2016 Highland LavaRockets

2001-2016

Highland LavaRockets (9-4-0) had a remarkable year. The team almost matched their 2010 season, which saw them win their first division and league championship with a 9-5-0 record. The difference this year was the LavaRockets came up short (to say the least) and lost in the league championship game 79.80 - 115.80. They did manage to end their 15th season with the best record in team history. Heading into the season, the LavaRockets had missed the playoffs 3-straight years. With a league championship at the tip of their fingers, they managed to become 2-time division champions.

The LavaRockets kicked their season off with four straight wins. Week 1 (82.30 - 78.20), Week 2 (126.05 - 81.65), Week 3 (87.50 - 78.10) and Week 4 (98.25 - 55.40). None of those games were close, besides week 1, but the LavaRockets started out 6th in their league out of 12 teams. After their first win, the team jumped to 4th place. Week 3 saw the team take the 2nd place spot, which they held until week 5.

The LavaRockets were on a roll, until their slip in week 5. They lost against the team they were tied with for 2nd place, 75.75 - 118.18. The LavaRockets dropped to third place in their league. All season the team held onto their division lead.

Week 6 the team got back on track, but fell in week 7 with a 80.80 - 91.40 loss. With their loss in weeks 5 and 7, the team didn't change their roster. Carolina Panthers quarterback (QB) Cam Newton was out due to an injury, thus the back-up was Jacksonville Jaguars QB Blake Bortles, but he had a bye. The LavaRockets scrambled and picked up Miami Dolphins QB Ryan Tannehill off waivers. Tannehill wasn't playing good at this point in the season, but was the best starter on waivers. 

Tannehill only put up 5.50 points while Panthers wide receiver (WR) Ted Ginn had -1.50 and the Denver Broncos defense (D) played terrible, putting up 4.00. The LavaRockets' week 7 loss came with Newton on a bye and Bortles as the starter, which he played well, but starting Buffalo Bills running back (RB) LeSean McCoy only scored 1.10 points, which hurt the team. With a good performance by McCoy, the team could've won week 7, but instead, the team headed into week 8 being 5-2-0 and being 4th in the league, but still leading in their division.

The team notched victories in weeks 8 & 9, but came up short in week 10 against the 2nd place team, whom they'd also lose the league championship to. The LavaRockets lost 85.15 - 100.20, but still were division leaders and 3rd in the league.

With a devastating week 10 loss, the LavaRockets rolled it off their shoulders and came back with a week 11 victory to place 2nd in their league and captured their 2nd division title, and making the playoffs.

The team came up with another victory in week 12, but lost their final game of the season against the 2nd place team in their division. The LavaRockets were glad they had secured a playoff spot with two weeks left in the season.

The team once again faced the 2nd place team in their division heading into the playoffs, which they had a 1-1-0 record against during the season. The LavaRockets had a 9-4-0 season record while their quarterfinal opponents were 7-6-0.

Heading into the quarterfinal game, the LavaRockets thought about playing Bortles as the starting QB, but decided they had been on a good roll, and Newton started to pick things up during this time. In the end, it was the right move.

With a 84.40 - 78.70 (5.70 points) win, the division champions were heading into the semi-finals and facing the 2nd best team in the league. The LavaRockets, somehow, someway, pulled off a 4.95 point victory to head to the league championship game. The lineup was kept the same, with Cleveland Browns WR Terrelle Pryor being benched for returning rookie and New Orleans Saints WR Michael Thomas, whom was sidelined the previous week with an injury. Pryor scored 1.90 points while Thomas scored 11.20.

LavaRockets (4th place) had a huge hill to climb to defeat the 2nd place team in the league. The LavaRockets were knocked to the curb and lost 79.80 - 115.80 in the championship game. Even if the LavaRockets started Bortles, they still would've lost 95.25 - 115.80. All the other players played well, but Newton had a so-so day, while the Denver Broncos defense played horrible, racking only 1 point. The other team just had more fire power.

The team had a nearly perfect season, with some bumps in the road, but the team had a good playoff run. Last season the LavaRockets were 8-6-0 and missed the playoffs for the third straight year.

