Questions Surrounding the Top Five Fantasy Quarterbacks

Every year there are questions surrounding players as they approach the start of the NFL regular season—and that extends to even the best.

Some players are returning from injury, some are dealing with new coaches, while others are looking to continue to play at a high level.

In this article, we’ll take a look at the questions surrounding the top five quarterbacks in our Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets (click to download), and look at the potential answers to these burning questions. The players listed are ranked in the same order as they are in the Bruno Boys Preseason Rankings.

 

1. Can Drew Brees continue to play at the same level that saw him fall just short of Dan Marino’s all-time passing record last season?

To say Drew Brees had a career year last season would be an understatement.

Aside from setting career-highs in passing yards and touchdowns, as well as a career low in sacks, Brees was just 15 yards short of breaking Marino’s all-time single season record. And the best part about this is that Brees is not only capable of replicating those numbers, but he’s got the chance to surpass them.

Pretty much the entire offense returns in New Orleans, including receivers Marques Colston and Lance Moore and running backs Reggie Bush and Pierre Thomas. Running back is the weakest position on the Saints’ offense, meaning that Brees will be asked to lead the team through the air once again.

Instead of wondering whether Brees has the ability to play as well as last season, you should only consider this: does he have the potential to break 40 touchdowns? It’s a distinct possibility.

 

2. How much will the change at head coach as well as the departure of wide receiver Marvin Harrison affect Peyton Manning?

During the offseason, former Indianapolis Colts head coach Tony Dungy decided to retire, a decision he had wrestled with for years. This has big repercussions because for many years under the guidance of Dungy, the Colts were one of the most spectacular offenses in the NFL.

Dungy’s retirement also saw the departure of longtime offensive coordinator Tom Moore and the underrated offensive line coach Howard Mudd. In the long run, this will affect Peyton Manning and the Colts’ offense greatly. Dungy, Moore, and Mudd were some of the best at their jobs and worked well with the team.

For this season, however, the effect should be minimal. Manning can run the offense almost entirely by himself and there are a lot of playmakers to enable that to happen. The departure of wide receiver Marvin Harrison stings, but the Colts had to deal without having Harrison last year and it didn’t seem to affect Manning that much.

 

3. Can Tom Brady recover from a torn ACL, and how much will it prohibit him from playing as well as he has in the past?

Tom Brady’s knee is an issue that has been discussed and dissected so many times this offseason, that it seems like so much longer than just a year ago when it happened.

Other quarterbacks have struggled returning from ACL injuries, most notably Carson Palmer of the Cincinnati Bengals and Daunte Culpepper, who bounced from team to team and eventually came out of retirement to play for the Detroit Lions last season. The difference between those two players and Brady is that Brady’s injury occurred in the first game of the season. Culpepper’s happened in the middle of the season and Palmer was hurt in the wild card round of the playoffs.

Brady has had considerably much more time to rehab the knee and so far in camp he has looked good. Brady also has the benefit of being behind a great offensive line and having great receivers to throw to. All signs point to Brady being able to make a smooth transition back onto the field, though it’s unrealistic to expect his numbers to return to the same level they were at in 2007.

 

4. Will Philip Rivers continue to play well despite injury concerns to the team’s top two offensive threats in LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates?

In the last couple of seasons, Rivers has grown considerably as a quarterback. At the same time he has had to do so while injuries to Tomlinson and Gates prohibited the San Diego Chargers from playing at their highest level. And neither player is getting younger as Gates will be 29 this season and Tomlinson recently turned 30.

Recovering from injuries is more difficult the longer a player is in the league. However, that does not seem to be the case with these two stars. Gates has spent his offseason in the weight room—a place he hadn’t spent much time in before—and came to camp looking leaner, faster, and stronger as he has put on weight onto his already impressive frame.

Tomlinson, according to his account, is not only perfectly healthy, but is in possibly the best shape of his life. Early camp reports confirm this, but it remains to be seen if he can withstand the toll of another 16 game NFL season.

Rivers was good last year when Gates and Tomlinson weren’t 100 percent. Imagine how good he’ll be this year if they are fully healthy.

 

5. Can Aaron Rodgers replicate—or surpass—his surprisingly good performance from last season?

Thrown into the starting role in the preseason last year, many believe that Aaron Rodgers, despite having spent the previous three seasons learning the offense in Green Bay, would struggle last year mainly because it was his first time on the field as a full-time starter in the NFL.

Rodgers immediately went out and led the Packers to consecutive wins, while throwing four touchdowns and no interceptions. He went on to finish with 28 touchdowns and more than 4,000 yards. That’s impressive for a first-year starter, but replicating that performance can be difficult, as Cleveland Browns’ quarterback Derek Anderson displayed last season.

Rodgers’ statistics from last year prove his play is sustainable as he had a better than 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, had only two multiple-interception games, had an average yards per attempt of 7.5 and played really well down the stretch.

The entire offense returns in Green Bay, so don’t anticipate any kind of drop off from Rodgers any time soon. In fact he could finish the season as the second best fantasy football quarterback behind Brees.

