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Is Joseph Addai Worth A RB2 Pick In Fantasy Football?
Published: August 26, 2009
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With the NFL season rapidly approaching, just about every eager fantasy football owner is starving for knowledge, and I (Bruno Boys Ziza) am here to oblige.
Leading up to Week 1 of the regular season, I will be tackling the weekly running back risers and fallers for ADP (Average Draft Position). I will be using ESPN‘s live draft ADP feature to fill everyone in on which running backs are increasing, and decreasing in value as the pre-season progresses.
With that said, let’s take a look at the Top 5 risers for the week. The list includes Ladell Betts (+3.8), Felix Jones (+3.5), Jamaal Charles (+3), DeAngelo Williams (+1.1) and Joseph Addai (1.1).
I will be breaking down these players, and providing reasoning of why I believe, or don’t believe that the movement in ADP is justifiable.
1. Ladell Betts (Washington Redskins) – For another consecutive week in a row, Betts has risen up the ADP charts; this time +3.8 ADP spots, or nearly half a round sooner in 10-team leagues.
He did have a scare this week as he was experiencing back spasms during the Redskins’ pre-season game with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it is nothing to really be concerned over. He is still going low enough in the draft as the 172.7 player being taken to take a gamble on. The rise remains legit and he is someone that you should take during the latter part of the draft, unless you own Clinton Portis. If you do, its reasonable to handcuff him with Betts a few rounds earlier.
2. Felix Jones (Dallas Cowboys) – Piggybacking off of last season’s showing, Jones has continued the progress this pre-season impressing in both the running game and as a receiver.
While Marion Barber undoubtedly remains the #1 option for the Dallas Cowboys, with the loss of Terrell Owens, Jones should be more active through the air.
At the moment, consider him a low-end RB3, high-end RB4 option. But with the injury concerns of Barber, one never knows when Jones’ value could soar. The +3.5 ADP spots, earning him the 94.7 player off of the board is well deserved.
3. Jamaal Charles (Kansas City Chiefs) – While it is highly unlikely that they will remind everyone of the Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson show from back in the day, Jamaal Charles and Johnson have both been effective during the pre-season thus far.
While Charles is expected to see a lot of the third down load, it would not shock me at all if the Chiefs, who have been struggling in the passing game during the pre-season, put both on the field often.
Charles is still coming off the board later in drafts, meaning he is a low-risk, high reward type of back; one which you will definitely want to keep your eye on come draft day. The +3 ADP shows that he should continue to rise in value.
4. DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers) – While Williams has gained only +1.1 ADP draft spots this week, what makes it a huge deal is that he is going 9.4 overall. Meaning his draft position just gained 10 percent in the matter of one week.
That is impressive, and there are a few reasons for that.
First of all, his partner Jonathan Stewart is still suffering from a leg injury that could linger into the season. Secondly, Williams has looked and performed at the same level this preseason that people got used to last year. If Stewart remains an injury concern, expect Williams’ workload to increase. Whether or not that is a good thing, remains to be seen as he is a bit undersized, and he is more of a burner than a power back. The two complement each other well so pray for Stewart to be near 100% when the season is ready to begin.
5. Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts) – In what could become one of the better bargains in this year’s fantasy football drafts, Joseph Addai of the Indianapolis Colts has been coming off the board as the 51.5 player.
Two seasons ago, he was a first round pick, and last year he was roughly a high-end RB2 pick, and news out of Indianapolis is that Addai looks to be as healthy as ever. The +1.1 ADP gain this week is a mild accomplishment, but if he really is looking as good as they say, you should see his stock going up each week as we approach the season.
READ MORE ADP ARTICLES HERE…
Fantasy Football ADP: Rising Quarterbacks
Published: August 26, 2009
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Now that there’s a couple of pre-season weeks done, it’s time to take a look at the top rising and falling quarterbacks in standard scoring drafts. For this we will be using the Average Draft Position (ADP) from standard ESPN live drafts from the last week.
Some players are boosted by their solidification of a starting spot, such as the San Francisco 49ers Shaun Hill (+7.9) while others are boosted just by signing with a team, like Brett Favre of the Minnesota Vikings (+5.7).
Thus, below are the top five ADP risers at the quarterback position from the dates of August 18-25.
1. Shaun Hill (San Francisco 49ers)
Never mind the fact that Hill didn’t play well in the second preseason week despite being the second quarterback to come in for the 49ers, Hill’s value has risen considerably (+7.9 ADP) since being named the starter in San Francisco.
It’s not too surprising, however, considering Hill was by far the best quarterback the 49ers had last season. Things to like about Hill from last season include his completion percentage (62.8), his average yards per attempt (7.1) and his touchdown to interception ratio (13/8).
Things not to like include Hill throwing eight interceptions in just nine games and that he took 23 sacks in those nine games. Hill makes for a decent backup in standard leagues, but that’s about it right now.
2. Brett Favre (Minnesota Vikings)
Similar to Hill, Favre did not enjoy a good performance in the second week of the preseason but saw his value skyrocket because he became the definite starter.
