free fantasy football cheat sheets

BRUNO BOYS FANTASY FOOTBALL EDITORS NOTE Dear Bruno Boy Nation, To answer the great Hank Williams question, the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff is indeed ready for some football. Heck, we've been ready since the New York Giants showered in confetti after shocking the previously undefeated New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLII. And, we've been made even more ready by this off-season that has played out like an episode of Cops! Seriously, fantasy football player news reads more like a police blotter than anything else. And, this time around, it's not the Cincinnati Bengals or Adam “Pacman” Jones making headlines. Cedric Benson apparently can't operate a moving vehicle without alcohol. Hey Bear's fans, perhaps that's why he could never put it together on the field - either he was too drunk or not drunk enough when taking handoffs from Grossman. Speaking of which, if the Bruno Boys had to pick a drinking buddy for Benson from Da' Bears, Grossman would definitely be the guy. He's got frat boy written all over him. Just like he does on the field, Marshawn Lynch can take a hit while driving and keep on running. Though someone should tell Lynch, some skills are better to have in the NFL than in real life. They say what happens in Vegas, stays in Veags. Not the case for Javon Walker, who made headlines after being discovered bloodied and unconscious on a Vegas street. Though Walker was the victim of a robbery, his champagne spraying at the club and voluntary entry into a stranger’s car won't exactly please Al Davis. The list goes on and on. In fact, we're seriously considering starting an off-season fantasy football league in which you rack up points based on criminal activity. Think about it, for each DUI your guy gets, you get the same number of points that he gets on his license. After all, we need something to keep the competitive juices flowing that's football related during the offseason. The good news is that the off-season is drawing to a close, and just as spring comes and washes away the Winter, mini-camps and two-a-days are arriving to wash away this wretched off-season. Hope springs eternal (unless you're Benson, Shaun Alexander, or any of those other big names still waiting for a team to take a chance on them), and it's time for you to get back into the swing of things fantasy football wise. Don't worry, the Bruno Boys are here to help with our 2008 Pre-Season Webazine! You want player write-ups, we got 'em. In-depth team analysis, no problem. Draft tips, you're covered there, too. How about offensive line information? Yes, we have that for you as well. Oh, and cheat sheets! I mean, we wouldn't be one of the up and coming fantasy football sites on the web if we didn't have cheat sheets! So, sit back and enjoy this Fresh New Voice in Fantasy Football! All the Best, Marc Caviglia & Mike Whooley Co-Owners, Bruno Boys Fantasy Football ABOUT BRUNO BOYS FANTASY FOOTBALL Why Did We Create Bruno Boys Fantasy Football: Plain and simple, the answer to this question is our pure love for fantasy football and our desire to help others discover this great game and attain valuable information that will help even beginners excel in their respective leagues. Fantasy Football is something we have been involved in since 1996, when we were only in 7th grade. It was then that we began the WCFL (the West Coast Football League) with just four members. It was also a time in which fantasy football was in its stone age. Scoring had to be done manually by looking at box scores in the newspaper and information had to be gathered by watching SportsCenter or by reading the Sports Section. In the 12 years that we have run our league, we have seen fantasy football grow and grow. Leagues offered by sites like RotoHog allow you to challenge literally thousands of other fantasy football fanatics; businesses like Commish Kit make a living on selling Draft Boards; fantasy football sites now process scoring live; fantasy football advice sites can be found all over the world wide web in multiple languages; and Screaming Sports allows you to use their fantasy dashboard to manage the absurd number of teams you own. And, in seeing all this, we wondered why not get even more involved with this glorious game? After all, we, too, have been a part of this since its humbler beginnings. Each year we research and research during the off-season in the hopes of drafting a championship team, something at which we've been quite successful. We watch preseason games to see how sleepers perform. And, during the year, we check on NFL news more than we check our e-mail, in the hopes of securing an advantage week to week. To sum it all up, we know our stuff! So, we set out and created Bruno Boys Fantasy Football, a website that allows us to share our knowledge with you. For three years, we have sought to provide you with the best fantasy football advice out there, but this off-season it got even better as we joined forces with Screaming Sports, allowing us to not just provide you with fantasy advice, but with the best fantasy football experience possible. Screaming Sports has the fantasy dashboard that will make managing your teams as easy as pie. The Bruno Boys have the advice you’ll need to PROPERLY manage each and every one of those squads. It is in essence the joining of two titans! What Does Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Have to Offer: In creating Bruno Boys Fantasy Football, we sought to be a fresh new voice in the world of fantasy football. Yes, we cover the basics and include all the types of articles that you have come to expect from a fantasy football website– preseason cheat sheets, weekly rankings and articles divulging who one should start and bench based on match-ups, injury reports, waiver wire articles, and so forth. But, we know that that isn’t enough. Sometimes the question you have isn’t answered in the articles we have written, thus we provide you with a forum to ask your personal questions, produce question and answer articles, and conduct live chats with our viewers so that we can give you the exact advice you need. Lastly, for those of you, who like fantasy football but don’t particularly enjoy reading, we have Podcasts that provide you with key information. We also bring a little more personality to our site. As of right now, the Bruno Boys staff is a collection of people from all walks of life. Each of whom will be submitting their own articles that will allow their separate personalities to shine through (years of a league message board has definitely allowed each to find their own niches). While these articles are a bit more fun to read, they still contain serious information that you as a fantasy player can use. Essentially, Bruno Boys Fantasy Football teaches one about the ins & outs of fantasy football, helps you win your leagues, entertains and makes the game fun. In all, we have made a site that we, ourselves, with our high standards that have emerged from playing 12 years of fantasy football, deem worthy of viewing. BRUNO BOYS FANTASY FOOTBALL OWNERS MARC CAVIGLIA CO-OWNER & CO-CREATOR MIKE WHOOLEY CO-OWNER & CO-CREATOR Marc Caviglia resides in San Bruno, California, hence the name "Bruno Boys Fantasy Football." Apart from his two year hiatus, in which he moved to Hawaii, Marc has called the city of San Bruno home for over 23 years. A graduate of University of Hawaii- Hilo, Marc lettered on the Vulcans Baseball Team. Although baseball is his sport of trade, football, preferably fantasy football, is the sport he enjoys analyzing and writing about. Marc started playing fantasy football at the age of 10, winning his mom's competitive work league, and he has been hooked since. In 1996, he started the West Coast Football League (WCFL), which he won for the third time in 2007. Entering its 12th season, the WCFL has turned into one of the most competitive fantasy football leagues on the net. Sick of buying outdated fantasy football magazines, and having his knowledge for crunching numbers going to waste, Marc decided to join forces with lifelong friend Mike Whooley to form Bruno Boys Fantasy Football. Since starting the Bruno Boys, Marc has appeared weekly on Sports Radio 1310 AM in New Mexico, and he currently runs a weekly fantasy football segment with ex-NFL quarterback Dave Ragone & Rob Gidel on 93.9 FM “The Ticket”, Louisville, Kentucky's new ESPN Radio (formerly known as 1570 "The Zone".) Marc is also the host of a weekly Bruno Boys Fantasy Football podcast with Whooley and the rest of the Bruno Boys staff. Caviglia's 2008 Fantasy Football Tip: Marc said it in 2007 and he will say it again in 2008. He believes that you can win your fantasy football league on draft day. If you prepare yourself and stick to your game plan on draft day, you shouldn’t need to hoard the waiver wire every week. The ones who prepare to succeed are going to succeed. Good Luck in 2008! Mike Whooley lives in the happiest place on Earth. No, not Disneyland; rather that beautiful city known as San Bruno in the wondrous state of California. A graduate of Providence College in Rhode Island, Michael has also done his time on the East Coast and has come to the conclusion that the West Coast truly is the Best Coast. Seriously, who needs snow? Michael emerged from his mother's womb decked in the red and gold of his beloved San Francisco 49ers. Growing up in the Bay Area in the late 80s and early 90s, Michael was spoiled and got to enjoy some of the best football any team has ever played (not just opinion, but a fact as solid as the fact that the male seahorse has the babies - look it up!) Trips to Candlestick Park to see the 49ers with his grandma were frequent occurrences. High school athletics, college intramurals, Rec leagues, a 4 year gig as a Sports Talk Show Host on WDOM 91.3 FM Providence College Radio, and an internship for the Sports Department at ABC 6 (WLNE TV) in Providence Rhode Island are just a few of the ways that Michael has involved himself with sports. However, these all pale in comparison to his role with Bruno Boys Fantasy Football. An avid player of fantasy football since the 7th grade, Michael, in 2005 along with Marc Caviglia, decided to use his vast fantasy football knowledge to do some good in the world and inform all those lost souls who needed guidance when it came to their fantasy football squads, and out of nothing, came what you know today as Bruno Boys Fantasy Football. Whooley's 2008 Fantasy Football Tip: Don't let a down year by Steven Jackson of the St. Louis Rams cause you to pass on this dynamic back. Even without Orlando Pace clearing his path in 2007, Jackson was able to tally 12.5 fantasy points in each game he was actually on the field for. Expect that number to increase in 2008, and for Jackson to once again be a beast. BRUNO BOYS FANTASY FOOTBALL STAFF CORY STEGER – STAFF WRITER Cory Steger has a considerable amount of journalism experience. He majored in sports communication and journalism at Indiana University. During his time there, he worked as a sports staff writer for the Indiana Daily Student for three years. Most recently recently, Cory has been working as a sports writer for This Week Community Newspapers in Columbus, Ohio. Cory adds considerable experience to Bruno Boys Fantasy Football as he is the longest tenured staff writer. He has been involved in fantasy sports and longest-tenured in particular fantasy football for a decade. He has been a staff writer with Bruno Boys Fantasy Football for three years now and as has been a professional sportswriter for six years total. Some might say Cory has an addiction to fantasy sports as he also participates in fantasy baseball, fantasy basketball fantasy hockey and fantasy football - the English kind. basketball, Steger's 2008 Fantasy Football Tip: Cory encourages readers to embrace trading in fantasy football Players of value do you football. no good when you have them benched, so use valuable backups to fill holes in your starting lineup. CHRIS ZIZA – STAFF WRITER Husband and father of two beautiful baby daughters, Chris Ziza is originally from Detroit but now, calls Reno, Nevada home. Ziza has been an active fantasy player since 1990, stating that he loves fantasy football more than any other fantasy sport because most of the action takes place during a 6 6-hour period on Sunday afternoons, a period Ziza refers to as "heaven on y earth." Ziza has written about sports for the past five years, including a stint at the Most Valuable Network, where he wrote about the Detroit Tigers, Lions and Pistons. The Most Valuable Network is also where Ziza joined forces with Bruno Boys Fantasy Football, writing for the site all of the 2007 season. Ziza enjoys the work he does for Bruno Boys Fantasy Football very , much and would have to say the best part of it all is being able to communicate with you, the Fantasy Football fan, and he urges all of you to continue to come on back and interact on the site. Ziza's 2008 Fantasy Football Tip: The one thing heading into the 2008 season that Ziza would suggest you do is to prepare very well for your draft, an area in which Bruno Boys Fantasy Football can aid you tremendously. JOEL STUBBLEFIELD – STAFF WRITER Joel Stubblefield hails from Winston-Salem, North Carolina He has since moved to Charlotte, and is currently attending the Salem, Carolina. University of North Carolina at Charlotte, obtaining his MBA in Sports Marketing and Management. Stubblefield got a late start on fantasy football, as it wasn't until good friend and current Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff writer, Jesse Burkhart, , introduced him to fantasy football during his junior year of college. He remembers his first draft like it was yesterday. Fred Taylor was his first selection with the 10th overall pick. As for writing, Joel spent his undergraduate years as an opinion/sports iting, writer for the Campus Chronicle at High Point University. Now he brings his talents and years of experience to the Bruno Boys in hopes of making the site one of the preeminent sources of fantasy football knowledge on the internet, which thanks to Al Gore, is now available to us all. Stubblefield's 2008 Fantasy Football Tip: Think outside the box when you are drafting your fantasy football squad. You should always consider the talented, on-the-rise player instead of the aging, over-the-hill ones. rise JESSE BURKHART – STAFF WRITER Jesse Burkhart currently resides in Durham, North Carolina and attends the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a senior Journalism major. He presently works as an Editorial Intern with Baseball America. Jesse started playing fantasy football when he was 13 years old, well before it assumed a place in the American sporting consciousness as it has today. A data-driven person who cherishes his Sundays and Monday nights on the couch, fantasy football was a natural fit for Jesse's personality. atural Now, he is obliged to share what he has learned in his nine seasons of experience, and he has been doing so since joining Bruno Boys Fantasy Football as a Staff Writer in March of 2007. Burkhart's 2008 Fantasy Football Tip: His tip to readers this year is for all fantasy football owners to play in the Bruno Boys/RotoHog league this upcoming season. He claims that your cred credibility will never be of the street variety until you do so. OFFENSIVE LINE BREAKDOWN: RISK & REWARDS I’m 5’3” on a good day. So when I met my buddy Joe a few years ago, an ex-offensive lineman from a DIII school, I was suitably intimidated by his more formidable size. I can only imagine how I’d feel chatting up 6’9”, 345-lb Jonathan Ogden. But these guys better be formidable – in fact, downright frightening is what I really want from my offensive line. O-lines are the secret weapon that can make or break so many teams and on the fantasy front, details on the o-line can inform fantasy players about the risks and rewards of drafting running backs and quarterbacks. And with such a deep offensive line class with this year’s NFL rookies (eight offensive linemen were taken in the 1st round of the NFL draft), I thought it was time that an o-line assessment becomes more of a tool for fantasy football players. Fortunately, there are a slew of offensive line rankings out there for your perusal, but what exactly does that mean for your fantasy football draft? I’ve taken a look at some of the bigger risks and rewards that you might find in 2008, all thanks to the offensive line. ABOUT THE FANTASY FOOTBALL LIBRARIAN By day Sara Holladay is a librarian at the University of Colorado at Boulder, but by night she's the Fantasy Football Librarian. The FF Librarian (www.fflibrarian.com) is a blog she started in September 2006 to help fantasy football players find all the info and resources they need. Her work has appeared in the New York Times Fifth Down blog and Sports Grumblings. Living in Boulder, Colorado, it's hard not to be a Denver Broncos fan but she also has a soft spot for the Washington Redskins as a Washington native. This will be Sara's first year as a guest contributor to the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff. You can check out her weekly column on the Bruno Boys website by visiting www.brunoboys.net. OFFENSIVE LINE FANTASY FOOTBALL RISKS NFL TEAM Pittsburgh Steelers OFFENSIVE LINE MOVEMENT Lost Alan Faneca, added Justin Hartwig and drafted Tony Hills. Marvel Smith had back surgery in the off-season. WHO DOES THIS IMPACT? Willie Parker. This situation in Pittsburgh makes me nervous; despite Big Ben’s solid performance last year, the high number of sacks per pass attempt and low number of TDs per carry in 2007 give me cause for concern for the running game in particular. Then again perhaps it’s that whole Rashard Mendenhall acquisition and RBBC potential that make me most nervous about Parker. Okay, I’m certainly not advising you to avoid drafting Adrian Peterson (but I do love having his name under a “fantasy risk” category purely for the angst and furor of it all), but if McKinnie is suspended for a few games as expected, then temper your expectations of AP in the first few games with this beastly left tackle out… Sorry Skins fans, but you have an ancient o-line. Clearly the Redskins have been more inclined to draft those big name players than add some youth to their oline (or defense for that matter…). I fear for Jason Campbell in particular should they lose any of the line to injuries again this year. I think Clinton Portis is such a gamer that I don’t worry about him as much…but Campbell coming back from an injury with such a shaky o-line is a dicey situation to be in. Minnesota Vikings Bryant McKinnie was involved in an off-thefield incident that may lead to a suspension of 2-4 games. This should be monitored throughout the offseason, as the league should make a decision during that time. The o-line just kept getting older and has been injury prone. However, they did draft rookie Chad Rinehart to add youth. Washington Redskins OFFENSIVE LINE BREAKDOWN: RISK & REWARDS OFFENSIVE LINE FANTASY FOOTBALL REWARDS NFL TEAM New York Jets Denver Broncos OFFENSIVE LINE MOVEMENT Acquired Alan Faneca, Damien Woody and while not an o-line change, they acquired fullback line Tony Richardson from the Vikings. Matt Lepsis retired and brought in Casey Wiegmann . Tom Nalen and Ben Hamilton return from injuries. Drafted Ryan Clady and Kory Lichtensteiger Lichtensteiger. WHO DOES THIS IMPACT Thomas Jones; with Faneca’s skills mostly in the run ; block arena and with so much uncertainty at QB, Jones should be seeing a bundle of carries. Jay Cutler, Selvin Young and let’s stretch this one all the way to Brandon Marshall too. With more Marshall, protection time for Cutler, I see the Broncos’ #1 WR with more time to get downfield for some sweet long passes. Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor, but also potential 2008 surprise stud David Garrard. LT. A no brainer, right? Throw in basically one of the easiest schedules from a rushi standpoint (the rushing Chargers face many of the league’s weakest run defenses), and you have every possible reason to draft very LaDainian Tomlinson. Ronnie Brown and that’s about it This team really can only get better from here, and while I do think they may have a surprisingly good year, I wouldn’t gamble on anyone but Brown until the pass protection in particular develops a little more. And some of you might be wondering about Ricky Williams – I don’t ering see him as much of a risk for taking carries from Ronnie Brown. Keep in mind that once Ricky Williams was reinstated last November, it only took 6 plays before he was injured; some might call him undervalued, but this librarian calls him damn lucky to ibrarian still be playing. Draft him at your own peril. Jacksonville Jaguars San Diego Chargers Not much, this is exactly why you should pay attention to them. Will start the same five starters who were in for the final games of the 2007 season, who on average are 27-years-old; that’s one of the old; youngest averages in the league. Added Justin Smiley. Drafted rookies Jake Long, Shawn Murphy and , Donald Thomas. Miami Dolphins Article contributed by Sara Holladay from Fantasy Football Librarian HOW TO PREPARE FOR YOUR LEAGUES DRAFT 1. Keep the Bruno Boys Website Handy! Nowadays, with rising gas prices, economy struggles, and your wife (husband) nagging at you, it is hard to find great, affordable advice regarding fantasy football. We offer things that you have to pay hefty prices to get at other sites. New articles constantly added to the site, free draft guide and player rankings, an in-depth message board full of daily advice, as well up to the minute player news. The Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff offers a multitude of great experience, knowledge and insight for nothing more than wanting to deliver you a division title and championship THIS YEAR! 2. Know your leagues point system! It is SO unbelievably important to know your leagues point system! You need to identify if you are in a league that is Traditional Scoring league, or a Points Per Reception (PPR) league. So make sure that you know your leagues point system and that you have your players ranked accordingly! This has such a profound effect on a player’s value and your team’s future that we can’t stress it enough! If you are unsure of where to rank a certain player, simply read through the rest of the Bruno Boys Webazine for more insight. 3. Come Prepared and Organized to your leagues draft! There is nothing more comedic than someone sifting vigorously through pages, trying to compare three different players as the draft clock winds down to zero! It is very easy to avoid this situation. First, make sure that you have the essentials in front of you, and that does not include beer and pretzels! Have a copy of the Bruno Boys Webazine handy so that you can refer to for bye weeks as well as advice, but other than that, bring a notebook (one that easily conceals so other owners can’t read your notes), a hi-lighter and 2 pens (in case one runs out). This will allow you to take notes on players that you want to target in the next few rounds and hi-light (or cross off) what your opponents and you have already filled on their team. 4. Keep track of each owner’s roster! Just because we recommend that you write down your roster, it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t be keeping tabs on who the other owners in your league have drafted. Make a sheet that allows you to write down the roster for every owner in your league. This will help you determine if you should reach on a certain position or not. For example, if you are in a 10 team league and you are the only person who still needs a quarterback, this will help you realize that you can wait a few rounds and bulk up at other positions, instead of grabbing the 10th best quarterback option. 5. Know the Bye Weeks and keep track of Injured Players! Just admit it; you do not want to be the man drafting what you hope to be a building block of your team and end up being the laughing stock of the draft, because you drafted the guy who got hurt during the preseason. Plus, wasting a valuable draft pick on an injured player can really hinder your chances of winning your leagues fantasy football championship. As for bye-weeks, don’t place so much emphasis on making sure your bye weeks are spread out if you are getting great value for you pick. After all, a loss is only a loss. Look at it this way, if you have a few core players on a bye at the same time, that’s 16 potential weeks that all your guns play on the same day. This doesn’t mean to draft your team around one specific bye week, but never, EVER, pass on better talent to try and beat the bye-week sorrows! 6. Have fun and relax! The draft is what the Bruno Boys like to call a preseason football party, so instead of being uptight, just relax, be yourself and most of all have fun. If you come to the draft prepared, be confident in your choices, and if you don’t get the guy that you were targeting, go to plan B! In summary, no one ever drafts a team full of studs. Come prepared, stay in the right mind and body frame, know your league’s point system and rely on the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football as your bigger brother. We promise this will lead to a great showing throughout the 2008 season! HOW “NOT” TO PREPARE FOR YOUR LEAGUES DRAFT 1. Do not overrate your local star players! Perhaps the biggest sin on draft day is drafting with your heart over your head. But, year in and year out, the Bruno Boys se see people reach for their favorite players a round or two ahead of where they should go. Remember, football and fantasy football are two different things. Even if you don’t have one local star on your fantasy team, it does not mean that you won’t be rooting for them every Sunday! Separate the two! 2. Stay away from rookie Quarterbacks! While running backs and wide receivers can come into the NFL and have an immediate impact, it is a rarity that a rookie quarterback excels their first go around. There is so much to learn and adjust to in the NFL, that even if given the starting gig right out of the gate, a rookie QB will be hard pressed to perform the same way a veteran will. You are trying to vie for a pressed fantasy football championship, so fill out your starting lineup with as few question marks as you possibly can! We all know Matt Ryan and Joe Flacco will get their opportunity at some point during the season, but don’t be the guy who takes a gambles point on them just because their rookies. 3. Do not go into the draft unprepared! Don’t be the guy thinking that knowing the top 10 at every position is good enough and that you’ll wing the rest of the draft. That strategy is rarely successful and often leads to terrible pick after terrible pick. If you want to just gamble, play the lottery or head to Vegas. Instead, have your mock lists, your cheat sheets, your impact rookies and key veterans co coming off of injury, all ready to go. Doing that will get you tremendous value in the later rounds, while your buddies just pi names to fill their pick roster. 4. Do not get overly intoxicated! Drafting in person, year after year, the Bruno Boys know the typical draft scene is flowing with alcohol. We advise you not t to be a fool. Don’t get so intoxicated that you’re drafting Michael Vick as your starting QB! It’s a waste! Yes, the draft is me meant to be a great time, but make it a great time by drafting a stellar squad and then celebrating with your beers afterwards. By doing it this way, you get to enjoy the rest of your night knowing that you drafted a contender heading into 2008. We recommend you keep a steady pace throughout the draft, and save the shots for the after party. 5. Do not leave the draft thinking that you don’t have to upgrade! You may play in a league with the 11 worst alcoholics this side of the Mississippi, but odds are your tea can get better, so team don’t settle in and get comfy. Scour the guys not drafted and create a watch list of possible guys you’d like to pick up as t the year marches on. Track their stats just as you do your squad’s, and if you see one of those waiver wire guy outperforming the guys guy holding your roster spot, make a move. If you need help spotting your biggest weaknesses, just remember the Bruno Boys are here to help. Every Monday night throughout the season, the Bruno Boys will provide you with an in in-depth weekly waiver wire report NINE UNDERVALUED PLAYERS HEADING INTO 2008 At some point in your draft, you’re going to say, “DAMN! I totally forgot about him.” Being prepared prior to going into your draft is key, but you all ready know that! You’re looking for something a little more. You want someone to point out clearly why you should take that key skilled position one round earlier than your competition so when you win it all every owner in your league thinks you’re a genius Look no further than these key skilled players that are flying under the radar in many “Expert” mock drafts. I (Paul Greco) believe that at the end of the season, when you look at these players stats, they’ll perform a lot better than their average draft position. Here are your NINE players that will be.... PAUL GRECO – OWNER, MELNICK AND GRECO FANTASY SPORTS “Flying Under the Radar” come 2008! QB Marc Bulger (STL) – I see a turnaround season for Bulger while many of the other “Experts” don’t for some reason. Offensive tackle, Orlando Pace should be healthy for the ’08 season which makes Bulger’s backside happy. Also, the running game of Steven Jackson will return. No longer will we see seasons of 4,000+ yards from Bulger, but I think 3500+ is respectable. The loss of Isaac Bruce will hurt a little, but let’s be honest here, he was on the downside of his career and really wasn’t making plays for the Rams offense. Torry Holt is still the man, and we all know what he can do. If the Rams can incorporate Randy McMichael a little more into the offense it should open the field more, and allow Bulger to check down to Jackson. I like Bulger this year, I see a big comeback for him, and he’s my Comeback Player of the Year in ’08 at the quarterback position. 1 . 2 QB Philip Rivers (SD) – This is another quarterback that doesn’t get the Fantasy Owners respect for some reason. After looking over some other “Experts” rankings, Rivers was as high as 20…20, are you kidding me? Here’s a guy who’s played in 32 consecutive regular season games, arguably has the best running back and tight end in the game as weapons, but still gets no love. Well Phillip Rivers, I love you man. I love what you bring to the table and the fact that he has AWESOME weapons around him, makes him that much more appealing to me. We at Melnick and Greco Fantasy Sports feel that Rivers is a great pick in every league and when it is all said and done will outperform quarterbacks who are garnering all of the attention during the preseason. . QB Alex Smith (SF) – Alex Smith meet Mike Martz, you know the guy who helped Jon Kitna pass for more than 4,000 yards the last two years. If you can’t succeed in this offense you should be working right next to Ryan Leaf at the local burger joint. This is a make or break year for Smith. With the additions of Isaac Bruce and Bryant Johnson to go along with up and coming tight end Vernon Davis, the pieces are in place to make Smith succeed. The big question is can Smith beat out Shaun Hill who is knocking on the door? I think so, and I think that Smith could be one of those nice sleepers that you pick late in the draft as your second quarterback and reap the benefits of the “Martz System”. It should be exciting to see how Smith turns the corner with a proven offensive coordinator, because if you remember in 2006 Smith started to excel under then OF Norv Turner. 3 . NINE UNDERVALUED PLAYERS HEADING INTO 2008 4 6 8 RB Matt Forte (CHI) – The former Tulane standout is quickly moving up the RB rankings. Not many Fantasy owners know much about him, so if your draft is early this is a guy you can sneak onto your team in the middle to late rounds. At 6’2’’, 220 lbs, Forte is a guy who can handle the rock for 20+ carries a game. Over his last eight games at Tulane, the bruising back averaged 202.3 yards per game. The kid can also catch the ball out of the backfield, which should help Points Per Reception league owners. If Forte holds off Adrian Peterson (Chi), which he should, he should enjoy an excellent rookie campaign and garner rookie of the year consideration . Thinking that losing weight would make him a better runner, Johnson suffered through his worst season as a pro. Now, Johnson is back to his 2006 weight, and look for a dramatic improvement in his Fantasy numbers. Although Johnson is a reliable running back, Kenny Watson and Chris Perry should see significant time in the backfield. Johnson is still a decent RB2, and should be selected in the middle rounds. RB Rudi Johnson (CIN) – 2007 was an awful year for Rudi Johnson. 5 7 9 . RB Kevin Smith (DET) – Smith's major competition in Detroit is Tatum Bell, which isn't saying much. Coming off an NCAA record for careers in a season (450), Smith has shown he's durable and take a beating. In your Points Per Reception (PPR) leagues, Smith has the highest selling for rookie running backs. With great hands out of the back field, if Smith doesn't win the job right away in Detroit, he'll be handling passing and third down situations. . WR Laurent Robinson (ATL) – Many of you reading this right now are probably like, “WHO”? This is Understandable! After a great minicamp in April, Robinson has taken over the #2 wide receiver spot in Atlanta. That may not mean much right now since the Falcons haven’t named a starting quarterback, but the fact of the matter is, this guy has the talent and could close in on 1,000 receiving yards. And it this happens, he potentially can work his way into a decent WR3 or flex player for your fantasy football team. . . Torry Holt is the man in St. Louis, but Marc Bulger can’t throw his way every time. Bennett will see plenty of balls thrown his way, especially in the red-zone. With Tory Holt consistently drawing double teams, look for Drew to bust free, and slowly become a favorite target of Bulger. Plus, with the Rams back to full strength on offense, they should be able to score at a rapid pace in the weak NFC West, and Bennett will be the one benefiting from this. WR Drew Bennett (STL) – Bye-bye Bruce, hello 6’5” Drew Bennett. I (Paul Greco) have a feeling that Rice will finish the season as a top 30 wide receiver. With decent numbers a year ago (396 receiving yards, 4 TD’s), I think Rice and Tavaris Jackson will form a bond, and will be a great tandem. Bernard Berrian is listed as the Vikings #1 wide receiver, which is good news because he’ll draw the double teams, allowing Rice to have one-on-one coverage. You should be able to get him in the later rounds, but if Rice continues to progress, he will produce at the rate of a sixth rounder for your fantasy football team. WR Sidney Rice (MIN) – Fall in love with this guy and you won’t regret it. . Article contributed by Paul Greco from Melnick and Greco Fantasy Sports BREAKING DOWN THE FANTASY FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS “Playoffs?!?! Don’t talk about, playoffs! You kidding me?!?!?! PLAYOFFS?!?!” Yes Jim Mora, were talking about playoffs, the most rewarding, and, conversely, heartbreaking time of the fantasy football season. A time where bragging rights are earned and dreams are crushed. A time where marriages are in jeopardy, trophies are won, and egos are deflated. That’s why, folks, week 14, 15 and 16 of the regular season should be considered when drafting your team. Real quick, by a show of virtual hands, how many of you have literally flipped a coin to determine between two players? Now how many of you have asked the notoriously doomed manager in your league—year in and year out each of their top 3 picks are injured by week 3—for their preference, and took the complete opposite? Ladies and gentlemen, this is the MOST inefficient way to draft your team. From this day forward, I want you to keep the quarter in your pocket. I want you to refrain from relying on your opponents past misfortunes. Instead, I want you to check your league rules to determine when playoffs start and end. Originally from Edison, N.J, this proud USAF veteran, dedicated husband, and loving father now resides in Charleston, South Carolina. As a supervisor in the military from 2000-2006, Will mentored and helped guide young active duty troops to a successful future. As a guest member of the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football team, Will fills that void by providing insight that will guide you all down a similar path, success in your fantasy football leagues. This will be Will’s first year as a guest contributor to the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff. Make sure to check out www.brunoboys.net on a regular basis to read about what Kearns has to say about happenings around the NFL. ABOUT BRUNO BOYS GUEST COLUMNIST – WILL KEARNS First and foremost, if your league finals occur during week 17, I have two suggestions: You can demand that the commissioner starts the playoff schedule a week earlier or take the easy route and get out of that league as fast as you can. Nothing is more depressing than seeing your entire starting roster benched after the first quarter, especially when your fantasy football life is hanging in the balance. With that being said, the following should be highly considered when deciding between two players that you value equally. During your fantasy playoffs, there are two crucial elements that can handicap a player’s fantasy value. The first element we’ll discuss is weather conditions. Granted, it is impossible to forecast the weather four months from now; however, it is feasible to make an educated guess on the probability of horrible weather. For example, in week 15 of the 2007 season, how many of you started Tom Brady? Anyone? Anyone?!?! To the dismay of many, I didn’t. Why on earth would I bench the 2007 fantasy MVP during the most crucial part of the season? For the love of everything holy, why would I not start a guy who single-handedly outscored 90% of my opponents? I’ll tell you why, because it was mid-December and New England was playing at home. In the end, my “planning ahead” paid off as Brady threw for a whopping 140 yards and not a single TD amidst a 20 inch snow storm. Over the years I’ve learned a valuable lesson: if I select a QB or WR that does not play in a dome, or their stadium/opponents stadium is located north of Edison, NJ, I make sure that my backups are playing in comfortable weather. It’s really that simple. Please understand that in no way, shape, or form am I telling you to downplay Brady’s value, nor am I advising you to sit him during your fantasy playoffs. I am simply suggesting that you should draft a legit backup who has a favorable playoff schedule, both in environment and defensive match-up. By doing this, you give yourself a viable option if the blizzard does in fact hit. It’s called preparing ahead to achieve success down the road. Remember, I am not suggesting that you draft your entire team based off playoff weeks and their match-ups, however, providing insight that will help you pick between two players you value equally. BREAKING DOWN THE FANTASY FOOTBALL PLAYOFFS The other crucial element that can hinder your stud’s performance is the defense they are matched up against. I can’t stress enough the importance of this element and am flabbergasted that managers don’t foresee it as being important on draft day. How many times have you seen your top-seeded teams get knocked out in the first round because their match-ups were horrible? Countless, that’s how many. Isn’t THAT what fantasy football is ultimately about? Yeah, yeah, there’s that whole “camaraderie” and “moral boosting” aspect, sure, but the only ones who claim “camaraderie” as their reasoning to play are the ones who never make the playoffs. From the words of Herm Edwards, “You play to win the game. HELLO?!?! YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!!! You don’t play it to just play it!” Let’s be honest for a second, it all boils down to the bobble head trophy that you will proudly display at work or at home. It’s all about the privilege to name next year’s team as, “The Champ is Here”. If you want to earn that privilege, I advise you review the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football tier 6 and 7 defensive rankings (page 66) and determine if the player you covet plays these teams during your league’s playoff schedule. You may be thinking to yourself, “what if the defensive match-up is in the players favor but they’re playing in Buffalo at the end of December?” If that is the case, then you need to decide which will hamper your player’s performance the most. Is it the possibility of bad-weather conditions or the predicted caliber of the opposing defense for that specific week? Personally, I value defensive match-ups over weather forecasts; however, a legitimate argument can be made for both. Again, I am simply providing you with material that will allow you to make an educated guess. And an educated guess is much more efficient than most of your previous determining factors (flipping a coin and/or taking advice from your opponents.) Lastly, remember that Snow, Ice, and/or high winds will handicap quarterbacks and wide receivers, but bolster the potential of running backs. FAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS WEEK 14 Oakland Raiders @ San Diego Chargers Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions Cincinnati Bengals @ Indianapolis Colts Atlanta Falcons @ New Orleans Saints Cleveland Browns @ Tennessee Titans New York Jets @San Francisco 49ers St. Louis Rams @Arizona Cardinals Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Carolina Panthers UNFAVORABLE WEATHER CONDITIONS WEEK 14 Washington Redskins @ Baltimore Ravens Jacksonville Jaguars @ Chicago Bears Houston Texans @ Green Bay Packers Philadelphia Eagles @ New York Giants Miami Dolphins @ Buffalo Bills Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos Dallas Cowboys @ Pittsburgh Steelers New England Patriots @ Seattle Seahawks DOME TEAMS Atlanta Falcons Houston Texans New Orleans Saints St. Louis Rams Detroit Lions Minnesota Vikings Arizona Cardinals Indianapolis Colts WEEK 15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Atlanta Falcons Denver Broncos @ Carolina Panthers Tennessee Titans @ Houston Texans Detroit Lions @ Indianapolis Colts Green Bay Packers @ Jacksonville Jaguars San Francisco 49ers @ Miami Dolphins Seattle Seahawks @ St. Louis Rams Minnesota Vikings @ Arizona Cardinals New England Patriots @ Oakland Raiders New York Giants @ Dallas Cowboys WEEK 15 New Orleans Saints @ Chicago Bears Pittsburgh Steelers @ Baltimore Ravens Washington Redskins @ Cincinnati Bengals San Diego Chargers @ Kansas City Chiefs Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets Cleveland Browns @ Philadelphia Eagles WEEK 16 Cincinnati Bengals @ Cleveland Browns Miami Dolphins @ Kansas City Chiefs Arizona Cardinals @ New England Patriots Carolina Panthers @ New York Giants Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins Buffalo Bills @ Denver Broncos New York Jets @ Seattle Seahawks Green Bay Packers @ Chicago Bears WEEK 16 Indianapolis Colts @ Jacksonville Jaguars Baltimore Ravens @ Dallas Cowboys New Orleans Saints @ Detroit Lions Atlanta Falcons @ Minnesota Vikings San Francisco 49ers @ St. Louis Rams Pittsburgh Steelers @ Tennessee Titans Houston Texans @ Oakland Raiders San Diego Chargers @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2008 BRUNO BOYS QUARTERBACK RANKINGS BY: CORY STEGER Entering last season, Indianapolis Colts’ quarterback, Peyton Manning, was rated as the top player at his position without much question. It didn’t take long for New England Patriots’ quarterback, Tom Brady, to dethrone Manning as Brady led his team to a perfect regular season en route to setting the single season passing touchdown season record. Now, Brady