Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

While it seemed to take forever for the season to kickoff, Week 1 seemed like it came and went in a blink of an eye. And talking about the blink of an eye, that can be said about a few different things this week. Like the Cleveland Browns defense not being able to see Adrian Peterson throughout the game en route to him going off for 180 yards and 3 touchdowns. Also, a potential change of roles in San Diego as LaDainian Tomlinson (ankle injury or not) was stuck watching from the sidelines as Darren Sproles torched the Oakland Raiders with the game on the line.

There will be many other stories that unfold during Week 2, but as usual in attempt to get you prepared for your crucial fantasy football match-up we bring to you the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week 2 Running Back Rankings.

Key Abbreviations: YPC (Yards Per Carry), YPG (Yards Per Game)

1. Adrian Peterson (Minnesota Vikings) @ Detroit

What a way to start out 2009 by going off for 198 yards and 3 touchdowns against Cleveland Browns. Peterson owners have to be licking their chops as now he gets to face the Detroit Lions rush defense which is every bit as bad as the Browns. Peterson has averaged more than a 100 yards per contest against the Lions and has a pair of touchdowns in 4 career games. There is no doubt that he will once again have a successful week, making him our running back play for Week 2.
Point Projection: 24 points

2. Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Carolina

After an outstanding 2008 season big things are expected in 2009 for this running back. It was supposed to start Week 1 against Miami but he was only able to scrape up 65 yards. Things will change this week though as his last contest against the Carolina Panthers saw Turner going for 117 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns. While the touchdowns won’t be as plentiful, Turner will still end up with solid numbers as he looks to bounce back from a disappointing season opener.
Point Projection: 19 points

3. Brian Westbrook (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New Orleans

With Donovan McNabb likely out in Week 2 with broken ribs you can expect the bulk of the Eagles offense to be laid upon their running game. This is fine though as Westbrook is one of the best in the business and should have no problem seeing an increase in his workload. Westbrook went for 12 fantasy football points in Week 1 and is expected to at least match those numbers and most likely trump them. His last game against the New Orleans Saints saw Westbrook going for 109 yards and even with the loss of McNabb and offensive line man Shawn Andrews we fully expect Westbrook to exceed 120 total yards and a TD in this game. .
Point Projection: 18 points

4. DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers) @ Atlanta

The leading fantasy football running back of 2008, DeAngelo Williams started the season off well against a formidable Philadelphia Eagles defense as he went for 79 total yards and a touchdown. Things get easier this week as he faces the Atlanta Falcons; an improving, yet still a lot to be desired rush defense. Expect 100+ yards and at least 1 touchdown from the fourth year veteran. In fact, his last match-up against the Falcons resulted in 120 total yards and a touchdown. Good things are in store for Williams and his fantasy owners.
Point Projection: 18 points

5. Maurice Jones-Drew (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Arizona

We know the Arizona Cardinals shut down the San Francisco 49ers rushing offense and limited them to just 21 rushing yards but this has the makings of being a dream match-up for Maurice Jones-Drew owners as long as they don’t allow the Cardinals to extend a huge lead early in the game. The Jaguars are going to want to keep the high powered Cardinals offensive off of the field and to do that you keep the game close by pushing the team’s offense through the running back. That would be Jones-Drew. Expect a repeat of his production from Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts in which he went for 100+ total yards and a touchdown en route to 17 fantasy points.
Point Projection: 17 points

6. Chris Johnson (Tennessee Titans) vs. Houston

The almost always stellar Chris Johnson had a rough Week 1, but that was to be expected as he faced the stout Pittsburgh Steelers defense. This week though we like his chances to make us remember his great rookie year as he faces the Houston Texans, a team that allowed 190 rushing yards in the season opener. Speaking of rookie years, Johnson did struggle against the Texans during both games last season but with a year under his belt and knowing that the Texans defense is not that good, solid yards and a touchdown is not only expected, it is mandatory.
Point Projection: 16 points

