Bleacher Report - Articles by Michael Whooley

Fantasy Football Week 12 Rankings: Defenses

Michael Whooley — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:23:58 -0500

Every week we try to give you the best plays based on projections, statistical information, and how the teams match up. While we don’t get every defense right, the Bruno Boys provide you with enough reasoning to help make sense of why we are projecting these defenses where they are at.

Unlike other sites, we provide numbers and analysis that is unmatched by any other site. That’s why you need to keep checking in and see why a defense is ranked where it is with the playoffs approaching very quickly.

Week 12 again provides us with some good and bad match ups that you will want to follow. While you may want to depend on your defense you used a high pick on, this is the time you can use the extra roster space on an extra defense so you can play the match up card when your best defense is in a tough game.

Keep the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 12 Defense Rankings in mind when thinking of what defense to play this week.

BRUNO BOYS DEFENSIVE STAR SYSTEM

5-Stars (* * * * *) - Bruno Boys Top Plays of the Week

4-Stars (* * * *) – Bruno Boys Very Solid Plays of the Week

3-Stars (* * *) – Bruno Boys Average Plays of the Week

2-Stars (* *) – Bruno Boys Try to Avoid Playing this Week

1-Star (*) – Bruno Boys Do Not Start Unless You COMPLETELY Have To

Key Abbreviations: YPG (Yards Per Game); PPG (Points Per Game)

1. (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Cleveland Browns

Even after the average game against the Oakland Raiders when the Bengals were a five star rated defense, they should bounce back with an impressive performance this week.

Cincinnati was able to create three turnovers in the game against Oakland, which shows they are still an aggressive unit and will create fantasy footbal l production every week especially against inferior competition. That’s what the Cleveland Browns are this week, even after their 37 point game against the Detroit Lions .

Cleveland should come back to the form that made them the second worst offense in the NFL against Cincinnati and the defense will capitalize with a big day. This season the Bengals have allowed 310.5 yards and 16.7 points per game with 25 sacks and 18 turnovers.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * * * *

2. (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Oakland Raiders

Ever since the bye week back in Week Six, the Dallas Cowboys defense has played quite well, scoring eight fantasy points or more in four of their past five games. On Thanksgiving, they should add to the impressive total with the Oakland Raiders coming to town.

The Raiders are all but guaranteed to have multiple turnovers and since they are the worst offense in the NFL with 227.3 yards and 10.8 points per game. Ignore their latest win over the Cincinnati Bengals and know any defense playing them will do well. This year, Dallas has given up 329.9 yards and 17.5 points per game while adding 25 sacks and 12 turnovers. The Cowboys are a must start for Week 12.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * * * *

3. (Green Bay Packers) @ Detroit Lions

This may be a bit of a risky play considering two of their best players on defense, defensive end/linebacker Aaron Kampman and cornerback Al Harris , are out for the season with torn ACL’s. The bigger injury could be to the Detroit Lions offense, as they simply are not the same kind of unit without quarterback Matthew Stafford (injured shoulder ) behind center.

On the year, Green Bay has allowed 282.5 yards and 20.3 points per game while totaling 21 sacks and 22 turnovers. Usually when big injuries hit a defense it is a good idea to keep them on the bench to see how the backups do with all the added playing time. But this is the rare exception with the Lions on the schedule this week that you can play the Packers defense.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * * * *

4. (Seattle Seahawks) @ St. Louis Rams

Seattle’s defense may have been lit up by the Minnesota Viking s last week, but keep in mind how well they played in Week 1 against the St. Louis Rams when they pitched a shutout. The Seahawks seem to play their best against weak opponents, with their three big games on the year coming against the St. Louis Rams , Jacksonville Jaguars , and Detroit Lions .

This season Seattle has given up 347.3 yards and 23.3 points per game with 22 sacks and 14 turnovers. Ignore the negative point total from last week and feel comfortable that Seattle’s defense will put up an impressive performance and give you double digit points.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

5. (San Diego Chargers) vs. Kansas City Chiefs

San Diego has had its moments where they have shined this season, and one of those times was against the Kansas City Chiefs back in Week Seven when they had three interceptions and only allowed seven points.

Despite the Chiefs upset win over the Pittsburgh Steelers , their offense looked putrid for most of the game and only had 13 first downs all game. The Chargers will shut down the passing lanes and keep in check any running attack Kansas City may try to establish.

This year San Diego has allowed 321.1 yards and 20.5 points per game while adding 27 sacks and 15 turnovers. Count on the Chargers defense to have another big week and shut down the Chiefs for a 2nd time this season.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

6. (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Washington Redskins

This ranking may be a bit low for the Philadelphia Eagles defense considering the Washington Redskins will be starting their third string running back this Sunday. Look for a combination of quarterback Jason Campbell’ s inability to play consistently and a ball hawking secondary like the Eagles should lead to multiple turnovers.

Philadelphia should have no problem producing a big day with all the problems the Redskins have on offense. On the year the Eagles have given up 305.1 yards and 20.4 points per game while adding 30 sacks and 23 turnovers.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

7. (Miami Dolphins) @ Buffalo Bills

The weakness for the Dolphins defense all season long that we’ve talked about is their secondary due to how young the guys are back there. In Week 11 Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick showed he could throw the football against the Jacksonville Jaguars , but remember they were taking on of the worst pass defenses and 98 of his 297 yards came on one play.

Miami should be able to hold down the Bills the same way they did the Carolina Panthers last week, except doing a better job against the run. This season Miami has allowed 341.5 yards and 24.4 points per game with 29 sacks and 13 turnovers. The Dolphins will be a solid play for Week 12 among other defenses in fantasy football .
Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

8. (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Chicago Bears

One thing quarterback Jay Cutle r does as much as anyone else in the NFL is throw to the other team. While the Vikings don’t have a great secondary, their pass rush will force Cutler into making a lot of foolish decisions, which will lead to a big day for the Minnesota defense. On the year the Vikings have given up 317.0 yards and 19.3 points per game while adding 36 sacks and 16 turnovers.

Chicago struggled with the Philadelphia Eagles pass rush last week and there isn’t a team anywhere near as good as the Vikings and defensive end Jared Allen . The pressure will be there all day and with the combination of the sacks and turnovers created off those sacks, Minnesota should be a very good play this week.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

9. (New York Jets) vs. Carolina Panthers

Although the New England Patriots got revenge in a big way against the Jets last week, it wasn’t due to the defense. Quarterback Mark Sanchez gave way to 4 interceptions, one of which was for a touchdown, while continually giving New England great field position.

Therefore, you should simply ignore the 31 points allowed by New York last week. This season the Jets have allowed 294.4 yards and 18.9 points while totaling 18 sacks and 17 turnovers. Carolina will get its yardage on the ground with the run but the key for the Panthers will be whether quarterback Jake Delhomme will be able to make plays with his arm when his team needs it.

Don’t expect that to happen against an aggressive secondary who gets help with the pressure from the linebackers in blitz packages. Count on New York to at least be an average play with a good bit of upside.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * *

10. (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Baltimore Ravens

After a soft schedule made quarterback Joe Flacco look like an all pro to start the year, the Baltimore Ravens signal caller looks to be coming back down to earth. The biggest playmaker for the Ravens offense is running back Ray Rice who will likely be bottled up for most of the game.

The one thing the Pittsburgh Steelers do on defense is take away a teams best player on offense and if Rice isn’t out there making something happen for his team, Baltimore will struggle to get a victory.

This year Pittsburgh has given up 277.9 yards and 18.4 points per game while adding 30 sacks and 14 turnovers. The Steelers defense is susceptible to some big plays but they should finish in the top 10 in fantasy football scoring for Week 12.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * *

11. (New York Giants) @ Denver Broncos

It’s not that the Giants’ defense looked much improved from their losing streak in their last game against the Atlanta Falcons , but instead it’s the Denver Broncos’ offense that seems to be completely out of sorts right now. The way to attack New York’s defense will be with the deep ball, something Denver doesn’t do much of.

If the Giants can limit the short routes and the defensive line applies a ton of pressure, New York will be a lot better this week than their average ranking. This season New York is giving up 282.2 yards and 23.5 points per game with 22 sacks and 18 turnovers.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * *

12. (Arizona Cardinals) @ Tennessee Titans

One thing you have seen from the Tennessee Titans and Vince Young is that they will keep the ball on the ground most of the game and not resort to the pass until it is necessary. The Arizona Cardinals have been surprisingly strong against the run this season, ranking eighth in the NFL allowing 103.2 rush yards per game.

While running back Chris Johnson will get his yards, Arizona may be able to contain him and keep quarterback Vince Young in the pocket to not let him run all over the field. If the Cardinals can do that, they will force Young into some mistakes that will lead to big fantasy production.

This year Arizona has allowed 350.4 yards and 19.7 points per game while totaling 28 sacks and 16 turnovers. While Tennessee could explode at any time, it seems like the Cardinals defense may have the right personnel to hold down the Titans offense this week.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * *

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 12 RANKINGS , CLICK HERE !

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY GREG WARNOCK.

Fantasy Football Week 12 Rankings: Kickers

Michael Whooley — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 20:21:19 -0500

Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 12 Kicker Rankings.

1. David Akers (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Washington

Akers had his worst fantasy performance of the year in week 11, yet he still notched six fantasy points. That should tell you all you need to know about Akers’ consistency on the year.

The top fantasy kicker on the year is our top ranked kicker for week 12 as he gets set to face a Washington Redskins ’ team that he tallied 11 fantasy points against earlier this season.
Point Projection: 11 points

2. Ryan Longwell (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Chicago

Playing for what has now become an explosive offense in the Minnesota Vikings , a team that is posting over 30 points per game, Longwell has become an excellent option for fantasy owners. The Vikings’ kicker should once again get plenty of opportunities for fantasy points this week against a Bears’ defense that is allowing 22.5 points per contest.
Point Projection: 10 points

3. Lawrence Tynes (New York Giants) @ Denver

Tynes has been back on track of late, posting eight and nine fantasy points over the last two weeks. The good times should continue to roll on Turkey day as Tynes will match-up with a Denver Broncos’ defense that has given up nine or more fantasy points to opposing kickers in three of their last four contests.
Point Projection: 10 points

4. Mason Crosby (Green Bay Packers) @ Detroit

Not often does a matchup get any better for a kicker in the NFL . The Detroit Lions have allowed opposing kickers to score 9.7 fantasy points per game and have allowed eight field goal attempts over the past three games.

With the Packers sporting one of the best offenses the league it should lead to plenty of kicking chances out of Crosby. Don’t expect him to convert on four field goals like he did in Week Four against Detroit but two FGs to go along with a handful of extra points is likely.
Point Projection: 10 points

5. Jeff Reed (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Baltimore

In three meeting with the Baltimore Ravens last season, Reed notched seven total field goals. The Steelers’ kicker should have a busy day yet again on Sunday as the Steelers offense may sputter more than usual with Big Ben a bit banged up. Utilize Reed as a mid-tier K1 option for week 12.
Point Projection: 9 points

6. Rob Bironas (Tennessee Titans) vs. Arizona

Perhaps no one is happier to have Vince Young under center than kicker Rob Bironas . With Young leading the offense, Bironas has racked up four straight double digit fantasy performances.

The Arizona Cardinals have limited opposing kickers to just 5.8 points per contest this season, but in three of their last four games, the Cardinals have allowed 8+ fantasy points to the kicker position. Bironas’ may not hit the double digit mark in week 12, but he shouldn’t be too far off of it.
Point Projection: 9 points

7. Matt Stover (Indianapolis Colts) @ Houston

Stover has been a perfect seven for seven on field goal attempts since taking over the kicking duties for the Colts.

Sadly, though, that’s been in five games of work. However, fantasy owners should note that two of those field goals did come in the Colts’ first match-up with the Texans this season, a game that Stover had eight fantasy points in.
Point Projection: 9 points

8. Dan Carpenter (Miami Dolphins) @ Buffalo

Carpenter’s been a poor man’s David Akers this 2008 season. Following a dismal 1 point outing in week one, the Miami Dolphins’ kicker has 6+ fantasy points in every contest he’s played in. That includes a week four outing of eight fantasy points against the very Bills’ team he’ll be squaring off against in week 12. Feel free to continue to roll with the unheralded Carpenter.
Point Projection: 9 points

9. Nate Kaeding (San Diego Chargers) vs. Kansas City

Kaeding’s coming off a huge 15 point fantasy outing in week 11 and matches up against a Chiefs’ team that’s allowing 7.9 points per contest this season in week 12, making him a solid option for this weekend. In the Chargers’ previous meeting with the Chiefs, Kaeding notched 12 fantasy points.
Point Projection: 9 points

10. Jay Feely (New York Jets) vs. Carolina

Feely is coming off his worst performance of the year, as he tallied just two extra points in the team’s week 11 loss to the New England Patriots ; however, prior to that performance, he had five straight performances of 7+ fantasy points.

The Carolina Panthers , meanwhile, have allowed 13, six, and six fantasy points to opposing kickers over their last three outings, making Feely a borderline week 12 start.
Point Projection: 9 points

11. Stephen Gostkowski (New England Patriots) @ New Orleans

With both the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints averaging 29+ points per game this season, this week’s Monday Night affair promises to be one of the high-scoring variety. High-scoring games translate into solid fantasy days for those kickers involved, so look for Gostkowski to be close to his 9.0 point average.
Point Projection: 8 points

12. John Carney (New Orleans Saints) vs. New England

Over the Saints’ past two games, Carney has kicked 9 extra points to just one field goal. That ratio should even out a bit in week 12 with the Saints taking on the New England Patriots . While this game still promises to be a high-scoring affair, the Saints will be settling for more field goals than they’re use to.
Point Projection: 8 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 12 RANKINGS , CLICK HERE !

Fantasy Football Week 12 Rankings: Tight Ends

Michael Whooley — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:56:31 -0500

Week 12 is here and by now the playoffs in your league are probably forming its face. You know for the most part who is in and who is out; but for those that are lucky enough to still be in, Bruno Boys Nation that is, you can’t let down just yet. You still have a seed to fight for and a bye-week in Week 14 is always a nice break to sit back and enjoy some football without the stress of wondering if you are going to win or lose.

So tackle this article and the rest of the positional rankings that we have to offer this week and lets sew up a good playoff placing. Now onto this week’s edition of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 12 Tight End Rankings .

1. Greg Olsen (Chicago Bears) @ Minnesota

Why is Greg Olsen sitting on top of the Bruno Boys rankings this week for tight ends? It is a combination of two things. He has averaged over 57 yards per game during the past month and had a three touchdown performance in Week Nine against the Arizona Cardinals .

To top it off, the Minnesota Vikings have been horrible defending against the tight end position this year. Add in the fact that Jay Cutler has connected with Olsen a total of 13 times in the past two weeks you have to like his chances of performing at a high level this week.

Point Projection: 13 points

2. Vernon Davis (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Jacksonville

Vernon Davis has averaged nine fantasy football points per game during the past month; a month in which he has struggled some. If he gets back on track and continues his success that he had in Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers , in which he went for 108 yards and a touchdown, then Davis has a shot of finishing the season as the top fantasy tight end.

Even with the Jacksonville Jaguars shutting down the tight end position this season you should plug in Davis with confidence.

Point Projection: 13 points

3. Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Tampa Bay

This stud tight end has averaged almost 70 yards this past month while grabbing two touchdowns. Not too shabby considering that the Atlanta Falcons passing game as a whole has struggled. Look for his success to continue this week against the weaker Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense. Tony Gonzalez is a must start.

Point Projection: 13 points

4. Dallas Clark (Indianapolis Colts) @ Houston

This former first round pick went from the cream of the crop at the tight end position this year to a three yard, one touchdown performance against the Baltimore Ravens in Week 11. The good news though is that he faces the Houston Texans , a team he torched for 14 receptions and 119 yards in Week Nine, this week so he should get back on track for great yardage. If he tosses in a touchdown he could be the best play of the week.

Point Projection: 12 points

5. Antonio Gates (San Diego Chargers) vs. Kansas City

Truth be told, we love Antonio Gates this week but we need to be somewhat cautious as he has averaged only seven fantasy football points per week during the past month. In a similar match to the Kansas City Chiefs this week, were when the Chargers took on the Oakland Raiders in Week Eight, and they kept him to only 49 receiving yards. But with a talent like Gates you really can’t sit him unless you have a better option.

Point Projection: 11 points

6. Kellen Winslow (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) @ Atlanta

One game he is going for 11 fantasy points, the next 10 and sandwiching those two performances in was a 0 point and two-point performance. So in other words you probably should get a nice game from Kellen Winslow, but this is nowhere near a guarantee so don’t bet the house.

Point Projection: 9 points

7. Jermichael Finley (Green Bay Packers) @ Detroit

After missing a few games due to an injury, Jermichael Finley was in the lineup in Week 11 against the San Francisco 49ers . He did not disappoint as he put together 54 receiving yards on seven receptions.

That is near his average on the year and this week he gets to face the Detroit Lions , who have allowed a league high nine touchdowns to opposing tight ends on the season. Expect Finley to make it two straight games with at least 50 receiving yards.

Point Projection: 9 points

8. Zach Miller (Oakland Raiders) @ Dallas

Insert a new quarterback into the Oakland Raiders offensive attack and Zach Miller all of a sudden looks like a reliable fantasy football option. In fact, this week during the Dallas Cowboys he should see enough targets to put together a solid Turkey Day game for those brave enough to start him.

Look for him to build on the success that he had last week in which he went for 65 yards and a touchdown. The best part of it all is that if you are hurting to find a tight end Miller probably can be had on your waiver wire.

Point Projection: 8 points

9. John Carlson (Seattle Seahawks) @ St. Louis

Despite being shutout last week, John Carlson is normally good for at least 3-4 fantasy points with the occasional game that produces much more. This week should be that type of game as he faces the St. Louis Rams (54.6 yards per game to TE, 5 TDs) in which he had two touchdowns and 95 receiving yards against in Week One. While that does not guarantee anything, on potential alone it pushes him past many tight ends this week.

Point Projection: 8 points

10. Dustin Keller (New York Jets) vs. Carolina

As it goes with many tight ends, Dustin Keller’s play is just too inconsistent to rely on as a sure play, but he does go against the Carolina Panthers who should give rookie Mark Sanchez fits this week. Because of that Keller should be used as an escape route a lot this week. Don’t look for a touchdown, but nice yardage should be expected.

Point Projection: 7 points

11. Jeremy Shockey (New Orleans) vs. New England

The bad on Jeremy Shockey is that he is so up and down because of the balanced attack that the New Orleans Saints possess. The good is that he did go for 80 yards against New England in his last matchup against them. Take that as you wish but he remains no more than a low-end TE1 play in deeper leagues.

Point Projection: 6 points

12. Brent Celek (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Washington

Brent Celek is not a yardage whore, but he has become one that you really can depend on for a touchdown. Whether or not that translates into one this week remains to be seen but we are betting that he is no better than a low-end TE1 play in deeper leagues. His three touchdowns during the past four games though makes him intriguing.

Point Projection: 6 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 12 TIGHT END RANKINGS, CLICK HERE !

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY CHRIZ ZIZA .

Fantasy Football Week 12 Rankings: Wide Receivers

Michael Whooley — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:46:22 -0500

Last week was an interesting one for fantasy football fans. We saw some firsts, like Michael Crabtree’s first touchdown catch; some births, such as Robert Meachem seemingly becoming the favorite red-zone option for Drew Brees; and some rebirths, in the form of Terrell Owens finally having a huge game. The fantasy football playoffs loom right around the corner, and we’re here to help you round that corner and cross the finish line with this edition of Bruno Boys' Fantasy Football Week 12 Wide Receiver Rankings.

1. Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals) at Tennessee

Fitzgerald caught another touchdown pass last week in the Cardinals’ win over the St. Louis Rams. It was the third game in succession that Fitzgerald found his way into the end zone. His matchup this week against the woeful outfit the Titans put out to defend the pass is one to savor. However, if Kurt Warner (head injury) can’t give it a go on Sunday, and the Cardinals’ are forced to use Matt Leinart you might not see as much yardage out of Fitzgerald.

Projection: 20 points

2. Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts) at Houston

Wayne had seven catches for 89 yards last week in a solid effort against the Baltimore Ravens. The only thing missing was a touchdown reception fantasy football owners are so used to seeing him make—considering he had eight in nine games previous to last week. Wayne has actually gone without a touchdown in two of his last three games, but expect that to change this week.

Projection: 19 points

3. Vincent Jackson (San Diego Chargers) vs. Kansas City

Jackson has been so excited for the new Twilight movie to come out that he couldn’t keep football in the forefront of his mind for the last two weeks. Okay, that was completely made up, but there has to be some reason he’s been so mediocre over his past two games. In those games he has a combined total of just five catches for 66 yards and no touchdowns. However, the Kansas City Chiefs are often a good remedy for what ails wide receivers, and a return to prominence for Jackson seems like a good bet this week—especially when you take into consideration that the last time he faced Kansas City he went for 142 yards and one score.

Projection: 19 points

4. Andre Johnson (Houston Texans) vs. Indianapolis

It’s hard to believe that, prior to Monday night’s game against the Tennessee Titans, Johnson hadn’t scored a touchdown in four games. But he ended that drought with a score on one of his four catches, and added 78 receiving yards against Tennessee. Though Indianapolis has been tough against the pass most of the season, the last time Johnson faced them, Week 9, he had 10 receptions for 103 yards.

Projection: 18 points

5. Randy Moss (New England Patriots) @ New Orleans

Though the New Orleans Saints have only allowed nine touchdowns through the air this season, eight of those have come gone into the hands of a wide receiver, which places the Saints in a tie for 10th-most touchdowns allowed to receivers in the league. It’s not a super-high number, of course, but when talking about Moss, who has scored seven times over his last four games, it’s an indicator that he should find his way into the end zone yet again.

Projection: 17 points

6. Calvin Johnson (Detroit Lions) vs. Green Bay **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Megatron had a season-high 166 receiving yards, and his first touchdown grab since Week 2, last week against the Browns. This is exactly the type of game fantasy football owners needed to see from Johnson. It reaffirms the faith that many placed in him at the start of the year, because defenses like the one Cleveland threw out are the ones that Johnson should murder. The Packers, who just lost Al Harris for the season, have allowed more touchdown throws than all but three other NFL squads, so expect CJ to do big things.

Projection: 17 points

7. Greg Jennings (Green Bay Packers) @ Detroit

Using Jennings on your fantasy team in the last six weeks or so was akin to getting a toothbrush on Halloween. You may have needed a toothbrush, and in some way it was useful, but it just wasn’t what you were expecting, or hoping for. Last week, Jennings went from toothbrush to full-size Snickers bar with a season-high 126 receiving yards and one touchdown on five catches. This week, he could turn into a king-sized Snickers bar considering his opponent. The Detroit Lions have allowed the third-most receiving yards and fifth-most touchdown catches to wide receivers this season.

Projection: 17 points

8. Sidney Rice (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Chicago

Two weeks ago came the yards, last week came the touchdowns. After a 200-yard receiving game, but no scores, against the Detroit Lions, Rice caught two touchdown passes last week against the Seattle Seahawks, and has quickly vaulted to must-start status. As a nice bonus, the Chicago Bears have allowed the sixth-most touchdowns to wide receivers this season.

Projection: 16 points

9. Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Tampa Bay

White has had two disappointing performances in his last three contests, including last week’s four-catch, 45-yard display against the New York Giants. He hasn’t scored in three games, but he has an excellent chance to reverse that trend this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Bucs are tied with the Seattle Seahawks for the second-most touchdowns given up to wide receivers.

Projection: 16 points

10. Anquan Boldin (Arizona Cardinals) @ Tennessee

Last week’s eight-catch, 103-yard effort against the St. Louis Rams marked the second straight game in which Boldin had eight catches for over 100 yards. He also caught his first touchdown pass since Week 3. Now that he’s totally healthy, Boldin belongs in the class of elite fantasy football wideouts. Like Fitzgerald, this ranking is contingent upon quarterback Kurt Warner playing.

Projection: 15 points

11. Wes Welker (New England Patriots) @ New Orleans

If Welker actually scored touchdowns, he’d be the best fantasy football receiver on the planet considering all the yards and receptions he piles up. He had a monster game last week, with 15 catches for 192 yards, and still has played just one game this season in which he had fewer than eight catches and 80 yards. Yet, he hasn’t scored in three games. For a guy who averages nearly 10 receptions per game, he’s scored only four times.

Projection: 15 points

12. Mike Sims-Walker (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ San Francisco

Sims-Walker scored for the third consecutive game last week as his squad beat the Buffalo Bills. He caught a total of eight passes for 91 yards, which marked the fifth time in nine games he’s accumulated at least 90 receiving yards. He’s got a solid match-up this week against a San Francisco 49ers team that is 30th in pass defense.

Projection: 14 points

13. Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Cleveland

Last week, the Cleveland Browns allowed five touchdown passes to the Detroit Lions, so Ochocinco & Co. have to be licking their chops. He had just three catches for 24 yards the last time Cleveland and Cincinnati hooked up, but two of those receptions went for touchdowns, easing any pain that may have otherwise occurred.

Projection: 13 points

14. Hines Ward (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Baltimore

Ward had a predictably good game against the Kansas City Chiefs last week, with one touchdown reception as part of his 10-catch, 128-yard effort. It probably will not be quite so easy this week against the Baltimore Ravens, who are a much better defensive unit than Kansas City, and whose six touchdowns allowed to wideouts is tied for seventh-best in the NFL.

Projection: 13 points

15. Donald Driver (Green Bay Packers) @ Detroit

Driver has fallen off a bit over the past couple weeks, with games of 50 and 40 receiving yards, respectively. But his opponent this week is none other than the Detroit Lions, and that is always music to the ears of fantasy football owners. In his last game against them, Driver had seven catches for 107 yards.

Projection: 12 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 12 WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS , CLICK HERE !

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY KYLE SMITH .

Fantasy Football Week 12 Rankings: Running Backs

Michael Whooley — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:40:27 -0500

As we head into Week 12 of NFL action, we are, yet again, one week closer to the fantasy football playoffs.

Starting back in the summer when we put together our draft strategies, rankings and cheat sheets, this is what all our hard work was for—a chance to make the playoffs and fight for a fantasy football championship.

So, with just two weeks left in the regular season in most leagues, it is definitely not the time to start slacking. We must continue to work hard and make sure that we are making the right decisions at each and every position on our fantasy roster.

There have been a lot of injuries at the running back position over the past couple of weeks, which has made evaluating this very important position even more difficult than normal. So, as you filter through all the injuries and look for the best matchups that will help you to a very important victory this week, the Bruno Boys are here as always with the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 12 Running Back Rankings.

1. Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins) @ Buffalo

Starting in place of the injured Ronnie Brown, who is out for the season, Ricky Williams had his best game in years in a Week 11 victory over the Carolina Panthers. He had 22 carries for 119 yards with two touchdowns and added two catches for 19 yards with another touchdown. He is having career resurgence this year with 889 total yards and 10 total touchdowns in 10 games.

Williams has a great matchup in Week 12 and should be used as a high-end RB1 when the Dolphins face a Buffalo Bills defense that is not very good against the run. The Bills are allowing more than 165 rushing yards per game and have given up 15 rushing touchdowns this season.

Point Projection: 24 points

2. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Chicago

With 24 carries for 82 yards and four receptions for 16 yards, Adrian Peterson had a bad game by his standards last week against the Seattle Seahawks, but don’t let the down week discourage you. He is still one of the top running backs in all of football with 1,005 yards rushing and 11 touchdowns through 10 games this season.

This week he gets to play the Vikings’ division rival, the Chicago Bears, who he has had an excellent career against. Peterson has scored at least one touchdown in each of four career games against the Bears, and he has rushed for more than 100 yards in three of the games, including more than 200 yards in one game.

As always, Peterson is a RB1 option and should be in your starting lineup this and every week.