enters the 2008 season as the top quarterback with Manning looking up at him from the second spot, chomping at the bit to reclaim the throne. The battle for the top spot is only one of what will be numerous developments to watch from the quarterback position this season. For some quarterbacks, such as Jason Campbell, back Matt Leinart, Vince Young and Matt Schaub, it’s time to take the next step. For others, such as Donovan McNabb, Jeff Garcia and Marc Bulger, the season represents a chance for the quarterbacks to prove they still can play with quarterbacks the best of them. Additionally, there are new starters in Green Bay (Aaron Rodgers), New York (Kellen Clemens), Oakland (JaMarcus Russell) and Atlanta (Matt Ryan). Out of all the quarterbacks, some are destined for breakout seasons, while others are headed for lackluster years. Take a look at the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football 2008 Quarterback Rankings to find out how all the quarterbacks stack up going into this season season. way for Brady to sustain that pace over the course of two seasons, as defenses will put an emphasis on defending the pass from the start of the season. Still, Brady could throw 10 fewer son. touchdowns than he did last year and that would still be an incredible season. ______________________________________________ ________________________________________ 2. Peyton Manning – Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 4) Manning may have been usurped by Brady as the top quarterback but that still doesn’t undermine what the Colts quarterback did last year. Manning threw for 4,040 yards, 31 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. While the interception amount was at its highest since 2002, part of that can be attributed to Manning having to play most of the season without his favorite target in Marvin Harrison, who missed a total of 11 games due to injury. Manning looks set to have another great season this year as almost everybody returns on offense. Harrison, Reggie Wayne, Anthony Gonzalez and Dallas Clark form one of the league’s ark deadliest receiving corps, while Joseph Addai mans one of the dliest stronger running games in the league. Altogether, the Colts have ning one of the best offenses led by one of the best and most consistent quarterbacks in the history of the game. The only thing going against Manning and Indianapolis is the schedule as the Colts have just three games against teams with losing hree records in ’07. Still, great players get it done against good teams, and Manning should hold true to that in 2008. RANKINGS ARE BASED ON STANDARD SCORING: PASS TD: 4 POINTS RUSH TD: 6 POINTS RECEIVING TD: 6 POINTS ALL OTHER TD’S: 6 POINTS RANKINGS ARE BASED ON STANDARD SCORING: 25 PASS YARDS: 1 POINT 10 RUSH YARDS: 1 POINT 10 REC. YARDS: 1 POINT ALL TURNOVERS: - 2 POINTS 1. Tom Brady – New England Patriots (Bye: 4) Not only was Brady at the top of his game last season, he had the best season by an NFL quarterback in the history of the league. Brady threw for 4,809 yards, 50 touchdowns and just eight interceptions last year, and he made it look easy. Easily forgotten though is that Brady set career highs in completion percentage (68.9), quarterback rating (117.2), as well as a career low number of sacks taken (21). The scary thought is that Brady enters this season with just about everybody on the offensive side of the football returning. e Receivers Wes Welker and Randy Moss are back to wreak havoc on opposing defenses. However to expect anything close to a repeat of last year from Brady is unrealistic. There is just no s 2008 BRUNO BOYS QUARTERBACK RANKINGS 3. Tony Romo – Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 10) Any doubts about Romo’s abilities as a quarterback were quickly erased when he started the season with 11 touchdowns and just three interceptions in the team’s first four games. Romo continued to throw touchdown passes at a high rate through the next nine games at which point he seemingly hit a wall. The gunslinger suddenly found life in pads difficult and finished out the last three games with just one touchdown against five interceptions. Damn you, Jessica Simpson! Those last three games are likely an aberration as Dallas had already clinched a playoff spot. What you should pay attention to is that, with the exception of those three games, Romo’s completion percentage actually rose in the second half of the season. Similar to Brady and Manning, the majority of the offense returns for Romo this season including receivers Terrell Owens and Patrick Crayton, tight end Jason Witten and running back Marion Barber. The departure of Julius Jones would hurt more only if the Cowboys hadn’t used their first round pick on Felix Jones, a rookie back from Arkansas. The only alarming thing about Romo is that he is very prone to throwing interceptions. He threw interceptions in 13 of the team’s 16 regular season games last year, and had a five-interception game in a 25-24 win over Buffalo. The bottom line, though, is that his touchdown and yardage totals far outweigh his turnover issues. BY: CORY STEGER 5. Carson Palmer – Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 8) Palmer followed a disappointing season two years ago by another, albeit less, disappointing one last season. Palmer threw for a career-high 4,131 yards, but also had a career high in interceptions with 20 and the lowest amount of touchdowns (26) since his rookie season as Cincinnati went 7-9 in 2007, a season when many believed the Bengals could make the playoffs. Contributing to Palmer’s down year was the fact the he often appeared out of sync with receiver Chad Johnson, something that carried over into the offseason when the two mixed words about the receiver’s status with the team. Looking at this season, a lot depends on Johnson. As of now the receiver claims he will play for the Bengals and has been practicing with the team, but between now and the start of the season, Johnson’s opinion and attitude may change. Out wide with Johnson is T.J. Houshmandzadeh and tight end Ben Utecht, both of whom Palmer should use quite often. Between Rudi Johnson, Chris Perry, Kenny Irons and Kenny Watson the Bengals have plenty of options - when healthy – in the backfield, so Palmer does have a good amount of weapons at his disposal. The biggest question facing the Bengals offense is along the offensive line where injuries and inconsistent play were a problem for the team last year. One thing to note is that despite injuries to the top three running backs and the offensive line, Palmer set a career-low in sacks taken last year and increased his completion percentage. ______________________________________________ 4. Drew Brees – New Orleans Saints (Bye: 9) Last year, Brees went through the first four games of the season by throwing nine interceptions and one touchdown, promptly sending fantasy owners into panic mode. But Brees quickly turned it around and went on to throw for 4,423 yards, a careerhigh 28 touchdowns and 18 interceptions. In the second half of the season, there was a five-game stretch where Brees threw for 10 touchdowns and just two interceptions. Making Brees’ feat even more impressive is that he did all this despite injuries to Reggie Bush and Deuce McAllister, which severely limited the options of the offense. Now, Brees enters the ’08 season with many fantasy owners wondering which quarterback they’ll get. Brees has had issues in the past with interceptions, so it is a legit concern, but realistically the first four games of last season are not representative of what Brees is capable of. With a healthy McAllister and Bush in the backfield, as well as deep threat Marques Colston and the revitalized David Patten out wide, the Saints offense is a dangerous one yet again. Brees could be on track for his best season yet. ______________________________________________ 6. Ben Roethlisberger – Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 6) Lost behind Brady, Manning and Romo, Roethlisberger quietly enjoyed a breakout season last year as he passed for 3,154 yards, 32 touchdowns and just 11 interceptions. His 11 interceptions tied a career low, while his previous season-best mark in touchdown passes was 18. His completion percentage rose to 65.3 last year from a career-worst 59.7 in ’07. And, don’t forget that he finished with a career-high quarterback rating of 104.1. It’s easy to overlook the Steelers and Roethlisberger, but Pittsburgh has assembled one of the best offensive teams in the league. Between receivers, Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes, tight end, Heath Miller, and running back, Willie Parker, Pittsburgh is no longer a team that relies on its defense. Throw in rookie receiver, Limas Sweed, and rookie running back, Rashard Mendenhall, and there may simply not be enough football to go around. While that may be a bad thing for the individual stats of the support players, it’s a great thing for the guy who makes it all happen. Roethlisberger’s breakout season last year was definitely not a fluke and a repeat is very likely. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS QUARTERBACK RANKINGS 7. Donovan McNabb – Philadelphia Eagles (Bye: 7) McNabb was finally healthy for the majority of the season, as he played in 14 games last year and passed for 3,324 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He completed 61.5 percent of his passes, which was up from 57.0 in 2006, and his 291 pass attempts were the third most in his career. A good sign is that in the four games he played in after missing two games because of injuries, he threw for 995 yards, six touchdowns and one interception while completing 65.3 percent of his passes. The Eagles this season will look similar to how they did last season, but is that a good thing? Reggie Brown, Hank Baskett, Kevin Curtis and Jason Avant are the top receivers, but only Brown and Curtis have significance experience. Rookie wide out, DeSean Jackson, has incredible speed, but will likely spend most of his time this season on the punt and kick return teams. That leaves McNabb, tight end L.J. Smith, and running back Brian Westbrook to carry the load. Still, McNabb has had success even when the players at the skill positions around him aren’t Pro Bowl-caliber, so as long as he is healthy, he is a good fantasy option. BY: CORY STEGER 9. Matt Hasselbeck – Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 4) Hasselbeck had an incredible season last year, throwing for 3,966 yards, a career-high 28 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. He finished with a quarterback rating over 90 for the second time in his career. A large part of the reason for his success last year stemmed from an injury to running back Shaun Alexander, which saw the Seahawks all but abandon its running game. The biggest questions surrounding the Seattle offense this season is the health of Deion Branch and the contract of Bobby Engram. Branch tore an ACL in the team’s playoff loss to Green Bay, while Engram has threatened to hold out if he doesn’t get a new contract. The Seahawks released D.J. Hackett, and suddenly, what once was a deep receiving corps could become a thin one, especially at the beginning of the season. But, the great thing about Hasselbeck is that he’s so amazingly consistent no matter which players make up his surrounding cast. In fact, the only time Hasselbeck plays poorly is when he is injured and tries to play through it. For the first time in multiple years, Hasselbeck will enter the season healthy and he should enjoy another good year. ALERT – With the injury to Bobby Engram, the Seahawks are left with just Nate Burleson and a committee of wide receivers to start the season, thus dropping Hasselbeck to the 9th slot in our rankings. ______________________________________________ 8. Derek Anderson – Cleveland Browns (Bye: 5) Anderson exploded on the scene last year after taking over for Charlie Frye halfway through the first game. In his first start – the team’s second game of the season – Anderson torched the Cincinnati defense for 328 yards, five touchdowns and just one interception. He finished the season with 3,787 yards, 29 touchdowns and 19 interceptions and was named to the Pro Bowl. Not bad for a first-year starter, who many originally thought was just there to keep the position warm for Brady Quinn. Anderson will look to prove he’s not a fluke this season and will have a lot of help from the rest of the Browns’ offense as most of the players from last year’s team return. Anderson has one of top deep threats in the game in Braylon Edwards, as well as one of the best possession receivers in the game in Joe Jurevicius. Keeping defenses honest at tight end is Kellen Winslow, a playmaker with some untapped potential. The Browns also feature a backfield of solid backs in Jamal Lewis, Jason Wright and J.J. Harrison. It will be interesting to see if Anderson can continue to play at the frenetic pace he did last year. In his first 11 games, Anderson had a 2:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio. In the final five games, Anderson returned to earth and had seven touchdowns to eight interceptions. If Anderson can play somewhere in between those two extremes, his 2008 should please all those that take a chance on him. ______________________________________________ 10. Marc Bulger – St. Louis Rams (Bye: 5) Following a stellar season two years ago, in which he threw 24 touchdowns and eight interceptions, Bulger was pegged by many, including the Bruno Boys, as a top five fantasy quarterback for the ’07 season. But, Bulger’s season never got off the ground as he finished with 2,392 yards, 11 touchdowns and 15 interceptions in just 12 games. Injured for two games at two different points in the season, it was thought perhaps he would be better once healthy, but in his last three games, Bulger had six touchdowns and six interceptions while completing just 51.5 percent of his passes. This season Bulger has his sights set on turning things around and if he doesn’t, veteran quarterback, Trent Green, is standing right behind him. Aiding Bulger in his quest to keep the starting job are receivers Torry Holt and Drew Bennett, tight end Randy McMichael and running back Steven Jackson. Holt and Jackson are among the top three players at their respective positions, leaving the biggest issue for the Rams this season at the offensive line. Orlando Pace is back after a torn rotator cuff in the season opener last year cost him his entire season, but the guard and center positions are a bit weak. If the line can hold and give Bulger time, then expect a return to form. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS QUARTERBACK RANKINGS 11. David Garrard – Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye: 7) During preseason last year, Jacksonville coach, Jack Del Rio, made what was then a controversial decision to cut incumbent starter, Byron Leftwich, and name Garrard as the starter. Del Rio took a lot heat until the season started, at which point Garrard led the team to an 11-5 record and a playoff berth, while 5 passing for 2,509 yards, 18 touchdowns and three interceptions in 12 games. Garrard was so efficient that he didn’t throw an 2 interception until a week 13 loss to the Colts. Hindsight being 20/20, Del Rio is wishing he would’ve made this move earlier than he did. Garrard is now in his seventh year with the organization, so all that time helped go towards his development and his relative inexperience as a starter will not hinder him this season. To help Garrard, the Jaguars went out and got receivers Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson as former first-round picks Matt Jones and Reggie Williams have not lived up to their expectations. Williamson and Porter provide Garrard with a deep threat and possession receiver, respectively, and will help the quarterback continue his success. Taking pressure off the passing game is one the league’s best backfield ague’s combinations of Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. Drew. Combine all that with a good offensive line and Garrard is primed for another good season. BY: CORY STEGER spectacular during the postseason, livin up to his billing and living leading the Giants to the promise land. In the regular season, Manning threw for 3,336 yards, 23 touchdowns and 20 interceptions while completing 56.1 percent of his passes. ing But postseason exploits do not guarantee success the fol following season. As with any quarterback, you should evaluate Manning more on how he played during the regular season than during the postseason. Look at his numbers, Manning was real good at throwing both touchdowns and interceptions, in fact he’s fairly consistent in that degree across his three full seasons as a starter. nsistent In those three seasons, he had touchdown totals of 24, 24 and 23 and interception totals of 17, 18 and 20. With the entire offense returning, Manning will not enjoy a huge surge or a big l letdown in his numbers. He is still on the upswing of his career, so a minor progression in all the major categories is a realistic expectation. ______________________________________________ 12. Brett Favre – New York Jets (Bye: 5) After what seemed like limitless coverage this offoff-season, the Favre saga came to an end as Brett Favre landed in the big apple as a member of the New York Jets. Favre should have a good season in 2008, but don't expect his numbers to replicate the , 4,155 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and 66% completion percentage he put together in '07. His supporting cast with the Jets just isn't quite as good as the Packer squad he played with last season, lacking the playmakers that the Green Bay offense sported. While returning from “retirement,” Favre still should rning have enough in the tank to play at a high level, which is why he earns himself the 12th spot in our pre-season rankings. When season targeting Favre, you should do so in the middle rounds of your fantasy football draft and make sure to pair him with an equal talent. From there, you can play matchups on a weekly basis and fully optimize the drafting of Favre. ______________________________________________ 14. Jay Cutler – Denver Broncos (Bye: 8) Cutler took a major step forward in his development as a quarterback in his first full season as a starter. He passed for 3,497 yards, 20 touchdowns and 14 interceptions while completing 63.6 percent of his passes. He got stronger as the season went on, throwing for 11 touchdowns and five rowing interceptions in the team’s last seven games compared to nine touchdowns and nine interceptions in the first nine games. Watching Cutler, it’s easy to see what makes him so good. Cutler has an incredible pocket presence. He’ll need that presence this season as there are two major problems facing Cutler and the Broncos. The first is that Javon Walker is gone. Walker was signed by the Oakland Raiders after being released by Denver in February, leaving Brand Marshall, Brandon Brandon Stokely and the newly-acquired Darrell Jackson Cutler’s acquired ______________________________________________ 13. Eli Manning – New York Giants (Bye: 4) Manning did last year what many thought he would never do and that was win a Super Bowl with a heroic come come-from-behind 17-14 win over the previously undefeated New England 14 Patriots. Manning was solid during the regular season, but was 2008 BRUNO BOYS QUARTERBACK RANKINGS receivers. The second issue Cutler will have to deal with is diabetes. In May, Cutler was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes which requires daily insulin shots. But, Cutler said he feels fine, and the Denver coaching staff has said it won’t be an issue. As long as Cutler can keep down the interceptions, it will be a good season for him. ALERT – Cutler’s prime target last season, Brandon Marshall, is suspended for 2 or 3 games, meaning the Broncos will be thin at the wide receiver position to start the season. the Lions started the season 6-2. Six straight losses followed and Detroit ended with a 7-9 record behind Kitna’s 4,068 passing yards, 18 touchdowns and 20 interceptions. It was Kitna’s worst season since ’01, when he had 12 touchdowns and 22 interceptions. Kitna is in the middle of an interesting situation in Detroit. The Lions have good players at the skill positions including receivers Roy Williams, Calvin Johnson, Mike Furrey and Shaun McDonald and running backs Kevin Smith and Tatum Bell. The only problem seems to be Kitna himself. Despite all the talent around him, poor decisions have led to Kitna failing to punch through into the upper echelon of quarterbacks. After so many seasons in the league, it’s clear what kind of quarterback Kitna is, he’s a guy who will pass for a good amount of yards and a similar number of touchdowns and interceptions. BY: CORY STEGER 18. Matt Schaub – Houston Texans (Bye: 8) Throughout his career, Schaub has been coined the ultimate backup quarterback, but in 2007 he finally got his chance to start as a member of the Houston Texans. In what can be considered an inconsistent season, he managed to pass for 2,241 yards, nine touchdowns and nine interceptions in just 11 games. Concussions held out Schaub in the other five games, including the last four of the season. At times Schaub showed the potential and upside to be a good NFL quarterback and with everybody returning on offense, including a healthy Andre Johnson, expect Schaub to continue his growth. Still, target him as a backup, but don’t be surprised if he becomes a regular fantasy football contributor by season’s end. _____________________________ 15. Matt Leinart – Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 7) Leinart’s season was over almost as soon as began as he suffered a fractured collarbone and was placed on the injured reserve list just five weeks into the season. In those five games he played before getting hurt, Leinart threw for 329 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions while completing 60 percent of his passes. Leinart is an interesting player because his talents are known but haven’t really been displayed at the top level in either of the two seasons he’s been in the NFL. When healthy, Leinart is an accurate passer that has two incredible receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Combined with Edgerrin James in the backfield, the Cardinals could have a potent offense if the offensive line was better. Leinart will have a good season as long as he’s not too busy looking over his shoulder at backup Kurt Warner. _____________________________ _____________________________ 19. Jake Delhomme – Carolina Panthers (Bye: 9) It appeared Delhomme was on his way to his finest season of his career until an elbow injury in week 3 cost him the rest of the season. Delhomme underwent Tommy John surgery, more commonly associated with pitchers in baseball, and is still rehabbing from the injury. Before he was hurt, Delhomme threw for 624 yards, eight touchdowns and one interception while completing 64 percent of his passes. If healthy, Delhomme is capable of having a career year as the Panthers will sport a receiving corps that has tons of big play potential. New additions D.J. Hackett and Muhsin Muhammad fit in nicely with superstar Steve Smith and rookie running back Jonathan Stewart will help add new dimensions to the offense. The Bruno Boys staff wouldn’t suggest taking Delhomme over the top tier options, but a gamble as your teams backup could lead to something special. ALERT –2-game suspension to Steve Smith drops him from 16th to 19th. 17. Philip Rivers – San Diego Chargers (Bye: 9) Rivers had another solid season for the Chargers, throwing for 3,152 yards, 21 touchdowns and 15 interceptions. He played on a torn ACL in the playoffs and almost led the Chargers to the Super Bowl before being defeated 2112 by the New England Patriots. From a fantasy football standpoint, Rivers is a decent quarterback at best, and will have his good games, but with Norv Turner as coach and LaDainian Tomlinson in the backfield, he will always be the second offensive option. As he continues to develop, expect some minor progression from Rivers this season, but don’t count on him having a breakout season in 2008. _____________________________ 16. Jon Kitna – Detroit Lions (Bye: 4) Last summer Kitna made the infamous prediction that the Lions would win 10 or more games and through the first eight games he looked like a genius as _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS QUARTERBACK RANKINGS 20. Vince Young – Tennessee Titans (Bye: 6) An enigmatic player, Young appeared to regress in the major statistical categories last season, but led the team to a better record than ’06 and a playoff berth. Young threw for 2,546 yards, nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions, which was worse than his rookie numbers of 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions. Still, Young improved his completion percentage almost 12 points from his rookie season and is starting to rely less on the run. The Titans didn’t get any new receivers to play on the outside, but did sign tight end Alge Crumpler from the Atlanta Falcons. Crumpler works well with mobile quarterbacks and could really open up the offense for the Titans. This should be enough to help Young continue his growth, but he still should be targeted as a backup quarterback in all leagues. BY: CORY STEGER 22. Jeff Garcia – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye: 10) Garcia enjoyed a decent season for the Buccaneers, throwing for 2,440 yards, 13 touchdowns and just four interceptions while completing a career-high 63.9 percent of his passes. Garcia’s playing style along with his experience make him a perfect fit in Tampa Bay. With experienced receivers in Joey Galloway, Ike Hilliard and Michael Clayton, Garcia will likely enjoy another solid season regardless of what the team does at the running back spot. Just don’t expect a lot of touchdown passes from Garcia. while in his last five games he had six touchdowns and three interceptions. With Lee Evans, James Hardy and Josh Reed at receiver and Marshawn Lynch and Fred Jackson at running back, Edwards has the weapons to put up some decent numbers. Still, Edwards is pretty inexperienced and is likely to encounter some more growing pains this season. _____________________________ 25. Tarvaris Jackson – Minnesota Vikings (Bye: 8) After throwing five interceptions in the first two games of the season, Jackson turned his season around and finished with eight touchdowns and eight interceptions in his final 10 games. He completed 58.2 percent of his passes and out of his last seven games had a 65.2 completion percentage, so the skills are there. Still, Jackson needs to prove he can do it consistently while limiting his turnovers before he becomes a fantasy-relevant quarterback. _____________________________ 23. Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers (Bye: 8) After three years of holding a clipboard and charting plays, Rodgers finally gets his shot to start for the Packers because of the trade of Brett Favre. Reports out of Green Bay suggest that Rodgers has been looking good so far, as he has impressed the team with his knowledge of the offense as well as his accuracy. Rodgers may end up the season in the top 10 quarterbacks if he plays like he did against the Cowboys in a week 13 loss where he came off the bench for the injured Favre and went 18-for-26 with 201 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions. _____________________________ 21. Jason Campbell – Washington Redskins (Bye: 10) Campbell took a few nice steps in his first season as a starter, including improving his completion percentage and his quarterback rating despite throwing more interceptions. He totaled 2,700 yards, 12 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Now he will have to continue his growth under new coach Jim Zorn, who brings the West Coast offense to Washington. Receivers Santana Moss and Antwaan Randle El along with tight end Chris Cooley and running backs Clinton Portis and Ladell Betts already form a potent offense. Add in rookie receivers Malcolm Kelly and Devin Thomas and tight end Fred Davis and Campbell is drowning in offense weapons. If he continues to progress despite the coaching change, he could be on the verge of a breakout season. _____________________________ 26. JaMarcus Russell – Oakland Raiders (Bye: 5) The top pick in the ’07 draft spent most of his rookie season watching games from the bench. He did get some playing time at the end, passing for 373 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions while seeing time in four games. Russell has an absolute cannon that fits the Raiders system well, but he is likely a year away from a breakout season. Expect some growing pains from Russell this season. _____________________________ 24. Trent Edwards – Buffalo Bills (Bye: 6) After going back and forth between Edwards and incumbent J.P. Losman, the Bills have finally decided to stick with Edwards. As a rookie, Edwards passed for 1,630 yards, seven touchdowns and eight interceptions in 10 games, nine of which were starts. In his first five games, Edwards had five interceptions with just one touchdown _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS QUARTERBACK RANKINGS 27. Alex Smith – San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 9) Smith is quickly running out of chances in San Francisco though it’s not entirely his fault. The entire team underperformed last year, but Smith was especially bad as he threw for 914 yards, two touchdowns and four interceptions in seven games. If Smith can regain the form he showed two years ago then he would make for a good backup even in regular-sized leagues. The addition of offensive guru Mike Martz should help with his progression. Keep Smith on your watch list as he could be a 2nd half sleeper. ALERT – J.T. O’Sullivan is currently leading the Niners quarterback battle, but even if he starts week 1, we don’t expect the Niners to keep Smith on the sidelines all year long. BY: CORY STEGER 29. 29 Brodie Croyle – Kansas City Chiefs (Bye: 6) Croyle played in nine games last year and started six for the Chiefs, passing for 1,227 yards, six touchdowns and six interceptions. Now Croyle enters the season with an edge in the battle for the starting position and will be boosted by Dwayne Bowe at receiver, Tony Gonzalez at tight end and Larry Johnson at runnin back. While Croyle running could have some success this season, the team has a lot of new players on both sides of the ball. A rebuilding season likely signals what will be a long season for the Chiefs and Croyle. relevant, immediately becoming a fantasy starter. tasy _____________________________ 32.Kyle Boller – Kyle Baltimore Ravens (Bye: 10) Being the most experienced out of the Baltimore quarterbacks, Boller will likely start the season at that position for the Ravens. Boller has a big arm and in limited playing time last season, he did well, passing for 1,743 yard, nine touchdowns and 10 int interceptions in eight starts. Still, Boller’s value this season is limited as Flacco is expected to become the starter at some point. _____________________________ _____________________________ 30. 30 Rex Grossman – Chicago Bears (Bye: 8) Having signed a one one-year contract in February, Grossman is in a make make-orbreak situation in Chicago. The Bears front office likes him but in reality Grossman is on life supports with the team. Grossman has a big arm, but is turnover turnove and injury prone. After Marty Booker, his receiving options are limited, while first first-string running back, Cedric Benson, was released after two alleged incidents involving alcohol. So, while it’s possible that Grossman could recapture his form from the beginning of the 2006 season, the Grossman you’ve seen since then is the one more likely to emerge. 33. J.T. O’ Sullivan – San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 9) Many envisioned the quarterback battle by the Bay to be a two man race y between, Alex Smith and Shaun Hill, but O’ Sullivan has emerged as a dark horse, currently occupying the top slot on the depth chart. O’Sullivan has benefitted greatly from his familiarity with Martz’s offense and could ride that to a week 1 starting gig; however, sooner or later, O’ Sullivan will make mistakes and the 49ers will feel the pressure to bring Smith onto the field. _____________________________ _____________________________ 28. Chad Pennington – Miami Dolphins (Bye: 4) With Brett Favre’s arrival to New York, Pennington was sent packing, though it didn’t take long for him to latch on with a new team, former division foe, Miami Dolphins. Pennington, though, finds himself again in a position battle. This time with rookie, Chad Henne. While Pennington is expected to win the job, don’t be surprised if at some point in the season with the Dolphins again toiling towards the bottom of the standings that they don’t throw Henne in there to get valuable experience. 34. Matt Ryan – . Atlanta Falcons (Bye: 7) The Atlanta organization made a bold statement with the drafting of Ryan, signaling the end of the Michael Vick era. Ryan possesses all you like to see in a potential franchise quarterback, including leadership and a strong and accurate arm. As most rookie quarterbacks struggle in their first year, Ryan’s value is limited, though he could start producing by the end of 2008. ALERT – Ryan has impressed thus far in training camp and should earn a good deal of playing time in ’08. _____________________________ 31. 31 Kurt Warner – Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 7) Filling in for an injured Leinart last year, Warner played like he wanted the starting job back as he passed for 3,417 yards, 27 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 14 games. Warner enters the season as the backup, but if Leinart plays poorly or gets hurt, then Warner once again becomes fantasy Wa 2008 BRUNO BOYS QUARTERBACK RANKINGS 35. Chris Redman – Atlanta Falcons (Bye: 7) After spending the previous four seasons out of the league working as an insurance agent, Redman put the pads back on last season for the Falcons, and in the team’s last five games, he threw 1,070 yards, 10 touchdowns and just five interceptions. Given his success at the end of last year, Redman will probably start at the beginning of this season, keeping the position warm until rookie Matt Ryan is ready. BY: CORY STEGER 37. Kyle Orton – Chicago Bears (Bye: 8) Lurking behind Grossman is Orton, who is just waiting for his opportunity to start. Even if that opportunity comes, you might not want to jump on the Orton bandwagon right away as he doesn’t complete many passes and throws a lot of interceptions. Orton should only be on your radar in deep leagues. 39. Byron Leftwich – Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 6) Leftwich couldn’t make the most of an opportunity with the Atlanta Falcons in 2007, forcing him to compete for a back-up job in 2008. It appears that Leftwich will win that competition and secure the second spot on the Steelers depth chart. While his chances of playing are slimmer than last season with the Falcons, if Leftwich finds the field, it will be with a much better supporting cast. _____________________________ _____________________________ 36. Chad Henne– Miami Dolphins (Bye: 4) At 6’2”, 226 pounds, Henne’s a big body with a big arm. The Michigan grad was a draft day favorite of Bill Parcells and appears to be the future arm of the Dolphins’ franchise for years to come. While Henne will one day be this team’s starter, right now, he’s not even the number one quarterback named Chad. With the addition of Chad Pennington, Henne will start the season holding the clip board. 38. Sage Rosenfels – Houston Texans (Bye: 8) There’s no doubt that Schaub is the guy in Houston, but given his trouble with concussions, Rosenfels takes the last spot in the rankings. When he filled in for Schaub last year, Rosenfels played well as he passed for 1,684 yards, 15 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in nine games. He, also, completed 64.2 percent of his passes, so if Schaub can’t play, then Rosenfels is a good backup option. _____________________________ 40. J.P. Losman – Buffalo Bills (Bye: 6) Just Pathetic Losman lived up to the nickname last season, playing in 8 games and throwing for just 4 TDs to 6 INTs. Still, Losman has talent, granted he hardly taps into it, and with an injury or misstep from Trent Edwards could find himself with one more chance to prove himself. 2008 QUARTERBACK TIER RANKINGS TIER ONE Tom Brady (NE) Peyton Manning (Ind) TIER TWO Tony Romo (Dal) Drew Brees (NO) Carson Palmer (Cin) TIER THREE Ben Roethlisberger (Pit) Donovan McNabb (Phi) Derek Anderson (Cle) Matt Hasselbeck (Sea) Marc Bulger (Stl) TIER FOUR David Garrard (Jax) Brett Favre (NYJ) Eli Manning (NYG) Jay Cutler (Den) AVERAGE 1 2.17 AVERAGE 3 4 5.8 AVERAGE 6 8 8.67 8.67 9.67 AVERAGE 10.67 11 12.67 13.3 TIER EIGHT JaMarcus Russell (Oak) Alex Smith (SF) Chad Pennington (Mia) Brodie Croyle (KC) Rex Grossman (Chi) TIER NINE Kurt Warner (Ari) Kyle Boller (Bal) J.T. O’Sullivan (SF) Matt Ryan (Atl) Chris Redman (Atl) Chad Henne (Mia) TIER TEN Kyle Orton (Chi) Sage Rosenfels (Hou) Byron Leftwich (Pit) J.P. Losman (Buf) AVERAGE 26.33 26.67 27 27.67 29 AVERAGE 32.5 35.66 36 36 36.33 36.33 AVERAGE 37 37 37.5 38.33 TIER FIVE Matt Leinart (Ari) Jon Kitna (Det) Philip Rivers (SD) Matt Schaub (Hou) Jake Delhomme (Car) TIER SIX Vince Young (Ten) Jason Cambell (Was) TIER SEVEN Jeff Garcia (TB) Aaron Rodgers (GB) Trent Edwards (Buf) Tarvaris Jackson (Min) AVERAGE 15.17 16 16 16.17 17.33 AVERAGE 17.83 18.17 AVERAGE 21.67 22.33 23.83 24.33 RANKINGS UPDATED – AUGUST 14TH 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS BY: CHRIS ZIZA Longevity over flashy and new, that’s basically the story behind the top two backs on the Bruno Boys’ board heading into 2008. While Adrian Peterson, aka AD, had one of the best fantasy debuts for a rookie in some time up in Minnesota, it wasn’t enough to supplant LaDainian Tomlinson, aka LT, on top of the Bruno Boys Running Back Rankings. Not that we don’t believe in AD, it’s just that LT has done it year in and year out for the past seven seasons. On a separate note, if any other running backs wish to see their value rise before draft day, we suggest adopting a two letter nickname. After all, it has apparently worked for these two. A couple of other quick notes before diving into the Bruno Boys Running Back Rankings. Multi Multi-dimensional backs, those that can both run with the football and catch it, should always get the nod when deciding between s, two backs likely to put up similar numbers. Committees aren’t always a thing to be feared. At times, they can keep your back fresh, allowing him to be more productive with the opportunities he gets. Finally, don’t let a down year e from a previous fantasy beast, ala Steven Jackson and Larry Johnson, scare you away, bounce back years should be in the mix for many backs coming off of a disappointing 2007. To find out just which ones, along with which ones might take a step back in 2008, simply read on to the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football 2008 Running Back Rankings Rankings. 1. LaDanian Tomlinson –San Diego Chargers (Bye: 9) San What is there to say about this guy other than he is a STUD. Once again the Bruno Boys have selected him as the top running back to go after this year, just ahead of sophomore Adrian Peterson. Tomlinson had a down year to his standards in 2007 as he rushed for only 1,474 yards and 15 TD’s. That is right, that is a down year for him. Having played with a bum knee, he still averaged 4.7 yards per carry, added 475 receiving yards, hauled in 3 receiving TD’s and even threw for one as well. If rew LT’s on the field, he’ll get his numbers, and since he has also only missed one game in his seven year career, it’s a safe bet he’ll be on the field. After having a career year in 2006 where he combined for 33 TD’s and set the all-time rushing TD record for a single season, ime his 2007 season could be viewed as a disappointment. But that is only because expectations were exceedingly high. He still put in a fine performance and there is no reason to believe that Tomlinson will not have another remarkable year this year. In nother fact, the Chargers are so confident in LaDanian bouncing back that they let high-priced free agent and LT’s former back priced back-up, Michael Turner, leave for Atlanta without much of a pursuit. If you end up with Tomlinson on your team, feel grateful, as he is ur one of the few fantasy players out there that you can truly count on for a remarkable week almost every single week. part is that Peterson put up those type of stats playing in just 14 games, only 9 of which he started. He also had to split carries with Chester Taylor. The downside from Peterson’s rookie campaign was that he couldn’t shake the reputation for being paign injury prone, which he has had since his college days at Oklahoma. Entering his sophomore year, a year in which many great young running backs struggle, he is committed to adding to his firepower on the field as he is working out like a bandit in the gym as well as on his receiving game. Having openly admitted that he wants to catch more passes this season, he very well could avoid the sophomore jinx. He has a very nice OL in front of him, and the way the Vikings offense is made up, the running y game will be their biggest weapon. All reasons to believe that he could improve on his already impressive stats. It looks as if his biggest hurdle this season very well may be just staying healthy. If he can do so, the Bruno Boys fully expect another excellent season from this young stud. ______________________________________________ 2. Adrian Peterson – Minnesota Vikings (Bye: 8) Rated the clear cut second highest RB by the Bruno Boys, lear having received two first place votes from our writers, Peterson is entering the 2008 season having come off a very impressive rookie campaign, having rushed for 1,341 yards and 12 TD’s as well as putting up 268 receiving yards and 1 TD. The craziest 8 ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS 3. Brian Westbrook – Philadelphia Eagles (Bye: 7) Having a reputation as a RB that is often injured, Westbrook added to his great 2006 season by following it up with an even better 2007 season. He combined for 2,104 yards and 12 TD’s through the ground and air. Being the main focus of opposing defenses game in and game out, he was still able to thrive in an Eagles offense that was watered down some last year. He is said to be very excited about the potential that the Eagles offense can put forward this year, which is always great to hear from a veteran player, as it indicates that he is excited to get the season going. His receiving skills rival that of his running skills, making Westbrook a very dangerous player on the field and one that opposing defenses hate to face. In fact, his receiving totals the last four years are 703, 616, 699 and 771. There is no one way to defend a guy like him, and with having back to back seasons in which he has played 15 games, the injury bug shouldn’t be a major factor this year. If he can ever get to the 1500 yard rushing plateau, his stats would rival that of the top 3. As long as he can stay healthy this year, he looks primed for a career season. BY: CHRIS ZIZA another 364 yards through the air and totaled 15 TD’s. Addai started out very strong last year, only to lose some steam during the second half of the season. That could be contributed to a few different things. First of all, Indianapolis’ OL was banged up a bit. Also, Addai was questionable many weeks with an assortment of injuries, and he plays on a team that is more focused on passing the ball rather than running it. Not to mention, do I have to say it? Sophomore season. He just very well may have hit a wall. Plus, the measley 38 total carries in his last 4 games, trying to keep him fresh for the playoffs, didn’t help add to his overall stats. That very well could change some this year as WR Marvin Harrison is getting older and Peyton most assuredly will find other ways to burn the time clock. Addai is dangerous both out of the backfield as well as running passing routes, making him the perfect weapon for this always intimidating offense. A lot of people don’t realize this, but during his rookie year in which he ran for 1,081 yards, he never started one game, yet he still had 8 total TD’s. So the potential is there for him to have a very remarkable 2008 season. If you are sitting there in the middle of the first round and Addai is still sitting on the board, find yourself very thankful and don’t hesitate when grabbing him to be your RB1. