Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

One week is in the books for the NFL, and we now have something other than projections to base our rankings on. Before heading to the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 2 Defensive Rankings, let’s first acknowledge it is not time to panic after just one week of your fantasy football season. Generally, you draft your defense because you have faith in them for the entire season. You should not drop whoever you own and start playing match ups until you’ve seen a few games and noted things are not looking up. With that being said, this weeks rankings will be based on Week 1 stats along with continued projections. As we head into the article, I would like to explain the “Bruno Boys Star System”.

BRUNO BOYS DEFENSIVE STAR SYSTEM

5-Stars (* * * * *) - Bruno Boys Top Plays of the Week

4-Stars (* * * *) – Bruno Boys Very Solid Plays of the Week

3-Stars (* * *) – Bruno Boys Average Plays of the Week

2-Stars (* *) – Bruno Boys Try to Avoid Playing this Week

1-Star (*) – Bruno Boys Do Not Start Unless You COMPLETELY Have To

Key Abbreviations: YPG (Yards Per Game); PPG (Points Per Game)

1. (Minnesota Vikings) @ Detroit Lions

Yes, the Lions lost yet again, and sure the defense who plays them are likely to be a good start. The Vikings are a top play for this week, but it’s not just because of the match-up. They simply have a strong defense led by a fantastic d-line. The Lions’ offense could be compared to the one the Vikings faced in Week 1, the Cleveland Browns. Minnesota gave up 268 yards total to Cleveland, with most of those coming through the air (179). With a rookie QB making mistakes in his first start (against a weak Saints defense), Matthew Stafford could be in for a long day. Expect Minnesota to keep the pressure on the Lions as they did the Browns, when they totaled 5 sacks. 
Bruno Boys Stars: *****

2. (Washington Redskins) vs. St. Louis Rams

While the Redskins lost their first game against the Giants, their defense showed promise but didn’t do anything outstanding as they forced just a couple turnovers, recorded one sack, and gave up 351 yards. However, expect awesomeness in week 2 as they face a Rams team this week that got shut out in Week 1 and whose offense looked downright putrid, totaling 247 yards. Washington’s defense will dominate this game from start to finish.
Bruno Boys Stars: *****

3. (Seattle Seahawks) @ San Francisco 49ers

The Seahawks defense was very impressive in Week 1 against a divisional foe, pitching a shut out while only allowing 247 yards of offense. While the 49ers beat the reigning NFC Champs, their offense was less than impressive against a meager defense, as they totaled 203 yards. Seattle’s defense was picked as a sleeper defense coming into the year, and they will continue to shine through the 2nd week of the season.
Bruno Boys Stars: *****

4. (Green Bay Packers) vs. Cincinnati Bengals

The move from a 4-3 defense to a 3-4 for the Packers went a lot better then most people thought. The Packers forced new Bears quarterback Jay Cutler into throwing 4 interceptions and racking up a couple sacks. The Bengals offense was supposed to be rejuvenated heading into the year and were expected to blow up the scene against a weak Denver team but instead did nothing but shoot blanks. The Bengals haven’t had too much success against 3-4 defenses, and this will continue this week.
Bruno Boys Stars: ****

5. (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Chicago Bears

The Steelers did not do well in Week 1, giving up 320 yards, forcing 2 turnovers, and only getting 1 sack. With the way the Bears looked in Week 1 though, expect a significant upgrade from the preseasons’ top ranked defense. Cutler will need to improve his reads of a 3-4 defense, but that will be hard as he will see added pressure from a mastermind in defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. The Steelers are without Troy Polamalu, but the way the Bears looked against the Packers, it may not matter.
Bruno Boys Stars: ****

6. (Denver Broncos) vs. Cleveland Browns

Did the Denver Broncos defense, who many ranked near the bottom of the league going into the season, really only give up 7 points this past week? There is a lot of doubt as to whether those numbers can continue, but for one more week it’s tough to say they won’t. Denver gave up 307 yards in week 1, but also recorded 2 interceptions and 3 sacks. Going up against a Browns offense still trying to find their way, the Broncos are worth a flier if you are need of a spot start defense this week.
Bruno Boys Stars: ****   

7. (Tennessee Titans) vs. Houston Texans

The Houston Texans were supposed to be an explosive offense with a healthy Matt Schaub throwing to the dynamic Andre Johnson with the electric Steve Slaton in the backfield, but that wasn’t the case in week 1. The Tennessee Titans gave up a low 36 rushing yards last week but a high of 321 pass yards. Could this be a recipe for Houston to get back on track or for the Titans to develop their overall defense? Expect the latter, as Tennessee’s defensive line looks as strong as a year ago, while the Texans offense looked to be in a major funk putting up a total of 183 yards of offense against the Jets.
Bruno Boys Stars: * * * *

