Boom! I'm told the schedule-strength model is locked in, and the biggest story is The Boondock Saints, who climbed 10 spots and now carry a difficulty of 39 with remaining opponents averaging 124.9 PPG. That is a serious road ahead, and the swing came straight from the numbers. Check the Gauntlet rankings for the full picture, then see how the rest of the AFL stacks up in the standings.
At the top of the gauntlet, Team Minty Fresh and Get off my Ditka share a difficulty of 43, the hardest remaining slate in the AFL, both facing opponents averaging 128.7 PPG. Get off my Ditka got 7 spots harder, and that is no accident. Da Dangsters and Avenging Amish sit right behind at 42, so the top of this board is a crowded buzz saw. If you think your roster can survive that gauntlet, the trade builder is the place to start reshaping it before the schedule bites.
Money is nice, but championships are better, and schedule luck is where records lie. The Mariachi Ninjas are 7-0 against a soft slate with a past difficulty of 39, and Dicks out for Harambe is 6-1 against a past difficulty of 30. Balls Deep is also 6-1 against a soft slate. Those records are flattering them, and I expect the reality check to come hard. Owners chasing a wildcard spot should look at the playoff bracket with that luck in mind.
Week 12 is the league-wide wall, with average opponent difficulty sitting at 38, so plan your lineups now. On the movers board, Muck Juggling Micks fell 12 spots and now face an easier road, while The Boondock Saints rose 10 spots into tougher territory. If you need a body to cover a tough stretch, the free agent board is where I'd be looking before the wall arrives.
That is the Gauntlet for Week 6, and the full dashboard has the heat map and the week-by-week grid for every team. Head to the Gauntlet rankings to see your road ahead, and keep an eye on the transaction log for any moves owners make in response. I'll be back next week with more from the AFL beat.
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