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Read the full article here: Questions Surrounding The Top Five Fantasy Quarterbacks

2009 Fantasy Football Bust Rankings: Wide Receivers

Every football season, there are a handful of players who fail to live up to their expectations, aka BUSTS.

One of the (many) keys to success for fantasy owners is identifying those individuals who will fall off the proverbial wagon and take a step back in statistical output. Draft a player too high who doesn’t perform, and chances are you’ll be staring up at your fellow owners in the standings.

To help you avoid that situation, we here at the Bruno Boys have done our best to analyze who those BUSTS could be for 2009. With that said, we present to you the 2009 Bruno Boys Wide Receiver “Bring Out the Pepto” Rankings.

Ranking System: The higher the “Bring out the Pepto” ranking, the more likely a player is to bust.

Jerricho Cotchery (New York Jets) – Don’t be fooled by Laveranues Coles’ move to Cincinnati in the offseason. While it would seem that would make Cotchery a breakout candidate, there are more red flags here than a Soviet parade.

The first would be the Jets’ quarterback situation. We’re all well aware by now that barring injury, Mark Sanchez will be under center for New York, and despite Matt Ryan’s performance last season, rookie quarterbacks have a difficult time putting up numbers, which obviously transfers over to their receivers.

Also, look for the Jets and new head coach Rex Ryan to do what his previous team, the Ravens, did last year, and that’s run the ball—a lot—with the three-headed tandem of Thomas Jones, Leon Washington, and rookie Shonn Greene.

Then there’s the fact that Cotchery simply fizzled in New York’s final 12 games, catching just two scores with seven contests of fewer than 60 receiving yards. Included in that are games with receiving yards totals of zero, 18, 10, and 34 yards.

PEPTO BOTTLES: 6 BOTTLES

Santana Moss (Washington Redskins) – Inconsistency, thy name is Moss. On the surface, Santana had a solid output last season, with 79 grabs for over 1,000 yards and six scores.

But a closer look reveals that most of the production from Moss came early, and that type of inconsistency can be a killer for fantasy owners. Moss had half of his touchdown catches in the team’s first three games, and of his five games with at least 75 receiving yards, each came in his team’s first eight games.

Additionally, Washington will certainly want to get second-year players Malcolm Kelly, Devin Thomas, and Fred Davis involved in the passing game more often, which means you have a player who could be headed for a down season.

PEPTO BOTTLES: 5 BOTTLES

Antonio Bryant (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) – The best thing you can say about the quarterbacks on Tampa’s roster is that there a lot of them, which doesn’t bode well for Bryant.

No matter who starts under center—Byron Leftwich, Josh Freeman, Luke McCown or someone else—the team will certainly not employ a vertical passing attack.

Tampa will continue to pound the rock with Earnest Graham and newly acquired Derrick Ward, and new tight end Kellen Winslow should do his share of damage as well, meaning Bryant’s career-high numbers from last season aren’t likely going to be repeated, especially now that the Bucs’ receiver has suffered a torn meniscus in his knee that will keep him out the majority of the pre-season.

PEPTO BOTTLES: 4 BOTTLES

TO SEE THE OTHER WIDE RECEIVER BUSTS CLICK HERE…

2009 Fantasy Football Bust Rankings: Wide Receivers

Fantasy Football Crystal Ball: Pittsburgh Steelers

Going into your fantasy football draft, you and your competition will gather all the relevant data out there to create your cheat sheets in which you’ll compile your rankings position by position.  Every person ranks players differently, basing it on last season’s numbers, potential impact, etc.  With all the information out there, it’s no surprise that debates arise when it comes to who ranks where.  However, when it comes to defenses in 2009, there will be no argument with regard to who is No. 1.

The Pittsburgh Steelers defense is undoubtedly the first defensive unit that should be taken in every draft across the country.  They were the best defensive team in 2008, allowing a meager 237.2 total yards per game (first overall), 80.3 rushing yards per game (second overall), 156.9 passing yards per game (first overall), and 13.9 points per game (first overall).  On top of the fantastic stats, the Steelers D allowed 10 points or less to opposing offenses in eight of the 16 games they played in the regular season, which is fantasy gold.

When you compare the Steelers defense from 2008 to 2009, you have to love what you see.  They lost just two starters from their Super Bowl winning defense, guys who played important roles, yet were not every down impact players.  The first is linebacker Larry Foote.  Foote is a good player, but he’s not outstanding.  In fact, the man who will replace him, Lawrence Timmons, an outstanding athlete, was already taking playing time from Foote a year ago.  The other loss from last season’s squad is cornerback Bryant McFadden.  McFadden is a solid cover man, but he too was losing playing time last year to William Gay.  Both Timmons and Gay will not miss a beat left by the two departed Steelers, which will continue to allow the defense to be aggressive.

Obviously, the majority of players around the NFL feel their team is the best during training camp.  That’s the beauty of the eternal optimism that is the offseason.  However, sometimes those players are right, and if that’s the case in regard to the Steelers’ defense, then opposing offenses will need to watch out.  Upon hearing from the Steelers’ players this past week, they believe the unit could be even better in 2009 than they were in 2008.  Sure, opposing offenses could master their schemes and you always have the risk of injury, but when you give Dick LeBeau a chance to open things up with explosive players who follow their assignments, there is no reason to think they couldn’t be even better this season than they were last.

