Relegation Watch: Week 4

Fransburg – With the new Premier-Style format of the SCUFFLE Immersion, there is all sorts of excitement about who is going to move up from the Bronze and Silver leagues, winning prestige and much needed cap room. This article isn’t about that excitement. Rather, we’re here to focus on the anxiety and fears of teams and fans of teams that are at risk of falling down a division. As you know, dropping will cost a team valuable cap space and could lead to trimmed rosters. And a lesser shot at the playoffs. And general embarrassment. So, we here at Relegation Watch will be taking a semi-regular look at the Immersion landscape and putting odds on every team’s chances at relegation for the 2018 season.

Gold Division
Fransburg (r)EvoLUtion (3-0; 10% chance of relegation) – Fransburg is 3-0 after sweeping the first 1/3 of the division slate.  Plus, they’ve scored the most points in the league and have the best all-play record after 3 weeks. How could they possibly fall to the very bottom of the division? Easy – the annual (r)EvoLUtion swoon.  Somehow, some way, they manage to lose 4 of their last 5 every year only to see the fucking Colliders win 5 straight and claim the division.  The same thing will certainly happen this season, but perhaps not costing them a spot in the league’s top division.
Previous % = N/A

Marshfield Pirates (2-1; 15% chance of relegation) – The Pirates are hot right now. After losing in Week 1, the Pirates have been on the trade boards and waiver wire, trying to improve their chances at winning it all. It’s working. With Amari Cooper and Michael Thomas coming to town, the Pirates are looking like division winners. The only reason they’re not less likely to be relegated is the simple fact that they currently have a loss.
Previous % = N/A

Culver City Krackens (0-3; 35% chance of relegation) – This team is a nightmare right now. Second to last in the league in scoring, the Krackens had ZERO all-play wins until Week 3. So…why isn’t this team a shoo-in for relegation? Because there’s really good news – they have the “boom factor”.  Le’Veon Bell hasn’t had a monster game, nor has D. Hopkins, but this team has already posted a 160 point outing, good for 4th in the league on the season.  This max is 25 points higher than that of the Colliders. Wins are coming in Culver City.
Previous % = N/A

Batavia Colliders (1-2; 40% chance of relegation) – Uhg. If not for the Krackens, the Colliders would currently be the laughingstock of the league. A supposed “Gold” team, Batavia sits near the bottom of the league in scoring, All-Play, and Coolness. Can they turn things around? Of course. As mentioned above, Batavia is the anti-Fransburg in that they start slow and then churn out victories to end the season. But it looks ugly right now at QB and RB. Feel for Hammond.
Previous % = N/A

Silver Division
Madtown Marauders (2-1; 20% chance of relegation) – This team looks good. They’re 4th in the league in points scored and are getting great production out of RBs Dalvin Cook and Chris Thompson. Gronk is reminding everyone why he’s the TE1 in the NFL and the Marauders’ defense is paying out. The biggest concern right now has to be that their 142 PPG isn’t substantially greater than that of their division rivals, a la Fransburg and Marshfield in the Gold Division. Still, Madtown fans are feeling pretty good after 3 weeks.
Previous % = N/A

Bestine Banthas (2-1; 20% chance of relegation) – The Banthas are good?? Yeah they are, and they’re doing it as the most scored-on team in the division. The addition of Jordy Nelson really shored up their WR corps and their DTs are going crazy every week, which is a huge bonus. The concern that keeps fans up at night has to be that razor thin RB corps. There’s not a lot of talent in that film room every week.
Previous % = N/A

North Point Chitons (1-2; 30% chance of relegation) – I’m going off script again. The Chitons look like a better squad right now than the Battery. Barely. They’ve scored more points than Cleveland and their swing-for-the-fences roster moves are paying dividends thus far. If CJ Anderson can keep his job Bilal Powell can seize his job, this team should be able to stay out of the Bronze Division for another year.
Previous % = N/A

Cleveland Battery (1-2; 30% chance of relegation) – Frankly, the start of this season has been an unpleasant surprise. I had the Battery pegged to win the Silver Division, but this squad has fallen flat in the first 3 weeks. They’ve shipped out superstars in Bosa, Cooper, and Nelson, causing fans to riot. HOWEVER, this team has hope. Their star DE Myles Garrett has been hurt but will be back, their RBs are getting a boost in the form of Chris Carson, and Justin Houston is looking like the Justin Houston of old. Oh, and did we mention that Andrew Luck is still out despite what the lying, lying, Colts told us all in the preseason? This team could be poised to make a November run to not only get out of the basement, but perhaps move into playoff position.
Previous % = N/A

That’s my take for today. I’m sure that the Immersion landscape will be significantly different in three weeks when we do the 2nd installment of this series. For now, though, lap up the tears of fans fearing relegation and let them sustain you.

Cheers!

© 2017, Adam Franssen. All rights reserved.