Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

It’s finally that time of the year when we get to stop talking and start watching. Fantasy football season is upon us in just a few short days and nobody’s happier than us here around the Bruno Boys. The thing is, you’ve spent all summer pouring over cheat sheets, depth charts, analyzing sleepers and busts, developing strategies, mock drafting and watching preseason football like it mattered. The work does not stop there. It’s important to keep tabs on each of your teams throughout the season to make sure you’re maximizing your win potential. And that’s where we come in.

We’re here every week bringing you rankings for each player at every position based off their match-ups and how well we think they might do that week. This will help you determine who to start and who to sit on a weekly basis. There has been a lot of change at the Quarterback position since the end of the 2008 season. We’ve got new faces in new places like Matt Cassel in Kansas City, Jay Cutler in Chicago, Kyle Orton in Denver and Brett Favre in Minnesota, other key players coming off of injury-riddled seasons like Tom Brady of the New England Patriots, Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals and Matt Hasselbeck of the Seattle Seahawks, and rookies starting like Matthew Stafford of the Detroit Lions and Mark Sanchez of the New York Jets. 

As you can see, it’s the year of change at the Quarterback position. But, as you’ll see when you read on for the full set of Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 1 Quarterback Rankings, one thing hasn’t changed - the Bruno Boys dedication to providing you with the best weekly rankings out there.

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

It’s no coincidence that New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees is the top rated quarterback for week one. It just so happens, he’s not just our top rated QB from the preseason, but he’s, also, going against one of the league’s worst defenses in the Detroit Lions, and that only adds to his value. The New Orleans offense has been firing on all cylinders since last season and Brees looked on point during the preseason. To make things worse for Detroit, the Lions traded away veteran safety Ko Simpson after the final preseason game, then placed fellow safety Daniel Bullocks on injured reserve. The Lions are thin in the secondary, and Brees will be able to exploit that.
Point Projection: 25 points

2. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) @ Oakland

San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers had a breakout season in 2008 and is expected to continue that success this season. That will start when the Chargers meet the Oakland Raiders for the second game of a double header on Monday Night Football. In his last game against the Raiders, Rivers went for 214 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. Oakland did little to upgrade its secondary in the off-season and its best player, cornerback Nnamdi Asomugha, will play with a cast on his left wrist. This game will appear for Rivers to be nothing more than an extra preseason warm-up.
Point Projection: 23 points

3. Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts) vs. Jacksonville

The Jacksonville Jaguars defense has always had a pretty solid defense under head coach Jack Del Rio, but this preseason, the pass defense was among the worst in the league. For Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts, there has been a lot of change in the off-season, including a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator and a new offensive line coach. Yet from watching the Colts play in the preseason, it appears as it they haven’t skipped a beat. Wide receiver Anthony Gonzalez has transitioned smoothly into the second receiver role and Dallas Clark looked real dangerous at tight end and slot receiver. Translation: Expect another big game from Manning.
Point Projection: 22 points

4. Tom Brady (New England Patriots) vs. Buffalo

As expected, Brady hasn’t played since Albert Haynesworth flattened him and injured his shoulder in the third week of the preseason. He has practiced and all signs indicate he is good to go, so we’re not expecting anything less. Brady only played in two games in the preseason, but he looked great in both, displaying the same form he had in 2007 when he set the single-season passing touchdown record. He also did not show any signs that the ACL injury he sustained at the beginning of last season will hinder him. Brady’s got command of perhaps the best, and most talented, offense, so even though the Buffalo Bills have a solid secondary, he will excel in this game.
Point Projection: 21 points

5. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) vs. Chicago

In his first year as a starter Aaron Rodgers made Packer fans quickly forget former starter and legend Brett Favre as he threw for 4,038 yards with 28 touchdowns and just 13 interceptions. And, since then, Rodgers has only gotten better. He was incredible in the preseason as he completed 77.4 percent of his passes and generally looked unstoppable. At the same time the Chicago Bears defense is suspect against the pass and cornerback Charles Tillman is coming off back surgery. Tillman insists he’s good to go against the Packers, but he’s not going to be 100 percent. That’s a bonus for Rodgers and the Packers offense.
Point Projection: 20 points