Point Projection: 21 points

3. Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans) vs. Arizona

Chris Johnson extended his NFL-leading rushing total when he had 29 carries for 151 yards in the Titans' victory over the Houston Texans on Monday night last week. It was his fourth straight game with 24 or more carries and his fifth straight game with over 125 yards rushing.

He has 1,242 rushing yards this season and has a realistic shot at surpassing the 2,000-yard mark this season. The only downside to his Week 11 game was the fact that he was held without a touchdown, but he does have nine total touchdowns on the season.

Johnson is currently the best running back in football, and he should continue to be in your starting lineup on a weekly basis as an elite fantasy option regardless of the matchup.

Point Projection: 20 points

4. DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers) @ New York Jets

DeAngelo Williams broke the 100-yard rushing mark for the fourth time in his last six games when he carried the ball 13 times for 122 yards in a Week 11 loss to the Miami Dolphins, but he did not find the end zone. He has 982 rushing yards with seven touchdowns this season, and he continues to be the top running back in Carolina, even though he shares carries with Jonathan Stewart.

Williams should be in your starting lineup as a No. 1 fantasy running back this week against a New York Jets defense that has given up 20-plus fantasy points to the running back position in each of their last two games.

Point Projection: 18 points

5. Steven Jackson (St. Louis Rams) vs. Seattle

After not scoring a single touchdown in the first seven games of the season, Steven Jackson scored a touchdown for the third straight game in a Week 11 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. He had 24 carries for 116 yards in the game, and it was the fourth straight game that he topped the century mark. He is the only consistent option in a St. Louis offense that continues to struggle.

Jackson should once again be in your starting lineup as a No. 1 running back when the Rams take on the Seattle Seahawks in Week 12. The Seahawks have allowed 1,100 rushing yards and eight rushing touchdowns through 10 games this season.

Point Projection: 18 points

6. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ San Francisco

Maurice Jones-Drew was expected to have a huge game last week. It was a David versus Goliath type of matchup when Jones-Drew, who has been one of the best fantasy running backs this season, faced off against the Buffalo Bills, who had the league’s No. 32-ranked run defense going into the game. Unfortunately, for his owners, he managed just 13 fantasy points in Jacksonville’s victory.

This week he will have a tough matchup against a San Francisco defense that has been very good against the run this season but did allow Green Bay’s Ryan Grant to rush for 129 yards and a touchdown in a Week 11 loss. Jones-Drew is a weekly must-start and should be used as a No. 1 running back this week.

Point Projection: 18 points

7. Thomas Jones (New York Jets) vs. Carolina

For the fourth time in five games, Thomas Jones rushed for more than 100 yards in a game when he had 21 carries for 103 yards last week against the New England Patriots. He did not record a catch or score a touchdown but had a solid game against a good rush defense. He has scored in double figures in eight of 10 games this season and is the clear-cut No. 1 rushing option for the Jets.

Jones should be used as a RB1 this week against a Carolina Panthers rush defense that is allowing 130.7 rushing yards per game and has given up 11 rushing touchdowns in 10 games this season.

Point Projection: 18 points

8. Frank Gore (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Jacksonville

Frank Gore had just seven carries for 59 yards in a Week 11 loss to the Green Bay Packers. However, he did score a touchdown for the fourth straight game when he caught a 10-yard touchdown pass with less than three minutes to play in the game. The 49ers were down 20-3 less than halfway through the second quarter and were forced to abandon the run, which kept Gore neutralized.

This week San Francisco will face a Jacksonville team that is not as strong against the run as the Packers, as they are allowing 112.1 rushing yards per game. Gore should be used as a No. 1 fantasy running back this week against the Jaguars.

Point Projection: 17 points

9. LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers) vs. Kansas City

LaDainian Tomlinson had 20 carries for 73 yards with a touchdown in a Week 11 win over the Denver Broncos. He appears fully recovered from an early season injury and has had 18 or more carries is five of the Chargers' last six games. He is San Diego’s top running back option, something made evident by the fact that he has scored five touchdowns in his last three games.

This week he gets to face a Kansas City rush defense that is allowing more than 135 rushing yards per game and has given up nine rushing touchdowns in 10 games. Tomlinson should be in your starting lineup as a RB1 fantasy option against the Chiefs.

Point Projection: 17 points

10. Ryan Grant (Green Bay Packers) @ Detroit

Facing a San Francisco rush defense that was allowing just 87.7 yards per game, Grant had 21 carries for 129 yards with a touchdown in a Week 11 win. It was the second game this season in which he crossed the 100-yard mark, and it was the third time in five games he scored a touchdown. It was, also, the seventh time in 10 games that he has scored double-figure fantasy points.

This week the Packers head to Detroit to face the Lions on Thanksgiving Day. He has faced the Lions five times in his career and is averaging 74.8 yards per game with two touchdowns, including a 90-yard effort on 24 carries in Week Six. Use Grant as a low-end No. 1 running back option this week against the Lions.

Point Projection: 17 points

11. Marion Barber (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Oakland

Marion Barber had his best rushing performance since Week Two when he rushed for 99 yards on 20 carries against the Washington Redskins in Week 11, but for the third straight game, he did not score a touchdown. However, it was the first time he surpassed 53 yards rushing in six games. He appears to be fully recovered from a nagging thumb injury that has bothered him of late.

He has an excellent matchup in Week 12 against an Oakland Raiders defense that is allowing 157.7 rushing yards per game and has given up 16 rushing touchdowns through 10 games. Coming off a solid performance last week, Barber should be used as a low-end No. 1 fantasy running back when the Raiders come to town.

Point Projection: 16 points

12. Cedric Benson (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Cleveland **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Cedric Benson missed the Bengals’ Week 11 loss to the Oakland Raiders with a hip injury. He has been a workhorse for Cincinnati this season, and in nine games played, he has 205 carries for 859 yards with six touchdowns.

If Benson is able to play this week, he has an excellent matchup against a Cleveland defense that is near the bottom of the NFL against the run, ranking 29th, and he should be used as a low-end RB1. If Benson is unable to play in the game, look for rookie Bernard Scott to get the start for the second straight week.

Point Projection: 16 points

13. Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts) @ Houston **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

In a Week 11 victory over the Baltimore Ravens, Joseph Addai had a season-high 74 yards rushing on 19 carries with a touchdown. Even though he has yet to reach 100yards rushing in a game, he has scored a touchdown in seven of 10 games this season and has scored 10 total touchdowns on the year.

This week, he has a solid matchup against a Houston defense that he had more than 100 total yards and two total touchdowns against in a Week Nine outing. Continue to use Addai as a No. 2 fantasy running back this week against the Texans.

Point Projection: 16 points

14. Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) vs. Pittsburgh

Even though Ray Rice’s four-game touchdown streak came to an end in the Ravens’ Week 11 loss to the undefeated Indianapolis Colts, he had a very good all-around game. He finished the game with 20 carries for 71 yards and seven receptions for 64 yards. He has scored double-digit fantasy points in nine of Baltimore’s 10 games this season and is the clear-cut No. 1 running back for the Ravens.

Rice will have a tough matchup this week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have allowed less than 70 rushing yards per game and have given up just two rushing touchdowns this season. Rice should be used as a RB2 against the Steelers; even if they slow him down in the running game, he is a threat catching the ball out of the backfield.

Point Projection: 15 points

15. Jason Snelling (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Tampa Bay **CHECK M. TURNER’S INJURY STATUS**

Getting his first start of the season and second of his career, Jason Snelling had a good performance filling in for the injured Michael Turner. He finished the game with 25 carries for 76 yards with two touchdowns in a Week 11 loss to the New York Giants. The only downside to his game was that he averaged just 3.0 yards per carry.

If Turner and Jerious Norwood remain inactive for Week 12, Snelling should be used as a RB2 against the Buccaneers. Make sure you keep an eye on Turner’s status though before inserting Snelling into your starting lineup.

Point Projection: 15 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 12 RUNNING BACK RANKINGS, CLICK HERE !

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY LARRY JOSEPH.

Fantasy Football Week 12 Rankings: Quarterbacks

Michael Whooley — Thu, 26 Nov 2009 02:30:50 -0500

Sure, there are some good match-ups this week, including the Chicago Bears heading to Minny to take on Brett Favre and the Vikings, an AFC North match-up pitting the Pittsburgh Steelers against the Baltimore Ravens , as well as the rematch of the Indianapolis Colts and Houston Texans .

But, the biggest game this week will be when the New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady play at the Superdome against the New Orleans Saints and quarterback Drew Brees .

Just two weeks ago, the Patriots almost ended the Colts undefeated season, but a questionable decision to go for it on fourth down late in the game cost New England.

This week the Patriots will have another shot at taking down an undefeated team, but playing at New Orleans isn’t easy as the Saints have won nine of their last ten games at home. Aside from the incredible quarterback play that will be on display in this game, these are two of the league’s best teams, so be sure you do whatever you can to watch this game.

To find out where Brady, Brees and the rest of the quarterbacks stack up in week 12, continue reading the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 12 Quarterback Rankings.

1. Aaron Rodgers (Green Packers) @ Detroit

Winners of three in a row and five of their last six, the Green Bay Packers appear to have turned their season around following a 1-3 start. There’s no way they’d be in this position without quarterback Aaron Rodgers .

A lot has been made of the play of other quarterbacks such as Favre, Brees, Brady and Manning, but it is Rodgers who currently tops all quarterbacks in points scored this season.

The match-up with the Detroit Lions this week will only solidify his ranking as the top quarterback. Last week the Lions gave up 344 passing yards and four touchdowns to Brady Quinn and the Cleveland Browns , making Rodgers the best quarterback play this week.
Point Projection : 23 Points

2. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) vs. Kansas City

San Diego Chargers’ quarterback Philip Rivers only threw for 145 yards and a touchdown last week, but still led his team to a dominating win over the Denver Broncos . And, a large part of the reason Rivers’ numbers were so low was because San Diego took an early lead and ran the ball often.

This week Rivers should return to form against the Kansas City Chiefs , who are 26th or lower in every major defensive category. The Chiefs offense, however, has taken some positive steps in the recent weeks due in part to the addition of wide receiver Chris Chambers , who was cut by the Chargers earlier this season.

As the Chiefs offense should make this more of a game for San Diego than Denver did last week, expect a big game from Rivers.
Point Projection: 20 Points

3. Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints) vs. New England

This is the match-up that has had us anticipating week 12 for a while now. We not only get to see two of the best quarterbacks in the league, but we also get to see two of the best teams in the league play each other in what, dare we say, could be a potential Super Bowl match-up.

Reasons why Brees will have a good game even against a stout New England defense: he broke a four-game interception streak last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , he has six multiple-touchdown games this season, the game will be played in the Superdome, and last but not least, the Saints have too many good receivers to cover, let alone keep track of.
Point Projection : 20 Points

4. Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Chicago

This is another favorable match-up for Favre this season, one of what has been many. Favre and the Vikings get to play at home in the dome against a Chicago Bears’ defense that is 18th in points allowed and not good in coverage. Favre has been simply incredible at home this season as his only two single-digit fantasy football performances came on the road.

Making this match-up even juicier is the fact that the Bears gave up 24 points last week to an out-of-sync Philadelphia Eagles offense, and as well as the Vikings have been playing that should inspire a lot of confidence in Favre’s owners.
Point Projection : 19 Points

5. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Baltimore **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Pittsburgh quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was in the middle of an incredible game last week with the Chiefs when he took a knee to the helmet in overtime and left the game.

Then, there was the confusion.

Was it a concussion? It certainly appeared so, but after the game, Steelers’ head coach Mike Tomlin said it was merely “concussion-oriented” instead of an actual concussion. Interesting!

Either way, it looks like Roethlisberger will play this week, which is a good sign as the Ravens are a middle-of-the-road team when it comes to defending the pass.
Point Projection: 17 Points

6. Tom Brady (New England Patriots) @ New Orleans

The other interesting part about the Patriots-Saints match-up will be watching Brady and the Patriots offense play against the Saints’ ball-hawking defense.

The Saints are so good at intercepting passes that it’s a bit scary to start any quarterback against them regardless of how good that player is, yet at the same time we’re never going to advise benching Brady. Don’t forget what Brady did two weeks ago to a really good Indianapolis defense when he threw for 375 yards with three touchdowns and one pick.
Point Projection : 16 Points

7. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Tampa Bay

Atlanta Falcons’ quarterback Matt Ryan finally got back on track last week in the Falcons’ overtime loss to the New York Giants when he threw for 268 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. That game broke a string of four games of single-digit fantasy football performances for Ryan, and even though it came in a loss, it is a good sign for the young quarterback.

Another good sign for Ryan is that the Falcons will play at home against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week. Tampa Bay is a team that just cannot stop opposing offenses as the Buccaneers are 31st in points allowed.
Point Projection : 16 Points

8. Kurt Warner (Arizona Cardinals) @ Tennessee **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Similar to Roethlisberger, Arizona Cardinals’ quarterback Kurt Warner left last week’s game with what appeared to be a concussion. Yet, when asked about it after the game, Arizona head coach Ken Whisenhunt said it was not a concussion, but that Warner was suffering from “concussion-like symptoms.”

Warner is listed as probable this week and claims he could have finished the game last week had it been necessary. This week’s game against the Tennessee Titans should be a solid one for Warner as the Titans are 31st in pass defense and 30th in points allowed.
Point Projection : 15 Points

9. Carson Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Cleveland

The Cincinnati Bengals’ loss last week to the Oakland Raiders will be blamed mostly on receiver Andre Caldwell , who lost a fumble on a kickoff return with the game tied and less than a minute remaining. However, two turnovers from quarterback Carson Palmer did not help things.

Palmer and the Bengals offense should rebound well this week. First of all, the Bengals have played well at home this season and have responded well coming off of both of their other losses.

Secondly, they’ll be playing against the Cleveland Browns , who allowed Detroit Lions’ quarterback Matthew Stafford to lead a last-minute drive for the winning score in addition to allowing the rookie to throw for five touchdowns and over 400 yards.
Point Projection : 15 Points

10. Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks) @ St. Louis

Two turnovers and no touchdowns in a loss to the Vikings is a performance Seattle Seahawks’ quarterback Matt Hasselbeck , along with his fantasy owners, would like to forget.

He’ll get a good opportunity to move past that this week as Seattle plays on the road versus the St. Louis Rams , who are allowing 239 passing yards and 27 points per game. Prior to last week, Hasselbeck had put together three consecutive double-digit fantasy performances, so last week was likely more of an aberration than the norm as he went against a good defense. Playing the Rams this week, there’s no reason why he shouldn’t be in your lineup.
Point Projection : 15 Points

11. Matt Schaub (Houston Texans) vs. Indianapolis

It seems like when talking about Houston quarterback Matt Schaub , we always said “Yeah, well if he could just stay healthy…”

Lo and behold, he’s lived up to expectations this season as he’s been able to remain healthy. In doing so, has been lighting up fantasy score boards.

This past Monday in a loss to the Tennessee Titans , Schaub threw for 305 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. This week it’s a rematch of the week nine game between Indianapolis and Houston, a game in which Schaub threw for 311 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Expect a similar performance from Schaub this week.
Point Projection : 15 Points

12. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) @ Houston

Indianapolis quarterback Peyton Manning struggled from a statistical standpoint last week as he had just 299 yards but just one touchdown with two interceptions. He did lead the team to a close win on the road against a pretty good Baltimore defense, but realistically, he should have done better against a mediocre group of cornerbacks.

This week the Colts will play at surging Houston, which limited Manning to just 14 fantasy football points in week nine. Even if Manning leads the Colts to a big road win in this game, you shouldn’t expect a huge game from him.
Point Projection : 14 Points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 12 QUARTERBACK RANKINGS , CLICK HERE !

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY CORY STEGER.

If You're Out of Fantasy Football Playoff Contention...

Michael Whooley — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:55:24 -0500

Last week’s column was directed at teams that have basically locked up a fantasy football playoff spot. This week’s column is focused on teams who are out of playoff contention. I see fantasy owners make embarrassing mistakes each year when their season has tanked. After reading this, hopefully you won’t be THAT owner this season.

1. Do NOT start a firesale.

If you’re out of playoff contention, don’t trade or release your stud players for nothing. Not only does it make you look childish and immature, but you will also cause problems for the rest of the league by creating an imbalance of talent on some rosters.

2. Do NOT whine or complain.

Nobody in your league really cares that your 2-7 team is the third highest scoring team in the league. That may be bad luck, but it happens. Like NFL teams, your fantasy football team is only as good as your record. Complaining or whining about your bad luck is petulant.

3. Continue to field the best team you can for the rest of the season.

When things get bad, this can be tough to do. It is, however, imperative that you do so. Not doing so is reflective of your character in a very negative way. Basically, it shows that you’re a quitter when the chips are down. Does anyone really want that kind of reputation?

4. Playing the role of a spoiler is fun.

I know this sounds like a consolation prize, but the opportunity to be a spoiler for another team’s season can be deviously gratifying. This is even more so if you have the opportunity to beat a division rival in the final weeks of the season to cost that owner a playoff spot. They may have the better record, but they’ll be watching the league playoffs just like you. There’s satisfaction and pride to be taken in that…

5. Don’t question or criticize league rules once you’re out of contention.

The time to question, criticize, or debate league rules is at your draft/auction or before Week 1. Disparaging league rules when your team is 1-8 looks like you’re making excuses to the rest of the league. That may not be the case, but it will be the perception. For most people, perception is reality.

If you’re out of contention in your fantasy football league, these are just a few things you can do to make sure you’re respected by your league competitors and invited back to the league the next season.

Matt’s Mailbag
Hi Matt ,

I’d like to preface this with: I work nights and weekends, so any of the Live Q&A sessions I tend to miss. So if this email comes off as inappropriate or another one of the mass emails you probably receive crying “what do I do with my team,” I apologize.

I enjoyed your fantasy playoffs preparation article immensely. Been a constant follower of Bruno Boys for a while now, always quality.

I’m an avid preparer, and really I feel I can hold my own in fantasy football circles, as I consistently field good teams in high money high competition leagues with coworkers and friends. I really just need outside perspective on my situation from someone who is both well informed, and not competing against me.

I’m currently facing a dilemma in my main money league. It’s a 12 person league, PPR, standard ESPN scoring otherwise. I’ve managed to rack myself up into a comfortable spot in second place at 7-2. I’m trying to baby-step my team to be more secure but I’ve hit a wall.

Starting positions are: QB, RB, RB/WR, WR, WR, TE, K, Team DEF. 6 Bench Slots + 1 IR Slot.

Roster is:

QB: Ryan/Hasselbeck

RB : MJD/Ray Rice/Jonathan Stewart/Reggie Bush

WR: R. White /Calvin Johnson/Mike Sims-Walker/Dwayne Bowe

TE: Rotating on a weekly basis based off of matchup. Zach Miller this week. I drafted Z. Miller, but he busted most of the season thanks to JaMarcus Russell so I’ve been rotating out.

K: Lawrence Tynes (Robbie Gould filling in for the bye week)

DEF: Rotating on a weekly basis based off of matchup. Titans this week.

Overall it’s a pretty stout lineup, but I feel my weaknesses are glaring. My QBs are both shaky plays, with Hasselbeck having good matchups upcoming, but nothing solid. My TE situation is atrocious but due to a lack of player movement in my league I’ve had a hard time snagging a decent starter.

I think there is a very real chance I can package Matt Ryan /Ray Rice together and come down with Tom Brady /Larry Fitzgerald . Should this be a trade I should push for? Larry Fitz and Tom both have extremely good week 14-16 matchups, as you pointed out. I technically have a first round BYE, but I have no illusions about holding onto it.

Ray Rice’s schedule for the same weeks is good but not stellar. Would this kind of shake up trade be something worth doing? Should I not shop Rice / MJD around?

Also, I have a chance of packaging Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush for Kellen Winslow /Percy Harvin . Any thoughts on this as well?

I’ve had to pull teeth to figure out any trades that are good trades in general. My bench makes it difficult because they’re seem to be good/upside to trade away for cheap (Johnson/Bowe/Stewart) but not good enough to trade for solid players. It doesn’t help the waiver wires have been picked clean. I need to grab Willis McGahee off the waivers but I don’t know who is worth ditching to grab him.

I’m sorry for the long email, thanks for any advice you give. Feel free to respond at your leisure (or hell, not at all if you’re busy), I’m not the easily offended type.

Sincerely,

Justin in Hartford

Hi Justin ,

Thanks for the excellent write up and question. This is a perfect example of what I’m looking for in mailbag submissions.

First of all, let me just say that I like the way you’re thinking about things. It’s obvious you took a lot from last week’s column and this sort of high level thinking wins a ton of fantasy football leagues each year.

From a pure matchup standpoint, trading Matt Ryan /Ray Rice for Tom Brady /Larry Fitzgerald seems to be a great move. In your particular case, given your league scoring system, this would be a great deal for you. You only have to start one RB, which means either Maurice Jones-Drew or Jonathan Stewart after you deal Rice.

Now, if you were required to start two RBs, I would actually advise you against this deal because of the imbalance it would create on your team. You would have a plethora of talent at WR (three top five guys), but you would be fairly weak at RB if you had to start two every week. Being able to upgrade at QB with Brady and add another elite WR you can start with two other studs is a situation you can’t pass up.

I would recommend against trading Calvin Johnson /Reggie Bush for Kellen Winslow /Percy Harvin .

If you can make the deal for Brady and Fitzgerald, do it. It’s the kind of make or break move that turns a fantasy football team from mere contender to champion.

Thanks again for the excellent question, Justin.

Bruno Boys Matt

Well, that’s it for this week. Since everyone always asks, I’ll just tell you that my team is now 8-0-1 in the Bruno Boys Staff League . Huge matchup this week against Bruno Boys Cavigs who seems hell-bent on putting a one in my loss column. If you have any questions or want to make a mailbag submission, feel free to email me at mkamke@brunoboys.net . Best of luck this week.

Fantasy Football Week Ten: Sit Ems

Michael Whooley — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 22:51:06 -0500

With just two teams (the New York Giants and Houston Texans ) on the bye this week, the player pool that fantasy owners have to choose from is the largest it has been since Week Three. That’s good news as it gives you plenty of options to go with for your starting line-up; however, that’s bad news because it gives you plenty of options to go with for your starting line-up. Helping to make your decisions easier, the Bruno Boys present the Fantasy Football Week 10 Sit Ems .

QUARTERBACKS —SIT ‘EM

Kyle Orton (Denver Broncos) @ Washington

Following six straight weeks of double digit fantasy production, Kyle Orton has struggled in his two games since returning from the Broncos’ bye week. Against the Baltimore Ravens , he posted a mere 152 yards, and versus the Pittsburgh Steelers , he amassed just 221 yards and three interceptions. In both games, Orton failed to find pay dirt. After weeks like those, you probably weren’t expecting for it to get much better against the “best” pass defense in the NFL (160 yards per game, seven touchdowns in eight games), but if you were, be warned as the Redskins have been great at not allowing the big plays to occur through the air (sixth in the NFL with 17 plays of 20+ yards). Orton and the Broncos could struggle getting it going offensively.

Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) vs. Philadelphia

Surrounding himself with big targets in Vincent Jackson , Malcom Floyd , and Antonio Gates has done wonders for Rivers’ fantasy prospects in 2009. However, while Rivers has undoubtedly been a top-10 fantasy QB, a top-five option in many weeks, he has to go up against a Philadelphia Eagles defense that is fuming after losing to their division rival, the Dallas Cowboys . Second in the NFL in sacks with 27, tied for second in INTs with 15, and 11th with 205 passing yards per game allowed, the Eagles have been a top-five defense versus the pass this season. Even though the Chargers’ offense can definitely be stellar, Rivers could struggle to get things going this weekend versus Philly.

RUNNING BACKS —SIT ‘EM

Ryan Grant (Green Bay Packers) vs. Dallas

Grant is a mid-level RB2, who is a must start with good match-ups (see Week Nine against Tampa Bay). The Cowboys, however, don’t fit that mold. Dallas only allows 102.9 rushing yards per game, which is bad news for a running back that has just one 100-yard game on the year, and rank fourth in the NFL having given up only three rushing TDs this entire season. While this game could be a shoot out, we expect it to be QB Aaron Rodgers and the WR corps to put up the numbers for Green Bay instead of the Packers run game.

Ladell Betts (Washington Redskins) vs. Denver

Ladell Betts may be this week’s hot waiver wire pick-up, but his match-up against the Broncos isn’t exactly a good one. Denver has only given up three rushing scores this season, and the Redskins offense is stagnant to say the least, posting just 14.1 points a game. While Betts has some potential as a receiver out of the backfield, we don’t believe he is a worthy start against one of the better defenses this season (even with the last two losses the Broncos have), especially since he’s working with a slight ankle sprain that he suffered in the Redskins’ Week Nine match-up with the Atlanta Falcons.

Marion Barber (Dallas Cowboys) @ Green Bay

It’s hard to know what to make of the Barbarian this season. He runs hard every time that he’s in, but that just hasn’t been on a consistent enough basis this season. With Tashard Choice and Felix Jones stealing a handful of carries, Barber has cemented himself as an RB3 with the potential to go for 10-12 fantasy points each week. The Pack’s rush defense, which is 9th in the league, has easily been good enough to comfortably sit Marion Barber on your team’s La-Z-Boy and not think twice about it in week 10.

Potential Bust Pick of the Week:

Cedric Benson (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Pittsburgh

Yes, Benson has cemented himself as a must-start week in and week out. However, his match-up with the Pittsburgh Steelers is far from ideal. The Steelers are the best rush defense in the NFL by a lot (better than their foe Cincy by 13 rush yards per game), so while it’s tough to sit Benson, he could definitely struggle in the Steel City. Looking at Benson’s total body of work in 2009, it’s amazing that he failed so miserably with the Chicago Bears . He has been perhaps the most consistent on a week-to-week basis as anyone, but he may fall short of expectations this weekend.

WIDE RECEIVERS —SIT ‘EM

Santana Moss (Washington Redskins) vs. Denver

It’s not to say that Moss can’t put up a good week every now and then, but Champ Bailey is going to be covering him in this one. Santonio Holmes had a solid game in Week Nine against the Champ (six catches, 93 yards), but Santana doesn’t have Ben Roethlisberger throwing the ball his way. Jason Campbell is a slight downgrade from Big Ben to put it nicely, and it should directly correlate to a weak week for the lesser Moss.

Eddie Royal (Denver Broncos) @ Washington

Perhaps we should stop picking on the Broncos/Redskins game that will most likely be a low-scoring affair, but both teams have good defenses and below-average offenses (perhaps a compliment when it comes to the Redskins’ offense). Eddie Royal has been perhaps the biggest disappointment for a WR in 2009, posting just 25 catches for 232 receiving yards and zero touchdowns (you can count the return TDs if you’d like, though). Keep him on your bench against the best pass defense in the NFL because this is not the week this sleeper wakes up.

Dwayne Bowe (Kansas City Chiefs) @ Oakland

Bowe has had a solid overall year, but it’s gotta be hard to start him each week with so many unknowns on the Chiefs. While we like RB Jamaal Charles as a RB this week, Bowe is now competing with free agent pick-up Chris Chambers when it comes to the receiving game, and Chambers is 1-0 against Bowe this season. The Raiders have only allowed seven touchdowns to WRs this season through eight games, so while Bowe will see his targets and get some hard-fought yardage, his prospects of scoring a TD are slim. Other than his match-up against the Raiders early this season (56 yards and a TD), Bowe has been relatively contained in his career vs. Oakland (254 yards, 1 TD).

Nate Washington & Kenny Britt (Tennessee Titans) vs. Buffalo

With all the struggles the Buffalo Bills have had, it apparently hasn’t been in the air where they have been defeated. The Bills have allowed only six passing TDs to 15 INTs in their eight games this season. This week they go up against a run first (run second and run third) offense in the Tennessee Titans . With Justin Gage out due to fractured bones in his back, some fantasy owners may be looking at the likes of Washington and Britt as WR3 type options; however, that’s a mistake. It actually would be a surprise to see the Titans throw more than 15 times this game. Limited throws means limited opportunities for these two to put up fantasy points.

