Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Each and every fantasy football contest from here on out has the make-up of a do-or-die outing. With that being the case, the Bruno Boys know you have questions. We address some of these in the Week 17 edition of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Roundtable. Also with this being the last regular season roundtable article we’d like to thank everyone for making it part of their weekly fantasy football routine. Make sure to check back throughout the off season as we will continue to

WEEK 17 BURNING QUESTIONS

1. With just one week left in the NFL, we know which six teams will be representing the NFC in the playoffs but the AFC is wide open. All of the division winners are in place but there are five teams sitting at 8-7 and fighting for two wild card spots. Out of these five teams, who takes care of business and snags the last two playoff spots in the AFC?

Bruno Boys Whooley: Going into the weekend, it is the Baltimore Ravens and New York Jets that hold their own fate in their hands. While I think the Ravens are a shoe in to get things done against the Oakland Raiders (the Raiders just have no way of slowing down running back, Ray Rice), the Jets’ situation is a complex one. Whether New York is able to take care of the Cincinnati Bengals or not will depend, in my opinion, on what the Bengals’ decide to do with their starters. With their game being the late one, they will know their final seeding for the playoffs prior to kick off, which makes me believe they’ll rest their big names. That should be enough for the Jets to get the win. If the Jets falter though, look for the Denver Broncos, who have a nice Week 17 match-up against the Kansas City Chiefs at home to sneak their way into the post-season.

Bruno Boys Cavigs: It’s crazy how it works. Each NFL team has played 15 games and for five AFC teams it all boils down to the final week of the season. With two playoff spots in the AFC up for grabs it’s the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens who control their own destiny. Both of these teams will be playing in a “win and your in” game while the Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans and Denver Broncos need win and receive help to backdoor themselves into the postseason. With there being so much parity in the NFL it’s tough to say the Ravens should take care of business and beat the Oakland Raiders in Week 17 but if they to their potential it should happen. Look for the Ravens to take care of business on Sunday and claim one of the wild card spots in the AFC.  As for the Jets, they will be in a dog-fight on Sunday night football with the Cincinnati Bengals. Even with Cincy having nothing to play for, and likely resting their starters at some point, don’t expect them to lay down and concede. This game will boil down to rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez and his ability to play on National TV with the season on the line. I don’t think he gets the job done and thus the Jets fail to wrap up the final playoff spot.

So who claims the last spot in the AFC? The Denver Broncos. Even with star wide receiver Brandon Marshall being ruled OUT of action in Week 17, you can expect Denver to have a balanced attack that will ultimately be too much for a Kansas City Chiefs defense that ranks 30th in points allowed. So there you have it, based on my predictions the Baltimore Ravens and Denver Broncos will claim the last two wild card spots in the AFC.

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Each and every fantasy football contest from here on out has the make-up of a do-or-die outing. With that being the case, the Bruno Boys know you have questions. We address some of these in the Week 16 edition of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Roundtable.

WEEK 16 BURNING QUESTIONS

1. Last week in this very article, the challenge was laid down to name next year’s top-10 fantasy options. This week, with the Bruno Boys already releasing some Red Flag Players from the AFC to be weary of in 2010, let’s turn the tables. Who are the five guys you are definitely staying away from in next year’s fantasy drafts?

Bruno Boys Jimbo: The first clear cut guy for me is this year’s biggest fantasy bust, Matt Forte. Secondly, I’m staying away from LaDainian Tomlinson, who clearly has his better days behind him. I’m also staying away from Michael Turner. As far as I’m concerned, he’s been a one-year wonder and even before he got hurt earlier this season, he was held quiet for the first month of the season. The wear and tear of last year has hindered Turner’s long-term success. I won’t be drafting Steve Smith from the Carolina Panthers until they get acquire a real quarterback. I’m not convinced that Matt Moore is the answer. I saved my best one for last, but next year, I will not be drafting Larry Fitzgerald. It has nothing to do with Fitz himself, but his current quarterback is one big sack away from his playing days coming to and end, and the backup quarterback isn’t that great. Once Kurt Warner goes down, and we got the warning this year with the concussion he suffered, Fitzgerald’s fantasy value will take a huge hit for how high he’ll be projected to get drafted. If Fitz wasn’t going to be projected as a top-three WR, then I would draft him, but the risk outweighs the reward here.

Bruno Boys Cavigs: Lots of options to choose from after seeing so many big name players fail to get the job done in 2009. In no particular order my top five to avoid in 2010 are; Matt Forte, Jason Witten, Kevin Smith, Steve Slaton and Brandon Jacobs. In all reality this list could go on and on but the five mentioned are players that had their chances to produce on numerous occasions but never found the groove that kept them consistent from start to finish.

