Week 17 Fantasy Football Roundtable Projections

Bruno Boys Whooley: This is it, folks! The last regular season edition of the Bruno Boys Roundtable for 2008, but don't despair because even though fantasy football leagues will be over and done with following week 17, the Bruno Boys will not be. Throughout the NFL playoffs and the off-season, we'll be here, scratching that itch you have for fantasy football.

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Week 17 Burning Questions!

1. With the fantasy football season winding down, what is one piece of advice you can give fantasy owners heading into the 2009 draft?

Bruno Boys Whooley: Remember, just like with any sport, the off-season is just as critical to your success as is the season itself. In fact, in fantasy football, it might even be more important.

We're not saying you have to dedicate your life to fantasy football, but it is important to keep up with all the comings and goings that are occurring in the NFL throughout the off-season.

Coaching changes, free agent signings, and draft selections will all impact certain individuals' fantasy value come 2009. Keeping on top of these changes will aid you greatly when it comes to drafting your 2009 squad.

Bruno Boys Cavigs: It's all about consistency. I'll be the first to admit it's nice to have a player score 30 fantasy points in a single game, but oftentimes that's the same player that goes for six points the following week.

It's okay to have players like that, but you need to make sure that your team's supporting cast is full of guys you can rely on to get you 7-10 points each week.

For example, in my main money league that I just won my second straight title, I had the inconsistent and often injured Brian Westbrook.

On two or three occasions Westbrook got me 30, and some weeks he got me six, but with guys like Michael Turner, Larry Fitzgerald, Dwayne Bowe and Brandon Marshall supporting him, I was able to offset his bad weeks because I knew Turner and Fitz would get me 10+ points down the stretch.

Let take Bowe, for example. All season, he was used as my WR3 and he did an adequate job of getting me solid points each week. On only two different occasions has Bowe scored fewer than five fantasy points, and over the course of the season, the second-year receiver is averaging 8.4 fantasy points per game.

It's consistency like this that has helped me score the most points in the league and helped me claim my second straight title. So in 2009 when you are sitting there on fantasy football draft day, always take the guy who is going to show up 13-14 times per year over the guy who might have 3-5 big games, but disappear in the other 10 games.

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Lightning Round! (Fantasy Football Questions in a Flash)

Top Star to Play, Top Star to Avoid in Week 17

1. Quarterback

Bruno Boys Whooley: PLAY - Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) - Keeping the Chargers' playoff hopes alive, Rivers has three straight games of 18+ fantasy points. He should post another on Sunday, as he gets the Chargers into the playoffs with a big win over the Denver Broncos.

AVOID - Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) - With the Colts locked into that 5th seed for the AFC playoffs, expect Tony Dungy to rest Manning and the rest of his go-to-guys to make sure they're healthy and good to go for the Colts' playoff run.

Bruno Boys Cavigs: PLAY - Jay Cutler (Denver Broncos) - He had 350 passing yards and four touchdowns in the last meeting against San Diego, and with the Broncos lacking a running game, you can expect much of the same this week.

AVOID - Peyton Manning (Indianpolis Colts) - It has nothing to do with the match-up, it's because the Colts have nothing to play for and Manning is expected to play no more than one quarter in this game.

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2. Running Back

Bruno Boys Whooley: PLAY - Brian Westbrook (Philadelphia Eagles) - Westbrook has been a bit quiet since his back-to-back 30+ point efforts in weeks 13 and 14, tallying just 17 combined fantasy points over his last two games. However, he should come up big in this week 17 affair with the Dallas Cowboys, a team he torched for 27 fantasy points back in week 2.

AVOID - Brandon Jacobs (New York Giants)  - I know Tom Coughlin has said that he'll use his starters this Sunday, but I can't believe he'll give Jacobs a full workload. With home field advantage already locked up for the duration of the playoffs, I think Coughlin will play it safe with his bruising back.

Bruno Boys Cavigs: PLAY - Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons) - His match-up against the Rams and their 28th-ranked rush defense is just what Turner needs to lock in the top overall fantasy football running back spot.  

AVOID - Marion Barber (Dallas Cowboys) - Barber is expected to be a game-time decision again and the Eagles allow just 92 yards per game against the rush. This is not a recipe for success.

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Week 17 Fantasy Football Roundtable Projections