Forget Christmas, this is the most exciting time of the year. We all remember what it’s like as a child on Christmas Eve or the night before your birthday. That, “I can’t take it” excitement that every child gets before the anticipation of what present they may or may not be getting. That’s how many of us fantasy football junkies get as we await the opening of NFL training camps, because we all know that the opening of training camp means that the fantasy football season is fast approaching and so is our fantasy football draft.

This is the time of year that we all really start to crack into our magazines, or in the case of the Bruno Boys Nation, we open the free online PDF that contains the most comprehensive fantasy football magazine available, the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets, and we really start to prepare for our fantasy football drafts.

As you prepare for your upcoming fantasy football draft, the Bruno Boys are here to keep you up-to-date on news around the NFL that could have an impact on your draft and season. This week we will cover the lawsuit filed against Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger and a few potential contract holdouts as we enter 2009.

Big Ben Served with Civil Lawsuit

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was served with a civil lawsuit last weekend in Lake Tahoe. A Nevada woman has accused Roethlisberger of raping her in a Harrah’s Lake Tahoe penthouse in July of 2008. The two-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback was in Lake Tahoe on both occasions to compete in a celebrity golf outing.

The 31-year-old woman, who was a VIP casino host at Harrah’s said she was in Roethlisberger’s room checking on a problem with his television when he forced himself upon her, but she never filed a criminal complaint. She didn’t even mention the incident to Harrah’s executives until this past April when her lawyers sent a letter informing Harrah’s of the incident. Harrah’s lawyers responded with a letter trying to dissuade the woman of filing claims against Roethlisberger and Harrah’s.

In a statement this week at the Steelers’ practice complex Roethlisberger called the allegations “false and vicious”.  He did not answer questions, but he did say that he is going to respect the legal process. He went on to say that he is confident the truth will prevail. Roethlisberger also said that he would remain focused on the upcoming season with the defending Super Bowl champion Steelers.

The lawsuit should not affect his playing status for the upcoming season and because this is a civil suit and not a criminal case Roethlisberger is not looking at jail time. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, will likely review the case, but without a third party witness of the event this is very much a “he said, she said” situation. Keep an eye on this situation, but as you study for your upcoming fantasy football draft Big Ben should remain as a low-end QB1 option as he remains the No. 13 ranked quarterback in the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheet Rankings.

Running backs Washington and Jones could be holdouts at Jets camp

According to reports in the New York Daily News, New York Jets running back Leon Washington said that he is still negotiating a new contract with the team and he is not sure if he will report to training camp without a new deal.

This leaves the Jets’ running back situation a little dicey heading into training camp, especially when you consider that the team’s starting running back, Thomas Jones, also has contract issues. Both Washington and Jones had productive seasons for the Jets in 2008 and a holdout from either player could hurt the team’s offense. The Jets did prepare for this situation drafting Shonn Greene from the University of Iowa in the second round of April’s NFL draft.

Keep an eye on this situation heading into training camp, a holdout by either of these running backs could affect the rankings of all three players. Jones is currently ranked as the 19th best running back option entering ‘09 but things could change if he continues to hold out. Washington and Greene currently rank No. 48 and No. 56 respectively.

Boldin still awaiting a new contract, Cardinals don’t expect holdout situation

Arizona Cardinals wide receiver, Anquan Boldin is still awaiting the contract extension he requested last year and the Arizona Republic reports that the Cardinals are still several weeks away from seriously addressing this situation, but team says that they do expect that Boldin will show up for training camp on time.

Boldin has been requesting this contract extension since training camp last year, but he went on to gain 1,038 yards on 89 catches with eleven touchdowns in 2008, starting just eleven games due to injuries. Boldin, along with Larry Fitzgerald and Steve Breaston form arguably the best wide receiver trio in the NFL. Boldin is currently ranked No. 9 by the Bruno Boys, while Fitzgerald is ranked No. 1 and Breaston is No. 36. A training camp holdout by Boldin could alter these rankings, so make sure to check back each weeks as we updated our player rankings.

Brandon Marshall to appear in court August 13th on domestic battery charge

According to reports from the Denver Post, Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall will appear in an Atlanta courtroom on August 13th, on a domestic battery charge. If he is convicted he will likely be suspended longer then the one game he was suspended for similar charges last season, when he was not convicted.

Whether he is convicted or not, Marshall could face another suspension from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, which could make it hard for the Broncos to honor Marshall’s trade request he made earlier this off-season after the team traded quarterback Jay Cutler. Marshall who had 104 catches for 1,265 yards with six touchdowns in 2008, is the Bruno Boys No. 11 ranked wide receiver. A suspension or even a trade could affect Marshall’s ranking moving forward and you better believe the Bruno Boys will be here to keep you up-to-date.