Favre completed just 1 of 4 passes in his first action but had only been with the team a few days and thus was still shaking off the rust as well as still learning the playbook.
Favre’s rising value (+5.7 ADP) is attributed to his past accomplishments, ignoring the fact that he threw nine interceptions and just two touchdowns in the final five games last year for the New York Jets.
Favre has a good team around him, but is nursing a bad throwing shoulder and will turn 40 this season. Drafting him to be your starter would be a very risky move.
3. Jay Cutler (Chicago Bears)
After a poor showing in the first week of the preseason, Cutler responded with a good one last week as he went 8-for-13 for 121 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.
Displaying a new found level of comfort in the Bears offense saw Cutler’s value (+3.4 ADP) rise, though it was already pretty high for a quarterback in the first place.
Cutler has displayed all the attributes you want in a fantasy football quarterback but in Chicago he’s working with a sub-par receiving corps, and that’s a major concern.
Good quarterbacks make their receivers better, but guys like Devin Hester, Earl Bennett and Rashied Davis need to display they can step up and be consistent receiving threats for Cutler to maximize his value.
4. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers)
Already considered a top-five fantasy quarterback Rivers has seen his value (+1.8 ADP) rise slowly but steadily after the first two weeks of the preseason.
Rivers has displayed the same traits that made him such a good player last season as he’s completed 66.6 percent of his passes in the preseason and his 10 completions have gone for 142 yards.
One thing that causes a little concern is that Rivers has taken five sacks in the two games so far, and four of those came in the second week.
Hopefully, the San Diego offensive line can get it together, otherwise taking a lot of sacks could lead the Chargers’ offense sputtering at times throughout the season.
5. Matt Schaub (Houston Texans)
It’s a little surprising that Schaub’s +1.4 ADP hasn’t risen more in the last week considering how good he’s been in the first two weeks of the preseason. In the two games Schaub has completed 18 of 23 passes for 167 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.
Schaub’s potential is great but he’s been injured during parts of the last two seasons so perhaps that’s why people continue to stay away despite his good performances.
One thing is for sure, when Schaub is on the field, he’s pretty good. And with receiver Andre Johnson and running back Steve Slaton to throw to, he’s got the weapons necessary to put up some great fantasy football numbers.
TO SEE OTHER POSITION ARTICLES GO HERE…
Fantasy Football Expert League Draft: Round 2 Results
Published: August 26, 2009
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It is time ladies and gentlemen of Bruno Boys Nation to introduce you to the fantasy draft that tops all fantasy drafts. Yes, folks, we’ve saved the best for last—the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Expert League Draft.
We’ve searched the nation far and wide to gather the best fantasy football experts out there. After all, if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best. These guys and gal don’t fool around, it’s strictly business. With that in mind, we’re jumping right into the Round Two results of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Expert League Draft.
Below, check out to see how Round Two played out in the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Expert League Draft which was played out at MyFantasyLeague.com. The scoring system is “standard” scoring and each team starts QB, RB, RB, WR, WR, WR, TE, K, DEF.
2009 Bruno Boys Expert League Draft – Round 2 Results
2.01 Fantasy Football Xtreme: Brian Westbrook (Phi)
2.02 Bruno Boys Fantasy Football: Andre Johnson (Hou)
2.03 Owner’s Edge/Fan Ball: Reggie Wayne (Ind)
2.04 FantasyFootball.com: Calvin Johnson (Det)
2.05 Roto World: Marion Barber (Dal)
2.06 Roto Wire: Greg Jennings (GB)
2.07 Yahoo!: Pierre Thomas (NO)
2.08 Athlon/Grogan Fantasy Football: Brandon Jacobs (NYG)
2.09 Fantasy Pros 911: Roddy White (Atl)
2.10 Fantasy Sharks: Ronnie Brown (Mia)
2.11 Fantasy Football Librarian: Marques Colston (NO)
2.12 RapidDraft.com: Clinton Portis (Was)
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Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Pick: With our second round selection, the 14th overall, we went to the great football state of Texas to grab wide receiver, Andre Johnson, of the Houston Texans. Second in fantasy points among wide receivers in 2008, Johnson led all wide receivers in receptions with 115. With that many catches, points are going to come in bunches for the man.
Round 2 Notes: Remember that old RB-RB theory? This draft debunks that. With the rule changes the NFL has made to facilitate the passing game, the fantasy experts seem to believe that wide receivers hold just as much value as their running back counterparts. Through two rounds, only 50% of the experts went RB-RB, 33% went RB-WR, while the remaining 17% went WR-WR. Yes, folks, as Bob Dylan would say, “the times they are a changin’.”
As for the individual selections themselves, first and foremost, there’s little problem with the order the wide receivers went off the board. I say little instead of no, because I do disagree with Reggie Wayne going ahead of Calvin Johnson. I know Wayne has the better quarterback throwing the ball his way, but Megatron proved last season it doesn’t matter who’s tossing him the pig skin, he’s a man-beast. Johnson’s 11 double-digit performances to Wayne’s seven in 2008 prove this.