7. Ryan Grant (Green Bay Packers) vs. Cincinnati

While Ryan Grant didn’t get off to quite the start that we had hoped yardage wise, he still finished with 12 fantasy points; a solid week regardless. This week he faces the Cincinnati Bengals defense, a big downgrade from the Chicago Bears defense, so bigger things are expected. Grant has never played Cincinnati in his career but without any reference of what he may or may not do, one thing remains; Grant is looking at a bounce back year against a defense that was solid in Week 1 but has been horrible in years past. Factor in the high powered Packers passing attack against the Bengals and you have the perfect ingredients to dazzling week in Green Bay that ends with Grant being one of the top backs in Week 2.
Point Projection: 16 points

8. Clinton Portis (Washington Redskins) vs. St. Louis

Clinton Portis has tore up the St. Louis Rams defense throughout his career. In 3 games he has averaged over 100 yards and 1+ touchdown per game. That should continue this week as he was able to put up over 70 yards against a tough New York Giants defense. With the Rams rushing defense surrendering 167 yards in Week 1 you can expect Portis to reach pay dirt and go over 100 rushing yards..
Point Projection: 16 points

9. Frank Gore (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Seattle

While Frank Gore struggled with yardage in Week 1 against the Arizona Cardinals, he punched in a touchdown on the ground and also had another touchdown through the air. That is the complete opposite of what Gore has done in his 7 career games against the Seahawks in which he has averaged 126 total yards but only has 2 touchdowns. Look for the 49ers offense to clear some lanes for Gore and for him to have tons of yardage in this game. His yardage should be enough to make him a RB1 but the projected touchdown will seal the deal..
Point Projection: 16 points

10. Steven Jackson (St. Louis Rams) @ Washington

Steven Jackson is full of talent, perhaps more than anyone in the league when it comes to an all around game and that is why he is always touted highly week after week. For instance in Week 1 he put up only 67 yards against the Seattle Seahawks but has dominated the Redskins during his career, averaging 135 total yards and nearly a touchdown per game. Will his dominance continue? We believe that he will do well enough to start as a RB1, but don’t expect Jackson to produce the type of numbers he normally would against this offense.
Point Projection: 15 points

11. Marion Barber (Dallas Cowboys) vs. NY Giants

Dallas came out and said that Barber and Felix Jones would see an equal split in carries; so what happened in Week 1? Barber proved that he was the more better runner (even before Jones was banged up), at least for a week. Barber is definitely the main back in Dallas and has his work cut out for him against a New York Giants defense that spend Week 1 containing Clinton Portis. Barber has struggled mightily in 8 career games against the G-Men, but that should change this week. 80 total yards and a touchdown is what the Bruno Boys Crystal Ball is predicting.
Point Projection: 14 points

12. Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) @ San Diego

Ray Rice, a sophomore back that has never faced the San Diego Chargers, looks to repeat his Week 1 performance against the Kansas City Chiefs in which he went for 120 total yards. Granted the Chargers are a tougher defense than the Chiefs but we are starting to think Rice is the real deal. Having gone as a RB3 in many leagues this year, Rice should end up as a RB2 if he continues to run like he did in the season opener. This will be another week in the journey towards that goal as he is expected to be a huge part of both, the rushing game and the receiving game. Triple digit yardage is expected once again from the youngster from Rutgers.
Point Projection: 14 points

13. Steve Slaton (Houston Texans) @ Tennessee

One of the biggest surprises last year in fantasy football, Steve Slaton found himself on the struggling end in Week 1 as he had only 52 yards but the whole Texans offense struggled in that game. Even though he is facing the Tennessee Titans this week we wouldn’t be surprised to see a bounce back week out of Slaton in which you he racks up solid yardage and finds pay dirt for the first time. In his career he has averaged 108 yards and a half of a TD per game, playing consistent with his ranking.
Point Projection: 13 points

14. Darren McFadden (Oakland Raiders) @ Kansas City

Darren McFadden squares off against the Kansas City Chiefs this week in which will be a sure test to see if McFadden is as dominate of a back as people had predicted when he was drafted last year. The Chiefs rush defense is less than average and McFadden has an opportunity to blow the Raiders competition out of the water. In just his second NFL game a year ago, McFadden torched this very same Chiefs team for 164 rushing yards and a touchdown. Now we find it hard to believe he will repeat those totals but you can expect solid yardage and knowing the Chiefs defense a possible touchdown or two. This could be a huge week for the young back but due to his inconsistencies you have to remain optimistic but cautious when using him this week.
Point Projection: 13 points

