Like Old School Myspace we only provide a top 8 in the Strong Power Rankings, if you can't make the top 25% of the League then change ya game up and make more Aggressive Catches!

1. Buccaneers 4-0
Statement Victories: 39-30 over the 49ers
Statement Losses:  none
The top passing offense with Crab legs needs to find a running game if he wants to continue his dominance in the SIM league. He is currently last with 32 YPG rushing, but I've seen first hand that he can get a decent run game going with Dougie Fresh. He has been in the top half of the league in defense, but not quite elite yet allowing 25 points a game. If you line up against the Bucs you better be prepared for a shootout, you will need to score and score often as he is averaging 34.8 points a game (4th in the league), and only allowing 68.8 yards a game on the ground (5th best in the league). We know Crab legs will be using an assortment of Y Stick concepts and PA deep Bombs, so be prepared to cover the TE corner and Mike Evans jump ball.

3 Players to Watch:
Jameis Winston 84/115 1464 Yards 14 TDs 7 INTs
Mike Evans 19 Rec 528 Yards 5 TDs
Lavonte David 8 Tackles 4 INTs

2. Bills 5-0
Statement Victories: none
Statement Losses: none
We all know what Senior Swag is going to do, run the ball, run it well, and play solid Defense. He is 5-0 and off to another hot start in SIM 16, can he keep it up and avoid another late season disaster? As I recall he went 3-5 in the second half of the season last year after a 7-1 start, and he even let his old nemesis the SAN DIEGO SUPER CHARGERS sneak into the playoffs and make a deep run. He has had a mediocre schedule record wise this season and doesn't face a real test  until his week 7 matchup with the Ravens. Lets get into the stats portion of the rankings because we all know "Ball don't lie" (well unless you have some play against some autos, but I'm too lazy to calculate adjusted stats), Swag brings it averaging 217.4 ypg tops in the league paired with the 29th ranked passing offense in the game, what is this Navy triple option offense? His defense has been porous this season allowing some deep plays to gash him through the air (230 Passing YPG 21st in the league) , but he has been bending without breaking allowing only 20 points a game good for 6th in the league, I wonder if he is running his cover 1 robber Defense again this year, because that shit is dead in Madden 16. He garners the number 2 spot in the rankings due to his record, but we will check in again in 4 weeks to see how this all pans out.

3 Players to Watch:
Knlie Davis 798 Rushing yards 7.6 YPC 9 TDs 6 REC 127 yards
Knile Davis on pace for 2,553 rushing yards and 29 TDs
Knile Davis on pace for 19 receptions 406 yards, damn near 3,000 YARDS FROM SCRIMMAGE

3. Bears 4-1
Statement Victories: Vikings 4-2
Statement Losses: Saints 42-14 (Assuming an auto due to schedule)
The perennial SIM golden boy has seemed to return to form after rebuilding this horrid Bears team, he is doing work with David fucking Fails, Colt McCoy, and Drew Stanton, and is still 4-1. With that handicap he should be in the number 1 spot in the rankings, alas he has the glaring loss that I'm hoping was an auto that knocks him down to the 3 spot. The Bears are led by a dangerous passing attack consisting of Kevin White and a Sprinkling in of Alshon Jeffrey 40 for 839 compared to 10 for 223? There is a huge disparity and mismatch here, combine this with an average run game ranking 18th in the league and you have a recipe for a let down later in the season. Stop Kevin white and you have a real shot to decimate the Bears and their shotty secondary. I'm sure Jake could adapt and burn people with Jeffrey, but this stat gap is a huge red flag. He has a soft schedule the rest of the season with only 1 matchup remaining against opponents in the top 8 (Week 8 vs Colts) and only 2 above .500. Expect the Bears to grow a bit as the season moves on, and watch out for a dangerous user in the playoffs as we all know his Super Bowl pedigree.

3 Players to Watch:
Kevin White 40 REC 839 Yards 6 TDS
Kiko Alonso 16 Tackles 4 INTs
What ever QB he throws out: 106/172 61.6% 13 Tds 12 INTs 1631 yards

4. Ravens 4-1
Statement Victories: 31-3 decimation of the 4-1 Browns
Statement Losses: Colts 27-20 hard fought game only loss of season
An Achilles Injury and his yearly nemesis JMB leaving the league has led to Bmore refining his game and going on a Madden tear, making the Super Bowl last year and constantly decimating his opponents while his children mock them over the mic, he will be a contender yet again for the top spot in the AFC. He does everything well and has the user skills on defense to make another deep run into the playoffs. His map to success has been running the ball down his opponents throats averaging 164.2 yards a game on the ground good for 2nd best in the SIM NFL. Compliment that with the top Defense in the league and users are going to have a tough time beating this man. He is allowing 11.6 PPG, 235.4 YPG, and only 148.8 PYPG all tops in the league. With only one matchup left with opponents above .500 and that being the 4-1 Browns he destroyed earlier in the season. I make the bold prediction that Baltimore will finish the season 15-1 and aim to hang 50 on the Dolphins in Week 9 after they cost him a 16-0 season last year

3 Players to Watch
Lorenzo Taliaferro 95 att 685 yards 7 TDs
CJ Mosley 8 tackles 4 INT and will be usered
Breshad Perriman 10 REC 364 Yards 4 TDS this man is one of the top deep threats in the league and has even out ran his own hairline