In regards to the running backs, it is a bit surprising to see Clinton Portis fall behind Marion Barber, Pierre Thomas, and Ronnie Brown. However, with the announcement that LaDell Betts will be the Washington Redskins’ third down back added to the weariness fantasy owners already felt in regards to Portis’ durability.
It’s not completely shocking to see the back drop from the Tier Three runners to more of a Tier Four or Tier Five option. At that point, it is a “pick your poison” situation with the ultimate decision a gut call.
For more fantasy football insight and advice, click the link below…
Fantasy Football Crystal Ball: Eddie Royal
Published: August 26, 2009
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If you wanted to know the news around the NFL this past summer, you only need to mention four names: Brett Favre, Michael Vick, Jay Cutler, and Brandon Marshall.
While Favre, Vick, and Cutler are finally back onto the football field (albeit with daily reports still coming out relating to both Favre and Vick), Brandon Marshall seems to be lost in Denver. He did not travel with the Broncos to Seattle for the Broncos’ preseason game against the Seahawks. He isn’t practicing with the team; therefore, he’s not building chemistry with new quarterback Kyle Orton. And, there is just no word as to how the situation will turn out.
The reason for the latest update (of course Brandon Marshall needs to be lowered in your rankings) is because his teammate Eddie Royal needs to be upgraded.
Royal has a similar body type to that of great possession receiver Wes Welker, a man Broncos’ head coach Josh McDaniels excelled at getting a lot of opportunities to rack up some big fantasy numbers. Royal had a terrific rookie year and is quickly becoming a favorite target of Orton’s (he had four catches for 40 yards in limited action against Seattle). Royal will also see less time on the special teams unit, not returning many punt and kick returns to keep him fresh and healthy in order to help him to become a number one wide out. With all this in mind and the troubles Marshall is having, he should see a lot of targets in 2009, meaning his numbers will increase from last year.
In the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets, Eddie Royal is the 28th ranked wide receiver in the consensus rankings. With the news surrounding Marshall, he needs to be upgraded. In this writer’s opinion, he should slide up seven spots to the 21st rank in a standard scoring league. In a PPR (points per reception) league, he should go as high as 15th.
As long as the news of Brandon Marshall continues to spiral down, Royal will continue to move up. In any draft, watch where he goes. He is a solid possession receiver who may not put up a ton of touchdowns, but who will have plenty of receptions, which will lead to a large amount of yards.
Others may believe his value remains the same, but with any player news that results from a bonehead move by an individual, there tends to be a benefactor. Royal is the benefactor in Marshall’s never ending saga and needs to move up your cheat sheets before draft day.
*THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY GREG WARNOCK. FOR MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL INSIGHT AND ADVICE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW.*
Week 2 Pre-season Report Card: Quarterback Recap
Published: August 24, 2009
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The second week of the NFL pre-season is a good one to evaluate quarterbacks because a lot of the players who are supposed to start end up playing a large majority of the first half, and most of that time is spent against first-team defenses.
You’ll notice the list this week is in heavy favor of good performances by quarterbacks, mostly because the quarterback play across the board was much better this week than it was in week one.
We must make a special note about Denver Broncos quarterback Kyle Orton, who fits into none of the three categories this week.
For the most part his performance was good as he finished with 182 yards, one touchdown and one interception on 18-for-26 passing.
However, that one interception came on an poorly thrown, left-handed pass in the red zone that went into quintuple coverage. You must see the highlights to believe it.
THE GOOD
Derek Anderson (Cleveland Browns)
Anderson got the chance to start the game against the Lions after Brady Quinn started last week, and the incumbent made the most of his time.
Anderson went 8-for-13 for 130 yards with no touchdowns and one interception, but his performance went beyond his personal statistics.
Anderson led the Browns, who hadn’t scored an offensive touchdown since last November, on multiple scoring drives and had Cleveland ahead 20-0 when he went to the bench.
It did come against the Lions, so take it for what it’s worth, but the quarterback race in Cleveland just became even.
Matt Cassel (Kansas City Chiefs)
After looking shaky in his debut with the Chiefs last week Cassel came around with a good performance as he led Kansas City on two scoring drives, throwing a touchdown to Dwayne Bowe on one of them.
Cassel finished 9-for-14 for 99 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against a Minnesota defense that’s considered one of the best in the league.
At the same time, Brodie Croyle was less than stellar with just 41 yards on 5-for-10 passing. So much for those rumors about Croyle taking the starting job from Cassel.
Jay Cutler (Chicago Bears)
Similar to Cassel, Cutler rebounded nicely in week two from a poor performance last week.
Against the New York Giants, considered to be one of the best defenses in the NFL and owners of some pretty good defensive backs, Cutler went 8-for-13 for 121 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions.
He appeared to be much more comfortable with the offense than he did last week, so perhaps all Cutler needed was a little time to iron out the kinks.
Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks)
Hasselbeck looked incredible against the Broncos in leading Seattle to a win, but perhaps it’s also an indictment in how bad the Denver defense truly is.
Hasselbeck, who faced virtually no pressure from the Broncos, played the majority of the first half and finished 16-for-23 for 171 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
Watch the highlights and you’ll see just how precise Hasselbeck was with the football as he spread the ball around to different receivers on all types of routes.