============================================

Prior to the start of the 2016 season, the LavaRockets drafted QB's Newton and Bortles, which Bortles out performed Newton in terms of total fantasy points. 336.00 to 314.00. Newton started the entire season, excluding the bye week and when Newton was injured and Bortles was on a bye.

RB's McCoy and Indianapolis Colt Frank Gore lead the way with a decent core of RB's. Arizona Cardinals RB Chris Johnson was benched and let go due to a season ending injury heading into week 5.

The team picked up New Orleans Saints RB John Kuhn for insurance, but released him after week 7.

McCoy was injured, thus the LavaRockets picked up Buffalo Bills' back-up RB Mike Gillislee, which was a bold move, but one that paid off. Gillislee scored 15.40 points to help the team in a week 8 victory. The team held onto him until the start of week 11, due to not needing him anymore. Gillislee was released and the LavaRockets picked up the Baltimore Ravens defense off waivers in time for the Broncos going on a bye.

McCoy returned to the lineup for week 9 and helped the team earn another victory. The LavaRockets picked up N.Y. Jets RB Bilal Powell, whom was benched.

The Buffalo Bills had a bye heading into week 10, which meant both McCoy and Gillislee wouldn't be playing. Powell become a starter along with Washington Redskins RB Chris Thompson, whom the team picked up off waivers. Thompson had put up some decent points in previous weeks, but only scored 1.60 points, while Powell was impressive with 14.90, helping the LavaRockets with a week 10 victory.

From week 11 and into the teams championship game, both McCoy and Gore continued to be starters. Both continued to stack up points, until the championship game, where Gore scored 6.40 points while McCoy earned 20.50.

The LavaRockets had a good group of RB's, but wide receivers (WR) was another story. N.Y. Jets Brandon Marshall, Carolina Panthers Ted Ginn, and Jacksonville Jaguars Allen Hurns were the starting WR's heading into week 1. Dallas Cowboys WR Terrance Williams was benched. Williams shined off and on through the season.

The trio above started for the first four games, mostly due to the team being 4-0-0. None put up remarkable numbers, but Marshall had two good weeks during the four game stretch.

Due to the Jaguars (Hurns) having a week 5 bye, Williams got his first start of the season and scored 7.00 points. Sadly, the team lost that week.

After the week 5 loss and WR Ginn scoring -1.50 points, he was released and the team picked up Chicago Bears WR Eddie Royal, who had been dealing with an injury, thus Williams continued to be a starter and put up 7.50 points in week 6.

With the Cowboys (Williams) having a bye heading into week 7, the team scooped up rookie, and New Orleans Saint Michael Thomas, who was a huge grab. 

Marshall, Hurns, and Thomas were starters for the next 4 weeks. The trio would go 2-2-0. With Williams in a slump and Royal never being a starter while injured, Royal was released heading into week 9. The next week Williams followed.

Needing some insurance, the LavaRockets picked up WR's DeSean Jackson (Washington Redskins) and N.Y. Jets Quincy Enunwa off waivers. Both players were benched.

The LavaRockets faced a problem heading into week 11. The Jets had a bye, meaning Marshall and Enunwa wouldn't be playing, this left Thomas and Hurns as the only WR's. The team went to the waivers and picked up Miami Dolphins WR Kenny Stills. The Dolphins were struggling at this point in the season, but thankfully, things later picked up. 

Stills and Hurns didn't help much, but the team came up with a victory and won their division, securing a playoff spot.

It took 12 weeks to do it, but the LavaRockets finally had a decent core of WR's. Marshall (bye week) returned to the lineup, along with Thomas, but the team picked up Terrelle Pryor off waivers. The Cleveland Browns WR was quietly sitting on waivers. Hurns was performing poorly and was benched along with Stills. Stills was benched due to there not being any room on the starting roster. All three WR's put up big points in week 12, helping the team clinch a victory.

The team suffered a loss heading into the playoffs. The Browns (Pryor) had a bye, while Thomas and Marshall didn't put up much of any points. Benched Stills (2.10) and Hurns (0.00) wouldn't have made a difference in the loss.

Stills found himself in the starting lineup due to Thomas being injured heading into the quarterfinals of the playoffs. Marshall, Stills, and Pryor were the starters and grabbed a victory.

