Afraid not Sadly Cynical. Min fuel burn (in this descent context) = max time spent with thrust levers at idle. Less time at idle (hi spd descent) = more time with them open - be it prior to TOD or intermediate level off - it still means more burn.
Think about it, if you start your descent later you are spending a portion of time in the crz (with thrust applied) prior to a hi spd descent which could all have been spent at lower speed descent with thrust levers closed.
Now, back to the thread?