The biggest question then is, when is the right time to draft the Steelers defense in your league?  In my opinion, you can take them two rounds before you’d consider another defense, which means somewhere in Rounds 8-10.  While there doesn’t seem to be much separation from other defenses like the Giants, Titans, Ravens, Eagles, etc., the separation between the Steelers and the others just mentioned is actually rather huge.  Add a softer schedule to the mix of a returning dominant force (the Steelers had the toughest schedule in the NFL in 2008), and you have the potential to grab a defense that will add a nice chunk of fantasy points per week compared to their counterparts.  And, in fantasy football, we all know every added point counts.

This article is brought to you by Bruno Boys Greg.  Feel free to contact him anytime at gwarnock@brunoboys.net

.  For more fantasy football insight and advice, visit Bruno Boys Fantasy Football at www.brunoboys.net! 

2009 Fantasy Football Bust Rankings: Running Backs

There are many harsh words in the English language. Words that can make you cringe! Words that can even make you cry! But, to the Fantasy Football Fanatic, BUST is the worst word of all!

BUST, defined by Dictionary.com is, “A state of bankruptcy.”

A state of bankruptcy, they say?  A state of panic and grief more like it! Do you really want to go bankrupt on your draft picks?

The Bruno Boys are sure that you don’t so instead of winging it, flipping a coin, or doing a wasteful game of Eeny-Meeny-Miny-Moe, why don’t you do what you know is right?

Why not do what you know is best for your team? Trust on the Bruno Boys!

We are about to provide you with vital information so you know who will be the busts at the running back position for the 2009 season of fantasy football. This is information that can help you out immensely on your way to dominating your draft! A

fter all, this is a position that you really can’t make a flub on. And that is why we are proud to present the 2009 Bruno Boys Running Back “Bring Out the Pepto” Rankings. 

Ranking System: The higher the “Bring out the Pepto” ranking, the more likely a player is to bust.

Jamal Lewis (Cleveland Browns) — Never having been one to be a star when it came to touchdown production, his output came crashing down to a total of only four last season. That is discouraging considering that in 2007 he finally combined for double digit touchdowns for the first time since his only other season of double digit scores in 2003. That is a huge reason that he heads this list.

In fact, if not for his 2,066 rushing yards that he had that year most people would consider Lewis only an afterthought, but those numbers just jump off the paper. And that is why year after year fantasy football players are fooled. While he does have a few cupcake defenses to go against this year, he is not going to be worthy of that RB2 slot that he will be drafted into in most deeper leagues.

In fact, eight of his starts will be against pretty solid rush defenses while he has only six starts in which we realistically feel he has a shot at putting up a possible 100 yard, 1 TD game. Plus, the Browns head coach Eric Mangini thinks highly of both Jerome Harrison and James Davis so don’t be surprised if they cut into his workload as the season goes on.

PEPTO BOTTLES: 6 BOTTLES

Reggie Bush (New Orleans Saints) — Due to injuries the past few seasons, Reggie Bush has been a major disappointment in the fantasy football world. In fact, he is better known for his off the field tactics in which he had been dating Kim Kardashian (they recently broke it off).

Just how bad has Bush been? Well,  he has failed to put up a combined 1,000 total yards or 6 touchdowns in either of his last two seasons and has missed 10 games during that span. This is not what we call getting it done from the 2nd overall pick in the 2006 draft

This year there is plenty of opportunity for Bush to be a bust once again. As they say, what have you done for me lately? Well, that doesn’t necessarily apply to this New Orleans Saints running back who three seasons ago was widely projected as the next start in the NFL.

Because so many people won’t let the hype die down there are fantasy football players year-after-year who will spend a higher end RB2 value pick on Bush only to see him produce more as a RB3 or RB4. Unless you are in a PPR league you shouldn’t consider Bush as an option unless you are targeting him as a Flex pick or RB3/RB4. 

Unfortunately for Bush, other than the Detroit Lions and St. Louis Rams, the Saints do not have a very favorable running back schedule.

PEPTO BOTTLES: 5 BOTTLES

Thomas Jones (New York Jets) — What a season Thomas Jones had last year for the New York Jets. He put up over 1,500 total all-purpose yards and had a combined 15 touchdowns as well.

So why do we have him on this list? There are several reasons to be honest. 

First of all, Jones will no longer have opposing defenses focusing on Brett Favre’s rocket arm. With him moving on, the defenses will be able to focus more on the Jets rushing game which will really hurt Jones’ value. As we said though, that is not the only reason as to why we feel Jones’ will see a decrease in production this season.

Secondly, having come off the type of season that he had last year there will be people in almost every league that will draft him based on those numbers. He did it in 2008, why not 2009?

Well, because last year was in all likelihood a career year. Last year was the first year that he had ever combined for double digit touchdowns and to make things worse, he is expected to start losing time to rookie running back Shonn Greene and you can’t forget about the speedy play maker Leon Washington. 