TIGHT ENDS —SIT ‘EM

Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons) @ Carolina

In moving to Atlanta, with a talented young QB and some solid weapons surrounding him, high expectations were set for Tony G. However, the tight end, while still a top-10 option, hasn’t lived up to those lofty projections. Gonzalez has averaged 7 fantasy points over his last three weeks, slightly worse than his season average of 8 fantasy points per week. Things don’t look to improve this week. The Panthers are a tough match-up allowing only 10 passing TDs to 9 INTs and less than 182 yards per game through the air. Tony G.’s been solid, but he could struggle against the Panthers strong secondary in week 10.

KICKERS —SIT ‘EM

Jeff Reed (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs. Cincinnati

For the second week in a row, we place Jeff Reed as our Sit ‘Em Fantasy Kicker . He logged four fantasy points on four extra-points against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football, and he has yet to post double-digit fantasy points from the kicker position this year. While his offense may put up a few scores, his chances of double-digit fantasy points aren’t good (Heinz Field is the worst place to kick in the NFL).

DEFENSES —SIT ‘EM

Philadelphia Eagles D/ST @ San Diego

The Eagles were not the typical Eagles when they played against the Cowboys on Sunday Night. While they were able to record one interception and four sacks, they weren’t able to get off the field when it mattered most, and as a result, Tony Romo was able to beat them. The Eagles go up against a well-rounded offense led by Philip Rivers , who while our QB Sit ‘Em this week, can always do damage. The Eagles may win this game, but they are not a recommended start for this weekend versus the Chargers.

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THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY JACOB LERMAN .

NFL Week Nine: Bruno Boys Game Previews

Michael Whooley — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:47:41 -0500

Throughout the off-season, the Bruno Boys peered into their Crystal Ball to provide you out there in Bruno Boys Nation with a look into what the future held for specific players for the 2009 season. Now, we shift our focus and utilize our psychic powers to provide you with a breakdown of all the NFL games on the docket for this Week 9 of football action as Bruno Boys Kyle presents the Week 9 —Game Previews (Fantasy Style) .

Washington Redskins @ Atlanta Falcons : The Redskins are stumbling their way through the regular season due in part to their 28th-ranked scoring offense, while the Falcons are 4-3 and fighting for a playoff spot. They won’t overtake the Saints for the NFC South title, so they have to win games like these to stay ahead.
Fantasy Prediction: Matt Ryan struggles for the second game in a row against the Redskins’ passing defense, which is second in the NFL.

Arizona Cardinals @ Chicago Bears : Nothing cures a losing streak quite like playing Cleveland, and that’s who the Bears beat up after having previously lost two in a row. For Arizona, Kurt Warner faced the best pass defense in the league last week against Carolina and turned the ball over six times, including five interceptions; he has another tough test this week against the Bears, who are 12th in pass defense and allow fewer than 200 yards per game through the air.
Fantasy Prediction: Warner throws two more picks, but also two scores while throwing Larry Fitzgerald’s way often enough that the receiver compiles at least 100 receiving yards.

Baltimore Ravens @ Cincinnati Bengals : The first-place Bengals (that’s weird to type) are undefeated against AFC North squads and are trying to defeat the Ravens for the second time in the regular season, something that they accomplished in both 2005 and 2007. If the trend holds, they’ll win again this week.
Fantasy Prediction: Cedric Benson does not go for 100 rushing yards this time around, but he still gets a respectable 75.

Houston Texans @ Indianapolis Colts : The Colts are No. 1 in the NFL in passing offense, and the Texans are No. 3, and combined, they are averaging nearly 600 passing yards per game between them. This should be a fun contest to watch if you like seeing aerial displays.
Fantasy Prediction: Reggie Wayne and Andre Johnson combine for nearly 300 receiving yards and two scores.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Jacksonville Jaguars : Neither the Chiefs nor the Jags have offenses that average 20 points per game, and they also share something else in common—highly overpaid quarterbacks.
Fantasy Prediction: A week after Jacksonville bizarrely gave Maurice Jones-Drew just nine touches; he’ll get a minimum of 25, and go for 200 yards from scrimmage.

Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots : The Dolphins have scored at least 30 points in each of their last four contests, and not surprisingly, they’ve come away with three victories in that time. The Patriots have only scored 30 or more twice, but those totals came in their last two games, each of which was victories.
Fantasy Prediction: Tom Brady terrorizes a Miami pass defense that allows 236 yards per game by throwing for 330 yards and three touchdowns.

Green Bay Packers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers : The Battle of the Bays pits the Packers against the Bucs, who are the only NFL team remaining that doesn’t have a victory. Rookie first-round pick Josh Freeman gets the start at quarterback for Tampa, and he will be welcomed by Green Bay’s ninth-ranked pass defense. This could be an ugly debut.
Fantasy Prediction: Fewer than 150 passing yards and multiple picks for Freeman.

Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints : An interesting match-up, this game pits one of the best passing offenses in the league against the No. 1 pass defense. New Orleans lost to the Panthers twice last season, but they have visions of going 16-0 this year.
Fantasy Prediction: DeAngelo Williams has averaged 133 rushing yards per game over his last three contests, and with Sedrick Ellis missing from the Saints’ defense, Williams piles up over 100 yards once again.

Detroit Lions @ Seattle Seahawks : As bad as we all know Detroit is, the Seahawks have just one more win this season than the Lions. This is the worst match-up of the weekend, and really, what is there to say about this game?
Fantasy Prediction: Calvin Johnson makes his triumphant return and captures his second 100 receiving yard day of the season.

San Diego Chargers @ New York Giants : Though each of these squads have a winning record, both seem to be under-performing, especially the Giants, who have lost three in a row after winning their first five. Before the season began, a number of pundits thought this could be a possible Super Bowl preview; that doesn’t seem so likely now.
Fantasy Prediction: Eli Manning completes fewer than 60 percent of his passes for the sixth time in seven games, while throwing more interceptions than touchdowns against the sixth-ranked pass defense of the Chargers.

Tennessee Titans @ San Francisco 49ers : It was hard to gauge the effectiveness of Vince Young last week considering he threw mostly short and intermediate passes against a terrible Jacksonville pass defense. He’ll get another chance to prove his worth in a game pitting two highly-drafted quarterbacks who were busts but are now getting second chances.
Fantasy Prediction: Chris Johnson goes for over 100 yards despite facing the second-ranked run defense in the NFL.

Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles : A key NFC East game, this contest will determine the sole possessor of first place in the division. These teams have split their season series in each of the past two seasons, and though many expect the Eagles to come out victorious, the Cowboys are playing very well as Tony Romo has thrown for six touchdowns with no picks over his last two games.
Fantasy Prediction: After proclaiming himself the Cowboys’ No. 1 receiver, Roy Williams goes out and plays like it, catching a touchdown pass for the second week in a row.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Denver Broncos : With a combined record of 11-3, these two teams offer viewers one of the better match-ups of the week. Denver is coming off its first loss while Pittsburgh has won four in a row, and it will be interesting to see which defense responds, as each team’s respective units are in the top-10 in total defense.
Fantasy Prediction: Knowshon Moreno scuffles for the third week in a row against the best run defense in the league, amassing fewer than 60 rushing yards.

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THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY KYLE SMITH .

Fantasy Football Week 9 Risers & Fallers

Michael Whooley — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:45:38 -0500

The NFL is an ever changing landscape, from year to year, week to week, and even day to day. Hence, the Bruno Boys bring to you our Week 9 Edition of the Fantasy Risers and Fallers . For those of you unfamiliar with the concept behind the article, it’s rather simple. Risers and Fallers highlights those players who have seen their fantasy football value for the weekend’s upcoming games either rise (increase) or fall (decrease) .

WEEK 9 RISERS
QB Jake Delhomme (Carolina Panthers) —The good news is that Delhomme is probable and expected to play in Sunday’s game against the New Orleans Saints . The bad news is that Delhomme has a penchant for turning the ball over, something the Saints will easily exploit. Even though he’s a go for the Panthers, he shouldn’t be a go for your fantasy team despite the slight rise in his value heading into Sunday.

QB Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) —Returning from injury in Week Eight, Stafford didn’t experience any set backs with his knee and, sporting a probable listing, will be on the field once again this Sunday for Detroit. However, while he will be under center for Detroit, he shouldn’t be your fantasy team’s QB.

QB Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) —Rodgers has indeed played his way into a must start fantasy option, which is why his owners’ may have been in a bit of a panic mode earlier in the week when a toe injury and foot sprain kept the QB out of his team’s practices. However, alleviating his owners’ fears that he might miss Week Nine, Rodgers returned to practice on Friday. He will be in the line-up on Sunday and should light up the Bucs’ secondary.

QB Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks) —Hasselbeck may still be dealing with a rib injury, but the QB has toughed it out so far and will continue to do so this Sunday against the Detroit Lions . The match-up makes Hasselbeck a low-end QB1 option.

RB Jonathan Stewart (Carolina Panthers) —The Panthers continue to saddle Stewart with a questionable listing; however, with his strong running of late, the Panthers’ back has shown that the Achilles injury that was bothering him earlier in the year is a thing of the past. Utilize Stewart as a RB2 play this week against a Saints’ defense that will be without Sedrick Ellis .

RB Marion Barber (Dallas Cowboys) —Barber’s thumb injury should no longer be a concern to his fantasy owners as the back now appears as probable on the team’s injury report. Receiving around 12 to 15 carries per game, Barber is the Cowboys’ No. 1 runner and makes for a RB2 in fantasy formats.

RB Kevin Smith (Detroit Lions) —Dealing with a shoulder injury, Smith heads into Sunday with the big “Q” next to his name; however, the back did practice Thursday and Friday and is expected to suit up Sunday against the Seahawks. Use Smith as low-end RB2 option.

RB Steve Slaton (Houston Texans) —While Ryan Moats was the hot waiver wire pick-up heading into this week, don’t count out Slaton in Week Nine. On Friday, Texans’ head coach, Gary Kubiak , reiterated that the Texans will need Slaton at his best to have a chance to beat the Colts this week. Moats is expected to be used a bit more than he was before his huge Week Eight game, but as this one will be an aerial shoot out, look for Slaton to be the team’s running back on majority of plays as his skill set is best when it comes to the passing game.

RB Laurence Maroney (New England Patriots) —Coming off of two double digit performances, Maroney will once again be the lead back for the Patriots as both Fred Taylor and Sammy Morris have been ruled out of this weekend’s game. However, we do not recommend Maroney as anything more than a flex play. With the Dolphins’ ranking sixth against the run, it is through the air that the Patriots will do their damage.

RB Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints) —Bush could see an uptick in value this weekend, not due to an injury to Pierre Thomas or Mike Bell , but rather because of an injury to Lance Moore . With Moore out, Bush will be used as a wide out in four wide receiver sets.

RB Brian Westbrook (Philadelphia Eagles) —Westbrook may have been a no-show in Friday’s practice, but with the back medically cleared and practicing earlier in the week, it looks like the day off was simply to have him rested for Sunday’s contest with the Cowboys. Westbrook has enjoyed past success against the Cowboys and is worth of RB2 status for Week Nine.

WR Anquan Boldin (Arizona Cardinals) —In a bit of a surprise, the questionable Boldin practiced on Friday and is expected to play on Sunday. The Bruno Boys still advise Boldin’s owners to check on Sunday morning for updates to the wide receiver’s status, but as of now, it looks like Boldin will play and can be in your line-ups.

WR Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons) —White, who has caught at least one TD in each of his last four games, gave his owners a scare by sporting a questionable tag this week to go along with a couple of missed practices. White, though, was back on the field on Friday for the team’s practice and according to head coach, Mike Smith , he is expected to play on Sunday. If White’s on the field, he needs to be in your line-up.

WR Devin Hester (Chicago Bears) —With 9, 14, and 8 fantasy points over the last three weeks, Hester is really playing himself into a solid fantasy option at the wide receiver position. Those owners riding the hot hand will be pleased to know that Hester, despite a questionable tag, practiced in full on Friday and is set to go in Week Nine.

WR Calvin Johnson (Detroit Lions) —Megatron’s owners will be happy to hear that the wide out has been able practice this week and looked good doing so. As long as no set backs occur prior to kick off, Megatron looks to be set to go against the Seahawks, making him a WR2 play this weekend.

WR Donald Driver (Green Bay Packers) —A neck injury kept Driver out of this week’s earlier practices, but the wide out was back at it on Friday, and with a probable listing, it appears he’s ready to take on the Buccaneers, a team that’s given up 16 passing scores on the year. Employ Driver as a WR2 play.

WR Austin Collie (Indianapolis Colts) —Anthony Gonzalez’s return has been delayed as the wide out had particles removed from his knee. That means fantasy owners will be able to use Collie as a flex option for at least a few more weeks moving forward.

WR Mario Manningham (New York Giants) —Listed as questionable heading into Week Eight, Manningham missed the Giants’ match-up with the Eagles, so his owners will be happy to hear that Manningham is slated as probable for this weekend’s match-up with the Chargers. Feel free to use him as a WR3.

WRs DeSean Jackson & Jeremy Maclin (Philadelphia Eagles) —Both of the Eagles’ young wide receivers are dealing with foot issues at the moment; both, though, partook fully in the team’s Friday practice. If you’re looking to roll with either Jackson or Maclin, be confident that they’ll both be on the field on Sunday Night.

TE Todd Heap (Baltimore Ravens) —While Heap hasn’t matched his 13 fantasy point performance from Week One, the Ravens’ tight end has been solidly putting up 4-6 fantasy points this season. With many owners looking for tight end help with Chris Cooley and Owen Daniels lost to injury, Heap is one of those guys worth a long look. Despite an ankle injury, he practiced fully on Friday and is probable for the Ravens match-up with the Bengals, a team he caught seven passes for 41 yards against back in week 5.

TE Greg Olsen (Chicago Bears) —With tight ends dropping like flies, fantasy owners are monitoring their tight ends closely. Olsen’s owners, though, can rest assured. While the tight end was limited earlier in the week, he was able to practice fully on Friday and will play against the Cardinals on Sunday.

TE, LB Spencer Havner (Green Bay Packers) —With many of the top tight ends banged up, why not take a look at Havner? With Jermichael Finley ruled out of this week’s action, Havner will once again assume the tight end duties near the goal-line for the Packers. He’s a boom or bust type play, but a quick six from your TE is always welcomed.

K Neil Rackers (Arizona Cardinals )—Not only will Racker’s owners be happy to hear that the kicker, listed on the injury report as probable, practiced Thursday and Friday this week, but the weather is supposed to be kicker friendly in Chicago this week. However, it should be noted that Rackers has not tallied double digits since Week One.

WEEK 9 FALLERS
RB Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) - Brown was able to partake in the Colts’ practices on Wednesday and Thursday; however, the back was held out of Friday’s work out. Additionally, while originally not on the team’s injury report, Brown now is listed as questionable. The Colts’ back looks to have suffered a set back in regards to his shoulder injury, so be sure to monitor his status before Sunday’s game.

RBs Sammy Morris & Fred Taylor (New England Patriots) —Both Morris and Taylor have already been ruled out of Week Nine contest for the New England Patriots .

RB Willie Parker (Pittsburgh Steelers) —Bad news for “Fast Willie’s” owners as the team has stated that the back’s turf toe is still not completely healed and may not be for the rest of the season. As long as Parker is at less than 100 percent look for Rashard Mendenhall to continue to be the team’s starter.

WR Steve Breaston (Arizona Cardinals) —Perhaps the only fantasy owners upset to hear that Anquan Boldin is expected to go on Sunday are Breaston’s owners. With Boldin out of the line-up, Breaston was flirting heavily with WR2 status; however, now that Boldin is expected to play, he goes into Sunday with his typical WR3 designation.

WR Muhsin Muhammed (Carolina Panthers) —Not that many of you out there are relying on Muhammed, especially with Jake Delhomme struggling, but for the few of you that are, note that the Panthers’ wide receiver, while listed as questionable, is not close to being ready to get back on the field.

WR Anthony Gonzalez (Indianapolis Colts) —With the wide receiver undergoing a procedure to clean out particles in his knee, a return from Gonzalez is not expected any time soon. The wide out could be out another two-to-three weeks, which means it may be time to cut him loose.

WR Lance Moore (New Orleans Saints) —With only one outing of more than three fantasy points on the year, Moore should no longer be occupying space on fantasy rosters; however, if he is, be aware that he’s been ruled out of Week Nine action against the Panthers.

WR Antonio Bryant (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) —Rookie quarterback, Josh Freeman , will be under center Sunday for the Buccaneers already hurting Bryant’s value heading into Sunday; however, the wide out lands into the “avoid at all costs” realm as he’s, also, dealing with a knee injury and will be a game time decision against the Packers.

TE Jermichael Finley (Green Bay Packers) —Another one bites the dust. Add Jermichael Finley’s owners to those looking for tight end help this weekend as the Packers’ tight end has already been ruled out of Week Nine action.

TE Benjamin Watson (New England Patriots) —The matchup in Week Nine is an enticing one for Watson as the Patriots will be playing a Dolphins’ secondary that will be starting two rookie corners; however, the tight end is dealing with back issues and is listed as questionable for the contest. Check back with the Bruno Boys on Sunday to see if Watson can be used as a tight end fill in.

K John Kasay (Carolina Panthers) —Even with the best of kickers, you don’t want to toy with a questionable listing in an afternoon game. Kasay, who isn’t one of the league’s best, is in that exact situation this week due to a groin injury. Avoid him at all costs.

K Garrett Hartley (New Orleans Saints) —Not that he was expected to supplant John Carney anyways, but it is worth noting Hartley is listed as doubtful.

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NFL Week Nine: Bruno Boys Game of the Week

Michael Whooley — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:42:34 -0500

With Week Nine of the NFL season fast approaching, it is once again time for the Bruno Boys to pick a Game of the Week, with a fantasy football twist. Each week we will choose one NFL game that we feel will have a lot of impact on the fantasy football world.

This week we head to the City of Brotherly Love as the Dallas Cowboys travel to Lincoln Financial Field to take on the Philadelphia Eagles in a NFC East battle.

It is a matchup of bitter division rivals who, on paper, are very evenly matched. They both have 5-2 records, both teams are on multiple game winning streaks and they have very similar totals in the points-for and points-against categories.

Not only should this be one heck of a game to watch on NBC’s Sunday Night Game of the Week, this game should also offer a good amount of fantasy football points, making it the Bruno Boys Game of the Week.

Quarterbacks

The Eagles have won three of their last four games since Donovan McNabb returned from his rib injury. He has passed for three touchdowns in two of the five games he has played this year, but has only totaled three touchdowns in his three other starts combined.

He has passed for a total of 1,008 yards with nine touchdowns and one interception in five starts. McNabb will look to continue a very good streak against the Cowboys who have given up an average of 237.1 yards through the air with 12 passing touchdowns this season.

In McNabb's last 16 starts against Dallas, the Eagles are 11-5. He has passed for 3,501 yards with 25 touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 17 career games against the Cowboys. McNabb is ranked No. 5 on the Bruno Boys Quarterback Rankings this week and should be considered a must-start fantasy quarterback in this matchup.

After passing for four touchdowns with four interceptions over the Cowboys’ first four games, Tony Romo has been on fire of late.

In his last three starts, he has thrown eight touchdowns without a single interceptions and it’s no coincidence that Dallas has won all three games. He has brought the Cowboys from a team that was 2-2 and had people questioning if they could even make the playoffs, to a team that is 5-2 and tied with the Eagles for first place in the division.

In seven games this season Romo has passed for 1,908 yards with 12 touchdowns and four interceptions. He will have a stiff test this week against a Philadelphia defense that is ranked No. 10 against the pass, but have allowed 11 passing touchdowns.

In seven career starts against the Eagles he has thrown for a pedestrian seven touchdowns to go with eight interceptions, but over his last three games he is playing some of the best football of his career.

Romo is our No. 6 ranked quarterback this week and even in this tough match-up on the road he should be used as a mid-level starting fantasy quarterback.

Running Backs

Brian Westbrook was inactive for the Eagles Week Eight victory over the New York Giants after suffering a concussion in the first quarter of the team’s previous game against the Washington Redskins.

Philadelphia and fantasy owners alike were happy to hear head coach Andy Reid state that Westbrook has been medically cleared to play this week.

In 14 career games against Dallas he has rushed for 734 yards with seven touchdowns and added 63 receptions for 517 yards with two touchdowns. He is not currently having his best statistical season of his career, but through five games he is averaging 4.8 yards per carry and has recorded two total touchdowns.

Westbrook is ranked No. 14 on the Bruno Boys Running Back Rankings this week and should be used as a RB2 in this heated rivalry.

Rookie LeSean McCoy, who has rushed the ball 70 times for 294 yards with two touchdowns, will face the Cowboys for the first time in his career. He started in place of Westbrook last week and had 11 carries for 82 yards including a 66-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter. He is a dynamic, young running back who has a bright career ahead of him, but as the No. 2 running back in Philadelphia he should be thought of as a RB3 or flex option this week.

Like Westbrook, Marion Barber is a veteran running back whose numbers are down this season due to injury.

He missed the Cowboys’ Week Three contest against the Carolina Panthers with a quad injury and he has not had more then 15 carries or 53 yards rushing in the four games since returning from injury. He has posted two touchdowns over the four games and he has scored five touchdowns in seven career games against the Eagles. Barber is averaging 4.6 yards per carry in six games this season and has scored four touchdowns.

He is our No. 19 ranked running back this week and should be started as a low-end No. 2 fantasy football running back.

Second-year man, Felix Jones is a nice change-of-pace back to compliment the power running of Barber. He is extremely quick and is a home-run threat every time he touches the ball. He is averaging 7.8 yards per carry this season and has added one touchdown though battling injuries. Jones has not been as consistent as fantasy football owners were hoping, but could be used as a No. 3 running back or flex player this week if needed.

Wide Receivers

Eagles' second-year receiver DeSean Jackson may continue to be one of the most underrated wide receivers in fantasy football this season.

It seems every week fantasy owners are looking for reasons not to start him, but all he has done in seven games this season is make big plays.

He has 24 catches for 501 yards with four touchdowns and he has added seven carries for 115 yards with another touchdown. He is an explosive player who continues to make the big-plays, as all five of his touchdowns this seasons have gone for 50 yards or more.

Jackson has quickly become a must-start fantasy football wide receiver on a weekly basis and he is ranked No. 7 on the Bruno Boys Wide Receiver rankings this week.

During the off-season Philadelphia added another speedy wide receiver when they moved up in the first round of the NFL Draft to select University of Missouri’s Jeremy Maclin. He has started in six of the Eagles seven games this season and he has 22 receptions for 293 yards with three touchdowns.

He has posted at least four receptions in four of his last five games, including a six-reception, 142 yard, two touchdown performance Week Five against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Use Maclin as a low-end WR3 this week against the Cowboys.

During the Cowboys first four games Miles Austin was an afterthought, posting just five catches for 81 yard with one touchdown. Over Dallas’ last three games, he has emerged as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver.

Over that three game span he has 21 receptions for 482 yards with five touchdowns. He is our No. 11 ranked wide receiver this week and should be used as a low-end WR1. Austin should be considered a must-start fantasy wide receiver at this point.

When the Cowboys traded for Roy Williams last season they definitely were expecting more from him. He has just 14 receptions for 249 yards with two touchdowns in six games this season, but he still believes he is the team’s No. 1 wide receiver.

The stats sure tell an entirely different story, as Austin’s totals over his last three games nearly double Williams’ season totals. Williams should not be considered more then a No. 3 fantasy wide receiver until he proves he can play at a high-level over an extended period of time, something he has never done in his career.

The Cowboys’ No. 3 wide receiver Patrick Crayton has some fantasy football value as well. He has 20 receptions for 291 yards with two touchdowns this season, but he has scored six or less fantasy points in six of the seven Cowboy’s games this season. Keep him reserved in all formats; unless you receive points for return yardage, then he could be used as a low-end WR3.

Tight Ends

Brent Celek has not only filled in admirably for the departed L.J. Smith this season, he may be a better tight end the Smith ever was.

He has 37 receptions for 447 yards with three touchdowns through seven games this season. He is ranked No. 6 on the Bruno Boys Tight End Rankings this week and he should be used as a TE1. In one season as a starting NFL tight end, he has emerged into a weekly must-start fantasy option.

Jason Witten has 37 receptions for 348 yards with one touchdown this season in seven games, which aren’t bad numbers for a tight end.

The problem is he has been an elite tight end the past few years and that was expected again this year. Many owners drafted him as the first tight end off the board this summer and thought they had a tight end that would get them double-digit fantasy points every week. He hasn’t scored more then nine points in a week yet this year.

That should change this week as the Eagles give up 11.1 fantasy football points per week to tight ends. Witten is our No. 1 ranked tight end this week and he should be used as the TE1 he was drafted to be.

Kickers

Both David Akers of the Eagles and Nick Folk of the Cowboys have been top-10 fantasy kickers this season and are recommended fantasy football starts this week in what should be a high scoring game.

Team Defense

Normally the D/ST units involved in the Bruno Boys Game of the Week aren’t recommended fantasy football options as it is expected to be a high scoring game, but Philadelphia has been one of the better units in fantasy football this season and could be used as a low-end starting option if needed.

The Cowboys have been improving of late, but the Eagles offense is more potent and mistake-free then Dallas’ last two opponents (the Atlanta Falcons and Seattle Seahawks). Keep the Cowboys D/ST reserved this week if possible.

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THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY LARRY JOSEPH .

Fantasy Football Week 9 Sit Ems

Michael Whooley — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:38:55 -0500

Curious as to what fantasy players should ride the pine in Week Nine? The Bruno Boys have you covered as we reveal those guys you should sit in our Fantasy Football Week 9 Sit Ems.

QUARTERBACKS – SIT ‘EM

Matt Schaub (Houston Texans) @ Indianapolis

Matt Schaub has been undoubtedly one of the top-five fantasy quarterbacks in 2009. But he is coming off a bad game in Week 8 in which he passed for 268 yard while tossing two interceptions and zero touchdowns against the Buffalo Bills. Despite suffering from injuries, the Indianapolis Colts are seventh in the league against the pass, allowing only 180 passing yards per game, and only three TDs to seven INTs in seven games. They are also fifth in the NFL in sacks with 20, and their defensive ends can get after Schaub and put some heat on him. Throw in Schaub will be without he second favorite target in tight end Owen Daniels (ACL injury) and you have to limit your expectations on the surging quarterback this week.

Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Washington

Many would look at a this game as an easy win for the Atlanta Falcons and a game that Ryan to produce at a high level. Well yes, the Redskins are bad, but it’s not their defense that has allowed them to be beaten by teams like the Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs. Instead, it’s the offense’s inability to run or pass with any consistency. The Washington Redskins allow slightly fewer than 165 passing yards per game (second in the NFL), and have given up only six passing TDs in seven games this season. While running back Michael Turner looks to be a big part of the game-plan (Redskins are 22nd against the run), Matt Ryan’s prospects are not as promising. Plus, the icing on the cake has to do with the health of Roddy White. A knee injury has prevented him from practicing this week and if he doesn’t play Ryan will be without his go-to target.

RUNNING BACKS - SIT ’ EM

Knowshown Moreno (Denver Broncos) vs. Pittsburgh

It seems like we Moreno has been our whooping boy of late, but let’s be honest, as talented as he is, he hasn’t shown the consistency to prove he’s a must start. The Pittsburgh Steelers are a tough match-up, as they rank first in the NFL against the run, so odds are like Moreno will go another week struggling as a fantasy football starter. Pittsburgh should be refreshed coming off a bye, which means Moreno, and Correll Buckhalter for that matter, should be on your bench in Week Nine.

Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts) vs. Houston

We are starting to believe that the Houston Texans run defense wasn’t as bad as advertised in the first few weeks.We know that the potential absence of running back Donald Brown could lead to Joseph Addai getting the touches to warrant fantasy success, but check out the Texans rush defense over the last five games. After their porous defensive efforts versus Maurice Jones-Drew and Chris Johnson they have shut down some solid running backs: 38 total yards in Week Four (Justin Fargas), 24 total yards in Week Five (Beanie Wells), 45 total yards and a TD in Week Six (Cedric Benson), 47 total yards in Week 7 (Frank Gore), and 49 total yards in Week Eight (Marshawn Lynch). Even Benson’s game with 10 points is nothing special, so look a little deeper into the Texans run game ranked 20th overall before you start thinking Addai is a top Week Nine play.

Brian Westbrook & LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Dallas

First of all, who knows who is going to start as of this article (Friday morning). Brian Westbrook is practicing but coming off a concussion, LeSean McCoy apparently has a flu that could limit him, and Leonard Weaver may once again see some touches out of the backfield this weekend. The Dallas Cowboys are 13th in the NFL against the rush, allowing 105 rushing yards per contest and less than half a touchdown per game (three TDs in seven games), so it seems that any Eagles’ running back has their work cut out for them. If you can get some real tips on who is going to start, and control the workload in Philadelphia, they may be worth a flier, but we’re not so sure this isn’t going to be a platoon in Week Nine. With that in mind it might be best to stay away from any running back wearing an Philadelphia uniform come Sunday.

WIDE RECEIVERS - SIT ’ EMS

Anquan Boldin (Arizona Cardinals) @ Chicago

Boldin’s injury could really limit his potential in this specific game, but the fact of the matter is, if you look at the bigger picture his injuries have limited much of his production in 2009. Boldin’s strength at going over the middle and being great at the YAC (yards after catch) receiver has been slowed by nagging injuries this season. The veteran out of Florida State has only had three games with over seven fantasy football points, so he hasn’t been the consistent fantasy provider that he was in years past. Whether Boldin plays this Sunday or not, we recommend sticking him on the bench until he proves he’s healthy and can play 60 minutes at full strength.

Santonio Holmes (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Denver

It’s hard to know how the Steelers will come out off a bye week (teams typically fix their biggest issues, or at least work on them), but if that is the case, then the Pittsburgh will be running the ball better in the second half of 2009. Ben Roethlisberger has been solid thus far, but the Steelers would be a better overall football team if they didn’t force Big Ben to throw 30-plus times, and if they try to get back to running the football it will force Holmes’ numbers to decrease across the board. Given that he has been slowed following Week One (no TDs since Week One), Champ Bailey will probably put the clamps on Holmes. However, expect Hines Ward to do his thing and post some solid numbers away from Holmes.

Potential Bust Pick of the Week:

Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Washington

Obviously if you own Roddy White you aren’t going to sit him and we aren’t suggesting you keep him on your bench; however, it just come out that White has an undisclosed knee injury (though he will start on Sunday). While that may not be cause for concern, the fact that the Washington Redskins allow the second fewest passing yards per game should concern you. It’s nice that White (touchdown in four straight games) has become the stud that you drafted in the past few weeks, and while he has no history against the Redskins; we assume Matt Ryan could struggle in this match-up. It’d be tough to sit a player of White’s caliber and potential, but it’s anyone’s guess how the knee holds up for him in Week Nine. Start him, but we wanted to give you appropriate warning that a tough matchup combined with a knee injury could lead to mediocrity from the 6th ranked wide receiver (standard leagues).

TIGHT ENDS - SIT ’ EMS

Jeremy Shockey (New Orleans Saints) vs. Carolina

The Carolina Panthers pass defense has been second to none this year, and while it’s obvious that Drew Brees is a must-start each and every week, we think Shockey could struggle in this match-up. He has had some ups-and-downs this season, and if statistics stay true it will be tough for him to find pay dirt this weekend in a divisional matchup . While he hasn’t averaged less than seven fantasy football points in his last three weekends, a game with five catches for 45 yards seems more reasonable against the best pass defense (based on yardage) in the NFL.

KICKERS - SIT ’ EMS

Jeff Reed (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Denver

Jeff Reed has been consistently inconsistent in 2009, and he goes up against a Denver Broncos defense allowing the second fewest points in the NFL. While some argue that low-scoring games are the key to big field goal games, we argue the opposite. To have a kicker playing an awful defense is infinitely better than the opposite. Reed is not known for being a long range kicker, and the weather currently shows that there’s a chance of rain in the Mile High state. Stay away from Reed this weekend.

DEFENSES - SIT ’ EMS

Chicago Bears D/ST vs. Arizona

As great of a pick up the Bears were for you last weekend, they are equally as poor of a start this week against the Arizona Cardinals. It’s a given that quarterback Kurt Warner will throw an interception or two, but the Cardinals have the potential to be an explosive offense (even without a healthy Anquan Boldin), and the Bears are not the healthiest team around. Chicago has been right around the middle of the pack in terms of team defense/special teams, and while the Cardinals have been surprisingly mediocre as an offense, they have enough play-makers to cause matchup problems for the Bears. Don’t start the Bears especially with so many other good options available on your wire (Atlanta vs. Washington, Seattle vs. Detroit, Green Bay @ Tampa Bay.).

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THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY JACOB LERMAN.

Fantasy Football Week Nine Rankings: Defenses

Michael Whooley — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 22:32:55 -0500

Week Nine of the NFL poses a problem for fantasy football fans who love to play the matchups, in particular with the defenses.

Four teams you usually always play guys against are the Buffalo Bills, Oakland Raiders, Cleveland Browns, and St. Louis Rams. Unfortunately, you will now be forced to make some tough decisions for your lineup this week.

Below, in our Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Nine Defense Rankings, we dissect the teams who are playing this week, but, as you will see, there are a lot of average plays at best going into Week Nine on defense.

BRUNO BOYS DEFENSIVE STAR SYSTEM

5-Stars (* * * * *) - Bruno Boys Top Plays of the Week

4-Stars (* * * *) – Bruno Boys Very Solid Plays of the Week

3-Stars (* * *) – Bruno Boys Average Plays of the Week

2-Stars (* *) – Bruno Boys Try to Avoid Playing this Week

1-Star (*) – Bruno Boys Do Not Start Unless You COMPLETELY Have To

Key Abbreviations: YPG (Yards Per Game); PPG (Points Per Game)

1. (Green Bay Packers) at Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Green Bay’s defense has been solid this season despite their low sack totals on the year (12). They are in the top 5 in yards allowed (283.4) and top 10 in points allowed (19.1). The Packers have created 17 turnovers on the season, which could increase in a big way with one of the worst teams on the schedule in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers will start rookie Josh Freeman at quarterback, showing they have quickly moved through the depth chart giving everyone a chance behind center (Byron Leftwich, Josh Johnson). Unless Tampa Bay somehow wakes up with Joe Montana, Jerry Rice and Barry Sanders in their prime, on the field and ready to play, this should be a big day for the Packers defense.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * * * *

2. (New Orleans Saints) vs. Carolina Panthers

The Saints defense has become a must start in fantasy football, thanks to the ball hawking unit making big plays every week. New Orleans has 21 turnovers on the year, 16 of those coming from interceptions (most in the NFL).

This season, the Saints have given up 326 yards and 22 points per contest with 17 sacks. With the turnover machine in quarterback Jake Delhomme and his Carolina Panthers coming to town, and even with the stout running game who could run all over the field, this should be a big day for the New Orleans defense.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * * * *

3. (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Detroit Lions

Did the Detroit Lions really only score 10 points on the pitiful St. Louis Rams defense? Although superstar wide receiver Calvin Johnson should return for Detroit in this game, the Seahawks defense should have no problem limiting their opponent on offense to have a big fantasy day. Seattle has allowed 325.7 yards and 21 points per game while totaling 18 sacks and 9 turnovers.

The Seahawks defense is a top 15 defense with the potential to do big things, especially with an extremely favorable matchup. This week is one of those instances you may want to grab them off the waiver wire if the unit is available.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * * * *

4. (Indianapolis Colts) vs. Houston Texans

The Colts defense has been a bit of a surprise this year, as they went from being a fringe start in fantasy football to being a unit that needs to be in your lineup almost regularly. Houston does have a very good offense, led by quarterback Matt Schaub. Look at what the Houston Texans offense lost last week alone, their 2nd best pass catcher in tight end Owen Daniels and benching the super athletic running back Steve Slaton with fumbling issues.

The Texans offense could be in for a rough adjustment period until they get things straightened away and figure out their niche. Indianapolis has given up 292.1 yards and a league low 13 points per contest while adding 20 sacks and 12 turnovers. While you may hesitate to roll with the Colts defense, it’s tough imaging them not having a very good day with their strong play and less playmakers for Houston to turn to.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

5. (Pittsburgh Steelers) at Denver Broncos

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense has gotten better and better each week, mainly due to the return of star safety Troy Polamalu. The Steelers have allowed 291 yards and 18.4 points per game while totaling 21 sacks and 10 turnovers.

Denver’s offense has been a pleasant surprise but the Baltimore Ravens may have found the way to beat the Broncos. Baltimore forced Denver to throw deep as they covered all the short passing routes. Pittsburgh will need to do the same thing and if they do, could be in for a huge day.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

6. (Denver Broncos) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

Despite struggling a bit against the Baltimore Ravens, Denver should be able to bounce back this week. The Broncos pass defense has been very strong this year and the key to the Pittsburgh Steelers offense is their passing game, not the run attack.

This game has all the makings to be a defensive game, with two top 10 defenses squaring off. No need to freight about the others offensive weapons and instead have faith in the defenses you normally would start every week. This year, Denver has allowed an NFL low 266.7 yards and the 2nd lowest 13.7 points per game. The Broncos have totaled 23 sacks and 12 turnovers this season.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

7. (New England Patriots) vs. Miami Dolphins

New England’s defense has continually improved throughout the season but now face a tough task, dealing with the multiple formations in the Miami Dolphins wildcat scheme. Miami ripped the Patriots defense last year when they first introduced it and New England was left scrambling.

With head coach Bill Belichick seeing Miami line up in the various formations, you can expect him to have a game plan to make his defensive unit successful. This season New England has allowed 285.7 yards and 14 points per game with 13 sacks and 15 turnovers.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

8. (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Dallas Cowboys

The Eagles defense has been a solid fantasy football performer this season, but most of their points came against inferior competition. Philadelphia played well with its first test against a good offense in the New York Giants and will now look to continue that trend against the Dallas Cowboys.

This year the Eagles have allowed 296.9 yards and 19 points per game with 23 sacks and 21 turnovers. With not many better options in terms of defenses in Week Nine, Philadelphia is worth a start because the talent they have provides some upside.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * *

9. (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Tennessee Titans

The 49ers defense has had its moments where they look completely out of sorts, but overall have put together a good fantasy year. San Francisco has given up 337 yards and 20 points per game while throwing in 16 sacks and 10 turnovers.

The way the 49ers played against the Indianapolis Colts, giving up chunks of yards but holding them out of the end zone, means things could go well when they take on Tennessee. Quarterback Vince Young played well last week, but San Francisco’s defense is a lot better than that of the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * *

10. (New York Giants) vs. San Diego Chargers

The Giants have now lost three straight games, and the defense is a big reason why. New York’s defense is giving up a lot of big plays downfield, leading to many points for their opposition. Even with three straight bad games New York’s defense has is still rated very highly, giving up 278.1 yards and 22.9 points per game with 18 sacks and 15 turnovers.

This week the Giants will take on the San Diego Chargers and hope for a turnaround for their unit. While San Diego will score points, New York has a chance to at least turn things around. There probably aren’t any better options here, but be aware that this could be the ceiling as far as how the Giants compare with other defenses this week.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * *

11. (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Washington Redskins

Atlanta hasn’t been a particularly strong defense, but does play well when the matchup is right.

This week will be just that for the Falcons, as they will take on a shaky Washington Redskins offense. Washington’s offensive line is in shambles and quarterback Jason Campbell seems to throw to the other team just as much as his own players. Atlanta should be able to take advantage of this game and do enough to be worth a start in fantasy football if need be. This season the Falcons have given up unimpressive 378.1 yards per game and 21.3 points while totaling 14 sacks and 17 turnovers.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * *

12. (Baltimore Ravens) at Cincinnati Bengals

Last week, we said the Baltimore Ravens have not played like themselves this season, not getting the pressure or stopping opponents with a good offense. Well it’s about time the Ravens defense stepped up to the docket and play well, as they limited the Denver Broncos offense throughout the game.

This week will be a rematch between Baltimore and the Cincinnati Bengals, where the Bengals got the upper hand in the previous meeting. The Ravens should come out and play tough and physical, because a loss will make their playoff bid extremely tough. This means the defense will need to step up in the game and make some plays, thus making the unit fantasy football worthy. On the year Baltimore has allowed 313.7 yards and 19.6 points per game while adding 16 sacks and 10 turnovers.

Bruno Boys Stars: * * *

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK NINE DEFENSE RANKINGS, CLICK HERE!

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY GREG WARNOCK.

Fantasy Football Week Nine Start Ems

Michael Whooley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:49:25 -0500

With four of the five worst rush defenses on a bye this week, RBs could struggle in week Nine. Fortunately for Bruno Boys Nation , the Bruno Boys have your back, providing you as always with our Fantasy Football Week Nine Start Ems , helping to ensure you don’t leave that big game on your bench.

QUARTERBACKS – START ‘EM

Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Detroit

Any QB playing against the Detroit Lions defense is most likely a good option. The Lions have allowed almost 30 points a game and 18 TDs through the air in seven games. Hasselbeck has just been average for most of the season, but coming off a tidy 250 yard and two TD performance against the Cowboys, it seems that he could be back on track. With the absence of any real running game for the Seahawks, the team will be relying on the passing game. The Hasselbeck-led Seahawks should win this contest, and the QB himself should post good numbers for fantasy purposes.

David Garrard (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Kansas City

It seems like every time people assume Garrard will do well, he fails miserably and vice-versa. The Titans team he faced in week eight is not the same team that was allowing six TDs to the Patriots a few weeks prior. Garrard is in no way a #1 QB this weekend, for the mere fact that most of the stud QBs have good match-ups, but with a plethora of bye week QBs out, you could find 200 yards and two TDs sitting there with Garrard. After not throwing a TD the previous three weeks, we understand if you are hesitant to start him…but it is the Chiefs. 10 pass plays of 40+ yards, over 250 yards passing, and 13 TDs through 7 games could be the remedy for the big QB in week nine.

Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens) @ Cincinnati

Flacco’s previous game against the Bengals was his worst fantasy output in ‘09 (186 passing yards, one TD, two INT for just seven fantasy points), but Flacco has been too good to let the Bengals get in his head. He’s been everything the Ravens have asked for in his sophomore season, and he has emerging stud RB Ray Rice as a great check-down option for him in the passing attack. The Bengals are 30th in the league allowing over 250 yards per game through the air, but they are only allowing about 1.5 TDs per game. Still, we like Flacco as a Start ‘Em in week 9.

RUNNING BACKS – START ‘EM

Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) @ Cincinnati

Ray Rice has emerged as perhaps one of the few must-start RBs in fantasy football . The biggest reason? Simple, even against a good run defense, he is nearly as dangerous as a receiver. In Rice’s worst game of 2009, he posted 82 total yards. In other words, other than Adrian Peterson , Cedric Benson , and perhaps Michael Turner , Rice has been the most solid RB in fantasy football in 2009. We aren’t assuming you were thinking about benching him, but we believe he is bound for a good game. Against Cincy in week five, Rice had 143 total yards and a TD, and while to predict 20 points is slightly high, it wouldn’t surprise us if he gets to that total this weekend.

Ryan Grant (Green Bay Packers) @ Tampa Bay

Grant has really only had one bad game in 2009, which happened to come last week against the stout Vikings defensive front. But, for some reason, it seems that people are expecting more out of him. After his big game against the Browns, in which he posted 148 rushing yards and a TD, we think he may be able to see the same number of touches (and in turn get the same fantasy points), as he did in week seven. Tampa Bay has given up 162 rushing yards and a rushing TD per game in 2009, and while Grant may not see all the carries (if they get out to an early lead), he could still be in for a nice fantasy output.

Ahmad Bradshaw (New York Giants) vs. San Diego

So far we are one for one on the Ahmad Bradshaw Start ‘Em this season, so we’re going for a perfect two for two (yes, we are proud of that accomplishment). Bradshaw has breakout candidate written all over him in week nine against a surprisingly bad Chargers defense that is 27th in the NFL allowing over 130 rushing yards per contest and a rushing TD per game. Bradshaw could be explosive as San Diego is coming cross country for a game where the Giants need to prove they are better than they played in week eight against Philly.

WIDE RECEIVERS – START ‘EM

Mike Sims-Walker (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Kansas City

What a disappointment MSW was in week eight against the Titans. But, did people really believe the longest tenured coach in the NFL (Jeff Fisher ) wouldn’t come out of the bye week with a fired up Titans squad? Well, MSW should come back strong in week nine versus the Kansas City Chiefs . It is understandable if fantasy owners are weary that he may have been just a flash in the pan, but the fact is, he is the Jags most targeted (45 targets through seven weeks) and talented receiver, so he should come out strong with at least 50 yards and a score.

Michael Crabtree (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Tennessee

We were nervous about posting Crabtree as a Start ‘Em this week, but he has done nothing to disprove his talent in the NFL. He was 10th in the NFL in targets in week eight with nine, and it seems like QB Alex Smith is only looking in two directions this season (Crabtree’s and Vernon Davis’ ). However, while Smith’s Madden vision may not bode well for the 49ers chances, it could mean that Crabtree scores his first NFL touchdown against the Titans defense. Don’t believe the numbers, the Titans are not the worst pass defense in the NFL, but we still believe Crabtree has earned his way into fantasy lineups everywhere against them.

T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Detroit

Housh has been one of the bigger fantasy disappointments in 2009 as most people thought he’d come in and take over as Hasselbeck’s #1 option. WR Nate Burleson has taken control of that by putting up over 100 yards and a TD more times than Housh. But, while Houshmandzadeh has been mediocre at best, he gets the good fortune of facing the Lions defense that allows 30 points a game. While he’s only had two games with over six points, we think that 8-10 points should be easily reachable with the potential for much more in week nine.

TIGHT ENDS – START ‘EM

Fred Davis (Washington Redskins) @ Atlanta

Before TE Chris Cooley got hurt he was averaging nearly seven fantasy points per week, which is among the top 10 in fantasy tight ends. Once he got hurt, TE Fred Davis didn’t miss a beat in week seven, logging 78 yards and a TD. With a week of practice with the first team under Davis’ belt, we think he could be a nice sleeper for those with bye week issues or looking for a potential 6-8 points from the TE position. QB Jason Campbell obviously trusts him (as seen in week seven), so let’s assume that he is involved in the offense against a Falcons defense that allowed just Jeremy Shockey seven fantasy points on MNF in week eight.

KICKERS – START ‘EM

Mason Crosby (Green Bay Packers) @ Tampa Bay

The Buccaneers give up the third most points in the NFL at 29 ppg clip. Crosby has the leg to do some damage, and the Packers should be able to score at will. 9-11 points should be a standard week for Crosby in week nine.

Olindo Mare (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Detroit

Detroit allows the 2nd-most points in the NFL, and the Seahawks are coming in with a good, but not great offense. While we think Hasselbeck and Co. should put up solid fantasy numbers, Mare could be a big beneficiary to those who are scanning the waiver wire because of bye week kickers.

DEFENSES – START ‘EM

Atlanta Falcons D/ST vs. Washington

The Falcons didn’t exactly have the best game on MNF, but they did for fantasy purposes. Any time that a fantasy D/ST can put up a TD, you’re looking at least a few points for your fantasy team. Well, the Falcons go up against a Redskins team that is having all sorts of trouble (starting with their head coach, moving to their QB controversy), and they are coming off a bad loss to a division rival. Atlanta should get pressure on the QB and not allow too many points from the Redskins, so it should be no less than a 10 point fantasy week for the Dirty Birds.

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THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY JACOB LERMAN .

Fantasy Football Week Nine Rankings: Kickers

Michael Whooley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:46:44 -0500

Kickers may not be sexy, but as a fantasy owner, you want to maximize your fantasy points each and every week, which means you got to show kickers some love, too.

1. Mason Crosby (Green Bay Packers) @ Tampa Bay

The Green Bay Packers are averaging 26.7 points per game this season, sixth best in the NFL. Meanwhile, their Week Nine opponent, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , are allowing 29 points per contest, third worst in the NFL. That means the Packers should be able to light up the scoreboard in this one. And, when a team puts up points, that’s good news for their kickers’ fantasy value.
Point Projection: 12 points

2. Lawrence Tynes (New York Giants) vs. San Diego

The San Diego Chargers have only limited an opposing kicker to less than seven fantasy points once this season, which is music to Tynes’ owners’ ears; as the kicker has tallied just five fantasy points in each of the last two weeks, a disappointment following his four double-digit outings in the team’s six games. Tynes gets back on track and reaches double digits here in Week Nine.
Point Projection: 12 points

3. Olindo Mare (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Detroit

An average kicker, Mare has had a couple of strong fantasy performances on the year with 13 points in Week Three against the Bears and 12 points in Week Five against the Jaguars. Week Nine should bring the Seahawks’ kicker his third solid game of 2009 as he gets set to face the Detroit Lions . The Lions have allowed opposing kickers the most fantasy points of any team in the league, giving up a healthy average of 9.1 points per contest.
Point Projection: 11 points

4. David Akers (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Dallas

A member of Bruno Boys Nation asked during one of this week’s Live Q & A sessions whether Akers was a legit fantasy option going forward. Seeing as the Eagles’ kicker has not tallied less than eight fantasy points in any contest this season and the Eagles offense is clicking at the moment, we’d say he is. Akers continues his double-digit streak in Week Nine against the Cowboys, making it four straight games in which he’ll have 10-plus points.
Point Projection: 11 points

5. Matt Stover (Indianapolis Colts) vs. Houston

Adam Vinatieri’s injury has allowed for the return of Matt Stover to fantasy relevance. The Colts’ new kicker totaled 13 fantasy points in the team’s victory over the San Francisco 49ers last week; however, it’s hard to believe he’ll have as many field goal opportunities in this one, as the Colts won’t stall on as many drives against the Houston Texans . Still, this one should be a shootout, which is excellent news for the kickers involved. Stover is a top-five option for Week Nine.
Point Projection: 11 points

6. Stephen Gostkowski (New England Patriots) vs. Miami

The Miami Dolphins have allowed 25.3 points per game this season, the seventh most on the year, and with the New England Patriots coming off a bye, you know they’re ready to expose the Dolphins’ weak defensive unit. Points galore for the Patriots will translate into a solid fantasy outing for Gostkowski.
Point Projection: 10 points

7. Rob Bironas (Tennessee Titans) @ San Francisco

Over his last three outings, Bironas has had a 12-point outing and a 14-point effort. Sadly, he has a big goose egg sandwiched in between, making him a bit difficult to project. However, if we owned him, we’d use him against the 49ers. The Titans showed some life with Vince Young under center in Week Eight and the Niners have given up the fifth most fantasy points to kickers in 2009; both items make us confident Bironas posts strong numbers in this one.
Point Projection: Nine points

8. Jason Elam (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Washington

Elam missed two field goals in the Falcons' Week Eight Monday night loss to the New Orleans Saints , misses that proved costly in the course of the game. However, he still had a nice showing for his fantasy owners, as he was able to rack up eight fantasy points despite the misses. Look for Elam to be around that total again this week, as the Falcons will go against a Redskins team that’s allowing opposing kickers 7.9 points per game.
Point Projection: Eight points

9. Kris Brown (Houston Texans) @ Indianapolis

As mentioned above in Matt Stover’s write-up, this matchup between the Texans and Colts should be a high-scoring affair, making the kickers strong fantasy plays. Brown has a combined 20 fantasy points over his last two games and could see an increase in value thanks to Owen Daniels’ injury, which could result in a few more stalled drives for the Texans than normal. All of these factors combine to make Brown a top-10 option for Week Nine.
Point Projection: Eight points

10. Nick Folk (Dallas Cowboys) @ Philadelphia

Due to the emergence of Miles Austin as the team’s No. 1 wide receiver, the Cowboys have found their stride of late, going for 26, 37, and 38 points over their last three contests. Those high scores have led to a good amount of points for Folk, who tallied seven, 14, and eight fantasy points in those contests, respectively. The Eagles are a tough opponent, but with the way the Cowboys offense is motoring, it’s not advisable to sit Folk.
Point Projection: Eight points

11. John Carney (New Orleans Saints) vs. Carolina

It’s now been firmly established that Carney is the Saints’ kicker, which means you can deploy him on an every week basis. The Saints are posting an absurd 39 points per contest this season, and it’s highly unlikely their high-flying offense is slowed by the Carolina Panthers . Per usual, Carney is a nice fantasy play.
Point Projection: Eight points

12. Joe Nedney (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Tennessee

Nedney hasn’t reached the double-digit plateau since Week Two of the season, but it doesn’t mean the 49ers’ kicker isn’t without fantasy value, especially in this week’s matchup with the Tennessee Titans . The Titans are allowing the most points per game in all of the NFL at a clip of 30.1, so the Niners should score on Sunday. Nedney gets his first field goal in three games, leading to a solid seven-point day.
Point Projection: Seven points

13. Josh Scobee (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Kansas City

Since a 14-point effort in Week Four, Scobee has totaled just five fantasy points in three games. So, why does he appear in the top half of our Week Nine kicker rankings? Simple, the matchup he has against the Chiefs is just too good to pass up. The Chiefs have been many kickers' “get well” opponents, as they’re allowing 9.0 points per contest to fantasy kickers, and they should do the same for Scobee this week.
Point Projection: Seven points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK NINE KICKER RANKINGS, CLICK HERE !

Fantasy Football Week 9 Rankings: Tight Ends

Michael Whooley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:40:44 -0500

Week 8 dealt a devastating blow to the fantasy football world at the tight end position as we lost Owen Daniels of the Houston Texans for the season.

It isn’t that he is not irreplaceable, but at this point of the season where many trade deadlines have either come or gone or the waiver wire has been picked clean, Daniels’ replacement most likely will come in the form of someone that will never match anything near his production.

That is part of the fantasy football process though and something that multiple teams in every league usually have to deal with every season. If you prepared your team correctly though the loss of Daniels won’t be nearly as significant as for some.

Being that you are on the Bruno Boys site, odds are if you follow closely, you were well prepared. So good job. And while we are talking about being prepared, let’s jump into the b>Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 9 Tight End Rankings.

1. Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) at Philadelphia

Leading the Bruno Boys tight ends this week is none other than Jason Witten who has struggled for his standards with having just 348 yards over seven games, ranking 11th in the NFL in that stat while grabbing only one touchdown.

Good news is on the horizon though as he faces his division rival, the Philadelphia Eagles , who are the worst in the league against the tight end allowing 11.1 fantasy football points per contest.

Boding well for Witten as well is the fact that the Eagles have allowed five touchdowns to the tight end position in 2009. This should be his best week to date this season.
Point Projection: 13 points

2. Vernon Davis (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Tennessee

Vernon Davis has been on fire during the past month accumulating most of his stats over four games; and to be honest we believe what we have seen recently is something that we will see for the most part the remainder of the season, despite the San Francisco 49ers offensive line being banged up.

Davis is averaging 53.6 yards per game and has seven touchdowns on the season. This week he faces the Tennessee Titans who have allowed 7.6 fantasy points per contest to the position and have allowed 19 passing. Even during an off-week, Davis would remain a solid play.
Point Projection: 12 points

3. John Carlson (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Detroit

Even with a banged up Seattle Seahawks offensive line and some recent struggles from John Carlson , the second year tight end has just too good of a matchup against the lowly Detroit Lions who have surrendered 10.4 fantasy football points per contest to the position as well as seven total touchdowns.

