The Walking Dead Power Rankings: Midseason 6 Premiere

The Walking Dead returns in time to eat your heart out this Valentine’s Day (Sunday, February 14th) at 8 PM CT on AMC.

This is the part where I tell you that spoilers are very likely from here on out. So stop reading if you aren’t caught up…

Stop it.

This is your last warning…

Now it’s on you if things get spoiled. 

Creator and comic book writer Robert Kirkman is on record for saying that there will be blood this Sunday…a lot of blood. Critics who were lucky enough to get early screenings say that the Season 6 midseason premiere is fast, action-packed, and characters will die. There’s common sentiment in early reviews that this episode should have been the midseason finale, instead of the cliffhanger filled showing fans got before the new year.

We know characters come and go on the show. If Game of Thrones taught us anything in the current climate of television, DON’T GET TOO ATTACHED TO ANYONE. And similar to how we’re approaching the new season of Throneswe’ll be keeping a power ranking of the current characters. But if they make Chris Hardwick’s Talking Dead “In Memoriam”, well…

Walking Dead bye

…we’ll say “bye” too.

I know my opinion of each character will likely be very different than yours. Please feel free to air your grievances on Facebook or Twitter.

1. Daryl Dixon

Darryl TWD

Darryl may not be in the comics, but he certainly is one of the best creations from the TV series. He’s the most skilled among the original group and has grown since the early days of brotherly bigotry bonding. In a world where the dead roam looking for blood and the living proves to be even more dangerous, Darryl still looks for the good in others…even to a fault. If he were part of Rick’s conscience, he’d be the small bit of angel left on one shoulder. That might do him in at some point, but you have to think losing Darryl would be the hardest for most fans.

2. Rick Grimes

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The show still evolves around the man who woke up from a coma in a walker infested hospital, as it should. However, Rick has almost evolved entirely into the deputy he hated…Zero trust for others besides his group, killing the living, lusting after someone else’s wife…He hasn’t gone full-Shane, and that may be what has kept he and those closest to him alive. How he reacts after Sunday’s events may change that.

3. Michonne

Screen Shot 2016-02-10 at 4.16.23 PM There’s an argument that Michonne can be ranked ahead of Rick.

Michonne

There’s your argument.

She’s also the only one I don’t worry about in a massive horde of Walkers.

4. Maggie Greene

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Maggie has probably suffered the most in the group. She lost her home (the farm), cousin (Arnold), step-brother (Shawn), mother (Josephine), step-mother (Annette), father (Herschel) and sister (BETH!). Yet she has remained one of the strongest willed characters on the show, even while her husband was Jon Snowing it for multiple episodes. That’s why Deanna trusted her as a leader in Alexandria.

5. Glenn Rhee

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Glenn cheated some insane and brutal death, but that whole thing didn’t seem like the way he should go. If Glenn’s going to die, his loved ones should see it and it should haunt our dreams for weeks. Only he can get away with calling Rick “dumbass” and he is still the group’s moral compass…while also being Maggie’s last shred of sanity.

6. Negan

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We haven’t even seen Negan yet he’s one of the most hyped characters in the history of television. That intrigue makes him more interesting, as does the suggestion by one of his cronies that EVERYTHING BELONGS TO HIM.

7. Carl Grimes

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Carl’s come a long way. There was a time I wanted him to be in same place as Sophia -like between him getting shot and then Rick saving him from God-knows-what with the Scavengers…Since then, the kid has stepped up and become quite the badass and way less of a brat.

8. Morgan Jones

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Morgan’s whole “development” episode with Eastman still feels like time I can’t get back, but it’s nice knowing how exactly he became a Jedi. Don’t know if the “no kill” rule is going to last for him or if he’ll last sticking to it. It does, however, bring some much needed humility to members of the group that are on the brink of becoming no better than the Wolves.

9. Carol Peletier

Carol TWD

I know quite a few folks are on Carol’s side in the #CarolvsMorgan fight and I don’t blame them. Her instincts have saved the group on multiple occasions. Her development is as vast as anyone. She’s also the devil to Darryl’s angel on Rick’s shoulders. That’s ironic when you think about how similar and close she and Darryl were at one point.

10. Aaron 

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Aaron is the most capable of all the Alexandrian citizens. Unlike the rest of his group, he actually knew what the outside world was like after spending long periods scouting potential members for the community to make it stronger. Had Aaron been around when the Alexandrians were turning on Rick, he probably would have helped convince them to adapt to the Ricktatorship.

11. Abraham Ford

Abraham TWD

I love Abraham. When he’s got a mission, he’s more focused and and scarier than anyone. Unfortunately he’s been a little broken since Eugene’s admission. I’m worried he’s reached the end of his arc wearing the officers uniform he found, but the method in his madness has practically resurrected Sasha…no Walking Dead pun intended.

12. Sasha Williams

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Sasha’s been the closest to the point of no return, among the group that’s survived since Woodbury. Losing Bob and her brother Tyreese certainly pushed her there. Abraham seems to have shown her just about how far gone she was though, mimicking her manic episode. Still not sure if he was doing that on purpose or not, but she’s as capable as anyone when she’s right.

