Chief among them are Kathryn and her Tappenators, who bested Cole Wright and his I MEAN BUSINESS team 115.35-102.55 to earn their seventh straight win and cement their standing atop the fantasy pantheon.
The Tappenators got solid performances from a multitude of players — Sidney Rice (20.9 points), Kurt Warner (20.15) and Rashard Mendenhall (17.6) among them — to improve to 9-2 on the season.
"We were a little cocky this week as we rested a couple of our big guns in Vernon Davis and Mike Sims-Walker," Kathryn told reporters following the game, "but we knew we had our ace in the hole in Chris Johnson ready to close out the win on Monday night."
But the woman in charge of the league's top squad didn't stop there, offering up some strong words for her opponent.
"Plus, we didn't expect much of a fight from Cole. After our Week 6 blowout win over the SportsDesk maestro's team, we sent Edible Arrangements with extra chocolate-covered pieces to slow down Cole's squad. Apparently they were still in their chocolate coma this past weekend. Needless to say, the cheap tactic paid off and we're not afraid to use it again in the future.
"I've been saying all along — since the season started — that trash talking should be done on the field and that actions speak louder than words. It's a shame Cole had to learn his lesson the hard way, but I'm proud of our team and what it accomplished."
Kathryn also suggested that her well-rounded squad is capable of going all the way and that future opponents had best watch out — for the soon-to-be-arriving Edible Arrangements.
"Now we have to continue to play well into the playoffs," she said. "I do not anticipate letting off the gas pedal at all, with the exception of giving a few players some maintenance days off. But we haven't accomplished anything up to this point. Our work has yet to be done."
Cole, on the other hand, managed to start a full team for the first time in several weeks, but fell victim to relative off days from superstar quarterback Peyton Manning (16.85) and the Denver defense (1 point in a 32-3 loss to the Chargers) in suffering his fourth straight defeat.
"Stick a fork in me!" said the perpetually business-meaning team owner. "Like Reynolds, my season is a wrap!"
Also dominant in Week 11 were the Crooked Lettas, who scored a 140.8-93.2 triumph over John Carchedi and his corps of Italian Ninjas. Coach Terrence Johnson and the Crooked Lettas bounced back strong from last week's setback at the hands of the Tappenators — as eight of the team's 10 starters scored in double figures — to improve to 8-3 and maintain their two-game lead in the East.
Johnson, however, was perhaps most excited that the Lettas had finally exorcised their Italian Ninja demons after two losses to Carchedi earlier in the season.
"Finally!" Terrence exclaimed. "After two straight losses to the Fighting Carchedis, my team finally shows up just in time to prevent the season sweep.
"This win was huge considering the situation we were in," Terrence continued. "After performing horribly against the Tappenators and losing my lead horse [Cedric Benson, who was injured in Week 10], we knew what was at stake. But my guys battled through some tough matchups, and we're regaining momentum as we enter the playoff stretch."
Spoken like a true prodigy. Terrence also discussed his team's postseason aspirations.
"It's nice to know we'll have a shot at battling for the championship, but we know the job isn't done," he said. "When your back's against the wall, you'll take whatever shot you can get. But when you've played well all year, you definitely want the top seed you've battled to maintain. That's what we're focused on now. Getting the bye, and going from there."
Yeah, your team's good. We get it.
Carchedi, on the other hand, had to struggle to find a positive in his team's performance. But he found one in channeling his inner Stuart Smalley.
"I like to think I bring out the best in people," he said following the game. "Perhaps that is why, on a now weekly basis, my opponents are hammering my team like a pinata filled with cash.
"I don't know how many more monumental beatings I can take," he wondered aloud. "I'm about one week away from waving the white flag and calling for my mom."
Carchedi's mother is a former Canadian Football League coach, so it's really not a bad idea at all.
Moving right along, my Gray Cutoff Hoodies earned a win that greatly improves our playoff chances, more than doubling up Naoko Funayama and her UNITAS squad 148.35-70.7.
"Naoko's been a fierce competitor all season long," I charmingly told the media hounds aching for a sound byte after my team's victory. "But with two injured running backs, you're up against a lot when you're facing the Hoodies.
"Honestly," I continued with a twinkle in my eye, "I expected a 20-point game out of Drew Brees, but getting 20-plus points out of Wes Welker, Calvin Johnson, Ryan Grant and Jason Snelling, too? I couldn't have asked for much more luck. There's little that feels better in fantasy football than hitting it big with an injury replacement at running back. Hopefully, Snelling will continue to get carries in the ATL."
In the week's final matchup, John Chandler's More Cowbell narrowly escaped Heidi Watney's Favre Forever squad by a 121.15-119.95 margin. Heidi got another huge performance from Brent — I mean, Brett Favre (34.65), but the game came down to Chandler's Matt Schaub outperforming Heidi's Andre Johnson on Monday night.
If Texans kicker Kris Brown had made his last-second field-goal attempt and the game had gone to overtime, could things have been different? We'll never know.
But that's the beauty of fantasy football. It's the place where what-ifs, wouldas, couldas and shouldas mean nothing. There are plenty of so-called experts and loads of Monday morning fantasy quarterbacks, but it's all about what happens on the field.
Be sure to keep up with all of the exciting fantasy goings-on — as three NFL games on Thursday hit the airwaves — and enjoy your Thanksgiving.
