Box scores for the first two weeks have been posted, and with this we can get a better sense of which players are standing out. Today, I’ll continue my Fantasy Power Rankings with the top 5 running backs, wide receivers, team defenses, and kickers.
Running Backs:
#1: Roshan Lobo (BAN) – Unquestionably the best running back and probably the best player in the EFLI. He should be the first overall pick in any EFLI Fantasy Football league. In Lobo’s first game, he had 6 carries for 111 yds and 1 reception for 9 yds and and 1 TD. A really great story, as he wasn’t even supposed to play running back for the Bangalore Warhawks: the 1st and 2nd string RBs took government jobs instead of playing in the EFLI, and the 3rd string RB had a passport issue and couldn’t make it to Sri Lanka for the 1st season. Essentially, Lobo was the 4th string RB, and he turned out to be a superstar.
#2: Ramachandran Rahul (PUN) – He had at least 50 rushing yards and 1 TD in each of his first two games. Pune seems to run the ball quite often, and even with QB Dinesh Kumar keeping the ball himself a lot, Rahul should be a consistent performer throughout the season.
#3: Mohamed Sheriff (COL) – He had 14 carries for 92 rushing yards and 3 receptions for 23 yards in his first game. The Lions have a very run-heavy, defense oriented playing style, so look for Sheriff to take the bulk of the carries for his team.
#4: Sandeep Kumar (DEL) – The Defenders have some great running backs, and it seems like Sandeep Kumar takes the majority of the carries. Although he has yet to find the endzone, he has at least 50 rushing yards in each of his first two games.
#5: Tarun Thimmaiah (BAN) – He’s backing up Roshan Lobo, but his numbers look very impressive so far. The Warhawks can hit their opponents with a lot of different offensive weapons, and Tarun Thimmaiah is one of them.
Wide Receivers:
#1: Navaneeth “Chamber” Shanta (BAN) – This guy will tear it up in the first EFLI season. When you have the best running back in Roshan Lobo on your team, it can really divert the attention of the defense and open up the passing game.
#2: Anant “Fabio” Verma (DEL) – Fabio is the best receiver on the Delhi Defenders, and he’s got Mayank “Brady” Sharma throwing to him. He’s a staple on the juggernaut of an offense that is Delhi, so look for him to make some big plays.
#3: Shenal Dias (PAK) – He is the favorite target for Wolfpak QB Jahangir Nawaz. Standing at 6’4″, he can just out jump most defenders to make the catch. He’s gotten a touchdown and at least 40 receiving yards in each of his first two games, so look for him to be a consistent performer throughout the season.
#4: Nitin “Megatron” Deshmukh (MUM) – He’s the Calvin Johnson of the EFLI. At 6’4″ and 245 lbs, he’s a physically imposing beast and can just overpower defenders. Look for Megatron to get some good receiving numbers in the first season.
#5: Waqar Javaid (PAK) – Pakistan probably has the best wide receiver duo in Shenal Dias and Waqar Javaid. When the defense focuses on covering Dias, there’s more opportunities for Waqar to make a big play.
Team Defenses:
#1: Bangalore Warhawks (BAN) – When you have a guy nicknamed “Ray Lewis” on your team, you know you have a good defense.
#2: Colombo Lions (COL) – The Lions seem to have a “control-the-clock” style of play, with a lot of running and a very good defense. They have one of the best linebackers in the league in Suhail Imtiaz.
#3: Pune Marathas (PUN) – Great team, great defense, and they have one of the best defensive backs in Jitendra Mishra.
#4: Delhi Defenders (DEL) – Just as their name says, Delhi has a great defense. They held a decent Kandy offense to just 6 points (In the meanwhile, their offense scored 43 points).
#5: Mumbai Gladiators (MUM) – Mumbai has a pretty good defense, as evidenced in the first ever EFLI scrimmage. Although they allowed their opponent to score 2 TDs in that game, you can really see glimpses of how overpowering their defense can be.
Kickers:
#1: Viraj Nanayakkara (COL)
#2: Anish Dharmadhikari (PUN)
#3: Navaneeth Shanta (BAN)
#4: Amit Lochab (DEL)
#5: Nitin Deshmukh (MUM)
