MAY 2023 | ISSUE 01 100 2023 SCHEDULE WEEK OPPONENT '22 RECORD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 8-6 10-4 11-3 5-9 2-12 6-8 2-12 3-11 8-6 10-4 10-4 8-6 10-4 11-3 STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE 104-92 (.530) SCHEDULE DIFFICULTY 3RD
MAY 2023 | ISSUE 01 101
MAY 2023 | ISSUE 01 102 WAIVER frenzy 5/18/2023 MITCHELL $87 NICHOLS $73 MCINTOSH $68 HIGGINS $57 PRINCE $50 BENNETT $42 JONES $40 JARRETT $25 FORD-WHEATON $25 KUNTZ $20 STRANGE 20 MASON $10 HURST $2 SHORTER $1 HAENER $1 O'CONNELL $1
1.08 Pick 2.06 4.092.07 4.092.07 4.092.07 MAY 2023 | ISSUE 01 103 Projected Starters Player '22 Finish Acquired QB RB RB WR WR TE Flex Flex Flex Joe Burrow Nick Chubb Dameon Pierce DJ Moore Rashod Bateman Zach Ertz Michael Thomas Darnell Mooney Rachaad White QB4 RB5 RB28 WR22 WR110 TE1 WR114 WR74 RB38 Trade - '22 Draft 4.08 - '18 Draft 2.02 - '22 Trade - '22 Trade - '21 Draft 3.12 - '22 Draft 7.10 - '21 Trade - '21 Trade - '22 2022 RECAP Slush Fund Mooney came into 2022 the defending champ, having vanquished Hard Knox Life to cap a victorious 2021 season. Fate favored the squad and it started 2022 9-0 despite a rash of WR injuries. A midseason swap of Joe Mixon for DJ Moore to bolster the WRs looked like a disaster when Mixon promptly scored 5 TDs in his first game with the Wagons while Moore busted. But the Fund got the last laugh, with Moore rebounding to finish the reason relatively strong, helping his new team beat the GREATEST HITS in the championship to become the first back to back champion in BTBLE history. STRENGTHS The strength of this team was its 1-2 punch at RB with Nick Chubb and Austin Ekeler, but Ekeler was traded post championship to Run CMC for a 2025 1st rounder. That leaves the Fund pretty vulnerable at all positions other than QB, where Joe Burrow is set long term. WEAKNESSES Everything else? A team once known for its formidable stable of RBs has been whittled down by the trades of Joe Mixon and Austin Ekeler. Last year's rookie picks Rachaad White and Dameon Pierce along with 2023 second-rounder Zach Charbonnet will be asked to step into big roles right away. Rashod Bateman and Michael Thomas are solid WRs when healthy, but haven't been healthy in several seasons. And TE is the weakest spot of all, with ancient Zach Ertz competing with second-year man Jelani Woods. On the bright side, this team does already have two extra 2023 3rds, two extra 2024 4ths, and an extra 2025 1st. Notable Bench Players RB Samaje Perine RB37 Draft 12.12 - '22 Player '22 Finish Acquired RB Zach Charbonnet - Rookie 2.01 RB Tyler Allgeier RB27 Draft 2.12 - '22 WR Rashee Rice - Rookie 2.08 WR Josh Palmer WR41 Trade - '23
Is this the year Michael Thomas is finally recovered from the foot injury from 2020 that was supposed to be no big deal? Now 30 years old, the once-overall dynasty WR1 was actually solid for the 2.5 games he played in 2022, scoring three times and drawing plenty of targets. The clock is ticking on Thomas's career, but if can get that foot right his game is one that could age gracefully and give Slush Fund Mooney a handful of productive years. With Austin Ekeler suiting up in Run CMC's red and gold for 2023, the first pick of the second round, Zach Charbonnet, will likely be called on to start multiple games for Slush Fund Mooney. Obviously "Charbs" is sharing a backfield with Ken Walker, but Charbonnet's grinding style is perhaps a better fit for old school Pete Carroll than boom-or-bust Walker's. Charbonnet also brings a better receiving profile, although that benefit is somewhat blunted in 0.5 ppr scoring. MAY 2023 | ISSUE 01 104 KEY ADDITION: ZACH CHARBONNET POTENTIAL BREAKOUT OR COMEBACK: MICHAEL THOMAS 2022 FINISH: 11-3 (1ST) PF: 1472.42 (5TH) PA: 1239.84 (10TH) HISTORY 2 REGULAR SEASON RECORD: 83-62 (.572) PLAYOFF APPEARANCES: 10 ('12, '13, '14, '15, '16, '17, '18, '19, '20, '21, '22) PLAYOFF RECORD: 10-8 (.556) HIGHEST POINT TOTAL: 1584.17 ('21) HIGHEST SCORE: 169.06 ('21) BIGGEST WIN: 94.11 ('21) LONGEST WIN STREAK: 12 ('21 - '22) 50 POINT WINS: 12 WEEKLY HIGH SCORES: 18 TRADES: 34
MAY 2023 | ISSUE 01 105 2022 DETAILED STATISTICS 2022 SCHEDULE & RESULTS WEEKLY POINTS SCORED ALL-PLAY RECORD VS.