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The overall consensus around the fantasy football world is that the first name uttered on draft day should be that of Minnesota Vikings’ running back, Adrian Peterson. In fact, I don’t know if I’ve seen this many people agree on something since the “one urinal of space between men” rule. Thus, it seems the perfect time to play a little devil’s advocate.

1. No. 3 in 2008

It does seem a bit strange that Peterson appears to be a unanimous choice for that first overall pick, despite the fact that he finished third in fantasy points among running backs last season. I mean, you’d at least think that Michael Turner and DeAngelo Williams would be in the debate, as Williams outscored Peterson by 39 points and Turner by 32. Heck, why aren’t we talking about Matt Forte as the No. 1 selection? After all, the rookie finished just eight points behind Peterson in 2008 and now has a quarterback in Jay Cutler that should help keep defenses a bit more honest.

2. 363 Carries

One of the main arguments to passing on Turner with the No. 1 pick is that the Falcons’ back carried the ball 377 times during the regular season, yet no one seems to be concerned about Peterson’s 363 rushes in 2008. I know there have been studies that have shown that few backs do well following a season in which they’ve rushed the ball 370+ times, but really, did the Vikings save Peterson’s 2009 season by not giving him seven more carries? And, if that’s the case, where do the 20 carries he got in the playoffs factor in? Do those not count? All I’m saying is that if Turner’s durability is going to be questioned because of his 2008 workload, then Peterson’s needs to be to, especially because Peterson had 167 more carries than Turner in 2007.

3. Birk bolted for Baltimore

So, the Vikings have faith in center John Sullivan. That’s great; however, it doesn’t negate the fact that they just let a six-time Pro-Bowler go to replace him with a sixth-round pick. Birk’s departure this offseason is something that’s being overlooked, but it could play a large role in Peterson falling short of the expectations that come with being the No. 1 pick.

4. All Day is All Legs

One of the things that made LT such a fantasy stud was his ability to get points both on the ground and through the air. Peterson, though, is a bit more one-dimensional as the back has just 40 receptions in his two years in the league. Granted, defenses have yet to figure out a way to stop that one-dimension, but it is at least worth thinking about.

5. The Favre Factor

While he refuses to announce his return, everyone and their mothers expect Brett Favre to be wearing the purple and gold of the Vikings next season. Everyone is also assuming the move should help Peterson as teams are more likely to respect the Vikings’ passing game with Favre, rather than Tarvaris Jackson or Sage Rosenfels, under center.

But, the addition could also have a negative impact on the Vikings’ stud running back. Yes, Favre will be more of a game manager than game changer, but with the future Hall of Famer taking snaps, the Vikings may be tempted to air things out a bit more than they have in Peterson’s first two years. Add to that the fact that Favre turns the ball over quite a bit (22 INTs in 2008), and Favre’s arrival could lead to fewer opportunities in the long run for Peterson.

Wait, did I just talk myself out of taking Peterson if I’m so lucky as to secure the first pick of any of my league’s drafts? The answer is no.

Yes, the choice isn’t so cut and dry as many would like to make it, but if given the opportunity I’m going with “All Day,” well, all day. Sure, he has question marks, but what running back in the NFL doesn’t?

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With the NFL continually making the cornerbacks job more and more difficult, teams have begun to gravitate more to the passing game. In turn, this has led to an increase in value among wide receivers in the fantasy football world.

With that being the case, it is more important than ever to pay attention to the wide receiver position battles around the league. Bruno Boys Whooley does just that, tackling ten key wide receiver battles to watch this coming preseason.

CHICAGO BEARS—Rashied Davis vs. Earl Bennett

One would think that Davis would be the favorite to come out on top in this battle. After all, he was the team’s second best wide receiver in 2008, catching 35 balls for 445 yards and two touchdowns compared to Bennett’s zero receptions.

Had the Bears not been able to acquire quarterback Jay Cutler, that’s probably how the story would have played out. But, the Bears did acquire Cutler, which is excellent news for Bennett.

You see, Cutler was Bennett’s quarterback in the wide receiver’s first year at Vanderbilt, a year that saw Bennett haul in 79 passes for 876 yards and nine touchdowns. The rapport that already exists between Bennett and the Bears’ new quarterback, combined with his skills, should be enough to propel him to the number two slot for Chicago.