Regardless of how bad the Denver defense may be, Hasselbeck looked like he was back to his Pro Bowl form.
Tarvaris Jackson (Minnesota Vikings)
When the pre-season is all said and done, Jackson may find himself looking for a job, though he’s doing about everything he can to ensure that doesn’t happen.
Against Kansas City’s second team defense Jackson went 12-for-15 for 202 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. He looked good throwing on the run and in the pocket as well as mixing it up between short and long passes.
His touchdown pass to Darius Reynaud was an impressive strike where he hung in the pocket and put the ball only where the receiver could get it.
Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts)
Not that any less is expected of Manning but with a new head coach, a new offensive coordinator and a new offensive line coach it was still good to see the veteran play well against the Eagles’ first team defense.
Manning finished 10-for-14 for 167 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Manning looked more comfortable in the pocket than he did last week, when he took multiple sacks.
Additionally, he threw a beautiful fade pass to Anthony Gonzalez for one his touchdowns, making it look like nothing has changed.
Luke McCown (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
As the second quarterback to play in the game for the Buccaneers McCown looked really good against the Jacksonville Jaguars as he finished 6-for-9 for 52 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions.
However it may be too little, too late for McCown.
Byron Leftwich started the game and went 6-for-12 for 62 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. Leftwich was efficient with the football and did played well enough to still be considered the starter if the season started today.
Chad Pennington (Miami Dolphins)
There’s been talk about Chad Henne taking over the starting job at some point in the season for the Dolphins, but after the way Pennington played against the Panthers it may be much harder to unseat the incumbent.
Pennington finished 8-for-11 for 105 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions against Carolina’s first team defense. Not seen by a quick glance at the stat sheet was the awesome play Pennington made out of the wildcat formation.
Ronnie Brown took the snap then pitched it to Ricky Williams, who then pitched it to Pennington, who rolled back towards the pocket and found Patrick Cobbs for a 35-yard pass over the middle. The play eventually led to a Miami field goal.
Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers)
What makes Rodgers so great is how precise he can be with the football and he demonstrated that against the Buffalo Bills. Rodgers finished 8-for-9 for 98 yards and two touchdowns, one each to his top two targets in Donald Driver and Greg Jennings.
From watching the game the progression Rodgers has made from last season is evident. He was in complete control of the offense the entire time and made great decisions with the football despite facing some heavy blitzes from the Bills.
The Packers offense is going to be a fun one to watch this season, that’s for sure.
Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys)
Romo is quickly erasing concerns that the departure of Terrell Owens will negatively affect the Dallas offense this season. Against the Titans’ vaunted defense Romo went 18-for-24 for 192 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions.
Romo led the Cowboys on two scoring drives and was working well with receiver Roy Williams and tight end Jason Witten before he was eventually benched.
It would’ve been nice to see Romo throw a touchdown but the most important thing to take from his performance is that the loss of Owens is not a loss for the Dallas offense.
Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons)
Perhaps it’s just a side effect from playing the St. Louis defense but Ryan and the rest of the Falcons offense looked unstoppable against the Rams.
Ryan finished 7-for-8 for 81 yards with one touchdown, which was an impressive throw between two defenders to Tony Gonzalez, and no interceptions.
Though the entire offense looked good, Ryan was particularly on point, especially with his throws as he put them only where his receivers could get them.
Ryan’s a good quarterback, but let’s wait and see what he does against a better defense.
TO SEE “THE BAD AND THE UGLY” WEEK 2 QB’S CLICK HERE…
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: Preseason QBs (Week 2)
Fantasy Football Expert League Draft Results: Round 1 Recap
Published: August 24, 2009
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It is time ladies and gentlemen of Bruno Boys Nation to introduce you to the fantasy draft that tops all fantasy drafts.
Yes, folks, we’ve saved the best for last—the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Expert League Draft. We’ve searched the nation far and wide to gather the best fantasy football experts out there. After all, if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.
These guys and gal don’t fool around, it’s strictly business, and with that in mind, we’re jumping right into the ROUND ONE results of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Expert League Draft.
Let’s check out to see how Round One played out in the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Expert League Draft which will be played out at MyFantasyLeague.com. The scoring system is “standard” scoring and each team starts 1 QB, 2 RB, 3 WR, 1 TE, 1 K, 1 DEF.
2009 Bruno Boys Expert League Draft—Round One Results
1.01 RapidDraft.com: Adrian Peterson (Min)
1.02 Fantasy Football Librarian: Maurice Jones-Drew (Jac)
1.03 Fantasy Sharks: Michael Turner (Atl)
1.04 Fantasy Pros 911: Matt Forte (Chi)
1.05 Athlon/Grogan Fantasy Football: LaDainian Tomlinson (SD)
1.06 Yahoo!: Steven Jackson (StL)
1.07 Roto Wire: Larry Fitzgerald (Ari)
1.08 Roto World: Chris Johnson (Ten)
1.09 FantasyFootball.com: Steve Slaton (Hou)
1.10 Owner’s Edge/Fan Ball: Randy Moss (NE)
1.11 Bruno Boys Fantasy Football: DeAngelo Williams (Car)
1.12 Fantasy Football Xtreme: Frank Gore (SF)
Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Pick
Sitting on the clock with the 11th overall pick, we head out to Carolina and take the man who led all running backs in fantasy football points last year, DeAngelo Williams. Williams is not a guy that we project to repeat his ‘08 performance, but he ranks sixth overall in our Fantasy Football Top 150 Rankings and was a guy we couldn’t pass on this late in the first round.