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 4. Steven Jackson – St. Louis Rams (Bye: 5) Known as the grimace heard around the world (ok, I made that up), Jackson missed four games last year due to a groin tear. Yes it sounds very painful, and I am sure it hurts even more to play with it, but that is what Jackson did last season. He remarkably still ended up combining for 1,273 yards and 6 TD’s. Entering the 2007 season as a prime candidate to rival Tomlinson for the #1 overall fantasy RB, he disappointed many fantasy owners that either had drafted him or traded for him before the season started. Now that he is over his groin tear, he has a very good opportunity to once again challenge for the title of the best fantasy RB. In 2006, his breakout year, he rushed for 1,528 yards, had 806 receiving yards and totaled 16 TD’s. Add into the equation that this year is his contract year and it would be foolish not to consider him as one of the top RB’s to target on draft boards this season. With a healthy Marc Bulger and Orlando Pace, Jackson is primed for another outstanding season and should continue where he left off in 2006. 6. Frank Gore – San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 9) Frank Gore, coming off a monster season in 2006 in where we saw him go for a total of 2,180 yards and 9 TD’s, fell short of his 2007 fantasy production expectations. He still totaled 1,538 yards and 6 TD’s, which is a solid season for RB’s, but no where near his top of the draft projections that everyone, including him thought he would produce. Granted he was banged up some, and it was only his second season in which he was the featured back for the 49ers, so it would not surprise us any if he were to bounce back some in 2008. By the end of the 2008 season it is very possible that Gore will once again be mentioned in the same breath as the top 5 backs. He has one thing going for him this season that he did not last season, and that is an offensive coordinator in Mike Martz, who molded Marshall Faulk into the player that he was during his career with the St. Louis Rams. In fact, the 49ers even had Faulk in the mini-camps just to talk football with Gore and run through certain things; mainly focusing on learning the offense. He did have a TD dry-spell at the end of last year, but considering that he has stayed pretty healthy the past two seasons, having missed only one game, it is a very reasonable expectation to see Gore back in the top 10 in RB production, and very possibly even higher. ______________________________________________ 5. Joseph Addai - Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 4) Entering his third season, this great young running back had a very solid sophomore outing. He rushed for 1,072 yards, gained ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS 7. Clinton Portis – Washington Redskins (Bye: 10) Early in his career, there was hardly a RB who garnered a more positive outlook on his fantasy potential than this kid. Stemming from a possible short list of reasons on why he has not lived up to those expectations could be seen as being overworked, buying way too much into his own hype, or it could of just been the plain old fact that the Denver system always produces. Having been in Washington for a little while now, he averaged only 3.9 yards per rushing attempt this past season. One positive to look at is that he played in all 16 games last season after having played in only 8 the season before. Portis has made an attempt to become a bigger part of this Redskins team by participating in the off-season workouts. He did total 1,651 yards on the field and 11 TD’s showing that his skill is still there when he is on the field. He teams up with Ladell Betts, which very well could lead to a back to back 16 games played season. If he can remain healthy throughout the 2008 season, there is no scenario in which the Bruno Boys feel that he will not remain a top 10 RB. BY: CHRIS ZIZA 9. Marion Barber III – Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 10) Bye-bye Julius Jones, hello $45 Million other reasons that Barber should be ecstatic for this up and coming season. Barber just signed a seven year contract, and with the loss of his counterpart in Jones who fled for Seattle, he is pretty much assured a bigger role in the Cowboys’ lethal offense. Dallas did draft impressive back Felix Jones to help compliment Barber, but make no mistake, Jerry Jones did not fork out that type of money just to watch Barber sit on the sidelines. One thing Barber has shown during the past few seasons is that even splitting time, he can definitely rack up the TD totals. He rushed for 14 TD’s in 2006, and combined for 14 in 2007. His overall total yardage on the field was only 1,257 yards, but you must remember that he was splitting a lot of time with J. Jones as he had only 204 carries. Entering his 4th year, first as the featured Dallas back, Barber should take an even bigger leap into fantasy RB stardom if he is able to add some good yardage to his already impressive TD totals. He’ll be even scarier for your fantasy opponents if he can also add to his TD totals. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 8. Marshawn Lynch – Buffalo Bills (Bye: 6) What a wonderful rookie season Lynch had for Buffalo as he had a total yardage on the field of 1,299, as well as being able to touch pay dirt 7 times. No one argues that this kid has the physical attributes, mindset and skills on the field to become and remain one of the better RB’s year in and year out in the league. Unfortunately though, he is starting to develop a little reputation for having some off the field problems as well. One of those that he can’t avoid is his reasoning behind getting Lasik eye surgery. Athletes, especially now-a-days with the pace of the NFL game want to be able to see as well and as clearly as possible so they can react even a half a second earlier than they normally would have. This little procedure, as long as it does not affect his vision in a negative way to start the season, could actually help him produce a bit better. The thing that really has people wondering though about his character is his hit-and-run violation. We, at the Bruno Boys like to concentrate on truths, and what we do know is this kid has great skill, and his guilty plea to the hit-and-run shouldn’t affect his playing time in 2008. Expect similar numbers to last season and be thankful if he is able to produce at an even higher level as sophomore seasons are not very kind on RB’s. If you are one that likes to build your team without question mark players, he is a player you may want to consider avoiding. But, if you are willing to take a gamble, he could pay off very handsomely compared to where he will be drafted. He definitely has all the attributes to be able to pull off top 10 RB production this season. 10. Larry Johnson – Kansas City Chiefs (Bye: 6) Like Steven Jackson, Johnson’s 2007 season could not have gone any different than what people were hoping for. Starting the season on the wrong foot by missing the preseason because of a contract holdout, things got worse when his OL took a hit with the retirement of Willie Roaf. Coming off a true workhorse 2006 season in which he rushed 416 times, his workload was cut by nearly a third in the 8 games that he played in 2007. He is a great goal-line runner, as he totaled 37 TD’s between his 200506 seasons, as well as having rushed for no less than 1,750 yards those seasons. Those were years that he split carries with Priest Holmes, and it is looking like he will be thrown into a similar role once again. Head coach, Herm Edwards, plans on using a RBBC this season, hoping to keep LJ fresh and strong throughout the season. The Chiefs will be relying on a run-heavy offense, and having to run into defenders 400+ times in a year puts a true toll on one’s body. Being utilized in situations that adapt to his strengths most likely will result in similar TD totals prior to 2007, as well as a more eager, determined LJ to do as much on the field as possible every chance he gets. If all goes well, the Bruno Boys would be shocked if he does not resemble his old self in a lot of ways, making a push to be ranked in the top 5 for RB’s at seasons end. ALERT – Facing 8-man fronts, LJ will be in need of a strong offensive line. That’s something he won’t have playing in Kansas City. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS 11. Maurice Jones-Drew -Jacksonville Jaguars Jacksonville (Bye:7) Oh what life would be like for Jones-Drew owners if Taylor Drew would finally quit being healthy. Fragile Freddy never seemed to be able to stay on the field, that is, until Jones-Drew came Drew along. Maurice, coming off an outstanding rookie campaign, especially for a part time player, slipped some in 2007 but was or still able to put up solid numbers in his sophomore season, which should always be expected, especially when kept in a similar role. This year very well could be his year for a true-breakout season. breakout Taylor is one year closer to his mid-30’s…any year now… so 30’s…any his health could start becoming a factor once again. Also, the speed and elusiveness of Jones-Drew very well could start Drew tempting the coaches to plug in some more specialized plays for him. Last years numbers of 1,175 total yards and 9 TD’s is ars nothing to sneeze at. Those numbers alone warrant a draft pick standing close to what the Bruno Boys rate him. Very real possibilities that could play into more playing time can only skyrocket the potential of Jones-Drew as any season now he will Drew get the opportunity to shine in the featured back role. And we, at the Bruno Boys feel this very well could be the year. BY: CHRIS ZIZA another remarkable level this season, as long as he doesn’t burn too many bridges. However, a slow start coupled with a poor ver, attitude could make the Packers willing to start giving more carries to fellow Packer teammates. A solid potential back, with a slight possibility for major disappointment, he is definitely one that you really want to follow during training camp and react accordingly to what news comes out of Green Bay. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 13. Brandon Jacobs – New York Giants (Bye: 4) If Jacobs could ever learn to hold onto the ball and remain healthy, he would have the potential to be a fantasy stud. ould Unfortunately for his sake, he has not done either as of yet. He has the size and power to where he could develop into a Marion Barber type, a great goal-line back that can also pick up good line yardage between the 20’s. Last year he played in 11 games, starting 9 of them, and totaled 1,183 yards and 6 TD’s. Those are stats that you definitely can’t belittle, but there are things that should be of some concern. Of those concerns, two really pop out at us. His healt is an health issue. He had to have off season surgery to correct a wrist problem in which everyone associated with the team has been pretty hush hush about. And something even more concerning is that when he was out with injury, the Giant’s backup RB’s filled in very admirably. The good news though is that Jacobs himself n has said that there is no reason in which he won’t be ready for training camp come July. But if you were a player concerned about his playing time, wouldn’t you say the same? That being said, his production was still there even in a very disappointing s season, so the Bruno Boys have confidence in selecting him as your RB2, with the possible potential of playing up to RB1 status. Just don’t expect it. Rather, if it happens, let it be a very warming surprise. 12. Ryan Grant – Green Bay Packers (Bye: 8) Grant came out of the middle of nowhere to produce a season that any fantasy RB would be proud of. In a very special Packers season in which not much was expected but still gained, Grant was no exception. He helped Green Bay to a spectacular season by playing in 15 games, starting 7 of those, while n averaging over 5 yards per carry. He totaled 1,101 yards and rushed for 8 TD’s which is excellent production for the amount of playing time that he received, but flashbacks of Javon Walker are starting to surface. Now, we are not saying that Grant is JW2, which just is not the w, case. But after having a very promising breakthrough year after having come from no-where to their starter, as well as having a where solid group of RB’s already on the Packers squad, Grant is holding a small form of a holdout; thus the Walker comparisons. He has shown up to team meetings and practices, but has refused to suit up and get onto the field in fear of injury. Seeing what Grant had done for the Packers, it wouldn’t surprise me if they gave Grant a small raise, but it really would shock us if rant they gave him a completely new, stacked contract. Brett Favre must be rolling in his grave. Ok, don’t worry folks, Favre has not passed away, he is just retired. But, he was the main advocate in saying that people must live up to their contracts at and pretty much shunned Walker who has never been the same since. Grant has the talent and the line to be able to produce at ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS 14. Willis McGahee – Baltimore Ravens (Bye: 10) Love him or hate him, McGahee is the poster boy of being solid, but not overly impressive year after year. Being blessed with the skills to be a top-featured back, he seems to just do enough to not allow us to forget about him. Having missed only 3 games the past four years, injuries are not much of a concern, but there is the very real possibility that he could lose some of his carries to rookie Ray Rice this season. Overall though, that shouldn’t put too much of a cramp on McGahee’s stats as this may be the little bite in the butt that he has needed to actually push him into a higher fantasy RB class. Entering his second season with the Ravens, he did show some signs of some positives to build on from last year. First of all, he held a decent role in the passing game last year as he caught 43 passes, a major improvement over his previous career high, and accrued stats of 231 receiving yards and 1 TD. Rushing he was able to go for 1,207 yards and 7 TD’s. As long as injuries remain in his college past, McGahee could be primed for a career year. But, then again, everyone has said that for the past handful of seasons. Even at his worst, McGahee will still produce enough to warrant low RB1, high RB2 consideration depending on the deepness of your league. Just don’t count on him to suddenly figure it all out and turn in a top 5 RB season. There is just way too much competition at this position to expect and rely on that. ALERT – Conditioning questions on top of a scope of the same knee McGahee blew out in college increase the risk of drafting McGahee. BY: CHRIS ZIZA And he always has the potential to do much more than that. But if he doesn’t get used on the field the way solid fantasy RB’s need to be used, he may never climb out of the middle RB2 status that he holds right now. ______________________________________________ 16. Jamal Lewis – Cleveland Browns (Bye: 5) As much as went right for Cleveland last year, perhaps the best news was the re-emergence of this former 2,066 yard rusher. Having played in 15 games last season, making it three years in a row that he has played in 15 or more, not only is health not in question anymore, but he also had his first 4+ yards per carry average since the 2004 season. Still in his late 20’s, he totaled 11 TD’s last year and even more impressive, he had 9 20+ yard runs last season. A number he hadn’t reached since his outstanding 2003 season. Barring a setback due to injury, there is no reason to believe that Lewis will not keep plugging away and remain a solid RB2 option. ______________________________________________ 17. Michael Turner – Atlanta Falcons (Bye: 7) A possible Atlanta scenario this year that you may see quite frequently is run, run, pass, and punt. Turner excelled in San Diego in a limited duty behind Sir Tomlinson, but Turner left for much greener pastures with Atlanta. And no, I am not talking about Atlanta being the better of teams; I am talking about good old cash. The Bruno Boys believe that there is plenty of upside in this solid RB, but we want to remind you of a few things. First of all, on one hand he has only carried the ball 228 times in his career. Secondly, he only has 6 career TD’s. But, on the other hand, he has a career average of 5.5 yards per carry. It is hard to base the potential of a runner on such little play, especially when a runner enters a brand new organization, and the fact that the QB situation in Atlanta is not great which will most likely lead to many dump passes in which Turner has only 11 career catches. But at least he has been able to learn from playing behind the best in the game. Based on potential the Bruno Boys see him as a mid-to-lower end RB2, but don’t be surprised one way or another if he either excels at his new role, or if he flops horribly. ______________________________________________ 15. Reggie Bush – New Orleans Saints (Bye: 9) Oh, how the great have fallen. This third year back was drafted extremely high in fantasy leagues in his rookie season just two short years ago. Having come out of college all hyped up, he has shown only glimpses of what he was supposed to be so far in his career with New Orleans. Last year word had spread that Bush just may not have the size to be a full-time back. He proved that by ever so politely breaking down as the season wore on. It is becoming more common place for RB’s to include a solid passing game to compliment their running game, but here at the Bruno Boys, we are weary that his passing game needs to start having a complimentary running game. In his first two seasons he neither had 160 rushing attempts, nor has he had 600 yards rushing. And even worse, he has yet to have better than a 3.7 yards per carry average. He in fact is a more prominent receiver on the Saints, having 88 and 73 catches in his first two seasons respectively. The Saints are stacked at RB, and barring injury, Reggie Bush very well could be heading towards another season of fantasy letdown. Thanks to his receiving game he should be able to put up totals of at least 1,300 total yards and 6 TD’s. ______________________________________________ 18. Laurence Maroney– New England Patriots (Bye:4) Maroney, another of the young backs in the NFL who was supposed to take a step forward last year actually took a few steps back. It wasn’t all his fault as his shoulder was just never right the whole season. Hitting the hole and nailing defenders with a less-than solid shoulder probably hurts quite a bit, wouldn’t you think? But other than missing weeks 4-6 to help 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS him heal more, he was a gamer. One could say that he was rushed back too early, but it was a mixture between that and him not being mentally ready to take the hits on his shoulder. As an athlete it takes time to gain confidence in previously injured body parts and it looked like at the end of the season and into the playoffs that his confidence finally had arrived. He was able to maintain a mid-4 yards per carry average and 6 TD’s, but his passing catching ability took a horrible downward spiral. That can be explained by the emergence of Randy Moss and Wes Welker into that Patriots’ system. All-in-all, if you draft Maroney to be your RB2, you should have no worries, as the Bruno Boys do not see him falling any lower than this status throughout the season. In fact, he could be one of the better bargains this season at RB and could possibly reward you handsomely, as long as you don’t overdraft him. BY: CHRIS ZIZA 20. Earnest Graham – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye: 10) The good; Graham topped 1,200 total yards and had 10 TD’s even though he only started in 10 games, playing in 15. The bad; Graham averaged only 4.0 yards per carry and his first legit lead role did not come until he was in his late 20’s. The ugly, he has to split time with two other solid backs, one right away with Warrick Dunn and eventually with Cadillac Williams. At least in the beginning of the season Graham should produce in the vicinity of where he left off during the 2007 season, but if anything happens to, or goes wrong for some reason this season, don’t be surprised if Graham loses some carries to his teammates which would lower his value some. high RB3 at this point, unless your league heavily rewards yardage. _____________________________ 22. Darren McFadden – Oakland Raiders (Bye: 5) McFadden, entering his rookie season after a great college career at Arkansas is as well known for his off the field problems as his great running skills. McFadden has the skills to be the complete package, and he is joining a young offensive club which could rely heavy on the running game. He should lose some carries to his fellow teammate RB’s, primarily Justin Fargas, but as long as you are drafting McFadden as a late RB2, early RB3, that should be fine for your roster. He has the potential to climb to mid-RB2 value, and even more if he busts out like Adrian Peterson, which the Bruno Boys fully do not expect. If you are in a dynasty league, drafting McFadden higher than this ranking is very justifiable, but if you are in a yearly league, heed warning and temper your enthusiasm on this young kid. Eventually he very well could prove to be one of the best backs in the league, but as far as 2008 is concerned, he is worried about just performing as the best back on his team. _____________________________ _____________________________ 21. Willie Parker – Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 6) Talk about a downward spiral, entering his fourth season in the NFL, “Fast” Willie was coming off of a season in which he had rushed for 1,494 yards and 13 TD’s while also racking up another 222 yards through the air and 3 more TD’s. He had jumped from RB2 to a definite mid-pack RB1 status and then the NFL caught up to him. No longer did Pittsburgh want him to be the goal-line back. His TD’s dropped from 16 to a total of 2 last year. A HUGE disappointment for fantasy owners, as that destroyed many teams depending on his TD production from the season prior. And now, in this years NFL draft, the Steelers drafted Rashard Mendenhall, all but putting the nail in Parker’s coffin to being a starting RB in fantasy leagues. He will lose some carries to Mendenhall, and if his TD situation does not improve some, he will become just another blip on the former fantasy stud list. Barring an unexpected injury to Mendenhall, Parker rates no higher than a low RB2, 19. Thomas Jones – New York Jets (Bye: 5) In Jones’ first year as a Jet, he had a solid, but forgettable campaign. Coming off of back to back solid years with Chicago, he was moved to make room for up-and-comer Cedric Benson (Oops!), and found himself in New York where he celebrated the move by accumulating a massive TD total of 2. 1 was on the ground, the other through the air. The lack of TD’s is puzzling as in the previous three years his lowest total was 6. He did rush 310 times and put up 1,119 yards rushing on the field, but those are not numbers that were expected from his fantasy owners. The Bruno Boys are very pleased with the makeover that the Jets have done to their OL though, which could only help Jones get back to solid RB2 status. How quick he returns to that status though is fully dependent on when that OL gels. ALERT – Favre’s presence should give Jones running room. _____________________________ 23. Ronnie Brown – Miami Dolphins (Bye: 4) What a season Brown was having until he got injured during a game against New England in late October as he had 989 total yards through 7 games, as well as 5 TD’s and a 5.1 yards per carry average. All numbers were well ahead of where he normally produced in his first two seasons. Was it his breakthrough year, or one that was a career year in the making? That is a tough call, and one that the Bruno Boys feel is more of the latter than the former. Brown definitely is a solid RB, 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS and should be drafted with RB2 confidence, but there is reason to believe that even when healthy enough to play he will be splitting carries with Ricky Williams. Eventually Brown’s talents and possibly Williams’ love for the green sticky icky should warrant Brown more playing time, and thus increased value. We are looking for a 2008 season in which if you draft Brown to contribute later in the year, he very well could be a bargain. Just don’t expect him to contribute as a major player on your team until the coach is confident that Brown can take on the bulk of the load in carries, which may not happen at all in 2008. ALERT – Coming back from an ACL injury made selecting Brown scary enough. Ricky Williams’ resurgence this preseason makes it even scarier. BY: CHRIS ZIZA 25. 25 Selvin Young – Denver Broncos (Bye: 8) During his rookie season with Denver, Young did not disappoint, having played in 15 games, starting 8 of those, and an nearly accumulating 1,000 yards total on the field through the ground and the air. He did only score one TD, so there is plenty to be worked on in that category, but he was able to run for 20+ yards 8 times on only 140 attempts which is a pretty good cli to perform clip at. Now that Travis Henry has gone the way of Ricky Williams by puffing away at his career, Young stands a great chance at coming away with the starting gig. Sophomore years are usually tough on RB’s, but in Young’s defense, he is playing for an organization that is known to produce fantasy backs. 27. Rudi Johnson – Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 8) Before last season’s hamstring problems arose, Johnson had strung together four solid years in a row, the last three as the featured back. During those years he was averaging near 1,500 total yards and 12 TD’s a season. Word out of Cincinnati is that Johnson’s injury plagued 2007 is a thing of the past and that the Bengals are looking for a bounce back season from Johnson. If that is the case, look for Johnson to bounce back into RB2 status. Keep an eye out during training camp, and if he is looking healthy and is able to make the proper cuts, adjust your rankings accordingly. This is a guy that you very well could get at RB3 prices, yet he easily c could get you the payoff of a RB2. But of course, if he tweaks his hamstring again, don’t expect a return to old. _____________________________ 24. Edgerrin James – Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 7) James, in his second season with the Arizona Cardinals, was able to play in all 16 games and rack up 1,222 yards on the ground with 7 TD’s, and also added 204 yards through the air. He is getting to the point in his career where 300+ carries a season will start becoming a thing of the past along with the numbers he’s generating in the receiving game, which have gone down in each of the last 3 years. The good thing about this year is that if the Cardinals decide to keep him on the payroll, he really has no real competition for the starting gig. James would make a solid, low-end RB2 in deeper leagues or a nice RB3 in smaller leagues that consist of about 10 teams. Don’t expect an improvement on his overall stats though as age and his constant role as a workhorse is bound to catch up to him, and probably sooner than later. _____________________________ 28. Fred Taylor – . Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye: 7) Anyone drafting Jones Jones-Drew to be one of their starting RB’s sho should definitely consider handcuffing him with Taylor. Fragile Freddy hasn’t looked very fragile as of late and he continues to put up solid numbers, including last year when he rushed for 1,202 yards and 5 TD’s. No longer is Taylor wearing out as Jones-Drew compliments him well as a running partner, so health shouldn’t become an issue. Taylor is starting to see the end of his career coming up in a short few seasons, so the motivation to be at the top of his game is at its peak. If he can produce close to wha he did what last season, having Taylor as your RB3 would be a solid choice. _____________________________ 26. 26 LenDale White – Tennessee Titans (Bye: 6) This kid has solid talent, and at the moment is the Titans starter, but word out of Tennessee is that his knee rehab is not going as well as hoped and his consistency remains in question. One week you could get a really good quality game out of White, the next he doesn’t even look like he belongs on the field. With the Titans drafting Chris Johnson this year, White’s leash may not be nearly as long as it was last year. Pay close attention to White during training camp, a if for any reason the and injury just does not seem to be getting any better, adjust accordingly. _____________________________ _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS 29. Matt Forte – Chicago Bears (Bye: 8) Forte, a rookie this season, who played his college ball for Tulane, was pretty much given the reigns when the Bears released Cedric Benson this off-season. His only competition comes in the form of Adrian Peterson, which is definitely good news for those that will own Forte this year. Depending on how quickly he learns the speed of the NFL, he very well could turn into a low-RB2, highRB3 at some point this year. As they say, don’t count your eggs before they hatch, but in this situation, Forte is looking like a safe bet to hatch. ALERT – Forte’s been with the first team all training camp. as DeAngelo Williams’ counterpart. I liken this to how Jacksonville uses Jones-Drew and Taylor. Since it is his rookie season, there will be a learning curve that he must go through, but once he is comfortable with the play book and gets used to the speed of the NFL, there is no reason that he shouldn’t be able to have a solid year. Depending on the amount of touches he gets a game, a solid year of rushing yardage and TD’s is not out of the question. Splitting time with Williams will keep him from having a productive season similar to that of a mid-RB2, but this is the NFL and injuries do happen, so handcuffing him to Williams, and vice versa would be a very solid strategy and one that could pay off handsomely if an injury does happen to occur for either runner. ALERT – Stewart’s surgically repaired toe has been nagging him this offseason, preventing the rookie to showcase his talents. BY: CHRIS ZIZA struggled to gain the coaches confidence last season, which could lead to a quicker route to the starting position. Smith has all the intangibles that a solid RB needs to be productive in the NFL, but he must get used to the speed of the game first. With his enormous confidence in himself, the Bruno Boys would be shocked to see him fail if given the opportunity to play on a regular basis. _____________________________ 34. Ahman Green – Houston Texans (Bye: 8) This former star RB and aging veteran seems to have hit a road block in his career because of injuries. In the past three years he has a total of only 7 TD’s and a little more than a total of 1,500 rushing yards. If you draft Green, definitely consider drafting Chris Brown so you can handcuff them together as it is only a matter of time before Green goes down with injury. _____________________________ 30. DeAngelo Williams – Carolina Panthers (Bye: 9) Williams, one half to the dynamic duo that the Panthers are hoping to have put together, is in a very good situation. First of all, his coach is looking to push the running game a lot this year, meaning that there should be a ton of carries to go around. Secondly, with a revamped line as well as a solid overall running game that is complimented by his strong receiving skills, it would not surprise us if he took a nice step forward over last year’s stats in which he had totaled for almost 900 yards and 5 TD’s. Again, if you draft Williams, try to make it a priority to handcuff him with Jonathan Stewart as this is the NFL, injuries do happen, and if one were to happen to either of these two, the other could take a huge step forward in production at that time. _____________________________ 32. Rashard Mendenhall – Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 6) Pittsburgh drafted Mendenhall out of Illinois to partner up with Willie Parker to form a solid 1-2 punch to their running game, in which the Steelers are planning to emphasize even more this year. Mendenhall runs with a different style compared to Parker, so it would be of no surprise to the Bruno Boys to see both of these players get their fair share of touches. Handcuffing him to Parker would make very good sense, and there is definite upside to his game. Drafting him as your late RB3 or early RB4 should pay off well. _____________________________ 35. Justin Fargas – Oakland Raiders (Bye: 5) If you own McFadden, consider drafting Fargas as well. Fargas showed plenty of upside last season for Oakland as he was able to rush for 1,009 yards and 4 TD’s in limited play. There is no question that Fargas is the backup on the Raiders, but if injury were to happen to McFadden, Fargas’ value during that time would definitely take a quick boost. That being said, at this stage of the game you are drafting RB’s to fill out a roster, and Fargas is just as good as any leftovers that remain on the board. _____________________________ _____________________________ 31. Jonathan Stewart – Carolina Panthers (Bye: 9) Stewart, coming off of toe-surgery, was drafted by Carolina to help add to their running attack, and is expected to play 33. Kevin Smith – Detroit Lions (Bye: 4) Smith, drafted by the Lions in the third round out of the University of Central Florida, is expected to compete with veteran RB Tatum Bell for the starting gig this season. That is a bonus as Bell _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS 36. Chester Taylor – Minnesota Vikings (Bye: 8) One of the games’ better backup RB’s, Taylor sits behind star running back Adrian Peterson. When on the field, Taylor has shown the talent to both move the chains as well as reach pay dirt, as he has 13 TD’s combined over the last two years. If you are one of the lucky ones to land Adrian Peterson on your team, it is pretty much a must that you grab Taylor as well. In fact, it very well may be the most important handcuff that you can do this season as Peterson has had a history of injury problems, meaning that at least for a short time Taylor could become a very good play option. BY: CHRIS ZIZA 39. Jerious Norwood – Atlanta Falcons (Bye: 7) Do not fret over the fact that Atlanta brought in Michael Turner this year. Norwood definitely has value and is a solid sleeper as well. His value comes in the form of being a solid handcuff option to Turner, as Turner has never been a starter in the league and he may, and probably will wear down here and there during the season. But even more importantly, this kid’s average yardage per carry is sick. He has averaged 6.4 and 6.0 in his first two years, and that is not on just a few attempts. He has averaged about 100 in both seasons. Also, the Falcons are planning on using him in more receiving routes which only adds to his value. He has averaged 8.5 and 9.9 yards per reception in his first two years. If an injury occurs to Turner or he does make his way into a Reggie Bush type of receiver role out of the backfield, his value could skyrocket. Keep an eye on this kid and mark him as a definite sleeper going into this year’s draft. 41. Ricky Williams – Miami Dolphins (Bye: 4) After totaling 1723 yards in 2003 and 10 total TDs, Ricky Williams has turned into somewhat of a joke in the world of football. Whether making headlines for his marijuana use or suiting up for the Canadian Football League, Williams’ name has been in the news for the wrong reasons. But, that has changed this off-season. Williams is once again impressing folks with his football skills, so much so that he will more than likely end up sharing carries with Ronnie Brown. Taking a flier on Williams in the later rounds is not a bad idea at all. _____________________________ _____________________________ 37. Julius Jones – Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 4) After being kindly pushed out of Dallas, Jones headed to Seattle for a chance at being the Seahawks’ featured back; however, it appears that once again Jones will be partaking in a running back by committee situation, this time with Maurice Morris. Jones should get more touches as he is the more talented back, but it might take some time for that to matriculate as he learns the offense. 42. Pierre Thomas – New Orleans Saints (Bye: 9) The undrafted free agent out of the University of Illinois went virtually unheard of throughout the season’s first sixteen weeks but came on strong in week 17. Thomas torched the Chicago Bears for 226 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown, making a statement to the Saints coaching staff that he was vying for carries in 2008. With the Saints planning on using Reggie Bush as a receiver part of the time, it opens up opportunities for Deuce McAllister, Aaron Stecker and Thomas to shine in the Big Easy. McAllister is proven but has suffered two ACL surgeries in his career and Stecker is more of a backup option than a primary ball carrier, leaving Thomas with every chance to snag the role as Bush’s backup. If this is the case, he could be a great sleeper. _____________________________ 40. Tatum Bell – Detroit Lions (Bye: 4) Tatum Bell has been mind boggling when it comes to fantasy football. First of all, he was so unimpressive last year with his work ethic that he was a healthy scratch in 11 games. Despite that, with the Lions releasing often injured Kevin Jones this off-season, it was looking as if he would get a shot at the starting gig. Unfortunately, he showed up to the off-season minicamps out of shape, while Kevin Smith, his main competition, was showing solid skills. Given Bell’s potential, he will not be written out of the starting gig yet, but watch training camp carefully. Even if he does win the job, it’s only in due time that Kevin Smith will take over as the featured back. _____________________________ 38. Felix Jones – Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 10) Jones, drafted by Dallas in this years draft out of Arkansas comes into the league with the chance to play more than most rookies that join a team with a solid RB veteran. The Bruno Boys believe without a doubt that his TD’s will be practically non-existent, but he could put up some decent yardage here and there. A very solid handcuff for Marion Barber owners, Jones should pick up where Julius Jones left off. _____________________________ 43. Chris Brown – Houston Texans (Bye: 8) Brown was solid, but unspectacular in his five year stint with the Titans. Having averaged 4.3 yards in his career, as well as having reached 5 _____________________________ _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS TD’s three times, shows he has potential and could excel in the right system. That system very well could be the Texans. If you drafted Ahman Green to be your third RB, it would be very wise to back him up with Brown as it is very possible that Green could struggle with injuries once again. But, even if you don’t own Green, just for the previous reason stated alone Brown is worth taking as your RB4. Is it guaranteed that Brown will produce more than a RB4 should? No. Is it guaranteed that Green will go down with injury? No, again. But if you are looking for a sleeper this late in the draft, Brown could pay off handsomely to the point of becoming a high RB3. Bush, Maurice Jones Jones-Drew, Jerious Norwood and Leon Washi Washington do in the NFL. And, since LenDale White is his main competition, it is possible that Johnson could become the featured back sometime this season. At the very least, Johnson should impress Tennessee’s brass enough as to where he steals a good chunk of LenDale’s touches. BY: CHRIS ZIZA _____________________________ 46. Ahmad Bradshaw – New York Giants (Bye: 4) Bradshaw has overcome many obstacles to get to where he is in the NFL today. And, now that he has become Brandon Jacobs’s primary backup he is celebrating it b going to by jail. Ok, joking aside, he was decent in the regular season, but his real contributions to the Giants came during the playoffs where he rushed for an average of 4.3 yards per carry. He could have some value as the Giants will be trying to keep J Jacobs fresh this year because of his injury problems, but unless you own Brandon Jacobs on your fantasy team, there really is no need for drafting Bradshaw until the big bruising back goes down, opening the door for Bradshaw. _____________________________ _____________________________ 48. Ray Rice – Baltimore Ravens (Bye: 10) Ray Rice, the former Rutger Knight, stands just 5’9” and weighs a little over the 200 pound mark at 205, but he packs a big burst of speed in a small package. While Rice’s main job in 2008 will be to spell Willis McGahee and provide a change of pace, the diminutive back could find himself shouldering more of a load if McGahee continues to be bothered by his knee. 44. Maurice Morris – Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 4) Morris is one of those RB’s whose true value lies in the NFL, not fantasy football. He keeps his mouth shut, does his job, and when given the opportunity he normally produces. But the Seahawks brought in Julius Jones and TJ Duckett this off-season, taking away any chance of Morris being the featured back or the goal-line back. Morris most likely will go undrafted in most leagues this year, but if serious injury were to ever come to Julius Jones, he definitely is a player that you would want to pick up right away. _____________________________ _____________________________ 49. Kenny Watson – Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 8) Watson made an immediate impact last year in fantasy circles when given a chance to play, totaling 1,137 total yards and 7 TDs. Watson could very well have a chance to repeat the magic in 2008. Early reports from Benga Bengals’ training camp place Watson competing with Chris Perry on the team’s depth chart. With Rudi Johnson not the back he used to be, Watson could be getting a good deal of carries sooner rather than later. He’s a must grab if Rudi is on your squad and he wins the RB2 battle. _____________________________ 47. Warrick Dunn – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye: 10) Dunn is looking like he is done; at least in the fantasy world. In his last three years, Dunn’s average yards per carry has dropped from 5.1 to 4.0 to 3.2. His yardage from 1,416 to 1,140 to a mere 720 last season. Ironically, he still threw up 4 TD’s a year, although it is 4-5 highly unlikely that is going to happen this season as Earnest Graham and later on Cadillac Williams will be getting most of the playing time down in Tampa. Dunn should go undrafted in most leagues this year. 45. Chris Johnson – Tennessee Titans (Bye: 6) Johnson, drafted by the Titans out of East Carolina, comes with a very sought after skill in the NFL. That skill is speed. The Titans are toying with the idea of making him a multi-threat back in which he would line up in many different places in many different formations, trying to exploit any mismatch that they can create. Johnson could play a similar role to what Reggie _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS RUNNING BACK RANKINGS 50. Leon Washington – New York Jets (Bye: 5) Washington, perhaps one of the most underappreciated RB’s in the game, produces every time that he is asked to. In two years in the NFL, he has carried the ball 222 times, scored 7 TD’s and averaged 4.5 yards per carry. He has also racked up 483 yards through the air. Entering his third year, he will once again play behind Thomas Jones, although it is very possible that you will start to see him getting more playing time here and there. If Thomas Jones ever goes down to injury, he would be a solid option to have as your RB3 and possibly even plug into your starting lineup from time to time. BY: CHRIS ZIZA 2008 RUNNING BACK TIER RANKINGS TIER SIX Edgerrin James (Ari) Selvin Young (Den) LenDale White (Ten) Rudi Johnson (Cin) Fred Taylor (Jax) Matt Forte (Chi) TIER SEVEN DeAngelo Williams (Car) Jonathan Stewart (Car) Rashard Mendenhall (Pit) Kevin Smith (Det) Ahman Green (Hou) TIER EIGHT Justin Fargas (Oak) Chester Taylor (Min) Julius Jones (Sea) Felix Jones (Dal) Jerious Norwood (Atl) Tatum Bell (Det) Ricky Williams (Mia) TIER NINE Pierre Thomas (NO) Chris Brown (Hou) Maurice Morris (Sea) Chris Johnson (Ten) Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) Warrick Dunn (TB) Ray Rice (Bal) Kenny Watson (Cin) Leon Washington (NYJ) AVERAGE 24.33 25.67 27 28 28 28.33 AVERAGE 31 31.17 35.83 36.17 36.17 AVERAGE 37.17 37.33 38.16 39.33 41.17 41.83 42.67 AVERAGE 44.33 45.17 45.5 45,83 47.17 49.83 49.83 50.67 51 TIER ONE LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) Adrian Peterson (Min) TIER TWO Brian Westbrook (Phi) Steven Jackson (Stl) Joseph Addai (Ind) TIER THREE Frank Gore (SF) Clinton Portis (Was) Marshawn Lynch (Buf) Marion Barber III (Dal) Larry Johnson (KC) Maurice Jones-Drew (Jax) TIER FOUR Ryan Grant (GB) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) Willis McGahee (Bal) Reggie Bush (NO) Jamal Lewis (Cle) TIER FIVE Michael Turner (Atl) Laurence Maroney (NE) Thomas Jones (NYJ) Earnest Graham (TB) Willie Parker (Pit) Darren McFadden (Oak) Ronnie Brown (Mia) AVERAGE 1.33 2 AVERAGE 3.5 4.17 4.17 AVERAGE 7 7.67 8.17 8.83 10.5 11 AVERAGE 13.17 14.17 15.33 15.83 16.33 AVERAGE 18.5 18.5 18.67 19.5 20.17 20.33 22.33 _____________________________ Is the proud sponsor of the 1st Annual Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Expert League RANKINGS UPDATED – AUGUST 14TH 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS BY: MARC CAVIGLIA Running backs have always been the darlings of fantasy football. Year in and year out, it is repeated to us constantly that the key to a successful fantasy draft is to load up on running backs early, but 2007 may make us rethink that approach. With more and more teams utilizing the pass, the time of the wide receiver has arrived. In fact, in 2007, in looking at running backs and wide receivers combined, 10 of the top 20 fantasy seasons were of the wide receiving variety, led by Randy Moss and his record breaking 23 TDs. With the rise in production at the wide receiver position that is due in large part to a change of rules that has made the cornerback position all the more difficult to play, no longer should it be a requirement to grab a running back with your first pick. Grabbing a wide out like Moss, Reggie Wayne, Terrell Owens, Braylon Edwards, and so on, Wayne, can be just as beneficial. To see exactly which wide receivers hold the most value for 2008, be sure to check out the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football 2008 Wide Receiver Rankings. likely counter that strategy by focusing more on the development of the running game with Laurence Maroney. Once, the Patriots are able to get Maroney going, teams will have to be more honest, and Moss will once again have room to roam, though all of this will leave Moss with fewer opportunities to put up fantasy points than he had last season. Still, we’re sure his owners wouldn’t be disappointed with 1 1,400 receiving yards and 15-16 TDs that the Bruno Boys believe are 16 in store for the man. ______________________________________________ 2. Reggie Wayne – Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 4) For once in his NFL career, Wayne isn’t looking up the fantasy ranks at Marvin Harrison. In fact, Wayne isn’t looking up at anyone besides Randy Moss. 1. Randy Moss – New England Patriots (Bye: 4) Moss proved two things last season after bouncing back from a disappointing 2006 with the Oakland Raiders, in which he went for 553 yards and 3 TDs. One, the guy still has the talent to be one of the best in the league as he hauled in 98 passes for 1,493 and 23 scores for the New England Patriots. Two, the guy only plays when he wants to. The good news is that it looks like right now with the Tom Brady throwing him the ball, Moss is willing to put in the maximum effort. If that’s the case, Moss once again should find himself putting up big numbers week in and week out, though don’t expect him to match the record se setting numbers he had last season. Teams have decided that they’ll try and force the Patriots to find other ways to beat them rather than allow Brady and Moss to hook up for long TDs, a trend that developed in the post post-season as Moss was able to haul in only 7 passes in 3 games. In the y perennial chess match that is the NFL, Belichick will most Heading into 2007, Wayne was playing 1A to Harrison’s 1, but 2008 changed all that. Harrison finally showed his age by succumbing to an injured knee that kept him out 11 games. With Harrison out, Wayne played bigger than ever, going for 1,510 yards and 10 TDs. What makes those numbers even more impressive is that opposing defenses knew Peyton Manning would be trying to get Wayne the ball, leading them to focus even more on the 6’0” wide out. Still all that extra attention ’0” wasn’t enough to stop Wayne from hauling in 104 passes. Harrison’s return shouldn’t cause Wayne to take a step back. In fact, it should help his cause. With Harrison on the opposite side of the field, defenses won’t be able to focus as much on Wayne, on’t and if he could catch 104 balls with all the attention he got last season, think of what he could do with some room. 1500+ yards and double digit TDs is definitely within reach. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS 3. Terrell Owens – Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 10) 2006 saw T.O. making headlines for all the wrong reasons, including an attempted suicide. 2007, on the other hand, saw T.O. make headlines for all the right reasons – a note to reporters that he wouldn’t be giving interviews prior to a matchup with New England as he didn’t want to supply the Patriots with bulletin board material, tears after a playoff loss while defending his quarterback, Tony Romo, and of course, his play. 2007 saw T.O. put up the best numbers of his career since 2001 as he went for 1355 receiving yards and 15 TDs, finishing just second to Randy Moss among fantasy wide receivers. 2008 should be another stellar season for Owens as the Cowboys return the majority of their high-powered offense intact. Perhaps the biggest boost to Owens’ value comes in the shape of Jason Witten. With Witten going for 1145 yards and 7 TDs in 2007, it’s another wrinkle defenses will have to prepare for as they get set to face the Cowboys going forward, which means less time teams have to prepare for Owens. Owens should once again end the season with 1100+ yards and double digit TDs and could do even more damage, if he learns to limits his drops. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA 5. Larry Fitzgerald – Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 7) “Leaping” Larry has always been a Bruno Boys favorite and he does nothing but make the Bruno Boys (and his fantasy owners) proud year in and year out. In a Fitzgerald like season, the stud receiver had 100 receptions, 1,409 receiving yards and ten touchdowns. Ironically, those statistics are identical to his 2005 season; just in ’05 he had 103 receptions. What we like about Fitzgerald is that he doesn’t gain his points in chunks; instead he builds them up throughout the season. In fourteen of the 15 games he played, Fitzgerald scored at least seven fantasy football points, and in 7 of those games he had at least ten points. Heading into 2008, Fitzgerald is already one of the NFL’s elite receivers, and the fact that he gets to pick on soft secondaries in the pass happy NFC West has Fitz licking his chops. The only concern we have is that Matt Leinart is projected to start in Arizona, and in the four games they played in together last year, they failed to find pay dirt. Still, Leinart will begin to realize that Fitzgerald has the hands and play making ability to help his statistics and before you know it, he will be targeting “Leaping” Larry on a more consistent basis. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 4. Braylon Edwards – Cleveland Browns (Bye: 5) Other than Randy Moss, perhaps no other wide receiver, will see as dramatic an increase in their ranking from 2007 to 2008 than Braylon Edwards. Entering 2007, Edwards fell somewhere between a low WR2 and a high-upside WR3. Then, the Browns struck gold when they placed Derek Anderson under center. Originally thought to be nothing more than a place holder for Brady Quinn, Anderson turned in a pro bowl season for the Browns. Having someone capable running the offense and throwing the ball, allowed Edwards to use his superb skills to turn in by far the best season of his career, a season that included 16 TDs to go along with 1,208 receiving yards. As such, Edwards enters 2008 as a top 5 option at the wide receiver position. While he should benefit from being on an offense that does possess numerous weapons, Jamal Lewis, Kellen Winslow, and Donte Stallworth, whether or not Edwards lives up to his ranking falls heavily on the throwing arm of Anderson. If Anderson is anywhere near the quarterback he was in 2007, Edwards should once again be in for a spectacular season. If not, then Edwards may regress. Still, the Bruno Boys have enough confidence in Edwards’ size and skills to predict another 1000+ yard and 10+ TD season. 6. Andre Johnson – Houston Texans (Bye: 8) Here is the Bruno Boys bold prediction of the offseason; out of the 49 NFL players with the last name Johnson, none are better than Andre Johnson! Sorry Chad, but this Johnson isn’t streaky therefore he has more fantasy value. Before suffering a leg injury that caused him to miss seven games, Johnson had 14 receptions for 262 receiving yards and three touchdowns in just 2 games. Unlike that other receiver named Johnson, this one came back with a bang in week 11 and scored a touchdown in five of the Texans final 7 games. Despite playing just nine games, Johnson finished the season with 60 receptions, 851 receiving yards and eight touchdowns. For those of you in leagues that reward long touchdowns, Johnson hauled in two touchdowns on 70+ yard plays. In 2008, a healthy Matt Schaub and Johnson could lead to some astronomical numbers for the sixth year receiver. The only thing holding him back from the top five at the receiver position is the running game in Houston. The Texans ranked 21st in the NFL on the ground last year and teams are going to start focusing on containing Johnson, in attempt to make Houston beat them on the ground. Still, Johnson is a playmaker, has always made things happen and we like him to close in on 100receptions and set a career high in both yardage and TDs. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS 7. Marques Colston – New Orleans Saints (Bye: 9) After having a big time rookie season in 2006 (1038 receiving yards, 8 TD catches) Colston was even better in 2007. Many fantasy owners thought that he would come down to earth in 2007, as teams started to scheme around him, but this was not the case, as he hauled in 98 receptions for 1,202 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. What is even more impressive about his final totals is that Colston had just 26 receptions for 263 receiving yards and two touchdowns through the seasons first 6 games. As the season started to roll, Colston caught fire and rewarded his owners with a huge showing in the fantasy football playoffs (weeks 14-16), as he combined for 39 fantasy points during those weeks. After four straight losses, the Saints offense started clicking in week 6 and you would suspect that they are going to put an emphasis on getting Colston involved early this season. You should look to target him in the middle half of the third round and can expect an increase in his production. We feel that he is yet to reach his ceiling and could go over the century mark in receptions, hover around 1,250 receiving yards and should get at least ten touchdowns for the second straight year. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA 9. Steve Smith – Carolina Panthers (Bye: 9) For those of you out there that undervalue the quarterback position, just ask Steve Smith how important it is to have a proven quarterback under center. Heading into 2007, Smith was the consensus number one wide receiver and before Jake Delhomme injured his elbow, Smith was off to the fastest pace of his career, as he had 271 receiving yards and four touchdowns (50 fantasy points) through just two weeks. But in week 3, down went Delhomme and for the most past down went Smith’s season. With the Panthers forced to use David Carr, Vinny Testaverde and Matt Moore at quarterback, Smith was never able to find a rhythm and he finished the season with just 140 fantasy points, his lowest total since an leg injury caused him to miss 15 games in 2004. With Jake Delhomme looking sharp in offseason workouts and the Panthers signing receivers D.J. Hackett and Muhsin Muhammad, Smith should be able to take advantage of more single coverage. If this is the case, you can expect him to regain his superstar form and once again be a top option at the wide receiver position. Despite being subpar last year, owners won’t overlook Smith’s big play ability and he will fly off the board in the middle half of round three. ALERT – Smith’s temper led to a broken nose for teammate Ken Lucas, which led to a 2-game suspension for the superstar wideout. ______________________________________________ 8. T.J. Houshmandzadeh–Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 8) Over the course of the seasons first 9 weeks, no wide receiver in football (besides Randy Moss) was working at a pace comparable to “Housh.” At the halfway point of the season, Houshmandzadeh had 62 receptions for 674 receiving yards and ten touchdowns. On pace to break just about every NFL record, Housh’s numbers declined during the second half of the season, as he had just 50 receptions for 469 receiving yards and two touchdowns over the seasons final 8 games. His 112 receptions still had him atop the league (tied with Wes Welker) and his 179 fantasy points (standard leagues) ranked him 7th amongst wide receivers. Over the past three seasons, Housh has shown a dramatic increase in production, but after a career year in 2007 it will be hard for him to build on those numbers. A realistic outcome for Housh is numbers similar to his 2006 total, so you can expect around 90-95 receptions for 1,050-1,100 receiving yards and nine or ten touchdowns as he continues his quest to dethrone Chad Johnson as the top dog in Cincinnati. You should target Housh at the top half of the third round in all twelve team leagues. ______________________________________________ 10. Torry Holt – St. Louis Rams (Bye: 5) Led by quarterback Marc Bulger, running back Steven Jackson and Holt everyone thought the Rams offense was going to post career numbers in 2007, but they failed miserably. A sluggish start to a 3-13 season, combined with injuries to Bulger and Jackson led to Holt failing to meet his 2007 projections, but he still had serviceable fantasy football stats. In a down year, Holt was able to post 93 receptions for 1,189 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. These numbers totaled 159 fantasy points, and led to Holt failing to finish the season as a top ten receiver for the first time in five years. Despite the decline in TDs, Holt still remains the consistent figure that every fantasy owner should target. He has had at least 1,000 receiving yards in eight straight seasons and at least 90 receptions in six straight seasons. With both Bulger and Jackson in better health, there is a good possibility that the Rams return to being “the greatest show on turf.” If this is the case, Holt will find himself as a WR1 on a fantasy team near you. One red flag is that Holt has battled knee trouble and isn’t getting any younger, but this shouldn’t prevent you from grabbing him if he is on the board in the late third or early fourth round. Holt’s consistent ways should continue and the Rams very well could breakout in a big way. ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS 11. Plaxico Burress – New York Giants (Bye: 4) Despite being a game-time decision on a weekly basis, Burress played in all 16 games and had a career year to show for it. Hindered by a troublesome ankle injury, Burress finished the season with 70 receptions, 1,025 receiving yards and twelve touchdowns to go along with a Super Bowl ring. The lanky, yet physical, wide receiver showed his big game ability last season with games of 14, 15, 15, 18, 19, 20, and 32 fantasy points. One concern though from last year was his inconsistency, as he also had games of 0, 1, 2, 3, 3, 4, and 4 fantasy points. In what could be considered a tale of two separate seasons, we feel that the injury played a toll in his down weeks, and that 2008 could lead to more of a complete season. After a big 2007 showing, rumors are surfacing that Burress might be a training camp holdout, but it is believed that the Giants won’t let this become a huge problem. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that Burress is an integral part of New York’s success and with this his fantasy owners can another expect great showing in 2008. You aren’t going to be enthralled with his reception and 100-yard game numbers, but his high yard per reception average and third straight double-digit touchdown season should be enough to use him as your top wide receiver in standard scoring leagues. And if you’re an owner who is concerned by his injuries, keep in mind that he has just missed one game over the past 3 seasons. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA Johnson is no longer the sole number one receiver in Cincinnati, but his numbers should be good enough to be considered a low tier number one fantasy football receiver. Parts of us think Johnson puts together a complete season and post career numbers, but odds are he continues his trend as a streaky player. Still, those big games in which he scores 30+ points a week, could be enough to contribute three or 4 wins. But, let’s hope that “Ocho Cinco” performs when he counts, in the fantasy football playoffs! ______________________________________________ 13. Anquan Boldin – Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 7) When healthy Boldin, the ex –college quarterback, continues to make great strides as a wide receiver. However, 2007 was the third time in his five-year career in which injury prevented him from playing a full season, and that should now be on the minds of fantasy owners come draft day. Despite missing four games because of injury, Boldin still posted a career high in touchdown receptions (9 TD’s) to go along with71 receptions for 853 receiving yards. Heading into the 2008 season, the Cardinals are expected to have a healthy Matt Leinart at quarterback, which is a good sign for those who are targeting Boldin. The reason is because his crisp route-running speaks to his capability of throwing up big time yardage totals every season and Leinart often looks for the high percentage option over Kurt Warner’s air it out style of play. When projecting his value in terms of fantasy football, you have to figure that he will surpass the 1,200 receiving yard mark for the fourth time in 6 seasons, and score around seven touchdowns. You can look to grab Boldin towards the end of the fourth round in your drafts, as he is a low tier number one wide receiver and the cream of the crop second receiver. The thing that we like about Boldin is that when healthy his stats are guaranteed, as some of the receivers below him are to Jekyll and Hyde for our liking. If you play in a PPR league, Boldin has even more value, as he has 413 receptions (82.6 per season) in just five seasons. ______________________________________________ 12. Chad Johnson – Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 8) “Ocho Cinco” was his typical self in 2007, as he once again brought great entertainment to the NFL fans and performed at a superstar level. He finished the season with a career high in receiving yards (1,440) and found the end zone on eight different occasions. However, just like every other year, Johnson’s stats came in big chunks. He scored touchdowns in just four games, and seven of his 8 total scores came in three games. These numbers don’t bode well for the fantasy owners who are looking for the consistent threat. In fact, in the fantasy football playoff’s (weeks 15 and 16), Johnson combined for just 11 fantasy points and proved to the Bruno Boys that he can’t be counted on as a big game player. Heading into 2008, Johnson has been in a sparring match with the Bengals franchise over his status with the team, but the typical Johnson antics should go overlooked come the regular season. In late June, he had surgery to clear up bone spurs in his ankle, but the eight year veteran said he will be ready for training camp. With the emergence of T.J. Houshmandzadeh, ______________________________________________ RANKINGS ARE BASED ON STANDARD SCORING: PASS TD: 4 POINTS RUSH TD: 6 POINTS RECEIVING TD: 6 POINTS ALL OTHER TD’S: 6 POINTS RANKINGS ARE BASED ON STANDARD SCORING: 25 PASS YARDS: 1 POINT 10 RUSH YARDS: 1 POINT 10 REC. YARDS: 1 POINT ALL TURNOVERS: - 2 POINTS 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS 14. Roy Williams – Detroit Lions (Bye: 4) Williams was another wide receiver who never got it going in 2007, which led to him failing to meet his average draft position. In fact, by week 14 his season was over, as a knee injury forced him to miss the seasons final four weeks, thus completing a forgettable year for the fourth year receiver. Williams saw a dip in every statistical category as he could only collect 63 receptions for 836 receiving yards and five touchdowns. These numbers aren’t bad, but 25 percent of his yardage total came in one game, and for a player of Williams caliber they just aren’t going to cut it. What Williams does well is combine his exceptional leaping ability with his above average size to make some big plays down the field, but he still hasn’t figured out how to take his talents to the next level. With offensive coordinator Mike Martz heading to the San Francisco 49ers one could only imagine that the Lions will develop a more conservative style of play. Still with a defense that is projected to give up tons of points, you will see the Lions playing in a fair amount of shootouts, and Williams should be able to see a plethora of balls thrown his way. With second year wide receiver continuing his development as wide receiver 1A, Williams might never live up to those lofty expectations, but we can see him having slight better numbers than Johnson in 2008. Expect around 75 receptions for 1,100 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, but don’t say the Bruno Boys didn’t tell you so if Johnson posts the better fantasy numbers. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA 16. Wes Welker – New England Patriots (Bye: 4) Tom Brady and Randy Moss might be the face of the New England Patriots, but the Bruno Boys feel that Wes Welker is the most integral part of the potent offense. After coming over from the Miami Dolphins in 2006, Welker nearly doubled his reception and yardage totals and scored seven more touchdowns in 2007. He finished the season tied with T.J. Houshmandzadeh for the NFL lead in receptions with 112, had 1,175 receiving yards and scored eight touchdowns on the season. When dissecting the Patriots offense you will notice that there is no way to defend Welker, which is why we feel that he will post similar numbers in 2008. The Patriots have so many weapons that it is almost impossible to take away Welker’s underneath route, in which he thrives on. If you play in a standard scoring league, grab Welker as your number two receiver and be rewarded with an average of 7-10 points on a weekly basis. If you are in a PPR league, you might want to bump Welker up into a low end number one receiver, as he should haul in 100 receptions for the second straight season. ______________________________________________ 17. Marvin Harrison – Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 4) You know that saying, “when it rains, it pours”? Well that is the best way to sum up Harrison in 2007. Drafted ahead of his teammate Reggie Wayne in most leagues, Harrison could only muster five games due to a nagging knee injury. In those five games, he averaged just 49.4 yards per game (down 36 YPG from ’07) and only connected with quarterback Peyton Manning for one touchdown. Already considered on the decline heading into 2008 (based on his average draft position in years past), Harrison is now in legal trouble after being the accused shooter during a fight outside of a Philadelphia restaurant/bar that he owns. There is no timetable as to when Harrison will face legal action, but this is not a good sign for those hoping he can find his groove again this season. The Bruno Boys feel that ranking Harrison at 19 could be a stretch, but if Harrison is cleared of his legal headache and the knee holds up, he is too good to pass up as a second wide receiver. It is suggested that you monitor his status throughout the preseason to make sure that you are drafting a guy that will help lead your team to the promise land. ______________________________________________ 15. Santonio Holmes – Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 6) Move over Hines Ward! In just his second NFL season, Holmes solidified himself as the Steelers primary receiving threat as he made big play after big play. He finished the season with just 52 receptions, but had 942 receiving yards and eight touchdowns despite missing three games due to an ankle injury. His growth in statistics from his rookie season are nice, but hidden to many fantasy football players was Holmes rise in yards per reception (18.1) and fumbles lost (0). Unfortunately, those of you who drafted Holmes under the radar in 2007 can’t get away with that in 2008, as he has become an explosive receiver that is now a household name. Although we would like to see an increase in Holmes receptions and targets this season, his game changing speed and ability to catch the homerun ball make him a solid second option at the wide receiver position. If he can stay healthy all season, you should see around 65-70 receptions, 1,100 receiving yards and nine touchdowns for the budding superstar. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS 18. Brandon Marshall – Denver Broncos (Bye: 8) To put things into perspective on just how far out of nowhere Marshall came from, in our 2007 magazine we ranked him as the 53rd wide receiver. Well, 102 receptions, 1,325 receiving yards and seven touchdowns later, Marshall has cracked the shall Bruno Boys top 15 heading into 2008. He used an instant rapport with quarterback Jay Cutler to post solid fantasy numbers on a weekly basis. In fact, he never had a game in 2007 in which he scored less than six fantasy points, making him one of the most consistent threats at his respective position. After a big ’07, you might wonder why Marshall didn’t crack er our top 10; well the reason is because of his off the field incidents. It is reported that Marshall has been arrested three times over the past 12 months and he is expected to have a court hearing during the season. These issues could lead to an in season suspension, which would be a tough pill to swallow for uspension, those relying on his steady production. The third-year receiver year out of Central Florida went public to project another 100 reception season, but we feel that the Broncos have too many holes in their offense for a repeat performance. Now that nse Marshall has established himself as an elite threat, teams are going to plan accordingly and try to limit his production as much as possible. You can count on him to grab around 90 receptions for 1,150 receiving yards and he very well could be ds flirting with double digit touchdown totals. ALERT – Marshall is all but guaranteed to be suspended by the NFL. The only question is for how long. The length of the suspension will determine where Marshall drops to in these rankings. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA be around 65-70 receptions, 1050 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. ______________________________________________ 20. Roddy White – Atlanta Falcons (Bye: 7) Prior to the 2007 season, White combined for 59 receptions for 952 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 32 total games and was used as a third option in a dismal Falcons passing attack, Well, things changed last season, as Whit hauled in 83 White receptions for 1,202 receiving yards and five touchdowns. Whether it was Joey Harrington, Byron Leftwich or Chris Redman throwing White the football he always seemed to put together a big game and he eclipsed the 100 receiving yard mark on five different occasions. At the age of 26, you would think White should see a spike in his production in 2008, however, the Falcons signed running back Michael Turner in the offseason and all reports indicate they will turn into a run first team. Plus, the loss of tight end Alge Crumpler will take its toll on White, as he will be seeing more double coverage, since teams don’t have to worry about Crumpler’s pass catching skills. All in all, White will post enough numbers to be a solid fantasy football option, but with so many question marks in the Falcons offense, ion, don’t expect him to carry your receiving corps like he did towards the end of last year. ______________________________________________ 21. Calvin Johnson – Detroit Lions (Bye: 4) ______________________________________________ 19. Lee Evans – Buffalo Bills (Bye: 6) Unfortunately, Evans was a big underachiever in 2007. When taking a look at our 2007 magazine, we ranked Evans just short of the top 10 (No. 13 receiver), but stated that in 2008 he would be a top 10 receiver. Well, our projection went to waste early o when Evans caught just 12 passes and zero touchdowns in the season’s first five games and was dropped in just about 50 percent of leagues nationwide. Towards the end of the season things started to pick up for Evans, as he finished with 55 receptions for 849 receiving yards and five touchdowns, but it eceptions was too little too late. One thing to keep an eye on throughout training camp is how quarterback Trent Edwards and Evans progress. It seemed that throughout the season they never found the rapport (24 fewer targets in 2007) that is needed to become a ort consistent receiver each week. Until we see how Edwards matures as an NFL quarterback it is tough to forecast Evans value, but the ceiling is high and if you like to take risks, you could reap the benefits of a good boom or bust option. If everything plays out in Evans favor, a realistic possibility would With all the hype surrounding Johnson coming into the 2007 season to say he didn’t live up to expectations can be considered an accurate assessment. Drafted by many owners as a low tier second receiver, Johnson managed just 48 receptions for 756 receiving yards and just 5 total touchdowns. At times Johnson 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS took advantage of smaller defensive backs and showed glimpses of greatness, but for the most part he was a non-factor in the Lions high powered offense. Still, Johnson has the size (6 ft. 5 in.), intangibles and playmaking ability to put together a great sophomore season. Despite losing offensive coordinator guru Mike Martz, the Lions drafted running back Kevin Smith to compliment quarterback Jon Kitna, wide receiver Roy Williams and Johnson. These pieces should be enough for Johnson to take advantage of single coverage on a regular basis and enjoy statistics around 75 receptions, 1,050 receiving yards and six to eight touchdown range. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA eddy second or 3rd wide receiver depending on your leagues scoring system (he has more value in a PPR league). ______________________________________________ 24. Jerricho Cotchery – New York Jets (Bye: 5) After starting his career as a fourth receiver in New York, Cotchery has rapidly developed into the Jets most reliable option. Entering his 4th season, Cotchery combines good hands with precise route running and he continues to show signs of a breakout campaign. In 2007, his play coined himself the true definition of possession receiver as Cotchery scored five or more fantasy points in 13 of the 15 games he played. Heading into 2008, the Bruno Boys believe that Cotchery has surpassed Laveranues Coles as the top target in New York, and you can expect a spike in his touchdown total. Look for Cotchery to haul in around 85 passes, for around 1,050-1,100 receiving yards and take it to the bank that his touchdown total will be closer to his 2006 total of six touchdowns. Target him as your 3rd wide receiver, but don’t be surprised if he continues his upward trend toward being an elite fantasy football option. ALERT – Trust us, having Brett Favre under center is much better than having Pennington throwing you the ball. ______________________________________________ 22. Greg Jennings – Green Bay Packers (Bye: 8) After a solid, but unspectacular, rookie campaign, Jennings had one of the most efficient seasons in NFL history last year. Despite missing three contests due to injury, Jennings emerged as a top fantasy football wide receiver in 2007 as 12 of his 53 receptions went for touchdowns. As the season went on Jennings became accustomed to making big play after big play, but with Brett Favre retired and untried Aaron Rodgers leading the offense you can’t expect a repeat showing from the speedy receiver. With Favre gone, the Packers will be going to a more conservative playbook, which the Bruno Boys believe will lead to Jennings running a few more underneath routes until Rodgers gets comfortable in the pocket. You can expect an increase in receptions and yardage, but don’t expect Jennings to score a touchdown in over 80 percent of games, like he did in ’07. Still, he should be targeted in the first five rounds of your leagues draft. ______________________________________________ 25. Dwayne Bowe – Kansas City Chiefs (Bye: 6) Last season, no rookie wide receiver made an immediate impact like Bowe, as he had 18 receptions for 299 receiving yards and three touchdowns during the seasons first month. When it was all said and done, Bowe finished the season with 70 receptions, 990 receiving yards and five touchdowns, which ranked amongst the top 25 statistically at the wide receiver position. If the Chiefs offense had any type of direction, Bowe’s numbers could be off the charts, but until Kansas City can find consistency, it’s best to set realistic expectations. Plus, head coach Herm Edwards isn’t afraid to rush the football every down if that is what the game dictates. The Bruno Boys feel he is a bottom of the barrel second wide receiver in a twelve team league and a very good third receiver in a ten team league. Either way, you will get your good games and your bad games from Bowe, so owners who value consistency over the potential big game should stay clear. ______________________________________________ 23. Hines Ward – Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 6) Often called a “warrior” by the Bruno Boys staff, for his hardnosed and gritty play, Ward struggled through nagging injuries en route to a mediocre showing. In just one fewer game than 2006, Ward had 232 fewer receiving yards and averaged just 10.2 yards per reception in 2007. With Santonio Holmes having a breakout season in ’07, this should make teams scheme their defenses towards Holmes, which should allow Ward to find more openings as the play develops. One thing that can’t go overlooked is the fact that you know what you are going to get when you are a Ward owner. He probably isn’t going to be lighting up your leagues scoreboard with many 20 fantasy point games, but more than likely he won’t be checking in with many two or 3 point performances either. Ward has always been a great short to intermediate route runner and still remains a viable red zone threat, so you should target him as your steady ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS 26. Chris Chambers – San Diego Chargers (Bye: 9) If anyone got a midseason fantasy football gift in 2007, it was those who owned Chambers. After going scoreless during the seasons first sixth weeks, Chambers was traded from the hapless Miami Dolphins to the San Diego Chargers, and showed some signs of life. In ten games with San Diego, Chambers finished the season with 555 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns. These numbers aren’t great, but Chambers scored touchdowns in each of his last two regular season games, and had 278 receiving yards to go along with a touchdown in the postseason. If he can continue to build the much needed rapport with quarterback Philip Rivers during the preseason, Chambers should be able to have his best season since 2005, in which he caught 11 touchdowns for the Dolphins. You should draft him as your third wide receiver in all leagues, but keep in mind that he still is the third option in San Diego, so his targets and reception totals could lack at times. route running will allow him to get open in tight spaces and provide Rodgers opportunities to get rid of the ball quickly. The Bruno Boys feel that Driver has at least one more 80 reception season in store and there is no doubt about it that he will find pay dirt more than the two touchdowns he totaled in 2007. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA _____________________________ 28. Kevin Curtis – Philadelphia Eagles (Bye: 7) After being a slot receiver for the first four years of his career, when Curtis came to Philadelphia he was used on the outside and with that came some up and down play. Although he finished the season with 1,110 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns, a big portion of his success came in three games. Of his 159 fantasy football points in 2007, 75 of them game in those three big weeks and this should be considered a red flag when targeting Curtis. Heading into 2008, the Bruno Boys are not suggesting staying clear of Curtis, because we feel he has the talent to be a valuable fantasy asset, but there are a lot of factors that he needs to overcome. McNabb must stay healthy and the Eagles need to find consistent play on offense for him to match his ’07 totals, because the odds are he won’t have another 40 point performance like he did against the Detroit Lions last year. than touchdown passes. When it was all said and done, Coles finished with just 55 receptions for 646 receiving yards but did manage to find pay dirt six times. With the 2008 season approaching, Coles should be considered as a solid fourth wide receiver in all leagues. If the aging body can hold up, you can expect Coles to have a season similar to his career averages. Look for him to haul in 75 receptions for around 950 receiving yards and five or six touchdowns. ALERT – See Jerricho Cotchery Alert. _____________________________ 30. Joey Galloway – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye: 10) They say that the older you get the more your skills diminish, but this statement can’t be hold true for the speedy Galloway. For the third consecutive season Galloway (1,014 receiving yards) surpassed the 1,000 receiving yard mark and in 2007 he improved his yard per reception total by nearly a yard. Still, the Bruno Boys are concerned that at the age of 37 Galloway might not have much fuel left in the tank. Entering his 14th season, Galloway’s reception and touchdown totals have decreased over the past two seasons, and he had five games in ’07 in which had had two receptions or less. It is suggested that you target Galloway as your 3rd wide receiver, and use him as a matchup receiver for your squad. Expect Galloway to post similar stats to those of 2007, in which he finished with 1,014 receiving yards and six touchdowns. _____________________________ 27. Donald Driver – Green Bay Packers (Bye: 8) Since 2004, only a handful of wide receivers have been more dependable than “Double D” himself. Despite getting up there in age, Driver will head into the season as the Packers primary possession receiver, as evident by his fourth straight 80 reception, 1,000 receiving yard season. However, with quarterback Brett Favre retiring in the offseason, Driver will need to continue his consistent play with and unproven Aaron Rodgers under center. Above any other receiver on the Packers’ roster, the trusty veteran will be the most critical to Rodgers development as an NFL quarterback. Driver’s precise _____________________________ 29. Laveranues Coles – New York Jets (Bye: 5) After a big 2006 season, Coles was just average in 2007. He did battle injury that forced him to miss some action, but outside that he was never able to get into a groove. A large part of his inconsistency can be attributed to the terrible play of quarterbacks Chad Pennington and Kellen Clemens as the duo combined for more interceptions _____________________________ 31. Bernard Berrian – Minnesota Vikings (Bye: 8) It has to be that Berrian just doesn’t know any better, but you would think that playing with the likes of Rex Grossman, Kyle Orton and Brian Griese would make Berrian want to go 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS to a team with a proven quarterback. This was not the case, as Berrian chased the money and landed in Minnesota on yet another offense that has inconsistent quarterback play. We are not saying that Tavaris Jackson is garbage, but he is raw and is still a year or two away from being a solid contributor on a weekly basis. In 2007, Berrian showed signs of becoming more of a complete receiver, as he ditched the turn and burn approach and started running different routes. This is evident by his 71 receptions compared to just 51 receptions in 2006. In 2008, you can expect teams to stack the box in attempt to contain Adrian Peterson, so Berrian should be able to get loose on some big gainers, but the lack of consistency in the passing game should hinder him from doing anything special. He is best valued as a fourth receiver in standard leagues and should only be used as a bye week fill-in or during a favorable matchup. dropped a few spots in a PPR league, as he hasn’t hauled in over 65 receptions since 2005. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA anything more than 65 receptions and 850-900 receiving yards. 900 _____________________________ _____________________________ 33. 33 Derrick Mason – Baltimore Ravens (Bye: 10) Oh Derrick Mason when are you going to go away? It appeared that after a sluggish 2006 campaign Mason was headed towards retirement, but all he did in 2007 was set a career high in receptions with 103 and surpass the 1,000 receiving yard mark for the sixt sixth time in 7 seasons. The big asset that Mason brings to the table is reliability. He caught at least 3 passes in every game last year, and had at least five fantasy points in all but 2 games. Despite the success, the Ravens are probably to be relying on rookie quarterback Joe Flacco at some point during the season, which means an instant drop in production from the 11 year veteran. Still, he will haul in between 75 75-80 receptions and has a good chance to outperform his draft position (should be valued as a 4th wide receiver) for the second straight season. 