CLEVELAND BROWNS—David Patten vs. Brian Robiskie vs. Mohammed Massaquoi

The battle in Cleveland is a match-up of the veteran (Patten) versus the rookies (Robiskie and Massaquoi). Now, were the Browns a contender, Patten would be the front-runner in this competition as winning teams tend to lean on experience.

However, 2008 showed the Browns are nowhere close to being a Super Bowl caliber team, which means the advantage goes to the rookies. In 2009, Cleveland will be playing more for the future than the present, and it’s Robiskie and Massaquoi who will be the ones staying around for that future. Of the two, Robiskie currently holds the edge to start opposite Braylon Edwards.

DALLAS COWBOYS—Patrick Crayton vs. Miles Austin

Patrick Crayton has had a wild ride in the fantasy football world the last couple of years. Taking over the starting spot alongside Terrell Owens in place of Terry Glenn in 2007, he posted a respectable 697 receiving yards and seven touchdowns causing many fantasy owners to jump on his bandwagon for 2008.

However, during the 2008 season, the Cowboys decided to trade for Roy Williams, once again dropping Crayton to the third wide receiver slot and limiting his opportunities. Following the year, T.O. was let go, signing with the Buffalo Bills, apparently placing Crayton back in the starting lineup.

The catch now is that he has to hold off Miles Austin, who has the favor of owner Jerry Jones. As involved as Jones is for Dallas, Wade Phillips should have the final call in this battle and based on the good things the Cowboys’ coach has said this offseason about Crayton it looks like he’ll once again be occupying the WR2 slot.

DETROIT LIONS—Bryant Johnson vs. Dennis Northcut

This one’s not so much a battle, but a clarification. With the Lions trading for Northcut, many fantasy owners have assumed that the former Jaguar will be battling it out with perennial underachiever, Bryant Johnson, for the No. 2 wide receiver slot on the Lions.

This, though, is not the case. In fact, Northcut himself has gone on record stating that the Lions acquired him to play the slot between Calvin and Bryant Johnson, going on to say, “That [the slot] has been my biggest strength through my nine years of playing in the NFL.”

The No. 2 spot is safely B.Johnson’s and with Calvin on the other side of the field, he should find plenty of single coverage in which to work against. Is 2009 the year he finally puts it all together? Probably not, but a season of 600 yards and four touchdowns.

MINNESOTA VIKINGS—Sidney Rice vs. Percy Harvin

Standing at just 5’11”, many NFL team’s questioned whether Harvin has the size needed to be a wide receiver in the NFL, causing the wideout to drop all the way to the 22nd slot in this year’s draft, despite possessing what many call top-10 talent.

Vikings head coach Brad Childress, though, is well aware of the talent the wideout possesses. In fact, the Vikings’ coach has gone as far as comparing Harvin to Peterson.

“I think the first thing I thought about was really the same feelings the first time we handed Adrian Peterson the ball,” Childress said. “When you see it with your own eyes … the thing that came to mind right away was wow.”

With an endorsement like that from the man in charge, don’t be surprised to see Harvin supplant Rice as the starter opposite Bernard Berrian.

NEW YORK GIANTS—Domenik Hixon vs. Steve Smith vs. Mario Manningham vs. Sinorice Morris vs. Hakeem Nicks

Legal troubles led to the release of Plaxico Burress. Age caught up with Amani Toomer.

Now, the Giants are left with a wide receiving corp void of big names (of course, that’s assuming you don’t confuse the Giants’ Steve Smith with the Carolina Panthers’ stud).

This should lead to a fun preseason for Giants’ fans as each youngster will try to prove their worth and earn a starting spot. Right now, the front runners are Smith for the flanker position, the role Toomer occupied, and Hixon for the split end slot, which is where Plax lined up on the field.

These assignments though are not set in stone. Smith appears to have a bit more job security as his sure hands make him an excellent possession type receiver and have already helped him earn quarterback, Eli Manning’s trust.

On the other hand, Hixon has the speed for the deep play and game breaking ability, but his skill set is very similar to that of rookie. Hakeem Nicks. This means if Hixon stumbles out the gate, Nicks could be given a chance to shine early in his NFL career.

NEW YORK JETS—Chanis Stuckey vs. David Clowney vs. Brad Smith

Catching a touchdown in each of his first three games in 2008, Stuckey quickly got the attention of fantasy owners. He recorded 10, 10, and nine fantasy points those first three games.

But, with Jerricho Cotchery, Laveranues Coles, and Dustin Keller around, Stuckey’s opportunities were limited from there on out as the wideout managed just 21 fantasy points the rest of the year.