Even if Carlson needs to stay back and protect the quarterback most of the game, we are talking about 40 yards and a touchdown to reach that 10.4. That is very doable and something to expect in Week 9.
Point Projection: 11 points

4. Antonio Gates (San Diego Chargers) at New York Giants

The San Diego Chargers tight end Antonio Gates is second in the league with 523 receiving yards, good for 74.7 per game. While his touchdowns are down from his career norm as he has only went for two, he faces a New York Giants defense that has allowed five to tight ends. Don’t be scared off by the Giants name, Gates will have a very nice week.
Point Projection: 11 points

5. Dallas Clark (Indianapolis Colts) vs. Houston

Always having been one of the better tight ends in the game, Dallas Clark has jumped another level this season pumping in 83.4 yards per game while grabbing three touchdowns. This week he faces the Houston Texans who are pretty solid against the position, allowing just 5.4 fantasy points per contest. Expect Clark to get the better part of this duel.
Point Projection: 11 points

6. Brent Celek (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Dallas

This is a very big game for both teams which usually results in a higher-scoring affair. That will benefit Brent Celek this week as he should obtain, if not exceed, his season average of 63.9 yards per week.

While the Dallas Cowboys are stingy against the position statistically, they truly have only faced one top tight end which was Tony Gonzalez in Week 7. We like Celek’s chances here.
Point Projection: 10 points

7. Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Washington

During last week’s contest against the New Orleans Saints , Matt Ryan started focusing hard on Tony Gonzalez as a main target. That is good news for one of the better tight ends in NFL history.

While Gonzalez will have his work cut out for him, as the Washington Redskins have allowed only one tight end touchdown all year and give up a minimal 3.7 fantasy points per contest to the position, he should see enough targets to be a solid play. Play him as a mid-tier TE1 in deeper leagues.
Point Projection: 8 points

8. Greg Olsen (Chicago Bears) vs. Arizona

Starting with Greg Olsen , the tight ends start to see a bit of a drop off in what is expected out of them in Week 9. Olsen has averaged just over 30 yards per contest which is fairly unimpressive, but he does have three touchdowns.

This week he faces the Arizona Cardinals who give up an average of 6.6 fantasy points per contest to opposing teams tight ends. Don’t expect numbers that will jump out at you, but solid production is expected none-the-less and the fact that he is a red zone threat makes him a worthy TE1 play.
Point Projection: 8 points

9. Jermichael Finley (Green Bay Packers) at Tampa Bay **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

While Jermichael Finley is suffering through a knee injury, if he suits up he will produce enough to be a solid TE1 in deeper leagues.

Finely has averaged over 43 yards per week, which is not impressive, but considering that he faces a Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense that allows 7.3 fantasy points per week, it’s reasonable enough to believe that solid yardage and maybe even a touchdown is possible.
Point Projection: 7 points

10. Jeremy Shockey (New Orleans) vs. Carolina

The Carolina Panthers present an obstacle for the New Orleans Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey as they have been great against the pass for receivers, and nearly equally as good against tight ends as they have allowed only 5.7 fantasy points per week.

Given the fact that the Saints have so many options and a tough matchup, Shockey, who has averaged a respectable 53.7 yards per game, will most likely as a secondary target to quarterback Drew Brees . None-the-less, if you don’t have one of the above TE1’s on your roster available to you, Shockey is a nice complimentary play.
Point Projection: 6 points

11. Heath Miller (Pittsburgh Steelers) at Denver

After a slow start to the season, Heath Miller has been very solid as of late. In fact he has played himself into a definite TE1 as he has averaged just over 50 yards per game and has gone for four touchdowns.

Things will be a bit tough for Miller this week though as he faces a Denver Broncos defense that has held opposing tight ends to a total of 3.1 fantasy points per contest.

Considering that they have allowed only one touchdown to the position as well, Denver has a solid shot at getting the best of this matchup. Due to his ability to get open in the end zone, Miller is a low-end TE1 in deeper leagues.
Point Projection: 6 points

12. Fred Davis (Washington Redskins) at Atlanta

Chris Cooley is a great tight end; Fred Davis has not played enough to be considered one. But Davis is facing an Atlanta Falcons defense that has surrendered 8.6 fantasy points per week while allowing three touchdowns.

That doesn’t mean that Davis is a shoe-in for a nice week, but given the Washington Redskins circumstances, the tight end is a position of great responsibility. Davis should perform at a level high enough to be considered on the cusp of a TE1 in deeper leagues.
Point Projection: 6 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 9 TIGHT END RANKINGS, CLICK HERE !

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY CHRIS ZIZA .

NFL Fantasy Football Week Nine Rankings: Wide Receivers

Michael Whooley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:35:53 -0500

Your troubles at the wide receiver position in your fantasy football league have nearly ceased. After this week, only two teams have a bye remaining (the New York Giants and Houston Texans in Week 10), and then that’s it—no more plugging in holes with whatever remains on the waiver wire.

Alas, we still have to make it through Week Nine with six teams on a bye, but the good news is, most of those teams don’t comprise much firepower at the receiver position. It will clearly hurt not having wideouts from the Minnesota Vikings or the New York Jets available, but, really, are we missing that much without the services of the receivers from the Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, Oakland Raiders, or St. Louis Rams? Probably Not!

With that being said, it’s time to take a look at our Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Nine Wide Receiver Rankings.

1. Randy Moss (New England Patriots) vs. Miami

After a week of rest, Moss and his New England bretheren will take on the Miami Dolphins in an AFC East showdown. With Tom Brady finally looking totally comfortable, Moss once again becomes the most dangerous receiver in the NFL. The Dolphins, who are 21st in the NFL in pass defense this season, were torched by Moss in Week 12 of last year. The 6'4" wideout had his best game of the ’08 campaign that week, catching eight passes for 125 yards and three touchdowns.

Point Projection: 20 points

2. Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts) vs. Houston

Wayne was targeted 20 times—yes, you read that right, 20: 19 by Peyton Manning and one by running back Joseph Addai—in the Colts’ win over the 49ers last week. The Miami product caught a season-high 12 passes for 147 yards and a touchdown on the day, running his streak of games with a touchdown reception to five this season.

He’s only been held scoreless once overall this year, in Week Two. Houston has a solid pass defense, but not one that Wayne hasn’t beaten before—in two games against the Texans last season, he had seven catches for at least 90 yards in each.

Point Projection: 19 points

3. Andre Johnson (Houston Texans) at Indianapolis

With Owen Daniels likely gone for the season with a torn ACL, Johnson will see even more targets from Houston quarterback Matt Schaub, if that’s even possible. Johnson currently leads the NFL with 80 targets after his 10 last week in Houston’s win over the Bills.

Johnson amassed six receptions for 63 yards in the game against a tough Buffalo pass defense. The Colts also have an excellent pass defense, and in fact, no team in the league has allowed fewer touchdown catches, but that won’t stop Johnson, who in Week Five of last season had nine catches for 131 yards and one score against the Colts.

Point Projection: 18 points

4. Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals) at Chicago

Fitzgerald had six catches for 66 yards last week in Arizona’s stunningly bad performance against the Carolina Panthers. It was the sixth time in seven weeks he’s failed to gain at least 85 yards, and the second week in a row he’s failed to catch a touchdown pass. That mini-streak ends this week, however. While the Bears are 12th in the NFL in pass defense, they have allowed 11 touchdown throws this season, which is tied for 20th in the NFL.

Point Projection: 17 points

5. Vincent Jackson (San Diego Chargers) at New York Giants

For the third game in succession, Jackson caught a touchdown pass last week as the Chargers dispatched the Oakland Raiders. He finished the game with a season-high eight catches for 103 yards, and it was the fourth time in the last six games he’s had 100 or more receiving yards. The Giants are third in the league in pass defense, but they’ve not been able to keep the ball out of the end zone in that regard; they are tied for 24th in passing scores given up.

Point Projection: 17 points

6. Greg Jennings (Green Bay Packers) at Tampa Bay

Though Green Bay had a disappointing game all around in their loss to the Vikings on Sunday, it was a great effort on the part of Jennings. With eight catches for 88 yards and a touchdown, he had his most productive day since Week Three. This week, facing a Tampa team that consistently allows big plays in the passing game and has given up more passing scores than all but two teams, Jennings is an excellent play.

Point Projection: 16 points

7. DeSean Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Dallas

Jackson’s big-play ability is downright ridiculous. He displayed it again last week as the Eagles took the Giants to the woodshed, catching a 54-yard touchdown pass. Each of his four receiving scores has been longer than 50 yards, and his one rushing score was a 67-yarder. He’s caught three or fewer passes in four of the Eagles’ seven games this season, but that hardly seems to matter.

Point Projection: 16 points

8. Marques Colston (New Orleans Saints) vs. Carolina

It’s rare that a receiver catches every pass thrown his way, but that’s the feat that Colston accomplished on Monday night in the Saints’ win over Atlanta when he caught six passes for 85 yards and a touchdown. It was his third straight game with a receiving score.

This week is a very tough matchup for the Saints’ passing game, however, as they take on the Panthers, who are first in the league in pass defense, and who turned Kurt Warner into a turnover machine last week. Last season, Colston did have his best game of the season against Carolina in Week 17 when he caught seven passes for 123 yards and one score.

Point Projection: 16 points

9. Brandon Marshall (Denver Broncos) vs. Pittsburgh

Marshall caught just four passes for a measly 24 yards last week as the Broncos suffered their first loss at the hands of the Ravens. Over the past two games, Marshall has a respectable nine catches, but for only 73 yards, and he hasn’t caught a touchdown in either contest. Pittsburgh is a middle of the road pass defense, so expect Marshall to get back on track.

Point Projection: 15 points

10. Chad Ochocinco (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Baltimore

The Ocho continued his resurgence in Week Seven, which was a win over the Bears, and the Bengals’ last game before the bye. He had 10 receptions for 118 yards and two scores in that game, and it was the second straight game he had at least 100 receiving yards, and the third game in succession in which he’s had at least 90 receiving yards. Ochocinco has been about as steady as they come this season for fantasy owners, with just one game of fewer than eight fantasy points (standard scoring).

Point Projection: 14 points

11. Miles Austin (Dallas Cowboys) at Philadelphia

If for some reason you still aren’t convinced of Austin’s ascension into the upper echelon of fantasy receivers after last week, well, there’s no hope for you. But we suspect most everyone has bought into Austin, who caught a touchdown for the third straight game last week as part of a five catch, 61-yard effort. Philly is in the top-10 against the pass, but is 20th in passing touchdowns allowed, and last week New York and three receivers gain at least 50 yards against them.

Point Projection: 14 points

12. Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Washington

It’s been four consecutive games with a touchdown and counting for White, who scored on one of his four receptions (while gaining 108 yards) in Atlanta’s loss to New Orleans on Monday night. Yet, for all the criticism that has flown the Redskins’ way, they won’t make it easy on White. Washington is third in the NFL in pass defense, and fourth in the league in passing scores allowed. Still, it’s hard to believe they can shut down someone playing as well as White is at the moment.

Point Projection: 14 points

13. Wes Welker (New England Patriots) vs. Miami

Welker, who is fifth in the AFC with 62 targets this season, is coming off back-to-back games of 10 receptions for over 100 yards and at least one touchdown. In fact, of the five games Welker has participated in this season, he’s had at least eight catches and 85 receiving yards in four of them. Expect more of the same this week.

Point Projection: 13 points

14. Nate Burleson (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Detroit

With 12 targets last week in Seattle’s loss to the Cowboys, Burleson vaulted past teammate T.J. Houshmandzadeh for the team lead in that category, and up to third in the NFC and sixth in the NFL with 66 targets. He turned last week’s 12 targets into six receptions for 89 yards, and has a good chance to do even bigger things this week against the Lions. Detroit is 27th in pass defense, and has allowed more passing touchdowns than all but one team.

Point Projection: 13 points

15. Calvin Johnson (Detroit Lions) at Seattle **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

It’s never been more evident how much the Lions need Megatron than it was last week, when the Lions, with Johnson on the bench with a knee injury, couldn’t move the ball through the air against the woeful Rams. In fact, Detroit completed just two passes to its wideouts in the game. It was thought that Johnson might actually play last week, and though he didn’t, the chances of him suiting up this week are significantly higher.

Point Projection: 13 points

16. Dwayne Bowe (Kansas City Chiefs) at Jacksonville

Though Bowe, KC’s lone consistent receiving threat had just two catches for 11 yards in the Chiefs’ last game, a loss to the Chargers, he did catch his fourth touchdown of the season in that contest. This week, he should be able to find the end zone once again when he takes on the Jaguars, who are simply rotten against the pass. Only three teams have allowed more passing scores this season than they have.

Point Projection: 12 points

17. Donald Driver (Green Bay Packers) at Tampa Bay

Driver is battling a sore neck that he got in the fourth quarter of last week’s loss to Minnesota in a game that saw him catch six passes for 63 yards on 10 targets. It was just the third time this season that Driver had a game with fewer than 80 receiving yards, despite coming up with the second-most catches of the season. He continues to be a solid fantasy football option, especially against a struggling Tampa pass defense.

Point Projection: 12 points

18. Steve Smith (New York Giants) vs. San Diego

Smith’s eight receptions last week marked the most he’s had in a game since he caught 11 passes in Week Four. Yet his 68 receiving yards marked the fourth straight game he’s had 70 or fewer yards, and he hasn’t caught a touchdown in that time either. Smith is clearly sliding because of the recent struggles of Eli Manning, who is prone to these types of slumps. San Diego sports a top-10 unit against the pass, so it won’t be easy for Smith to come around this week, though he’s clearly still a threat.

Point Projection: 11 points

19. Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers) at New Orleans

It took until nearly halfway through the season, but Smith finally traversed into the end zone for the Panthers last week as they knocked out the Arizona Cardinals. He finished the game with only three catches, but managed 56 yards. The Saints can be thrown on, as they are in the bottom half of the league in pass defense, but they don’t allow many scores—just six through the air all season—so this will be another challenge for Smith. However, in two games against New Orleans last season, he had at least five catches for 120 yards in both contests.

Point Projection: 11 points

20. Hines Ward (Pittsburgh Steelers) at Denver

Ward was a major disappointment in his previous outing, catching just one pass for three yards in Week Seven as the Steelers took down the Minnesota Vikings. Still, it was only the second time this season he had less than 80 receiving yards, and he’s clearly established himself as the sole No. 1 wideout in Pittsburgh after many thought Santonio Holmes would take over in that spot. He has a difficult matchup this week, however, as the Broncos are eighth in the NFL in pass defense and have allowed the second-fewest passing touchdowns in the league.

Point Projection: 11 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 9 WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS, CLICK HERE!

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY KYLE SMITH.

Fantasy Football Week Nine Rankings: Running Backs

Michael Whooley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:27:34 -0500

Dating back to the early days of fantasy football , running backs have always been considered the most important position. Sure, there are always fantasy owners who like to think outside the box and will give more value to either the quarterback or wide receiver positions, but for the most part fantasy football revolves around the running backs, and with some of the performances that we saw from the running backs in Week Eight, it’s hard to argue their value. You had Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew and Tennessee’s Chris Johnson going head-to-head and both backs posted monster games. Between them, they totaled 405 rushing yards with four touchdowns of 50-yards or longer. Not to be outdone San Francisco’s Frank Gore also had a touchdown run of more than 60 yards.

With big performances coming from the running back position each week, it’s extremely important to find the right running backs to input into your starting line-up. So, as you search for the right combination to bring you to a big victory this week, please enjoy the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Nine Running Back Rankings .

1. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Kansas City

On just eight carries, Maurice Jones-Drew rushed for 177 rushing yards in Week Eight against the Tennessee Titans for an amazing 22.1 yards per carry. With touchdown runs of 80 and 79-yards respectively, he was the lone bright spot for a Jacksonville team that gave the Titans their first win of the season. It was the third time this season that he scored more than 30 fantasy points in a game, and he has 10 rushing touchdowns in seven games. He is averaging 5.5 yards per carry this season and is a must start option this week against a Kansas City team that is ranked No. 26 against the run this year. In two career games against the Chiefs, MJD is averaging 6.1 yards per carry.
Point Projection: 22 points

2. Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Washington

Michael Turner has scored a touchdown in six straight games, and he topped 100 yards rushing for the second time this season last week as he had 20 carries for 150 yards with one touchdown in a NFC South division battle against the New Orleans Saints . With eight TDs over his last six games, Turner has once again emerged as a touchdown machine again this season. He has a good match-up this week against a Redskins’ team that is ranked No. 22 against the run this season, and he should be used as a starting fantasy running back in all formats.
Point Projection: 20 points

3. Cedric Benson (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Baltimore

Heading into the Bengals’ bye week, Cedric Benson was leading the NFL with 720 rushing yards in seven games and had added five touchdowns to his yardage. He has found new life in Cincinnati this season after being released by the Chicago Bears , who considered him a bust after taking him as their No. 1 pick in 2005. In Week Seven, Benson was able to exact some revenge against the Bears when he carried the ball 37 times for 189 yards with one touchdown. He had 120 yards rushing with one touchdown in Week 5 during his first meeting with Baltimore, which means he should be used as a must-start RB1 in this one.
Point Projection: 19 points

4. Ryan Grant (Green Bay Packers) @ Tampa Bay

In the Packers’ big game last week against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings , Ryan Grant had just 10 carries for 30 yards. He also added three receptions for 21 yards, but he did not find the end zone. Grant, though, has scored double digit fantasy points in every game this season but two. He should be used as a RB1 this week against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers team that is giving up over 162 rushing yards per game and has allowed seven rushing touchdowns in seven games.
Point Projection: 19 points

5. Frank Gore (San Francisco) vs. Tennessee

Frank Gore had a good game against the Indianapolis Colts last week when he rushed for 91 yards on 13 carries, which included a 64-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. It is puzzling to fantasy owners that the 49ers only handed him the ball 13 times in a game that he was running the ball so well, although he did add five receptions for 43 yards. Gore has three touchdowns this season of 60-yards or more, and this week he gets to face a Titans defense that allowed Jacksonville’s Maurice Jones-Drew to run for touchdowns of 79 and 80-yards last week. Gore should be used as a No. 1 fantasy running back this week in this favorable match-up.
Point Projection: 18 points

6. Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) @ Cincinnati

Through seven games this season, second-year man Ray Rice has emerged into No. 1 fantasy running back. He rushed for 84 yards and a touchdown in Week Eight against the Denver Broncos , who were ranked third against the rush heading into the game. He has 874 total yards with five touchdowns this season. In week 5 against the same Bengals’ defense he’ll face in week nine, he had 143 total yards with a touchdown. Look for a similar point total from Rice this week, as he has become a weekly must-start fantasy running back.
Point Projection: 18 points

7. Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans) @ San Francisco

Chris Johnson set a Tennessee franchise record by rushing for 228 yards on 24 carries last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars . He averaged 9.5 yards per carry in the game and accumulated most of his yardage on touchdown runs of 52 and 89-yards in the second half. In his second season, he has become one of the most dynamic running backs in the NFL and is averaging 6.9 yards per carry this year. He has totaled 365 rushing yards over his last two games, and he is leading the NFL in rushing with 824 yards. Johnson has emerged into a must-start fantasy running back on a weekly basis, including this week against a 49ers defense that is ranked No. 2 against the run.
Point Projection: 16 points

8. LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers) @ New York Giants

After not scoring a touchdown since Week One, LaDainian Tomlinson found the end zone twice during the Chargers Week Eight game against the Oakland Raiders . He once again didn’t gain a lot of yardage as he had 18 carries for just 56 yards, and he has yet to top 71 rushing yards in a game this season. Still, he has had 18 or more carries in each of the last three games and has resumed his role as the clear cut No. 1 running back role in San Diego. Tomlinson should be used as a RB1 this week against a New York team that has given up 12 rushing touchdowns this season. In one previous meeting with the Giants, Tomlinson had 21 carries for 192 yards with three touchdowns. Don’t expect him to duplicate those numbers, but a solid outing should be in order.
Point Projection: 16 points

9. Brandon Jacobs (New York Giants) vs. San Diego

Brandon Jacobs had 20 carries for 86 yards in a Week Eight loss to the Philadelphia Eagles . He once again led the team in carries, but fantasy owners are a little concerned with the fact that when the Giants got down to the goal line they gave the ball to Ahmad Bradshaw rather then Jacobs for the touchdown. New York continues to use both Jacobs and Bradshaw for a change of pace in the running game, with Jacobs getting a bulk of the carries. Use Jacobs as a low-end RB1 this week against a Chargers defense that is giving up over 130 rushing yards per game and has allowed seven rushing touchdowns on the season.
Point Projection: 15 points

10. DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers) @ New Orleans

DeAngelo Williams topped 150 rushing yards for the second time in three weeks when he had 23 carries for 158 yards last week against the Arizona Cardinals , but he did not score a touchdown, as two of them went to Jonathan Stewart . It was just the second time this season that Williams topped 100 yards rushing, but it is also just the second time he has topped 20 carries in a game since the Panthers have played from behind more often than not this season. He has rushed for 399 yards with three touchdowns over the past three weeks, and he should be used as a low-end RB1 this week against a Saints team that has been good against the run this season, but gave up 150 yards and a touchdown to Atlanta’s Michael Turner in Week Eight.
Point Projection: 15 points

11. Matt Forte (Chicago Bears) vs. Arizona

With 24 fantasy points last week against the Cleveland Browns , Matt Forte had his most productive game of the season from a fantasy standpoint. He had 26 carries for 90 yards with two touchdowns, while adding two catches for 31 yards. It was only the third time this season that he has had double digit fantasy points. He has 118 carries for 408 yards with three touchdowns this season, and he has added 24 catches for 185 yards. Forte should be used as a RB1 this week against a Cardinals team that is ranked No. 9 against the run this season, but did allow the Carolina Panthers to rush for 270 yards and two touchdowns in Week Eight.
Point Projection: 15 points

12. Clinton Portis (Washington Redskins) @ Atlanta

In seven games this season, Clinton Portis has rushed 120 times for 490 yards, but has only managed two total touchdowns. After a Week Eight bye week, the Redskins face an Atlanta Falcons team that is ranked No. 22 against the run and, through their first seven games this season, is allowing 117.7 rushing yards per game and to go along with six rushing touchdowns. Portis should be used as a low-end No. 1 fantasy running back this week against the Falcons.
Point Projection: 15 points

13. Rashard Mendenhall (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Denver

Even after losing a fumble in each of the Steelers’ last two games Rashard Mendenhall has received a vote of confidence from head coach Mike Tomlin , who stated that he will remain Pittsburgh’s starting running back coming off the team’s bye week. He failed to score a touchdown in Week Seven against the Minnesota Vikings for this first time in four games since taking over the starting role. Mendenhall has a tough match-up against the Denver Broncos this week who have the No. 3 run defense in the league, but they did allow Baltimore’s Ray Rice to score 16 fantasy points last week. Consider Mendenhall a No. 2 fantasy running back this week against in Denver.
Point Projection : 15 points

14. Brian Westbrook (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Dallas **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

After suffering a concussion Week Seven against the Washington Redskins , Brian Westbrook was inactive for the Eagles’ game last week against the New York Giants. However, he was a game time decision, leading us to believe he should be ready for this week’s outing with the Cowboys. In 14 career games against Dallas, Westbrook is averaging 89.3 total yards per game with nine total touchdowns. If active this week, he should be used as a No. 2 fantasy running back, just make sure you keep an eye on the injury report.
Point Projection : 14 points

15. Ronnie Brown (Miami Dolphins) @ New England

With just 27 yards rushing, Ronnie Brown had his worst outing of the season against the New York Jets in Week Eight. This week, he faces a New England Patriots team that is giving up just under 110 yards per game, but has only surrendered one rushing touchdown this season. Brown has averaged 58.3 rushing yards per game against the Patriots with five touchdowns in six career games. Use him as a RB2 in this match-up.
Point Projection : 14 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK 9 RUNNING BACK RANKINGS , CLICK HERE !

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY LARRY JOSEPH .

Fantasy Football Week Nine Rankings: Quarterbacks

Michael Whooley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:22:01 -0500

Week Nine of the NFL season is shaping up to be an exciting one, especially when looking at the quarterback matchups.

Perhaps the best matchup features Tony Romo against Donovan McNabb as the Dallas Cowboys visit the Philadelphia Eagles in a key NFC East game.

Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens travel to Cincinnati to face the Bengals in a huge AFC North game. Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts will host Matt Schaub and the Houston Texans in a big AFC South matchup.

Beyond big division games, two former first round picks that had fallen out of favor with their teams but are now starters again, Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers and Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans , will meet.

Then, of course, there is the intriguing matchup of San Diego and New York, pitting Philip Rivers of the Chargers against Eli Manning of the Giants—two players that were traded for each other in the same draft—against each other.

And if none of those games appeals to you, then you can watch the Carolina Turnovers—er, Panthers, play against the New Orleans Saints , who are one of the best defenses at creating turnovers.

As you can see, there are loads of great games on the Week Nine slate. With that in mind we bring to you the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Nine Quarterback Rankings .

1. Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints) vs. Carolina

New Orleans remains undefeated, and though the improved play of the defense has been a big reason why, a lot of credit also has to go to quarterback Drew Brees . Brees is running the Saints offense to near perfection, and a good gameplan by the Atlanta Falcons last week still wasn’t enough to slow them down.

This week the Saints will play at home against the Carolina Panthers , who are first in passing yards allowed but rank just 23rd in points allowed. Also consider the Panthers turn the ball over a lot, and that could lead to a lot of possessions for Brees and the Saints.

Point Projection: 24 points

2. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) vs. Houston

Last week in a win over the San Francisco 49ers , Manning threw for 347 yards and still had his worst game from a fantasy football perspective, mostly because he failed to get into the end zone for the first time this season. Don’t expect Manning to go without a touchdown for a second consecutive week.

The Colts will host the Houston Texans this week, and that’s a team Manning likes to play against. In the past four meetings with Houston, Manning has thrown eight touchdowns with just one interception. Expect another big game from Manning this week.

Point Projection: 23 points

3. Tom Brady (New England Patriots) vs. Miami

Tom Brady and the New England Patriots are coming off a bye week, but before that Brady had thrown 11 touchdowns against three interceptions in the previous three games. Not only that, but the Patriots scored 94 points combined in the two games prior to the bye week. Thus, Brady and the New England offense are clearly rolling.

This week they’ll be at home against the Miami Dolphins , a team that starts rookies in their secondary while ranking 21st in the NFL against the pass and 26th in the league in points allowed. Brady owners should expect him to pick up where he left off.

Point Projection: 21 points

4. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) @ Tampa Bay

Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for 287 yards and three touchdowns last week in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings , but that big game came with a price. A weak offensive line has led to Rodgers being sacked a league-high 31 times this season, and that led to a couple of injuries last week.

Rodgers limped off the field with toe and foot injuries on both legs, and though it won’t keep him out this week, it is still a situation to monitor closely. Luckily for Rodgers and the Packers, they’ll be playing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers , a team that is 29th in total yards allowed and 30th in points allowed.

Point Projection: 20 points

5. Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Dallas

The big NFC East game last week between the Eagles and the Giants wasn’t so big after all, as the Philadelphia offense, led by quarterback Donovan McNabb , took control of the game early on. McNabb finished with 240 yards and three touchdowns against a secondary that was considered one of the best in the league.

Playing at home, it should be another solid game for McNabb this week as Dallas is 22nd against the pass, though you shouldn’t expect a full repeat of last week for the Philadelphia quarterback.

Point Projection: 17 points

6. Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys) @ Philadelphia

After an inconsistent start to the season, Dallas quarterback Tony Romo has really come on in the last three games for the Cowboys, as he had eight touchdowns and no interceptions in leading the team to three consecutive wins. This week won’t be as easy for Romo, however, as the Cowboys travel to Philadelphia to take on a surging Eagles pass defense.