Pryor scored 0.30 points and was benched in favor of Thomas' return to the lineup. The duo of Stills and Thomas put up some impressive numbers in the semifinals, seeing the duo score 11.20 points. A bench Pryor scored 1.90 while Marshall earned a low 1.60.

The trio were starters in the championship game, but the outcome wouldn't have mattered. Thomas and Stills performed well, but Marshall scored a low 2.80 points. Hurns scored 0.00 (benched) Pryor scored 3.60 (benched) while Enunwa itched 4.40 points (benched).

LavaRockets drafted TE Delanie Walker (Tennessee Titans) and Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) at the start of the season.

Witten took over the starting position in week 3 due to Walker being injured. Witten was released after week 4 due to poor performance. Walker returned for week 4 and was the starter until week 13, due to the Titans having a bye. The LavaRockets went out and scooped up Tampa Bay Buccaneers TE Cameron Brate, which was a good pick-up. He scored 14.60 points, but was replaced in week 14 when Walker returned. The team was solid through the entire season at the TE position.

The team drafted New England Patriots kicker (K) Stephen Gostkowski, who for the past several years has been wonderful (point wise), but his stats took a hit this season, but again, the LavaRockets had depth at the kicking position. Minnesota Vikings Blair Walsh was drafted as the back-up. 

The Vikings released Walsh and so did the LavaRockets. The team went to the waivers and picked up Philadelphia Eagles K Caleb Sturgis, which was a surprise. Blair finished the season (not on any team) at #31 while Sturgis finished #5 in fantasy football.

The LavaRockets didn't start Sturgis until the Patriots had their bye in week 9. Sturgis remained the starter for the rest of the season.

Defense wins championships (that's what they say) and the LavaRockets came close with the Broncos being the starting defense, excluding the bye week. Washington Redskins was the back-up defense.

Player of The Year: RB LeSean McCoy (Buffalo Bills)

Biggest Disappointment: WR Allen Hurns (Jacksonville Jaguars)

===========================================

TEAM HISTORY (2001-2016)

Highland Lava Rockets (9-4-0)

Est. 2001

15th season
Overall Record: 109-110-4 (223 games)
Winning Percentage: .497 (49%)
Playoff Record (including Consolation): 15-6
Playoff Winning Percentage: .714 (71%)

1-time NFL.com Fantasy League Champions (2010)
2-time NFL.com Fantasy League Division Champions (2010, 2016)

Best Record: 9-4-0 (2016)
Worst Record: 3-11-0 (2001)

Division Champions- 2010, 2016
NFL.com League Champions- 2010
--------------------------------------


*2001* 

3-11-0 (Missed playoffs, finished 10/10 in league)- Yahoo.com

Note: Worst record in team history
 
*2002*
7-7-0 (Missed playoffs, finished 7/10 in league)- Yahoo.com

*2003*
9-5-0 (Lost 2nd round of playoffs, finished 4/10 in league)- Yahoo.com

*2004*
6-8-0 (Lost 2nd round of playoffs, finished 6/10 in league)- Yahoo.com

*2005*
8-5-1 (Lost in Divisional Playoffs)- NFL.com
Note: In 2005 NFL.com returned to being a free Fantasy League. I started playing on NFL.com

*2006*
6-6-2 (Missed playoffs)- NFL.com

*2007*
7-7-0 (Missed playoffs, 2nd straight year)- NFL.com

*2008*
4-9-1 (Missed playoffs, 3rd straight year)- NFL.com

*2009*
6-8-0 (Missed playoffs, 4th straight year)- NFL.com

*2010*
9-5-0 (Division & NFL.com League Champions)- NFL.com

*2011*
6-8-0 (Lost in Divisional Playoffs, finished 7/12 in league)- NFL.com

*2012*
8-6-0 (Lost 1st round playoffs, won 3rd place, finished 3/10 in league)- NFL.com

*2013*
5-9-0 (Missed playoffs, finished 9/10 consolation bracket)- NFL.com

*2014*
8-6-0 (Missed playoffs, 2nd straight year, finished 5/10 consolation bracket)- NFL.com

*2015* 
8-6-0 (Missed playoffs, 3rd straight year, finished 7/16 consolation bracket)- NFL.com

*2016*
9-4-0 
(Division Champions, lost NFL.com League Championship Game, finished 4/12 in league)- NFL.com 
Note: Best record in team history