8. (Arizona Cardinals) @ Jacksonville Jaguars

This may be a bit of a reach, but Arizona’s defense did a nice job against the 49ers in Week 1 while the Jaguars offense struggled against the Colts. Arizona allowed a mere 203 yards of total offense while adding 4 sacks. The Jaguars couldn’t get their offense going against a mediocre Colts defense, gaining 228 yards. With Jacksonville starting a young offensive line, Arizona’s defense should have success in Week 2.
Bruno Boys Stars: ****

9. (New York Giants) @ Dallas Cowboys

The Giants did very well in Week 1 against a good Redskins team, allowing 272 yards and creating 3 sacks, 3 turnovers, and scoring a touchdown. The Cowboys offense looked impressive against the Bucs, gaining 462 yards. Who wins this battle of offense versus defense? Could go either way, but look for the defense to come out ahead on this one.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

10. (Indianapolis Colts) @ Miami Dolphins

The Colts defense did well in Week 1, allowing 228 yards and 12 points. Miami’s offense was a disaster against Atlanta, with 4 turnovers. The Dolphins do have playmakers on offense, but Indy’s defense should be a good spot start for this week.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

11. (Baltimore Ravens) @ San Diego Chargers

Baltimore’s defense wasn’t stout against the Chiefs last week as they allowed 24 points. They did play well in allowing the 3rd lowest amount of yards at 188. This may be a dangerous match-up but after seeing the Chargers offense struggle against the Raiders, you have to like the Ravens defense to at least be an average play this week, which is where we rank them.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

12. (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New Orleans Saints

The Eagles were the best defense in Week 1, allowing a league low 169 yards, forcing 5 sacks, 7 turnovers, and scoring 2 touchdowns. The Saints were the best offense in Week 1, putting up 45 points on 515 yards. What can you expect from this match-up? Well, New Orleans will score, but the Eagles’ defense will still put up decent numbers. This match-up can be seen as a risky play, but you should at least get average numbers out of Philly.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

13. (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Carolina Panthers

Atlanta’s defense did a fantastic job in Week 1 against Miami, allowing only 7 points on 259 yards while creating 4 sacks and 4 turnovers. Why the low ranking? Well the Falcons never have been a great defense and they play their division rival Carolina, a team whose offense can go from cold to hot rather quickly. This defense is still in wait and see mode at this point and can only be considered an average play.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

14. (Oakland Raiders) @ Kansas City Chiefs

Who’s mocking the Raiders for trading a first round pick to get Richard Seymour now? He looked phenomenal along with the rest of the defensive line against San Diego on Monday night. Oakland gave up 317 yards of offense last week and will likely give up less to a Chiefs offense who could only muster 188 yards against Baltimore. 
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

15. (New England Patriots) @ New York Jets

New England’s defense is tough to predict, especially with the injury to leading linebacker Jeroyd Mayo. The Patriots gave up 276 yards of offense to the Buffalo Bills last week and should perform about the same against the Jets.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

16. (New York Jets) vs. New England Patriots

The Jets defense played just like advertised against Houston, with their defense not allowing a point (the 7 came from a defensive touchdown) and giving up just 183 yards of total offense. Now, they have the task of containing Tom Brady, Randy Moss, and company. While they could hold their own, you may want to see if their defense is up to the task of hanging with an elite offense before playing them in a match-up like this.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

17. (Buffalo Bills) @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Buffalo played well on Monday night but still gave up 441 yards to the Patriots. They have a better match-up against the Bucs which vaults them to an average play. They could go higher, but the injury to linebacker Paul Posluszny may be tough to overcome.
Bruno Boys Stars: ***

18. (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Seattle Seahawks

The 49ers put the clamps down on an explosive Arizona offense in Week 1, giving up 16 points on 299 yards and grabbing 2 picks and 3 sacks. Seattle seemed to get their offense back into shape over the off-season and looked good against the Rams. Your best bet is to see what San Francisco does against this offense before deciding if they are fantasy worthy.
Bruno Boys Stars: **

19. (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Green Bay Packers

The Bengals played tough against the Broncos in Week 1, except for the big miscue (or luck) that cost them the game when Brandon Stokley caught a tipped ball and took it to the house for the game winning score. Cincinnati has some solid guys on defense who could give the Packers fits, an offense that struggled against Chicago, making this an interesting play. No way would Bruno Boys take the gamble though. After all, it is the Bengals!
Bruno Boys Stars: **

20. (Chicago Bears) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Bears did a nice job of containing the Packers for most of the game last week, before allowing them to get their offense into rhythm. Believe it or not, the key to stopping the Steelers may now be to stop the pass, with their running attack struggling. The loss of linebacker Brian Urlacher hurts the Bears big time moving forward. Chicago may have only allowed 226 yards in Week 1, but expect a lot more in Week 2.
Bruno Boys Stars: **

