Split 1 Recap (Weeks 1-2)
Peyton’s Forehead Shiner (2-0)
We doubted him until the final sec-AHEM I mean We never doubted him for a second. Peyton ends Split 1 as projected, 2-0 with only one more manager without a loss. Week 1 was a 2023 SFI Championship rematch against Suh-Tang. It was relatively close, with Peyton pulling away at the end to win by 20. In Week 2, he faced off against his R1 opponent that same year in Is This Soccer, with plenty of fireworks and big-time plays that made for an exciting and high-scoring contest. It seemed ITS would get his revenge heading into the final game of the week. Alas, Peyton escaped with one of the smallest margins of victory in SFI history (0.3) and bested the Brit once again. The second Split won’t be any easier. He faces a pair of Medinas more than equipped to defeat him. The King will look to keep his subjects in line for another two weeks.
Bradshank Redemption (0-2)
Well, fuck. We predicted Bradshank to have a much stronger start than this. It hasn’t panned out yet, as she sits winless after 2 games.
Split 2 has her against two managers with some considerable ailments of late. Her roster is still superior to most managers, especially with the many recent injuries, but it needs to start translating to wins. If there ever was an opportunity to get back on track and become the contender we’d hoped, this is it.
Odell’s Rusty Hip (1-1)
A close and impressive victory on Opening Day started her on the right track. Valkyrie had another solid outing in Week 2, but once again she faced stiff competition. This time, luck was just out of reach, as she fell to the Witch of the Woods.
If she continues to put up this many points on a consistent basis, the wins will naturally be there. Facing off against both 2023 finalists next this Split, she’ll need that consistency to pay dividends.
Pull The Lever, Gronk! (2-0)
For the first time in SFI history, Pull The Lever, Gronk! sits in 1st place. She’s already halfway to her combined win total in the past two seasons. A dominant win against the GMEN followed up by a victory against the 2022 Champion has her undefeated to start the season.
Our 2nd Split has her up against two recently downtrodden rosters in Is This Soccer and Thanos. The latter of which, she is 0-10 against all-time (including postseason). If this is the year of rewriting history, the Mad Titan better tread carefully. The Witch is brewing every potion she has this season.
Team GMEN (0-2)
Once again, the GMEN just can’t catch a break. He will begin the season 0-2, sitting squarely in last place. With so much name value to love on this roster, he’s put himself in a significant hole to start the season. Facing off against Peyton and an injured but hungry Thanos in Split 2, he could find himself on the outside looking in if he’s unable to pick up a win over the next couple of games. We’ll need to monitor him closely this Split.
Sledge Hammer (1-1)
Week 1 went about as poorly as one could expect. Losing CMC and Puka Nacua to injury on Opening Day realized his worst fears and validated our concerns in the preseason. Making matters worse, both have ended up on IR, setting the tally at 5 injured players on his active roster and missing 2 of his top 3 selections, both of which are not projected to return until Split 4. To the surprise of many, he was able to secure a win against Bradshank, so there’s plenty of fight in him. It could be harsh to pass judgement so early, but it’s difficult to carve a path where he’s a playoff team in this state. Split 2 will be a defining pair of games for the former 3x Champion. He’ll be the underdog by a comfortable margin in both games, and the foreseeable future.
Suh-Tang Clan (1-1)
Suh-Tang bounced back after an Opening Day loss, toppling a GMEN roster that has struggled to find his footing. His roster is holding up well, though it’s about to be thoroughly tested in Split 2
He’ll face off against a former champion and a strong roster in Bradshank Redemption. Picking up a win here will be crucial to beating his projection and getting a hold of a playoff spot early on.
Is This Soccer? (1-1)
Picking up a close victory in W1 against Thanos, he followed this up with an even better outing. With a performance for the ages from Alvin Kamara, it was all but locked up come the MNF game; or so we thought. Kyle Pitts quite literally failed to extend for additional yardage on the final drive, resulting in a bitter defeat by one-third of a point.
The differential is excruciating, though this should be an encouraging sign for him. He couldn’t avoid the injury bug, losing Pacheco for most of the season and Deebo for the next few weeks. He has some sustaining depth and will need to utilize it in Split 2, as the road is about to get even tougher.