Even if Williams see’s a 25 percent decline in production (which we project) from a year ago, he still would go over 1,200 yards and find pay dirt 15 times. Not to shabby for a late first rounder.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE FULL FIRST ROUND RECAP…
Fantasy Football Expert League Draft Results: Round 1 Recap
Fantasy Football: Pre-Season DOs and DON’Ts
Published: August 24, 2009
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The withdrawal is over! With two weeks of pre-season football coming to a close, we’ve all gotten the football fix we’ve been in desperate need of since the Pittsburgh Steelers hoisted the Lombardi Trophy triumphantly back in February. However, like with any addict that’s about to binge, let me warn all of you fantasy football owners out there, not to overdo it.
Too often, I’ve seen fantasy seasons destroyed due to overzealous owners putting too much stock into pre-season performances. With the hope of helping to prevent you out there in Bruno Boys Nation from making such a mistake, I’ve highlighted some DOs and DON’Ts to take into consideration when you’re watching your fill of pre-season action.
1. DO Pay Close Attention to Position Battles
As any wise fantasy football owner knows, not every starting quarterback, running back, or wide receiver is etched in stone. NFL coaches utilize the pre-season as an evaluation of talent, and you should be doing the same. Take care to note who’s gaining the edge in position battles with strong play and who’s shooting themselves in the foot.
2. DON’T Put Too Much Stock in Pre-Season Stats
Sure, it is important to recognize individuals like San Francisco 49er running back, Glenn Coffee, who has racked up 196 yards on 30 carries in the team’s first two pre-season games, while starting for the injured Frank Gore, as Coffee will be a factor in fantasy if for no other than reason than being a worthy handcuff to Gore, and it’s important to look at the stats, as mentioned above, of those individuals that are entwined in a position battle, but other than that, pre-season stat lines mean little.
Does the fact that Chad Ochocinco connected on a PAT mean he’ll have value as both a wide receiver and kicker in 2009? No! Does Brett Favre’s outing in which he went 1-for-4 for four total yards mean the QB is washed up and shouldn’t have returned for 2009? No!
Rather than base your rankings on stats from four meaningless games, look at a player’s complete NFL resume when making your cheat sheets.
3. DO Watch the New Faces in New Places
Jay Cutler in Chicago. Matt Cassel in Kansas City. Brett Favre in Minnesota. Terrell Owens in Buffalo. Derrick Ward in Tampa Bay. Fred Taylor in New England. These are the guys you should be keeping an eye on this pre-season.
Whenever a player changes teams, there’s an adjustment period. The trick is trying to figure out just how long that adjustment period will last. For some guys, the transition is seamless. (For example, in heading to Minnesota, Favre is entering a system that he has played in for the majority of his career, which means he should be able to adjust much better than he did last season when he went to the New York Jets.)
For others, the transition is difficult. (See: Favre in New York)
4. DON’T Fall in Love With a Guy Who Makes Big Plays Late in Pre-Season Games
It’s no secret—NFL coaches, in an attempt to keep their studs healthy, are quick to pull their starters from pre-season action. That means come the third and fourth quarters, you’re watching guys who are just trying to make the team battle it out.
While a big play may secure a roster spot for these guys, it won’t propel them all the way up the depth chart. Thus, unless you’re filling out a 53-man fantasy roster, it’s best to let these guys stay on the waiver wire.
5. DO Study the Rooks
Many excellent college players (See: Ryan Leaf) just don’t have what it takes to play at the next level. Pre-season action is your first chance to see if that speedy college running back still looks just as quick against NFL defenders or if that quarterback taken in the first round can read opposing defenses just as well in the pros as he did in college.
6. DON’T Worry if Your First Round Draft Pick is Struggling
You wouldn’t believe the number of times I’ve seen someone unload their first round selection because of a few bad pre-season outings. While the football season is shorter than any other sport season, it is still a 17-week affair. Be patient and don’t get discouraged if it’s taking your stud a little longer than others to shake the rust off from the off-season.
7. DO Monitor Injuries
This could be perhaps the most important part of the pre-season—the injuries. Not only do you want to keep an eye on who’s getting hurt (trust us, it’s never fun to waste a pick on a guy who’s out for the season), but you, also, want to track the progress of those players returning from injury. Just an FYI, that quarterback in New England that you may have forgotten about, Tom Brady, he’s a solid 14 for 23 with 157 passing yards, 2 TDs, and 1 INT.
READ MORE CONTENT AT WWW.BRUNOBOYS.NET
A College Students Fantasy Football Experience: Is It Draft Day Yet?