15. Matt Forte (Chicago Bears) vs. Pittsburgh

Forte was arguably the best rookie running back of 2008, but he sputtered out of the gates against the Green Bay Packers in Week 1 as he rushed the ball 25 times at a average of 2.2 YPC. By all means this is not a red flag alert as it is still early in the year, but after the addition of Jay Cutler everyone expected a smoother path for Forte. Although it is only one game, the path wasn’t there. In fact it looked as if the defense was saying, go ahead, beat us with your arm. While the Pittsburgh Steelers are without Troy Polamalu, Forte still has a huge task at hand. A bounce back week is in the cards, but he will be nowhere near the top back this week.
Point Projection: 13 points

16. Fred Jackson (Buffalo Bills) vs. Tampa Bay

With Marshawn Lynch suspended for the first three games of the year, Fred Jackson will be getting the starts. And if he plays like he did on Monday Night Football he might cause a stir as to who the starter should be in Buffalo. Jackson was all over the field and he racked up 140 total yards and a touchdown en route to 20 fantasy points. His Week 2 opponent the Tampa Bay Buccaneers looked a step or two behind on defense last week and they should have their hands full with the speedy Jackson.. While we project solid yardage from Jackson in Week 2, if he scores a touchdown it will propel him into a RB1 role. Start him with confidence.
Point Projection: 13 points

17. Julius Jones (Seattle Seahawks) @ San Francisco

Julius Jones was a huge disappointment for Seattle after signing as a free agent from Dallas. Things may have turned the corner though as the Seahawks stuck to their word and gave Jones starter touches as he had the pigskin in his hands 21 times for a total of 136 yards and a touchdown. Julius Jones has 3 touchdowns in three contests against the 49ers throughout his career so back to back solid weeks are expected from Jones. With the 49ers this week and the Indianapolis Colts in Week 4 you should be able to get low-to-mid tier RB2 value out of Jones in two of the next three games.
Point Projection: 13 points

18. Brandon Jacobs (New York Giants) @ Dallas

Week 1 was not a very memorable one for Brandon Jacobs as the touchdown machine did not find pay dirt and he only accumulated 63 yards. The good news though is that his last game against the Dallas Cowboys Jacobs rushed for 117 yards and a touchdown. Granted he had a passing game around him then, so something in the middle with a TD would be a nice week for this bruising back.
Point Projection: 12 points

19. LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers) vs. Baltimore  **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Despite Tomlinson hauling in 9 fantasy points in Week 1, this is not what his owners wanted out of him. Not only did Tomlinson lose a fumble for the first time in over 1,000 touches he suffered an ankle injury that forced him to watch from the sideline for a good portion of the second half. The Chargers are calling it an ankle injury and say he will be day-to-day but you are going to want to monitor his status throughout the week. Despite a tough match-up against one of the perennial run stopping defenses in the Baltimore Ravens you aren’t in a position to write off LT just yet.
Point Projection: 12 points

20. Thomas Jones (New York Jets) vs. New England

Leave it to the Jets to make it sound as if Thomas Jones best days were behind him; news flash people, he isn’t. Both Jones and Washington played a ton in Week 1 and Jones hit triple digit yardage while punching in a pair of touchdowns. This week he faces a much weakened Patriots defense in which Jones went for 104 rushing yards and a TD in his last meeting. While we don’t expect Jones to keep up the touchdown pace that he did last year, the Patriots are not the Ravens so solid yardage and a possible touchdown is in the cards.
Point Projection: 12 points

21. Cedric Benson (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Green Bay

Starting 2009 where Cedric Benson ended off in 2008, he had another good week. This time against Denver he went for 108 total yards and a touchdown. He enters Week 2 as the unquestioned man in Cincinnati and is geared up to face the Packers. In three career games against the Green Bay Packers, Benson has averaged 69 yards while punching in one touchdown. Or in other words, while Benson is on a hot streak that very much can end this week, as the Packers did a great job of containing the talented Matt Forte in the opener. Because of the steak we consider him a RB2 this week but if you have options that are near this ranking, you may want to go with that.
Point Projection: 12 points