Having seen what the Eagles defense did to Eli Manning last week—two interceptions, 51.2 completion percentage—you shouldn’t expect a fourth straight 20-plus-point fantasy football performance from Romo this week. However, when these two teams square off, it usually leads to a high-scoring affair, which means Romo should do enough to be used as a QB1 in Week Nine.

Point Projection: 16 points

7. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) @ New York Giants

The Chargers may not be the Super Bowl contender some thought they were going to be this season, but that can’t be blamed on Philip Rivers . In the past five games Rivers has thrown eight touchdowns with just one interception.

This matchup is intriguing not only because it features Rivers against Eli Manning , but also because it features the San Diego Chargers offense and the New York Giants defense. New York has typically been strong against the pass, but over the last two weeks the Giants have been shredded by Donovan McNabb and Drew Brees .

Expect a solid game from Rivers, but we find it hard to believe the Giants defense will get beat up for the second time in three weeks on their home turf.

Point Projection: 16 Points

8. Kurt Warner (Arizona Cardinals) @ Chicago

Last week in a loss to the Carolina Panthers , Arizona quarterback Kurt Warner threw for 242 yards and a couple touchdowns, which would’ve been a good fantasy football performance if he hadn’t also lost a fumble and thrown five interceptions.

Expect Warner to bounce back this week as he plays at Chicago, a team that on paper has a good defense but has been killed by injuries throughout the season. Having so many new starters and younger players in the lineup on defense has led to some breakdowns for the Bears, and that’s something a veteran quarterback like Warner can take advantage of.

Point Projection: 16 points

9. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Denver

Looking at this matchup, you would think it would be a struggle for the Pittsburgh Steelers offense and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger . The Denver Broncos have one of the strongest defenses in the league as they rank in the top eight in every major defensive category.

However, playing against good defense hasn’t stopped Roethlisberger before. Plus, the Steelers have the advantage of coming off a bye week, and that’s been an area of strength for Roethlisberger, as he’s thrown six touchdowns and just two interceptions the last two years in games coming off of byes.

Point Projection: 16 points

10. Matt Schaub (Houston Texans) @ Indianapolis

Last week’s two-interception performance by Schaub marked his worst performance of the year since the season opener meltdown against the New York Jets .

The Indianapolis Colts are seventh in the league against the pass and first in points allowed, which would be a concern for Houston, except the Texans have started to get their running game going. Indianapolis ranks in the bottom half of the league against the run, so expect a better-balanced Houston offense to allow Schaub to return to double-digit fantasy football points this week.

Point Projection: 16 points

11. Jay Cutler (Chicago Bears) vs. Arizona

The last two weeks Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler struggled against a pair of Ohio franchises, registering a combined 18 fantasy football points in standard scoring leagues. He’ll look to get back on track this week against the Arizona Cardinals at Soldier Field, and he should be able to do so.

The Cardinals are a little dinged up in the secondary and are 20th against the pass. Outside of getting torched on the ground by Carolina in Week Eight, Arizona has been pretty good against the run, meaning you can expect Cutler to throw the ball often in this game, and that’s generally been a good thing for him this season.

Point Projection: 15 points

12. Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks) vs. Detroit

Even though it came it a loss last week, Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck had a good game, as he threw for 249 yards and two touchdowns with no turnovers.

Because he’ll be playing at home this week against the lowly Detroit Lions , it would be easy to predict an even bigger game, but instead it’s likely the Seahawks will get ahead early and probably won’t need to throw the ball much. Seattle trailed the Dallas Cowboys the entire game last week, causing for the need to throw more often.

Feel confident starting Hasselbeck as a low-end QB1, but don’t expect him to post a game like he did in a Week Five beatdown of the Jacksonville Jaguars .

Point Projection: 14 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK NINE QUARTERBACK RANKINGS , CLICK HERE !

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY CORY STEGER .

Breaks, Bumps, and Bruises: NFL Week Eight Injury Report

Michael Whooley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:16:50 -0500

A couple big injuries came to the forefront in Week Eight, which will lead to you moving from this article to the Bruno Boys Pick ‘Em Up section. Continually check back to the Bruno Boys for the latest news in fantasy football.

A lot of injuries this week will need to be wait-and-see, and with that in mind let's take a look at some of the biggest breaks, bumps, and bruises from Week Eight.

Owen Daniels, TE, Houston Texans

The biggest injury of the day went to the Houston Texans tight end, as he suffered a torn ACL, ending his 2009 season. Daniels was off to an impressive season, coming into Week Eight as the highest scoring tight end in fantasy football points.

This will be a big blow for your team if you own Daniels, because at this point in the year there is no way you will find a replacement that can rival his production at the tight end position. See what is available in your league's waiver wire and even in terms of a trade.

Anquan Boldin, WR, Arizona Cardinals

Boldin left a second game early in a row, as he re-injured the sprained ankle that has been giving him fits the last three weeks. With Boldin unable to make it all the way through games, it seems as though the Cardinals will try to hold him out for a week to let him rest up and be at 100 percent for Week 10.

With the way Boldin heals and plays through pain, it would not be surprising to see him on the field. All reports say he will not play against the Bears though, and even if he did, it’s hard to say whether he could play an entire game.

Kevin Smith, RB, Detroit Lions

Smith injured his shoulder against the St. Louis Rams and was held out for part of the game. Head coach Jim Schwartz claims Smith could have returned if necessary but decided to lean on the side of caution. Instead, Smith’s back-up, Maurice Morris, got to take advantage of the favorable matchup, leaving many fantasy football owners rather frustrated.

Even with Morris doing well, it’s hard imagining the Lions keeping Smith (their best playmaker with Calvin Johnson out) on the bench when they were trailing in the game. There may be something more to this injury than what is being presented, and with the way the Lions cover up injuries, you may want to check back with the Bruno Boys to see if any new reports surface.

Calvin Johnson, WR, Detroit Lions

Johnson practiced both Thursday and Friday with all signs pointing to him being out on the field for Week Eight. Apparently warm-ups did not treat him well, as he was made inactive before kickoff. Johnson was very close to playing this week and there are no reports of any kind of setback. This means you should be safe to deploy him next week.

In any case, check back with the Bruno Boys for reassurance.

Mario Manningham, WR, New York Giants

Manningham said throughout the week that he would play in the Giants' game against the Philadelphia Eagles, took part in pre-game workouts, but was made inactive before the game.

Head coach Tom Coughlin said Manningham wasn’t comfortable going through the warm-ups and isn’t exactly sure what the problem is with his shoulder. Manningham will likely be questionable this week and may have some lingering effects all season long. If you can get some value for him, you may want to pull the trigger now, because with the emergence of Hakeem Nicks it looks like his best days for the season are behind him.

Anthony Gonzalez, WR, Indianapolis Colts

Gonzalez, who has yet to return to practice and after missing yet another game, may still be a couple weeks away from returning. With most of the bye weeks over, if you’ve held on to him at this point there is no real reason to drop him.

He may miss the next game or two but should return in time for the fantasy football playoffs. With the Colts at 7-0, Indianapolis will likely ease him into action slowly and get him ready for their Super Bowl run.

Continue to monitor the situation but keep him out of your lineup until you see him in at least one game, maybe two.

Brian Westbrook, RB, Philadelphia Eagles

Westbrook did work-out without any problems from his concussion on Friday before being deactivated from Sunday’s game against the New York Giants.

Head coach Andy Reid decided to be cautious towards Westbrook, and instead turned to rookie running back LeSean McCoy to carry the workload on the ground for the Eagles. Westbrook should play this week but may see a limited role, considering the strong play of McCoy and the fact that the team wants their star back fully healthy at the end of the season.

Steve Slaton, RB, Houston Texans

No, Slaton is not injured. Many may see his low production totals of one carry for one yard and think he must have went down with an injury. Another lost fumble planted Slaton’s butt on the bench while backup Ryan Moats turned in a big day.

There is no word on how the Texans will handle the running back situation for next week, but when your backup goes for 100 plus rushing yards and three scores there is cause for concern.

Make sure to check back with us during the week for more information regarding the Houston backfield.

Jake Delhomme, QB, Carolina Panthers

Considering how poorly Delhomme has played all season, you likely haven’t been using the Carolina quarterback in your lineup. With another six teams on bye this week, it’s worth noting the status of Delhomme. He left the Panthers' game against the Arizona Cardinals with a chest injury.

He got a CT scan, which came back negative, meaning he has a good chance he may be able to heal in time for their game next week against the New Orleans Saints. With a banged-up Delhomme (who isn’t playing well this year) and a bad matchup for next week, it’s best to look in another direction.

Chris Cooley, TE, Washington Redskins

Last week it was being reported that Cooley would miss the rest of the season. A wrong diagnoses and a successful surgery on his injured right tibia means Cooley could see game action in about four weeks.

If you are able to do so, stash him away, as you likely will not find an ample replacement this time of year. Cooley’s stats may not be up to par when he does come back, but what other options could you really have that will be much better?

Nate Clements, CB, San Francisco 49ers

Clements suffered a fractured right scapula in the 49ers' loss to the Indianapolis Colts and there is no word on how much time he will miss. Clements will miss some games, but the question remains whether it’s for a short time or if he will be out for the year. If the injury isn’t enough for you to dump him in your IDP league then the fact that he lost his starting job prior to Week Eight should be.

Remember, injuries happen all the time. Even if it is your star that goes down, finding the replacements before the other owners in your fantasy football league may be the difference at the end of the year. With that be said it will benefit you to check out our Fantasy Football Waiver Wire—Pick Them Up article to identify which player to pick up.

Have a guy on our injury list and not sure what to do with your roster? Contact our injury expert Greg Warnock for advice. He can be reached at gwarnock@brunoboys.net

Fantasy Football Week Nine Waiver Wire: Pick Them Up

Michael Whooley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:09:59 -0500

Week Eight brought about an interesting development at the quarterback position. A pair of high first-round draft picks that had fallen into backup roles now find themselves as starters again, and both played pretty well on Sunday.

Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers and Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans both earned their starting jobs back this season after lackluster performances by the players in front of them— Shaun Hill and Kerry Collins , respectively. They do have some value in fantasy football, but to find out where they stack up, continue reading the Fantasy Football Week Nine Waiver Wire: Pick Them Up article below.

Note: If you’re debating on who to drop to pick these guys up, you should be checking out the Bruno Boys’ article, Fantasy Football Week 9 Waiver Wire - Cut Them Loose . And remember that you can always visit our FORUMS to get your questions answered about waiver wire candidates, players to drop, or anything at all related to fantasy football .

QUARTERBACKS

Alex Smith (San Francisco 49ers)

Since he took over for San Francisco last week, Smith has put together consecutive double-digit performances while throwing four touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s also kept the 49ers competitive in both of those games, including a close loss to the Indianapolis Colts this past Sunday.

Smith is somewhat of an enigma because the talent is there, but it has never been fully displayed. Since he has never shown the ability to be a consistent player, he should only be targeted in deep leagues. However, it is worth noting he has favorable matchups coming up against the Titans, the Chicago Bears, the St. Louis Rams, and the Detroit Lions.

Vince Young (Tennessee Titans)

Once the Titans decided to switch to Young at quarterback, it was a decision that was made with the intent of him being the starter for at least the rest of the season. And, in his first start this season, Young played well, as he went 15-for-18 for 125 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions. He also rushed for 30 yards on 12 carries. He didn’t attempt many hard throws and didn’t go downfield, but we’ve seen Young be a force in fantasy football before. For those desperately seeking a quarterback, you could do worse than Young.

RUNNING BACKS

LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles)

With starter Brian Westbrook out because of a concussion sustained in Week Seven, LeSean McCoy got the call at running back for the Philadelphia Eagles last week. In a win over the Giants, McCoy rushed 11 times for 82 yards and a touchdown, and he also caught two passes for 10 yards.

Westbrook did not practice at all in the week leading up to the game this past weekend and concussions are a weird thing. Sometimes players can come back from them quickly, and other times it takes a while. Even if Westbrook does return next week, he would at the very least share carries with McCoy. Monitor Westbrook’s situation this week, and if it appears he’s not going to play, McCoy would be a good pickup in any league.

Ryan Moats (Houston Texans)

A fumbling problem by starter Steve Slaton opened the door for Houston Texans running back Ryan Moats in the team’s win over the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. Moats came in and absolutely took over the game, as he had 126 yards and three touchdowns on 23 carries. He also had two receptions for 25 yards.

Given Slaton’s problems with fumbles—he’s had seven this season, five of which were lost—and the way Moats played against the Bills, it’s likely he’ll continue to start. This is the type of player any fantasy team should pounce on right now if the opportunity is available because Moats could have some more big games in him before the season is over.

Maurice Morris (Detroit Lions)

Starter Kevin Smith left this past weekend’s loss to the Rams with a shoulder injury, though Detroit Lions head coach Jim Schwartz insisted he could have returned had he been needed. Maurice Morris took over for Smith and finished the game with 63 yards on 11 carries, compared to Smith’s 45 yards on 14 attempts. Smith has been injured and inconsistent this season and Morris ran well, leading us to believe that Morris will continue to see about five to 15 touches of the ball in the future. Since that isn’t a whole lot, Morris should only be considered in deeper leagues.

WIDE RECEIVERS

Jeremy Maclin (Philadelphia Eagles)

It hasn’t taken long for the Eagles to get rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin involved in the offense. This past week against the Giants, Maclin caught four passes for 47 yards and a touchdown. He was only targeted four times, but he made the most of his opportunities.

So far this season, Maclin has been inconsistent, as you would expect that with a rookie wide receiver. He’s now had two double-digit performances with the next highest point total for him being just five, which came two weeks ago. Maclin is explosive and you can expect him to continue to be targeted in the Eagles offense, but his inconsistency still scares us a bit. Those in shallow leagues could afford to stash him on the bench for now.

Kelley Washington (Baltimore Ravens)

The Baltimore Ravens receiver is an interesting player. Once considered a first-round talent, he slipped to later in the draft over concerns about injuries and his attitude. After a stint in Cincinnati, it appeared his career was close to over because of injuries. He spent the last two season with the New England Patriots, where he had just one reception.

Now healthy, he’s on a team in desperate need of a receiver to step up, and he has started to do so with 24 catches for 325 yards and a touchdown. He’s averaging a solid 13.5 yards per reception, and though he was buried on the depth chart, he is quickly rising to the top of it for the Ravens. Still, he hasn’t caught more than five passes in a game, so he should only be considered in deeper leagues for now. If his good play continues, he could eventually find himself second in line at receiver.

TIGHT ENDS

Dustin Keller (New York Jets)

After hitting a low point earlier in the season, the passing game looks to be back on track for the New York Jets. A big beneficiary of this has been tight end Dustin Keller, who caught eight passes for 76 yards and a touchdown in the team’s loss to the Miami Dolphins.

It was by far Keller’s biggest game of the season, and it appears rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez has discovered a nice option as teams focus on Braylon Edwards and running backs Thomas Jones and Shonn Greene. Keller has never been a consistent force in fantasy football before, so for now, he should only be looked at in deeper leagues.

KICKERS

Rob Bironas (Tennessee Titans)

Now that Vince Young is the starter at quarterback for Tennessee, the Titans should be able to find themselves able to move the ball better, or at least reach field goal range more often. Kicker Rob Bironas is a pretty good kicker who’s got a powerful leg, so if the Titans get anywhere near the 35-yard line he comes into play. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Bironas was three-for-three on field goals and hit three extra points. That’s the kind of production you’re looking for out of a kicker.

Robbie Gould (Chicago Bears)

Similar to Bironas, Chicago Bears kicker Robbie Gould is a guy with a powerful leg who has no problem hitting the long field goals. And, like Bironas last week, Gould hit three-for-three on field goals and had three extra points in a win over the Cleveland Browns. As the Bears offense continues to grow under new quarterback Jay Cutler, Gould will find himself in field goal range more often.

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY CORY STEGER .

Fantasy Football Week Nine Waiver Wire: Cut Them Loose

Michael Whooley — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 16:04:45 -0500

When your fantasy football players can’t cut it, it’s time to “Cut Them Loose.” Too often, though, we can’t bring ourselves to pull the trigger. That’s where the Bruno Boys come in.

Alleviating the agony, you out there in Bruno Boys Nation experience over those roster moves, we highlight the guys you should cut from your fantasy squads and in our “Keep them Cut” area, guys out there that you need to continue to stay away from. It’s all here in the Fantasy Football Week 9 Waiver Wire - Cut Them Loose.

Note: While you are watching to see if these players can redeem themselves or if you are cutting your losses and dropping some players, you should be checking out Fantasy Football Week Nine Waiver—Pick Them Up article so you can start planning on whom to pick up to replace them.

And, remember you can always visit our FORUMS to get your questions answered about waiver wire candidates, players to drop or anything at all related to fantasy football .

QUARTERBACKS—CUT THEM LOOSE

Marc Bulger (St. Louis Rams) This is more so a reminder to the 7-10 percent of you who rolled with Marc Bulger in Week Eight because you were faced with a bye week dilemma. On paper this match-up with the Detroit Lions was a good one, as the Lions defense had allowed opposing quarterbacks to complete 74.2 percent of their passes while surrendering 17 touchdowns in just six games.

Owners who started Bulger expecting a breakout game were highly disappointed as the veteran signal caller completed just 17 of 35 passes for 176 yards and an interception. His lackluster performance led to just five fantasy football points and if Bulger can’t produce against the Lions don’t expect him to do anything moving forward.

After a Week Nine bye the Rams play just three games against opponents who are under .500 through the seasons first eight weeks and with Bulger’s season high being 10 fantasy points in Week Six you are better off finding a back-up QB with some better matchups.

Keep Them Cut : JaMarcus Russell (Oakland Raiders), Jake Delhomme (Carolina Panthers), Jason Campbell (Washington Redskins), Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions), Derek Anderson (Cleveland Browns), Trent Edwards (Buffalo Bills), Kerry Collins (Tennessee Titans), Shaun Hill (San Francisco 49ers)

RUNNING BACKS—CUT THEM LOOSE

Tashard Choice (Dallas Cowboys) Early season injuries to Marion Barber and Felix Jones opened the door Tashard Choice to do some damage and he made the most of his opportunity. With Barber and Jones being limited or out of action in Weeks three through five, Choice had 49 touches for 290 total yards and two touchdowns while running in a timeshare.

However, Dallas used their Week 6 bye to get their workhorses back to full strength and this has resulted in a significant decline in Choice’s production over the last two weeks. The Cowboys have scored 75 points over the last two games and all Choice has to show for it is five touches for 34 total yards. In comparison, Barber has 30 touches during that span while Jones has touched the football 19 times.

Despite showing flashes of his potential at the end of last season and beginning of this season it’s tough to keep a guy on your roster who is the third running back in an offense that has thrown on 54 percent of its offensive plays.

There is just simply not enough footballs to be spread around for Choice to have any true value on fantasy football rosters and unless you own Barber it’s time to cut bait.

Michael Bush (Oakland Raiders) With primary running back Darren McFadden suffering a knee injury in Week Four it allowed Michael Bush and Justin Fargas to see an increased workload. While Fargas has made the most of his opportunity having totaled 294 yards over the last four games, Bush has just 139 yards and 16 fantasy points during that span.

With head coach Tom Cable expecting McFadden to return after the Raiders' Week Nine bye the lackluster play of Bush should lead to a decrease in opportunity moving forward. When the Raiders take on the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10 the steady play of Fargas should propel him into a running back by committee backfield McFadden moving forward with Bush being relegated to short yardage and goal-line touches.

Unless you are in a TD-only league this is not what you want from a running back taking up a roster spot so with that in mind it’s best to dump Bush and snag someone from our Week Nine Waiver Wire—Pick Them Up article.

Keep Them Cut : Willis McGahee (Baltimore Ravens), Jerome Harrison (Cleveland Browns), Fred Jackson (Buffalo Bills), Leon Washington (New York Jets), LenDale White (Tennessee Titans), Julius Jones (Seattle Seahawks)

WIDE RECEIVERS—CUT THEM LOOSE

Mohammed Massaquoi (Cleveland Browns) After hauling in eight receptions for 148 receiving yards in a Week Four loss to the Cincinnati Bengals Massaquoi was considered the pick-up of the week on many waiver wires. However, those who added the rookie wide receiver out of Georgia failed to remember Massaquoi plays on the Cleveland Browns , who arguably sport the worst offense in the NFL .

Since his 148 yard output in Week Four Massaquoi has totaled just nine receptions for 149 receiving yards and until the Browns’ offense can find some consistency he isn’t worth employing on your fantasy team.

During the four game stretch in which Massaquoi has just nine receptions the Browns’ quarterbacks have completed only 30 passes and the offense has scored just two touchdowns. Instead of hanging on to a No. 1 wideout in a dysfunctional offense you are better off targeting a secondary receiver in a high powered offense.

Eddie Royal (Denver Broncos) With all the preseason troubles surrounding wide receiver Brandon Marshall it was supposed to be second year Eddie Royal who stepped up as the lead receiver in a revamped Denver Broncos offense.

With new Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels coming from the New England Patriots there was talk that Royal would be used similar to how the Patriots’ use Wes Welker but through eight weeks it hasn’t happened.

In fact, Royal, who had 91 receptions as a rookie, has just 20 receptions for 158 receiving yards and no touchdowns over the Broncos’ first seven games. To make matters worse, if you take away Royal’s 10 reception for 90 yard effort in Week Five the speedster has a measly 10 receptions for 68 receiving yards over a third of the season.

Unless you are in a league that gives you points for return yards Royal has no business being on your fantasy football roster. The Broncos face some tough pass defenses over the next four games and outside of Brandon Marshall there has been no consistent second option in a surprisingly efficient Denver’ passing attack.

Keep Them Cut : Isaac Bruce (San Francisco 49ers), Justin Gage (Tennessee Titans), Terrell Owens (Buffalo Bills), Laveranues Coles (Cincinnati Bengals) Domenik Hixon (New York Giants), Pierre Garcon (Indianapolis Colts)

TIGHT ENDS—CUT THEM LOOSE

Marcedes Lewis (Jacksonville Jaguars) - With many fantasy football owners scrambling to find a bye week tight end over the past five weeks it seemed that Marcedes Lewis ’ name was always popping up. Over the course of the seasons first month Lewis had 11 receptions for 179 receiving yards and two touchdowns while emerging as a reliable down-field target for quarterback David Garrard .

Since, the fourth-year veteran out of UCLA has been on the decline. With the Jaguars’ offense hitting a standstill it has led to inconsistent play from Lewis and the rest of the offense, outside of running back Maurice Jones-Drew .

Despite having solid match-ups over the last three games, Lewis had just five receptions for 38 receiving yards and did nothing but disappoint those owners who rolled with him thinking the matchups were right.

Bottom Line, if Lewis can’t get the job done against the likes of the Seattle Seahawks , St. Louis Rams, and Tennessee Titans don’t expect him to produce at a level worth a roster spot anytime soon because the schedule only gets tougher for a Jacksonville club that has dropped two of their last three games.

Keep Them Cut : Kevin Boss (New York Giants), Anthony Fasano (Miami Dolphins), Randy McMichael (St. Louis Rams), Alge Crumpler (Tennessee Titans)

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NFL Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit 'Ems

Michael Whooley — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:29:43 -0400

Trick or Treat! Yes, folks the words spoken by children everywhere who are celebrating Halloween, hold relevance in the world of fantasy football. Essentially, each week when setting our lineups, we try to avoid those “Tricks” (players that are due for a bad week) and plug in those “Treats” (players that that are set to go off). In the scope of helping you do just that, the Bruno Boys proudly present the Fantasy Football Week 8 Sit Ems.

QUARTERBACKS – SIT ‘EM

Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens) vs. Denver

Flacco is posting a stellar sophomore season, racking up 1,674 passing yards and 11 TDs with just 5 INTs through six games. In fact, Flacco’s play is a large reason why the Ravens have been able to remain competitive this season despite the slow demise of their defense. In addition, he’s coming off a bye week, which means he and his supporting cast should be fresh. So, why are we down on a rock solid QB coming off the bye week? Simple, while Flacco has played himself into QB1 discussions for fantasy purposes, he’s not quite at the must play level, which means when a bad match-up presents itself, it’s best to avoid. This week Flacco and the Ravens host the Denver Broncos, a team that’s giving up just 6.5 fantasy points per game to opposing QBs. Yes, they did allow double digit fantasy points to the QB position in week 5 and week 6, but their opponents those two weeks were Tom Brady and the New England Patriots and Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers, and while both put up double digits, their point totals were just 14 and 12 respectively. If the Broncos can keep those two under wraps, they will do the same to Flacco.

Marc Bulger (St. Louis Rams) @ Detroit

While we’re advising you to avoid Flacco due to the match-up, that’s not the reason we suggest leaving Bulger on your bench. In fact, to many fantasy owners who own the likes of Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, or Carson Palmer, Bulger’s match-up has them thinking bye week fill in. But, we’re going to advise against that. Yes, Bulger does face a Detroit Lions’ secondary that is allowing opposing QBs to go for 21.5 fantasy points per game, the second most in the league, but the quarterback’s days of being a fantasy option are in the past. Bulger has posted just one double digit outing this season in the six games he has played in, and he just made it to the double digit plateau in that one with 10 fantasy points. The name and match-up could fool owners into using him, but the good news is since you’ve read this, you won’t be one of those poor owners cursing his name come Monday.

Eli Manning (New York Giants) @ Philadelphia

Manning started out the season with 8 TD passes and 64 fantasy football points over the first four games but since a Week 4 showing in which he had three TDs and 19 fantasy points he has been mediocre at best. Over the last two games, against tougher competition, Manning has completed just 48.5 percent of his passes and has started to get turnover happy, having thrown four INTs to just two TD passes. With the New York Giants taking on the Philadelphia Eagles in a crucial divisional game you would think Manning should play at a high level. However, if you combine his recent struggles with the fact that the Eagles’ pass defense allows just 190 passing yards per contest and is averaging two INTs per game, you have yourself a risky Week 8 play. The icing on the cake, Manning has failed to throw for 200 yards in four of his last five contests against the Eagles, and he has at least one interception in three of those games.

RUNNING BACKS - SIT ’ EM

Ryan Grant (Green Bay Packers) vs. Minnesota

Grant is coming off his best outing of the season as he ran for 148 yards and a score in Week 7 against the Cleveland Browns. Luckily for Grant’s owners, he took advantage of that match-up because this Week 8 one is not appealing. Brett Favre’s return to Lambeau means the Minnesota Vikings are in town, a rush defense that is giving up just 95.4 rushing yards per contest and that has allowed just two rushing TDs on the year. Grant did amass 10 fantasy points against the Vikings when these two teams met in Week 4, but he was saved that week by the five points he gained as a receiver due to 50 receiving yards. We don’t expect Grant to be such a big part of the team’s passing plans in this one, which means he could very well end the day in the four-to-seven fantasy point range if he fails to find pay dirt.

Knowshon Moreno (Denver Broncos) @ Baltimore

While it is true the Baltimore Raven’s defense is struggling in 2009 as mentioned in Joe Flacco’s write-up above, those struggles are due to their inability to stop the pass. The Ravens rank seventh in the league in rush defense, giving up just 91.2 rushing yards per game to go with three rushing TDs on the season. So, yes, when you see your running back matched up with them, like Moreno’s owners do this week, it’s best to look elsewhere for a RB play. Since Moreno posted back-to-back weeks of double digit fantasy points in weeks three and four, the runner has just 13 fantasy points in two games. His struggles continue in Week 8.

Felix Jones (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Seattle

Jones posted some big days prior to suffering an injury earlier this year, so fantasy owners are eager to get the running back back into their line-ups, especially since the larger role Tashard Choice was supposed to see, according to Jerry Jones, didn’t come to fruition. While it is true that Jones is the clear cut No. 2 RB in Dallas behind Marion Barber, it’s not clear whether his explosiveness is back on the field with him following the knee injury. Before using Jones again, we want the RB to post more than one fantasy point as he did in Week 7 and prove he is flex-option worthy.

