Week Six Power Rankings - "X Factor" Edition

With victory number one, Chris May and the Pistons are out of the Power Rankings cellar

All teams have superstars - guys who are going to "get theirs" night in and night out. However, more times than not, it's the guys doing the dirty work that make a team successful. The guys who don't jump out in the boxscore or may not be ranked high in the Weekly PPR, yet are every bit as crucial to a team's success as the guy putting up the big numbers. This week's Power Rankings will be giving these "X Factor" guys some much deserved love - they are too often overlooked.

Thus, the Week 6 Power Rankings with each team's "X Factor" player

Top Flight Divison

1. Raptors (6-0) - last week #1
BJ Lavelle. Lavelle provides this squad with instant offense off the bench. If opponents are playing the Raptor sharpshooters too tight, Lavelle's strong drives to the basket can open things up for his teammates.

2. TimberKings (4-1) - last week #2
Mike Byrne. Byrne's inside presence on defense allows his teammates to play the ball much more aggressively. If they get beat, they can rely on Byrne to make sure an easy lay-up isn't given up.

3. A.I.S. (5-0) - last week #3
Zach McBroom. Although he shoots an average of only three times a game, McBroom makes them count as he hits 55.6% of his attempts. He is a sneaky good passer as well - his 3.7 assists are second on the team.

4. Lakers (2-3) - last week #6
Justin Daisy. Daisy doesn't demand shots to stay content - he takes only 2.8 per game. When the opportunity presents itself, however, he will convert more times than not (57.1 FG%). Daisy is also a solid defender.

5. Mavs 2.0 (3-3) - last week #4
Dwayne Reuben. Reuben's motor is tireless - he averages a team high 39.7 minutes per contest. And, despite being far from the biggest guy on the squad, he leads the team in rebounding at 7.7 per contest.

6. Celtics (2-3) - last week #5
Chris Norton. Norton seems to have the ability to instinctively know what his team needs out of him in each game, and fill that role. Some games he will up his scoring, others he will concentrate on rebounding and defense.

7. Erbert & Gerbert's Plymouth (1-4) - last week #8
Matt Kresl. Particularly with Brian Kruschke gone for the season, E&G has needed someone to take some of the defensive pressure off of Matt Krebs. Although he is only 6'5", Kresl has been effective guarding bigger opponents.

8. The Rapture (1-5) - last week #7
Tre Jackson. Jackson has the ability to hit the long range shot, which draws defenders and opens the lane for talented slashers Tim Williams, Albert Reed and Marcus Marshall.

9. Chiefs (0-5) - last week #9
Caleb Kopp. Kopp is an excellent defender, who is often called upon to guard players much bigger than himself. He does so tirelessly, effectively and without complaint.

Recreational Division

1. Bobcats (5-0) - last week #1
Ben Otto. Otto is a tireless defender and rebounder. He pulls down 7.2 boards a game and often is given the task of guarding opponents' quick slashing guards, which has little difficulty doing.

2. Celtics (3-2) - last week #3
O'Jarro Foster. Foster has the ability to keep Celtics opponents honest. If they focus too heavily on Johnny Webb, Ryan Samuelson or Justin Pederson, Foster's versatile inside outside game will punish opponents.

3. Riddlers (5-1) - last week #4
Dan Davis. With all the dynamic weapons on the Riddlers squad, Davis will often times be forgotten. Big mistake. When he is on, Davis has the ability to knock down four or five in a row from behind the arc and break open a close game.

4. Imagineering Sixers (5-1) - last week #2
Jason Peterson. Peterson is impossibly long, and serves as a serious obstacle to opponents with thoughts of driving the lane. He is deceptively quick and able to get over and provide solid help-side defense.

5. Timberpuppies (4-2) - last week #7
Michael Morris. As he proved with his steal and layup at the buzzer last week, Morris is clutch. With his presence, opponents can't focus only on Kyle Wenzel as the clock ticks towards zero.

6. Bulls (3-2) - last week #8
John Erickson. Erickson is a steady, calming presence at the point for the Bulls. Season after season, his turnover numbers are consistently low considering the amount of time he has the ball in his hands.

7. Nuggets (3-3) - last week #5
Dan Murphy. This season in particular, "Murph" has been incredibly effective at beating his defender, penetrating the lane and either scooping in the lay-up or zipping a pass off to a wide open teammate.

8. Thunderbolts (2-4) - last week #6
Dustin Dupont. Dupont is a stellar ball hawk, averaging an astonishing 3.7 picks a game. If you need further proof of his defensive prowess, check out the job he did when matched up against Kyle Wenzel.

9. Tornadoes (1-4) - last week #11
Justin Kalemkiarian. Kalemkiarian offers solid defense, hustle and, perhaps most importantly, coaching and advance scouting. It's obvious each week that he has done his homework, as he can be heard filling in teammates on what to expect from opponents.

10. Pistons (1-5) - last week #13
Derek Bussler. Bussler has the ability to lull opponents to sleep with his outside game, then, when they aren't expecting it, he can drive past them and take it strong to the basket. Bussler is also great at filling the lanes in transition.

11. Cadets (1-4) - last week #9
Brian Manke. Manke is a solid second option for the Cadets offense. He has the ability to score in bunches, but also the discipline not to force things if his shot isn't falling.

12. Upright Citizens Brigade (2-4) - last week #10
Kent Mittelstaedt. Mittelstaedt has long been the solid anchor in the middle for this UCB squad. He consistenly offers solid post defense and isn't afraid to play physical when need be.

13. Erbert & Gerbert's Plymouth (1-4) - last week #12
Eric Caulfield. Although Caulfield is listed as 5'8", he plays much bigger. He has a knack for being in the right place at the right time on the offensive boards and keeps numerous possessions alive with his hustle.