6. Kurt Warner (Arizona Cardinals) vs. San Francisco

The San Francisco 49ers played well during the preseason, but not a lot of it was because of their defense. The 49ers were almost equally bad against the run and the pass in the preseason as they couldn’t stop either. That bodes well for quarterback Kurt Warner and the Arizona Cardinals as they feature one of the league’s most prolific passing offenses with receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, as well as a revived running game with rookie Chris Wells and Tim Hightower. Warner will need to display better form in this game after he threw three interceptions and no touchdowns in the preseason.
Point Projection: 19 points

7. Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys) @ Tampa Bay

Dallas Cowboys’ quarterback Tony Romo lost his top target in receiver Terrell Owens, who is now a member of the Buffalo Bills, but that shouldn’t affect him at all in this game. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have endured some massive changes since changing head coaches from Jon Gruden to Raheem Morris. One of the most notable changes is that the Buccaneers are abandoning their popular Tampa-2 cover scheme, and making a transition that can be difficult in the first year for a defense. Not surprisingly, the Tampa Bay pass defense was bad in the preseason, and it will continue that trend this week against Romo and the Cowboys.
Point Projection: 18 points

8. Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks) vs. St. Louis

If you can name more than three starters for the St. Louis Rams defense, then congratulations, you’ve won two free Apple iPod Nanos. Just kidding about the Nanos, but seriously this may be the most underwhelming collection of defensive talent assembled on one team in the last decade. The defense ranked 26th in the preseason in total yards allowed, and this struggle should continue into the regular season. At the same time, Hasselbeck showed his Pro Bowl form in the preseason with complete disregard to the back injury that plagued him last season. With a deep and talented wide receiver corps, Hasselbeck appears set for a big season and his easy schedule should help.
Point Projection: 17 points

9. Jay Cutler (Chicago Bears) @ Green Bay

Cutler will make his regular-season debut as a Chicago Bear against an improved Green Bay defense that looked stout in the preseason. However, the Packers were good against the run and not so good against the pass as Green Bay ranked 31st in pass defense in the preseason. Cutler was shaky in the beginning of the preseason, but then rebounded well as he threw two touchdowns and no interceptions in the second and third weeks of the preseason. Even though the Green Bay defense is improved, you can still expect a Sunday Night Football shootout and a good game out of Cutler in week one.
Point Projection: 17 points

10. Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia Eagles) @ Carolina

It will be interesting to see how well Donovan McNabb and the Philadelphia Eagles offense will play this season with the additions of wide receiver Jeremy Maclin, running back LeSean McCoy and quarterback Michael Vick. The signing of Vick will add a nice dynamic to an already explosive offense. but make no mistake, this is still McNabb’s team. The Carolina defense was pretty good against the pass in the preseason except for their third week loss to the Baltimore Ravens, where Joe Flacco completed 23 of 28 passes. The third week is considered a dress rehearsal for the regular season, so expect a solid game from McNabb in this one.
Point Projection: 16 points

11. Carson Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals) vs. Denver

Palmer has a lot to prove this season if he is to reestablish himself as one of the league’s top quarterbacks. He’ll get a good start on that this week against the Broncos, who have not enjoyed a good off-season. The Broncos attempted to boost their weak passing defense with the addition of safety Brian Hawkins, but he is better against the run and his best years are behind him. The Broncos were among the worst defenses last year, and there’s no reason to think they’ll be able to turn that around this season.
Point Projection: 16 points

12. Matt Schaub (Houston Texans) vs. New York Jets

The Jets are in transition from Eric Mangini to new head coach Rex Ryan, who will bring an added defensive focus to the team. The Jets do feature a good group of defensive backs led by corners Darrelle Revis, Lito Sheppard and safety Kerry Rhodes, and they did play well against the pass in the preseason. But, the Jets don’t have anybody that can stop Texans wide receiver Andre Johnson, and that will be enough for Houston quarterback Matt Schaub to have a good game.
Point Projection: 16 points

13. Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings) @ Cleveland

The Cleveland Browns brought in head coach Eric Mangini and while he brought in a lot of new players on both sides of the ball, he did not change up the defensive scheme too much from last year. Perhaps he should have at least considered it because the Browns will have a hard time masking their inexperienced and short-on-talent group of defensive backs. Favre could take advantage of this, but the Vikings will likely spend most of the game running the ball. Favre is still growing accustomed to the offense and everything else in Minnesota, so expect a solid game but nothing special from No. 4.
Point Projection: 15 points

14. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Miami

Though Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan enjoyed a good rookie season as he finished with a positive touchdown-to-interception ratio and led the team to the playoffs, his stats were mediocre by fantasy football standards. A closer look as his numbers revealed a lot of room for growth and that was accentuated by good performances during the preseason. However, he’ll face a tough test this week against the Miami Dolphins, who featured one of the toughest defenses in the preseason. Ryan should play well enough in this game to be considered as your week one QB because he’s good at protecting the football, but don’t expect a huge game from the second year quarterback.
Point Projection: 15 points

15. Chad Pennignton (Miami Dolphins) @ Atlanta

Pennington, Ryan’s week one opposition at quarterback, finds himself in the very next slot, making it’s obvious that this is a tough game to call, but it will also be an interesting one to watch. Pennington looked good in the preseason and looks to be ready for another successful season for the Dolphins, but the Falcons made a conscious effort to upgrade their defense in the off-season as they spent their first five draft picks on the defensive side of the ball. This looks like the type of game where Miami quarterback Chad Pennington could throw only 20 times but make the most of his limited chances and throw a touchdown pass or two.
Point Projection: 15 points

16. Eli Manning (New York Giants) vs. Washington

The Washington Redskins made a concerted effort to beef up their defense in the off-season as they brought in defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth and spent their first four draft picks on defensive players, including end Brian Orakpo. And to an extent, it’s worked so far as the Redskins were good against the run in the preseason. Too bad they were the third worst team against the pass. New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning will struggle at times without receiver Plaxico Burress, and he has been just average against the Redskins in his career. Consider him a borderline starter in week one.
Point Projection: 14 points

17. Kyle Orton (Denver Broncos) @ Cincinnati  **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton has been healthy enough to practice throughout the week and said he is ready to start the Broncos’ Week 1 opener. Orton is still nursing an injury to his throwing hand, so he might not be all that effective, but the Broncos find themselves in a favorable match-up against a Cincinnati defense that was hit or miss throughout the ‘08 season. Consider Orton a boom or bust pick in Week 1.
Point Projection: 14 points

18. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs. Tennessee

It’s a rematch of the week 16 game of last season that saw the Titans clinch home field advantage throughout the playoffs. This time they play on Thursday Night Football to open the regular season in what should be a well played football game. Too bad it won’t be a good one for either of the quarterbacks involved. Though the Tennessee Titans do feature one of the league’s best defenses, they are a little vulnerable to the passing game, so Roethlisberger does have some value this week. After all, he did have 329 passing yards and two touchdowns against the Titans last season.
Point Projection: 13 points

19. David Garrard (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ Indianapolis

In two games last year against the Colts, Garrard had two interceptions and just one touchdown pass. It doesn’t help that the Jaguars will be playing on the road either. Safety Bob Sanders won’t be in the lineup (he’s out at least for five more weeks), but the Indianapolis pass defense is solid with corners Kelvin Hayden and Marlin Jackson.
Point Projection: 13 points

20. Jake Delhomme (Carolina Panthers) vs. Philadelphia

Not only do the Eagles feature one of the league’s best defenses, but their defensive backs are among the best units in the league. Combine that with an extremely heavy-blitz scheme and Jake Delhomme owners might be best served putting him on the bench this week. The incredible running game the Panthers have could help open up the field for Delhomme and the passing game, but that doesn’t make it worthwhile to start him this week.
Point Projection: 12 points

21. Joe Flacco (Baltimore Ravens) vs. Kansas City

After an impressive preseason, Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has seen his value slowly but steadily rise the past few weeks. And, against the Kansas City Chiefs, he finds himself with a very favorable match-up. However, for the time being, the Ravens are a defense and run-first team. Flacco’s main job is still to manage the team and not turn the ball over.
Point Projection: 12 points

22. Shaun Hill (San Francisco 49ers) @ Arizona

In very unconvincing fashion, San Francisco quarterback Shaun Hill won the starting job in the preseason. The Cardinals defense made some big strides towards the end of last season and features some athletic play makers in Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Antrel Rolle. The 49ers plan to run the ball and run it a lot this season, so until further notice Hill’s value remains minimal.
Point Projection: 12 points

23. Marc Bulger (St. Louis Rams) @ Seattle

One positive for St. Louis quarterback Marc Bulger in this game is that Seattle cornerback Marcus Trufant won’t play. The bad thing is that the Rams enter the season with a ton of questions on offense, including a young and inexperienced offensive line and extremely green receivers. Though talented, Donnie Avery is the team’s most experienced returning receiver and he was a rookie just last year.
Point Projection: 12 points