13. Jessie Anderson

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Jessie is Rick’s moral center now, outside of Carl and Judith. She will also go full Mama Bear from The Revenant on anyone who threatens her children. That’s going to get really interesting if Carl is forced to come off of Ron, or if the zombies get F’ing Sam while he’s whining during their stealthy walk among the horde. At least we have this ‘Love Actually’ inspired gif…

Jessie Love Actually

Just in time for Valentine’s Day.

14. Enid

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Enid’s awesome but pretty wishy washy too. She seems ready to turn on the group at any moment because she doesn’t believe they’re built to survive…even though they’ve made it this far. One thinks she’s better off and more helpful on Carl’s side than the alternative.

15. Tara Chambler

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It’s pretty amazing how accepting the group is of Tara, considering she was aligned with the Governor when he decapitated Herschel. Her guilt being involved in that incident seems to have made up for it, and that’s mirrored with helping Eugene get to a point where he can redeem his own faults as well.

16. Rosita Espinosa

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We know almost nothing about Rosita besides her catching up with Abraham and the two keeping each other company. She’s handy with a gun though and meshes well with the group. Either we’ll get to know her better after this weekend, or we’ll just simply say “see ya” without really being too invested.

17. Baby Judith

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Come on. She’s Judith. Everybody loves Judith.

18. Tobin 

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Tobin is really just one of those “That Guy” characters from the Alexandria group, but he’s one of the few to go along with Rick’s plans. That ranks him a lot higher than most of the town…unless the Walkers got him. We really didn’t see him after they breached the wall.

19. Eugene Porter

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Eugene is working his way back to trust and redemption. His awkwardness and deadpan delivery kinda helps that, at least with the audience. Something tells me he’s got some developing to go and some lives to save before the show is done with him.

20. Denise Cloyd

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Denise is in a tough spot, being captive (we think) to the Alpha Wolf. She has Tara’s attention (and probably motivation) though after kissing her and she’s probably the only one qualified to save anyone medically.

21. Eric Raleigh

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No idea how Eric faired during the breach from the horde. Whatever has happened to him might make or break Aaron though.

22. Olivia

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Olivia runs inventory at Alexandria. That counts for something. And I THINK she’s still alive…?

23. Dwight

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A few things we know about Dwight.

  1. Dwight used to work for Negan.
  2. Dwight stole something from Negan (likely Honey).
  3. Dwight then betrayed Darryl who was trying to help him.
  4. Dwight also has Darryl’s crossbow.

Austin Nichols, who plays Dwight, tweeted about coming back for the finale. Not sure how happy we’re going to be about that.

24. Honey

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Honey is in the same boat as Dwight, when it comes to betraying both Negan and Darryl. I’m sure she’s going to wish she didn’t burn the latter.

25. Spencer Monroe

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Spencer’s in a weird spot. On the one hand, he’s Deanna’s son and has room to grow in her image. On the other hand, he’s reckless and stealing food from inventory. Why you gotta do Olivia like that, Spence?!

26. Father Gabriel

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I have a soft spot for Father Gabriel because Seth Gilliam is one of my favorites from The Wire. His character hasn’t been much help at all since he met the group, even turned on them at one point while he was debating his relationship with God…I have to think there’s a reason he asked for fighting pointers from Carl though and that somehow that will payoff.

27. Wade 

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Dude gives off a Dean Ambrose vibe but until we officially meet Negan, you get the feeling he’s going to be a royal pain in the ass. I’m also worried one of the 3 out of Abraham, Sasha and Darryl is going to be departing because of him.

28. Mikey

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You remember Mikey, right? No idea if this kid is still alive, but at least he’s not Ron.

29. Sam Anderson

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SHUT THE FUCK UP, SAM!

30. Ron Anderson

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Ron has a gun and zero backbone. He’s basically everything that was wrong with Carl during that time we all wanted him dead. Yes, I hope his little brother gets him killed on Sunday.

31. Alpha (Wolf)

Screen Shot 2016-02-10 at 6.19.48 PM Right now, zombies are more likable than this guy. That’s how bad he sucks.

 

We’ll update the rankings each week for the rest of the season. Hope your favorites stay alive…Unless your favorite is Ron. For more, follow along on Facebook or Twitter

 

And check out the first 4 minutes of Sunday’s midseason premiere now!

NFL Week 8 Fantasy Mailbag

What happens when you fire Joe Philbin, play the Titans and Texans in back-to-back weeks, and hand Lamar Miller the ball?

(The “Hard Knocks” Texans seem so long ago don’t they?)

In just two weeks, the Miami Dolphins look like the team their roster suggested they would be before the season even started. Miller had just 37 carries over the first 4 weeks of the season for 131 yards and no touchdowns. He has more than doubled that production in his last 2 games with 288 rush yards and 2 touchdowns on 33 carries (plus 61 yards and another touchdown receiving). The Dolphins also became the first team since at least 1940 to score 4 touchdowns of 50+ yards in the first half against Texans. Not a shabby start to the head coaching career for Dan Campbell.

