Hall of Champions

Some leagues hand out plastic trophies. We have the Hall of Champions. For the greats of years past shall be immortalized forever on this hallowed scroll. Or at least until I get tired of paying for web hosting.

Erik, 2023
11-3, .604 TW%, 124.6 ppg

Lucky number 13.

In Erik’s 13th season, he finally took home a championship, winning 11 regular season games plus another two in the playoffs to become the first team owner to reach 13 wins in a single season. Breaking the curse of the sixth pick, Erik also became the first team owner to win not only a playoff game, but a title while drafting sixth overall, selecting Tyreek Hill and A.J. Brown with his first two picks. Those two provided the foundation for one of the most prolific groups of WRs in league history, ranking third all time. Weathering a season-ending injury to Joe Burrow and securing the one seed in the playoffs, Erik used the first-round bye to get healthy, then overpowered Greco in the semifinals before taking revenge for a 2020 loss to Brandon in the championship game. It was there that his less-heralded RBs (notably Isiah Pacheco and James Conner) carried the day. Erik may have a lower TW% than other former champions. But in a year of unprecedented league-wide parity, no one has ever won more than Erik did in 2023.

Samantha, 2022
9-5, .643 TW%, 120.8 ppg

Hit ‘em where it Hurts.

Overcoming the 11th pick (for the third time) and an 0-2 start (for the fifth straight year), Samantha won big thanks to big years from Jalen Hurts, Davante Adams and T.J. Hockenson. Digging herself out of an early hole, Samantha led the league in TW% and was second in scoring over her final 12 regular season games. That included a furious four-game finish during which she stole the one seed from league newbie Chelsie in the final week. Despite an injury to Hurts, Samantha led all teams in scoring throughout the playoffs with 144.1 ppg, outscoring everyone including Brandon and Gray who finished first and second in the final Power Rankings but missed the playoffs. Defeating worthy challengers Josh and Nick by an average of 65.45 points—the largest average margin of victory in playoff history—Samantha won her first championship in just her fifth year. A harrowing finish that saw the unprecedented cancellation of the Bills-Bengals game following the Damar Hamlin injury, Samantha joined Beth Ann as the only non-founding members of the league to win a championship.

Beth Ann, 2021
9-5, .721 TW%, 131.8 ppg

Easy as 1-2…7 picks in September.

With a championship in just her third season, Beth Ann became the first team owner to overcome an 0-2 start and go on to win a title. Built on the strength of arguably the best draft in league history, Beth Ann drafted five of the top-20 players by VBD with her first seven picks. With a receiving corps that included Justin Jefferson (WR4), Ja’Marr Chase (WR5) and Diontae Johnson (WR8), Beth Ann led the league in wins, TW%, scoring, weekly prizes (three) and receptions (28.9 per game). In a season defined by the emergence of Evil Nick, Beth Ann was content to fly under the radar before eventually topping the Power Rankings in Week 11 for good—just the third champion to finish at number-one. Starting eight of nine players she drafted throughout the playoffs (the first champion to do so) Beth Ann easily defeated Nick and Alex, setting playoff records for scoring two weeks in a row, averaging 163.5 ppg. With the greatest TW% and most points scored among all former champions, Beth Ann made winning look easy in 2021.

Brandon, 2020
8-5, .580 TW%, 122.2 ppg

For Brandon, championships are contagious.

In what will forever be remembered as the COVID season, Brandon won his fourth championship and third in the last four years to stake a claim to the league’s first dynasty. Overcoming a 1-3 start and his decision to draft Clyde Edwards-Helaire with the fifth overall pick, Brandon was led by seventh-rounder Stefon Diggs and a stellar WR corps in our first year with PPR scoring. The league’s best team from Weeks 5-12, Brandon made the unorthodox decision (like Gray in 2013) to bench starters to avoid a potential matchup with Josh, the first team to miss the playoffs despite finishing atop the Power Rankings. With a resurgent Lamar Jackson, Brandon as the four seed defeated Erik and Beth Ann in two nail-biters before blowing out Greco by 58.88 points, the largest ever margin of victory in a title game. The first team to win three games en route to a championship but never a weekly prize, this wasn’t a great team. But in a year when not much else was, it was good enough.