35. Patrick Crayton – . Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 10) Slowly and surely, Crayton has seen his numbers increase since entering the NFL, reaching career highs in 2007 with 697 yards and 7 TDs. With Crayton in line to start opposite T.O. on the dynamic offense that is the Dallas Cowboys, the increase in numbers should continue at least on the yardage side. Another 7 TDs would be an added bonus as T.O., Jason Witten, and Marion Barber will all steal redzone trips away from Crayton. _____________________________ 32. Santana Moss – Washington Redskins (Bye: 10) For the seasons first 13 weeks, Moss was pretty much a non-factor, as it wasn’t until week 15 that he turned it on. In seven of his first 11 games, Moss scored four or less fantasy points and the majority of owners grew impatient with his play, which led to him being found on the waiver wire after week 7. If it wasn’t for the final three games in which Moss had 261 receiving yards and two touchdowns he would have had his worst showing since 2002, his second year in the league. The interesting tidbit about Moss’s late season success is that it was backup Todd Collins throwing him the football and not starting quarterback Jason Campbell. For most of last season Campbell and Moss looked out of sync and until they can find a groove, you should only target Moss as a fourth receiver. His value should be _____________________________ _____________________________ 34. 34 Reggie Brown – Philadelphia Eagles (Bye: 5) Once Terrell Owens left Philadelphia, head coach Andy Reid wanted Brown to take the reign as the Eagles primary receiver, b it’s been two years and but Brown never put his finger around the job. In fact, outside of increasing his reception totals from 45 to 61, in a lot of ways his 2007 season was a step backwards. He finished the season with just 780 receiving yards and his touchdown total was chopped in half (4 TD’s in ’07 opposed to 8 TD’s in 2006). A healthy Donovan McNabb can help the numbers of Brown moving forward, but he trails the likes of Brian Westbrook and Kevin Curtis in terms of value, so it is unrealistic to pr project 36. Donte Stallworth – . Cleveland Browns (Bye: 5) After signing a free agent deal with the Cleveland Browns this will be Stallworth’s 4th NFL uniform in as many seasons. As a member of the Patriots, the most potent offense in , NFL history in 2007, Stallworth could only muster 46 receptions for 697 yards ly and 3 TDs However, he used this TDs. statistics to land himself a contract that will pay him over $35 million over the next seven years. Stallworth has never been a possession receiver, just a hike and go deep threat, and nothing should change in Clevela Cleveland. The change of scenery should lead to more targets but it won’t change his style of play that will lead to inconsistent fantasy totals. 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS 37. Nate Burleson – Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 4) After teasing fantasy owners by going for 1,006 yards in 2004, then disappearing off the planet in 2005 and 2006, Burleson was again fantasy relevant in 2007, taking advantage of injuries to Deion Branch and DJ Hackett to the tune of 694 yards and 9 receiving TDs. He, also, added two return scores to his totals. Burleson will again be able to take advantage of an injury to Branch at the start of the 2008 season as it will push him into the starting spot alongside Bobby Engram. Burleson finished 2007 with 20 catches in the Seahawks last two regular season games and two playoff outings for 268 yards and 3 TDs, an indication the receiver has earned the trust of quarterback, Matt Hasselbeck. ALERT– A slew of injuries has made Burleson the Seahawks top wide out to start the season. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA 39. Bobby Engram – Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 4) Outside of Randy Moss, no wide receiver had a better comeback season than Engram. After missing nine games because of injury in 2006, he enjoyed a career year in 2007. Being the beneficiary of multiple injuries to wide receivers, and head coach Mike Holmgren abandoning the run, Engram hauled in 94 receptions for 1,147 receiving yards and six touchdowns. What the Bruno Boys liked about Engram is that his sure hands and abundance of targets led to him scoring at least four fantasy points in all but one game. What we didn’t like is that Matt Hasselbeck checked him off in the red zone. Hasselbeck connected with Engram just seven times in that area in 2007, leading to 5 touchdowns. With Deion Branch expected to start the season on the PUP list, Engram will enter the season as the Seahawks primary option and should be able to pick on opposing defenses in the pass happy NFC west. To project a repeat performance is a stretch, but his consistency warrants some serious consideration as a second wide receiver. ALERT – Engram suffered a crack in his shoulder that will most likely keep him out until week 5. Hackett up on the other side of Steve Smith, and he should be able to pick apart second rate corner backs and probably won't be seeing much safety side help. This should allow Hackett to pick on single coverage, and there is no reason why Hackett can’t haul in 70+ receptions for your fantasy football team. In fact, the Bruno Boys feel Hackett should be considered one of those players that out performs his average draft position in all leagues. _____________________________ 41. Deion Branch – Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 4) If it wasn’t for an abundance of injuries, Branch wouldn’t be nestled towards the bottom of the Bruno Boys wide receiver rankings, however, he has missed 7 games over the last two seasons. This alone makes Branch to much of a risk to take an early gamble on, plus off season knee surgery will force him to probably start the season on the PUP list. It is suggested that you keep your eye on the progress of his recovery because Branch may be the mid to late season pick-up that can get your team over the hump. He did score 11+ fantasy points in six of the 11 games he was on the field for. _____________________________ 38. Anthony Gonzalez – Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 6) When the Colts drafted Gonzalez in the first round of the 2007 draft, they thought he would be used as the slot receiver. However, an injury to Marvin Harrison forced Gonzalez into playing on the outside and he finished the season with 576 receiving yards and three touchdowns to go along with 36 receptions. As the season progressed Gonzalez became more comfortable in the Colts high powered offense and he rewarded his owners with three touchdowns during the fantasy football playoffs. Heading into 2008, the aging knees and legal trouble surrounding Marvin Harrison leave the Bruno Boys to believe that Gonzalez should be targeted as a sleeper. It is best to keep an eyes on how Harrison’s legal battles play out, but if he is set to miss anytime, Gonzalez instantly becomes a third wide receiver for your fantasy football squad. _____________________________ _____________________________ 42. Vincent Jackson – San Diego Chargers (Bye: 9) Everybody’s favorite sleeper heading into 2007, Jackson did put up career yardage numbers. Unfortunately, they weren’t the career numbers many envisioned as Jackson totaled just 623 yards to go along with 3 TDs. Once the Chargers 3rd option behind LT and Antonio Gates, Jackson dropped to 4th man status with the addition of wide receiver, Chris Chambers, last season, and that’s where he sits heading into 2008. While Jackson has upside, beware because some owner in your league will overvalue the wide receiver due to his postseason in which he put 40. D.J. Hackett – Carolina Panthers (Bye: 9) The signing of Hackett will help bolster a Carolina Panthers receiving corps which featured Steve Smith and little to nothing else in ‘07. Despite missing 10 games, because of a nagging ankle injury, Hackett scored a touchdown in three of the 6 games, and went over 100- receiving yards in two of those. His presence should alleviate some of the double teams Smith has seen in years passed. If he wins the job in training camp, the Panthers plan to line 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS up 300 receiving yards and two scores. He’s worth a gamble though as your WR4/WR5. could put together a solid season, as the Raiders are starting to piece together playmakers on offense, but that is a big “IF”. You can expect second year quarterback JaMarcus Russell to target his playmaker on a regular basis, but until Walker proves he can still play at 100 percent, only target him as your fourth wide receiver. ALERT – A report stating that Walker had gone to Al Davis ready to retire is not music to fantasy owners’ ears. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA _____________________________ have solid fantasy numbers. With the plethora of running backs on the roster and a young QB under center, Oakland will continue to be a run first team. 43. Jerry Porter – Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye: 7) After a battle with Raiders owner Al Davis in 206, Porter returned to full form in 2007 but was marginal at best. A large part of this was because of the inconsistent passing attack in Oakland, which never allowed Porter to find is groove. Looking into the positives, Porter was able to score six touchdowns on just 44 receptions, and he did manage to score three touchdowns over the seasons final 5 weeks. However things will be different in 2008 as Porter is now a member of the run happy Jacksonville Jaguars offense. With the Jaguars being led by precision passing expert David Garrard, you should see a bump in his reception and yardage totals, but not his TD’s. ALERT – Hamstring injury has limited the amount of time Porter has had to pick up the Jaguars’ offense. _____________________________ 47. Isaac Bruce San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 9) After topping the 1,000 yard mark in 2006, Bruce's numbers, like all St. Louis Rams, dipped a bit in 2007. Still, the ageless wonder finished with a respectable stat line of 733 yards and 4 TDs. The good news for Bruce heading into 2008 is that in joining the 49ers, he will once again be reunited with Mike Martz, whom he had some of his best years under. The bad news is that this time Martz will be running his offense with a team that ranked last in total offense in 2007. With that in mind, there are other, younger wide receivers with more upside than Bruce. _____________________________ 45. Sidney Rice Minnesota Vikings (Bye: 8) With 31 catches for 396 yards and 4 TDs, Rice didn't exactly make the splash in his first season that fellow Viking's rookie Adrian Peterson did, but he did prove he will be a serviceable wide receiver in this league. Heading into 2008, the Vikings know that opposing teams will be looking to stack the box in order to slow Peterson down. As such, they made a conscientious effort to bolster their passing game, adding Bears' deep threat, Bernard Berrian to the roster. With Berrian drawing defenders deep down field and Peterson attracting their attention near the line, Rice should find room in the middle distances to increase his rookie numbers. _____________________________ _____________________________ 48. Drew Bennett – St. Louis Rams (Bye: 5) Bennett proved to everyone during his days with the Tennessee Titans that he can make the big play and after a subpar 2007 showing with the Rams, he is primed to have a bounce back year in 2008. Playing behind Torry Holt and Issac Bruce, Bennett could only manage 33 receptions for 375 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. With Bruce headed to the San Francisco 49ers, Bennett will jump into a starting spot and should prove a reliable red zone target for quarterback Marc Bulger. It’s safe to assume that Bennett will significantly increase his totals from last year, and he should be targeted towards the end of your draft. If all goes well, you can expect him to perform better than his draft position. 44. Javon Walker – Oakland Raiders (Bye: 5) Just a few months into his tenure as an Oakland Raider and Javon Walker is already drawing unwanted attention to the Silver and Black. Not only did Walker rip the Raiders off in landing a ludicrous six-year contract, he got mugged in late June at a Las Vegas nightclub. It was reported that Walker left the nightclub in a random car, was later robbed, beat-up and left bloody in the street. The Las Vegas police have since taken one victim into custody but there is still no rhyme or reason for the beat down. Now onto football related issues, Walker has a degenerate knee that has given him trouble for years and is too unpredictable to rely on. If he stay healthy, it is possible that Walker _____________________________ 46. Ronald Curry Oakland Raiders (Bye: 5) If asked to name the Raiders' leading wide receiver in both 2006 and 2007, Ronald Curry is probably not the name that would come to mind; however, it would be the correct one. For the past two seasons, Curry has been the Raiders most consistent wide out, going for 727 yards in 2006 and 717 this past season. Even with the addition of Javon Walker, we wouldn't be surprised if Curry once again had the best numbers of any Oakland receiver. The only problem is that doesn't guarantee he'll _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS 49. Ted Ginn Jr. Miami Dolphins (Bye: 4) With Chris Chambers traded away during the 2007 season and Marty Booker signing with Da' Bears, Ginn enters his sophomore season as the Dolphins top wide out. If that was all he had to bring to the table fantasy wise, then Ginn would find himself a few spots lower in these ranks as the Dolphins, who finished 1-15 in 2007, are still a mess. But, Ginn gets bonus points due to the fact that he's also the Dolphins return man. He's one of those guys younger than Bruce that has a bit more upside despite his lower rank. wait and see scenario with Johnson as he has the talent to put up solid fantasy numbers, but in order to do so, Martz's system has to take flight in San Francisco with Alex Smith at the helm. BY: MARC CAVIGLIA 54. Muhsin Muhammad . Carolina Panthers (Bye: 9) Muhammad is returning to Carolina, where he had the best years of his career, for the 2008 season. Still, don't expect him to repeat the numbers he had in his previous stint with the team. Steve Smith is the team's obvious number one, while Muhammad will most likely split time with DJ Hackett. _____________________________ 52. 52 Devin Hester Chicago Bears (Bye: 8) In just two NFL seasons Hester has already solidified himself as the greatest kick/punt returner of all time, as el eleven of his 152 returns have gone for touchdowns. Now that he has mastered that craft, the Bears want to see Hester excel as a wide receiver and have committed to him seeing more time on the offensive side of the football. Hester saw limited action at the position last season, but shined in Week 17 as he connected with Kyle Orton for a 55 yard touchdown pass. Hester has the speed and playmaking ability to shine, but with the Bears passing attack being close to non nonexistent let someone else in your league snag sn him. _____________________________ ______________________ 55. David Patten – . New Orleans Saints (Bye: 9) After racking up 800 yards in 2004 for the New England Patriots, Patten toiled in obscurity up in Washington in 2005 and 2006, playing in just 14 games and going for a combined 242 yards over those two seasons. But, in 2007, the receiver was revived as he marched with the Saints to the tune of 792 yards and 3 TDs. With New Orleans likely to be among the top 5 in offense for the third straight year, Patten is worth a look in the later rounds of a deep draft. _____________________________ 50. Reggie Williams Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye: 7) Yardage wise, Williams was solid but not spectacular in 2007, hauling in 38 passes for 629 yards, but when it came to finding pay dirt, Williams made the most of his receptions, touching down for 6, 10 times. Those 10 TDs will cause Williams to be overvalued heading into drafts this off-season. The Jaguars once again will focus on running the ball, and with Jerry Porter added to the mix, Williams, despite his starter status, will be the teams #2. ALERT – Williams underwent knee surgery and is in question for Week 1. _____________________________ _____________________________ 53. 53 Amani Toomer New York Giants (Bye: 4) During his 9 year career, Toomer has tallied 700+ yards in 7 seasons. In the two that he hasn't, he had 684 in one, and in the other, he played in just 8 games due to injury. That consistency is nice to see from a wide out this low on the board. He makes a solid bench guy, excellent for bye week fill in. 56. Kevin Wal – . Walter Houston Texans (Bye: 8) Opportunity came a knocking in 2008 for Walter when Andre Johnson went down with an injury, and Walter opened the door wide, hauling in 65 balls for 800 yards and 4 scores. Though going into 2008, temper your expectations because u unless Johnson misses time once again, Walter should see his numbers decline. _____________________________ 51. Bryant Johnson San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 9) The 49ers decided the best way to boost their wide receiver corps this off-season was to raid the cupboards of their NFC West foes, landing both Isaac Bruce from the Rams and Johnson from the Cardinals. Johnson has spent his NFL career living in the shadows of Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, but in 2008, he’ll get his chance to shine in the city by the bay. It's somewhat of a _____________________________ 57. Justin Gage - Tennessee Titans (Bye: 6) It's a crap shoot as to which of the Titans receivers will ultimately end up establishing themselves as Vince Young's go go-to-guy. That combined with the fact that Vince Young isn't exactly 2008 BRUNO BOYS WIDE RECEIVER RANKINGS putting up the best passing numbers, leads us to believe it's better to let things play out in Tennessee than to take a draft day gamble on Gage. However, he will open the season as the primary receiver in Tennessee. TIER ONE Randy Moss (NE) TIER TWO Reggie Wayne (Ind) Terrell Owens (Dal) Braylon Edwards (Cle) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) Andre Johnson (Hou) Marques Colston (NO) T.J. Houshmandzadeh (Cin) TIER THREE Steve Smith (Car) Torry Holt (Stl) Plaxico Burress (NYG) Chad Johnson (Cin) TIER FOUR Anquan Boldin (Ari) Roy Williams (Det) Santonio Holmes (Pit) Wes Welker (NE) Marvin Harrison (Ind) Brandon Marshall (Den) TIER FIVE Lee Evans (Buf) Roddy White (Atl) Calvin Johnson (Det) Greg Jennings (GB) Hines Ward (Pit) Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ) TIER SX Dwayne Bowe (KC) Chris Chambers (SD) Donald Driver (GB) Kevin Curtis (Phi) Laveranues Coles (NYJ) Joey Galloway (TB) Bernard Berrian (Min) Santana Moss (Was) AVERAGE 1 AVERAGE 2.33 3.83 4.33 5.67 8.33 8.33 9 AVERAGE 9.67 10.33 10.83 11.83 AVERAGE 14 14.67 15.83 17 19 20.33 AVERAGE 21 21.83 22 22.33 24.5 25.33 AVERAGE 26.83 26.83 27.83 29 29.33 30 32.83 33 BY: MARC CAVIGLIA 2008 WIDE RECEIVER TIER RANKINGS _____________________________ 58. James Hardy Buffalo Bills (Bye: 6) As of now, it appears the rookie wide receiver out of Indiana has a good chance of starting opposite Lee Evans this season. At 6' 6", Hardy should make a solid red zone threat, allowing Trent Edwards to simply loft a jump ball up that Hardy with his height advantage on cornerbacks should be able to come down with. TIER SEVEN Derrick Mason (Bal) Reggie Brown (Phi) Patrick Crayton (Dal) Donte Stallworth (Cle) Nate Burleson (Sea) Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) Bobby Engram (Sea) D.J. Hackett (Car) Deion Branch (Sea) Vincent Jackson (SD) TIER EIGHT Jerry Porter (Jax) Javon Walker (Oak) Sidney Rice (Min) Ronald Curry (Oak) Issac Bruce (SF) Drew Bennett (Stl) Ted Ginn Jr. (Mia) TIER NINE Reggie Williams (Jax) Bryant Johnson (SF) Devin Hester (Chi) Amani Toomer (NYG) Muhsin Muhhamad (Car) David Patten (NO) Kevin Walker (Hou) Justin Gage (Ten) James Hardy (Buf) Brandon Stokley (Den) Laurent Robinson (Atl) AVERAGE 37 38.5 38.5 36.67 40.17 40.33 40.67 43.33 44.17 44.67 AVERAGE 46.5 49.17 50 51 51 52 52.17 AVERAGE 55.67 55.83 56 56.5 57 57.67 58 58.33 58.67 59.67 60.67 _____________________________ 59. Brandon Stokley Denver Broncos (Bye: 8) Stokley is best out of the slot, and that's where the Broncos attend to keep him, putting Darrell Jackson opposite Brandon Marshall. Stokley is coming off of his best season since his 1,077 yard campaign in 2004, and is worth a flier this late in your draft. Though his best value will come from your leagues waiver wire, keep in mind that if Marshall gets suspended he will be getting an instant increase in targets and could have some value as bye week filler if the matchup calls for it. _____________________________ RANKINGS UPDATED – AUGUST 14TH 60. Laurent Robinson Atlanta Falcons (Bye: 7) Two Atlanta receivers in our top 60. We must be crazy! But, down here, you’re looking for upside and Robinson has it. He finished last season with 37 receptions for 437 yards and 1 TD. Those are numbers he can improve on e and Ryan lines up under center. 2008 BRUNO BOYS TIGHT END RANKINGS BY: MICHAEL WHOOLEY The tight end position once was an afterthought in fantasy football leagues. Think about it, besides the likes of Shannon and Sterling Sharpe, Brent Jones, and Jay Novace what other tight ends from the 80s and early 90s had rpe, Novacek, any type of fantasy impact. Now, there are a plethora of tight ends deserving of roster spots, whether your league has a tight end slot or not. Antonio Gates, Jason Witten, Kellen Winslow, and Tony Gonzalez will all most likely go in the first four rounds of most your league’s draft, and even when those guys are off the board, there are plenty of other options to choose from in the forms of Dallas Clark, Chris Cooley, Jeremy Shockey and so on. The tight end position has chang changed dramatically over time. Once called upon simply to block, tight ends are becoming bigger and bigger parts of their teams’ passing games. As such, the tight end position is one you can no longer ignore come draft day, so get an advantage over your opponents at this now crucial position by taking a look at the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football nts 2008 Tight End Rankings below. 1. Jason Witten - Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 10) For the first time in his six year career, Witten surpassed the 1000 yard receiving mark in 2007, going for 1,145 yards along with 7 scores. Those numbers propelled Witten to the top spot among fantasy tight ends. Not bad for a player selected 108th on average in fantasy drafts heading into 2007. This time around rage though, Witten will be a much hotter commodity, most likely costing you a 3rd or 4th round pick at the least. In the end, that pick will again be well worth it. Witten has developed a nice rapport with quarterback, Tony Romo, becoming Romo's favorite target in 2007 to a tune of 96 receptions. With teams often having to throw double coverage Terrell Owens' way, Witten is able to find the open spots over the middle of the field, and Romo's been able to find him in those spots. That trend will continue in 2008. anywhere close to those numbers in 2008, Wins Winslow should have his 3rd excellent fantasy season in a row. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 3. Antonio Gates – San Diego Chargers (Bye: 9 9) It's beginning to become like clockwork. Every year, Gates is grabbed in the third round of fantasy drafts, and for the past four years, he has awarded the lucky owner to draft him with at least 900 yards and 9 scores, becoming one of the safest draft day selections. Despite coming off of foot surgery, that remains the case for 2008. LT attracts so much attention from opposing defenses that Gates often finds himself matched up one on one with just a safety or linebacker, a match-up the Chargers love to exploit. A full year up with Chris Chambers lining up on the outside of him, a set set-up that led the Chargers to finish the season on an 8 run, should 8-2 also allow Gates to keep putting up the solid numbers we have all become accustomed to. ALERT – Gates’ recovery from foot surgery is not going as plan; thereby, making him a riskier pick than previously. 2. Kellen Winslow – Cleveland Browns (Bye: 5 5) It's hard to fathom that 2008 will be Kellen Winslow's fifth year in the NFL, and in all actuality, though the numbers support that claim as Winslow was selected by the Cleveland Browns in the 2004 draft, 2008 will be more like Winslow's third year as he lost nearly all of 2004 and 2005 to injury. Since returning to the field in 2006, Winslow has been establishing himself as one of the more coveted fantasy tight ends. After a solid 2006 campaign in which he went for 875 yards and 3 TDs, Winslow really opened eyes in 2007 going for ed 1,106 yards and 5 TDs as the Browns finally showed they could play on the offensive side of the ball, jumping from being the 31st ranked offense in the league in 2006, all the way to number 8. The turnaround was in large part due to quarterback Derek Anderson, who many felt would serve simply as a filler until Brady Quinn was ready to take the reins. Anderson finished the year with 3,787 passing yards and 29 TDs. If he comes ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS TIGHT END RANKINGS 4. Tony Gonzalez - Kansas City Chiefs (Bye: 6) Those who might be thinking Chiefs tight end, Tony Gonzalez, is getting a bit long in the tooth, need only to remember that the 12 year veteran led all tight ends in 2007 with 99 receptions. Those 99 receptions translated into 1,172 yards (also best among tight ends) and 5 TDs, one of Gonzo's best years of his long, illustrious career. The prospect of the inexperienced Brodie Croyle manning the Chiefs offense might not inspire a lot of confidence , but remember often times, young QBs look to their tight ends to bail them out of trouble - something that will benefit Gonzo nicely. Also, benefiting Gonzo is the fact that the Chiefs finally have a wide receiver that will keep secondaries honest in Dwayne Bowe. Don't be surprised to see Gonzo put up another one of his better years in 2008. BY: MICHAEL WHOOLEY down year. Shockey now heads to New Orleans, where he gets to work in an offense that seems perfectly suited for his type of game. While Marques Colston takes defenders deep and Reggie Bush keeps linebackers honest thanks to his pass catching ability, Shockey should find ample room to roam on mid-level routes, something Drew Brees should take advantage of. ______________________________________________ 7. Chris Cooley - Washington Redskins (Bye: 9) It's a shame Cooley plays in the NFL and has to wear a helmet because he sports perhaps the best white man's afro in all of professional sports. Still, it's more than the afro that should make you covet the Redskins' tight end for 2008. Already an every week fantasy starter, Cooley, who has put up at least 730+ yards and 6+ TDs in each of the last 3 seasons, should see a slight boost in his value for two reasons. First, new head coach, Jim Zorn, will use a west coast style type offense, which usually keeps the tight end involved as the quarterback looks to make quick strikes. Speaking of quarterbacks, that brings us to the second reason Cooley could perhaps have yet another career year in 2008. Redskins' quarterback Jason Campbell has gotten valuable experience under his belt. Improved play from Campbell helps Cooley along with the whole Redskins' passing game. ______________________________________________ 5. Dallas Clark - Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 4) Beware fantasy owners because chances are that Dallas Clark will be overvalued in your league's draft. That's nothing against Clark. In fact, we, the Bruno Boys, have no doubt that Clark will end the season as a top 10 fantasy tight end. After all, he does have Peyton Manning throwing him the ball. Still, while Clark's yardage should be similar to the 616 receiving yards he had in 2007, we're not so sure he'll match his 11 TDs that led all tight ends. For one, as long as legal troubles don't keep him off the field, Marvin Harrison should be back in 2008, taking away some opportunities from Clark. Throw in Anthony Gonzalez, who matured rapidly last season once thrust into a starting role due to Harrison's injury, and those 11 TDs look like a tall order even with the Colts putting up the points they do. ______________________________________________ 8. Todd Heap - Baltimore Ravens (Bye: 10) After missing 10 games in 2007, Heap will find his value diminished heading into 2008 fantasy drafts. Take note and snag this tight end late for great value. Sure, Heap has played in 8 or less games in 3 of his 7 seasons in the NFL, but following each of those previous injury plagued seasons, Heap stayed healthy enough, playing in 32 games before sitting out again. The quarterback situation in Baltimore may also lead many to undervalue Heap, but remember, inexperienced quarterbacks tend to look to their tight ends often, so the Raven’s weakness may be a strength for Heap’s fantasy value. Add Cam Cameron, who knows how to use a stud tight end (Antonio Gates, anybody?) into the equation, and Heap is looking at a strong bounce back year. ______________________________________________ 6. Jeremy Shockey - New Orleans Saints (Bye: 9) The Shockey soap opera that took place this off-season was filled with just as many twists and turns as As the World Turns and Days of our Lives, culminating in a shouting match between Shockey and Giants’ GM, Jerry Reese. Apparently, the Giants’ brass actually bought the talk that the Giants are a better team without Shockey after the team’s Super Bowl run, shopping Shockey around the league. As you can imagine, a player as emotional as Shockey, didn’t quite like that. In the end, the Giants were successful in their trade efforts, as they dealt Shockey to the New Orleans Saints in return for draft picks. Even with just playing 14 games in 2007, Shockey racked up 619 yards and 3 TDs . Not his best year, but still solid for a ______________________________________________ 9. Vernon Davis - San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 9) It's been two years and still the 49ers (and fantasy owners for that matter) haven't gotten the return they thought they would when they chose Vernon Davis with the 6th selection in the 2006 draft. Whether it's been injuries, mental mistakes, or drops, Davis just hasn't been able to put it together. 2008 BRUNO BOYS TIGHT END RANKINGS However, Davis' third go around might be the charm. While the 49ers' new offensive coordinator, Mike Martz, has never been known to make fantasy studs out of his tight ends, early reports indicate that Martz wants to make Davis a big part of his game plan in 2008, lining him up in numerous areas of the field and taking advantage of the tight ends athletic ability. If that turns out to be the case, Davis just might finally reward those owners who draft him heading into 2008. BY: MICHAEL WHOOLEY along side stud wide receiver, Andre Johnson, should only speed up the process. Daniels is able to work the middle deeper than most tight ends as Johnson opens up the field by taking defenders deep down the sideline with his speed and deep threat ability. Daniels may be a border line starter now, but someday soon, he'll be an elite tight end in both the NFL and fantasy leagues. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 10. Heath Miller - Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 6) As long as Big Ben continues to choose Miller as his playmate within the opponents 20-yard line, Miller will be of great fantasy value to his owners. His 47 receptions may seem a bit low for a top tier tight end, but with 17 coming in the red zone, Miller makes the most of his catches, often earning a quick six with them. The continued development of Santonio Holmes will also benefit Miller. While Hines Ward is a possession type receiver, usually working the same area of the field as Miller, Holmes is a deep threat. As safeties have to play back to make sure Holmes doesn't get behind the secondary, Miller should find room to work underneath. 13. Tony Scheffler - Denver Broncos (Bye: 8) Scheffler has all the tools necessary to be a top fantasy tight end. He can get off the line, runs nice routes, and has soft hands, but even more important than all of that is the rapport he's built with Bronco's quarterback Jay Cutler. That rapport led to Scheffler racking up 388 of his 549 yards in the second half of 2007. Perhaps it's because the two were rookies together or perhaps Cutler is confident that if he throws it Scheffler's way, there's a good chance the ball will be caught. Whatever the case may be, these two are on the same page more often than not, and as Cutler continues to develop and puts up bigger and bigger numbers, you can bet Scheffler will be a big beneficiary. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 11. Alge Crumpler – Tennessee Titans (Bye: 6) The Falcons were a mess last season following the Michael Vick saga. As such, it’s not hard to see why Alge Crumpler finished the season with one of the three worst outputs of his career – 444 yards and 5 TDs. Wisely, Crumpler got out of dodge and will play 2008 in a Tennessee Titan uniform. Obviously, having Vince Young throwing him the ball won’t cause many fantasy owners to jump for joy as Crumpler may be hard pressed to match his career high of 877 receiving yards; however, Crump-daddy can make up for another low yardage total by hauling in numerous TDs, resulting in quick sixes for his fantasy owners. After all, a big reason Crump was targeted by the Titans was to help cure their horrid performance in the red zone from last season. 14. Ben Watson - New England Patriots (Bye: 4) On any other team, Watson would not be found this high in our rankings, especially with the number of drops thaty plagued him late last season. Sometimes though is more about what's on the outside of that jersey than who is in the inside. With Watson sporting a Patriot's jersey, his value gets a tremendous boost, though expectations need to be tempered compared to his 2007 pre-draft value. Prior to 2007, Watson had been a favorite target of Brady's, but in 2008, with many brand new toys to play with, Watson somewhat got tossed aside, seeing his yardage total dip 254 yards. Luckily, for his owners, that dip was offset a bit by the 3 more scores Watson had in 2008 as the Patriots put up the most points in NFL history. It's only natural to assume the Patriots return to Earth a bith and fail to match their record breaking season, which means Watson won't have as many scoring opportunities, especially with Marcus Pollard joining the fray. He'll have even less chances if the Patriots decided that Brady needs some extra protection, keeping him into block. ______________________________________________ 12. Owen Daniels - Houston Texans (Bye: 8) While Daniels found pay dirt less often in 2007 (3 TDs) than he had in 2006 (5 TDs), the Texans' tight end made up for it by more than doubling his yardage during his sophomore campaign (768 yards to 352 yards). Daniels' spike in receiving yards should be enough to put you on notice that this young tight end is set to make a name for himself in fantasy circles. A full year ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS TIGHT END RANKINGS 15. L.J. Smith Philadelphia Eagles (Bye: 7) Like with Watson, L.J. Smith is a tight end that has seen his perceived fantasy value drop big-time since last offseason. For one, despite playing in all but one game from 2003 to 2006, Smith's durability is now a question mark after he missed 6 games due to injury in 2008. Secondly, Smith's skills seem to be on the decline. Most notably, the Eagles' tight end was able to haul in only about half of the balls thrown his way last season. Whether a lack of separation from defenders or simply drops were the biggest factor, doesn't matter. What matters is that Smith wasn't able to take advantage of the opportunities he was given. With so many young tight ends moving up the fantasy ranks, it no longer makes sense to wait for Smith to put it all together for a season. BY: MICHAEL WHOOLEY 17. Zach Miller Oakland Raiders (Bye: 5) Inexperienced quarterbacks, ala Oakland's JaMarcus Russell, often utilize their check downs. That's excellent news for Miller as he gets set to begin his sophomore season after gaining 303 yards in the second half of his rookie campaign. Those 303 yards were the difference between Miller falling into fantasy obscurity and Miller being on this list. 20. Dustin Keller New York Jets (Bye: 5) Keller enjoyed some nice years at Purdue, including a senior season in which he went for 881 yards and 7 TDs. That senior year impressed the Jets so much that they trade up to get the traded play-making tight end. With that being making the case, look for the Jets to get him in the mix right away. _____________________________ _____________________________ 18. Donald Lee Green Bay Packers (Bye: 8) A career year of 575 yards and 6 scores is enticing, but the "real" retirement of Brett Favre is enough to make the Bruno Boys resist the temptation. Aaron Rodgers is just not going to be slinging it as often as Favre did. Lee is a solid back back-up fantasy tight end with a nice upside, but nothing more for fantasy purposes. 21. Ben Utecht Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 8) In 2007, the Bengals took a huge step back on the offensive front. Utecht, who's coming from a pretty good offense in itself, the Indianapolis Colts, has been added to help right the ship. In order to keep defenses honest, Utecht gives Carson Palmer a target that can run routes underneath Chad Johnson and T.J. Hous Houshmandzadeh, opening things up for the passing game as a whole. Expect a career year. _____________________________ 16. Greg Olsen Chicago Bears (Bye: 8) Olsen's rookie campaign ended with numbers that are by no means jaw dropping (391 yards, 2 TDs). But, there were flashes that proved this former Miami Hurricane could be a star fantasy tight end in a hurry. A weak wide receiver core in Chicago should only add to his value this season, offsetting the hit his value takes due to Desmond Clark's presence and the horrendous play you can expect from Da' Bears quarterback position. _____________________________ _____________________________ 19. Randy McMichael St. Louis Rams (Bye: 5) McMichael is like that plate your waiter tells you is hot. You know in the end you'll get burned, but you touch it anyways. Since a 2004 season of 791 yards and 4 TDs, fantasy owners have convinced themselves that every year is McMichael's year to break out. Thre trouble is he has not yet even matched those 2004 numbers in any of the past 3 years, including 2007, w when a change of scenery to St. Louis that renewed expectations was derailed as the Rams needed McMichael to block more often than not. A healthy o o-line will give McMichael more chances to catch passes, but to think he'll out do his 2004 career year, is unr unrealistic. 22. Jeff King Carolina Panthers (Bye: 9) The return of Jake Delhomme can do nothing but help the Carolina Panthers passing attack. Delhom is leaps and Delhomme bounds better than the whiter than white gloved David Carr, the older than time Vinny Testaverde, and rookie Matt Moore that the Panthers put under center in 2007. With King racking up 406 yards and 2 scores on 46 receptions with those guys it'll be fun to see what guys, he can do with Delhomme. Still, be careful as the Panthers brought in D.J. Hackett and Muhsin Muhammad at the wide receiver position. Both of whom should take opportunities away from King. _____________________________ _____________________________ _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS TIGHT END RANKINGS 23. Leonard Pope Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 7) Despite ranking 35th among tight ends in receiving yards in 2007 with just 238 yards, Pope ranked tied for 8th in the all important TD category with 5. He'll always be 3rd fiddle behind the Cardinals two stud wide outs, Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin, but he does have the body and athletic ability that make him a money red zone target. BY: MICHAEL WHOOLEY 26. Ben Troupe - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye: 10) According to sources, the Bucs simply brought Troupe in to motivate Alex Smith, but the Bruno Boys wouldn't be surprised to see Troupe end 2008 with better numbers. Remember, Troupe did have 55 receptions for 530 yards back in 2005, and with a solid QB in Jeff Garcia throwing him the ball, a return to some fantasy glory could be in order. 30. Billy Miller – New Orleans Saints (Bye: 9) The addition of Shockey might actually turn out to be a blessing for Billy Miller. First, it took Eric Johnson out of the picture as he was released. Also, With the way Shockey takes defenders on, injuries tend to find him, which would open the door for Miller. _____________________________ _____________________________ 2008 TIGHT END TIER RANKINGS 24. Kevin Boss New York Giants (Bye: 4) Boss did show some flashes during the Giants post-season run in 2007, including a 45 yard reception in the Super Bowl in which he beat Rodney Harrison, but we wouldn't put a whole lot of stock in that. Even with Jeremy Shockey’s departure, Boss isn’t a lock to be a fantasy producer. After all, he has just 9 regular season receptions in his NFL career. If you’d like, draft him as your back-up and see how he develops. But, don’t take him as anything more. 27. Anthony Fasano Miami Dolphins (Bye: 4) When you're picking a tight end this late, you should strictly be looking for upside, and a move for Fasano from Dallas to Miami, where he won't be behind Jason Witten and will be part of Dan Henning's offensive system that utilizes tight ends often is a lot of upside to be thankful for. TIER ONE Jason Witten (Dal) Kellen Winslow Jr. (Cle) Antonio Gates (SD) TIER TWO Tony Gonzalez (KC) Dallas Clark (Ind) Jeremy Shockey (NO) TIER THREE Chris Cooley (Was) Todd Heap (Bal) Vernon Davis (SF) Heath Miller (Pit) Algre Crumpler (Ten) Owen Daniels (Hou) Tony Scheffler (Den) TIER FOUR Ben Watson (NE) L.J. Smith (Phi) Greg Olsen (Chi) Zach Miller (Oak) Donald Lee (GB) TIER FIVE Randy McMichael (Stl) Dustin Keller (NYJ) Ben Utecht (Cin) Jeff King (Car) Leonard Pope (Ari) Kevin Boss (NYG) Marcedes Lewis (Jax) TIER SIX Ben Troupe (TB) Anthony Fasano (Mia) Desmond Clark (Chi) Alex Smith (TB) Billy Miller (NO) AVERAGE 2 2.17 2.83 AVERAGE 4.33 6 6.33 AVERAGE 8 8.67 9 9.33 10.67 11.67 13 AVERAGE 13.67 14.67 16 17 17.5 AVERAGE 21.5 22.67 23.33 23.33 23.67 24.83 25.33 AVERAGE 26.5 26.67 27.33 28.33 30.33 _____________________________ 28. Desmond Clark Chicago Bears (Bye: 8) While Clark will still see substantial playing time despite Greg Olsen's expected growth, the Bruno Boys believe most of that time will be when Da' Bears need a tight end that can block on the field, an area Clark is way ahead of Olsen in. Watch the depth chart, but if things play out as expected, Clark will be the number two tight end. _____________________________ 25. Marcedes Lewis Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye: 7) Lewis ended 2007 with the exact same yardage and touchdown totals as Greg Olsen of the Chicago Bears (391 yards and 2 touchdowns), so what pushes Lewis, a tight end with speed and size, this much further down in our rankings? Simple, as long as Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew are around, Jacksonville will be a heavy run-first team. ____________________________ 29. Alex Smith - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye: 10) Smith had just 385 yards and 3 scores in 2007, his third year in the league, it leaves us wanting more. _____________________________ ____________________________ RANKINGS UPDATED – AUGUST 14TH 2008 BRUNO BOYS KICKER RANKINGS BY: JOEL STUBBLEFIELD It’s a love-hate relationship with kickers. We all experience it. The team you love, down a mere point, with less than a minute to play calls on its kicker to attempt a last second field goal for the victory. Buffalo Bills fans y definitely know the hate portion of this relationship (Scott Norwood). New England Patriots fans certainly know the love (Adam Vinatieri). Fantasy owners likewise know the love and hate. Who doesn’t love the week where your kicker explodes for 2 20+ points and you snatch victory by a handful of points in a match up you had no business winning. Who doesn’t match-up hate losing to that same team when a kicker scores more points than your first round pick? Nevertheless, they’re part of the game. If you select one before your final few picks, however, you’re teetering on the brink of insanity. ct Selecting your kicker is like drawing a card. With some exceptions, there’s no great difference in kickers. IN fact, many fantasy teams will shuffle them throughout the season, sticking with the hot leg. The Bruno Boys suggestion is to spend your final round pick on a kicker with a strong leg and a stronger offense. Who are these strong kickers? Check out the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football 2008 Kicker Rankings Rankings. 