5. Colts 4-1
Statement Victories: Ravens 27-20
Statement Losses:  Packers 21-16
For a fair rankings post I must be the harshest on myself, although the Colts beat Baltimore they do have a glaring season opening loss to the 2-2 packers, therefore the Ravens still have to be ahead of them in this version of the Top 8. The colts have beat up on some lesser opponents and eeked out late victories against the tough luck Chargers and Juggernaut Ravens. The inflated stats look good now, but they will regress towards the mean soon. They currently league in PPG with 38.0, Yards 441.4, and are top 10 in every offensive and defensive team stat. A key to the Colts success this season has been a division of the work load, Andrew luck has been dotting targets all over the field hooking up with 10 different players so far this season. Pair Lucks performance with that of Montee Ball and undrafted rookie DJ Boswell's combined 794 and 11 TDs on the ground and you have a stable offense that is less predictable than last season. Look for the Colts to make the playoffs yet again and contend for the AFC crown.
Biggest game left on the schedule: Bears, Vikings, Chiefs

3 Players to watch:
Andrew Luck 84/119 1439 yards 13 TDs 6 INTs
Montee Ball 61 att 336 yards 5 TDs
Phillip Dorsett 9 for 377 yards 3 TDs

6. Falcons 4-1
Statement Victories: 45 - 31 over the Panthers
Statement Losses: 34-33 against the 49ers
Has had a decent schedule thus far, but the teams the Falcons have beaten have inflated record and are unproven themselves, He definitely can prove himself soon and skyrocket up the rankings if he can beat The Bucs, Vikings, Panthers (again), or the tough luck chargers. Blaze has the most volatile spot in the rankings at the moment due to that schedule. Outside of Julio Jones he hasn't really done much this year stat wise, so yet again the running theme with many of these top teams is one big weapon. This leaves a lot of teams vulnerable to an upset loss if that weapon under performs, but we shall see how the season plays out as we all know Julio will get his, even if it is in triple coverage. Stats: Blaze has a top 10 offense in every team stat, but his Achilles heel is the play of his defense ranked near the bottom in yards and passing yards against, 24th and 25th respectively. Really does anyone in the NFC South play defense?

3 Players to Watch
Julio Jones Do you even need the stats? He is going to be targeted often, cover his ass.
Vic Beasley Jr Dangerous off the edge this season, but only 3 Sacks to show for it
Markus Tucker 5.9 YPC for a rookie with Bruising attributes

7. 49ers 3-2
Statement Victories: 34-33 over the Falcons
Statement Losses:  39-30 against the Bucs
UG has found success this season and last with a sub par 49ers roster with huge help from Madden beast Jarryd Hayne, who led the league in rushing last season and is well on his way to another fantastic season. With many roster holes it seems UG is still building a real contender and is a season away from having a team to match his stick skills. These roster holes present real problems for marquee matchups with the SIM elite, but UGs stick skills still help him make easy work of the lesser skilled players. His rushing attack has been stymied this season to 70 yards a game and he has relied on Kaps throwing abilities to lead him to the 5th rated passing offense in SIM. the roster holes show on the defensive side of the ball this year where he has the 23rd ranked defense in terms of yards and 19th in terms of points scored, his Run D has been his saving grace though only giving up 77.4 yards a game on the ground. He will need to regain his running ways and give that defense some madden Viagra to stiffen up if he wants to make a real Super Bowl run this season.

3 Players to Watch
The Hayne Plane 269 Yards on the ground 216 through the air and 6 total TDs
Cooper Helfet TE 16 for 389 and 3 TDs, who the fuck is this guy? He's actually a real player and not a Madden Rookie.
NaVorro Bowman He guards the middle like a Catholic girl in High School, you have no shot getting it inside with him on the field.

8. Panthers 4-1
Only above the Browns because of a lack of a blowout loss a slightly better schedule, both teams still have a lot to prove.
Statement Victories: none
Statement Losses: 45-31 to the Falcons
Rounding out my top 8 are the 4-1 Panthers, there are a few teams that could make an argument for this spot, but given Lil Phillies winning ways last madden and the skills I know he possesses, I'll show him some love. The Panthers are a bit of an anomaly this year after bouncing back from an un-philly like 4-12 record last season, which team will show up the rest of the way in a tough NFC South division? What ever the outcome may be, he will sure  have to earn his way into the playoffs this year as it is no gimme situation. He has 3 games left vs the Bucs and Falcons, and two more tough matchups with the 49ers and Chargers. If he can hold on and make the playoffs his squad will sure be battle tested and a real force to make a push for the bowl. He does his work by putting up punches in bunches sometimes even with Devin Funchess. He has the third rated offense overall and have a well balanced passing and running game, his only problem this year has been stopping the opposing teams offense with near league worsts in all team defensive categories, this may be due to the offensive juggernaut  teams he has played, but at some point you need to buckle down and make a defensive stand.

3 Players to Watch
Cam Newton 69.1 Comp% 1390 yards 16 TDs 5 INTs
Kelvin Benjamin 19 for 467 and 5 Tds
Tre Boston 17 tackels 1 FF 3 INTS

Missed Cut: (No Specific Order)
Browns 4-1 Combined Record of Teams Defeated 5-15
Broncos 4-2 Beat the 0-4 Raiders Twice, no wins against opponents above .500
Vikings 4-2 lost to 1-5 Seahawks, all games have been close. Needs to have a breakout performance
Saints 3-2 muddled division beating up on each other, needs to have a break out game if the Bears game was an auto
Chargers 2-3 Close losses to the Bucs, Colts, and Broncos, make his record look a whole lot worse than it actually is. Win one of those games and he is easily in the top 8 after his deep playoff push last season.