebreak opportunity versus WFT. All this to say that yes, this team needs to win all three of those matchups, but that's very possible. Despite a lackluster couple of weeks leading into this past week, the Orcas still sit in the top 4 in scoring this season. This team has everything it needs to go get the playoff spot, and if it happens, Jack could be in for a very special season after all. He gets his own tier because of this.

Tier 4: Time For Trades

8. Play Action Jackson. (-)

Play Action Jackson has had absolutely nothing go their way this season, with the 5th best scoring offense, but a 2-5 start with basically no playoff chance left at this point. I feel bad for these guys, because they assembled a solid team, but won't have anything to show for it this season. It seems like trades are certainly coming when the pick window opens up in a couple weeks. This team basically serves to be a spoiler team at this point, and a bottom 3 finish is almost guaranteed in my opinion, which would give them an equal opportunity at the number one pick next season.

9. UNFINISHED BIZ (-)

Unfinished Biz players have already made Cancun arrangements. It seems like GM Carter Tracey has no plans on moving his players, and has no way to the playoff. I'm not sure if Carter knows how to conduct a true rebuild (he is a Raptors fan after all), but that's what will need to happen here. If trades don't happen then what are we doin here baud.

10. Explosive Potential (-)

In conversations over the past few weeks, it's clear that this team owner gives a shit and despite inheriting a losing franchise, cares about the future and winning football games soon. Soon meaning 2024 in this case lol. I love what I'm seeing from Jacob and I know more trades are on the way.