1.Nick Folk – Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 10) Largely undrafted in many leagues in 2007, Folk exploded with the rest of the Dallas Cowboys offense. He finished the season converting 26 of 31 field goal attempts and trailed just Stephen Gostkowski in Extra Points with 53. Again, prolific offenses lead to productive fantasy kickers. Folk finished with the third most points (142 fantasy points) amongst kickers, further evidencing the reasons you should never spend anything other sons than a final round pick on a kicker. With the Cowboys looking to be among the league’s elite offenses yet again, Folk should takes the cake as our top kicker heading into 2008. 2. Stephen Gostkowski – New England Patriots (Bye: 4) Again, a relative unknown from 2007, Gostkowski was a fantastic option almost every week. Sure, there were weeks when he only kicked Extra Points, but six points for your fantasy team is still six points, whether from two field goals or six Point after Touchdowns. When it was all said and done, uchdowns. Gostkowski broke in NFL record by converting on 74 extra points. He finished the season as the fifth best fantasy kicker, as he converted on 21-24 field goal attempts and 140 total fantasy 24 points. With the Patriots undoubtedly due to somewhat slow ots offensively, Gostkowski should have more of an opportunity to increase his field goal chances in 2008. ______________________________________________ 3. Adam Vinatieri – Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 4) Vinatieri’s name almost always carries more value than the kicker himself. In each of the last three seasons, he has finished worse than tenth in total points scored. In 2007, his 118 fantasy points ranked him towards the middle of the league amongst kickers and the fact that all 21 of his field goals were from 40 yards or less is a red flag. ______________________________________________ _________________ K RANKINGS ARE BASED ON STANDARD SCORING: EXTRA POINT: 1 POINT FG (0-39 YARDS): 3 POINTS K RANKINGS ARE BASED ON STANDARD SCORING: FG (40-49 YARDS): 4 POINTS 49 FG (50+ YARDS): 5 POINTS However, the Colts offensive prowess is difficult to ignore, justifying Vinatieri’s ranking. He might not be that kicker that gives you a 5 field goal game from time to time, but he is usually a lock for at least 3 Extra Points and 2 Field Goals. Unfortunately, fantasy football awards no points for clutch kicks. 2008 BRUNO BOYS KICKER RANKINGS 4. Nate Kaeding – San Diego Chargers (Bye: 9) Many owners were burned by Kaeding in 2007. With the Chargers offense struggling out of the gates, it took Kaeding a few weeks to get going. As he finished the season on a fractured leg, Kaeding could only muster 127 fantasy points. Known for his big leg, the fourth year kicker converted on 80 percent (810) of his field goals over 40 yards. With Kaeding playing on a team with an explosive offense in a fantastic climate for kicking, you can draft him with ease. Plus, the stout San Diego defense doesn’t hurt his opportunities either, and Kaeding appears poised to return to the position’s elite. BY: JOEL STUBBLEFIELD 7. Mason Crosby – Green Bay Packers (Bye: 8) After beating out David Rayner in training camp, Crosby exploded in 2007 to lead the league in scoring as a rookie. With Favre playing pitch and catch with the receivers, Crosby had plenty of opportunity to nail kick after kick. His instant success led to 156 fantasy points, 31 field goals (12 over 40+ yards) and 48 Extra Points. It is hard to think of a rookie kicker having as big of an impact as Crosby but with Favre gone in 2008 you can expect a decline in his numbers. His strong leg is extremely impressive, and he should continue to be atop the league in 40+ yard field goals, but you can expect to see a lot less of Crosby. Still, he is worthy of being a starting kicks in all fantasy leagues. ______________________________________________ 5. Shayne Graham – Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 8) Again sticking with the theme of strong offenses, bank on the Cincinnati Bengals giving Graham plenty of opportunities in 2008. Last season was another typical Graham like year, as he converted on 31 of 34 field goal chances to go along with 37 Extra Points. These numbers were good enough to rank him as the eighth best fantasy kicker in 2007, finishing with 136 fantasy points. As the Bengals offense fades in and out of consistency, Graham is metronome steady. Heading into 2008, he will be strong yet again and should see an increase in Extra Points, as we feel the Bengals offense will be more reliable this year. ______________________________________________ 8. Rob Bironas – Tennessee Titans (Bye: 6) You should be careful not to overrate his explosive 2007 as the Tennessee Titans were positively terrible in the red zone, leading to easy chip shots for Bironas (10 of his field goals came from with the 29 yard line). On the season he finished with a league high 35 field goals and was ranked 2nd overall in fantasy points with 150. With improvement on both sides of the ball for Tennessee, and an extremely powerful leg for Bironas, he is worthy of owning in all leagues, but don’t expect Bironas to get 39 field goal attempts again. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 6. Josh Brown – St. Louis Rams (Bye: 5) The Rams signed Brown from division rival Seattle Seahawks in the off season after watching him drill multiple game-winning kicks for the opposition. Brown’s leg has always been among the league’s best, and his accuracy is commendable as well. In 2007, he set a career high with 28 field goals and over the past three seasons Brown has booted 30 field goals of 40 or more yards. However, it is worth pointing out that in his five year career, Brown is just 22 of 30 on field goal chances at indoor stadiums. This shouldn’t make you shy away from him, but it could take him a few weeks to get adjusted. On the offensive side of the ball, St. Louis is filled with talent, and the defense is improving. These are just two of the many reasons why Brown should provide great value for his owners. 9. Robbie Gould – Chicago Bears (Bye: 8) Gould was the fantasy darling of 2006 when the inept Bears offense provided kick after kick. 2007 saw the defense falter greatly from its previously superior play, and thus a reduction in Gould’s production. Despite the fall off in fantasy points (138 in ’07) Gould was still able to boot 31 field goals and rank as the seventh best kicking option last year. With a little luck, the defense will return to greatness and the offense will increase its points per game average, which should lead to an increase in Gould’s opportunities. If you are in a league that rewards points for multiple field goal games, Gould had five games in which he had at least 3 field goals. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS KICKER RANKINGS 10. Phil Dawson – Cleveland Browns (Bye: 5) The Cleveland offense proved itself in 2007, as they scored 43 touchdowns, and once again will prove formidable in 2008. After a dip in his kicking accuracy in 2006, Dawson was back to form in ’07 as he converted on 26 of 30 field goal chances. The highlight of Dawson’s season came in week 11 against the Baltimore Ravens, when he converted on a 51 yard field goal in the snow as time expired to send the game to overtime. Minutes later, he kicked a game winning 33 yard field goal in overtime. With Derek Anderson, Jamal Lewis, Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, and company returning, it will provide plenty of punch for this offense to put together a similar season, leading Dawson to have plenty of opportunities, which means he’s a solid fantasy option in 2008. BY: JOEL STUBBLEFIELD 13. David Akers – Philadelphia Eagles (Bye: 7) At one time Akers was a highly sought after commodity in fantasy leagues. Now, he's just another aging kicker. His leg is weak, leading to just two made field goals over 40 yards in 2007, and his accuracy is falling, down to 75% last season. Akers owes his spot in these rankings to play of Brian Westbrook. A one man show, Westbrook provides enough offense to give Akers the opportunities he needs to put up fantasy points. ______________________________________________ 14. Josh Scobee – Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye: 7) Jack Del Rio was a defensive coordinator prior to securing the job as Jacksonville’s head coach. Why should you care? Defensive minded coaches tend to rely on their defense to win games, not their offense, which leads to a lot of running plays and short passes. While this can be effective, it’s also a great recipe for easy kicks. Although Scobee was hurt in 2007 (8 games played) he still connected on 26 Extra Points and missed just one field goal (12 of 13). A bounce back season could certainly be in order, and if any kicker can be considered a sleeper, it’s Scobee. Don’t be surprised if you grab him in the last round and he outperforms his average draft position. The reason we don’t rank him higher is because we are still concerned about his quadriceps injury. ______________________________________________ 11. Neil Rackers – Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 7) The fantasy darling of 2005, Rackers has since been a mediocre option. With the tandem of Fitzgerald and Boldin, the Cardinals have the opportunity to explode on any given Sunday, however, this leads to Extra Point chances for Rackers, instead of field goal chances. 2007 saw Rackers have just 30 field goal chances, his lowest since 2003, and the fact that he missed 9 field goals won’t help his cause. With the Cardinals expected to use Matt Leinart under helm, it could take awhile for them to get rolling, and we feel Rackers has enough in the tank to be considered as a flier once the top options are off the board. ______________________________________________ 15. Shaun Suisham – Washington Redskins (Bye: 10) Who knows what to make of the Washington offense in 2008 under Jim Zorn, but if they're simply solid, Suisham should be too. His shank of a 30 yarder in the playoff loss to Seattle likely didn't do any good for his job security, but he should settle into the starting position as he did hit 82.8% of his field goal attempts in the regular season. The Redskins lack consistency from the wide receiver position, which often times can lead to drives stalling in the red zone. If that’s the case again, it will be good news for Suisham. At this time, it is best to target him as a bye week fill in or as a last round selection in a 14 or 16 team league. ______________________________________________ 12. Jason Hanson – Detroit Lions (Bye: 4) While Joe Nedney's value gets a boost thanks to Mike Martz's arrival in San Francisco, Hanson's takes a hit. The good news though is that Hanson still plays in a dome with a mediocre offense and improving defense. However, don't expect a repeat of his 2007 season in which he ranked fifth among fantasy kickers with 133 points. While he may not have another great season, Hanson should have solid enough numbers to be a border line every week start. ______________________________________________ ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS KICKER RANKINGS 16. Kris Brown – Houston Texans (Bye: 8) 2007 saw the emergence of Kris Brown in Houston. After being inconsistent throughout his career, Brown was able to knock down 25 of 29 field goal chances last year. As an added bonus he was a perfect 5 of 5 on field goals over 50 yards. If Matt Schaub, and Andre Johnson can stay healthy, and the Texans can find some consistency in their rushing attack, this offense has the chance to be extremely explosive. We feel that Brown is as good a flier as any after the top options are off the board. middle of the league last year in passing yards, but with Garcia, Galloway, and Hilliard all getting long in the tooth, a dip wouldn't be a huge surprise, meaning less opportunities Bryant's way. BY: JOEL STUBBLEFIELD 21. John Kasa – Kasay Carolina Panthers (Bye: 9) Much like Scobee, Kasey benefits from an extremely conservative coaching staff. The Panthers have the potential to be solid offensively, though they've disappointed substantially the last several years. The last remaining original Carolina Panther doesn't have ginal the leg he used to, but he's been quite accurate in his career, including an 85.7% accuracy rating in 2007. _____________________________ ____________________ 19. Jason Elam – Denver Broncos (Bye: 8) Elam was once a premier kicker in fantasy due to the thin mountain air of Denver and his ability to drill 40+ yard kicks with regularity, an ability he still had in 2007, hitting 10 of 14 from that distance. And, it might be an ability he has to rely heav on in 2008 as Elam heavily leaves Denver and heads for Atlanta to play for an offense that may have trouble getting closer than 40 yards out. It’s b to gamble on someone else. best _____________________________ 22. Matt Stover – . Baltimore Ravens (Bye: 10) If only the Baltimore offense wasn’t completely awful, Stover would be a highly coveted fantasy kicker. Reason being, he is one of the most accurate kickers of our time, missing just 11 field goal over the past three seasons. goals However, 2007 was Stover’s lowest point total (115 fantasy points) since 2002, in large part because the offense was able t produce just 26 to touchdowns. It is tough to gauge just how wel well Stover will project in 2008. If the Ravens offense struggles again, you might need to hover your waiver wire for other option options. _____________________________ 17. Jeff Reed – Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 10) We cant say it enough, pick a kicker with an explosive offense. Even when the field goal opportunities aren’t plentiful, the Extra Points don’t leave you empty handed. In 2007, Reed was his accurate self, as he knocked down over 90% (23 of 25) of his field goal chances and he finished sixth in the league with 44 Point After Touchdowns. You can count on Ben Roethlisberger and company to be plenty productive this year, making Reed a reliable kicking threat for your fantasy squad. However, if you are in a league that rewards for long field goals, Reed only had 6 chances over 40 yards last year. _____________________________ 20. 20 Lawrence Tynes – New York Giants (Bye: 4 ) Yes, Y the Giants won the Super Bowl. No, you don't get any points for having them on your team. If anything, I'm a bit wary of Tynes due to Brandon Jacobs. There may not be a better goal line back in football, meaning few chip shots to boost Tynes' scorin Though scoring. based on last year, Tynes may prefer the deeper kicks. While Tynes struggles on chip shots, going 15 for 19 from 39 yards or closer, he nailed the long kick, a perfect 8 for 8 from 40 to 49 yards. _____________________________ _____________________________ 23. Brandon Coutu – . Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 4) Yes, this rookie will have to earn the starting job, but Olindo Mare is not bound for Canton, Ohio. The Georgia product kicked well in college and holds a career long of 58 yards, suggesting he's got plenty of leg. Seattle's offense has the potential to be quite good if the running game is serviceable, and we love those kickers on strong offenses. _____________________________ 18. Matt Bryant - Tampa Bay Bucanneers (Bye: 10) After totaling a career high in fantasy points in 2007 with 119, Bryant looks to build on that success in 2008. However, Tampa's offense could hold him back. The Bucs ranked in the 2008 BRUNO BOYS KICKER RANKINGS 24. Ryan Longwell Minnesota Vikings (Bye: 8) If Adrian Peterson, aka Purple Jesus, is the savior Vikings' faithful believe him to be, then Longwell's ranking is a bit too low. But, in reality, as dynamic as Peterson is, football is a team game, and right now with Tarvaris Jackson at the helm, the Vikings don't have the best. Longwell saw just 24 Field Goal attempts last season, that number won't be growing too much, if at all, in 2008. BY: JOEL STUBBLEFIELD his opportunities, though we've learned to expect underachievement from the 49ers offense before. _____________________________ 28. Rian Lindell Buffalo Bills (Bye: 6) This ranking is mostly a reflection of teams and weather conditions. There's little fault found with Lindell, who missed just 3 Field Goals in 2007, but Buffalo is downright nasty in the winter, and the Bills' offense, which has trouble scoring in perfect weather, slows down even more, limiting Lindell's scoring chances. _____________________________ 25. Mike Nugent New York Jets (Bye: 5) If you're looking for bonus points from those long range shots, Nugent's not your man as he was just 1 for 4 from 50 yards and out, but if you're looking for a solid, if unspectacular, option, by all means bet on the Jets to give Nugent an opportunity to be a mediocre fantasy kicker yet again in 2008 as they settle for Field Goals rather than punch it in. _____________________________ 29. Sebastian Janikowski Oakland Raiders (Bye: 5) Worst first round pick ever? That's probably a bit harsh, but he's in the discussion. And, a season in which he missed 9 Field Goals out of 32, isn't going to help his case. Nor, is 2008, as the Raiders will struggle to get things going as they hand the reins of their offense to their young stars, JaMarcus Russell and Darren McFadden. _____________________________ 26. Taylor Mehlhaff New Orleans Saints (Bye: 9) Another sleeper from Wisconsin, Mehlhaff has three things in his favor for 2008. 1) He plays in a dome. 2) Drew Brees and company light up the scoreboard. 3) Martin Gramatica is his only competition. _____________________________ 30. Matt Prater Denver Broncos (Bye: 8) Inheriting the mile-high air is a good thing for kickers. This, however, is the same guy that missed three of his first four attempts in Atlanta last year on his way to losing the starting job. Proceed with caution, but if your league allows points for kickoffs, boost the man up this list. His ability to kick off is the only reason he was able to find a job last year after being shown the door in Atlanta. _____________________________ 27. Joe Nedney – San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 9) A bit of a sleeper who has always been fairly accurate, Nedney missed just two Field Goals in 2007. Unfortunately, he had just 19 attempts as the 49ers could never get their offense going, leading to a paltry 77 fantasy points. Nedney now has the added benefit of an offense run by Mike Martz, which should increase _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS KICKER RANKINGS 31. Dan Carpenter Miami Dolphins (Bye: 4) Last year, Jay Feely racked up 96 fantasy points, earning him the 28th spot among fantasy kickers. The sad thing is that despite having a solid year in a bad offense, they decided to release him in favor of Carpenter. This offense is going to be bad, with questions marks at every position, so Carpenter might get his kicking chances, but we recommend staying away from any kicker that shows up in South Beach. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised if the Dolphins go through a plethora of kickers during the 2008 season. BY: JOEL STUBBLEFIELD 2008 KICKER TIER RANKINGS TIER FOUR Neil Rackers (Ari) Jason Hanson (Det) David Akers (Phi) Josh Scobee (Jax (Jax) Shaun Suisham (Was) Kris Brown (Hou) TIER ONE Nick Folk (Dal) Stephen Gostkowski (NE) TIER TWO Adam Vinatieri (Ind) Nate Kaeding (SD) Shayne Graham (Cin) Josh Brown (Sea) TIER THREE Mason Crosby (GB) Rob Bironas (Ten) Robbie Gould (Chi) Phil Dawson (Cle) AVERAGE 2.67 3.33 AVERAGE 4.5 4.83 5 5.33 AVERAGE 10.17 10.5 11.33 11.67 TIER FIVE Jeff Reed (Pit) Matt Bryant (TB) Jason Elam (Atl) Lawrence Tynes (NYG) John Kasay (Car) Matt Stover (Bal) TIER SIX Brandon Coutu (Sea) Ryan Longwell (Min Mike Nugent (NYJ) Taylor Mehlhaff (NO) Joe Nedney (SF) TIER SEVEN Rian Lindell (Buf) Sebastion Janikowski (Oak) Matt Prater (Den) Dan Carpenter (Mia) Nick Novak/Connor Barth (KC) AVERAGE 13.17 13.17 13.83 15 16.5 16.67 AVERAGE 18.17 18.33 18.5 18.83 19.5 19.67 AVERAGE 20 22.16 22.67 24.33 25.5 AVERAGE 26.33 26.5 29.33 30 30.5 _____________________________ 32. Nick Novak / Connor Barth Kansas City Chiefs (Bye: 6) With the Chiefs releasing veteran kicker Billy Cundiff, they head into camp with two unproven kickers battling it out for the starting gig in Kansas City. Novak last kicked as a member of the Washington Redskins in ’06. As for Barth, he is an undrafted rookie out of North Carolina and not much else. _____________________________ RANKINGS UPDATED – AUGUST 14TH 33. Olindo Mare – Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 4) Why bother? Even if he beats Coutu for the job, he'll likely lose it later or disappoint you anyway. Something he did last year as a member of the Saints when he went 10 for 17. _____________________________ 34. Martin Gramatica – New Orleans Saints (Bye: 9) See Mare, Olindo. Replace "Coutu" with "Mehlhaff" and “10 for 17” with “15 for 19.” _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS TEAM DEFENSE RANKINGS BY: CHRIS ZIZA A changing of the guard is occurring among fantasy defenses. No longer are the Bears and Ravens the defenses fantasy owners will be targeting early on in their fantasy drafts. In fact, while the Bears still are hanging on to a top 5 ranking, thanks in large part to Devin Hester and their return team, the Ravens are now looking up at 9 other e squads. So, who are the defenses that fantasy owners are coveting? Topping the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football 2008 Team Defense Rankings are the San Diego Chargers. That’s right; the Chargers are more than just LT and Antonio Gates. With the likes of Shawne Merriman, Clinton Hart, and Antonio Cromartie leading the way, the Chargers defense is not just the best in the West, it’s the best in the NFL. To see where other teams stack up heading into 2008, the Bruno Boys proudly present the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football 2008 Team Defense Rankings. league starts their playoffs, the Chargers opponents their last four weeks are the Oakland Raiders (Week 14), the Kansas City Chiefs (Week 15), the Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Week 16) and the Denver Broncos (Week 17). Altogether, this makes the . Chargers the cream of the crop for defenses rated by the Bruno Boys, with 3 first place votes. ______________________________________________ 2. New England Patriots (Bye: 4) The Patriots had a season beyond seasons as far as excitement, thrills and complete domination; except for one minor thing…they lost the Super Bowl to the New York Giants! It is no secret that New York teams hate New England teams and vice versa. So, we here at the Bruno Boys believe that the Patriots are going to be even more motivated, more eager, and more willing to just roll over the competition both offensively and defensively. In 2007, the Patriots rated fourth in both points and total yardage allowed per game. As a team they tallied 1,055 tackles, 47 sacks, 12 fumbles and 19 interceptions. When you put both 7 the individual categories alongside the Patriots allowed averages, it will be hard not to grab the Patriots with one of the top defensive picks in the draft. The Patriots D went unheralded in 2007, having been overshadowed by their offense, but 2008 should see them get a little more credit as New England will look to manage the clock more by turning to their running game more often. T That should keep the D fresher and also limit opponents putting up cheap points late in the game after being blown out. ame DEF RANKINGS ARE BASED ON STANDARD SCORING: SACKS: 1 POINT SAFETY: 2 POINTS INT: 2 POINTS FUMBLE REC: 2 POINTS DEFENSIVE TD: 6 POINTS DEF RANKINGS ARE BASED ON STANDARD SCORING: SHUTOUT: 10 POINTS 2-6 PTS ALLOWED: 7 POINTS 7-13 PTS ALLOWED: 4 POINTS 14-17 PTS ALLOWED: 1 POINT SPECIAL TEAMS TD: 6 POINTS 1. San Diego Chargers (Bye: 9) Leading things off on the Bruno Boys’ 2008 Defensive Rankings are the San Diego Chargers. Led by Shawne Merriman, Clinton Hart and Antonio Cromartie, the Chargers defense is hungrier than ever before to help this franchise get to and win the ultimate prize, the Super Bowl! As a team in 2007, the Chargers ranked fifth with 17.8 points per game allowed and fourteenth in total yardage with 320.2 yards allowed per game. Both their passing and rushing defe defense ranked in the middle-of-the-pack in the NFL, leaving their real pack value to lie in their performance in individual categories. Together, the team totaled 1,117 tackles, 42 sacks, 18 fumbles and 30 interceptions. That’s right, 42 sacks and 30 interceptions interceptions! Not many teams can come close to either of these numbers. The Chargers have a number of games against outstanding opponents, including the Saints, Patriots, Colts, and Broncos (twice). But, they also have their fair share of weaker opponents in the Jets, Raiders (twice), Dolphins, Falcons and the Chiefs. , For at least two thirds of the fantasy season you will be able to plug in the Chargers without a second thought. For the other third, there is always your backup D, a waiver wire choice, or you could just ride the Chargers. Depending on when your t 2008 BRUNO BOYS TEAM DEFENSE RANKINGS Their tougher opponents this year include San Diego, Denver and Indianapolis, while their weaker opponents include the 49ers, Jets, Raiders and Dolphins. All that being said, it isn’t a surprise the Patriots are slotted at #2 on the Bruno Boys Defensive Rankings, having received one first place vote. BY: CHRIS ZIZA ______________________________________________ 3. Minnesota Vikings (Bye: 8) The surprise defense of the year in 2007, the Vikings came out of nowhere to put up solid numbers as a whole almost every single week! It does help them that they do play in a weak division that includes the Chicago Bears, Detroit Lions and Green Bay Packers, but their effort was much more than just facing weaker opponents. The Vikings just finally put it all together on the defensive end of the ball, jelling as a unit. As a team, they ranked twelfth in allowing 19.4 points a game and twentieth with 338.1 yards per game. Ironically they ranked thirty-second in pass defense, but number one in rush defense. In regards to individual categories, they totaled 1,084 tackles, 38 sacks, 16 fumbles and 15 interceptions. Their stronger opponents on the 2008 docket include the Colts, Saints and Texans, while their weaker match-ups include the Packers sans Brett Favre (twice), the Bears (twice), the Lions (twice) and the Falcons. As long as the Vikings don’t take a step back from what they accomplished last year, they will be a very solid defense pick on draft day! Given one first place vote by a Bruno Boys staff writer, there are very few weeks this season in which you should have to even consider replacing them as your starting defense. The Vikings are the last of three teams that got a Bruno Boys rating of under 4 (1 being the best possible, 32 being the worst possible). After this team the talent falls some to the next level. have some easier weeks against the Ravens, Bears and Packers sans Brett Favre. Although a very solid defense, the Jags definitely are not top 3 worthy. There is a group of defenses after the top 3 that are expected to yield similar results, so if you did not grab one of the top 3, you may want to wait some and work on other positions at the moment. You should still be able to get a similarly ranked defense a few rounds later than what it would cost you to get the Jaguars. ______________________________________________ 5. Chicago Bears (Bye: 8) What a major disappointment the Chicago Bears were in 2007, a disappointment that can be likened to that of RB Steven Jackson. Both drafted high, most likely neither lower than third overall for their respective positions, yet produced miserably, for different reasons of course. The Bears were just a mess with players complaining, off the field problems adding up, and injuries to boot. From day one of the 2007 off-season to the last game played in the 2007 regular season, the Bears were a train wreck. But, even with all the negatives, they did show some positives too. On the negative side, the ELITE (at least they were supposed to be) Bears ranked sixteenth with a 21.8 points allowed average, twenty-eight with a 354.7 yards per game allowed average, and neither their passing defense nor rushing defense ranked higher than twenty-fourth. But, in individual categories, their stats rocked. They were able to accumulate 1,111 tackles, 41 sacks, 17 fumbles and 16 interceptions. They also have one of the best, if not the best return games in the league, so if your league counts special team TD’s, Bear owners would have been given a nice present of 6 TD’s. Led by LB Brian Urlacher, DT Tommie Harris and LB Lance Briggs, this team is hungry and wanting to prove that last year was just a fluke. For fantasy owners we sure hope they do! Their strong opponents include the Saints, Texans, Colts and Rams, while their weaker opponents include the Falcons, Lions (twice) and Favre-less Packers (twice). The Bruno Boys take on the Bears is that of forgiveness. Oh, Bears while you had taken the hearts of many fantasy players and thrown their love for you into oblivion, we do forgive you and realize that there are times that people don’t perform up to expectations. With that in mind, along with the fact that you still put some of the best defensive players on the field and the fact that you play in a division that lacks for offense, we like your chances of popping back and performing as a very solid defense. ______________________________________________ 4. Jacksonville Jaguars (Bye: 7) Jacksonville took a big step towards being one of the better defenses in the game last season, digging themselves out of obscurity and instead putting up averages that rank near the top third in all average categories. They allowed 19.0 points per game, 313.8 yards per game and both their pass and rush defenses rated in the top half, but failed to break the top 10. As a team they only put up 951 tackles, but they did throw in 37 sacks, 10 fumbles and 20 interceptions. This defense was an accumulation of many people doing their jobs, instead of a select few stars dominating. In those regards, the Jaguars as a whole must play on top of their game once again to remain this high in the Bruno Boys rankings. They do have some difficult tests along the way as they’ll have to face the Colts (twice), Texans, Broncos and Browns. But, they’ll also ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS TEAM DEFENSE RANKINGS 6. Dallas Cowboys (Bye: 10) The Cowboys finished the season pretty much where they were rated going into it, the bottom first third of rankings. This is a defense that is very solid, yet may be cursed by the fact they are partnered with an offense that scores quite often, forcing them to be on the field a bit more often than they’d like to be. In 2007, the Cowboys rated thirteenth with 20.3 points allowed, ninth with 307.6 total yards allowed, and sixth with just 94.6 rushing yards allowed per game. As a unit they combined for 1,041 tackles, 46 sacks, 10 fumbles and 19 interceptions. Their stronger opponents for the 2008 season include the Browns, Bengals, Cardinals and Rams. Their weaker opponents include the Favre-less Packers, 49ers and Ravens. The Cowboys D can be flashy at times and put up huge fantasy weeks, but their offense’s love of the passing game and quick scoring ability, forces the defense to be on the field more than they should be. If the time management improves and the Cowboys don’t rely so heavily on the quick strike, you could see this defense jumping up a few slots on the rankings board. BY: CHRIS ZIZA 8. New York Giants (Bye: 4) First of all, congratulations to the reigning Super Bowl Champions, the New York Giants! To be able to defeat the heavily favored, New England Patriots, in a game like they did is truly outstanding work! Do you think Michael Strahan is happy he gave it one last go? With that being said, the New York Giants D in 2007 played solidly, but unspectacularly. Their averages were anywhere from middle-of-the-pack to the lower top third, as they ranked seventeenth with 21.9 points allowed, seventh with 305 total yards allowed, and rated eleventh in pass defense and eight in rush defense. As a team they combined for 1,049 tackles, 53 sacks, 10 fumbles and 15 interceptions. This year their schedule includes some pretty explosive offenses. They play the Rams, Bengals, Seahawks, Browns, Dallas (twice), and Arizona. As far as weaker offenses go, they do get the 49ers and Ravens. It is always tough coming off a championship season because every team is gunning for you hard and tough! Coming into the season as Champions along with the brutally high amount of good offenses they will be facing this year, it’s hard to see the Giants repeat what they did last year. They are a defense that should be drafted as a starting squad, but make sure you find another solid D that has fairly easy match-ups on the Giants tougher weeks. ______________________________________________ 7. Pittsburgh Steelers (Bye: 6) The Steelers rocked last year on D! The stats don’t lie! They ranked second allowing just 16.8 points per game, first allowing just 266.4 yards per game, and both their passing and rushing defenses ranked third in the NFL. We, the Bruno Boys, urge you not to go just by those stats to rate them this year though, or you will be greatly disappointed! Here is a list of the opponents in 2007 that they were fortunate enough to face: the Bengals (twice), Ravens, Jets, Dolphins, and 49ers. Those are a lot of offenses that were struggling at the time they played the Steelers, because of one reason or another. While that list is not meant to downplay what the Steelers did, it does take some of the wind out of their sails. As a team they were able to put up 36 sacks, 14 fumbles, and a solid, but not outstanding 11 interceptions. Those numbers may take a slight dip in 2008 as they will have to face the Texans, Browns (twice), Colts, Chargers, Bengals (twice), Patriots, and Cowboys. Wow, what a list, huh? It is getting easy to see why the Bruno Boys’ are down some on the Steelers this year compared to last. Especially, since their weak opponents consist of a rather short list; the Ravens and Titans. The Steelers D is no where near the Steel Curtain of the 70’s! They are a very solid group, and one that deserves to be drafted, and drafted as a starter because of yesteryear and what they are capable of this year. But, we warn you, if you are looking for a team that you can confidently put out there week in and week out, you must search elsewhere! ______________________________________________ 9. Seattle Seahawks (Bye: 4) The Seahawks lost the face of their franchise earlier this offseason when they released former star RB Shaun Alexander. That could be a very good thing though as the Seahawks are now known as a team, not a team made up of individuals. Shaun Alexander played horribly and garnered a lot of the negative vibes that made their way around the club house. The Bruno Boys aren’t saying that he is a trouble maker, but we do believe Seattle will be better off not having to deal with all the negativity that came with having him around. The Seahawks ranked about average for their entire yardage rankings, but were able to rank sixth with a 18.2 points per game allowed average. As a team they went for 1,050 tackles, 45 sacks, 14 fumbles and 20 interceptions. All solid numbers! Their 2008 calendar consists of some tough games against the Rams (twice), Cowboys, and Patriots, but also some easy ones as they face the 49ers (twice), Aaron Rodger’s Green Bay Packers, the Dolphins and the Jets. As long as Julius Jones can be a solid running back, the offense should flow a bit better this year, maintaining drives longer and making better use of the clock. That should keep the defense fresher. This is a defense that could be drafted as a first or second defense, and that is just where they belong. They’re a tweener - definitely not a team ______________________________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS TEAM DEFENSE RANKINGS that deserves to be played every week, yet definitely a team that if given the right matchup should excel! BY: CHRIS ZIZA ______________________________________________ 10. Baltimore Ravens (Bye: 10) The Ravens went into the 2007 season as one of the better fantasy football defenses, but once on the field, they fell flat in most aspects. Baltimore’s D, led by Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, both of whom had another stellar year, failed miserably for the most part of 2007. They allowed 24.0 points per game, ranking rt them twenty-second in the league, despite raking sixth in overall second yardage with a 301.6 yards per game average. And, they actually won the time clock competition as well, making it mystifying on how such a good average in total yards could h produce the less-than-stellar points average until you look a bit stellar deeper. Baltimore as a team combined for 1,086 tackles, 32 sacks, 6 fumbles and 17 interceptions. Solid numbers, but no nowhere near what was expected of them. Their 2008 season will not be any easier having to play the Bengals (twice), Browns (twice), Colts, Texans and Cowboys. Fortunately, for them though their schedule also includes Tennessee, Miami and Oakland, so there will definitely be games in which they will make a viable option as your starting h D. If you end up drafting the Ravens as your first D, then definitely make sure you get a solid second D, so you can play roulette with the two squads. In fact, with their studs being another year older, you may even see the Ravens take another u step back this year. With Baltimore, definitely don’t set it and forget it! If you do, they could fail miserably and disappoint! Check in with the Bruno Boys for their Defensive Rankings week after week, and adjust your roster accordingly. ur They should get a boost from their schedule as they face the oost Falcons (twice), Bears, Packers sans Favre, Chiefs, Lions, and Raiders, though match-ups with the Saints (twice), Cowboys, ups Seahawks, and Chargers should somewhat balance things out. The Bucs strength will once again be their secondary, led by n Ronde Barber and made even better with the addition of Eugene Wilson from the Patriots. However, the front line needs to do a better job stopping the run for this unit to become an elite squad. Right now, they are walking the f line between every week fine start and match-up play. ______________________________________________ 12. Green Bay Packers (Bye: 8) For those of you who forgot with all this Brett Favre talk, the Green Bay Packers also play on the opposite side of the ball sometimes. Last year, the Pack's defense just missed the top 10 for total yards allowed, coming in at eleventh, giving up 313.3 a game; however, they did crack the top 10 for points allowed, ame; ranking sixth as opponents scored an average of just 18.2 points a game against them, something that contributed greatly to Favre being able to lead the Pack back to the playoffs. While Green Bay did tally 36 sacks and 19 interceptions, both good enough to put them in the top half of the league, they recovered just 9 fumbles, leaving them in the twenty twenty-third spot for that category, and helping to leave them out of the top 10. ______________________________________________ 11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Bye: 10) Remember those days when the Bucs were the fantasy Defense everyone wanted come draft day. Well, we may soon be seeing a repeat of history. The Bucs last year ranked #2 overall in total defense giving up just 278.4 total yards a game, a stat greatly aided by their superb pass defense, which was tops in the NFL. Limiting opponents' yardage, also, helped them to limit the points they gave up, a category they ranked third in, allowing just 16.9 points a game. The Bucs would crack the top 10 heading into 2008 if only they could put up better stats in the relevant fantasy categories. Last season, the team combined for 1,068 tackles, 33 sacks, 16 interceptions and 19 fumble s recoveries. While they were tops in fumble recoveries, the rest of those stats place the Bucs in the middle of the pack. If they could just improve slightly in those areas, the Bucs could end the year a top 5 defense. Perhaps the best thing about the Packers is that they play in the hing NFC North, giving them nice match match-ups with the Lions (twice) and Bears (twice). It's a good thing they have those games because except for match-ups with the Titans, their out of ups conference schedule is a toughy, including games against the hy, Cowboys, Seahawks, Colts, Saints, Texans, and Jaguars. A key component to the how good the Packers defense plays in 2008 will be how well Aaron Rodgers does at the quarterback position. (That is if Favre doesn't come out of retirement!) If Rodgers struggles, the defense will find themselves playing a lot 2008 BRUNO BOYS TEAM DEFENSE RANKINGS more than in 2007, which means fatigue, which will lead to missed tackles and missed plays. The Packers are a solid D, but not one you can rely solely upon. BY: CHRIS ZIZA Chargers out of conference balance things out. There's no question that the defense goes as Bob Sanders and Dwight Freeney go. If both of these guys can avoid spending time on the sideline with injuries, than there is no reason that the Colts won't be contending to be a top 10 fantasy team, especially with the ability and Peyton and Co. to manage game time. Still, it's a big if, and the low sack totals do worry us a bit. Take caution with Indy, but don't be surprised if good things happen. ______________________________________________ 13. Tennessee Titans (Bye: 6) The loss of Adam "Pacman" Jones prior to the 2007 season was supposed to be a devastating blow to the Titans defense; however, the defense rallied and put forth a strong team effort that pushed them into the top 5 in total defense as they allowed a paltry 291.6 yards per game and 18.6 points per game, good enough for eighth in the league. Even without Pacman, the secondary did it's job, ranking tenth against the pass. It helped that they were constantly able to get pressure on opposing quarterbacks, bringing them down in the backfield for a total of 40 sacks. That pressure also led to 22 interceptions, good for a tie for second among NFL squads, something that made up for their mediocre performance in fumble recoveries (12). The question is whether or not the Titans can once again overachieve in 2008? The out of conference schedule does help them out a bit with match-ups against the hapless offenses of the Ravens, Chiefs, Packers, Bears, Jets, and Lions, but havign to face the Colts, Texans, and Jags twice does hurt. The team went out and brought back "The Freak," Jevon Kearse, to help improve an already solid line, but chances are Kearse is one of the few players' names you'll recognize on this squad. But, that's ok because the Titans play as a unit, and with football being such a team orientated game, that's what you want. The Titans readily swarm the ball and each guy does their duty. Do your duty and take them as a low-end starting squad or a high-end bench unit. ______________________________________________ 15. Washington Redskins (Bye: 10) The Redskins incurred a horrible loss as Sean Taylor was shot and killed mid-way through last season. Any team would be hurt when tragedy like that happens, but the Redskins were perhaps hit a little bit harder. Taylor was a key piece to the Skins’ defense, a piece that the Redskins will find it very hard to replace in years to come. In 2007, the Skins’ allowed 19.4 points per game, 305.2 yards per game, and In 2007, the Skins’ allowed 19.4 points per game, 305.2 yards per game, and rated fourth overall in rush defense with a 91.2 average. As a team they had 1,099 tackles, 33 sacks, 10 fumbles recovered and 14 interceptions. Returning to the team are leading tacklers London Fletcher, Rocky McIntosh and LaRon Landry. Shawn Springs also makes a return in hopes to getting the Redskins back into the playoffs. The Redskins played very well in 2007, perhaps above expectations, but it is now 2008, a whole new ball game. And, with the Skins’ playing in a division that sports the Cowboys, Giants and Eagles, there is a lot of high-octane offense that Washington is going to have to deal with, which should return this organization back to reality. They are a solid D2, and one that could excel when matched up against the right opponents, but they should not be used on a weekly basis. ALERT – To replace Phillip Daniels, the Redskins went out and secured Jason Taylor from the Miami Dolphins via a trade, upgrading their pass rush significantly. ______________________________________________ 14. Indianapolis Colts (Bye: 4) It was just a few years ago that the only way in which the Indianapolis Colts would win a football game was if Peyton and Co. would go out there and light up the scoreboard. That's no more as Tony Dungy has helped turned the Colts defense around. A turn around that culminated in a third ranking in yards allowed per game (279.7) and a number one rank in points allowed (16.4) in 2007. Despite those rankings and stats consisting of 22 interceptions and 15 fumble recoveries, there is still some room for improvement. Even with Dwight Freeney coming off the line, the Colts managed just 28 sacks in 2007, sixth worst in the league. While they play in the same division, the Colts have a dramatically easier conference schedule than the Titans, mainly because rather than face themselves twice, they get to face Tennessee twice. But, match-ups with the Patriots, Bengals, and ______________________________________________ 16. Philadelphia Eagles (Bye: 7) It's strange seeing a team that ranks in the top ten in yards allowed per game (311.4), points allowed (18.8), and sacks (37), ranked in the midrange among fantasy defenses, but it shows just how important interceptions and fumble recoveries are to your fantasy defense. The Eagles struggled in both categories as they only forced 19 total turnovers. While the rest of their numbers will help them win games in the NFL, without those turnovers, they're not going to help you in fantasy leagues. In order to remedy the situation, the Eagles have brought in Asante Samuel, from the New England Patriots. 