Don’t be the guy that overspends for Jones in hopes of a repeat season. For those that had him in 2008, congratulations and a well appreciated season facilitated out of it. For those that didn’t own him and are hoping to cash in this year, you won’t.

The stars are not aligned properly for Jones to have a RB2 type season this year unless you play in deeper leagues and even then the question marks remain.

PEPTO BOTTLES: 4 BOTTLES

TO SEE THE OTHER RUNNING BACK BUSTS CLICK HERE…

2009 Fantasy Football Bust Rankings: Running Backs

 

Will Michael Crabtree End His Holdout and Join the San Francisco 49ers?

Exactly eight months prior to Christmas day, the football gods bestowed upon San Francisco 49ers fans what appeared to be a glorious gift.

Sitting with the 10th pick in this year’s NFL Draft, the Niners and Niner fans watched as Texas Tech wide receiver Michael Crabtree (thought to be the best wide receiver by the experts) slipped and landed in their laps.

Making the moment all the sweeter was the fact that the selection came at the expense of the Oakland Raiders as Al Davis’ fascination with speed led to the Silver and Black passing on Crabtree, instead going with deep threat, Darius Heyward-Bey.

We should have known then that it was too good to be true.

Unless you live in Amish country, you are well aware that the 49ers and Crabtree have yet to come to terms on what the rookie’s contract should be, leading to a “soap-opera esque” hold out.

One that has culminated with Crabtree’s camp going on record to state that the receiver is willing to sit out the 2009 season in order to re-enter the 2010 NFL Draft should he not get the money he feels he deserves (a stance Crabtree’s camp has since tried to back away from).

No doubt things are getting messy in the City by the Bay. In the end, though, it will behoove both parties to get this deal done ASAP because while neither would like to admit it, both sides need the other.

While the 49ers would like everyone to think that they are just peachy entering week 1 with Josh Morgan, Isaac Bruce, Jason Hill, and Dominique Zeigler as their wide receiving corp, no one is buying it.

Crabtree represents something that the 49ers have not had since they parted ways with Terrell Owens, a legitimate No. 1 wide out. There’s no way the 49ers wouldn’t want to add a player of Crabtree’s caliber to their line-up.

After all, not only would Crabtree help in the development of the winner of the Alex Smith – Shaun Hill quarterback battle, but his presence would also open things up for Frank Gore and the running game. Teams would be less willing to stack the box against San Francisco due to the fear of being beat deep by Crabtree.

However, Crabtree needs the Niners just as badly as they need him. If the former Red Raider actually believes he’ll make more money by re-entering the draft next season, he is fooling himself.

If anything, the 2009 NFL Draft, and his slip to the 10th spot, should have opened Crabtree’s eyes to the fact that NFL teams are concerned with his foot injury. Add a year off from football, something that Maurice Clarett and Mike Williams proved doesn’t exactly help one’s NFL potential, and the difficulty the Niners have had in signing the wide out to the foot, and Crabtree could very well fall out of the top-10 in 2010.

If the wide receiver really wants to make his money, he would be best served by suiting up for the Red and Gold in 2009.

So, do I think a deal gets done here? Yes, mainly because both sides need one to get done. However, I, also, know that with each day that passes without Crabtree in camp, the impact the wide receiver will have both for NFL and fantasy purposes in 2009 takes a hit.

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2009 Fantasy Football Bust Rankings: Quarterbacks

Every year as we begin to look towards the upcoming fantasy football season, we see players who we believe are headed for great years. Unfortunately, not all of them make it there. These players are known as BUSTS.

Some of these players have good, and sometimes even breakout, seasons the year before only to falter the next.

The most notable quarterback from last year who fits this description is Cleveland Browns’ quarterback Derek Anderson, who the Bruno Boys featured in last year’s version of our bust rankings, or as we like to call them, our Bring Out the Pepto articles. 

Anderson had a Pro Bowl season in 2007, throwing for 3,787 yards with 29 touchdowns and 19 interceptions. However, he started the 2008 season with six interceptions and three touchdowns in the first four games before finishing with 1,615 passing yards, nine touchdowns and eight interceptions with a 50.2 completion percentage.

The list this year features some big name quarterbacks, two of whom are on new teams, whose play will do nothing but make your stomach turn and make you want to reach for that pink bottle of stomach-settling goodness.

Here are the 2009 Bruno Boys Quarterback “Bring Out The Pepto” Rankings.

Ranking System: The higher the “Bring Out the Pepto” Ranking, the more likely the player will be a bust.

 

Matt Cassel (Kansas City Chiefs)

For having never started a game at the professional or collegiate levels, Cassel performed admirably last season for the New England Patriots after he took over in the first week of the season for the injured Tom Brady.

Cassel finished the season with 3,693 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. In the offseason, he was traded, along with linebacker Mike Vrabel, to the Kansas City Chiefs for a second round draft pick.

There are many reasons why Cassel makes the list as the most volatile quarterback entering the season. He is in a new city with a new team, where he’ll have to learn an entirely new playbook with new teammates and new coaches.

