MVP Races Heating up across FCF’s 2.0 Regular Season
With 3 weeks of play under their belt, who has separated themselves from the pack thus far in v2.0?
Now that fans have had a chance to catch three full weeks of Fan Controlled Football action, it’s time we sort out who should receive the hardware at the end of the season, no? Last year, Superback LaDarius Galloway and Defensive Back Joseph Putu were the recipients of the MVP awards. So, who should get the honors after the regular season concludes? Let’s examine not only the stats, but also the importance that each of these candidates posses to their team after three weeks.
Offensive MVP
QB Mitch Kidd - 8oki
A wise man once said “yards don’t matter” which is partly true. But Mitch “The Kidd” Kidd has shown he’s about more than just air yards. He leads the FCF is Passing TDs with 9. He also holds the lead in completions with 27. The Quarterback in 2nd place in each of these categories has over 100 yards less, and 10 fewer completions respectively. While the converse may be true in that 8oki does not run the ball effectively, they’ve still put up the third most total offensive yards with 392. Kidd has thrown just one interception through three games.
So why is Kidd the front-runner for OMVP thus far? The main separator between Kidd and the rest of the field is his leadership. You’ll often hear Kidd in the huddle and on the sidelines working with his team and providing positive reinforcement whenever needed. 8oki is in good hands with Kidd at the helm. He’s the guy to beat as we sit here looking forward to Week 4.
QB Ed Crouch - Knights of Degen
If Kidd doesn’t get your vote, perhaps Knights of Degen Quarterback Ed Crouch does. Crouch, a season 1.0 returnee, has put it all together in the FCF this season. He’s second in Passing Yards, second in Passing TDs, and first in Total TDs. Not to mention he’s in the top five in rushing yards, and first in Rushing TDs with 5, throughout the entire league.
Crouch had been giving the nickname “Tactical Crouch” back in season 1.0 for being a guy that would methodically march the offense down the field and score. It seems like he’s got more juice this year as he’s earned great success so far this season. The blemishes in the form of turnovers are what moves him to the 2 spot in the MVP voting.
SB LaDarius Galloway - Shoulda Been Stars
While the MVP race is a two man show right now (IMO) I think season 1.0’s MVP is certainly in the conversation for this season’s award as well. Galloway has 4 Rushing Touchdowns despite playing only two games. He’s tied for first with 5 total touchdowns in the first three weeks. While OMVP is generally a QB award, the FCF has shown you that traditions may not always stick. LaDarius Galloway is once again putting together an award-winning type of season. He gets my vote for all non-QB players to win the award.
SB Brycen Alleyne - Glacier Boyz
Brycen Alleyne has been my favorite Superback to watch this season. With an FCF-best 143 Rushing Yards to go along with 4 Rushing Touchdowns, Alleyne has been a steady contributor for the Glacier Boyz. The thing that separates Allyne is his power running abilities. He consistently plows into defenders and falls forward when doing so. Alleyne is a guy to watch for in the second half of the season. Also (side note) he has star written all over him!
WR Joseph Boykin - 8oki
Mitch Kidd’s go-to target deserves some praise as well. Boykin is a Season v1.0 returnee who has already eclipsed his statistics from last season. In fact, he did so after playing just one game this season. It’s clear that Boykin went into this year with a mission. He leads the league in receptions (14), receiving yards (267) and receiving touchdowns (5). Boykin is on pace to break the FCF single-season record in all of those categories. Boykin is a great #1 WR and an obvious choice to be in the OMVP discussion thus far.
Notable names to watch - Offense: QB Deondre Francois, WR Andrew Jamiel, SB Jakobie Baker, WR Yedidiah Louis
Defensive MVP
DT Justin Foster - The Hitmen
The FCF’s sack leader has been the definition of disruptive along The Hitmen’s D-Line. Foster ranks second in total tackles (17), while leading the pack in sacks (5), tackles for loss (7), and sack yards (25). Foster might not have had the name recognition when coming into the league, he certainly has fans’ attention now. Foster is the guy all other defenders are trying to keep pace with in the DMVP voting, in my opinion.
LB Jim Jones - Shut Down Squad
Jim Jones, to me, it this years version of season 1.0 Cecil Cherry. Jones flies around the field and makes plays at all levels of the defense. He heads into Week 4 as the leagues third leading tackler at 15.5. Jones has put up 4 tackles for loss, 3 sacks, and 1 interception to go along with those tackles numbers. The 26 year old out of Kent State has made quite a name for himself through the first three weeks in season 2.0. He’s a guy to keep an eye on to shoot up the DMVP rankings as the second half of the season rolls on!
DB Quan’Tez Stiggers - Heavy Hitters
Season 2.0 is loaded with quality Defensive Backs. Perhaps the most impressive DB thus far has been Quan’Tez Stiggers out of Lane College. Stiggers had a MASSIVE impact in Week 1 for the Beasts, picking off three passes and returning one for a touchdown. He has piled up 14 tackles, 1 TFL and a total of 92 interception yards through the first three weeks of the season. This kid has a bright future in professional football, and if he keeps it up, he might jump ahead of some of these other players for the DMVP award here in season 2.0!
LB Cecil Cherry - Heavy Hitters
Speaking of Cecil Cherry…. Cherry is a name we all know and has become synonymous with success in the FCF, particularly from the Linebacker spot. Cherry leads the FCF in tackles with 17.5 through three games. Last season’s DMVP runner-up is once again putting up strong numbers and staking his claim as one of the league’s best defensive players. Cherry is the ultimate playmaker on the second level. If he continues to put up these numbers, it’ll be hard to ignore him as the league’s DMVP this year.
DB Darius Doakes - The D-Block
I’ve raves about Darius Doakes since the start of the season. The 6’2, 215 pounder out of Southeastern Louisiana can bring it. He has 15 tackles, 2 tackles for loss, and an interception through three games. Having said that, I think the top four spots listed above for DMVP are pretty much solidified. Doakes and the below mentioned “notable names to watch” are essentially interchangeable. Doakes gets the fifth spot based on production.
Notable names to watch - Defense: DT Nick Williams, DB Styvis Latham, DB Marquis Cain, DT/OL Rusty Becker, DT Travonte Valentine
As we get to the second half of the FCF’s regular season, who will win these prestigious awards? Who will springboard themselves into stardom by seasons end? One this is for certain, the league has packed each team with viable options to take home the hardware. We can’t wait to see how it all shakes out! #LFG