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Each and every fantasy football contest from here on out has the make-up of a do-or-die outing. With that being the case, the Bruno Boys know you have questions. We address some of these in the Week 15 edition of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Roundtable.

WEEK 15 BURNING QUESTIONS

1. With the 2009 fantasy football season coming to end it’s time to start thinking about 2010. With that in mind please list your Top-10 fantasy players for the 2010 season in standard scoring leagues?

Bruno Boys Whooley: The clear cut No. 1 barring any serious injuries the rest of the way has to be Tennessee Titans’ running back, Chris Johnson. The guy is a man-beast, averaging 20.6 points per contest on the year. Not only is he the top RB in all of fantasy at the moment, he’s the top overall player. Now, that’s saying something. Following Johnson is a trio of RBs in Adrian Peterson, who has just less than 9 fantasy points once this season, Maurice Jones-Drew, who has excelled in his role as a featured back, and Ray Rice, who has used his dual threat ability to post big day after big day. At No. 5, I have my first QB, but it’s not who many might think. Rather, than Drew Brees or Peyton Manning, I’m rolling with Aaron Rodgers. I mean, the guy has been amazing this year despite being a rag doll for opposing defenses. Just think what he could do if they bolster their O-line. While Rodgers is the first QB I’d take off the board, Brees is not far behind. The Saints’ QB has been phenomenal with just two outings of less than 12 fantasy points on the year, which is why I have him at No. 6. At No. 7, I’m going with a guy who doesn’t get a lot of respect in fantasy circles but who just produces week after week, and that’s the New York Jets’ Thomas Jones. The No. 8 slot is occupied by Steven Jackson of the St. Louis Rams. This whole year, team’s knew he was getting the ball, yet they still couldn’t slow him down. No. 9 is where you’ll find me taking Peyton Manning. After that, I’m going with my first wide out and that’s Houston Texans’ stud Andre Johnson, who rounds off my top-10.

Bruno Boys Cavigs: Can you believe that it’s already December and most fantasy football leagues have just two weeks left? I know I cant, but at the same time I’m already getting all fired up for 2010. If I had to pick a top-10 at this very moment for the 2010 season it would start with Tennessee Titans running back Chris Johnson. The stats don’t lie and regardless of the match-up Johnson has been able to produce at a high level. After Johnson my list would go like this… 2. Adrian Peterson (Min), 3. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jac), 4. Ray Rice (Bal), 5. Drew Brees (NO), 6. Aaron Rodgers (GB), 7. Andre Johnson (Hou), 8. Peyton Manning (Ind), 9. Steven Jackson (StL), 10. Thomas Jones (NYJ). This is the first time ever that I have included three quarterbacks in my first round but with the NFL continuing to evolve into a pass first league it could really benefit you to get your hands on an elite one. Some of the guys that just missed the cut include Larry Fitzgerald (Ari), Michael Turner (Atl), DeAngelo Williams (Car), Frank Gore (SF), Rashard Mendenhall (Pit), Ryan Grant (GB), Randy Moss (NE), Reggie Wayne (Ind), DeSean Jackson (Phi), Wes Welker (NE), Calvin Johnson (Det), Beanie Wells (Ari), Knowshon Moreno (Den) and Tom Brady (NE).

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Each and every fantasy football contest from here on out has the make-up of a do-or-die outing. With that being the case, the Bruno Boys know you have questions. We address some of these in the Week 14 edition of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Roundtable.

WEEK 14 BURNING QUESTIONS

1. Entering the month of December, a new wrinkle arises when it comes to setting fantasy line-ups as weather will begin to play a factor in many football contests moving forward. This always leaves fantasy owners in a dilemma. Do they play their stud, who’ll be in the snow, or do they roll with a match-up play in a dome? What’s your advice for fantasy owners when it comes to dealing with mother nature?

Bruno Boys Whooley: Weather is a tricky thing when it comes to fantasy football, as mother nature can always come and ruin what looks to be a nice match-up on paper. However, while mother nature can often times act as an additional defender, she does so not through the use of snow, sleet, or rain. After all, New England Patriots’ quarterback, Tom Brady, seemed to do just fine in the powder in week 6 when he threw for 380 yards and 6 TDs against the Tennessee Titans. Nope, mother nature uses gale force winds to slow down aerial attacks, which is why wind is the most important aspect of weather for fantasy owners to pay attention to.