The Dolphins head to New England tonight for what could be a shootout with Tom Brady and the Patriots. Don’t slow your roll yet on Miller as the Patriots are allowing 110 yards per game rushing. Now proceed to point and laugh at whoever dropped him in your fantasy league.

Quick Hits

  • The Cardinals running back situation seems pretty clear now with Zombie Chris Johnson ranked second in the league in rushing. Okay he’s more of a “Dawn of the Dead” zombie that runs. Fast…If you took my advice last week, you played Todd Gurley in DFS against the worst run defense in the league. The Browns have allowed more than 1,000 yards rushing on the season (132 more than the Chargers), and Zombie Chris Johnson should eat.

Chris Johnson

  • While the Chargers seem to have nearly given up on running the ball, the biggest benefactor of that trend has been Keenan Allen. Allen now leads the league in receptions with 62. Allen owners know that his point production is a little inconsistent, but he gets 12 targets per game. When Philip Rivers locks in on Allen, oh does he lock in…3 times this season, Allen has recorded 130+ yards and averages 13 catches in those games. His matchup against the Ravens smells like one of those games as Baltimore allows 214 yards and 1.6 to wide receivers each week.

Keenan Allen

  • While the sexiest tight end name in the game is Gronk, Greg Olsen is no slouch either. Olsen has 65+ yards and/or a touchdown in 5 of his 6 games this season. He’s gone for 130+ yards twice this season, and was targeted by Cam Newton 11 times in both of those games. I expect Newton to bounce back from a 3 interception game and to make Olsen a priority in order to do so. Olsen has already accounted for 21% of the targets each week and only trails Gronk for the most plays of 20+ yards this year.

Olsen

Mail Time!

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WR – I really like Jeremy Maclin this week against the Lions in London. Detroit is allowing 206 yards and 1 touchdown per game to wide receivers and Maclin is the only reliable receiver in Kansas City. In 3 of his last 4 games, Maclin averaged 7.5 catches and 106 yards.

RB – The guy I’m not picking of your group is James Starks. Ronnie Hillman is finally getting a majority of the first team reps in practice and THE DUKE is the back to have out of Cleveland. Johnson Jr. is the pass catching back and you have to expect the Browns to be playing from behind against Arizona…which means they’ll be passing. Starks is also banged up, a backup, and going against the best defense in football.

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A very close call. As much as I like Martavis Bryant with Ben Roethlisberger coming back, I like Stefon Diggs more against the Bears secondary. In 3 games played, Diggs has more targets, caches and twice as many yards as Mike Wallace. Go with the clear #1 WR the Vikings has as the Bears will be doing whatever they can to keep Adrian Peterson in check.

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I’m going to let this slide this week, but this^ is too many questions. Try to limit it to 2 going forward. Love ya, Emmet. 

Trade: Hard to pick a winner without knowing the needs of each team involved, but I am going with whoever received Tannehill in the deal. Tannehill is trending way up with Philbin off his back, and Eddie Lacy is losing more and more touches to Starks. This weekend will be the most telling on what Lacy is this season with Starks hurting. If Starks gets more work than Lacy again, I feel bad for anyone who picked the former Bama back way too high this year.

Flex 1: The Duke for for the reasons I gave Bucy. Tavon is boom or bust regardless of the matchup as Gurley is now the entire offense and Nick Foles sucks.

Flex 2: Not a great week for Jeremy Hill going against the Steelers. Pacing will probably make Gio Bernard the better option for the Bengals, but at least you know Hill will get touches. He also has the most touchdowns from within the 5 yard line. Moncrief has a bad matchup against the Carolina secondary.

(See, I’ve already answered 3 questions for you and there are 2 left. I’ve got shit to do, homie)

QB: Roethlisberger. Ed Werder of ESPN has him going and so should you with ALL of his scoring options available.

Flex 3: Woodhead

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You’ve got a solid matchup for Delanie Walker this week against the Texans defense. Whether it’s Mariota or Mettenberger under center, he’s their favorite target regardless. Watson has had a nice couple weeks, but Drew Brees has way more options to keep up with a tough Giants receiving corps.

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Larry Donnell isn’t a great option, but at least he’s done something in the last 6 weeks. Jordan Cameron hasn’t recorded more than 30 yards since Week 2. I won’t trust him until I see him do better than that again.

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I think you answered your own question, Donald. Tyler Eifert is a big reason for Andy Dalton’s success this season and I don’t see him slowing down anytime soon. Eifert has as many red zone targets as AJ Green. Also, look at what Pittsburgh gave up to Gronk and Travis Kelce combined: 19 catches, 259 yards and 5 touchdowns.

Have more lineup questions? Feel free to ask on both Facebook and Twitter! Also, don’t hesitate to post any questions for next week’s Mailbag. Good luck this weekend!