Now, though, with Coles off to Cincinnati, fantasy owners may be looking at Stuckey with renewed interest for the 2009 season. However, prior to using a late round flier on the wide out, be sure Stuckey secures the starting split end spot for the J-E-T-S!

While he currently occupies that spot on the depth chart, Clowney and Smith are not far behind. In fact, the job may simply go to the wide out that posts the best numbers during the team’s preseason.

OAKLAND RAIDERS—Johnnie Lee Higgins vs. Chaz Schillens vs. Darrius Heyward-Bey

With Al Davis and the Raiders taking Heyward-Bey with the seventh pick of this year’s NFL draft, making him the first wide receiver off the board. With this decision, you would think the rookie would be guaranteed a starting spot.

Perhaps that guaranteed starting spot did exist, but an injured hamstring suffered by Heyward-Bey during OTAs has made it no more. Not only is the injury a concern due to the fact that Heyward-Bey relies so heavily on his speed, but it also will cost the receiver valuable on-field time in which he could be learning the ins and outs of the Raiders’ offense.

No wonder Johnnie Lee Higgins and Chaz Schillens currently reside about Heyward-Bey on the Silver and Black’s depth chart.

ST. LOUIS RAMS—Keenan Burton vs. Laurent Robinson

Torry Holt’s release was done to clear the way for the next generation of Rams’ receivers, Donnie Avery and Keenan Burton. While everything is in place for Avery to become the team’s No. 1 wideout option, Burton’s role as the No. 2 is not as concrete.

Like Heyward-Bey, Burton has been hampered by a hamstring injury this offseason. Each day that Burton is forced to miss opens the door just a tad wider for Robinson, who joined St. Louis from the Atlanta Falcons, offers the team slightly more experience. Burton should be able to hold Robinson off.

However, that’s assuming the hammy doesn’t continue to act up during the preseason.

WASHINGTON—Antwaan Randle El vs. Devin Thomas

Selected in the second round of the 2008 draft, the Redskins assumed that Thomas would challenge veteran wideout Antwaan Randle El for the team’s No. 2 wide receiver slot last season.

A hamstring injury, though, got in the way of that (beginning to notice a trend?), leaving Thomas with just 15 catches for 120 yards in 2008.

With Thomas able to participate fully in the team’s June OTAs, the team is once again betting on Thomas to supplant Randle El, allowing the team to utilize the vet in the slot, a place in which he thrives.

Will they be able to carry out that plan of action? The answer lies in Thomas’ health, which the Redskins will be monitoring quite closely this preseason. Fantasy owners should do the same.

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Another week has gone by in the preparation of what is leading up to training camp in the NFL and of course the league did not disappoint when it came to head scratching news. Some of it borders on the funny side, whereas others just make you want to scream, “What were you thinking?” Let’s jump into this weeks’ topics as I bring it to you the only way I really know how: In Bruno Boys Ziza fashion.

-The Washington Redskins selected defensive man Jeremy Jarmon out of Kentucky in the third round of the NFL Supplemental Draft this past week. He was made eligible when he failed a banned substance test, leading to his dismissal from school. Leave it to the sports world to reward someone with good money for making a bad mistake.

-Talking about mistakes, I think the Minnesota Vikings are about to make a big one if they do bring in Brett Favre at quarterback. He has opted to semi-retire in each of the past two seasons and has been talking about retirement for many seasons beyond that. He was a great quarterback back in the day, and there is no doubt in my mind that he would be an upgrade for the 2009 season, but what happens when he wants to retire once again? Tarvaris Jackson will still have very little starting experience. I am all for upgrading your team if you think it will put you over the top to win the Super Bowl. Favre does not do that for the Vikings in my mind.

-Although Denver Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall has asked for a trade, he has at least been wise about it and said that there is no way that he will hold out. That is a good thing. Beyond already being a bit banged up and needing extra time in camp, Marshall doesn’t want to go the way of Larry Johnson, Steven Jackson and fellow receiver, Javon Walker. All three have held out recently, and none have bounced back as they should. For once, something a little positive is coming out of Denver.

-This story hits a little close to home as I just lost a buddy in a firearm accident. The Steve McNair saga has taken another turn as it turns out that his mistress, Sahel Kazemi, purchased the pistol that took both of their lives from a convicted felon named Adrian Gilliam Jr. He has been charged with being a convicted felon in possession of a firearm.

This is pretty unfortunate for Gilliam as he has kept his nose clean for the past seven years and has been a model citizen and parent during that time. He had sold the gun for $100 in an attempt to get the gun out of his home. Not only are two lives ruined because of Kazemi’s psycho ways, but Gilliam will most likely be used as an example in this case. The law must remember though, people kill, not guns. Gilliam had a major lapse in using his brain, but is it really enough to ruin his life as well as his families because of it? We will find out. There should obviously be some punishment, but because of his past convictions it will probably be pretty harsh.