MAY 2023 | ISSUE 01 106 2023 ROSTER VALUE & AGE
MAY 2023 | ISSUE 01 107 2023 ROOKIE DRAFT RECAP AND GRADES Slush Fund Mooney is known for a steady, draft-based team building strategy. They don't often trade their own picks away but are quick to collect other teams'. During the 2023 rookie draft it was more of the same, with the team trading down twice to accumulate more draft capital. The rich get richer. OVERALL GRADE Another solid draft for Slush Fund Mooney, especially the value on the first two picks. As mentioned earlier, before 2023 kicks off this team is already up two 2024 3rds, two 2024 4ths, and a 2025 1st. While a three-peat is unlikely, there's a reason this team has only ever missed the playoffs once. Grade: A 1.12 - CJ STROUD, QB, OHIO STATE This pick was a home run in more ways than one. Slush Fund Mooney didn't roster any other QBs than Joe Burrow going into the draft, so having a top-3 QB and the real life overall #2 pick fall into their lap at 1.12 was a coup, especially considering players like Dalton Kincaid and Kendre Miller going off the board before Stroud. If Stroud hits not only does the value of this pick increase but it sets the Fund up beautifully for Superflex in 2025. Grade: A+ 2.08 - RASHEE RICE, WR, SMU With the pick acquired for moving Keenan Allen to the Sister Kissers, the Fund grabbed Rashee Rice, the latest player Patrick Mahomes has personally asked for. The first time around it ended in disaster (CEH). While it's tough to see anyone on the board that would have been a better pick here, this one doesn't scream home run like the first two. Grade: C 1.12 Pick Player Team Pos 2023 Rookie Draft Picks 2.01 CJ Stroud Zach Charbonnet HOU SEA QB3 RB5 2.08 Rashee Rice KC WR8 3.12 Michael Wilson ARI WR15 4.04 Deuce Vaughn DAL RB16 2.01 - ZACH CHARBONNET, RB, UCLA With the very next pick, the Fund snagged Zach Charbonnet, many analyst's RB3 predraft. The landing spot isn't ideal but Seattle loves to run and it pays to collect talent. Grade: A 3.12 - MICHAEL WILSON, WR, STANFORD Wilson struggled with injuries in college, but if can get healthy he offers the kind of big body that DeAndre Hopkins gave the Cardinals. This pick has sneaky upside. Grade: B 4.04 - DEUCE VAUGHN, RB, KANSAS STATE Small but mighty Deuce Vaughn rounds out the Fund's draft class. Vaughn has a low chance to hit at the NFL level, but his college production was otherworldly. You never know. Grade: C+
MAY 2023 | ISSUE 01 108 2023 SCHEDULE WEEK OPPONENT '22 RECORD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 10-4 8-6 9-5 10-4 10-4 8-6 3-11 2-12 5-9 2-12 6-8 10-4 8-6 9-5 STRENGTH OF SCHEDULE 100-96 (.510) SCHEDULE DIFFICULTY 5TH
MAY 2023 | ISSUE 01 109 B BASICA T LLY THE B BEST N N EWSLETTE E R EVER THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF THE OFFICIAL MAGAZINE OF BASICALLY THE BEST LEAGUE EVER QUESTIONS OR COMMENTS? THINGS YOU'D LIKE TO SEE IN THE NEXT VOLUME? Hit me up btble2.wordpress.com