24. Trent Edwards (Buffalo Bills) @ New England

The New England defense has been among the league’s elite under the last few years but this year they’re breaking in a lot of younger players and players new to the team. The secondary is especially green and could feature two rookies. That would point to success for the opposing quarterback, but Buffalo’s Trent Edwards has struggled in picking up the Bills’ new offense. With the Bills expected to trail early and often, Edwards’ will have to throw for the majority of the game, but he still has to produce on a consistent basis to be a reliable fantasy football option.
Point Projection: 11 points

25. Jason Campbell (Washington Redskins) @ New York Giants

Washington quarterback Jason Campbell had one of the more intriguing preseasons out of the quarterbacks. At times, he was one of the worst, while other times he looked like an All-Pro. Though he started off last season well, he won’t be able to repeat that performance this week as the Redskins travel to play one of the league’s best defenses in the New York Giants. If you own Campbell, it’s as a low end QB2 and you are waiting for the right match-up to play him this week isn’t one of them.
Point Projection: 10 points

26. Matt Cassel/Brodie Croyle (Kansas City Chiefs) @ Baltimore  **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Since spraining his MCL in the preseason Kansas City quarterback Matt Cassel has returned to practice. However, his original prognosis said he would miss the first week and the coaches are mum on the matter. It would appear likely that Brodie Croyle would take his place over Tyler Thigpen if Cassel doesn’t play. We feel Cassel will play in this game but it doesn’t really matter as the Chiefs’ will struggle against the elite Baltimore Ravens defense.
Point Projection: 10 points

27. Brady Quinn/Derek Anderson (Cleveland Browns) vs. Minnesota

For those unfamiliar with Cleveland head coach Eric Mangini, he likes to reveal as little information as possible whether it’s about his team or what he had for lunch. And in keeping with that philosophy, he has decided not to announce his decision on who will start at quarterback though he has already selected that player. Brady Quinn appears to have the slight edge over Derek Anderson, but similar to the Kansas City situation, whomever plays in week one won’t enjoy a good game.
Point Projection: 9 points

28. Kerry Collins (Tennessee Titans) @ Pittsburgh

The Titans are playing at Pittsburgh in a game that will feature a lot of running and loads of good defense. Kerry Collins wasn’t known last season for doing much anyway, so it shouldn’t be much of a surprise to see him near the bottom of the Week 1 QB rankings. In case you need any kind of confirmation about Collins’ value this week, consider the Steelers ranked first or second in every major defensive category last season.
Point Projection: 9 points

29. Byron Leftwich (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) vs. Dallas

Some how, some way Byron Leftwich won the starting job in Tampa Bay and that was confirmed when the Buccaneers traded away his main competition in Luke McCown. The Fighting Leftwich’s weren’t so hot in the preseason at passing the ball, and there’s no reason to believe that will change this week against an aggressive Dallas defense that will look to up the pressure on Leftwich all afternoon.
Point Projection: 8 points

30. Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) @ Houston

Mark Sanchez won the Jets’ starting quarterback job without too much trouble during the preseason. However, now is when things get interesting. Rookie quarterbacks struggle when they first start and remember even Joe Flacco and even Matt Ryan (outside of his 1st pass TD to Michael Jenkins) didn’t start to have much success until later in the season last year. Sanchez will no doubt be a star some day, but that won’t come on the road against an improving Houston Texans defense in his first regular-season start.
Point Projection: 7 points

31. JaMarcus Russell (Oakland Raiders) vs. San Diego

Oakland quarterback JaMarcus Russell played well in limited action during the preseason, and the team thought so highly of him they decided to release backup Jeff Garcia. Garcia is the same guy the Raiders signed to a free agent contract during the off-season. Russell has shown flashes of becoming a decent quarterback, but he must face a San Diego Chargers defense that will have no problems getting through the Oakland offensive line.
Point Projection: 7 points

32. Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) @ New Orleans

It was a little surprising to see the Lions name Matthew Stafford as the starter considering how inconsistent he was in the preseason. But, for those that watched him play he definitely made some impressive throws, and it looks like Detroit may have a franchise quarterback on their hands. But, Stafford is far way from becoming that player and will struggle a lot as a rookie on the league’s worst team. Calvin Johsnon will make him look good at times, but outside of “Megatron,” there are limited weapons for Stafford to target in Detroit.
Point Projection: 6 points

 
Week 1 Rankings:  QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF    (click to read)

Week 1 Start & Sit:  Start ‘Em  | Sit ‘Em  (click to read)

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