WIDE RECEIVERS - SIT ’ EMS

Roy Williams (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Seattle

Can the torch be passed from one player to another if that first player never gets it lit? If it hasn’t happened before, but it’s happening in Dallas right now. Coming over to Big D from the Detroit Lions via a trade last season, Williams was supposed to be the future for the Cowboys at the wide receiver position—a belief further solidified by the fact that the Cowboys parted ways with the oft-troubled Terrell Owens this offseason. But, as the team’s “No. 1” Williams has just 230 receiving yards with one score on the year. Those are numbers that Miles Austin surpassed in one game as he tallied 250 yards and two scores against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 5. Following a bye, Austin exploded again in Week 7 for 171 yards and 2 TDs against the Atlanta Falcons. Austin is now the team’s No. 1, making Williams the No. 2 wide receiver. If he couldn’t get points as the go-to-guy, what makes you think he’ll do so as the second fiddle.

TIGHT ENDS - SIT ’ EMS

John Carlson (Seattle Seahawks) @ Dallas

After his 95 receiving yard, 2 TD and 21 fantasy football point performance in Week 1, Carlson has been just another tight end. The second year player out of Notre Dame has failed to score a TD since the season opener and has only been able to muster 17 fantasy points over the Seahawks’ last five games. The match-up against the 22nd ranked Dallas Cowboys pass defense looks good on paper, and Carlson did have 6 catches for 105 receiving yards in a 2008 meeting, but Dallas has been surprisingly good at defending the tight end position this year. Outside of Week 1 and Week 3 in which Dallas surrendered a TD (26 combined fantasy points) to the tight end position, Dallas has allowed just 10 fantasy points to opposing tight ends and until Carlson starts scoring touchdowns he will be nothing but a three-to-six point yardage play and not much more.

KICKERS - SIT ’ EMS

Neil Rackers (Arizona Cardinals) vs. Carolina

Racks started out the season on fire, having converted on three 40-plus yard FGs and scoring 22 fantasy points over the Cardinals’ first two games, but it’s been all downhill since. With Arizona starting to find the end zone at a consistent rate, Rackers has attempted just four FGs over the last four games and none of them have been outside of 38 yards. In comparison, Rackers has nailed all 10 of his extra point attempts since the Cardinals’ Week 4 bye week. Facing a stingy Carolina Panthers passing defense would make one think Rackers should see plenty of FG changes in this game, but the Panthers have allowed opponents to attempt just six FGs in six games. At the rate Arizona has been finding paydirt can you really rely on Rackers to have more than two FG chances? If you are looking for a safe four-to-six point play it’s Rackers, but beyond that look elsewhere.

DEFENSES - SIT ’ EMS

Green Bay Packers D/ST vs. Minnesota Vikings

Don’t let the recent success of the Packers defense fool you. Yes, they have allowed three points, forced five turnovers and racked up 35 fantasy points over the last two games but that was against the struggling Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns offenses. Facing a Minnesota Vikings offense that is third in the NFL in scoring (29.4 points per game) will be no easy task for a defense that had allowed 93 points over their first four games. In a Week 4 meeting against Minnesota, quarterback Brett Favre threw for three TDs in a 30-23 Minnesota route of Green Bay. In that game the Packers failed to sack Favre and if it wasn’t for an Adrian Peterson fumble that was returned for a TD their defense would have posted just two points in standard scoring league. With both of these teams offenses in high gear you can expect this game to be yet another high scoring NFC North match-up and if Green Bay fails to record sacks or force turnovers, like their last match-up, they have little fantasy value.

Fantasy Football Week Eight Rankings: Defenses

Michael Whooley — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:27:47 -0400

With six defenses on a bye and not very many solid match-up plays, week eight surely will present a dilemma for those fantasy owners looking to play the waiver wire for their defensive unit. If you need a filler, you will likely have to take a chance on a defense with a lot of upside but just as much downside.

Hopefully, the Bruno Boys can help you plug the squad into your lineup that comes up big. As such, take a look at the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Eight Defense Rankings.

BRUNO BOYS DEFENSIVE STAR SYSTEM

5-Stars (* * * * *) - Bruno Boys Top Plays of the Week

4-Stars (* * * *) – Bruno Boys Very Solid Plays of the Week

3-Stars (* * *) – Bruno Boys Average Plays of the Week

2-Stars (* *) – Bruno Boys Try to Avoid Playing this Week

1-Star (*) – Bruno Boys Do Not Start Unless You COMPLETELY Have To

Key Abbreviations: YPG (Yards Per Game); PPG (Points Per Game)

1. (Chicago Bears) vs. Cleveland Browns

The numbers the Chicago Bears defense is putting up aren’t extraordinary, and the team got ripped to shreds by the Cincinnati Bengals last week. But the Cleveland Browns are so terrible on offense that this is the perfect rebound game for the Bears to get their defense back on track.

Chicago has given up 329.8 yards and 24 points per game with 14 sacks and 8 turnovers. The great thing is Cleveland’s offense can’t seem to get much going, with many of their receivers dropping passes. The Browns have 225.4 yards and 10.3 points per game, which spells a great spot start for any defense playing them.
Bruno Boys Stars: *****

2. (San Diego Chargers) vs. Oakland Raiders

The Chargers defense did not do their job in Week One against the Oakland Raiders , but over the last couple games San Diego has turned things around on defense, including only allowing seven points to the Kansas City Chiefs .

You could compare the Chiefs with the Raiders offense, as Oakland has 30 less yards and is averaging six less points per game. On the season, the Chargers have allowed 332.3 yards and 23.8 points per game while adding 11 sacks and 9 turnovers. Expect a second strong outing from San Diego’s defense in this game.
Bruno Boys Stars: *****

3. (Minnesota Vikings) @ Green Bay Packers

After what we saw from the Vikings defense in the first showdown between these two teams on Monday Night Football (and in particular, Jared Allen ), how could you not like this match up going into this week?

Sure, the Green Bay Packers have a good offense, and the Vikings defense can give up yards (330) and points (21.1) in large chunks, but Week Four should have showed you Green Bay can’t handle Minnesota’s front four.

The Vikings' 24 sacks lead the league and their 13 turnovers created isn’t too shabby either. Even going against a good offense, roll with confidence that Minnesota’s defense can have a big day on the road as they did at home.
Bruno Boys Stars: *****

4. (Indianapolis Colts) vs. San Francisco 49ers

The Colts defense is getting closer and closer to being able a must start on a regular basis. They get great pressure with Dwight Freeney and Robert Mathis plus with Bob Sanders back, Indianapolis can really open up the defensive playbook.

Through the season the Colts have allowed 291.7 yards and 12.8 points per game with 16 sacks and 10 turnovers. With the 49ers offense struggling to find consistency, plus a new quarterback starting in Alex Smith , Indianapolis’s defense should have a pretty good day.
Bruno Boys Stars: ****

5. (New York Giants) @ Philadelphia Eagles

The Giants defense has not helped its team win ball games over the last two weeks and now face another offense that has a lot of firepower in the Philadelphia Eagles .

Even with the tough match up, the Giants are still one of the best defenses in the NFL led by its strong defensive line up front. With the Eagles struggling to find a rhythm, this may be the one game to put New York back on track. This year the Giants have allowed 262 yards and 20.4 points per game with 16 sacks and 13 turnovers.
Bruno Boys Stars: ****

6. (Arizona Cardinals) vs. Carolina Panthers

Good games against the Seattle Seahawks and the New York Giants , two very good offenses, shows the Arizona Cardinals defense is starting to get on track. Arizona has allowed 325.2 yards and 18.2 points per game while adding 16 sacks and 12 turnovers.

With a game against turnover prone quarterback Jake Delhomme and the Carolina Panthers , you’d have to think the defense of the Cardinals has yet another strong defensive performance ahead of them.

As long as they can limit the running game, an area in which they are one of the best in the league, Arizona should be a very good play for you on Sunday.
Bruno Boys Stars: ****

7. (New Orleans Saints) vs. Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons offense has not been the scary unit everyone expected coming into the 2009 season, as they have only had one big game against the San Francisco 49ers . The way the New Orleans defense is playing this year, you have to think they will continue to put up top-10 numbers no matter what offense they play.

The Saints may give up large chunks of yards (306.7) and points (21.2) with average sack totals (14), but their turnovers created are absolutely tremendous (18). Given the way Atlanta hasn’t really taken care of the ball on offense, New Orleans will be very opportunistic in this game and have a lot of success.
Bruno Boys Stars: ****

8. (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New York Giants

Just like we mentioned above with their counterparts, the Eagles defense has had its moments of greatness in 2009 and will now take on a good offense in the New York Giants . The talent on the Philadelphia defense is absolutely tremendous and should be able to limit the Giants’ offense on a good amount of the possessions.

This game may have an offensive mindset, but the defenses are still worthy of a fantasy start due to how good both units really are. On the year, Philadelphia has allowed 287 yards and 19.3 points per game with 21 sacks and 18 turnovers. Those are numbers worth a start every week no matter the matchup.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

9. (Denver Broncos) @ Baltimore Ravens

Even with the tough matchup this week, the Denver Broncos defense has proven in games past (Dallas Cowboys , New England Patriots ) that they are capable of putting up quality weeks. Baltimore’s offense has been carrying the Ravens so far this season led by second year quarterback Joe Flacco .

One thing he has yet to face so far in 2009 though is a secondary as talented as Denver’s. This defense is yet another unit showing they can be trusted as a starter in fantasy football no matter who is on their schedule.

On the year, Denver has given up 262.5 yards and 11 points per game while throwing in 21 sacks and 12 turnovers.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

10. (Houston Texans) @ Buffalo Bills

Normally, the Texans defense is never this high, with their lone big game against the Oakland Raiders being the one great performance on the year. The match up against the Buffalo Bills may give them a second great performance, though, as they will again roll with backup quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick with Trent Edwards out.

For the Bills to succeed, they will need to run the ball a lot and not depend on Fitzpatrick to make plays. Houston hasn’t put up great numbers this season, giving up 344 yards and 22.6 points per game while totaling 9 sacks and 13 turnovers. If there isn’t much on the waiver wire and you need a defense, you could do a lot worse than Houston.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

11. (Seattle Seahawks) @ Dallas Cowboys

Seattle’s defense is capable of putting big fantasy games on the board while their opponent, the Dallas Cowboys , has shown they can disappear offensively at times.

With the recent bye week, Seattle got the opportunity to give rest to its core defensive players who are the main reason why they can be successful. Given the excellent health for Seattle, you have to think they will come out prepared for anything Dallas may have in store for them.

Through this season, the Seahawks have allowed 319.7 yards and 18.2 points per game while mixing in 16 sacks and 8 turnovers. Considering the options below, Seattle has a lot of upside if you want to take a chance.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

12. (Miami Dolphins) @ New York Jets

Miami’s defense hasn’t been stellar by any means and if you look at their last two games against the New Orleans Saints (48 points allowed) and the team they play this week, the Jets (27 points allowed), you may think we’re crazy having them this high.

Add the season ending injury to cornerback Will Allen , leaving two rookies to start at corner, and all of a sudden you have a defense that could get torched. Given all the above, Miami showed a lot of promise in the Saints game, getting pressure and creating a couple turnovers.

If they can bring that attitude to New York, there may be some upside in playing the Dolphins defense this week. This year Miami has given up 320.2 yards and 25.3 points per game with 17 sacks and 8 turnovers.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK EIGHT DEFENSE RANKINGS, CLICK HERE !

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY GREG WARNOCK .

Fantasy Football News & Notes (10/30)

Michael Whooley — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 20:25:10 -0400

After eight weeks of NFL action it is getting harder and harder to field a fantasy football team. Between bye weeks, injuries and suspensions there seems to be a ton of players who are either out or questionable for this week’s action.

As you try and prepare the best possible lineup for your fantasy football team this week, the Bruno Boys are once again here to bring you the latest NFL news and study the potential fantasy football impact for Week 8. This week we will take a look at a litany of injuries around the league and another suspension for Kansas City Chiefs running back Larry Johnson.

Andre Johnson suffers lung contusion Week 7, likely to play versus Buffalo

Houston Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson suffered a lung contusion in the second quarter of the team’s Week 7 victory over the San Francisco 49ers after he was hit in the lower back. He remained in the game, but ended up coughing up blood after landing on the ball while making a catch in the fourth quarter. He stayed in the game for one more play before the Texans’ medical staff took him off the field.

Johnson ran with the team, but did not practice on Wednesday. However, he did practice on Thursday. He is listed as day-to-day and he is expected to play against the Buffalo Bills on Sunday, unless he suffers a set-back. The Bills who have struggled this season are actually ranked No. 10 against the pass and pose a tough match-up, but if he plays he is a must-start fantasy football wide receiver. Keep an eye on this situation throughout the weekend, but it does appear Johnson will be ready to go this week.

Calvin Johnson still unable to practice Wednesday, limited Thursday, listed as questionable for Week 8

It is a bad week to own a wide receiver named Johnson, as Detroit Lions wide receiver Calvin Johnson is also banged up and is questionable for the team’s showdown with the winless St. Louis Rams this week. Johnson is suffering from what is believed to be a sprained knee, which he injured during Detroit’s Week 5 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He missed the Lions’ game Week 6 against the Green Bay Packers.

The Lions’ had a bye last week and were hoping to get their top wide receiver back for this week’s game against the Rams. Johnson sounded optimistic earlier this week about being ready for the St. Louis game, but the fact that he hasn’t been able to practice at all this week has us concerned. Reports out of Detroit are that the Lions are being cautious with him, but if he doesn’t practice on Friday it would seem doubtful that he would be able to play Sunday. We will keep you updated on this situation throughout the week.

If he is able to play, he should be inserted into your starting lineup against the Rams’ who are ranked No. 25 against the pass this season and have given up 11 passing touchdowns.

Kansas Chiefs suspend running back Larry Johnson for two weeks

In what seems to have become an annual thing, the Kansas City Chiefs have suspended running back Larry Johnson for two weeks for conduct detrimental to the team. This time he has spouted off about his head coach Todd Haley and used homophobic slurs on his Twitter account and in the Kansas City media. The suspension means that he is not allowed to report to the team’s headquarters or participate in any team activities before November 9.

Fantasy owners were already going to be without Johnson this week as the Chiefs are on their bye, but they will also lose him for Kansas City’s Week 9 match-up with the Jacksonville Jaguars. He is the teams leading rusher this season with 132 carries for 358 yards, but he has not scored a touchdown and his is only averaging 2.7 yards per carry. Keep Johnson stashed away on your bench if possible, but it is questionable how much value he will have this season. Chiefs’ backup running back Jamaal Charles has some value now as a sleeper in deeper leagues for Week 9.

Brett Favre listed on injury report, expected to play this week at Green Bay

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre was limited in practice Wednesday with a hip injury. He is officially listed as questionable for the team’s game this week against the Green Bay Packers, but he is expected to play in what would be his first trip to Lambeau Field since being traded to the New York Jets in August of 2008.

He has been on the injury report several times this season with various ailments, but has yet to miss a game. Favre is coming off his second 300-yard passing performance of the season last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers and he should be considered a low-end QB1 this week. In the Vikings Week 4 match-up with the Packers, Favre had 271 yards passing with three touchdowns and he should be motivated to have an even better game this week in his homecoming in Green Bay where he played 16 seasons.

Aaron Rodgers has sprained foot, limited in Wednesday’s practice

Brett Favre’s replacement in Green Bay is also banged up and was limited in Wednesday’s practice. Packers’ quarterback Aaron Rodgers is suffering from a sore foot due to a sprain and he did not participate in full with the team on Wednesday. He is listed as questionable on the injury report, but he is expected to start in the big game this week against the Minnesota Vikings.

Rodgers passed for 384 yards with two touchdowns and one interception Week 4 against the Vikings. He was blitzed often by Minnesota and was sacked eight times in the game. Look for another big game from Rodgers this week, as the Vikings are very good against the run and he should once again be forced to pass early and often. He should be used as a high-end No. 1 fantasy football quarterback this week.

Reggie Wayne sits out with a sore groin, expects to play against 49ers

Indianapolis Colts’ wide receiver Reggie Wayne suffered a pulled groin in the team’s Week 7 victory over the St. Louis Rams and he did not finish the game. He said that he “feels good,” but did not practice with the team on Wednesday. Colts’ head coach Jim Caldwell said, “We’re hoping he will progress throughout the week and we will increase his activity. We will see were he is come Friday or so.”

If you read between the lines, it sounds like Wayne will rest until Friday and then see how his groin feels. It appears he will be able to play on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, but he could very well be a game time decision. Keep an eye on this situation throughout the week and check in with us Sunday morning to make sure he is active for the game. If active, Wayne should be used as a WR1 this week in a good match-up against the 49ers.

Westbrook a game time decision after suffering a concussion Week 7

Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook was injured with a concussion early in the team’s Week 7 victory over the Washington Redskins. He was forced to leave the game and was unable to return. He will be a game time decision for the Eagles contest this week against the New York Giants.

Eagles head coach Andy Reid did say that he’s counting on Westbrook being there Sunday, but you should be cautious before inserting him into your starting lineup. Check back with us Sunday morning to see if he is active for the game or not. If active, he should be used as a low-end RB2 in the NFC East battle. If he is unable to play, rookie LeSean McCoy will get a bulk of the work load and could be used as a low-end RB2.

FOR MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL INSIGHT AND ADVICE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW...

BRUNO BOYS FANTASY FOOTBALL

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY LARRY JOSEPH.

Fantasy Football Week 8 Start 'Em

Michael Whooley — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:55:31 -0400

Wondering who to start for week eight? The Bruno Boys have you covered as we present the Fantasy Football Week Eight Start Ems.

QUARTERBACKS —START ‘EM

David Garrard (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ Tennessee

Both teams are coming off of a bye week so we figure this game won’t be a huge blowout on either side. One thing is for sure, though, the Titans didn’t pick up a bunch of Champ Bailey-type CBs.

So, it seems like Garrard is still a phenomenal start in week eight. With the potential to shut down stud RB Maurice Jones-Drew, Garrard could be throwing 30-35 times which will allow play-maker WR Mike Sims-Walker to post some nice statistics.

The Titans have given up 19 TD passes through six games which makes us believe even if Tennessee has gotten better, it’s not enough to consider benching Garrard.

All Chicago Bears (Chicago Bears) vs. Cleveland

Whether it’s QB Jay Cutler, RB Matt Forte, WRs Devin Hester and Johnny Knox or TE Greg Olsen, make sure these players are in your lineup for week eight.

The Browns are 31st in the NFL in rush defense, having allowed over 170 yards per contest, and their 24th ranked pass defense hasn’t done much better.

Allowing 25.6 points a game sounds low for a team like the Bears this season, and we think they could all help you during the upcoming weekend.

RUNNING BACKS – START ‘EM

Steven Jackson (St. Louis Rams) @ Detroit

Many fantasy football owners were hoping one of the most talented backs in the NFL wouldn’t fall subject to such an ugly team with an even uglier offensive line. If you have watched Jackson run this year, he has run with conviction and been one of the tougher backs in the NFL, despite the constant blowouts and lack of open holes.

Finally, S-Jax will pay dividends as he will most definitely find pay dirt and make those that took him with the sixth overall pick extremely happy they waited on him. Huge breakout game with 175 total yards and three TDs.

We can dream can’t we?

Kevin Smith (Detroit Lions) vs. St. Louis

Kevin Smith has not done nearly as well as fantasy experts predicted coming into the season, but a lot has been due to the Lions falling behind often. We believe his 58 rushing yards per game average will be boosted up this week against a weak St. Louis Rams defense. Whether this game becomes a high-scoring affair or not, the Rams and the Lions will be showcasing their RBs because,well, they don’t have much else to showcase.

LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers) vs. Oakland

While Tomlinson may be losing his hold as one of the best RBs in the NFL, it doesn’t mean there aren’t games where you could rely on him to excel.

Tomlinson has failed to top 71 rushing yards this season, but some critics believe his explosiveness is coming back. That is obviously a good sign before playing the Raiders, who he has absolutely dominated throughout his career.

This could be a patented LT game that shows 100 total yards and two TDs coming his way. RB Darren Sproles has proven he cannot run inside the tackles, but he will steal some third downs from LT.

WIDE RECEIVERS – START ‘EM

Greg Jennings (Green Bay Packers) vs. Minnesota

We understand your potential hatred for a WR that you drafted in rounds two-three and has failed miserably as a fantasy provider. For a first WR, you were probably expecting more than 43rd among NFL WRs with 38 targets through six games.

The Packers will most likely come out with some conviction against a Vikings team coming off their first loss of the season and Jennings will have to be involved for the Packers to have a chance.

With RB Ryan Grant expected to struggle against the tough front of the Vikes, Rodgers and the Pack could all put up some good fantasy statistics.

Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers) @ Arizona

Against an awful Cardinals pass defense (with an awful NFL QB), Steve Smith, the Carolina version, could do his best Steve Smith impression this weekend.

We always assumed the opposite when talking about Steve Smiths, but while you have sat around and waited for him to post great numbers, you have been getting awful productivity. Smith is still a super-talented WR, so he has to turn it around sooner or later. Look for him to grab 100 yards at the least, but he could definitely find pay-dirt against the lowly Cardinals pass defense.

Eddie Royal (Denver Broncos) @ Baltimore

Another preseason darling (sense a style this week?), Royal has failed to prove to fantasy owners that he can be the Broncos’ version of Wes Welker. Coming off a bye, Eddie Royal may start finding the ball in his hands more often (after the amazing two RET TD game).

If he can log six-to-eight catches like fantasy owners were hoping for, he can definitely be a possession receiver that fantasy owners are craving. Baltimore’s pass defense isn’t bad, but considering their rush defense is still Top 10, Kyle Orton may be forced to throw more than average.

TIGHT ENDS – START ‘EM

Brandon Pettigrew (Detroit Lions) vs. St. Louis

This is the week that the first round pick pays dividends. While he hasn’t been much (any) of a fantasy factor this season, we think that he could see more passes with the questionable status of star WR Calvin Johnson. Pettigrew is a big target and could definitely come up big for fantasy owners stressing for a TE in week eight. This is for the deepest leagues.

KICKERS – START ‘EM

Robbie Gould (Chicago Bears) vs. Cleveland

Chicago may not struggle to punch the football in the end zone in week eight, so Gould may not be kicking three-to-four FGs. But at the same time, if they score four TDs and attempt two FGs, a ten-point week is not far-fetched. While we typically don’t like kickers in Chicago, it is not supposed to be windy, and it looks like a clear Sunday afternoon, so start/pick up Robbie, and find fantasy Gould in week eight.

DEFENSES – START ‘EM

Chicago Bears D/ST vs. Cleveland

If you’re a Bears fan you have loved reading this article. The Browns have a bottom three QB (Is Derek Anderson worse than JaMarcus Russell or Jake Delhomme this season? Let’s throw Kerry Collins into that mix too), a weak offensive line, no true play-maker other than KR/RB/WR/QB Josh Cribbs, so the Bears D/ST could be ridiculous this weekend.

With a strong pass rush, they could force big mistakes for Derek Anderson, and their Special Teams play with Johnny Knox and Devin Hester could provide a ST TD, which is where the fantasy money is.

FOR MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL INSIGHT AND ADVICE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW...

BRUNO BOYS FANTASY FOOTBALL

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY JACOB LERMAN .

Fantasy Football Week Eight Rankings: Kickers

Michael Whooley — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:51:55 -0400

Don’t think kickers can bring any real value to your fantasy squad? Well, the next time you lose a close fantasy contest, let us know if that changes. As we continue to move forward in this 2009 season, remember not to sleep on the kicker position. With that said, let’s move into the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Eight Kicker Rankings .

1. Nate Kaeding (San Diego Chargers) vs. Oakland

Nate Kaeding is second in the league with 14 field goals made and is kicking at a 82.4 percent clip. He faces an Oakland Raiders special team that is tied for the league worst in field goals yielded with 14. San Diego always has nice weather by the way. So what do you get when you mix one of the best kickers with one of the worst special teams defenses and nice weather? The top kicking option for the Bruno Boys. That’s what.
Point Projection:

2. Jason Hanson (Detroit Lions) vs. St. Louis

Old man Jason Hanson has been kicking for the Detroit Lions longer than the Model-T has been in existence. Ok, while that is an exaggeration, what isn’t is the fact that he is still kicking like he was in his mid-20’s. That should play in well this week as he faces a St. Louis Rams special teams that has allowed 1.5 field goals a game and plenty of point after’s. While the Lions may not throw up a ton of touchdowns against the Rams, we expect Hanson to have a good handful of FG opportunities.
Point Projection:

3. Ryan Longwell (Minnesota Vikings) @ Green Bay

The Minnesota Vikings offense is very explosive and a beneficiary of that is Ryan Longwell who always finds himself with plenty of scoring opportunities. In fact Longwell has missed only one FG, connecting on 12 of them and as expected is second in the league with 24 XP’s. This week he faces division rival Green Bay Packers. Expect for a lot of emotion and scoring making Longwell a no-brainer in week eight.
Point Projection:

4. Nick Folk (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Seattle

The Dallas Cowboys should be able to pass and run at will against the Seattle Seahawks defense which will create plenty of opportunity for Nick Folk and his big leg. While the Cowboys have gotten off to somewhat of a slow start for 2009, they definitely have picked it up as a offensive unit as of late. That should help translate Folk and his FG percentage of 84.6 into solid numbers making him a nice PK1 this week.
Point Projection:

5. Mason Crosby (Green Bay Packers) vs. Minnesota

Mason Crosby has had a pretty successful season so far nailing 12 field goals and considering that his opposition, the Minnesota Vikings, have allowed double-digit field goals and allow a 90 percent plus clip makes one to tend to believe that Crosby should be able to capture at least two FG and a handful of XP’s making Crosby a solid play that has an opportunity at double-digit fantasy points this week.
Point Projection:

6. Matt Prater (Denver Broncos) @ Baltimore

Entering the week Matt Prater is tied for fourth in the league in FG’s with 12 but that is misleading some as he has been kicking at an average 75 percent clip. That shouldn’t matter much this week though as Prater faces a Baltimore Ravens special teams unit that have allowed 13 of the opposition’s 14 FG’s to get through the uprights. Play Prater with confidence as he will finish with enough points to qualify him as a PK1 in deeper leagues.
Point Projection:

7. Rob Bironas (Tennessee Titans) vs. Jacksonville

What a difference one year makes. In 2008 there were very few PK’s that were hotter than Rob Bironas; fast forward a year and he is near the bottom of the league in production. What does that mean for you? Well, for one Bironas has stunk it up all season but at the same time even though he is facing a tough Jacksonville Jaguars special teams unit who have allowed only seven field goals all year, there is a sneaking suspicion that he snaps out of his funk this week.
Point Projection:

8. Robbie Gould (Chicago Bears) vs. Cleveland

Robbie Gould has been on and off all season as the Chicago Bears have had some tough matchups, yet this week he gets to breathe a little. The Cleveland Browns rank seventh in the league with allowing 11 field goals and have also allowed 20 XP’s. How can you go wrong here? While there is no science to kickers, Gould is one of those plays who have a shot at a fairly nice week. Plug him in if you have him with confidence.
Point Projection:

9. Olindo Mare (Seattle Seahawks) @ Dallas

Although Olindo Mare was sold out by his coaching staff earlier in the season, very few kickers have performed as efficiently. In fact, he has only missed two field goals all year. This week the Dallas Cowboys offer up a chance at a high-scoring game; one that should result in decent fantasy points for Mare. Considering that this will also be in good weather conditions, Mare should produce just fine.
Point Projection:

10. Matt Stover (Indianapolis Colts) vs. San Francisco

Filling in for Adam Vinatieri, the solid veteran kicker Matt Stover should fare very well against the San Francisco 49ers. Stover has the benefit of kicking for one of the better offensive clubs in the NFL allowing for more than average opportunity to obtain fantasy points, which is all that we can really ask from a PK, isn’t it? Stover is a solid waiver wire accusation this week and one that should be considered I you are suffering because of the bye-weeks.
Point Projection:

11. Jason Elam (Atlanta Falcons) @ New Orleans

Good kicker, good offense, high-scoring game opportunity, good weather conditions; it doesn’t get better than that. Jason Elam belongs as a PK1 in all deeper-league formats and should have a fine week with the potential for an even better one if this game for some reason turns into a decent defensive showing by both teams.
Point Projection:

12. Kris Brown (Houston Texans) @ Buffalo

Kris Brown has not been needed much as a field goal kicker this year, primarily due to a significant offense that he plays behind. Normally that is a great thing, but for some reason it has worked against him this year. That is ok though as he faces a Buffalo Bills team that is fairly tough and should hold the Houston Texans out of the endzone some allowing for more field goal opportunities; especially if Andre Johnson misses the game. Brown is a decent play this week in deeper leagues.
Point Projection:

13. Jay Feely (New York Jets) vs. Miami

In a rematch of a great Monday Night game a few weeks ago, Jay Feely will be relied upon heavily by the New York Jets against the Miami Dolphins as his young quarterback Mark Sanchez has struggled against tougher defenses this year. Miami is tough making Feely a sneaky play with not much downside but plenty of upside at this point in the rankings.
Point Projection:

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK Eight KICKER RANKINGS , CLICK HERE !