Gray, 2019
9-4, .626 TW%, 99.0 ppg

Defense wins championships.

Gray set the record for most points from defense, averaging 14.2 ppg thanks to the Patriots D/ST and Steelers D/ST—two defenses he picked up off the waiver wire. The consummate dealmaker, Gray turned the former into Travis Kelce, and then used his considerable bench depth (plus Ezekiel Elliott and a redeemed Leonard Fournette) to power his way to the playoffs. Though he started the year with a league-worst 59 points, Gray rebounded to win a league-high four weekly prizes, finishing the regular season second in the final Power Rankings. After getting postseason revenge on Brandon in the semifinals, Gray took down the year’s best team in the finals. Beset by injury, Josh succumbed to Gray who got a game-high 30 points from waiver wire wonder, Ryan Fitzmagic. Not even a top-five team for Gray, this one did what many of his others couldn’t, which is win the whole thing, making Gray the second team owner to win multiple championships.

Brandon, 2018
8-5, .671 TW%, 101.3 ppg

Back to back, like I’m Jordan ‘96, ‘97.

Appearing in his third consecutive title game, Brandon defeated Jess 90-89 in the closest championship game in league history. With the win, he became the league’s first repeat champion. A team powered by its RBs (41.5 ppg), Brandon survived a slew of late-season injuries, including Melvin Gordon, Aaron Jones and the release of Kareem Hunt, to defeat Samantha in the semifinals. In the league’s first six-team playoff, it was Samantha as the six seed who had upset Alex—owner of the highest scoring team of the pre-PPR era with 114.7 ppg. Then thanks to 35 points from Deshaun Watson in the finals, Brandon won his third overall championship with arguably his best team. Though it wasn’t the “best” team of 2018, it was among the best of the league champions in the pre-PPR era, leading all former winners in points and ranked second in TW%, trailing only Jess’ championship team from 2014.

Brandon, 2017
10-3, .654 TW%, 93.8 ppg

Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?

Waiver-wire wonder Alvin Kamara powered Rick and Jordy to the championship as Brandon became the league’s first two-time champion. With a then-record 508 points from free agency due in large part to Kamara’s Week 5 acquisition, Brandon overcame a nearly disastrous Week 9 trade of backup-QB Kirk Cousins the day before starter Deshaun Watson’s season-ending injury. With Kamara (RB4) and first-rounder Melvin Gordon (RB5) plus fourth- and sixth-round picks Keenan Allen and Tyreek Hill, who would also both finish as top-five players at their position, Brandon finished the regular season at number-one in the Power Rankings. Defeating Erik and Greco in the playoffs, he became just the third one seed and second team atop the Power Rankings to win the championship.

Geoff, 2016
8-5, .615 TW%, 95.6 ppg

From The Worst to first.

Geoff became the first team owner drafting from the 12th position to win a championship. In a year dominated by the performance of Gray’s GORE DOGS (11-2, .808 TW%, 109.3 ppg)—a team that genuinely deserves an honorable mention on this list—Geoff proved that David can still beat Goliath. Geoff drafted well, pairing name-brand WRs A.J. Green and T.Y Hilton with value RBs in Le’Veon Bell, Jeremy Hill and Frank Gore. Throw in a little Andrew Luck and you had a recipe for a three seed with a bullet. Thanks to Brandon’s shocking defeat of Gray in the semifinals, Geoff dispatched Greco before narrowly defeating Brandon in the finals 158-156, the closest margin of victory in the final game until the record was broken in 2018. How do you say championship? In 2016, it was Como Se DICE.

Alex, 2015
8-5, .633 TW%, 94.3 ppg

One man’s scandal is another man’s score.