Former Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator, Todd Haley, takes over as the Kansas City head coach and is good at working with quarterbacks, but this task may be too much for him. Cassel had a lot of support around him in New England including better players and coaches.

In Kansas City he will be playing behind a weaker offensive line with only one good receiving option in Dwayne Bowe. For all these reasons, Cassel is given the maximum number of pepto bottles. Tread lightly.

PEPTO BOTTLES: FIVE

Marc Bulger (St. Louis Rams)

Coming into last season it seemed St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger was one of the biggest sleeper picks at quarterback as many people figured he would rebound back to his 2006 form when he threw 4,301 yards, 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions.

Those people were wrong.

Left tackle Orlando Pace was lost for the season early on and the rest of the line fell apart, leaving Bulger little protection. The Rams picked up a new tackle in the 2009 NFL draft in second overall pick Jason Smith, but he won’t be able to step right in and replace what Pace brought to the table.

The Rams did little else to address the problems along the offensive line, and also let leading receiver Torry Holt go. Now, the most experienced—by years of service in the NFL, that is—wide receiver on the roster is Laurent Robinson.

The best receiver on the team is Donnie Avery, who was a rookie and very inconsistent last season and is currently dealing with a foot injury that will keep him out four to six weeks.

Bulger’s best days were when Mike Martz, Isaac Bruce and Holt were all around. None of those three remain. With a young and inexperienced offensive line and receiving corps, Bulger is no sleeper this year, he’s just mediocre.

PEPTO BOTTLES: FOUR

 

Jay Cutler (Chicago Bears)

Former Denver Broncos’ quarterback Jay Cutler finally got what he wanted when he was traded to the Chicago Bears in the offseason. And sometimes you have to be careful what you wish for, as the old adage goes.

Cutler goes to a team in Chicago that has a more stale passing game than the one in Denver. He has to get acclimated with new coaches, new teammates and a new playbook.

But, perhaps the worst thing about Cutler moving to Chicago is that he’ll no longer have his safety blanket in receiver Brandon Marshall. Devin Hester and Rashied Davis are the top returning receivers for the Bears, but they combined for just 86 catches last year and neither one is a No. 1 receiver.

In fact, the Bears receiving corps is extremely inexperienced, as second-year player Earl Bennett and rookie Juaquin Iglesias will be counted on for some production this fall. Cutler is a good quarterback but he will likely see a slight decrease in his numbers from last year as he adjusts to life in Chicago with no receivers.

PEPTO BOTTLES: THREE

Eli Manning (New York Giants)

Statistically, New York Giants’ quarterback Eli Manning had one of the best seasons of his career last year with 3,238 passing yards, 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. He had a career-best 60.3% completion percentage and posted his best touchdown-to-interception ratio in his five seasons in the league.

But, a deeper look at the numbers reveals that perhaps this season will stand as an outlier for Manning. Look at his other full seasons in the league, and you’ll see his number tend to hold pretty true from season to season.

He generally completes about 55-57 percent of his passes, usually throws around 21-24 touchdowns and about 17-19 interceptions. He’s never thrown more than 3,762 yards in a season and never less than 3,238.

What’s more telling is that his average yards-per-attempt last season was 6.8, which was just .4 more than his career average entering the season. He also took 27 sacks last season, which is exactly his career average.

When considering all this, it tell us a few things.

First of all, it tells us that Manning was the recipient of some good fortune last season. It also tells us that he’s unlikely to repeat or surpass his 2008 numbers and that a slide back to his 2007 numbers is a more appropriate expectation.

PEPTO BOTTLES: TWO

 

Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys)

The 2008 season was supposed to be a new season for the Dallas Cowboys, one in which they could wash away the poor memories of 2006 and 2007 and finally make a charge to the Super Bowl.

Except that when the team needed quarterback Tony Romo the most, he was again at his worst. Needing a win in the final week of the season for any hopes of the playoffs, Romo threw for 183 yards with no touchdowns and one interception in a 44-6 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

Romo is a good regular season, fantasy football quarterback because he’s good at getting touchdowns. He had 26 passing touchdowns last season despite missing three games because of injury.

The problem with Romo is that he’s usually at his worst when you need him the most and that’s around the fantasy football playoffs. It also doesn’t help things that the Cowboys didn’t resign wide receiver Terrell Owens, who went to the Buffalo Bills.

The Romo-Owens connection was a boon to Romo’s value in fantasy football. Now, he’ll have to throw the ball to Roy Williams, who was inconsistent last season in Dallas; Patrick Crayton and Miles Austin.

That trio doesn’t exactly inspire confidence in Romo’s ability to return to his 2007 form and for that he receives one bottle of Pepto. He’s still a good fantasy football quarterback, but not one of the best.

PEPTO BOTTLES: ONE

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*THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY CORY STEGER. FOR MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL INSIGHT AND ADVICE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW.*

BRUNO BOYS FANTASY FOOTBALL

2009 Second String QBs to Keep an Eye On

Thanks to injuries and the high level of talent in the NFL, fantasy football can be a fickle game. One week your starting QB is lighting up the scoreboard, and the next he’s rehabbing in Florida, netting you a whopping 0 points.