22. Kevin Smith (Detroit Lions) vs. Minnesota

Kevin Smith had a solid season opener, going for 72 yards and a touchdown, but it was far from outstanding. Against a weaker rush defense in New Orleans, much more was expected. Some of it had to do with the Lions needing to play from behind, more had to do with Matthew Stafford being a rookie QB so the running game was focused on more by the defense. No matter how you put it on paper though, one thing is for certain, it gets harder this week against Minnesota. Unless the Lions are able to get something offensively going early in the game expect Smith to struggle once again. During his rookie year Smith averaged 82 yards per game.
Point Projection: 11 points

23. Larry Johnson (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Oakland

Week 1 is a tough performance to go buy as Larry Johnson did face the Ravens defense, but his 1.8 YPC average on 11 carries still is hard to not get disgusted by. This is a running back that at one time was considered with LaDainian Tomlinson as 1a and 1b in fantasy football drafts. We are sure you know the rest of the story; held out, got paid, has sucked ever since. Maybe he knew something that no one else knew, that he wasn’t that good after all. Since his outstanding OL has parted as well as his sidekick Priest Holmes, things have looked rough. But the negatives should end this week. This week he faces an Oakland team that he has put up over 110 total yards and more than 1 TD per game which spans 9 career meetings. Johnson should be used as a RB2 in deeper leagues.
Point Projection: 10 points

24. Jamal Lewis (Cleveland Browns) @ Denver

After having a nightmarish preseason in which if rumors are correct, Jamal Lewis barely made the roster. You wouldn’t have known that after a 104 yard showing in Week 1 against a tough Vikings defense. Heading into Week 2 Lewis is pitted against one of the worst rush defenses in the league. For his career Lewis has dominated the Broncos; 4 games, 389 yards and 3 touchdowns. While we don’t expect that level of play again, Lewis remains a sleeper to produce over his projected points position. He should be started in all larger league formats for Week 2.
Point Projection: 10 points

25. Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts) @ Miami

While Joseph Addai’s performance in Week 1 was far from his best performance during his career, it may have been one of the most important. With rookie Donald Brown breathing down Addai’s neck, he responded with 77 total yards and a touchdown. This was needed on two levels, the first being that he showed that he still has it in the tank, but more importantly, he showed himself that he still had it in the tank. This has to be a major confidence boost as Addai heads to Miami, a team that he threw up 93 yards against in his only career meeting. Addai is a low-end RB2 this week..
Point Projection: 10 points

26. Ronnie Brown (Miami Dolphins) vs. Indianapolis

What made Week 1 a disappointment for Ronnie Brown wasn’t the fact that he only went for 53 total yards; the disappointment was that the Dolphins only got the ball in Browns hands 13 times. Brown is the type of back who excels when he is given the ball on a consistent basis and this was the year that he was fully healthy and was going to make a huge impact. While it is way too early to give up on him, it still needs to be seen whether or not Brown will be a workhorse back or not. His touches were right on target with last season, one that was a light work load. So for Week 2 Brown will be used as a Flex option, just below the RB2 tier in deeper leagues. A showing like he did last time against the Colts in which he ran the ball 21 times for 115 yards would be very pleasant.
Point Projection: 9 points

27. Mike Bell (New Orleans Saints) @ Philadelphia  **Check Status**

Mike Bell is one of many reasons that makes the NFL so great. In years past Mike Bell was considered nothing more than a solid backup running back and then get ousted by Denver and ended up in New Orleans. After the year that Pierre Thomas had in 2008 you would think Bell would be lost on the depth charts, but he isn’t. In fact after a great preseason and a 143 rushing yard start against the Detroit Lions in Week 1, rumors are already flying that Bell has possibly advanced to the top-dog of the group. Keep your eye on the situation, but if you were one of the lucky ones that grabbed Bell before the game on Sunday, here is one piece of advice. Keep him until things play itself out in New Orleans. Although the Eagles defense will make what he did against Detroit look like night and day.
Point Projection: 8 points

28. Tim Hightower (Arizona Cardinals) @ Jacksonville

In his rookie season Tim Hightower made a name for himself as a solid goal-line back for the Cardinals; this year he is Marshall Faulk? Of course he isn’t, but look at this; against the 49ers he caught the ball 12 times for 121 yards, 5 of which were for first downs. To make things even more impressive, his longest catch went for 23 yards, or in other words he was pretty consistent. While he will lose playing time to Beanie Wells once again this week, Hightower should continue to be the man for Arizona and will have a solid week against Jacksonville. Plug him in as your flex-option in deeper leagues.
Point Projection: 8 points

