Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

With only three more regular season games left until most fantasy football leagues start their playoffs it’s as crucial as ever to maximize your lineup in terms of fantasy points. With Week 11 determining your playoff fate in some cases we want to make sure you enter Sunday knowing what players we feel you should play with caution. Obviously it’s your team and your gut so you are the final decision makers but if these guys fail to get the job done for your fantasy squad this week don’t say the Bruno Boys didn’t tell you so.  With that being said the Bruno Boys present the Fantasy Football Week 11 Sit Ems.

QUARTERBACKS – SIT ‘EM

David Garrard (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Buffalo

Garrard has been an able fantasy football back up and starter when needed, but this is definitely a week to bench him and don’t look back. The Buffalo Bills are actually the best team in the NFL against the opposing quarterback in fantasy perspective, allowing only 8 points per game with 7 TDs and 15 INTs through nine games. While running back Maurice Jones-Drew should have a field day in Week 11, don’t expect the rest of the Jaguars to do the same. Let Garrard ride the pine this weekend. Garrard does have 33 fantasy points over the last two games but has lacked consistency in 2009 (three games of five points or less), and he shouldn’t be leaned on to have a big fantasy football day against the 32nd ranked Bills rushing defense.

Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) vs. New Orleans

Josh Freeman was really impressive in his first NFL start throwing for three touchdowns while leading the Buccaneers to a come from behind victory over the Green Bay Packers. However, his second start didn’t work so well for the rookie. He fumbled four times (lost one), was picked off once, and was sacked three times. This week he’s going against one of the best defenses against the pass in the NFL, the New Orleans Saints. The Saints have picked off an NFL high 17 passes through nine games, and they will probably record a couple more against Freeman. With no NFL teams on a bye for the first time since Week 4 there should be more reliable options to plug in at your quarterback position but if you are forced to roll with Freeman, don’t expect him to make it three straight games with 10 or more fantasy football points. 

Potential Bust Pick of the Week:

Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) vs. San Francisco

Rodgers has been very good in his second year as a starter in Green Bay, but he has tailed off his production the past few weekends. There are two ways for Rodgers to go from here; get back on track, or keep down the road he’s been going (the past two weeks). Rodgers has undoubtedly been one of the best quarterbacks in all of fantasy football this season, but the San Francisco 49ers are a tough defense. Even without CB Nate Clements, they are still able to record interceptions (five last week against Jay Cutler). The San Francisco 49ers have been giving up plenty of passing yards and Rodgers should be solid in that department, but have limited opposing quarterbacks to fewer than one passing touchdown per game. Rodgers will probably log around 300 passing yards, but a 2 TD: 2 INT game looks to be in the horizon, making him a good but not dominant Week 11 option.

RUNNING BACKS – SIT ‘EM

Jamaal Charles (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Pittsburgh

Charles was able to post his best game as a professional totaling 117 yards and a touchdown in a victory over the Oakland Raiders. He is coming back home with a weight off his shoulders (Larry Johnson’s departure), and now can finally play at his own pace. While his versatility out of the backfield makes him a fantasy starter when the match-up is right, the Pittsburgh Steelers aren’t a team that you should rely on using Charles against. The Steelers dominant run defense has only allowed two rushing touchdowns and 509 rushing yards to opposing running backs through nine games. These statistics makes them the topped ranked defense in the NFL and one that you should only start your guarantees against. The consensus here is to sit Charles unless you are in dire need of a running back in a league that rewards fantasy points for receptions.

Steve Slaton / Ryan Moats (Houston Texans) vs. Tennessee

The Tennessee Titans have started to become the defensive team that they were in 2008. While there is no way they shut down a Houston team coming off a bye and getting healthy (sans Owen Daniels), the fact that it’s unknown as to who will get the carries for the Texans makes starting one of their running backs a risky start. In Week 9, Ryan Moats saw 19 touches compared to Slaton’s nine, but it’s obvious that Slaton is the more dynamic option of the two. While Slaton should see more opportunity (will see action on passing downs as well), Moats will undoubtedly steal some, and it looks like it may be a RBBC until they can figure out who’s best. Our advice to you, if forced to use either of these backs makes sure it’s as a Flex play in a deep league.

Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts) @ Baltimore

Addai is hurting with an finger injury right now which doesn’t make his prospects of excelling against a tough Baltimore Ravens rush defense any easier. The Ravens have been able to do a number on opposing running backs this year only allowing 5 total touchdowns and 93.9 yards per game. With all of the Colts running backs suffering from some type of injury this week it could lead to a shared workload between Addai and to a lesser extent Donald Brown. If this is the case it could limit Addai’s production and make the usual consistent option a boom or bust play in Week 11. If the fourth year running back out of LSU doesn’t find the end zone this could be one of those games in which he has 6-8 fantasy football points - not what you are hoping for out of your RB2.