-If you are taking the time to browse our site, do yourself a favor and hit our forums to let us know what you think of our new and improved site.

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After finishing 4-12 in 2007, and losing nine straight games to end the season, everyone around the Chiefs franchise figured things could only get better in 2008.

Right?

Actually, that was not the case as Kansas City lost 10 of their first 11 games, and finished a disappointing 2-14 in 2008.

Due to their struggles, ownership decided to fire third-year head coach Herm Edwards and replace him with Arizona Cardinals offensive coordinator Todd Haley.

In his short stay in Kansas City, Edwards could muster only 15 wins.

Haley has spent the last 14 years as an assistant coach (his most recent stint being the offensive coordinator of the Arizona Cardinals) with four different NFL franchises, but 2009 will be his first experience as a head coach.

Look for the offensive minded coach to bring new life to a Chiefs squad that averaged just 18.2 points-per-game last season.

Despite having just two wins in ’08, and struggling to score points at a rapid pace, the Kansas City offense still had some fantasy stalwarts.

The offensive production was led by veteran tight end Tony Gonzalez.

He finished the season with the most fantasy football points at his position, and turned in eight games with at least 10 fantasy points. Unfortunately, Gonzalez was dealt in the off-season and is now a member of the Atlanta Falcons.

Another key contributor was wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. The second year wide-out performed as a WR2 and finished his breakout campaign with 86 receptions for 1,022 receiving yards and seven touchdowns.

The biggest surprise came from the quarterback position, as little known Tyler Thigpen took advantage of injuries to produce 2,994 total yards and 21 total touchdowns despite starting just 11 games.

KEY ADDITION

Matt Cassel (QB) – To think Cassel had not started a game since high school is amazing considering how he guided the Patriots to an 11-5 record after taking over for an injured Tom Brady in week 1.

Throughout the season, Cassel played like a poised veteran, and when it was all said and done he finished with 3,693 passing yards, 21 touchdowns to just 11 interceptions.

These statistics were good enough to make Cassel a top-10 fantasy quarterback in 2008, but the change of uniform to a lowly Kansas City squad could hurt his progression moving forward.

No doubt about it, this is an upgrade for the Chiefs at the quarterback position in 2009, but with Cassel having limited weapons at his disposal, don’t expect him to build on last season’s success. Still, he is a solid QB2 in all scoring formats.

KEY DEPARTURE

Tony Gonzalez (TE) – It’s amazing to think there will be an NFL season without “Touchdown Tony” sporting his Kansas City red and white, but that will be the case in 2009.

After spending his first 12 seasons with the Chiefs, Gonzalez was traded in the off-season to the Atlanta Falcons for a future draft pick.  The future Hall-of-Famer had arguably his best season of his career in 2008 (10 touchdowns), and he leaves behind 916 receptions, 10,940 receiving yards and 76 career touchdowns.

The Chiefs passing offense ranked 18th in the NFL last year, but the loss of Gonzalez will be a big burden to overcome because last year he was responsible for over 30-percent of the teams receiving yards and 40-percent of the teams receiving touchdown totals.

ROOKIE TO WATCH

Tyson Jackson (DE) – Unless you play in an individual-defensive-player (IDP) league, Jackson won’t have any fantasy football value, but he will be an immediate impact player to a Chiefs defense that had a league low 10 sacks in 2008. Jackson might not be able to help the sack totals, as he is more of a rush-stopping specialist, but he should be able to free up some room for Glenn Dorsey and the linebackers to hit the quarterback. From a fantasy standpoint, you should only consider drafting Jackson in a dynasty league or if you are a junkie and play in an IDP only league.

BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT

Larry Johnson (RB) – After back-to-back less than eye-catching seasons, all eyes are on Johnson entering 2009.

Despite rushing for just 559 yards and three touchdowns in 2007, many fantasy owners hoped for a bounce back campaign and used their second round pick on him last season.

This turned out to be a disaster of a choice as Johnson finished with just 874 rushing yards and five touchdowns while missing four games due to injury.

Even worse, over 20-percent of his production came in one game, when he torched the Broncos for 198 rushing yards and two scores. 

The fact that he is no longer considered a RB1 will alleviate some of the pressure, but if Johnson doesn’t produce this time around look for him to be on the same career path of Shaun Alexander, released and unemployed.

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Bruno Boys Fantasy Football