29. Leon Washington (New York Jets) vs. New England

In six career games against the Patriots, Leon Washington has 39 touches for a 6.1YPC and 5.6 YAC (yards after catch). With an increased role this year coupled with a Patriots defense which is not nearly as tough as they used to be things are looking pretty solid this week for Washington. In Week 1 he went for 84 total yards agasint the Texans and touched the ball 19 times. With having a rookie QB at the helm in Mark Sanchez, the touches very well could continue. Washington is a low-end RB3 in deeper leagues this week.
Point Projection: 8 points

30. Jonathan Stewart (Carolina Panthers) @ Atlanta

Following up a solid rookie campaign, Jonathan Stewart was not expected to see much playing time last week as he heals from a leg injury, yet he touched the ball 13 times for a total of 67 yards. Considering that he was questionable late into the week, that is great news. This week he takes on a Falcons defense that is very average. He should add to his solid career by having another successful week. We remain a little cool on him though until we know how his leg bounces back from the game action.
Point Projection: 8 points

31. Cadillac Williams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) vs. Buffalo

In Week 1 against the Cowboys, Cadillac Williams went off for 97 yards on 13 carries, an average of 7.5 YPC. While that is definitely encouraging to see, Williams has never finished a year with a solid rushing average. In Tampa it looks as if Williams and Derrick Ward will see most of the action with Graham taking a back seat for the time being. What goes up must come down and that is exactly what Williams numbers will do for Week 2. Use him as a low-end flex option if you are thin and desperate, otherwise let him sit on the sidelines until he puts together a string of solid weeks.
Point Projection: 8 points

32. Derrick Ward (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) @ Buffalo

In his Tampa Bay debut, Derrick Ward was as advertised, going for 62 yards and a touchdown on the ground and added another 21 yards through the air. That was good for 14 points, but not so good to where you need to start writing him in as your RB2 every week and here is why. Did you know that he has only 6 touchdowns in 39 career games? The reason I mention this is that he splits carries in Tampa Bay so the opportunity for touchdowns will likely be rare. His value will rely on yardage; Ward will see plenty of that. He will remain a nice flex option all season long.
Point Projection: 8 points

33. Knowshon Moreno (Denver Broncos) vs. Cleveland

Knowshon Moreno leads a rookie running back class that will never be mistaken for the great 2008 class and he represented just as most of the rookies did this year, miserably. Moreno had 8 rushes for a total of 19 yards against a Cincinnati. Because he already struggled against one pretty bad defense, drawing the Browns for Week 2 doesn’t really seem like much of an advantage. If Moreno doesn’t prove to be healthy and productive soon, he may see a split with Correll Buckhalter all season long.
Point Projection: 8 points

34. Willie Parker (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Chicago

Willie Parker followed up a rough 2008 season by accumulating only 24 yards on 14 touches. Even though it was against the Tennessee Titans, it was a horrible showing none-the-less. If Parker continues his struggles it would be of no surprise to see both Mewelde Moore and the struggling Rashard Mendenhall take more and more of his playing time away. This very well could be a make or break week for Parker who gets to face a Chicago Bears team that will be missing it’s defensive leader in Brian Urlacher. The one bright side is that Parker did have 10 fantasy points in his only career game against the Bears.
Point Projection:7 points

35. Ahmad Bradshaw (New York Giants) @ Dallas

After Derrick Ward left for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the off season, Ahmad Bradshaw was given the backup job to Brandon Jacobs. Bradshaw did not disappoint as he averaged 5 yards on 12 carries for a total of 60 rushing yards and also contributed with 3 receptions for another 11 yards. With the Dallas Cowboys defense giving up over 170 rushing yards in Week 1 it leads us to believe Bradshaw could break free on some solid runs. Don’t expect huge numbers but do expect him to perform well enough to be used as a RB3 or Flex option.
Point Projection: 7 points

