AFC East: Fantasy Football Roundtable

It’s already July, the hot dogs and burgers are hitting the grill and you can hear the joys of summer all through the streets. That can only mean one thing, fantasy football is right around the corner.

While we are enjoying our summer here as well, the Bruno Boys have still been very hard at work as we have launched the first part of our new website as well as the 2009 Bruno Boys Cheat Sheet Online Magazine. In the middle of that mix we found Bruno Boys Cavigs and Bruno Boys Ziza having a conversation about the AFC East.

AFC East Burning Questions

1. With the trade of Matt Cassel, the New England Patriots have all but admitted that Tom Brady is ready to rock and roll. What do you see from him in 2009?

Bruno Boys Cavigs: Brady will be good in 2009, but he won’t be 2007 good.  Don’t expect him to flirt with 50 touchdown passes again or throw 4+ TD passes on multiple weeks, but he still will be a top five fantasy quarterback and help many fantasy football teams reach the promise land. With that being said, I think a lot of Brady owners will be letdown throughout the season and you will find out why later in this article.

Bruno Boys Ziza: While Tom Brady looks to bounce back from his devastating injury of 2008, it is completely unfair to expect what he did in 2007 as he enjoyed the best season by any quarterback ever.

He will still be a top-5 fantasy quarterback this year and possibly even have the type of year that launches him to the best quarterback once again.

Let’s not forget that he has Randy Moss and Wes Welker to throw to, and with the Patriots looking to make another run at a championship he will definitely be slinging the pigskin around, everywhere.

I can see him going as a top-3 quarterback this year in fantasy drafts; I just wouldn’t want to be the one using a second round pick on him.

2. With the departure of Brett Favre, do you think Thomas Jones’ value as a fantasy running back takes a hit this year?

Bruno Boys Ziza: While Thomas Jones will be affected by the departure of Brett Favre as opposing defenses will be able to focus more on the New York Jets running game, there will be other factors that will affect Jones’ fantasy value. He is creeping up there in age; being in his 30’s will start taking a toll on him.

Word out of the Jets headquarters is that the depth chart could go three deep, with Leon Washington being the primary back to get a solid amount of Jones’ lost carries. I see Jones as nothing more than a low-end RB2 in deeper leagues and more than likely a RB3 when all is said and done.

Bruno Boys Cavigs: I think Ziza couldn’t have said it better, the biggest impact isn’t just they lost Favre, it’s the age factor combined with the Jets having Washington and Shonn Greene breathing down his throat for touches.

Jones was a workhorse last season, and for a good portion of the year he was the top fantasy running back in the business, but with the Jets drafting Greene and wanting him to play right out of the gate it’s a true indicator that they aren’t convinced he can keep it up moving forward.

Right now Jones grades out as a low-end RB2 in my book and if he fails to find pay-dirt at the rate he did last year he very well could be a RB3 by seasons’ end, like Ziza said.

Fantasy Football Preference - AFC East (Based on 12 team, standard scoring leagues)

1. Randy Moss vs. Wes Welker
Bruno Boys Cavigs: MOSS. If Tom Brady was still injured you can make the case for Welker, but with Brady back and the ready to prove something you can expect this duo to explode once again in 2009. T

he only consideration I give to Welker is in a PPR league, but expect Moss to see an increase in receptions this year after hauling in just 69 receptions in 2008.

Bruno Boys Ziza: MOSS. Cavigs, as you and I both know, last year was pretty even up as far as their stats went after it was translated into fantasy football points.

There is something different this year though and that is Tom Brady, not Matt Cassel will be throwing to Randy Moss and Wes Welker. While both will be no less than a top-W