Bruno Boys Jimbo: It has to be pretty harsh conditions for me to bench a stud due to weather. I think a bigger concern is your studs getting rested for the playoffs in the final week or two of the regular season. You obviously need to take into account injuries, matchups and things of that nature on a game-by-game basis, but generally speaking, I think you always have to play your studs.

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Each and every fantasy football contest from here on out has the make-up of a do-or-die outing. With that being the case, the Bruno Boys know you have questions. We address some of these in the Week 13 edition of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Roundtable.

WEEK 13 BURNING QUESTIONS

1. Both Alex Smith of the San Francisco 49ers and Vince Young of the Tennessee Titans seem to have finally found their stride and have been hot waiver wire pick-ups at the quarterback position; however, can you rely on them with your season on the line?

Bruno Boys Cavigs:  As much as I want to say that you can rely on Alex Smith and Vince Young from here on out it’s still risky business if you ask me. Don’t get me wrong if I was faced with a struggling quarterback and needed a match-up play I would look at starting Young in Week 14 and Week 15 and Smith in Week 13, Week 16 and Week 17 but I wouldn’t count on them to produce enough fantasy football points to win my game. If you plan on using them during these crucial times make sure to so expecting nothing more than 200 passing yards and two touchdowns per game. Not great statistics but enough for the former first round picks to hold their own when called on.

Bruno Boys Whooley: Whether you can rely on them or not depends largely on the make-up of the rest of your fantasy roster. By no means are Smith and Young going to win you your fantasy contest, like say Peyton Manning, Drew Brees, and Tom Brady can; they just aren’t that breed of quarterback. But, the rejuvenated throwers won’t cost you your fantasy battle either. As such, the two can be viewed as game managers. They’ll provide you with a secure double digit outing between the 10-15 point range, but not much more, making them most beneficial to those owners with studs at the other skilled positions but hurting at QB because of Matt Ryan’s injury or the poor play of Jay Cutler or Joe Flacco.

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With 10 weeks of football already in the books, there are just seven weeks of football left, which means each and every fantasy football contest from here on out has the make-up of a do-or-die outing. With that being the case, the Bruno Boys know you have questions. We address some of these in the Week 11 edition of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Roundtable.

WEEK 11 BURNING QUESTIONS

1. As the fantasy football playoffs approach who are some players that have the match-ups to produce at a high level during the playoffs (Weeks 14-16)?

Bruno Boys Whooley: First and foremost, while I know the playoffs are high stakes, be sure not to over-think things. For example, in week 14, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts will take on the Denver Broncos. Is it a wise move to sit Manning because the Broncos have allowed just 8.8 fantasy points per game to the QB position? Heck no! Some guys are must plays no matter their playoff match-ups, while others are must sits. This late in the season, you should know who those guys are. With that covered, let’s get into some sneaky plays that could help you in the run to that fantasy gold.

For starters, at the running back slot, I’m looking at Jamaal Charles of the Kansas City Chiefs. While he may not help you in your league’s championship game in week 16 as he takes on the 2nd ranked rush defense in the Cincinnati Bengals that week, he should help you get to the big game. In week 14, Charles matches up with the Buffalo Bills, who rank dead last against the run, and then, he meets the Cleveland Browns in week 15. Similar outings to the 17 points he posted against Oakland in week 10 can be expected.

As far as members of the passing game go, you have to love everyone associated with the Arizona Cardinals. From week 14 to week 16, the Cardinals’ opponents are the San Francisco 49ers (29th against the pass), the Detroit Lions (32nd), and the St. Louis Rams (26th). Talk about an easy march through the playoffs. If I own Kurt Warner, Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston, I’m salivating just thinking about it.

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With 9 weeks of football already in the books, there are just 8 weeks of football left, which means each and every fantasy football contest from here on out has the make-up of a do-or-die outing. With that being the case, the Bruno Boys know you have questions. We address some of these in the Week 10 edition of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Roundtable.

WEEK 10 BURNING QUESTIONS

1. As we enter the second half of the football season, who is your second half SLEEPER for 2009?

Bruno Boys Jimbo: I’m going to go with Beanie Wells here. Wells is a guy who has not done much in the first half of the season, hence why I’m calling him a sleeper. However, his lack of good stats is not due to not performing well, but moreso because Tim Hightower hasn’t done anything to lose his job. Still, with the recent disappearance of Anquan Boldin, and the fact that Wells has been running well in recent weeks, I think the Arizona Cardinals are going to run more in the second half, and he’s going to get more work. Despite a slight fumbling problem, Wells has run the ball well and could make a nice matchup play with high upside.