This is why many championships are won with the waiver wire. There are always players that end up having more or less value than expected due to breakout seasons or injuries. This season, keep an eye on these quarterbacks because each one could end up giving your team some much needed fantasy power down the stretch.

Jeff Garcia (Oakland Raiders): If JaMarcus Russell doesn’t impress Oakland’s coaches early on, his job will swiftly be handed over to Garcia at the start of the season. 

A solid veteran, Garcia would have a great running game behind him and the added speed of Darius Heyward Bay among his receiving corp. He may not belong in the top tier of passers, but he’s a decent option to have if you find yourself in a bind.

Dan Orlovsky (Houston Texans): Eight TDs and eight interceptions are nothing to write home about, but considering Orlovsky only started seven games and was on the 0-16 Lions, he may deserve a little break.

He’s currently the No. 2 QB behind Matt Schaub, and while he may never win the starting job in a competition, the injury prone Schaub may just leave the door open for him.

The Texans are a young and upcoming offense and having the mega—talented Andre Johnson to throw the ball to gives any QB major upside. If the Texan’s starting QB does go down, Orlovsky could be a good fall back player down the stretch.

M
att Leinart (Arizona Cardinals): Yeah, he seems to be continuously on the verge of doing a keg stand, but the fact is 2008 was the first out of seven seasons that Kurt Warner played in every game.

Considering his age, injury history and the dominant receiving duo of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, if Warner goes down, Leinart becomes immensely valuable in all leagues.

Chad Henne (Miami Dolphins): Chad Pennington’s performance came as a surprise to many people last season and he may be hard pressed to repeat it. Especially when the Dolphin organization already seems to have pegged Henne as their future QB.

In fact, word is that Miami may make him the starter pretty early in the season. He only played in one game last year, but in that quarter he led his team to score.

And, based on his brief showing last season and his impressive college career at Michigan in which he set five school records, he’s definitely worth monitoring—especially in keeper leagues.

*THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY DOMINIC BROWN. FOR MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL INSIGHT AND ADVICE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW.*

BRUNO BOYS FANTASY FOOTBALL

Fantasy WRs: What to Look For (Targets and Catches)

Sure, it’s easy to say that Larry Fitzgerald is a no-brainer first pick wide receiver because of his ability and rapport with Kurt Warner. But is that advice really going to help you win a fantasy football title? Probably not!

In fact, you could say that any of the top-15 fantasy wide receivers have the ability and rapport with their quarterback to produce on a regular basis. However, in my opinion there is one key ingredient that makes a receiver so important to a fantasy football owner. That ingredient is…consistency. 

It’s about which wideouts can provide you a steady amount of points on a weekly basis. When looking into being consistent you will notice that sometimes being consistent in a bad statistical category can translate into something good.

For example, Terrell Owens (10 drops) is well-known for dropping his fair share of passes. Braylon Edwards (16 drops), the same.  To round out the top 2008 drop leaders you will find some big names. Dwayne Bowe had 13 drops, Brandon Marshall 12 drops, Calvin Johnson nine drops, and Roddy White had nine drops.

What do all these wide receivers have in common?

They are all top 20 fantasy football wide receivers entering 2009. Which leads to the question: “Why are all these guys rated so highly if they “can’t catch?” The fact is, the more targets, the more drops (typically). 

As odd as it sounds, I would suggest drafting players that have more dropped passes because they see more passes which leads to more opportunity. Plus, we all know football is a game of numbers and the more chances you get to post statistics the better they are going to be.

Obviously, when I say this you have to make sure the receiver warrants draft consideration. I am not reccomending you draft a receiver who saw 60 targets, had 30 receptions and 15 dropped passes.

Enough with covering the top wide outs in the NFL, not it’s time to take a look at which wide receivers can give you the best bang for your buck during your 2009 fantasy football draft.

DeSean Jackson (Philadelphia Eagles): 121 targets, only 62 catches. If he can even have a similar season in terms of targets, then he can probably make good and catch 80 passes. Given his breakaway speed and improved offense, he could be the steal of many drafts.

Bruno Boys Jacob’s Projection: 80 catches, 1,092 yards, 11 TDs

Josh Morgan (San Francisco 49ers): If the 49ers are able to figure out their QB situation, Morgan could be a fantasy standout at the end of the season. At 6’0”, Morgan plays like a much bigger receiver, and will most likely be getting most of the passing looks in the red zone. With 319 yards and 3 TDs as a rookie, expect those numbers to at least double.

Bruno Boys Jacob’s Projection:  46 catches, 692 yards, 7 TD’s

Chris Henry (Cincinnati Bengals): Yeah, he has his share of problems, but don’t we all? OK, our problems aren’t exactly the same, but who are we to judge? Fact is, he is a talented receiver.

Remember 2006 when he put up nine TDs? Yeah, neither do I. I am not expecting a repeat effort, but as the No. 3 wideout in what will most likely be a passing attack, he should see his fair share of targets.

