2025 SCFFL post draft analysis, grades & Power rankings

Welcome to the 15th season of the something clever fantasy football league -

where legends are crowned, egos are shattered, and excuses are roasted into dust.

2025 is set to be our weirdest and wildest season yet, and the fake internet football drama starts right here in our league. Can Johnny dank defend his throne after a controversial gauntlet performance? Will Bruce redeem last year's face plant, or will "auto-draft joe" prove once again that second place is his destiny? With two newcomers frantically googling "what does TE premium mean?" and commissioner Steve Clyde cooking up another sadist torture chamber obstacle course known as The Gauntlet, the stage is set for another year of NFL chaos, glory, and pure fantasy football mayhem.

The draft board is locked, the mistakes are permanent, and now it's time for the real fun - post-draft analysis, grades, and power rankings! Expect brutal honesty, shameless bias, and enough roasts to make those too afraid to say anything in the league chat sweat. Who nailed their picks like a future champ in the making, and who drafted like a blind rat acting like they were drafting a fantasy kick-ball team? Read below for your answers - the grades are coming in hotter than Bruce's handsome Kiwi ass, and are ready to make you laugh, crush some egos, and shatter some championship dreams.

#10 - Master of Punters (Howard Paulson)

Howard (PJ) started his year off by taking the Washington Commanders 2024 rookie standout QB 

Jayden Daniels 7th overall, as well as 2024 surprise QB Baker Mayfield, giving him a strong Superflex floor.  Naturally, he followed that up with his annual security blanket, Derrick Henry -Because what’s a PJ draft without King Henry’s name etched firmly into his RB1 slot?  Unfortunately, once the comfort food was on his plate, the rest of PJ’s draft looked like week-old leftovers.  Rounds 3 through 16 were a blur of mediocrity, unsexy TE picks, uninspiring selections, and reaches according to ADP metrics and WR injury risks. This team needs to be active on the waiver wire to be in serious contention, but could surprise if ageless King Henry and budding fantasy football superstar Jayden Daniels overperform.

Draft Grade: C

#9 - Big Nix Energy (Nick Elio)

Our 2025 Gauntlet Champion started things off strong by selecting 2025 RB1 Saquon Barkley in Round 1 - but then decided to throw his entire draft strategy out the window just so he could lock in a team name.  Taking Bo Nix in Round 2 - four rounds too early - was less about bold strategy and more about making sure he could giggle every Sunday when he sees “Big Nix Energy” on the scoreboard.  He also drafted Michael Penix Jr. to complete his phallic themed QB Superflex obsession.  Congrats Nick, you drafted an 8th grade humor punchline and sacrificed any serious chances at a deep run.  This team does have a decent looking starting lineup on paper, but zero bench depth has us worried that Big Nix Energy is going to end up limp.  

Draft Grade: C

#8 - KENOSHA KICKERS (Jeff Sharpe)

The draft started like a dream for league newcomer Jeff with RB stud Bijan Robinson falling to him for the 9th overall pick.  He followed that up by selecting a stable WR1 in the Sun god, but then reality hit - Jeff apparently didn’t realize that he was invited to a Superflex league and ended up saddled with a sad looking QB room that caps this team’s upside and deep playoff run potential.  It’s the kind of oversight that makes you wonder if Jeff was drafting with his phone upside down.  It’s not the first time Jeff’s memory failed him - just ask the Gauntlet...After voting to show up to his first Something Clever draft in person, Jeff ghosted the Gauntlet last minute, disappointing the league, hurting Joe's feelings, and making a terrible first impression with his new league mates.  The rest of Jeff’s draft picks ended up with the same type of absent minded vibe, making you think that he’s not taking his league debut seriously at all. 

Draft Grade: C+

#7 - Rollin' with Mahomies (Eric Gruber)

Eric’s draft wasn’t flashy, but it was steady - his roster is loaded with respectable RB workhorses and a strong WR room as well as a deep bench. Gruber, doing his best Rob impression, drafted Patrick Mahomes and named his team the first name that shows up in Google.  Adding QB Brock Purdy to the Superflex mix gives this team a solid QB production floor. Most impressively, Eric proved he’s got guts by showing up to his first Something Clever Gauntlet bravely, head on, and apparently unafraid, which is way more you can say about the other league newcomer cough, Jeff, cough*.  However, a steady team could also mean a 6th place team in this league without some savvy waiver-wire or trade moves.  If this team plays it right, it could climb the rankings.