Published: August 24, 2009
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My name is Alex Strand and I’m fantasy sportaholic. Football, baseball, basketball, College Pick-Em, NASCAR, golf, WNBA, curling, you name it, I’ve got a league. I’ll be a junior at the University of Illinois, (alma mater of my 2009 Dark Horse RB candidate Pierre Thomas), and during the summer I work two jobs and reside in a suburb just outside of Chicago.
For the past 10 years, 11 of my friends and I have taken part in a highly competitive fantasy football league.
Back in high school, free of real employment, serious girlfriends, and all with the same going-back-to-school date, it was easy to pick any day of the week during the NFL preseason, in which we would sit on bean-bag chairs in a basement, and walk up one by one to the official cardboard cut-out draft board taped to the wall, and each scribble in the boxes the name of a player sure to have a breakout season.
From there we could subsequently brag we knew would happen on the league messaging board. Back then it was a $10 entry fee (up to $40 this year and a dollar for every free agent pick-up), and every kid brought a pen, paper, Sports Illustrated NFL preview, and a few print out of player stats.
Contrarily, at our 2008 draft, all but one league member brought their laptop to draft night.
Also in the olden days, we would write each others names on ripped pieces of paper and draw them out of a baseball cap to determine draft order. This year, nine of us were up at a buddy’s lake house, sitting around the fire discussing whether or not the absence of Fred Taylor would lead Maurice Jones-Drew to breakdown from the increased workload, when someone declared since we had a majority, we should use an iPhone app to randomize the draft order for us.
Along with the changes in draft technology, the scheduling of the actual date has also become increasingly more difficult. In high school, any random August night would be fine for every member of the league do sit around for three hours saying “good pick” condescendingly after the guy we really wanted got picked by our best friend, or laughing hysterically when a guy like Koren Robinson, 1 year suspension in 2006, gets drafted in the 6th round (yeah yeah laugh it up, I was on vacation and didn’t have access to sports news).
But now, with jobs, studying abroad, vacations, Chicago bars and a wide array of college back to school dates, we all decided via Facebook messaging that there was only one night out of the entire summer that we could schedule this live draft.
Now doing it online of course would have made it much easier, but for all those who have fantasy tradition engraved in their hearts, you will know what I’m talking about. There is just nothing like an live draft. It’s one of the greatest events in all of sports! Er, uh, I mean fantasy sports.
In recent years, my fantasy football seasons have been reminiscent of the trashy magazine chronicles of Jon & Kate Plus 8. My picks from rounds 3-10, have behaved like the well mannered children, performing as expected and putting a smile on my face.
My first and second rounders have possessed characteristics similar to the childrens’ tabloid frequenting parents, betraying me, breaking my heart and deceiving me so badly I can never trust them again.
In ’06 it was Lamont Jordan (434 yds, 2 TDs and a torn knee ligament) and Kevin Jones (689 yds, 6 TDs). In ’07 it was Reggie Bush (581, 4 TDs) and DeAngelo Williams (717, 4 Tds and just one year off on his breakout season!). And last year it was Larry Johnson (874, 5 TDs and 1 female spit upon) and Ryan Grant (1203 yds, 5 total TDs).
In defense of those awful selections, I did have the 9th, 10th, and 11th picks respectively in each year, and our league format is PPR, so a lot of those guys did show promise catching the ball out of the backfield.
Alas, it was still not good enough to lift me to any league championships. But this year is going to be different. This year I have it all figured out. This year I have the third overall all pick. And here is what I’m going to do in the first four rounds. Oh and by the way I’m open to suggestions.
1. Matt Forte
Not an avid Chicago Bears fans myself, I figure I’ll save my fellow cohorts and Bears fans the time and energy of pleasuring themselves to the second year man out of Tulane’s stats between each quarter.
I already have heard strong verbals from the two picks ahead of me that they plan to take Adrian “All Day” Peterson and Maurice “I owned Merriman” Jones-Drew.
Fine with me. In the PPR format, I see Forte emerging as the top RB, as he led the position in catches last year, and should have equal if not more opportunities with Jay Cutler opening things up with the passing game.
I see 1,350 yards, 10-12 rushing TDs, 60 receptions and 3 scores through the air.
2. Roddy White
I figure Larry Fitzgerald, Randy Moss, Andre Johnson, Calvin Johnson, Steve Smith and Greg Jennings could all be off the board by the time my 10th pick (22nd overall pick) of the second round is up. That pretty much leaves with the choice to go RB since the first tier of wide outs has been extinguished, or to draft the No. 1 man in Atlanta or Reggie Wayne.
Seeing as White exceeded the Colts star in catches, yards and touchdowns last season, and with arguably the greatest tight-end of all time taking away the double teams he routinely faced last year, I see the former UAB Blazers star ringing up 94 receptions, 1,300 and 11 TDs.
3. The big debate in PPR format is what to do in this situation: I already have both a No. 1 running back and wide receiver, so do I get a pass-catching back like Reggie Bush or a wide out who is going to catch a ton of balls? With his shaky surgically repaired knee, the emergence of the aforementioned Thomas, and his break-up with Kim Kardashian, I cannot trust the former USC Heisman winner and one of my favorite football players of all time.