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Regardless of your record it’s time to prepare yourself for your fantasy football battle in Week 9. Knowing that many fantasy football owners are on the fence about which RB2, WR3 or Flex to start we approach this article as a way to talk about some of your question marks. With that in mind, check out the Week 9 edition of Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Roundtable.

WEEK 9 BURNING QUESTIONS

1. In many fantasy football leagues the trade deadline is approaching and with that being the case what is the best advice you can give someone who needs to make a deal to improve their team for the stretch run?

Bruno Boys Ziza: In my honest opinion, I think there are plenty of ways to improve a team, with the trade route being the one that should be least utilized unless you know what you are doing. While I don’t do much trading at all in my expert leagues, the ones that are in my money leagues know that I am constantly throwing around ideas. In fact I just acquired Drew Brees in one of them and he is already on the market as long as I can improve. The thing that I would really advise is taking a step back, assess your team, find the weak spots and if there is someone better on the waivers for a given week such as a defense, make sure to grab them and stash your other on the bench. Matchups can be just as crucial to a teams success, if not more, than having a stacked team. And once you do that, hit up the Bruno Boys on the forum or Live Q and A segments.

Bruno Boys Whooley: The best advice I can give fantasy owners out there is to be aware of the value they are parting with and the value they are getting in return. Too often, I’ve been fielding questions during our daily Live Q & As in which owners seem to be trading just to trade. Yes, trades can help improve your squad, but not every trade automatically gives you a better fantasy team. Be smart in your dealings, and if you are unsure if the trade is a wise one, remember to utilize the Bruno Boys Forum for feedback.

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Some would think that after seven weeks we’d begin to tire of the football talk, but that’s definitely not the case for us here at the Bruno Boys. Proving that point, we bring to you the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 8 Roundtable. Read on and you might get that last bit of fantasy info you need for your playoff run.

WEEK 8 BURNING QUESTIONS

1. With Larry Johnson suspended indefinitely for his comments on Twitter regarding new head coach, Todd Haley, what value does Kansas City Chiefs’ back-up running back, Jamaal Charles, now hold?

Bruno Boys Cavigs: Charles is a dynamic player and one that is always making something happen when he touches the football but the bigger issue in Kansas City lies on the offensive line and dysfunctional talent surrounding quarterback Matt Cassel. Through seven games the Chiefs offense has failed to record a rushing touchdown while averaging just 251 yards per game of total offense. Plus at just 5-11 and 199 pounds Charles is undersized and has shown in his small sample size that he could have trouble handling a full workload out of the backfield. In a deep league that gives points per reception you might want to consider Charles but in all reality his increase in value doesn’t looke to be significant enough to make a fantasy football impact.

Bruno Boys Jimbo: Very close to zero. Unless you have Dwayne Bowe, I don’t want anybody else on the Kansas City Chiefs. This is a bad football team all around. I didn’t like Jamaal Charles before Larry Johnson screwed himself over and I don’t like him any better now.

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Regardless of your record it’s time to prepare yourself for your fantasy football battle in Week 7. Knowing that many fantasy football owners are on the fence about which RB2, WR3 or Flex to start we approach this article as a way to talk about some of your question marks. With that in mind, check out the Week 7 edition of Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Roundtable.

WEEK 7 BURNING QUESTIONS

1. What can we make of quarterback Tom Brady’s six touchdown performance against the Tennessee Titans in Week 6? Will this be the beginning of Brady putting together top fantasy numbers at the QB position?

Bruno Boys Whooley: I think we were all in agreement around here that something was just a tad bit off with Brady through the New England Patriots’ first five games. Whether he was worried about taking hits because of the knee injury he suffered last season or just not comfortable planting on the previously injured leg, Brady wasn’t finishing off his throws, causing a slight dip in his accuracy - a dip that turned him into an average fantasy QB. Well, in week 6, his accuracy was back as he was finishing off throws that he was previously missing on. That’s bad news for the rest of the Patriots’ opponents (but good news for Brady’s fantasy owners) because I think his week 6 outing is going to give Brady the confidence he needs to return to stud status.

Bruno Boys Ziza: Whooley, as much as I enjoyed seeing the connection between Tom Brady and Randy Moss as I am a Moss owner, I am also a realist. Two things stood out to me in that performance. The first is that it was against a Tennessee Titans defense that has been in shambles all season. Secondly, the weather was bad adding extra advantage to the offensive player. While it is intriguing to see what they will do from here on out I just am not drinking the stud Kool-Aid just yet.

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