Draft Grade: C+

#6 - Pizza Party (Joe Starmer)

No one knows heartbreak like Joe.  Last year he had his first league championship in his hands - only for a holding penalty, and questionable play calling by the Green Bay coaching staff to let Johnny Dank rip it all away by 1.4 points.  You’d think that type of trauma would break a man, but Joe responded by putting in a respectable Gauntlet time and earning the ability to draft QB1 no-brainer Josh Allen 1st overall. Vanilla Joe then started stockpiling an exciting rookie RB room like a man possessed or a man desperately trying to replace something missing in his soul.  The problem? Joe’s WR corps looks thinner than airport restroom toilet paper, and his bench is so boring it could double as Ambien.  One bad week at receiver and "Auto Draft Joe" is headed for another season of cold leftover pizza, sadness, and crushed title dreams.  

Draft Grade: B-

#5 - take my money (Bruce Hook)

Bruce is proof that being devastatingly handsome doesn’t automatically translate to fantasy football success.  Seeking his first league title, Bruce confidently drafted Christian McCaffrey 1st overall last year only to finish the year dead last.  Most managers would look to change course - Bruce instead smirked in the mirror, flexed, and then drafted CMC again like nothing ever happened.  This time around, Bruce has plans to smash us all by banking on our new TE Premium scoring system and hoarding two top 5 TEs in Trey McBride and George Kittle, hoping they will mask the fact that his QB room of Jared Goff and CJ Stroud is looking basic and unexciting and the bench he drafted is as uninspiring as a late-night CVS run.  

Draft Grade: B

#4 - Have a nice day! (Justin Villardi / Jordan Ray)

First Jordan needed Evan Mirando to hold his hand, now he’s ditching the Gauntlet every year and trotting out a new mysterious character (also not in the league) named Justin Villardi like he’s some dark horse that can save Jordan from his crappy lineup decisions.  At this point, we have to ask:  Are you even in this league, or are you just subcontracting your fantasy football squad out to random dudes off the street? Pretty soon your team is going to be managed by Uber drivers and DoorDash delivery guys.  At least when your team inevitably crashes and burns, you’ll have plenty of people to blame.

Draft Grade: A-

#3 - Johnny Dank Meme Company (John Resetarits)

All hail the dank meme king, fresh off his 1.4-point dagger to Joe’s bleeding heart, the league champion came in flexin’ his 2nd league title.  But the Gauntlet told a different story - Johnny, usually the rock of this league, finally cracked under the pressure.  Watching him have a full-on mental breakdown trying to bounce a ball off a slide into a bucket while the rest of the league cackled like hyenas in the background was equal parts tragic and hilarious.  Still, when you’ve carried this league on your back for 15 years and done more in your thumb than most of the other clowns in the league have done with their entire fantasy careers like the Roast Master has, you’ve earned the right to lose it every now and then.  Johnny’s roster is once again loaded and dangerous top to bottom with a strong QB room, depth and value at RB, and two top 5 WRs.

The only real question is whether his title defense will be smoother than his next Gauntlet performance. Spoiler Alert: It will be.

Draft Grade: A-

#2 - My Precious (TJ Reagan)

Once again, TJ is circling Mount Doom, desperately seeking his first and ever elusive league title. He opened his draft strong by landing 2025 WR League Winner Ja'Marr Chase, and built a strong core of solid RBs and mobile QBs. On paper, this roster looks like it could finally break the draught, but this is TJ we're talking about - the team manager forever chasing the "one ring" only to watch it slip away year after year at the worst possible moment. This season, he's banking on Taylor Swift's finance, and the return of suspended WR standout Rashee Rice to carry him to glory. Will Swiftie magic and another monster year from Chase carry Tina to his first Something Clever championship, or is he destined to be Gollum again, hissing in the shadows while someone else hoists the trophy he designed for the league?

Draft Grade: B+

#1 - Get Your Popcorn Ready (Steve Clyde)

The Commish didn't just settle on setting up a sadistic torture chamber obstacle course (made from his children's backyard toys) aka The Gauntlet this year, he also has sights on re-claiming the title for the league that he has run since 2011. Steve's team is locked and loaded with fantasy superstar QB Lamar Jackson and the hype-fueled arm of 2nd year QB Caleb Williams. If Williams breaks out, then Clyde might have the nastiest QB combo in the league. His RB room is stacked (health permitting) and solid roster depth across the board has Get Your Popcorn ready looking like an early favorite to steamroll the competition. Of course, Steve being Steve, he'll probably be more obsessed with his Instagram Running Page's follower count than doing what it takes to truly dominate the league this year.

Draft Grade: A-

Another Something Clever fantasy football draft is in the books, the roasts have been served, and the stage is set for another chaotic and fun NFL season of fantasy glory and heartbreak. From bold reaches to safe picks, meme kings, to handsome losers, every squad in this league has a story to tell - and only time will reveal who rises and who crashes. Good Luck to everyone this season, even Justin Villardi - may your waiver wire claims hit, your starts stay healthy, and your witty banter keep the league group chat alive. Let's make year 15 one to remember!

~Johnny Dank