So to me the pick here is a guy who has averaged 111 catches the past two years and gets his record setting quarterback back healthy. I like Wes Welker as my WR2 and will be thrilled if I can get him with the 27th pick.
4. According to Average Draft Position, guys like Knowshon Moreno, Marshawn Lynch, Joseph Addai and Derrick Ward could be hanging around at this spot.
Although I like all those guys, I have no problem picking one of them in the 5th because of how confident I am that this year will be similar to last when there was a ton of running back points scored by guys drafted in the later rounds.
Because of this, I’m really hoping to land the quarterback who I think is going to have a huge year, Aaron Rodgers. In his first year running a very potent offense, the guy put up the second highest QB point total in fantasy football, and it would be an honor to nab him this late.
I really think these four guys have the potential to carry me to my league’s crown this year. Along with them I also like Anthony Gonzalez to put up the equivalent of Marvin Harrison numbers, as well as for Willie Parker (despite all the critics) to bounce back strong.
I watched Rashard Mendenhall play in college, and I’m telling you he just isn’t a serious football player. I feel he will never ever be a star in this league and its sad to say. But if he is the reason I can get the Steelers starting running back in the 7th or 8th round that’s fine with me.
I also strongly covet Ahmad Bradshaw. With Giants’ draft pick Andre Brown out for the year, I look for Bradshaw to get 45 catches as the third down back, as well as put up similar rushing stats as Derrick Ward did last year backing up Brandon Jacobs.
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Updated Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets
Published: August 23, 2009
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Despite ensuring us all that he was “really” retiring this time around, Brett Favre’s ever wavering mind changed yet again as the grizzled vet decided to join the Minnesota Vikings for the 2009 season.
As such, The Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff just UPDATED (as of 8/22/2009) their 2009 free fantasy football cheat sheet rankings. The action packed Cheat Sheet Magazine includes…
DOWNLOAD NOW: 2009 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet Rankings (click to download)
— In-Depth Player Rankings For Over 300 Players
— Standard & Traditional Scoring League Rankings
— Tiered Rankings To Help With Draft Trends
— 10-Team Mock Draft from Bruno Boys Staff Members
— Positional Player Rankings from NINE Bruno Boys Staff Writers
— Featured Articles From Some of the Best Experts In the Industry
— Draft Day Articles That Will Help You Surpass Your Competition in the War Room
— NFL & Team-By-Team Schedules
…. And Much Much More!
DOWNLOAD NOW: 2009 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet Rankings (click to download)
Make sure to check back throughout the pre-season as we will continue to update our 2009 free fantasy football cheat sheets in order to bring to you the latest information needed to dominate on draft day.
And, as always, for more fantasy football insight and advice, click the link below…
The Good, The Bad, The Ugly: RBs (Pre-Season Week 1)
Published: August 22, 2009
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Earlier this week we showed you how well quarterbacks did across the league in the Week 1 of the NFL pre-season schedule. Now, let’s take a look at how the running backs fared.
We’ll keep you updated each week of the preseason to see how running backs are progressing (or regressing) and let you know what kind of impact it will have in fantasy football. Let’s take a look at “the good, the bad and the ugly.”
THE GOOD
Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons) – The only problem with Michael Turner’s first pre-season performance was the fact that he should save that energy for the regular season when it benefits his fantasy football owners.
Busting out for 63 yards on six carries, with a 40-yard rush and a touchdown definitely gets his season off on the right foot.
With all the talk of the looming curse of 370 carries from last season, it may not mean much, but it could be a promising sign that this curse is just a joke.
LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles)
When I saw LeSean McCoy out there last week, I thought I was watching Brian Westbrook. The rookie totaled 55 yards on 10 attempts, and looked strong in his first outing.
The Philadelphia Eagles have done a great job in drafting a seemingly mirror image of their All-Pro back. While McCoy shouldn’t be a threat to take Westbrook’s job, as long as Westbrook’s healthy, it does prove promising for the future of McCoy in this offense.
He could slip right in if Westbrook goes down, and Donovan McNabb and the rest of the offense may not have to change much.
Darren McFadden (Oakland Raiders)
Justin Fargas better watch out because if Darren McFadden’s first pre-season game was any indication of how he’s going to be this season, he will surpass Fargas as the team’s top back.
McFadden looked strong against the Dallas Cowboys, busting out a 45-yard scamper, part of his 63 yards on four carries. Fargas, on the other hand, had one touch for two yards. Who won round 1 in this position battle? Clearly, it goes to McFadden.
Donald Brown (Indianapolis Colts)
In the Indianapolis Colts’ first preseason game, the rookie definitely out shined the veteran. Donald Brown was impressive in his first outing, and may force the Colts to get him involved in the action more if he keeps turning in totals like 58 yards on five carries and one of those carries going for a 38-yard dash.
Brown was already expected to be a key factor in this backfield with Joseph Addai, but he may get more on his plate if he keeps running like this.
Fantasy owners interested in drafting Brown should be wary as it may take a year for him to start getting the bulk of the carries, but Week 1 of the preseason may be the first sign of the end of Addai’s run in Indy.