2008 BRUNO BOYS TEAM DEFENSE RANKINGS Games against the 49ers, Bears, Falcons, Ravens, and Giants (twice) should also help those turnover numbers as those teams rely on quarterbacks that can at times be erratic. Those are the match-ups to utilize the Eagles. Meanwhile, when they face the Cowboys (twice), Bengals, Steelers, and Seahawks, do yourself a favor and leave them on your bench. yards per game. But, it wasn’t all bad as they were in the top ten for rushing yards allowed per game with 90.0. As a team they had 1,033 tackles, 36 sacks, 11 fumbles and 18 interceptions. They did lose DE Calvin Pace, who tied for the team lead in tackles and was second on the team in sacks, to the New York Jets. And, they are playing in a division in which all three teams, the Rams, 49ers and Seahawks are all expected to have much improved offenses from their 2007 version. With that in mind, it may be a very long season for this down and out defense. The Bruno Boys take on the Cardinals is one of hesitance. As we said, for a stretch of games last year they were putting up top 10 defensive numbers. But, that did not last long. If you are sitting there with the Cardinals being your best option for the week, you could do worse. But if the matchups are not looking good, definitely check the waiver wire! BY: CHRIS ZIZA _____________________________ 17. Oakland Raiders (Bye: 5) The Raiders struggled last season on defense, allowing 24.9 points per game and 341.6 total yards per game. The Raiders didn’t let the fact that their pass defense was their strong suit prevent them from upgrading even more, pulling off a deal with the Falcons for star CB DeAngelo Hall. Hall joins leading tacklers Kirk Morrison, Thomas Howard and Michael Huff in hopes of turning things around and giving Raider nation something to cheer about. But, unless the run defense improves some over last year, being in a division where they will have to face LaDanian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson and Selvin Young each twice may turn 2008 into a nightmare! The Raiders are a team that is better used against teams with weaker running games. If for some reason your top fantasy defense is on a bye-week or has a horrible matchup, ensure that the Raiders are facing a weak running game before plugging them in. If they aren’t, then picking up someone else on the waiver wires could be the better way to go. They were able to trade for massive DT Marcus Stroud, who when healthy is a beast! That definitely can help them a great deal in becoming a respectful defense. DE Chris Kelsay is coming off of injury, but he should definitely help in the pass rush with DE Aaron Schobel helping from the other end. The Bills have the pieces to where they can be much improved going into the 2008 season, but it all depends on health. If Stroud and Kelsay can get over the injury bug, the Bills can take a step up into low-D2, high-D3 territory. _____________________________ 20. Denver Broncos (Bye: 8) Entering 2007, Denver was expected to play as a top 10 defense, but that quickly dissipated as they struggled right from the get go. The culprit was not their pass defense as they held opponents’ to a respectable 193.4 yards per game; rather, it was their rushing defense that set them back as they allowed 142.6 yards a game and rated higher than only two teams in the NFL in this category. That poor rush defense helped opponents throw up 25.6 points per game against the Broncos, all but making Denver a last resort option. They were able to bring in a handful of solid, but unspectacular veterans this off-season to help shore up their defense, none of which though are really news worthy. And, unless those veterans can help add to the run defense, it really doesn’t matter. The Broncos run defense is not the greatest, and being in a division that hosts LJ, LT and Darren McFadden is not really a vote of confidence. Use the Bronco’s only during weeks that the opponents running game is in shambles. They have the personnel to stop a high flying attack through the air, but their run defense is like Swiss-cheese. _____________________________ 19. Buffalo Bills (Bye: 6) There was not much to celebrate defensively in Buffalo last year as the Bills were in the bottom half in both points per game allowed (22.1) and yards per game allowed (362.9). Normally, you can look at a defense and say, well, at least their run stopping abilities were good, or at least they had a solid secondary. But, in regards to the Bills, you can’t really say anything positive about what they did last year. Their passing defense, twenty-ninth in the league, and rushing defense, twenty-fifth in the league, were rated equally bad, giving them the thirty-first rated defense out of thirty-two teams last year. Buffalo’s division consists of the beauty queen in New England, the ugly step-sister in Miami and the semi-cute girl next door in the Jets. So, as long as you watch the matchups, Buffalo could become a decent play on certain weeks. _____________________________ 18. Arizona Cardinals (Bye: 7) There was a stretch of games last year when the Cardinals put it all together and were a pretty good defensive play, but for the most part they were just mediocre. The Cardinals allowed 24.9 points per game, 330.2 total yards per game and a horrible 232.2 passing _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS TEAM DEFENSE RANKINGS 21. Carolina Panthers (Bye: 9) By the end of the year Carolina was considered a middle-of-the-pack defense, and that is exactly how they performed across the board. They rated fifteenth in points allowed per game (21.7), sixteenth in total yardage, and their pass and run defenses were rated seventeenth and eighteenth respectively. Furthermore, as a team they put up 1,084 tackles, 23 sacks, 16 fumbles recovered and 14 interceptions, numbers right around the league average. Led by MLB Jon Beason who had 44 more tackles than the next best on Carolina and DE Julius Peppers, the Panthers will be looking to add to their solid 2007 season. They have the fortunate luck to be playing in the NFC South, home of the Atlanta Falcons, so a few times a year the Panthers should be a solid play. The Bruno Boys admire how “average” the Panthers really were. Nothing shouted greatness, but they didn’t have many glaring weaknesses either. If used properly, that Panthers can help you out during a few select weeks, but don’t expect anything more than a low-D2, high-D3 rating at the end of the season. matchup, could be a solid team to pluck off of the waiver wires. They do play in a pretty potent division that includes the Colts, Co Jaguars and to a much lesser extent, the Titans. So make sure you play matchups if you are going to use them We can see this squads potential and within the next year or two they should make the leap to a high rung defense, but as far as this year is concerned, their value lies in that of a waiver wire pickup due to a bye bye-week replacement at best. BY: CHRIS ZIZA whole, this group just simply is not that good. This squad should not be drafted unless you play in very deep leagu league. _____________________________ 24. Detroit Lions (Bye: 4) The Lions are a true case of getting the good with the bad. They play in a division in which all three of their opponents, the Vikings, Packers and Bears all have glaring weaknesses in ars their offensive game, and the Lions can only improve as they rated at the bottom or near the bottom in points and yardage. They allowed a league worst 27.8 points per game, a league worst 377.6 yards per game and their pa passing game was rated 31st in the NFL with a 258.2 yards per game allowed average. Their only somewhat bright spot was their defensive line, and they traded their best DL last year in Shaun Rogers. So things are looking pretty bleak in Motown! As a team the had 1,177 they tackles, 37 sacks, 18 fumbles recoveries and 17 interceptions. Those intangible numbers give this squad some hope. They are led by young guns, LB Ernie Sims, DE Dewayne White and DT Cory Redding, all of which are growing together, and the Lions were able to add a bunch of veterans that should help shore up some growing pains. The Bruno Boys take on the Lions defense is that as a whole they are pretty awful, but individually there are some really great pieces to build off of. Lions head coach Rod Marinelli has a group of players that he is really comfortable with now on defense, so only time will tell if things will gel and turn the Lions into a low low-D2 team. But as far as 2008 goes, unless you are in a real pickle, let the Lions stick on the waive Playing waivers. in the weak NFC North division will offer some solid plays, but they are as a bye-week replacement type only. week _____________________________ 23. New York Jets (Bye: 5) The Jets defense was slightly below league average for the 2007 season, but a lot of that can be placed on the Jets offensive play. But when the Jets were on the field defensively (which was often), they were at least respectable. They did allow 22.2 points per game and 331.9 yards per game, rating in the middle third for both categories, but the real problem lies with their rushing defense which ranked 29th in the NFL while allowing 134.8 yards per game. Their passing defense was solid, ranking 9th with 197.1 yards per game allowed. As for the 2008 season, leading tackler and sacks men David Harris r returns in what hopes to be a much improved Jets team.. Having to face the Patriots and Bills twice each is not great, but the bad always comes with some good. The Bruno Boys take on the Jets is one of which we recommend only playing them against teams that have a horrible run game, and even at that make sure that there is not any better matchups on the waiver wires before playing this squad. The Jets D has a few solid players, but as a _____________________________ 22. Houston Texans (Bye: 8) The young Texans were brutal at times, serviceable at times, but for the most part they just struggled. They rated in the lower third of the league in many key statistical categories. They allowed 24.0 points per game, 344.2 yards per game and neither their passing or rush defense was very impressive most of the year. Despite their struggles last season the Texans key defensive players are young and they are growing. DE Mario Williams started to show late in the season why he may have been the right choice as the #1 overall selection by Houston a few years back. And all of their leading tacklers are back, making it a real possibility by midseason that this group, on the right _____________________________ 2008 BRUNO BOYS TEAM DEFENSE RANKINGS 25. New Orleans Saints (Bye: 9) The Saints are a tale of two sides, awesome offense, not so awesome defense! The Saints allowed 24.2 points per game, 348.1 yards per game and their passing defense rated 30th in the NFL with 245.2 yards allowed. Their run defense is the only statistic that is in the top half defensively in the NFL with 102.9 yards per game allowed, good for 13th overall. It is recommended to only consider the Saints defense when they are matched up against the right team such as the Falcons, as they could put up solid numbers for the week. But as far as the season in whole, the Saints really don’t deserve to take up a roster spot on your fantasy football club unless you play in a league that you play in some very deep league. status of throughout the season, and hope to find a key addition on your leagues waiver wire. BY: CHRIS ZIZA _____________________________ 27. Kansas City Chiefs (Bye: 6) Defensively the Chiefs were not horrible in 2007. They ranked 14th in points allowed (20.9 points per game), 13th in total yardage allowed (319.4 yards per game) and 5th in passing yards allowed (188.9 passing yards per game). But what killed them was the fact that they allowed the 5th most rushing yards per game (130.5 rushing yards per game), and coupling that with the brutal offense the Chiefs had, the Chiefs D was on the field much longer than a defense wants to be. As a team they put up respectable numbers in with 37 sacks, 8 fumbles and 14 interceptions but they were unable to capitalize on other teams mistakes. Returning are leading tacklers Donnie Edwards, Derrick Johnson, Napoleon Harris and Bernard Pollard as well as solid veteran Patrick Surtain. The Bruno Boys feel that the Chiefs couldn’t play in a worse division for having a bad run defense, as the have to face the Chargers, Raiders and Broncos, all historically good rushing teams, twice per season. Heading into 2008, unless the Chiefs can get their offense rolling so the defense can rest from time to time, this is a squad that should be undrafted and left on your leagues waive wire. _____________________________ 26. San Francisco 49ers (Bye: 9) Although the 49ers defense is not the greatest in the world, they could of put up a better fight if their league worst offense would of produced a little more, helping to keep the defense off the field for a few more breathers. The 49ers gave up 22.8 points per game, 346.2 yards per game and were ranked 22nd in both passing and rushing yards allowed. Led by second year LB Patrick Willis, San Francisco is showing signs of having some of the right pieces in position to make a jump to the next level. They do play in the NFC West, all of which have solid offenses, so it definitely won’t be a cake walk, but they do have the Jets and Dolphins on their schedule later on in the year, so if your top defenses are hurting, the 49ers may not be a bad play. The Bruno Boys take on the 49ers is that although they have a few good IDP (Many Lawson, Nate Clements, Michael Lewis and Willis) players, they aren’t fantasy worthy until the can prove they can get it done on a regular basis. They should be one of those teams that you track the 28 sacks, recovered 10 fumbles and had 17 interceptions. In the off season they two bulked up at the tackle position and added veteran DT’s in Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams, which all but should help both the passing and rushing defense. In fact, we feel that these signings very well could be the missing piece to the Browns puzzle and help propel them up in the rankings once they gel. Though, their division boasts the Ravens, Bengals and Steelers, all with solid running games, and the Brown will have to prove o us that the can stop the run before we move them up to the next defensive tier. We feel that the additions of Rogers and Williams are a definite plus, and if they play as they should be able to, then this defense has just taken a huge step forward. But as far as fantasy play goes, they will remain nothing better than a waiver wire play unless other players step up and take advantage of having one of the best DT tandems in all of football. _____________________________ 29. Cincinnati Bengals (Bye: 8) Like most recent seasons, the Bengals defense once again ranked towards he lower end of all major defensive statistics. They allowed 24.1 points per game, 348.8 total yards per game and did not excel in either the passing or run defense. Their 22 sacks ranked amongst the worst in the league, and the only bright spot is that they recovered 16 fumbles and hauled in 19 interceptions. There is definite room for improvement, but 2008 most likely will not be the year to see it. CB Leon Hall returns in hopes of getting the Bengals to the next level, but the future does not look very bright, but the departure of Justin Smith could hurt the overall defensive. On weeks last year in which they looked like a solid bye week fill-in, they burned everyone who took the gamble, so it is probably best to avoid them at all costs. Keep them on the waiver wires and hope your _____________________________ 28. Cleveland Browns (Bye: 5) The Browns had a year that many people did not expect. Everything seemed to go right and click for them offensively, but as far as the defense went, it was the same old song and dance. Cleveland allowed 23.9 points per game, and rated 30th in overall yardage allowed, with both, their passing and run defenses struggling. As a team the Browns tallied 1,129 tackles, 2008 BRUNO BOYS TEAM DEFENSE RANKINGS opponent is feeling frisky enough to take a chance on them, and celebrate quietly! up 27.4 points per game to their opponents. Yardage wise they were all in the bottom third; ranking (21st) in passing yards allowed and (20th) in rushing yards allowed. What the Rams BY: CHRIS ZIZA _____________________________ 30. Miami Dolphins (Bye: 4) To give the Dolphins the benefit of the doubt, they could have played much worse in 2007. Losing Trent Green, Ronnie Brown and trading away Chris Chambers was definitely not a good thing for a struggling offense, which could have easily played into the heads of the Dolphins defensive players, but they still ended up plugging away. They did give up a horrible 27.3 points per game, and their total yardage per game was 342.2, but that does not tell the whole story. Their passing defense was outstanding at 188.7, although one can say that it was that good is because the run defense was that bad. Teams ran for a league high 153.5 yards a game against Miami. Despite getting their butts kicked week in and week out, they still managed 30 quarterback sacks and forced 22 turnovers. This was just one of those years in which you pack up your bags at the end of the year and go home! Heading into 2008, from a fantasy football perspective, the Dolphins must remain on the waiver wires until they can put together a solid offense, which would help keep the overworked defense off the field. 2008 TEAM DEFENSE TIER RANKINGS TIER ONE San Diego Chargers New England Patriots Minnesota Vikings TIER TWO Jacksonville Jaguars Chicago Bears Dallas Cowboys Pittsburgh Steelers TIER THREE New York Giants Seattle Seahawks Baltimore Ravens Tama Bay Buccaneers Green Bay Packers Tennessee Titans TIER THREE Indianapolis Colts Philadelphia Eagles Oakland Raiders TIER FIVE Arizona Cardinals Washington Redskins Buffalo Bills Denver Broncos Carolina Panthers TIER SIX Houston Texans New York Jets Detroit Lions New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers Kansas City Chiefs Cleveland Browns Cincinnati Bengals TIER SEVEN Miami Dolphins St. Louis Rams Atlanta Falcons AVERAGE 2.67 3.67 3.67 AVERAGE 6.33 7 7.17 8 AVERAGE 9.5 9.67 10.83 11 11 11.17 AVERAGE 12 14 14.83 AVERAGE 18.16 19.33 20.33 20.5 21 AVERAGE 22.5 23.83 24.67 24.67 26.33 26.5 26.5 27.17 AVERAGE 27.5 28.33 30.5 did well is get to the quarterback and force turnovers. As a team they accumulated 31 sacks and forced 27 turnovers. We feel that the key to the Rams defense is actually how the Rams offense controls the time clock. If the offense can regain its form, the defense very well could knock off a considerable amount of points allowed, pushing them into possible waiver wire usefulness. The only way you should consider the Rams is if you are in dire need of a bye week fill-in and the Rams have a match up that is just too good to not take a risk on. _____________________________ 32. Atlanta Falcons (Bye: 7) In any way you look at it, the Atlanta Falcons defense was miserable in 2007. They gave up 25.9 yards per game, 355.5 total yards per game, and their pass and rush defenses ranked amongst the worst in the league. So how does one of the leagues worst defenses improve itself in the off season? By trading your best defensive player, CB DeAngelo Hall to the Oakland Raiders and then committing a huge chunk of change to a running back Michael Turner, who has never held a full-time gig in the league and even more money to a rookie quarterback (Matt Ryan) that is expected to be the starter sometime this season. Wow, did we just say that? Looking at it from that point of view, the Falcons front office surely didn’t do too good of a job improving both sides of the football? Because of this, the Bruno Boys feel that it would be best to avoid the Falcons in all leagues and it all costs! _____________________________ 31. St. Louis Rams (Bye: 5) To sum it up in a nutshell, the Rams just had one of those bad luck years. On the offensive side of the ball, they lost OT Orlando Pace, QB Marc Bulger and RB Steven Jackson for parts of the season due to a variety of ailments. Because of this, their defense tried hard to compensate for the Rams lack of offense, and did a solid job as far as key stats are concerned, but they simply had to spend too many minutes on the field. This led to the Rams ranking 31st in the league in points allowed, as they gave _____________________________ RANKINGS UPDATED – AUGUST 14TH ARIZONA CARDINALS 2007 RECAP The Arizona Cardinals came into the 2007 season with considerable fantasy football promise at virtually every position, but only two players delivered numbers that merited their average draft position. Larry Fitzgerald was as advertised, solidifying himself as a WR1 and a future late second or third rounder in fantasy football drafts. Savvy signal-caller Kurt Warner was also a boon to fantasy football owners after Matt Leinart tore his ACL in Week 6, throwing for over 3400 yards and 27 touchdowns in 14 games, including 12 touchdowns in the final four weeks of the season. The buck stopped banging there, however, as Anquan Boldin owners were deprived of the wideout for three games at the onset of the season due to a hip injury. He did labor through the second half of ’07 with a dislocated toe, en route to catching nine touchdown passes, but his scores typically came two at a time Edgerrin James was a serviceable RB2 for a second consecutive season, garnering 1224 rushing yards and seven touchdowns, but trudged through the final six games in which he scored just once. 2007 RECORD: 8-8 KEY ADDITIONS Dirk Johnson (P) – In a relatively quiet offseason, the Arizona Cardinals did help their kicking game with the signing of punter Dirk Johnson. As a member of the Philadelphia Eagles in 2006, Johnson’s average punt went 42.6 yards and he pinned opponents inside the 20 yard line on over 25 percent of his punts (20 out of 78). However, Johnson played in just one game as a member of the Chicago Bears in 2007 and has been pretty hit or miss throughout his six year NFL career. KEY DEPARTURES Bryant Johnson (WR) – Johnson spent five seasons in Arizona, mostly as a speedy slot receiver who could stretch the field and allow Fitzgerald and Boldin room to operate, before bolting further westward to the San Francisco 49ers in attempt to compete for a starting position. He has caught at least 40 passes in each of the last four years, but has only been considered a fantasy option if one of the Cardinals receivers suffered an injury. Heading to San Francisco, one has to wonder if Johnson can ever turn the page and be an be considered a reliable fantasy football wide receiver. ROOKIES TO WATCH Early Doucet (WR) – With rumors abound that Boldin was unhappy with his contract and wanted out; the Cardinals perhaps addressed a future need by selecting Doucet. An average runner, Doucet profiles best as a slot receiver, with scouts touting his exceptional route-running prowess that will augment Fitzgerald’s and Boldin’s abilities to stretch the field. Doucet will enter the season in a battle for the third wide receiver position with Steve Breaston, but even if he wins the job out of camp his fantasy value will be minimal in 2008. If you are in a dynasty league Doucet could be a nice late round pick to stash and keep track of his progression. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Matt Leinart (QB) - In what should be Leinart’s first full season as the starter, it could also be his make-or-break season after the miserable numbers he posted in five starts last year. Strangely, the fractured collarbone just might have been a blessing in disguise, allowing Leinart to spend more time on the sidelines digesting Whisenhunt’s playbook while learning from an old hand (Kurt Warner). With Leinart being ranked as the 14th best quarterback heading into 2008, you can consider him no more than a bye week replacement at this juncture. It is far to risky to rely on a young quarterback who has more interceptions (16) than touchdowns (13) in his career. ATLANTA FALCONS 2007 RECAP For the Atlanta Falcons, the season was pretty much over before it began. With all the controversy surrounding the Michael Vick dog fighting trial, the Falcons decided it would be better if he sat out the season and everything started going downhill from there. Atlanta signed quarterbacks Joey Harrington, a cast off from the Detroit Lions and Miami Dolphins, Byron Leftwich, a Jacksonville Jaguars flash in the pan, and Chris Redman, a never-was formerly from the Baltimore Ravens. Harrington started the season for the Falcons, Leftwich got some playing time and then Redman finished the season. From a numbers standpoint, none of them consistently got the job done, but it was Redman who finished the season with 10 touchdown passes over the final five weeks.. Still, the offense was a mess. Warrick Dunn averaged just 3.2 yards a carry and Alge Crumpler had his worst season since 2002, which was just his second year in the league. The only bright spot in the offense was the emergence of Roddy White, who caught 83 passes for 1,202 yards and 6 TD’s. Other than that the Falcons were considered a fantasy disaster. 2007 RECORD: 4-12 KEY ADDITIONS Michael Turner (RB) – The Falcons decided to go young, ditching the veteran Dunn and signing Turner to a reported sixyear, $34.5 million contract. The deal is a good one for the Falcons, because it will allow them to utilize two quality backs that haven't been full time starters since college. Unfortunately, the usage of two running backs could lead to less stats, which means less return for the fantasy football owners. The good news is that the two backs will complement each other well, with Turner serving as the power back and Norwood as the speed back. KEY DEPARTURES Alge Crumpler (TE) – It’s no big secret that Crumpler, who was Vick’s favorite target, struggled without the aforementioned quarterback under center. In the offseason, he signed a free agent contract with the Tennessee Titans. DeAngelo Hall (CB) – Hall had a major impact on the Falcons defense and the departure of him to the Oakland Raiders will only make things worse for a unit that was already bad. ROOKIES TO WATCH Matt Ryan (QB) – For the Falcons, it all starts with former Boston College standout Ryan. Unfortunately, that’s probably where it ends too, as in years past rookie quarterbacks just haven't got it done enough to warrant fantasy football consideration. A leader with good poise and a good arm, Ryan has everything a franchise would look for in a quarterback. The one negative against Ryan in college was his completion percentage. He went from 62.1 percent his sophomore to 61.6 as a junior to 59.3 as a senior. That’s not a trend you like to see and is something that the Falcons have made an effort to address during training camp. Look for Ryan to be the starter at QB by midseason. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Roddy White (WR) – Poor Roddy White. The guy has a breakout season on a team that used three washed-up quarterbacks and now he loses the second-best receiving target in Crumpler. With teams preparing to focus almost exclusively on White, the Falcons might have to get creative with his route running to fend off double teams. Still, White will be able to post solid fantasy football numbers, but to expect a repeat performance should be considered a stretch. BALTIMORE RAVENS 2007 RECAP After an impressive 2006 season, in which the Ravens finished tied for the second best record in the NFL at 13-3 and came up just short against the potential Super Bowl Champs, the Indianapolis Colts 2007 began with high expectations. After all, the Ravens had the number one ranked defense in the NFL heading into 2007, so it appeared just a little more offense would do the trick and get them to the next level. With Steve McNair coming back for his second season with the club, the Ravens looked to help the veteran quarterback by bolstering a run game that had become stagnant. Out was Jamal Lewis, and in came Willis McGahee from the Buffalo Bills. The Ravens also drafted two linemen, Ben Grubbs and Marshal Yanda, to help clear defenders out of McGahee’s way. The focus on the running game seemed to pay off as McGahee totaled 1,207 rushing yards and 7 rushing TD’s. Derrick Mason finished the season with over 1,000 receiving yards for the 6th time out of the last seven seasons. Unfortunately for the Ravens, the running game was the lone bright spot in an otherwise dismal 5-11 season. 2007 RECORD: 5-11 KEY ADDITIONS John Harbaugh (Head Coach) – The Brian Billick era has officially come to a close in Baltimore, and maybe when it comes down to it, he never should have let Trent Dilfer go after winning Super Bowl XXXV. To replace Billick, the Ravens went with John Harbaugh, brother to former Ravens’ QB and current Stanford Coach, Jim Harbaugh. The hire seems strange to the Bruno Boys as the area desperately needing the most improvement for the Ravens is their offense, and Harbaugh’s only experience in the NFL has been as a secondary and special teams coach. KEY DEPARTURES Steve McNair (QB) – Air McNair, always a warrior on the football field has decided to hang it up after 13 seasons in the NFL. To the driving range, McNair takes with him 31,304 passing yards, 3,590 rushing yards, 211 total TDs, and a coMVP award. McNair’s departure means bad things for the Ravens as an already struggling offense will be in the hands of inexperienced arms. If it wasn’t for some injuries at the end of his career, McNair would have been a sure Hall of Fame QB. ROOKIES TO WATCH Joe Flacco (QB) – Trading up to the 18th pick, the Ravens addressed the gaping hole that resulted from Steve McNair’s retirement, selecting Delaware quarterback Joe Flacco. The second quarterback chosen in this year’s draft, Flacco has all the physical tools one hopes for in a quarterback: strong arm, good size, and solid pocket presence. However, the fact that he played college football at a school that few people know the mascot of (it’s the Delaware Blue Hens, in case you were wondering) against inferior competition means the pick is somewhat of a gamble. Still, if the Ravens struggle, Flacco could get some experience against quality opponents soon enough. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Mark Clayton (WR) – The third year for a wide receiver is supposed to be their break out year, the time when they have finally adjusted to the NFL game. With that in mind, fantasy owners were drooling at the possibilities for Clayton, who had gone for 939 yards and 5 TDs in 2006, his second season in the NFL, heading into the 2007 season. However, rather than break out, Clayton took two steps backwards, managing just 531 yards and not finding pay dirt once. Clayton may get his act together in 2008, but we say don’t believe it until you see it. It is recommended that you allow Clayton to stay on the waiver wire, until he can string together back to back solid performances. BUFFALO BILLS 2007 RECAP Last season it seemed the Buffalo Bills just could not make up their minds. Was it going to be incumbent J.P. Losman or rookie Trent Edwards at quarterback? Were they going to use Lee Evans as a deep threat or a possession receiver? Should Marshawn Lynch get all the carries or should he share with Fred Jackson and Anthony Thomas? And between all the indecision, the Bills managed to finish with a 7-9 overall record, and failed to meet the expectations of many people who felt they should have been a playoff team in 2007. However, the biggest story of the Bills’ season was the injury to tight end Kevin Everett on a kickoff return in the first game of the season. You only needed to see the play once to know that Everett was severely injured, paralyzed from the neck down. After an experimental surgery, Everett had not only regained feeling in his extremities but he eventually walked again, making for a nice ending to what looked to be a tragic story. All in all the only bright spot was the play of Lynch, as he finished the season with 1,115 rushing yards a 7 TD’s. 2007 RECORD: 7-9 KEY ADDITIONS Courtney Anderson (TE) – Again, with the Bills remaining quiet in free agency, the signing of the former Oakland Raiders and Detroit Lions tight end is one of the only key additions at this point. His best season came in 2005 when he caught 24 passes for 303 yards and three touchdowns. Marcus Stroud (DE) & Kawika Mitchell (LB) – Both are instant upgrades and give the Bills playmakers at every level on the defensive side of the football. In 2007, the two combined for 5.5 sacks, which will help a pass rush that had just 26 sacks. KEY DEPARTURES Anthony Thomas (RB) – With the emergence of Lynch, losing Anthony Thomas won’t hurt the Bills all that much, but the reality is that Thomas is the only departure that could be considered ‘key’. Thomas was somewhat of a goal line back for the Bills in ‘06 but saw his role diminish last season, gaining just 89 yards on 36 carries. Plus, with the emergence of Fred Jackson, it made the A-Train expandable, as Jackson is quicker, more agile and a better pass catching running back. ROOKIES TO WATCH James Hardy (WR) – Getting this tall possession receiver in the second round was a pretty good coup for the Bills as a lot of teams had the former Indiana standout as a first round pick on their draft boards. Hardy provides a perfect complement to Lee Evans and Josh Reed and should immediately help open up the passing game for quarterback Trent Edwards. Unfortunately, this likely also means more opportunities for Evans and Reed and not so many for Hardy. Hardy’s size (6 feet, 7 inches) and good hands make him a good candidate to contribute right away, but don’t expect much out of the rookie out of University of Indiana. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Trent Edwards (QB) – It appears the Bills have settled on Edwards as their quarterback and for good reason; they won with him under center. The problem with Edwards is his completion percentage dropped considerably from his first five games (66.1 percent) to his last four games (43.7 percent). Additionally, all seven of his touchdowns last year came in just three of the 10 games he played in. However, Edwards often displayed poise in the pocket that most other rookies dream of. The potential is there and the Bruno Boys feel that he should start delivering on that potential at sometime this year. Still, he has just 10 games of experience and will continue to experience some growing pains, but overall he will mature. CAROLINA PANTHERS 2007 RECAP Heading into the 2007 season, just about every national publication had the Carolina Panthers either making the playoffs or making a push for the Super Bowl. However, after a 4-2 start things headed south for the Panthers. Veteran quarterback Jake Delhomme was enjoying his quickest start to any season when he suffered a devastating injury that caused him to get Tommy John surgery in his throwing elbow. From there, the Panthers used a quarterback by committee approach that failed miserably. The inconsistency at the quarterback position caused defense’s to swarm the box and eliminate the Panthers rushing attack. DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams could only muster 7 rushing TD’s on 391 carries and averaged just 99.6 yards per game. When it was all said and done, just about every member of the Panthers offense struggled and had little fantasy football impact in 2007. Even wide receiver Steve Smith (140 points) had his lowest fantasy football point total since 2004. All of this misery led to a 7-9 finish for the Carolina Panthers and yet another disappointing season. 2007 RECORD: 7-9 KEY ADDITIONS D.J. Hackett (WR) – The signing of Hackett will help bolster a Panthers receiving corps which featured Steve Smith and little to nothing else in ‘07. Despite missing 10 games, because of a nagging ankle injury, Hackett scored a touchdown in three of the 6 games, and went over 100 receiving yards in two of those. His presence should alleviate some of the double teams Smith has seen in years past. Muhsin Muhammad (WR) – In his second stint in Carolina, “Mush” isn’t expected to carry the load, instead he will be used in the slot and act as a decoy for Smith and Hackett. KEY DEPARTURES DeShaun Foster (RB) – Calling Foster a key departure might be a stretch, but he has been the primary ball carrier in Carolina since 2005. However, Foster never has lived up to the hype out of college, and in 2007 he hit rock bottom, as he averaged a career low 3.5 yards per carry on 247 rushing attempts. With DeAngelo Williams picking up steam late in the ’07 season, the Panthers brass made Foster expandable and parted ways with the five year veteran. ROOKIES TO WATCH Jonathan Stewart (RB) – Once the Panthers decided to cut ties with DeShaun Foster it wasvevident that they had plans of drafting a running back to play alongside DeAngelo Williams in Carolina. The Panthers did just that, as they drafted University of Oregon running back Jonathan Stewart with the 13th overall pick. What the Panthers front office liked about Stewart is that despite being 235 pounds, Stewart has the versatility and speed to make defenders miss. Plus, he has the strength to run over defenders like a MAC truck. These days NFL scouts consider Stewart your prototypical NFL running back and if he can recover from a nagging toe injury, he could be one of the top rookie rushers BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT DeAngelo Williams (RB) – After the Panthers released Foster, it looked like Williams was going to be the top rusher in Carolina. However, the Panthers used their first round selection on Jonathan Stewart and Williams once again will be sharing the load in 2008. The speed and elusiveness is there, as evident by his 5.0 yard per carry average, but Williams lacks the size to be a bruising ball carrier around the goal line. Look for Williams to be used in a similar role in 2008, which is in between the 20-yard lines and limited around the red zone. At this point, the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff values him as a third and fourth running back in most leagues. CHICAGO BEARS 2007 RECAP The Chicago Bears were quite the disappointment in the 2007 season as almost no one lived up to expectations. Unless you played in a canyon-deep league, the Bears were a fantasy football wasteland for the most part. Sure, Bernard Berrian had the occasional outburst of quality production, but with Rex Grossman at the helm, consistency was not his forte. Still the speedy receiver tallied 71 receptions, 951 yards, and 5 touchdowns, leading the Bears in all three categories. Cedric Benson, he of the second round pick in many leagues, danced his way to a shortened season and four touchdowns in a paltry 674 rushing yards. Sadly, even the Monsters of the Midway, the once vaunted Bears defense (again drafted far too early in leagues for my taste) was mediocre at best, finishing 28th in total defense, 27th in passing defense, and 24th in rushing defense. 2007 RECORD: 7-9 KEY ADDITIONS Marty Booker (WR) – With Berrian bolting for the Minnesota Vikings, the Bears had no other option but to bring back Booker for a second stint with the proud franchise. A few years past his prime, Booker still possesses great hands and should be a reliable possession receiver for the likes of Rex Grossman or Kyle Orton. In 2007, as a member of the Miami Dolphins, Booker caught 50 passes for 556 receiving yards but could only find pay dirt once. Expect Booker to be a good fit in Chicago, but don’t expect him to come close to repeating his statistics he posted in Chicago some years ago. KEY DEPARTURES Cedric Benson (RB) – It’s simple. DWI + BWI = released from contract. Benson never learned to do a lot of things, including making one cut, hitting the hole with authority, and giving the keys to a designated driver. We salute you for joining the ranks of the dumbest among professional athletes. While most would swear off alcohol for months following an intoxication-related arrest, you persevered, culminating, perhaps, in the ever so graceful conclusion of your career. ROOKIES TO WATCH Matt Forte (RB) – The Bears gave the fantasy world at least one reason to be excited about their upcoming team with the selection of Matt Forte in the second round. After taking Vanderbilt product Chris Williams (OT) with their first round selection, the Bears added Forte to the running back mix, repeatedly stating the Tulane product was “a complete back.” Given Benson’s penchant for failure (and alcohol), rumors had swirled of Benson perhaps seeing a limited role if he didn't shape up. However, in the wake of Benson's latest scrape with the law, the Bears released the former Texas Longhorn, leaving Forte with a clear path to the starting spot in the windy city. