Wane McGarity Bowl Championship Preview

To say this season has been unpredictable would be  an understatement. Never in the history of our league have their been so many contenders to the championship. Even teams like Kenny, who didn't make the playoffs, had championship caliber teams. After everything though, the two teams that made it to the finals are the two teams that defied history. Before this season, no team had ever started 0-3 and made the playoffs. Leland, Mark, and Albert all started 0-3. While Albert, eventually would go down as another 0-3 team to not make the playoffs, Leland and Mark were able to bounce back and finish #3 and #4 respectively. Two playoff wins apiece later and here we are. Unlike last season, there is no super dominant team. It's two pretty evenly matched up teams and this could seriously go either way. It should be a very interested matchup to see who becomes the 6th Champion of the Wane McGarity Bowl.

Wane McGarity Bowl VI
"The Mission Impossible Bowl"

No Soup For You (Leland) 

vs

Shock The Monkey (Mark) 

Leland Lawrence (No Soup For You)
#3 Seed (8-5 Reg Season; 2-0 Playoffs)

How He Got Here- Leland has always been a risk taker. Sometimes it pays off (Wane McGarity Bowl Champion in 2013) Sometimes it doesn't (C.J. Spiller #1 Pick in 2014). Leland's had a couple of down years since his championship, but it hasn't stopped his high risk high reward strategy. This year was no different. Leland took gambles on Todd Gurley and Martavis Bryant hoping they'd pay off big time, knowing that both would miss multiple games with injuries/suspensions. He also shocked everyone by taking DeMarco Murray #2 overall in the draft. Sometimes you miss (Murray's been awful and been relegated to basically waiver fodder now) and sometimes you hit...BIG (Gurley has been AMAZING since he's come back, a bonafide top 5 running back, while Martavis Bryant has helped make up for the devastating loss of Keenan Allen Leland suffered earlier this season). After an 0-3 start, Leland would rip of 8 of his last 10 games to secure a #3 season thanks to the returns and Gurley and Bryant and also key waiver pickups like Blake Bortles (filled in perfectly for a super disappointing Matt Ryan). The biggest pick up though was late in the season, when Chris Johnson went down and Leland had David Johnson on his roster. Johnson's been a beast since becoming the lead back and his epic performance last week it a big reason Leland's back in the title picture looking for championship #2. He was able to "upset" Drew with ease and then took out his brother no problem as well. Can he do the same to Mark? Only time will tell now.

Mark Freeman (Shock The Monkey)
4th Seed

How He Got Here: Mark's journey has been an inconsistent one to say the least. He busted on Jeremy Hill in round 1, Alshon Jeffrey has been injured throughout the season, Peyton Manning was a horrible bust, as was Joseph Randle, he started 0-3, than ripped off 5 games in a row followed by a loss and then another 3 game winning streak. One week he scores 70 points, the next 120. It's been a very roller coaster year. Again, key waiver wire pickups (Gary Barnidge and Derek Carr being the biggest, but also guys like Darren McFadden, James White, and Ted Ginn) have been the key to his success. On paper his team seems mediocre, but they perform when need be. He dispatched of Dad in a low scoring affair (after Dad had two in-game injuries to Thomas Rawls and V-Jax), then turned around and beat me in a high scoring affair where pretty much every player in his lineup did great. This is Mark's 1st Wane McGarity Bowl appearance and he better hope that his guys play just as good as they did last week if he wants a shot at the fantasy gold.

Matchup Stats
All Time Record: Leland leads series 3-2
Last Matchup: Leland beat Mark 128.92-106.5 in Week 9 Of The 2015 Season

Position Matchups

QB

Blake Bortles (No Soup For You)

vs

Derek Carr (Shock The Monkey)

Overview: It's funny to see the QB's in the finals. There's no Brady, Cam, Rodgers, Brees, etc..nope it's two 2nd year QB's who in the fantasy game have taken that next step into fantasy superstardom. For Leland, he couldn't ask for a better matchup as Blake Bortles faces a horrific Saints defense. It's without a doubt the best matchup for any QB to have on paper. Derek Carr's matchup isn't intimidating either (vs Chargers on Thursday Night) but advantage Leland on this one.

Advantage: Leland

WR

Calvin Johnson (No Soup For You)

Martavis Bryant (No Soup For You)

Markus Wheaton (No Soup For You)

Jordan Matthews (No Soup For You)

vs

Emmanuel Sanders (Shock The Monkey)

Alshon Jeffrey (Shock The Monkey)

Ted Ginn Jr. (Shock The Monkey)

Jarvis Landry (Shock The Monkey)

Overview: It seems like both guys are flexing receivers, though if Alshon Jeffrey can't go, Mark's got a problem as I'd expect him to flex Jeremy Hill in his place. On Leland's side, Calvin Johnson has been very disappointing the past two games, and it's scary to think he'd be in line for another disaster game even if it's against the 49ers D. If you cancel Johnson and Jeffrey out, I actually would give the slight edge to Mark. Martavis Bryant and Emmanuel Sanders are kind of neck of neck, and so Ginn and Wheaton seem to be in the same boat (though Ginn is the #1 receiver in Carolina, so I'd rather slightly have him). Jarvis Landry is as consistent as you can get and I'd take him over Jordan Matthews. Advantage Mark by a little here.

Advantage: Mark

RB

Todd Gurley (No Soup For You)

David Johnson (No Soup For You)

vs

Darren McFadden (Shock The Monkey)

James White (Shock The Monkey)

Overview: Here's where the clear advantage belongs to Leland. Even with a bad matchup against Seattle, Gurley is still a stud and David Johnson has proven he's #1 back this season. It's not the McFadden and James White suck, but I'd much rather have Leland's combo than Mark's. Big time advantage Leland.

Advantage: Leland

TE

Zach Miller (No Soup For You)

vs

Gary Barnidge (Shock The Monkey)

Overview: Both guys used the waiver wire to pick up their TE's and for both it's worked out brilliantly although advantage Mark, as Barnidge has done it for a lot longer this season. Doesn't matter the QB, Barnidge manages to get the job done and I'll take him over Zach Miller (who's been really good as well, although the sample size is smaller) every time.

Advantage: Mark

Final Predictions

I Say: Leland Wins. This is far from a slam dunk and again, it wouldn't surprise me if Mark pulled off the win. I just think overall, Leland has the better roster and he'll end up taking home title #2. It should be close. Ironically, Emmanuel Sanders is the last play of the season...again...just like last year he was  and he came through for Matt, he might have to for Mark. Will it come down to him again?