Glen Coffee (San Francisco 49ers)
With Frank Gore not participating in the pre-season this year, the San Francisco 49ers will get a great chance to check out what they have in their rookie RB, Glenn Coffee.
Against the Denver Broncos last week, Coffee was strong, posting 67 yards on 14 carries. Regardless of how well he does in the pre-season, I doubt San Francisco will make him a true handcuff to Gore.
However, the significance in how well Coffee plays is, since Gore has a reputation of being a bit injury prone, if Coffee impresses, he could become a waiver-wire pickup should Gore go down.
THE BAD
Tim Hightower (Arizona Cardinals)
With Beanie Wells out of action for the time being, right now is a valuable opportunity for Tim Hightower to prove his worth to the Arizona Cardinals and keep his top spot on the depth chart.
Hightower didn’t take advantage of this opportunity in Week 1, posting low numbers of 24 yards on 6 carries.
Granted, Arizona undoubtedly wasn’t going to play Hightower much, but in the position battle he’s in, it was a chance for him to prove himself.
I also listed Hightower here just in the bad and not the ugly because, to be fair, Arizona did open up its pre-season schedule at Pittsburgh and he did average 4.0 yards per carry.
It has to be in the cards, no pun intended, to give him another crack at it.
Cedric Benson (Cincinnati Bengals)
My personal thought is to stay away from anybody in the Cincinnati Bengals backfield when you draft. Even having Cedric Benson as your RB on the bench is a bit of a risk.
In Week 1, he produced 28 yards on 8 carries against the New Orleans Saints. As I’ve said before in this article, and probably will state later as well, this is the preseason and the Bengals want to keep Benson healthy as he’s likely to be their top back.
Nevertheless, pay close attention to how he does in future preseason games if you really want this guy on your team.
If Cincinnati’s passing game can get back on track this year, it may not hurt to have him on your roster, but remember the Bengals’ are high on rookie running back Bernard Scott.
Fred Jackson (Buffalo Bills)
This should be Fred Jackson’s time to shine right now. Marshawn Lynch is out of the picture for the first three games of the season, Jackson has the opportunity to make his mark so the Buffalo Bills don’t just put him back on the bench when Lynch returns.
Well, Jackson didn’t help his cause in Week 1 against the Chicago Bears, as he produced 17 yards rushing on eight carries. He still has some time, but he didn’t get off on the right foot.
Steve Slaton (Houston Texans)
There’s no question that Steve Slaton is a borderline first-round draft pick in most draft formats, but one of the reasons why his stock is so high is because he stands alone on the depth chart…at least, that’s what everybody thought.
Recent reports out of the Houston Texans’ training camp have said watch out for Chris Brown. In Week 1 vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, Brown turned in 25 yards on six carries with a touchdown, while Slaton had 7 yards rushing on four carries in limited action.
This won’t become a position battle, it’s Slaton’s job all the way, but Houston may not be quite as shy about spelling Slaton more than they originally thought if Brown keeps playing well.
THE UGLY
LenDale White (Tennessee Titans) – What makes things ugly for LenDale White is not just his six yards rushing last week, but the fact that his possible heir apparent, Javon Ringer, turned in a great opening performance.
Ringer totaled 51 yards on seven carries and hit paydirt. Being a rookie, it may not matter much this season, but if he turns in a couple more strong games in the preseason, it’s possible he could dip into White’s limited carries to spell Chris Johnson, or take some of his vultured touchdowns.
LaDainian Tomlinson (San Diego Chargers)
LT is returning to preseason action for the first time since 2005. That’s not a good sign for fantasy football owners.
LT didn’t need the preseason warmups in his phenomenal 2006 and 2007 campaigns. I think LT is trying to prove that he’s back, maybe not just to his coaches, but to himself, as well.
I believe this is another sign of his decline, and if you saw him play against the Seattle Seahawks last week, despite the fact that he’s healthy once again, we still saw the same sluggish RB that we saw in 2008.
Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts) Here’s a guy who is in a similar situation as Tim Hightower, but I’m a little more critical on Addai’s lackluster opening performance.
Rushing for 13 yards on two attempts isn’t anything to complain about but let’s face it, Addai has been a fantasy football disappointment in recent years and now he has the rookie Donald Brown breathing down his neck.
Brown, who had a much better game against the Minnesota Vikings, might end up making the backfield for the Indianapolis Colts closer to a 50-50 split.
Addai will still enter the regular season as the top RB on the depth chart, but his stock has already taken a hit.
Knowshon Moreno (Denver Broncos) – Things aren’t going so well for the rookie right now. The rookie went down with an MCL injury against the San Francisco 49ers last week, and while he should be fine, could it be a sign that this back will be another injury-prone player?
Moreno could return to the lineup in time for the final preseason game against Denver, but he’s going to lose some valuable time in getting in sync with his linemen and the offense.
Combine that with the fact that there’s a plethora of backs on Denver’s depth chart, it may take Moreno longer than a lot of people thought to become the featured back the Broncos’ drafted him as.
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*THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY JIMBO JONES. FOR MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL INSIGHT AND ADVICE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW!*