36. Chris Wells (Arizona Cardinals) @ Jacksonville

Beanie Wells struggled in his first NFL action as he rushed the ball 7 times for only 29 yards. And while his partner Tim Hightower fared even worse on the ground, he dominated in the passing game. While we expect some growing pains from this rookie back, he should see a slight increase in touches (10-13 total) and will be good enough for a low-end RB3 option in deeper leagues.
Point Projection: 6 points

37. Pierre Thomas (New Orleans Saints) @ Philadelphia  **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

In a case of what have you done for me lately, Pierre Thomas may be getting leapfrogged by Mike Bell even if Thomas is healthy. I think the talk of that is pretty premature though as Thomas has had a solid first couple years in the NFL and finished off last year with a bang. None-the-less, rumors this early in the year don’t just pop out of thin air. Perhaps the injury is slightly worse than originally thought? Either way, Thomas has faced the Philadelphia Eagles one time in his career, going for 46 total yards and 0 touchdowns. The lack of success coupled with the injury situation keeps Thomas as a low-end play if he suits up this week; though that is no guarantee.
Point Projection: 6 points

38. Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints) @ Philadelphia

Just like the career of Reggie Bush has gone so far, in Week 1 his yardage through the air against the Detroit Lions far outweighed his rushing yardage 55/14. To make matters worse, these mediocre numbers came against one of the worst rush defenses in the league. And to make matters EVEN MORE worse, Bush was horrible in the return game, dropping the ball many times. Things have gotten so bad for him in New Orleans, that rumors are already brewing that even when Pierre Thomas returns to action, Mike Bell, the journeyman back could leapfrog both backs on the depth charts. While that would shock me to see this happen because of the money invested in Bush, it is something to consider. Bush is nothing more than a low-end flex option on a sunny day.
Point Projection: 6 points

39. Darren Sproles (San Diego Chargers) vs. Baltimore  **CHECK STATUS**

With Tomlinson sitting on the sidelines nursing his ankle at the end of the Chargers come from behind Week 1 victory, it was Darren Sproles who stole the show. Down 3 points with less than three minutes to play quarterback Philip Rivers leaned on Sproles to help lead an 89-yard touchdown drive to win the game 24-20. It was Sproles who scored the game winning touchdown and this final drive has fantasy owners worried about Tomlinson moving forward. The match-up against the Baltimore Ravens and their top rated rushing defense is tough so don’t expect Sproles to repeat his 12 point performance but if LT can’t go bump his projection up to 9-10 points.
Point Projection: 6 points

40. Chester Taylor (Minnesota Vikings) @ Detroit

In five career games against the Detroit Lions, Taylor has averaged 83.2 all-purpose yards and has hit pay dirt twice. Considering how awful the Lions defense looked in Week 1, the dominance should continue. Taylor is the rare combination of being a backup yet solid fantasy football contributor during most weeks. This week will be no different, especially considering Minnesota should be up early and turn to Taylor to carry the load while resting Peterson. If this is the case he has a shot for double digit fantasy points, making him a solid and sneaky play.
Point Projection: 6 points

41. LenDale White (Tennessee Titans) vs. Houston

As predicted last week, White would struggle to produce fantasy points without a touchdown and sure enough the Pittsburgh Steelers kept White from seeing the end zone. Things are going to be a bit easier in Week 2 as he faces the Houston Texans rush defense; one that is not known for dominance. While White won’t hold much value unless he goes for a TD this week, he should still see more than the 28 rushing yards he had last week.
Point Projection: 6 points

42. Michael Bush (Oakland Raiders) @ Kansas City

Entering Week 1 many were unclear as to what the role of Bush would be but Raiders head coach put an end to that when he was handed the football on the first play of the game. Running behind Darren McFadden on the depth chart, Bush still managed to produce 55 rushing yards on 12 carries and he found pay dirt for the Raiders for touchdown of the season. Facing a Kansas City Chiefs defense that has been historically bad against the rush should allow Bush to post similar statistics to his Week 1 output.
Point Projection: 5 points

43. Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts) @ Miami

Donald Brown totaled 49 total yards on 13 touches in his NFL debut against the Jacksonville Jaguars last week. While that is pretty solid considering that he is running behind Joseph Addai, the Jaguars sport a rush defense that was weaker than the Miami Dolphins in ‘08, so the challenge does not get easier this week. The interesting note is that both of Brown’s receptions went for first downs. Brown should continue to get a solid amount of chances to produce each week but he is still a few games away from being a fantasy football threat..
Point Projection: 5 points