Bruno Boys Jacob’s Projection:  40 catches, 600 yards, 6 TDs (and 3 misdemeanors)

Hakeem Nicks (New York Giants): Eli Manning and his contract are going to love this big target with sure hands. Steve Smith will be used as the possession receiver in the passing attack for the Giants, and they will be forced to pass more with the loss of Derrick Ward (unless one of Bradshaw, Ware or Brown can pick up the load).

Expect Nicks to lead all rookies in targets and receptions.

Bruno Boys Jacob’s Projection:  48 catches, 576 yards, 5 TDs.

If all else fails when you’re searching for your WR3 or trying to add depth to your bench, go for the No. 1 or No. 2 receivers on bad defensive teams.

Common knowledge says that bad defenses give up a lot of points, meaning teams will be forced to go through the air to get back into the game. These are the types of players you want on your fantasy football squad…Play your waiver wire smart but aggressive throughout the season.

For example: If a player has a great week in which he catches 11 passes, and you have some extra space on your bench, pick him up. Chances are, he is building a relationship with the quarterback and he could be in line for a big finish to the season.

Even if he turns out to be a one week wonder and reverts back to his three reception self all you have to do is place him back on the open market.

*The above article was written by Bruno Boys Guest Columnist Jacob Lerman. Jacob is the owner of his own fantasy sports blog, Fantasy Free Stylin’ in which he covers all fantasy sports. For more fantasy football insight and advice, click the link below!*

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2009 Fantasy Football Sleeper Rankings: Defenses

It is not glamorous. No one goes into draft day hoping this or that falls to me in the first round, and it certainly is not something that holds a ton of excitement after you obtain one. Unless, that is, if you are the exception to the rule. What am I talking about here? Defenses people, defenses.

The Bruno Boys take great pride in getting you the best information possible, and it doesn’t matter if we are talking quarterbacks, running backs, or the ugly step child, defenses. We are here to serve Bruno Boys Nation to the best possible extreme that we can.

This edition of the Bruno Boys Snooze Alarms focuses on sleeper defenses. It doesn’t matter if the position is flashy or not, the fact of the matter is that if you have a hands up on your competition when it comes to the defense position, that is one more area to help guarantee you victory week in and week out.

Let’s jump into the 2009 Bruno Boys Defense “Snooze Alarm” Rankings, analyzing three defenses that we feel will give you a little more bang for your buck, or in fantasy football terms, your draft pick. 

 

Ranking System: The higher the “Snooze Alarm” Ranking, the more sleeper value the player has.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars are better known for having a team that survives off of pounding the rock and playing solid defense, rather than having an electrifying offense, which is why it was a disappointment to many fantasy football players last year that had the Jaguars as one of their top two defenses.

For the most part, they struggled, ranking 21st in points allowed (22.9) and 17th in the league in yards allowed per game with (330.9). In fact, the best aspect of their defense was against the rush, in which they were still only middle of the pack, ranking 13th, allowing (106.8) rushing yards per game.

You can say that the Jaguars’ defense really did not have a standout person last year, as the highest amount of tackles was 84, highest fumble recoveries was two, highest sack totals was four, and the highest interceptions from any one player was four.

If that doesn’t scream mediocrity, we here at the Bruno Boys don’t know what would. But there are positives to take going into 2009.

With as disappointing of a squad as they had on defense last year, the Jaguars will be flying under the radar for most fantasy football players in 2009.

What might scare others off is their schedule because they have to face the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans, and the Tennessee Titans twice each year as they are in their division, and they also have to face the Arizona Cardinals, New England Patriots, and Seattle Seahawks in 2009.

But don’t quiver too much, as they do face a handful of teams this year in which they will be a pretty solid start. When looking for a DEF2, that is one of the main focuses, matching up secondary squads that have some easy matchups, and if possible, match them up with stronger defenses who have tougher schedules during some of those weeks.

Either way, look for the Jaguars to both, do well and disappoint in 2009. But for where you should be able to grab them, you could do much worse. And that is why they are on this list.

SNOOZE ALARMS: 3 ALARMS

 

Houston Texans 

One normally does not find a team that rated 27th in points allowed to opponents last year with 24.6 to land on a sleepers list the following season. But, that is because the “so called” experts are afraid of looking a fool and would rather pick safer picks that everyone is already considering.

To us at the Bruno Boys , that really isn’t a sleeper, now is it? We are looking for something a tad bit deeper than a DEF2 in smaller leagues. We are digging deep, and what did we come up with? The Houston Texans, of course.

Led by one of the better defensive lineman in the game in Mario Williams, the Texans started showing some signs of defensive adequacy last season. To continue that momentum, they focused on defense with three of their first four picks in this year’s draft, headlined by OLB Brian Cushing. And being in a division that is heavy on the run game, if you are awarded points for tackles (IDP leagues), the Texans offer some pretty good bang for your buck.

The Texans play the St. Louis Rams and Miami Dolphins during the fantasy football playoffs (weeks 15&16), so they could fill in nicely down the stretch. But, the most important thing to pay attention to is that their defense is on the rise. They have playmakers all over the field now and will enjoy a good handful of games against inferior offenses.

If you are looking for a team to start every week, this is not the team for you. But, if you are looking for one that could be an excellent bye-week pluck off the waiver wires or a low-end DEF2 in deeper leagues, the Texans very well can out-produce your expectancy.