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY CHRIS ZIZA .

Fantasy Football Week Eight Rankings: Tight Ends

Michael Whooley — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:46:25 -0400

In what is a continuing trend this season, the tight end position is feast or famine in fantasy football . Week Seven had six tight ends score in double figure fantasy points, but only nine tight ends managed to score six or more points. There have been only a handful of tight ends that have been producing solid numbers on a weekly basis, while most tight ends have proven to be very inconsistent fantasy producers. Heading into Week Eight of fantasy football , there is very little room for error when you are putting your weekly lineup together. You need to make sure you start the best possible player at every position if you want to keep your playoff hopes alive, and yes, that includes the often overlooked tight ends.

So, as you search for the right tight end this week to put together the best possible fantasy football lineup for the crucial stretch run toward the playoffs, please enjoy the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Eight Tight End Rankings.

1. Dallas Clark (Indianapolis Colts) vs. San Francisco

Dallas Clark was one of five tight ends to post double figure fantasy points in Week Seven, which is something he has done three times in six games this season. He has been one of the most consistent tight ends in fantasy football this year. This week he faces a 49ers’ defense that is ranked No. 21 against the pass, and last week, they allowed 18 fantasy points to Houston’s tight end Owen Daniels . Clark should be in line for another big game this week and is once again a must-start fantasy option.
Point Projection : 13 points

2. Owen Daniels (Houston Texans) @ Buffalo

This season Owen Daniels has emerged into an elite fantasy tight end. He has 39 receptions for 497 yards with five touchdowns through seven games. He has been targeted 56 times this season, which is more then any other tight end, and he is a main focal point in Houston’s high powered passing offense. Daniels has scored 37 fantasy points in the past two weeks, and he should be used as a starting fantasy tight end this week against the Buffalo Bills .
Point Projection : 12 points

3. Antonio Gates (San Diego Chargers) vs. Oakland

Five appears to be a magic number for Antonio Gates . He has caught five passes in five different games this season, including last week when he had five receptions for 55 yards. He has 34 receptions this season for 474 yards, but he has only managed to find the end zone twice. With 57 fantasy points this season, he is tied for fourth among tight ends. Use Gates as a starting fantasy tight end this week as he faces the Chargers’ division rival, the Oakland Raiders .
Point Projection : 11 points

4. Brent Celek (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New York Giants

In a Week Seven victory over the Washington Redskins , Brent Celek had his lowest offensive output of the season when he had three catches for eight yards. It was the first time this season that he did not have at least four receptions, and it was the first time he was held under 35 yards. Before this game, he had emerged as one of the best tight ends in football with 33 receptions for 386 yards with two touchdowns. Celek will look to rebound this week as the Eagles host the New York Giants who are ranked No. 2 against the pass, but have slipped of late and have given up nine passing touchdowns this season. Use Celek as a TE1 this week in a divisional match-up
Point Projection : 10 points

5. Greg Olsen (Chicago Bears) vs. Cleveland

Greg Olsen had a streak of three straight games with a touchdown snapped when he had four receptions for 24 yards in a blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week. He has 19 receptions for 175 yards with three touchdowns this season. He has not emerged as the elite tight end many owners were hoping for this season, but he does have nine receptions over his past two games, and he is starting to build a better rapport with Bears’ quarterback Jay Cutler . Olsen should be used as a starting fantasy tight end this week as the Bears host a Cleveland Browns’ pass defense that has given up 1,710 yards passing with 10 touchdowns this season.
Point Projection : 9 points

6. Vernon Davis (San Francisco 49ers) @ Indianapolis

The San Francisco 49ers finally appear to have the tight end they thought they drafted in 2006, as Vernon Davis is finally starting to live up to expectations. In a Week Seven loss to the Houston Texans , he had seven receptions for 93 yards with three touchdowns. He now has 29 receptions for 355 yards with six touchdowns on the year and has nearly exceeded his offensive numbers from last year in just six games this season. He has a tough matchup this week against a Colts team that is ranked No. 6 against the pass, but Davis should be in your starting line-up as he has emerged into a weekly must-start.
Point Projection : 9 points

7. Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Seattle

With five receptions for 53 yards against the Atlanta Falcons in Week Seven, Jason Witten now has five receptions or more in five of the six Cowboys games. He has 33 receptions for 312 yards, but has disappointed fantasy owner with just one touchdown this season. In addition, he has yet to top 80 receiving yards in a game. The Cowboys offense has been playing better of late though, and the emergence of wide receiver Miles Austin should help open up Witten in the offense. He has too much talent to sit on your bench, especially against a Seattle team that is giving up more than 220 passing yards per game.
Point Projection : 8 points

8. Visanthe Shiancoe (Minnesota Vikings) @ Green Bay

After totaling just six receptions over the first three games of the season, Visanthe Shiancoe has 15 receptions over the past four games. He had four receptions for 27 yards without a touchdown last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers . Before the game against the Steelers, he had scored four touchdowns in the three previous games. He has become a big red zone option for quarterback Brett Favre in Minnesota’s offense. Shiancoe should be used as a low-end TE1 this week against the Green Bay Packers .
Point Projection : 8 points

9. Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons) @ New Orleans

Tony Gonzalez had four receptions for 37 yards in a Week Seven loss to the Dallas Cowboys . He now has 27 receptions for 304 yards with three touchdowns this season, but he has not topped 70 yards in a game since doing it in each of the first two games. He has totaled 14 receptions over the past three games, but he has only managed one touchdown over his past four games. Even with a decline in production of late, Gonzalez remains a low-end starting fantasy tight end, as he is still a huge red-zone target.
Point Projection : 7 points

10. Jeremy Shockey (New Orleans Saints) vs. Atlanta

In a Week Seven comeback victory over the Miami Dolphins , Jeremy Shockey had his best performance of the season. He had four catches for 105 yards, including a 66-yard reception in the second half. He has posted four or more receptions in each of the Saints first six games, giving him 26 receptions for 304 yards with three touchdowns this season. Shockey has re-emerged as a relevant fantasy tight end worth starting most weeks, and he should be used as a low-end starting option this week against an Atlanta Falcons defense that is ranked No. 26 against the pass this season.
Point Projection : 7 points

11. John Carlson (Seattle Seahawks) @ Dallas

Since his Week One explosion for 21 fantasy points, Carlson has amassed just 17 fantasy points combined in 5 games. So, what happened to the tight end? Is it simply a case of a sophomore slump? Truth be told, Carlson and his owners can blame his lack of production on the Seahawk’s offensive line. As the o-line has struggled, Carlson has been asked to pick up more of the slack when it comes to giving quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck, time. While that’s benefited wide receivers TJ Houshmandzadeh and Nate Burleson , it’s not benefiting his fantasy owners.
Point Projection : 6 points

12. Todd Heap (Baltimore Ravens) vs. Denver

While Heap hasn’t surpassed the double digit mark since Week One when he had 13 fantasy points, the tight end has been consistent since then, finishing each week with four to six fantasy points. Against the Broncos, we expect him to be in that range again as the Broncos have allowed opposing tight ends to tally four, seven, and seven fantasy points over their last three games. Use Heap as a low-end TE1 play in Week Eight.
Point Projection : 6 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK Eight TIGHT END RANKINGS , CLICK HERE !

NFL Fantasy Football Week Eight Rankings: Wide Receivers

Michael Whooley — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:38:58 -0400

Of the NFL leaders in receiving yards, three of the top five—Hines Ward, Chad Ochocinco, and Randy Moss—will not be in action this week as their respective teams go on byes.

However, the good news for fantasy owners is that a number of impact players will return, such as Brandon Marshall, Mike Sims-Walker, and, if he’s healthy, Calvin Johnson, so there will still be fantasy points produced by the wide receiver position.

With that said, let’s get to it and look at the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Eight Wide Receiver Rankings.

1. Marques Colston (New Orleans Saints) vs. Atlanta

Colston and his teammates are coming off a stirring 46-34 come-from-behind victory over the Miami Dolphins to face NFC South division foe Atlanta, a team that is 26th in the NFL in pass defense this season. The 6'4" Hofstra product caught five passes for 72 yards and scored a touchdown for the second straight game.

Colston had a huge game against the Falcons in Week 10 of last year, catching seven passes for 140 yards.

Point Projection: 19 points

2. Reggie Wayne (Indianapolis Colts) vs. San Francisco ** CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Wayne is in a groove right now that would make Funkadelic envious. As Peyton Manning’s go-to receiver, Wayne has caught a touchdown in all but one of the Colts’ games, including last week, when he had seven receptions for 83 yards during Indianapolis’ destruction of the Rams.

Aside from his one off week, Week Three (three catches, 37 yards, no touchdowns), the lowest number of fantasy points Wayne has accrued in one game (standard scoring) is 12.

One word of caution: Wayne has a strained groin, so check on Sunday to be certain he’s active.

Point Projection: 18 points

3. Larry Fitzgerald (Arizona Cardinals) vs. Carolina

The Panthers are No. 1 in the NFL against the pass and have not allowed a wide receiver to gain more than 75 receiving yards against them in any game this season. So, Fitzgerald should be significantly downgraded, right?

Absolutely not. Fitzgerald has one game with fewer than 70 receiving yards this season and has scored a touchdown in four of his six contests. The Panthers are formidable, but Fitzgerald has as good a chance to score on a weekly basis as anyone in the league—not surprisingly, he leads all wideouts in red zone targets this year.

It’s also difficult to forget what he did against Carolina in the playoffs last year, when he caught eight passes for 166 yards and a touchdown.

Point Projection: 18 points

4. Vincent Jackson (San Diego Chargers) vs. Oakland

Oakland is a respectable 12th in the NFL in pass defense, but Jackson’s unique size (6'5", 220 pounds) and skill set make him a player that shouldn’t be stopped by any foe. The Chiefs certainly didn’t come close to doing that last week, as Jackson galloped to 142 receiving yards and one score. It was the third time in six games that Jackson has accumulated at least 120 receiving yards.

In two games against Oakland last season, Jackson had eight catches for 200 yards and one score.

Point Projection: 17 points

5. Mike Sims-Walker (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ Tennessee

Sims-Walker comes off a bye week and gets to feast on the Titans, who are dead last in the NFL in both pass defense and touchdown passes allowed. The Titans have given up an average of 311 passing yards per contest this year, which is almost 50 more yards than the second-worst team in the league, which happens to be the Jaguars.

Point Projection: 17 points

6. Andre Johnson (Houston Texans) @ Buffalo **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Johnson is out of the top five in our rankings for the first time this season due to a couple factors. One is the lung contusion—which sounds awfully painful—that he suffered last week against the 49ers, a game in which he grabbed two passes for 62 yards.

The other is the Buffalo pass defense, which is 10th in the NFL but is allowing opposing passers to complete just 54.7 percent of their passes and leads the league in interceptions. Steve Smith had 99 yards against them last week, which was the most they’ve given up to a receiver since Week One.

Point Projection: 16 points

7. Brandon Marshall (Denver Broncos) @ Baltimore

Before Denver’s bye week, Marshall had his least productive outing since Week One, catching five passes for 49 yards in the Broncos’ win over the Chargers. This week, he and the Broncos face the Ravens, who are 23rd in pass defense and who in their previous game got lit up by Sidney Rice for 176 yards and a few weeks ago saw Vincent Jackson procure 141 receiving yards.

Point Projection: 16 points

8. Steve Smith (Carolina Panthers) @ Arizona

Smith was oh-so-close to obtaining his second 100-yard game of the season last week, when he caught six passes for 99 yards in his team’s loss to the Bills.

Jake Delhomme has been terrible for most of the season, and that clearly has impacted Smith’s play, but the duo may get a respite this week against the Cardinals, who are 29th in the league in pass defense and who have given up 10 passing scores this season, which is tied for 20th in the NFL. Look for Smith to find the end zone for the first time this week.

Point Projection: 16 points

9. Calvin Johnson (Detroit Lions) vs. St. Louis **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Johnson is still battling a knee malady, and as of this writing, it is unknown if he is going to suit up for the Lions’ game against the Rams; if he does, a great matchup awaits. St. Louis is 25th in the league against the pass and has allowed at least 80 yards to an opposing wideout in four of their six games this season.

Further helping Johnson’s cause is the fact that Rams rookie corner Bradley Fletcher, who was starting to play much better, was lost for the season last week.

Point Projection: 15 points

10. Roddy White (Atlanta Falcons) @ New Orleans

White had six receptions for 50 yards and one touchdown in the Falcons’ loss to the Cowboys last Sunday. It marked the third straight game that White has scored, and he now has five touchdowns in his last five games.

The Saints have been a very solid pass defense this season, but White has had great success against them in the past. In two games against them last year, White totaled 15 receptions for 232 yards and a touchdown.

Point Projection: 15 points

11. Steve Smith (New York Giants) @ Philadelphia

Smith’s production has waned a bit in recent weeks; over his last three games, he hasn’t caught more than four passes, gained more than 70 receiving yards, or scored a touchdown. Nonetheless, he remains fourth in the NFL in targets, including nine in the red zone, and even though Philadelphia is the 10th-ranked pass defense, they are tied for 20th in the league in touchdowns passes allowed.

Point Projection: 15 points

12. Greg Jennings (Green Bay Packers) vs. Minnesota

Jennings had just five catches for 52 yards last week against the Browns, but with the Packers winning by a score of 31-3, there really wasn’t much reason to try to stretch the field after halftime. He was targeted eight times in the game and this week has a solid matchup against the 20th-ranked pass defense of the Vikings, who will be without their top corner, Antoine Winfield.

Point Projection: 14 points

13. DeSean Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New York Giants

Jackson was a one-man wrecking crew on Monday night against a solid Washington defense. He caught two passes for 69 yards and one touchdown and ran an end-around 67 yards for another score. That’s a ton of production for handling the ball just three times.

The Giants are second in the NFL in pass defense, but there’s really no way they can combat Jackson’s best asset—his speed.

Point Projection: 14 points

14. T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Seattle Seahawks) @ Dallas

Houshmandzadeh is tied with teammate Nate Burleson for 12th in the NFL in total targets, but he does hold one slight advantage over Burleson, and that’s in red zone targets. Houshmandzadeh has eight on the season compared to Burleson’s six. That may mean something against a Dallas team that is tied for 20th in the league in passing touchdowns allowed.

Point Projection: 13 points

15. Miles Austin (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Seattle

Austin led Cowboys wide receivers with eight targets in Dallas’ win over the Falcons last week, which was three more than Roy Williams, who was second. Austin has clearly become a focus of the Dallas offense, and why not? Over his last two contests he’s totaled 16 catches for 471 yards and four touchdowns. A fantasy star has been born.

Point Projection: 13 points

16. Sidney Rice (Minnesota Vikings) @ Green Bay

Rice was targeted a whopping 14 times last week in Minnesota’s loss to the Steelers, and he finished the day with 10 catches for 136 yards despite the Vikings loss. It was the second straight week that Rice put up at least 135 yards, and he hasn’t had fewer than 55 since Week Two.

It’s obvious he’s the man right now for Brett Favre, so there should be more good things to come from him, despite a tough matchup this week against the Packers and their fourth-ranked pass defense.

Point Projection: 12 points

17. Devin Hester (Chicago Bears) vs. Cleveland

The Bears were absolutely blown away by the Bengals last week, but it did produce one good result, at least for fantasy owners—Hester had a season-high 101 receiving yards on eight catches, including a touchdown.

He’s racked up at least 75 receiving yards in three of his last four games and has an excellent matchup this week against the Browns, who are 24th in pass defense and tied for 20th in passing touchdowns given up.

Point Projection: 12 points

18. Anquan Boldin (Arizona Cardinals) vs. Carolina

Boldin should be good to go this week and even healthier than he was last week, when he played on a bum ankle. Despite the injury, he came up with three catches for 75 yards in Arizona’s win over the Giants.

The Cardinals go from playing New York, who is second in the NFL against the pass, to playing the Panthers, who are first. That ranking isn’t as big a detriment to Boldin’s fantasy value as the fact that he’s scored just one time this season and is getting fewer than half the red zone targets of teammate Larry Fitzgerald.

Point Projection: 11 points

19. Donald Driver (Green Bay Packers) vs. Minnesota

Driver managed just two receptions last week against the Browns, but he made them count and wound up with 84 yards and one touchdown. It was his third touchdown reception of the season and the fourth time in six games he had at least 80 receiving yards in a game. He’s in line for another solid day against a mediocre Vikings pass defense, which is 20th in the NFL.

Point Projection: 11 points

20. Derrick Mason (Baltimore Ravens) vs. Denver

In the four weeks before the Ravens’ bye, Mason had at least 85 receiving yards and a touchdown in three of the team’s previous four games. Unfortunately, in the one game where he didn’t accumulate those numbers, he was blanked altogether.

Don’t expect anything like that for the rest of the season, even against a good Broncos pass defense. Mason has shown himself to be a threat and is Baltimore’s No. 1 receiving option.

Point Projection: 10 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK EIGHT WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS, CLICK HERE!

THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY KYLE SMITH.

NFL Fantasy Football Week Eight Rankings: Running Backs

Michael Whooley — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 15:34:45 -0400

We here at the Bruno Boys are always discussing how football is a constantly changing landscape. Due to injury, poor play, and Tweets, that definitely holds true for the running back position as we head into Week Eight.

Injury: With Leon Washington done for the season, Shonn Greene now becomes the New York Jets’ No. 2 running back. Based on his 144 yards and two scores in Week Seven, fantasy football owners will want to take notice.

Poor Play: Tim Hightower may be able to find the end zone, but his 3.0 yards per carry just weren’t cutting it. As a result, Beanie Wells recorded 14 carries to Hightower’s four in Week Seven for the Arizona Cardinals.

Tweets: Larry Johnson blasted Kansas City Chief head coach Todd Haley on his Twitter page following the team’s Week Seven loss, a post that used a gay slur. Johnson has been suspended indefinitely, opening the door for Jamaal Charles.

To see where Greene, Wells, and Charles rank in Week Eight, along with the rest of the running backs who will be seeing action, check out the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Eight Running Back Rankings.

1. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings) @ Green Bay

Adrian Peterson has been living up to the offseason billing as the No. 1 fantasy running back. He has rushed 139 times for 693 yards with eight touchdowns this season and has added 18 receptions for 145 yards. He had 18 carries for 69 yards with a touchdown last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers, who boast the second-ranked rush defense in the NFL.

Peterson should be in line for another big game this week as the Vikings travel to Lambeau Field to take on the Green Bay Packers and their No. 12-ranked rush defense. He should be used as a must-start RB1 in all formats.

Point Projection: 22 points

2. Steven Jackson (St. Louis Rams) @ Detroit

On the surface this 2009 season has been a bit of a disappointment for Steven Jackson owners. His 70 fantasy points through seven games has him ranked at No. 13 among running backs, but what he has been able to do in St. Louis’ inept offense is pretty amazing.

He has carried the ball 143 times for 635 yards, which ranks him third in the NFL in rushing yards. He has not scored a touchdown this season, but he has added 21 receptions for 169 yards.

He had 23 carries for 134 yards Week Seven against the Indianapolis Colts, and he has a good matchup this week as the Rams travel to Detroit to play the Lions, who are ranked No. 20 against the run. Jackson should be in line for a very solid game this week and should be considered a high-end RB1.

Point Projection: 20 points

3. Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans) vs. Jacksonville

Chris Johnson has been one of the few bright spots for the winless Titans this season. He has rushed for 596 yards on 95 carries and has three total touchdowns through Tennessee’s first six games. His 6.3 yards per carry (YPC) are the best in the league among running backs that have at least 50 rushing attempts.

Johnson will be well-rested this week coming off a bye week as the Titans take on a Jacksonville Jaguars team that is ranked 13th against the run this season. Use him as a No. 1 fantasy running back in this matchup.

Point Projection: 18 points

4. Steve Slaton (Houston Texans) @ Buffalo

From a rushing standpoint, this season has seemed like a bit of a sophomore slump for Steve Slaton. He has carried the ball 109 times for 341 yards for an average of 3.1 YPC, but he has made up for a lack of rushing production with 27 receptions for 304 yards. He had 89 total yards Week Seven against the San Francisco 49ers with two touchdowns, giving him five total touchdowns this season.

Slaton has an excellent matchup this week against a Bills team that is ranked dead last against the run and has given up 1,207 rushing yards through seven games. He should be used as a starting fantasy running back in all formats this week.

Point Projection: 18 points

5. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ Tennessee

In his first season as the Jaguars' starting running back, Maurice Jones-Drew has 108 carries for 463 yards, and his eight rushing touchdowns are tied for the league lead. He has scored 102 fantasy points through six games, and he is the third-ranked fantasy running back.

Jacksonville faces their AFC South division rival Tennessee Titans this week in what is their second matchup of the season. Jones-Drew had 33 rushes for 133 yards with three touchdowns in his last game against the St. Louis Rams Week Six, and it was the second time this season that he has scored three touchdowns in one game. MJD is a weekly must-start, including this week against the Titans.

Point Projection: 17 points

6. Matt Forte (Chicago Bears) vs. Cleveland

After an excellent rookie campaign last year, Matt Forte has rushed for just 318 yards with one touchdown in six games this season. In 2008 he seemed to score double-figure fantasy points on a weekly basis, but he has only scored double digits twice this season.

A game against the Cleveland Browns should be exactly what he needs, as they are ranked 31st against the run this season and have given up 1,194 yards with 10 touchdowns. Forte should be used as a mid-level RB1 this week as the Bears look to bounce back from a blowout loss to the Cincinnati Bengals last week.

Point Projection: 17 points

7. Kevin Smith (Detroit Lions) vs. St. Louis

Kevin Smith is another of the second-year running backs that came into this season with high expectations. Through six games he has rushed 109 times for 348 yards with three touchdowns, while adding 19 receptions for 143 yards for the Lions. He has topped 100 yards rushing just one time this season, and he had 15 carries for 61 yards against the Green Bay Packers in Week Six.

Coming off Detroit’s bye week, Smith has an excellent matchup against the Rams, who are ranked No. 27 against the run this season and have given up 11 rushing touchdowns in seven games. Start Smith as a No. 1 fantasy running back this week.

Point Projection: 17 points

8. Ronnie Brown (Miami Dolphins) @ New York Jets

With 16 carries for 48 yards last week against the New Orleans Saints, Ronnie Brown is coming off one of his least productive games of the season. That being said, he did score a touchdown and still managed 10 fantasy points. He was outshined by fellow running back Ricky Williams against the Saints, but he is still the No. 1 option in the Dolphins offense.

Brown is the king of the wildcat offense, and his 94 fantasy points are fifth among running backs. He has scored 20 or more points in a game three times this season, and you should continue to use him as a RB1 this week against the New York Jets, who are giving up an average of 116.1 rushing yards per game this season.

Point Projection: 16 points

9. Frank Gore (San Francisco) @ Indianapolis

Frank Gore struggled last week in his first game back after missing two games with an ankle injury. He rushed for 32 yards in the game, but he was limited to 13 carries after the 49ers got down by 21 points in the first half and were forced to pass the ball to get back in the game.

In four starts he has 52 carries for 273 yards with four total touchdowns, but most of those numbers came in the first two games of the season before he was injured. Gore is now healthy, and he should be used as a low-end RB1 this week against a Colts defense that is ranked No. 19 against the run.

Point Projection: 16 points

10. Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons) @ New Orleans

In a Week Seven loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Michael Turner had 18 carries for 50 yards with a touchdown. He now has seven rushing touchdowns this season and has scored in five straight games.

He might not be living up to the expectations that were set upon him after he rushed for 1,699 yards with 17 touchdowns in 2008, but he is a touchdown machine, and he should be used as a low-end No. 1 fantasy running back this week against a Saints defense that has been good against the run this season.

Point Projection: 16 points

11. Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) vs. Denver

Ray Rice is having a breakout season in his second year in the NFL. He has carried the ball 73 times for 443 yards with three touchdowns and has added 33 receptions for 325 yards with one touchdown. He has scored 93 fantasy points through six games this season. He is the clear-cut No. 1 running back in Baltimore and is quickly becoming a weekly must-start fantasy option.

Rice should be used as a low-end RB1 this week against a Denver Broncos defense that is ranked No. 3 against the run this season.

Point Projection: 16 points

12. LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers) vs. Oakland

Against the Kansas City Chiefs last week LaDainian Tomlinson had 23 carries for 71 yards, but he failed to score a touchdown for the third straight game. He now has back-to-back games with at least 70 yards rushing, and he appears to be healthy after missing two games earlier this year due to injury.

Tomlinson may no longer be the elite running back he once was, but he is still a good fantasy option when the matchup is right, and he has a good matchup this week against an Oakland Raiders defense that has given up 1,188 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns this season. Be sure to insert him into your starting lineup this week.

Point Projection: 16 points

13. DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers) @ Arizona

DeAngelo Williams has rushed for 241 total yards with three touchdowns over his past two games. He has 105 carries for 461 yards with five touchdowns this season, and he has added 18 receptions for 173 yards.

He should be used as a starting fantasy running back every week, but the Panthers have struggled passing the ball this season, allowing apposing defenses to stack against the run. Start Williams as a low-end RB1 or a RB2 this week against an Arizona Cardinals defense that is ranked No. 1 against the run this season, giving up a league-low 405 yards.

Point Projection: 15 points

14. Pierre Thomas (New Orleans Saints) vs. Atlanta

After missing the better part of the first two games of the season with a sprained MCL, Pierre Thomas has 56 carries for 314 yards with three touchdowns this season. He has battled knee and hamstring injuries this season.

Thomas has played in five games, but he has been the Saints' starting running back in just one game. He and Mike Bell have been splitting carries this season, which has been a concern for fantasy owners.

Thomas and the Saints face an Atlanta team that is ranked 23rd against the run this season, and he should be used as a No. 2 starting fantasy option.

Point Projection: 15 points

15. Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins) @ New York Jets

Ricky Williams had his best game of the season last week, when he rushed the ball nine times for 80 yards with three touchdowns against the New Orleans Saints. With 84 fantasy points over six games this season, he has been one of the biggest surprises in football.

Williams has really turned his career around over the past two seasons. Many of us had given up on him as a football player and never thought he would have any fantasy value. He is the No. 2 running option on the Dolphins, who have the second-ranked rushing attack this season.

Use Williams as a RB2 fantasy option this week against the New York Jets.

Point Projection: 14 points

FOR THE REST OF THE WEEK EIGHT RUNNING BACK RANKINGS, CLICK HERE!