44. Jerious Norwood (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Carolina

While neither Jerious Norwood or Michael Turner could get anything going against the Miami Dolphins during Week 1 on the ground, Norwood still caught 5 passes for 49 yards. That is what has always made Norwood intriguing, his multifaceted game. With this being a contract year, there has never been more motivation than now for Norwood to play at a high level. While we don’t expect big things from him this week, the Bruno Boys still think of him as a Flex play if your bench is thin and you are in a pinch.
Point Projection: 5 points

45. New England Patriots RBBC @ NY Jets

In the fantasy football version of the Pick Em’, the Patriots backfield is a crap shoot. You never know what back will be getting the carry and how much they will be worked in any given week. Since they like to go with the hot hand, none of New England’s running backs can be trusted to fill a position in your starting backfield. Until this situation clears itself out keep all of your Patriots backs on the bench.
Point Projection:4 points

46. James Davis (Cleveland Browns) @ Denver

James Davis suffered a head injury on his way to practice on Saturday yet was in the game Sunday against the Minnesota Vikings. In seven touches he averaged just over a yard, not a result that screams throw me into the starting lineup. Davis received a lot of hype this preseason and there was even talks of Jamal Lewis being released in favor of Davis. While it looks as if all of those rumors were fabricated by reporters one thing remains true: The Denver Broncos defense is one of the weakest at defending the rush in the NFL, so it will be interesting to see how the rookie is used and performs this week.
Point Projection: 4 points

47. Correll Buckhalter (Denver Broncos) vs. Cleveland

In Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, Buckhalter touched the ball 10 times for a total or 57 yards. While he didn’t do anything overly impressive he was still a bigger factor in the game than famed rookie Knowshon Moreno. Expect a similar workload until Moreno shows that he is healthy and proves that he can produce at this level. Either way, Buckhalter is still someone that you want to remain on your bench - especially if you are a Moreno owner.
Point Projection: 4 points

48. Mewelde Moore (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Chicago

Despite having Rashard Mendenhall on the Pittsburgh roster, Mewelde Moore was the back that received the second most touches as he held the pigskin 9 times against the Tennessee Titans in Week 1. While the results weren’t overwhelming, it is still something that should be noted. This week they face a Brian Urlacher-less Chicago Bears defense. Without the clog in the middle that has spent years scaring opposing rushers, Moore should see some solid action once again. Expect 40-50 total yards with the majority of them coming on the receiving end.
Point Projection:: 4 points

49. Felix Jones (Dallas Cowboys) vs. New York Giants  **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Facing a Tampa Bay Buccaneers rush defense that is trying to find an identity under new head coach Raheem Morris, Felix Jones touched the ball only 6 times before suffering a leg bruise that limited his action. In Week 2 things only get tougher as the Cowboys face the New York Giants. It would have been nice to have been able to go off his rookie season against the Giants but because of injury Jones never faced them. Until Jones gets more than 6 touches a game, Marion Barber had 14 touches, don’t buy into the hype of a 50/50 split in the workload. Keep Jones on the bench this week.
Point Projection: 4 points

50. Willis McGahee (Baltimore Ravens) @ San Diego   

In Week 1, McGahee touched the ball 14 times going for 75 combined yards and 2 touchdowns. While that is an excellent start to the season, we don’t expect that to continue. The Ravens face a solid rush defense in the San Diego Chargers, and furthermore we expect the Ravens offense to attack a weak Chargers secondary. He hasn’t faced San Diego since 2007, a year that McGahee was still the starter and in that game he barely reached double-digit fantasy points. He won’t knock the shoes off of anyone this week.
Point Projection: 4 points

51. LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. New Orleans

As far as rookie debuts go, there have been more successful ones than LeSean McCoy’s this past week against the Carolina Panthers. But that doesn’t mean that there was nothing to get excited about as McCoy touched the ball 10 times in the game and averaged more than 5 YPC. The New Orleans Saints upgraded defense is still no where close to even being league average, so McCoy has a shot at breaking a nice run or two. As it is, look for him to put up a similar week as last but don’t expect him to make a fantasy splash this early in the season.
Point Projection: 4 points

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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