SNOOZE ALARMS: 2 ALARMS

 

San Diego Chargers 

When it comes to fantasy football, there wasn’t a bigger disappointment as far as defenses go in 2008 than the San Diego Chargers. Granted, there are a lot of factors that went into their poor season.

For starters, the team boasted a high-powered offense, which resulted in opposing offenses always trying to play catch up. That alone will wear on a defense eventually, unless you are stocked everywhere, which the Chargers weren’t.

The Chargers were without star LB Shawne Merriman for pretty much the whole 2008 season, which was a huge blow because he is the undeniable leader on the field for the defense. His absence definitely did not help when it came to the team’s 15th ranked 21.7 points per game allowed last season.

There are some positives heading into 2009 though, as their RB LaDainian Tomlinson is as healthy as ever and expected to be given a lot of touches this year. That will help keep the offense on the field a little longer, giving the defense a much needed rest. 

Also, the Chargers’ schedule is pretty favorable, as they won’t be facing many offenses that are better than average this year. That will help when the teams are trying to keep up with the Chargers, and there are a bunch of forced throws, which can turn into some solid turnovers.

SNOOZE ALARMS: 1 ALARM

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*THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN BY BRUNO BOY CHRIS ZIZA. FOR MORE FANTASY FOOTBALL INSIGHT AND ADVICE, CLICK THE LINK BELOW!*

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2009 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Round 2 (PPR League)

For all you PPR fantasy football fans out there, Bruno Boys’ Jimbo recently conducted a one-man, 12-team PPR mock draft. Outside of the league, rewarding one point-per-reception, the rest of the scoring settings are standard format. Below is round two. Click here for round one, and stay tuned for round three next week…

2.01: RB DeAngleo Williams (CAR) – Last season’s fantasy football gem should produce nicely once again this season. The only reason why I don’t have DeAngelo Williams in the first-round is because Jonathan Stewart will see a lot of the action in the backfield.

2.02: QB Drew Brees (NO) – Even when his receivers were dropping like flies due to injury last year, Brees found a way to be the best fantasy QB in the league. With Marques Colston and Jeremy Shockey back healthy, along with Lance Moore, seeing totals close to last season is not out of the question.

2.03: RB Marion Barber (DAL) – The Dallas Cowboys want to use their running attack more and Marion Barber is the cornerstone of the trio in the backfield for the Dallas Cowboys. Barber tied for fifth among RBs in receptions last year with 52.

2.04: RB Steve Slaton (HOU) – Steve Slaton hauled in 50 receptions for 377 yards in his rookie season. He is the lone back in a blossoming offense. Could he suffer the dreaded sophomore slump? Sure, but that’s not a good reason to pass up on a guy who could explode this season.

2.05: RB Brian Westbrook (PHI) – The nagging injuries have put a “draft with caution” label on this former fantasy stud. The fact is, Brian Westbrook was fourth among RBs in receptions last year with 54, and he racked up over 400 yards receiving. When healthy, this guy is one of Donovan McNabb’s favorite targets.

2.06: WR Calvin Johnson (DET) – Even without a solid QB, Calvin Johnson posts great fantasy totals. If the Detroit Lions can figure out their quarterback woes, CJ has the potential to be the best WR in the league.

2.07: RB Ryan Grant (GB) – Ryan Grant didn’t have a great 2008 campaign, but he didn’t do terribly either. The Green Bay Packers have a strong passing attack, and Grant has no handcuff, which gives him strong fantasy value and makes him worth a second-round pick.

2.08: WR Steve Smith (CAR) – How many times have we either cringed or jumped for joy when we’ve seen Steve Smith catch a 60-yard touchdown. Perhaps the best deep threat in the league right now, Smith is undoubtedly Jake Delhomme’s best option on the Carolina Panthers and nothing’s going to change that in 2009.

2.09: WR Reggie Wayne (IND) – He doesn’t have Marvin Harrison anymore to help spread the field, but Reggie Wayne does still have Peyton Manning throwing him the football. This duo should connect plenty of times this season.

2.10: RB Brandon Jacobs (NYG) – The New York Giants will win with their defense and their running game in 2009. Brandon Jacobs is the workhorse in this offense, and he will see plenty of work. Despite the possibility of him missing a few games due to injury, you can expect to see Jacobs getting plenty of work in ’09.

2.11: WR Greg Jennings (GB) – As I stated when discussing Ryan Grant, the Green Bay Packers have a strong passing attack, and Greg Jennings is the top WR on the team and one of the best in the league. Look for him to get more redzone targets, as he and Aaron Rodgers continue to form a formidable duo.

2.12: WR Wes Welker (NE) – I’m sure a bunch of you out there are thinking—“Wes Welker in the second round?!?! Is he crazy?” Welker was one of three receivers to record 100 receptions last year, and that was with Matt Cassel throwing him the ball. The PPR King gets Tom Brady back this year. Only in a PPR format would I take the chance of drafting Welker in the second-round.

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For more fantasy football insight and advice, click the link below…

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