In the season following Deflategate, Alex scooped up Tom Brady in the eighth round en route to the commissioner’s first championship. In what would rank among the best drafts in league history, Alex drafted Rob Gronkowski and Demaryius Thomas first and second before finding values at RB throughout the draft including rookie David Johnson in the 11th round, not to mention Brady. A Week 8 trade for Calvin Johnson cemented a playoff roster that ranked second in the final Power Rankings. In the playoffs, Alex, as the three seed, defeated Josh in the semifinals before facing off against fourth-seeded Jess. Alex would then score just 149 total points (74.5 ppg) in the finals, the fewest points per game by a champion in league history. Luckily, his eight-point margin of victory was just enough to take home the win. Brady’s eventual suspension would not come until 2016.

Jess, 2014
10-2-1, .685 TW%, 99.6 ppg

Are you not entertained?!

In Week 1 of 2014, Jess posted a league-high 142 points and never looked back, totaling double-digit wins—just the second team owner to do so in league history. After three years of underdog champions, Jess became the first team owner atop the final Power Rankings to go on to win the championship. Among league champions, she has the most wins and second-highest TW%—compelling statistics that put her team in the conversation for greatest team of all time. Powered by Le’Veon Bell, Antonio Brown, Calvin Johnson and Russell Wilson, Jess entered the playoffs as the one seed. Outscoring her opponents by a record 133 points (33.3 ppg) over the four-week playoffs, she easily dispatched both Greco and Gray on the way to a much-deserved crown.

Gray, 2013
9-4, .661 TW%, 96.8 ppg

Order has been restored.

Always the bridesmaid never the bride with six career in-the-money finishes, Gray secured his first championship in 2013. LeSean McCoy, Dez Bryant and Cam Newton played like studs, but it was ninth- and 10th-round picks Knowshon Moreno and Josh Gordon (in his lone Pro Bowl season) that propelled Gray to 9-4 and number-two in the Power Rankings. That included an intentional 85-33 Week 13 loss to Trevor in which Gray benched all but two starters in an attempt to secure the two seed’s matchup with presumed three seed Terryn (12th in the final Power Rankings). Despite the loss, Gray was unable to avoid the one seed due to a points tiebreaker, but luckily still faced off against Terryn, now the four seed, after her Week 13 loss. He then defeated Terryn and three seed Greco to claim the crown.

Greco, 2012
8-5, .608 TW%, 91.8 ppg

“Don’t call it a comeback… Mama said knock you out.”

Eight months after tearing his ACL and MCL, Adrian Peterson returned to MVP form, rushing for 2,097 yards and lifting Greco to the championship. Wary of only a partial recovery, team owners allowed Peterson to slide down draft boards, but it was Greco who snatched him up with the 27th overall pick. That move proved to be more than worthwhile as Peterson alone accounted for 15% of Greco’s overall scoring for the season. It was especially crucial after a Lisfranc injury sidelined first-round pick Maurice Jones-Drew for the second half of the year. Despite that loss, Peterson, Frank Gore and a pair of Falcons in Matt Ryan and Roddy White carried Greco to fourth in the final Power Rankings and the three seed in the playoffs. She would then defeat Erik and upset one seed Alex to claim the championship. Peterson alone averaged 23.5 ppg during the playoffs including 31 points in the deciding Week 17 contest.

Brandon, 2011
9-4, .636 TW%, 98.8 ppg

Cruzing to Victory

In The Worst League’s inaugural year, Brandon took home its first championship in daring fashion. Indicative of those wild early years, Brandon drafted Michael Vick fourth overall and somehow lived to the tell the tale. (Perhaps as punishment for his stupidity, he did not receive another top-four pick for eight years.) Regardless, Calvin Johnson, Matt Forte and Ryan Mathews stemmed the tide, not to mention eighth-round pick A.J. Green along with some guy in the 11th named Rob Gronkowski. As the three seed, Brandon entered the playoffs with a veritable MASH unit at RB. But with help from injury fill-ins Khalil Bell and Toby Gerhart, Brandon fended off Alex to advance to the finals for a showdown with Gray, both of whom had started the season 5-0. There it was a well-timed Week 11 trade for Victor Cruz that finally paid dividends. Cruz scored 45 points in Weeks 16-17, leading Brandon to the 240-218 win in what would be the highest-scoring finals in league history. Brandon’s 456 playoff points (114.0 ppg) still rank as the most in the pre-PPR era.