Week 12 Power Rankings

No one mourns the Wicked!

Or the fantasy managers left behind on the road to the Emerald City. This week, three more team owners fell from the sky like wayward flying monkeys, green with envy as the rest of the league marches down the yellow brick road toward playoff glory—hoping to meet (or even become) the great and powerful Wizard of the Worst League.

Whether you’ve been a popular pick to advance or an underdog, the next two weeks will decide your fate. Every draft pick, every start, every waiver wire gamble has brought you to this moment. So, grab your broomsticks and hold tight—it’s time to defy fantasy gravity and claim your place in the playoffs.

Goodness knows Jess now leads the Power Rankings for the seventh time this season.

Like Glinda floating gracefully in her bubble, Jess has once again ascended to the top of the Power Rankings. Her team was positively thrillifying this week, powered by Saquon Barkley’s unlimited performance of 46.2 points—the second-highest single-game total this season and his fifth outing of 30+ points.

With 170.86 points, her highest total of the year, Jess claimed her third weekly prize of the season (the most in the league). This also marks her seventh week at the top of the Power Rankings, guaranteeing she’ll spend the most weeks at #1 this season. However, history has a funny way of humbling even the most swankified—no team owner who’s led the Power Rankings for the most weeks has won the title since Jess herself did it in 2014.

Meanwhile, Samantha—or should we say Elphaba—found herself cast in Jess’s shadow, falling two spots in the rankings. Alex, on the other hand, is dancing through life, coasting back into second place behind 30 combined points from his defense and kicker.

Still, the story of the season continues to be parity. Even Jess, for all her success, boasts a TW% of just .606, and eight teams are sitting at .500 or better. The stage is set, the stakes are high, and the next two weeks will determine who gets to follow the yellow brick road to the playoffs—and who ends up melting into the consolation bracket.

Now, let’s cast our crystal ball toward the Playoff Picture!

With Jess joining Samantha as an “unofficial lock,” that leaves six teams battling for four spots.

In one short day (or two weeks, more accurately), we’ll be playoff-bound. But who will reach the Emerald City?

This week, the curtain fell on Greco and Erik as they were officially eliminated from playoff contention. Brandon joined them, despite a win over Chelsie, due to Alex’s victory over Kelly—a result that guarantees playoff teams will need at least seven wins to secure a spot. Now, Greco, Erik, and Brandon are left loathing—unadulteratedly loathing—their fate in the consolation ladder and the looming specter of the Poop Bowl.

With two games to go, here are the official standings. Teams in bold are in the playoffs if they started today. Italicized teams are eliminated.

9-3: Samantha
8-4: Jess, Josh
7-5: Alex, Geoff, Beth Ann
6-6: Gray, Chelsie
4-8: Brandon, Greco, Erik
3-9: Kelly

Samantha has already clicked her heels and locked in her playoff spot. She now has a 93% chance of claiming a first-round bye, with Jess and Josh as her closest competition. But don’t forget Alex—while he sits at 7-5, his points lead gives him a path to sneak into a bye if he wins his final two games.

Jess is what I’m calling an “unofficial lock.” Even if she loses out, her playoff spot is safe unless Gray or Chelsie not only win out but also surpass her in points. With Jess leading both by around 125 points, that would require them to outscore her by 60+ ppg over the final two weeks—a feat even Elphaba’s magic couldn’t conjure.

If Jess is a lock, that leaves six teams—Josh, Alex, Geoff, Beth Ann, Gray, and Chelsie—battling for the remaining four playoff spots. The numbers reveal a stark divide: Josh, Alex, Geoff, and Beth Ann all boast an 86-94% chance of making the playoffs, while Gray and Chelsie’s odds are just 16-23%.

Why the disparity? It comes down to wins and points. Gray and Chelsie, sitting at 6-6, no longer control their own fates. They must win out or rely on surpassing other contenders in points.

The problem? They trail every other playoff hopeful in points—except Josh, who already has eight wins. The only scenario where their lead over Josh matters is if he loses out and they win out. Week 14 could be their moment of truth, as Josh and Chelsie face off in a potentially season-defining matchup.

But assuming Josh wins one more game, Gray and Chelsie’s best chance is catching Geoff or Beth Ann in points. Geoff leads Gray and Chelsie by about 50 points, while Beth Ann’s margin is a slimmer 30 points. If we assume Gray and Chelsie can surpass Geoff or Beth Ann in points, their odds could jump to 32-38%. With two games to go, there’s still time to change the narrative.

For Gray, the path is clear: win out and topple Beth Ann in Week 14 while erasing her 30-point lead. If he succeeds, he could follow the yellow brick road straight to the playoffs.

For Chelsie, her journey begins with a pivotal Week 13 matchup against Geoff. A win, combined with overcoming his 50-point lead, keeps her playoff dreams alive.

Finally, like the Grimmerie, the Wall of Destiny may be hard to decipher, but for those who can unlock its secrets, it reveals exactly what you need to sprout wings and fly your way to the playoffs.

As it stands, Samantha and Jess are locks, assuming Jess’s commanding points lead holds steady. For Alex, Josh, Geoff, and Beth Ann, the formula is simple: one more win secures their playoff spots. Meanwhile, Gray and Chelsie face a tougher challenge. They must win out and rely on another contender losing out to sneak into the playoff picture.

But as with any good spell, there’s a twist—the points! If Gray or Chelsie can pass Beth Ann and Geoff in total points, they’d wrest control of their destinies. In that case, winning their final two games would guarantee a playoff berth. Even with a 1-1 finish, they’d have about a 15% chance of advancing—roughly the same odds as Beth Ann or Geoff losing out.

The Wall of Destiny may not have the answers for everyone, but for those daring enough to take the risk and chase the magic, it’s clear: the playoffs are still within reach.

And so…

As the yellow brick road winds toward its end, I hope you claim that final playoff spot and don’t live to regret those last crucial start/sit decisions. Because nobody in all of Oz, no fantasy manager that there is or was, can ever bring your fantasy spirit down.

Now, as we take flight into Week 13, may you hop on your broomsticks, soar to new heights, and belt out that glorious, triumphant cry in one unforgettable final note:

PLAYYYYY-OFFFFSSS! 🎶