Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

::The Bruno Boys are proud to introduce fantasy football writer Jeff Bunney. Bruno Boys Bunney has been tackling a weekly feature in which he takes a look “beyond the box score” and brings to our readers’ attention some scenarios that happened each week that in knowing could help your fantasy team down the road. Enjoy and let us know if any of these plays impacted your fantasy outcome::

I won’t go into the Robert Meachem offensive/defensive touchdown issue. Some leagues rewarded points for it, some leagues didn’t. I just hope that if your league doesn’t have rules for that sort of play, then next year there is a rule.

Houston Texans’ wide receiver, Andre Johnson, had a nice game Sunday against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Part of the reason for that big day was the fact that after catching a pass which he took to the Jacksonville Jaguars’ 1-yard line, he, then, caught a touchdown pass on a fade route on the very next play. It’s nice to see a coach go right back to the guy who got the team down near the goal-line, especially considering earlier in the game the Texans called a halfback pass from inside the five which resulted in an interception thrown by Chris Brown. Ricky Williams last week, Brown this week. Come on, coaches! Run that stuff from midfield. Karat for Johnson and Matt Schaub.

The Pittsburgh Steelers D/ST had a terrible game against the Oakland Raiders. However they almost returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown, getting it to the Raiders’ 20-yard line. After that, the defense was absolutely terrible. Carrot for the Steelers D/ST. Karat for Troy Polamalu, who must be even more valuable than previously thought.

Matt Cassel had a poor game against the Denver Broncos, but it wasn’t all his fault. Wide receiver Bobby Wade dropped a certain long touchdown pass early in the game, while wide out Lance Long dropped a touchdown pass later in the game. On top of that, Cassel had a nice run to the Broncos’ 3-yard line, but after two runs and an incomplete pass, the Kansas City Chiefs settled for a field goal. Carrots for all except kicker Ryan Succop.

Matt Forte predictably had a good game against the hapless St.Louis Rams. Forte was the beneficiary of a pass interference call which gave the Chicago Bears the ball at the Rams’ 2-yard line. On Forte’s third attempt, he finally punched it in for the touchdown. Later in the game, he had a couple more shots from inside the five but failed to get in the end zone. Still, I’m going to give a Karat to Forte.

Maurice Jones-Drew was held out of the end zone by the Houston Texans, but MJD was very, very close to scoring. On one third down play, MJD appeared to have crossed the goal-line, but upon review it was determined he didn’t. On the next play, he was stuffed on 4th and goal. Carrot for MJD.

Vince Young had another nice game, this one against the Indianapolis Colts, but it could have been better. Wide receiver, Nate Washington, dropped an easy 35-yard touchdown pass from Young early in the game. Young had a couple other chances for more touchdown passes, but his owners can’t complain too much as he ended up with a nice stat line of 241 yards, 2 TDs, and just 1 INT anyway. Carrot for Washington, Karat for Young.

Miami Dolphins’ signal caller Chad Henne looked to have lost out on a touchdown pass when he completely missed a wide-open tight end Anthony Fasano in the end zone. On the next play, however, he hit wide receiver Davone Bess inside the 10-yard line, and Bess did the rest, darting through defenders for the touchdown. Later in the game, Henne missed a completely wide open Greg Camarillo in the end zone.Carrot for Fasano, Camarillo and Henne (for the Camarillo miss), Karats for Henne and Bess.

Joseph Addai appeared to have caught a Peyton Manning touchdown pass, but he was tackled inside the Tennessee Titans 1-yard line. Fortunately, for Addai owners, he got the call again and punched it in for a touchdown run. Carrot for Manning, Karat for Addai.

Denver Broncos’ RB Correll Buckhalter had a good game against the Kansas City Chiefs, carrying the ball 12 times for 113 yards. Unfortunately, he had no touchdowns, but he was close. On one play early in the game, Buckhalter broke through to the secondary and looked like he was going to take it to the house, but the last defender he had to beat dove and tackled him by a shoelace. Later in the game, he took a carry to the Chiefs’ 2-yard line. However, he then left the game, allowing Knowshon Moreno to get the TD run. Carrot for Buckhalter, Karat for Moreno.

Popular waiver wire pickup Jason Avant didn’t reward his owners with the kind of games he’d been putting up prior to week 13; however, he did score a touchdown. Unfortunately, it was called back due to offsetting penalties. Carrot for Avant.

Peyton Manning was locked in on Pierre Garcon in the Colts game against the Tennessee Titans - the combo didn’t hook up for a touchdown, though they were close. Manning hit Garcon on a pass that he took down to the Titans’ 5-yard line, then threw an incomplete pass in the end zone intended for Garcon. Manning then hit Reggie Wayne inside the five- and on the next play completed a touchdown pass to Austin Collie. Carrots for Garcon and Wayne, Karats for Manning and Collie.

Potential waiver wire gem Atlanta Falcons’ running back, Jason Snelling, certainly had more than enough chances to get in the end zone Sunday against the Philadelphia Eagles. Just inside the first half’s two-minute warning, Snelling took a carry six yards to the Eagles’ 1-yard line. On the next play, Snelling received a direct snap and was stuffed for no gain. On 3rd and goal from the Eagles’ 1-yard line, the Falcons mixed it up and handed it to Snelling who got stuffed for a loss of one yard. Next play? On 4th and goal the Falcons….(remember, the team with Roddy White and Tony Gonzalez?)...well, they gave Snelling one more chance, and he rewarded the coaches with a one yard gain to the 1-yard line. Unfortunately, that meant they turned the ball over on downs. If you can find a link to this series on YouTube, don’t even THINK of checking it out. Carrots for every Falcon involved.

WEEK 13 HOT READS

Tony Gonzalez was tackled at the Philadelphia Eagles 2-yard line on the play prior to Roddy White’s touchdown reception.

Daunte Culpepper hit Calvin Johnson down to the Cincinnati Bengals 2-yard line. Kevin Smith punched it in from there.

Three different Houston Texans threw interceptions Sunday - Matt Schaub, Rex Grossman and running back Chris Brown.

St. Louis Rams’ running back Steven Jackson put on a show with his incredible strength and effort. The numbers don’t show it, but he was a flat-out monster against the Chicago Bears.

Atlanta Falcons’ wide out Roddy White has scored two touchdowns in the last two weeks - one with 26 seconds to go in the 4th quarter and one with 3 seconds to go in the 4th. Incredible.

Week 14 Rankings:  QB  |  RB  |  WR  |  TE  |  K  | DEF    (click to read)

Week 14 Start & Sit:  START ‘EM  |  SIT ‘EM    (click to read)

Week 14 Waiver Wire Advice:  PICK THEM UP  |  CUT THEM LOOSE    (click to read)

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