21. (Carolina Panthers) @ Atlanta Falcons

The point total looks bad, but most of the points given up by the Panthers to the Eagles were due to turnovers by the offense. The Panthers defense only allowed 267 yards, but Philadelphia really didn’t need much after jumping to the big lead. The match-up against the Falcons will be a good gauge as to what you can expect the rest of the season. For now, sit them and see what they do against another good offense.
Bruno Boys Stars: **

22. (New Orleans Saints) @ Philadelphia Eagles

The Saints tried to again address their defense in the off-season with draft picks and free agent moves. After giving up 27 points (albeit on only 231 yards) to the terrible Lions, you would not want to consider them as your defense for any part of the season. The only reason they get to “avoid playing status” is because of the uncertainty with the Eagles at quarterback. Even with that though, you don’t want to take a chance with this defense as there are better options.
Bruno Boys Stars: **

23. (Miami Dolphins) vs. Indianapolis Colts

Miami’s defense put up middle of the pack numbers last week and did a nice job of shutting down Falcons running back Michael Turner. The Colts don’t have a run game though, meaning they will be throwing with Peyton Manning into a defense whose secondary is still a work in progress. Unless they can create turnovers, they will not be fantasy relevant.
Bruno Boys Stars: **

24. (Cleveland Browns) @ Denver Broncos

No matter how terrible Denver looked in Week 1, you never want to own the Browns defense. The offense they play against bumps them up a star this week, but this is one defense you want to avoid. Cleveland gave up 225 rushing yards alone last week (ok, it was Adrian Peterson) and could not create any turnovers. They have no fantasy value to you in any format when that happens.
Bruno Boys Stars: **

25. (Kansas City Chiefs) @ Oakland Raiders

The Chiefs defense is higher than normal, but still not fantasy relevant while playing the Raiders. Kansas City gave up 501 yards, 198 of which were on the ground, in week 1. With Oakland having a strong rushing attack, this could spell doom.
Bruno Boys Stars: *

26. (Dallas Cowboys) vs. New York Giants

The most surprising note from the Cowboys big win over Tampa Bay - they gave up 450 yards of total offense. In come the Giants, an offense who is a lot better than anything the Bucs can throw on the field. Dallas needs to fix the problems they had in their first game, and fast.
Bruno Boys Stars: *

27. (St. Louis Rams) @ Washington Redskins

The Rams defense did what we expected in Week 1, allowing 446 yards to the Seattle Seahawks. You could say the Washington Redskins offense isn’t as good, but still, against the Rams they will be better than their normal selves. The Rams defense will likely struggle again.
Bruno Boys Stars: *

28. (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Arizona Cardinals

The Jaguars face another team who has the potential to light up the scoreboard after their first loss of the season to the Colts. Can Arizona rebound after their terrible start against San Francisco? Against a Jacksonville defense who allowed 365 yards, you can count on it.
Bruno Boys Stars: *

29. (San Diego Chargers) vs. Baltimore Ravens

Did the Chargers really allow 366 yards to the Oakland Raiders? If not for the 3 turnovers they were able to force, San Diego may be at the bottom of this list. The Ravens offense looked strong against a bad Chiefs defense, but after Week 1, who says the Chargers defense isn’t bad either? Baltimore’s offense should be able to produce like they did in Week 1.
Bruno Boys Stars: *

30. (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) @ Buffalo Bills

Almost every week, it seems any fantasy owner that has a guy playing Tampa Bay should play them. Yes, Buffalo does not have the same kind of offense as Dallas, but they do have firepower to put points on the board. Tampa Bay still needs to find its identity to be successful.
Bruno Boys Stars: *

31. (Houston Texans) @ Tennessee Titans

Houston came into the season with a lot of high hopes but did not play well against the Jets. The Texans gave up 462 yards of offense last week against a rookie quarterback making his NFL debut. If this is what happens during Week 1, what makes you think things will change this week? The Titans will bring in the same kind of offense as New York, with a strong running attack with passes when needed.
Bruno Boys Stars: *

32. (Detroit Lions) vs. Minnesota Vikings

The Lions defense looked terrible against one of the best offenses in football last week, allowing 515 yards and 45 points. Now, they go on the road to take on the best running back in football, Adrian Peterson. This could be another long game for Detroit.
Bruno Boys Stars: *

Week 2 Rankings:  QB | RB | WR | TE | K | DEF  (click to read)

Week 2 Start & Sit:  Start ‘Em | Sit ‘Em  (click to read)

Week 2 Waiver Wire Advice:  Pick Them Up  | Cut Them Loose

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