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Devin Hester (WR) – Let’s be honest, Devin Hester deserves some attention. We ignored Hester in the 2007 recap for a reason, being that we don’t trust him. The man is an unbelievable special teams player, and Lovie Smith believes he can be a WR1. However, outside of explosive speed, Hester is a average router runner and it’s suggested to not make him the same for your fantasy team. His talent in the open field is unquestioned, and his hands are rumored to be excellent. However, his quarterback is shaky at best, and we’ve never see him attempt to separate from the top corners in the league. Unless your league grants points for return yards and return touchdowns, let someone else draft Hester. CINCINNATI BENGALS 2007 RECAP For a team that had aspirations of winning its division and making it to the playoffs, the 2007 season for the Cincinnati Bengals can only be described as a disappointment. The Bengals finished 8-8 overall and received uninspiring performances from Carson Palmer, Rudi Johnson and Chad Johnson, all of whom were expected to make big contributions. Rudi was hurt, but even when he did play he wasn’t that good as he averaged 2.9 yards per carry. "Ocho Cinco's" season was on par with his other seasons. Palmer had his worst season since his first year as a starter and set a career high in interceptions with 20. With Rudi hurt, the Bengals turned to Kenny Watson, who became a pleasant surprise for Cincinnati. Watson set career highs in carries (178), rushing yards (763), touchdowns (seven), receptions (52) and receiving yards (374). Despite the disappointing season, some things did go well for the Bengals, including TJ Houshmandzadeh's 9 out of 10 games with double digit fantasy points to start the season and he tied for the NFL lead with 112 receptions. 2007 RECORD: 7-9 KEY ADDITIONS Doug Gabriel (WR) — Gabriel was recently signed because the Bengals not only cut Henry, but they also cut backup receiver Tab Perry. That leaves just Antonio Chatman to play behind Johnson and Houshmandzadeh. Gabriel did not play in the NFL in 2007, and last played for the New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders in 2006. If he can claim the third wide receiver job out of camp, Gabriel is in the right offense to make some noise out of the slot position. In fact, if Johnson continues his talks about holding out, he could become a valuable asset to a usually high powered Bengals offense. KEY DEPARTURES Chris Henry (WR) – Henry was arrested, again. This time it was for allegedly punching a man in the face and throwing a beer bottle through a car windshield. Henry claims he was doing it to protect a woman, but regardless of how true that is, the Bengals decided to release him. It is a shame to see such talent go to waste but Henry has nobody to blame but himself. While he was a Bengal, Henry caught 88 passes for 1,370 yards and 17 touchdowns in three seasons. ROOKIES TO WATCH Keith Rivers (LB) – Unless you play in a league that uses IDPs, you probably won’t be picking up Rivers. But Rivers provides an immediate playmaker at a position where the Bengals were left using backups and practice-squad guys last season. With a solid secondary and a serviceable defensive line, perhaps the Bengals defense was just one good linebacker away from being fantasy football relevant. Pay attention to how Cincinnati plays in its first three games before picking up the defensive unit, as they have the playmakers to get the job done but always seem to underperform. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Carson Palmer (QB) – Palmer is now in the prime of his career and despite throwing a career-high 20 interceptions last year, actually put up some numbers to get excited about when looking towards this season. First of all, he passed for a career high 4,131 yards and was sacked a career-low 17 times. His numbers are also trending up in completion percentage, attempts and completions which are not only positive signs that he has rebounded well since his knee injury three years ago but that he still has not reached his ceiling. The loss of Henry won’t hurt as much as people think, but the situation with Chad Johnson is a sticky one. Basically, if Johnson plays, you can expect big things from Palmer. CLEVELAND BROWNS 2007 RECAP The Cleveland Browns were the fantasy darlings of 2007 with the emergence of Derek Anderson and Braylon Edwards as legitimate fantasy threats. Further, the resurgence of Jamal Lewis and the continued impressive performance of Kellen Winslow Jr. made the 2007 version of the Browns delightful to many fantasy owners. The two biggest offseason additions of linemen Eric Steinbach and Joe Thomas, the third overall pick in the 2007 NFL Draft, paid immediate dividends as Cleveland not only managed to keep a signal caller upright, but also produced an extremely solid ground game. The result? Lewis, after signing a one-year deal to come to Cleveland from division rival Baltimore, averaged 4.4 yards per carry, producing 1,552 total yards and 11 touchdowns. Not bad at all for what most owners picked up in the third or perhaps even fourth round. Anderson, after taking over for perennial fantasy football scrub Charlie Frye in the first half of week 1, started the remainder of the season despite the presence of first-rounder Brady Quinn. 3700+ yards and 29 touchdowns later, the Browns signed Anderson to a three year deal, forcing Quinn to the bench for at least one more season. Perhaps in part due to Anderson’s success, and perhaps more so due to added NFL savvy and personal maturity, Edwards exploded for a team record in touchdowns (16) and receiving yards (1289). Finally, Winslow, Jr. produced a season line of 82 receptions, 1106 yards, and five touchdowns. 2007 RECORD: 10-6 KEY ADDITIONS Donte’ Stallworth (WR) – Coming over from the AFC powerhouse New England Patriots, Stallworth enters a perfect situation. However, the Browns likely grossly overpaid with the seven year, $35 million contract. While some fantasy football pundits are torn as to the value of Stallworth next season, his addition provides a significant boost to the Cleveland offense as a whole. When Stallworth’s showing off his track-star speed 50 yards from the line of scrimmage, Winslow and Edwards will likely be running underneath and intermediate routes with significantly less attention. Lewis will likely face only seven men in the box the majority of the season, as teams won’t be able to bring the additional safety help to the line with the improvement to an already potent passing game. KEY DEPARTURES After a 10-6 season the Browns return one hundred percent of their offense and should be geared for a big showing in 2008. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Kellen Winslow Jr. (TE) – He’s a soldier. <> Ok, so maybe not, but his production is incredibly stable, when he’s not stupid enough to do things forbidden by his contract. A product of “The U,” we are not convinced Kellen’s winning any IQ contests any time soon. However, after losing almost all of his rookie season in 2004 due to injury, then all of 2005 for his best Poncherello (in all fairness, Winslow wasn’t speeding or performing tricks… he hit a curb – now that IQ contest jab is making more sense), Winslow has produced back-to-back strong years. In 2006 he compiled 89 receptions, 875 yards, and three touchdowns. In 2007, Winslow Jr. produced another 82 receptions, 1106 yards, and five touchdowns. For those in point-per-reception leagues, it doesn’t get much better than Winslow. For everyone else, he’s still firmly in the first TE tier. ROOKIES TO WATCH With their first pick number 104 overall, the Browns Rookie cupboard is about as bare as it gets. The addition of tight end Martin Rucker from the University of Missouri can help spell Winslow at times, but he has no immediate fantasy football impact. DALLAS COWBOYS 2007 RECAP It's hard to imagine the 2007 fantasy football season going any better for the Dallas Cowboys than it did. In fact, out of all 32 NFL teams, the Cowboys were the lone team to have a player rank in the top 10 in fantasy points at each position Like with all good teams, Dallas' fantasy dominance began with solid play from their quarterback position. With strong numbers in his 2006 debut, Tony Romo demonstrated that he had the physical tools needed to belong in the NFL. In 2007 he was even better, as Romo went for 4,211 yards and 38 Total TDs, placing him behind just Tom Brady. Romo's stellar poise and precise passes also elevated the games of wide receiver, Terrell Owens, who ranked second among wide receivers, and tight end, Jason Witten, first among fantasy tight ends. As for the running game, for the first time in the past three years, the Cowboys’ coaches realized what we knew all along, that Marion Barber is more valuable than Julius Jones, giving him 40 more rushing attempts on the year. Barber made the most of all of his attempts, averaging 4.8 yards per carry for a total of 975 yards and 10 rushing TDs. 2007 RECORD: 13-3 KEY ADDITIONS Pacman Jones (CB) – While the Cowboys’ defense did rank 9th in the NFL last season, there was some room for improvement when it came to their pass defense, which gave up 213.1 yards per game and ranked 13th in the NFL. With that in mind, the Cowboys took a gamble swapping a 4th round pick for the services of Pacman Jones. Along with those services comes all the baggage and headaches that surround a troubled star, beginning with a fight to get Jones reinstated and back on the field. If they’re successful, the Cowboys will have added a nice piece to the puzzle for a discounted price. KEY DEPARTURES Julius Jones (RB) – Perhaps seeing the writing on the wall, with Barber handling more and more of the running back duties last season, Julius Jones, who never quite materialized into the type of back that the Cowboys thought he would be, is hoping a change of scenery will bring new life to his career. Jones will head to the Seattle Seahawks where he will battle with TJ Duckett and Maurice Morris for carries. ROOKIES TO WATCH Felix Jones (RB) – Homerun hitter! That's perhaps the best way to describe the lesser known Arkansas running back that the Cowboys took with the 22nd selection in this year's draft. Jones isn't a between the tackles runner and he's not going to grind it out on the ground for you, but the good news is that's not how the Cowboys will look to use him. Like he did in college to Darren McFadden, Jones will play second fiddle to Marion Barber's lead chair as the Cowboys look to keep Barber fresh. With his speed, ability to get to the corner, and his knack for getting pass the first defender, don't be surprised to see Jones take some of his carries for big gains. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Marion Barber III (RB) – With Julius Jones heading to Seattle, it appeared that Barber would finally be freed from the dreaded running back by committe; however, with the draft come and gone, it seems Barber just can't shake the Jones', as Dallas selected former Arkansas running back, Felix Jones, with the 22nd selection overall. Jones' arrival to Dallas means that Barber is in for another year of shared carries, resulting in around 15-20 a game. While splitting carries will once again prevent Barber from being one of the elite running backs in fantasy circles, he showed last year that he can do enough with the carries he gets to be one of the top 10 backs in fantasy, going for 1257 total yards and 12 total TDs. Fantasy owners can expect similar numbers once again in 2008. DENVER BRONCOS 2007 RECAP Before the Denver Broncos even reported to training camp in 2007, they were already dealing with major adversity. Unfortunately, starting corner back Darrent Williams was shot outside of a Denver nightclub and just six weeks later running back Damien Nash collapsed and died during a charity basketball event. Despite the tragic losses, they went out and signed Travis Henry in attempt to beef up the running game, had started to groom quarterback Jay Cutler at the end of 2006 and added Dre’ Bly and Sam Adams to bolster the defense. However, outside of the emergence of wide receiver Brandon Marshall (1,325 receiving yards, 7 receiving touchdowns) and the growth of Cutler (3,497 passing yards, 20 passing touchdowns), things didn’t go well for the Broncos. After a 2-0 start, the Broncos dropped five of their next 6 games, had to deal with Henry’s legal problems, and finished with a 7-9 overall record. Outside of Cutler and the only other bright spot was second year tight end Tony Scheffler. Scheffler missed the first four games, but finished with 49 receptions, 549 receiving yards and five touchdowns. 2007 RECORD: 7-9 KEY ADDITIONS Michael Pittman (RB) – If you think Pittman was brought in to Denver to mold the young running backs, you are wrong. Head Coach Mike Shanahan (the man who loves to play fantasy games) is having an open competition for the starting job in training camp and is determined to play the running back who gives the team the best chance to win. In all likelihood, Pittman will lose the job to Selvin Young, but serve as the team’s third-down option. Still, with this signing, the Broncos add leadership, great intangibles and a much needed veteran to a backfield full of youngsters. KEY DEPARTURES Javon Walker (WR) – Javon Walker never really found his groove as a member of the Denver Broncos. He enjoyed a fine 2006 season, and was primed to be a top 15 wide receiver heading into the 2007, but multiple right knee injuries but a damper to his season. In March, the Broncos decided to part ways with Walker, and he somehow signed a ludicrous sixyear, $55 million contract with the Oakland Raiders. ROOKIES TO WATCH Ryan Torain (RB) – As always, the Broncos organization heavily recruited the college ranks and landed Torain in the 5th round out of Arizona State University. At just 213 pounds, Torain is lean in terms of NFL running backs, but he brings quickness to the table, as evident by his 5 yard per carry average during his final year of college. He will enter training camp battling with Young, Pittman and Andre Hall for playing time, but don’t be surprised if Torain gets his chance at some point during the season. We all know it is a matter of time before Shanahan starts playing games with the fantasy football owners in 2008. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Selvin Young (RB) – When you are the running back in a Mike Shanahan offense, if given sufficient touches; you have the potential have quite an impressive season. With the Broncos releasing trouble making Travis Henry, it looks like Young will get the first shot to be the primary ball carrier in Denver. If Young can take advantage of the opportunity and prove to Shanahan that he is an every down back, he could very well be the fantasy football surprise pick of 2008. If not, we all know that the Broncos will use an abundance of running backs in attempt to keep opposing defenses off guard. It is still early to make a dead lock projection on Young, but it hasn't been since the 2003 season that the Broncos haven't used some type of running back by committee approach. DETROIT LIONS 2007 RECAP The Detroit Lions, were one of the biggest, if not the biggest, disappointments as a whole in the fantasy football world. Going into the season, the Lions sported explosive Roy Williams, possible ROY candidate Calvin Johnson, Kevin Jones and Jon Kitna. Needless to say, none of these players lived up to expectations. The Lions started the 2007 season 6-2, showing great promise, although it was very sloppy at times, much like their fantasy stats, but then it all came crashing down. Starting in week 10 they slapped together a 6 game losing streak, and finished with a disappointing 7-9 record. With that came a dismal Lions fantasy showing as 2006 star contributors Williams and Kitna never really got on a roll during the 2007 season. Their running game was unimpressive and their star rookie (Johnson) definitely went through a ton of growing pains. New acquired Tatum Bell, also failed to put any stats up, as he rode pine most of the season because offensive coordinator Mike Martz did not like his style of play. Finally, after a big 2006, Mike Furrey failed to play a prominent role. 2007 RECORD: 7-9 KEY ADDITIONS Simply put, outside of bulking up in the draft, the Lions front office did nothing to improve the overall status of the team through free agency in 2008. KEY DEPARTURES Kevin Jones (RB) – Drafted in the first round of the 2004 draft out of Virginia Tech, the Lions thought enough of Jones to trade up to grab him as their second first round pick that year. In his only season topping 1,000 yards, Kevin put up 1,133 in his rookie year. After that he failed to even bring 700 rushing yards to the table the following three years. In the offseason, the Lions released him for salary-cap reasons. Mike Martz (O.C.) – Granted, he is not a player, but his departure should have a profound effect on the Lions offensive roster. Martz, known as a pass-first coach, never fit in well with the Detroit media or his team. He allowed the running game to dwindle and probably knocked a few years off of Kitna’s career as he was sacked at an unmentionable pace. ROOKIES TO WATCH Kevin Smith (RB) - Just falling short of breaking former Lions great Barry Sanders NCAA single-season rushing record of 2,628 yards, Smith’s college coach at Central Florida states that Smith put his team above the chase of glory. “He cared more about winning than the record. That’s just how he feels. Give me the ball and let’s win the game.” Rod Marinelli describes him as, “Tough, durable and physical.” Smith has all the tools and confidence that that Lions organization was hoping to acquire at the RB position, and had him ranked #1 overall for running backs coming into the draft. You can expect him to be the Lions primary ball carrier at some point during the 2008 season. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Roy Williams (WR) – A new balanced attack should take away from Roy’s stats… Or will it? Now that the defenses have to respect the partially solid running attack of Tatum Bell and the Swiss cheese offensive line that the Lions will be throwing out there, Roy could get some deep ball attempts that were not previously available to him. Look for at the minimum a top-20 performance from this young stud, possibly jumping into the top-10. The only thing holding him back in my crystal ball rankings is a brand-new offensive coordinator and Williams having to recover from an injury that forced him to miss time in 2007. GREEN BAY PACKERS 2007 RECAP On the strength of Brett Favre’s last hurrah (so we are led to believe), many Green Bay Packers found themselves on fantasy championship teams in 2007. The silver-haired picture of indecisiveness threw for the third most yards (4,155) of his storied 17-year career while connecting on 66.5 percent of his pass attempts. Greg Jennings was the greatest benefactor of Favre’s resurgence, going for 920 receiving yards and 12 scores while effectively displacing Donald Driver as alpha ball-catcher in Green Bay. Driver himself was no slouch, but the downturn in yardage and touchdowns from the previous three seasons probably signals his descent from borderline WR1 to premium WR3 option. Favre’s proficiency also lifted the Packers’ oft-criticized ground game, allowing undrafted 2005 rookie Ryan Grant to remain inconspicuous for most of the season as opposing linebackers dropped back in pass coverage. By the end of the year, Grant had amassed 956 yards and eight touchdowns on his way to becoming one of the shiniest gems of last season’s free agency crop. 2007 RECORD: 13-3 KEY ADDITIONS Brian Brohm (QB) – Brohm elected to skip the draft and return to Louisville for his senior year after a solid junior season under then-head coach Bobby Petrino. At the time, he was projected as a high first round pick, but saw his draft stock depreciate last year despite a statistically robust season. Brohm was subsequently drafted at the tail end of the second round in 2008 and is expected to win the backup gig behind Aaron Rodgers. Head coach Mike McCarthy is giving Rodgers enough rope to make mistakes and learn on the job, but Brohm could step in if Rodgers falters. KEY DEPARTURES Brett Favre (QB) – He was kind of important, even more so to that kid in Connecticut who wore his No. 4 jersey for 1,581 consecutive days before killing the streak on April 23. It’s officially the dawn of a new era in the land where tundra is reputable for being frozen. We all know that the Packers fans will miss him dearly and it is going to be difficult to watch someone else chuck the football in Green Bay. Plus, in his prime, Favre was the elite fantasy football quarterback. ROOKIES TO WATCH Jordy Nelson (WR) – This was an offense-heavy draft for the Pack, as witnessed by seven of their first nine selections being allocated to that side of the ball. They are clearly occupied with surrounding their trio of young QBs with as many weapons as needed, and that’s what they did with their first of three second round selections. Scouts report that Nelson is a burner with good mitts, and catching 122 balls last year as a senior at Kansas St. would seem to affirm this. He will likely slot in as the no. 4 WR behind Greg Jennings, Donald Driver and James Jones this season, but he’s a viable candidate for the no. 2 gig in 2010 as Driver nears the end of his go-to days. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Mason Crosby (K) – Despite the New England Patriots setting a new NFL record for most points scored in a season, it wasn't Stephen Gostkowski who topped all fantasy kickers. Rather, that distinction went to Mason Crosby, who ended up with 15 more Field Goal attempts than Gostkowski. No doubt about it, Crosby's value takes a hit with the departure of Favre as the Pack probably won't put up the same amount of points as they did last season, but at the same time, with Rodgers at the helm, potential TD drives might stall a bit more often in Field Goal territory. In the end, look for a dip in Crosby's totals, but still target him as a top 10 kicker, as he has a golden leg and should convert on plenty of 40+ yard field goals. HOUSTON TEXANS 2007 RECAP Looking back on the Houston Texans’ 2007 season, it’s hard to believe that this is a team that finished 8-8 overall. After all, free agent quarterback Matt Schaub missed the better part of six games, wide receiver Andre Johnson was out from week three to week 11 and free agent running back Ahman Green carried the ball 10 or more times in a game just four times. Instead, Sage Rosenfels threw 15 touchdowns to Schaub’s nine, Ron Dayne led the team in rushing with 773 yards and six touchdowns on 194 carries and Kevin Walter led the team in receptions with 65. With their top three players at each position missing significant time, the Texans still managed to have a respectable season, at least by their standards. The benefit of those players being injured was it allowed other players to demonstrate their potential. Tight end Owen Daniels caught 63 passes for 768 yards and three touchdowns and running back Darius Walker had 264 yards and one touchdown on 58 carries. With some better offensive line play the Texans could contend for a postseason appearance in 2008. 2007 RECORD: 8-8 KEY ADDITIONS Chris Brown (RB) – Signed from the Tennessee Titans, Brown will be nothing more than a backup for Green. Think of Brown more as an insurance policy should Green get hurt or under-perform. Plus don’t forget that coach Gary Kubiak comes from the Denver school of thought that you can never have too many running backs. All in all, Brown will get his opportunity to shine, but it could be another year of the revolving door at running back for the Texans, which means a complete headache for fantasy owners nationwide. KEY DEPARTURES Ron Dayne (RB) – Dayne had the best season of his career with the Texans, receiving most of his playing time due to injuries to Green. However, it is the middle of June and Dayne is still out of job for 2008. There are rumors that he could resign with the Texans, but with Green, Walker and Slaton on the depth chart, the Texans likely won’t have much of a role for the ex Heisman Trophy winner. ROOKIES TO WATCH Steve Slaton (RB) – There couldn’t be a better fit for Slaton than the Texans. Coach Gary Kubiak comes from the Denver mindset that anybody can become a good running back if they display certain traits and Slaton has those. Slaton’s lateral speed and ability to cut and go will translate well in the Texans’ offense. Ahman Green and Chris Brown will get the majority of the carries early, but with the injury issues those two have had, don’t be surprised to see Slaton get a significant amount of carries by the end of the season. If this is the case, he could have some significant value towards the end of the season for your fantasy football team. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Ahman Green (RB) — Green’s finest years were left in Wisconsin as a member of the Green Bay Packers, though he can still be a productive back as evidenced by his 3.7 yards per carry average. If healthy for a full season, Green could approach 900-1,000 rushing yards, but it’s unrealistic to expect him to play in that many games. We are making his projection based on the assumption that he gets injured, so about 500 550 rushing yards and three touchdowns should do for Green. To make it simple, unless he is targeted as your 4th or 5th running back, consider a more reliable option with a fresher set of legs. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS 2007 RECAP Indianapolis, Indiana. Headquarters of the NCAA, state of the movie Hoosiers, and home to one of the most potent offenses of the last 5 years, the Indianapolis Colts. 2007 somewhat saw the passing of the torch. For years we’ve waited for the decline of Marvin Harrison and the “breakout” of Reggie Wayne. Those banking on 2007 being the year of Wayne’s movement from elite WR2 to elite WR1 were handsomely rewarded with a season of 102 receptions, 1510 yards, and ten touchdowns. Harrison, on the other hand, suffered through a lingering knee injury that frustrated fantasy owners for the majority of the season. 2007 was also the emergence of Joseph Addai as a fantasy asset, though he likely disappointed some owners. Entering his first year as a featured ball carrier, Addai battled nagging injuries all year, and experienced a late season fade, but he still totaled 1072 rushing yards and 15 total touchdowns. Dallas Clark also became a hot commodity hauling in58 catches for 616 yards, while leading the Colts in receiving touchdowns with 11. Peyton Manning was Peyton Manning, garnering 4040 yards and 34 total touchdowns. 2007 RECORD: 13-3 KEY ADDITIONS Dominic Rhodes (RB) – Rhodes returns to the Colts after a year in exile in Oakland where he was largely a forgotten man. While the Colts backfield is clearly the Addai show at this point, it’s important to remind owners that in his last stint in Indy as the “starter”, Rhodes totaled 641 rushing yards, 36 receptions, and five touchdowns. Rhodes’ contract is extremely cheap, and there are no guarantees he’ll even make the team, but he knows the system, is a quality compliment to Joseph Addai, and could steal a lot of third down work, proving a thorn in the side of Addai owners in PPR leagues. KEY DEPARTURES Ben Utecht (TE) – We don't think Peyton Manning will have a down season due to the loss of Utecht. But, his departure is noteworthy as 31 receptions are now up for grabs in Indianapolis. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Anthony Gonzalez (WR) – Said Tony Dungy about Gonzalez, ““I think you’re going to see that second-year jump with him (next season), just more consistency. The ability to ROOKIES TO WATCH Mike Hart (RB) – The former Michigan Wolverine doesn’t jump out in terms of any measurables, and frankly doesn’t wow observers with any single skill. That being said, Hart’s a tough football player, is durable, and is smart. He’ll compete with Rhodes for the back-up position to Joseph Addai, and could win the job despite Rhodes’ additional experience. Our guess is that both make the roster with Kenton Keith being the odd man out. Hart’s not someone you need to concern yourself with, unless you own Addai, in which case, make sure you know who wins the Hart vs. Rhodes showdown that will be taking place throughout the preseason. make the big play is what we’re used to seeing around here. I think he’s going to just fit right in that way. He’ll be so much better next year. It should be fine for him.” Surely the return of a healthy Harrison limits the potential of Gonzalez for 2008, but he’s definitely someone to keep your eye on. His ability to find space in coverage will lead to a lot of success at some point for this Colts team. If Harrison isn’t fully healthy for the start of the year, or if another Colt succumbs to injury, pounce on Gonzalez and expect quality numbers for your WR2-WR3 slot. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS 2007 RECAP There's no doubt about it. What made the Jacksonville Jaguars go in 2007 were the legs of running backs, Fred Taylor and Maurice Jones-Drew. While the passing game mired in mediocrity, ranking 17th in the league, Taylor and Jones-Drew led a running attack that ranked 2nd in the league, behind only the Minnesota Vikings. While most running backs peter out as they past their 30s, Taylor seems to be getting stronger with age as he once again stayed healthy enough to play in 15 games, most likely due to the rest he's able to get now with Jones-Drew in the mix. Taylor's health allowed him to put together one of his best seasons in 4 years, going for 1202 rushing yards and 5 rushing TD’s The Jags made a huge move prior to the beginning of the 2007 season, letting go of quarterback, Byron Leftwich, once the future of the franchise, and handing the reins over to David Garrard. Playing in 12 games, Garrard didn’t put up huge yardage or TD totals, but he did manage to get solid fantasy numbers each and every week and help the Jags win games, thanks to his penchant for avoiding interceptions. 2007 RECORD: 11-5 KEY ADDITIONS Jerry Porter (WR) – After a one reception season in 2006 that was a result of a rift between Porter and former coach, Art Shell, Porter bounced back in 2007 with a solid season of 705 receiving yards and 6 TDs. Porter’s numbers are even more impressive when you consider that they came for a team that ranked 31st in passing offense last season, the Oakland Raiders. Porter will be the Jags number 1 receiver heading into 2008 and should improve on his 2007 numbers, but that improvement will be limited based on Garrard’s desire to spread the ball around. KEY DEPARTURES Ernest Wilford (WR) – One of four wide receivers to put up solid numbers for the Jags in 2007, catching 45 passes for 518 yards and 3 TDs, Wilford now heads to the Miami Dolphins, where he’ll most likely start opposite of Ted Ginn, Jr. Wilford’s departure isn't exactly a huge blow to the Jags as they still have Reggie Williams, Dennis Northcut, and Matt Jones to go along with the new additions of Jerry Porter and Troy Williamson. ROOKIES TO WATCH Derrick Harvey (DE) - Though ranked a respectable 12th in the league on the defensive side of the ball, the Jags still went all out in this year's draft shoring up their defensive front. In what has been dubbed the draft to stop Peyton Manning, the Jags went out and took two Defensive Ends with their first two selections. The first of those two came at number 8 overall in the form of Derrick Harvey. Harvey may not be a pass rusher in the sense of a Jevon Kearse or Michael Strahan mold, meaning he may not rack up the sacks, but he is an all-around player. He's solid at stopping the run, can disrupt plays before they really have a chance to develop and has a knack for batting down passes. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Maurice Jones-Drew (RB) - In his rookie season in 2006, Jones-Drew won over fantasy football owners with his diminutive size, thunder thighs, and big play ability. Despite getting off to a slow start in 2007, in which he failed to net 5 fantasy points in each of the Jags first three games, JonesDrew's sophomore season turned out quite similar to his inaugural year in the league as he finished the season by going for 8+ fantasy points in 10 of the Jags last 13 games. JonesDrew totaled 1175 yards and 10 trips to the end zone in 2007, and with the Jags looking to continue to get their most dynamic player the ball often, 2008 should yield similar, if not better, numbers. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS 2007 RECAP The 2007 season was supposed to be a year of new beginnings for the Kansas City Chiefs. For the first time in almost a decade, they were going to be without quarterback Trent Green and instead turned to lifelong backup Damon Huard to lead the offense. However, before the season even started the Chiefs were forced to deal with running back Larry Johnson holding out of training camp for more money, which led to abundance of media interest and far from needed pressure on a struggling franchise. Despite the emergence of rookie Dwayne Bowe (129 fantasy points), nothing went right for the Chiefs on the offensive side of the football. Johnson, who was drafted in the first round of many fantasy football leagues, missed a good portion of the season with a bummed foot and had a measly 98 fantasy points to show for a lost season. The quarterbacks, Brodie Croyle and Huard, combined for just 17 touchdown passes against 19 interceptions and it was so bad the Chiefs used 3 different kickers in a 16 game season. 2007 RECORD: 4-12 KEY ADDITIONS Devard Darling (WR) – The Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff is mind-boggled by the fact that the only offseason move the Chiefs made to address their wide receiver issues was the signing of Devard Darling. While a member of the Baltimore Ravens, Darling was nothing more than a third wide receiver in a bad offense. In a career year, Darling finished 2007 with 18 receptions for 326 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. Darling never has been a cutting edge receiver during his career, and we don’t think a change of uniform will help his cause. In simple words, stay away from him. KEY DEPARTURES Jared Allen (DL) – The loss of Jarred Allen will not only hinder the production of an already mediocre defense, it also could lead to fewer opportunities for a close to non-existent Kansas City Chiefs offense. Allen led all NFL defenders with 15.5 sacks in 2007, was the catalyst of the Chiefs defense and will be tough to replace. Now a member of an already stout Minnesota Vikings defense, Allen could have a career year in the “Twinkie Dome”. ROOKIES TO WATCH Will Franklin (WR) – It’s not often that you see a fourth round pick get a chance to start in his first NFL season, but the Chiefs are in desperation mode. If Franklin can prove to the coaching staff that he can grasp the playbook, the speed of the game and show impressive skills on the field, he will have a chance to win the job out of training camp. In college, at the University of Missouri, Franklin showed off his speed and his ability to get the home run balls, which are two tools the Chiefs are lacking. Jamal Charles (RB) – With the 76 overall pick in the NFL draft, the Chiefs nabbed Charles fresh out the University of Texas. With Larry Johnson expected to be back to full force, fans will have to wait to see his breakaway speed on a regular basis. th BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Tony Gonzalez (TE) – Touchdown Tony, as we like to call him, had his best season in four years, despite the fact that the offense couldn’t score points to save their lives. He finished with 99 receptions, 1,172 receiving yards and was able to find pay dirt 5 times. In 2008, we know Gonzalez will be an integral part of the offense, but with Johnson expected to get 20-25+ touches a game, we very well could see a decline in his production. Still, Gonzalez is considered a top 5 fantasy football tight end and should be swooped up once you have drafted your primary running backs and wide receivers. MIAMI DOLPHINS 2007 RECAP No one was happier to see the Miami Dolphins season end more than the team itself. Fans watched in amazement as Miami produced one of the worst NFL seasons, ever! Miami’s first and only win came in game #14 in which they defeated the Baltimore Ravens 22 to16. That is about the only highlight that came from South Beach. Ronnie Brown was enjoying what was one of the better seasons by any running back in the league, having accumulated 991 total yards through his first seven games and scoring a combined 5 touchdowns before suffering a season ending ACL tear. Miami’s only other possible fantasy contributor; Chris Chambers was shipped to the San Diego Chargers midseason for a 2008 second round draft choice. Miami didn’t sit around long, hiring Bill Parcells to run the organization. Soon after, Parcells fired Head Coach Cam Cameron, replacing him with Tony Sparano. These hirings can only be seen as a positive sign for a franchise that is in dire need of making an impact in the NFL. 2007 RECORD: 1-15 KEY ADDITIONS Tony Sparano (HC) - Sparano is widely respected on the offensive front and may be able to squeeze some edible juice out of these rotting apples! He doesn’t have much to work with, will be heading into 2008 with two injured running backs, as his top two RB’s Ronnie Brown and Ricky Williams both suffered season ending surgeries. His most experienced QB is Josh McCown, and the rest is almost nonexistent. It is a very tall task to ask someone to create a masterpiece painting with dirty oil, mustard and ketchup, but that is exactly what Sparano has in the cards for the 2008 season. KEY DEPARTURES Trent Green (QB) – Granted he is one hit away from being completely taken out of the game of football, but he was the Dolphins only real chance at having a respectable QB for the 2008 season. He was cut and now takes his game to the St. Louis Rams. He takes with him a very solid veteran presence, great leadership and possibly Miami’s only shot at giving their WR’s a chance to make some type of fantasy impact. ROOKIES TO WATCH Jake Long (OT) – Listed at 6-7, 315 pounds, Long dominated in his career at Michigan. That is why the Dolphins did not hesitate to make him the #1 overall pick in this years draft, having signed him to a multi-year deal before draft day even started. Long, who is expected to fill in at the Left-tackle position, must strengthen his pass protection skills some, but for the most part should be a solid foundation for a team that is looking for anything and everything. As Long says, "I’m just going to come in here and do the same things I’ve been doing, which is work hard, try to be a good leader, make myself better and help make the team better." BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Ricky Williams (RB) – Ricky has only six carries the past two years combined thanks to his love for Marijuana as well as his inability to stay healthy. He definitely has skills, but it hasn’t been easy to have him on the field to show them off, nor has his dedication to the NFL policy on banned substances made him a desirable first option for NFL teams. He is expected to cut into Brown’s touches if healthy, and his fantasy value would probably have to go to the owner that would want to handcuff him to Brown. Other than that, you shouldn’t waste your roster room on him unless he becomes the primary back due to an injury and he is proving capable of carrying the full load in such a circumstance. MINNESOTA VIKINGS 2007 RECAP Until the arrival of Adrian Peterson, the Minnesota Vikings could be referred to collectively as a fantasy football wasteland. Currently, the team’s strengths (offensive line, defense) offer little in the way of helping you win your fantasy league, and the rest of the point-producing skill players still have a ways to go before you see multiple Vikings being drafted in the first five rounds. The obvious exclusion from this group, Peterson, was exceptional in 2007: 1341 yards and 13 total touchdowns in spite of missing three and a half games to injury. Tarvaris Jackson experienced the usual growing pains of a young signalcaller and never emerged as anything more than a desperate bye week option in standard leagues. Chester Taylor was a necessary handcuff for Peterson owners, but only merited a spot in active lineups during the weeks AP needed to recover. Little can usually be expected from rookie wide receivers, but Sidney Rice showed flashes of his WR3 potential. The Minnesota Vikings Team Defense, however, placed in the top-10 in both sacks and fumbles recovered. 2007 RECORD: 8-8 KEY ADDITIONS Bernard Berrian (WR) – With no upgrades via the draft, at least the Vikings thought it wise to add an accomplished wideout to their receiving corps. But Berrian has to be wondering what he has to do in order to play for a quarterback that has thrown more touchdowns than interceptions. Jared Allen (DE) – Adding one of the NFL’s top five defensive ends to an already stout line signifies that the Vikings’ front office is seizing the moment in what looks to be a down year for the rest of the Norris Division. KEY DEPARTURES Troy Williamson (WR) – The Vikings drafted Williamson in the first round of the 2005 draft with the intention of him becoming Daunte Culpepper’s primary downfield target. Instead of becoming a serviceable replacement for Randy Moss, however, Williamson has effectively turned into a modern-day James Jett. His granitic hands are now property of the Jacksonville Jaguars. ROOKIES TO WATCH John David Booty (QB) – Although JDB won’t merit fantasy consideration unless both Jackson and Gus Frerotte are sidelined (or the Vikings somehow flounder in what looks to be the weakest division in the NFC this season), he will be an interesting guy to watch during the preseason. Booty is considered to be the prototypical quarterback for the west coast offense, so if he doesn’t succeed in Minnesota, there’s not much reason to think he’ll succeed elsewhere. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Tarvaris Jackson (QB) – Tarvaris Jackson is the transsexual of NFL quarterbacks. What could we possibly mean by that? He’s trapped inside the wrong body, essentially. Watch him run (or watch his T-Rex delivery), and it becomes apparent that the good Lord borrowed from the DNA pool that is typically reserved for running backs and wide receivers. YouTube seems to confirm my suspicion, as the majority of “Tarvaris Jackson highlights” are of the 6-foot-2 quarterback escaping blitzes and galloping into the opposition’s secondary. The Vikings’ coaching staff has offered Jackson their praise throughout the offseason, but we would venture to say that most of what you have heard to date is propaganda to bolster his confidence. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS 2007 RECAP So what can be said about the 2007 season for the New England Patriots that hasn’t already been said? Contributing greatly to my overall happiness, they didn’t win the Super Bowl. But, they did complete a perfect 16-0 regular season, and had some incredible performances fantasy football wise. In fact, if you owned Tom Brady, Randy Moss, or Wes Welker in many leagues, you had quite the season. Brady was absolutely surgical last year. His final numbers of 398 completions, 4,806 yards, and 50 touchdowns were simply filthy. Moss managed a bounce-back year of epic proportions, harkening back to the days of purple and gold in the Metrodome and totaling 98 receptions, 1493 yards, and 23 touchdowns. Welker? What’s 112 receptions, 1175 yards, and eight touchdowns? Paltry compared to Moss. Of minor disappointment, however, was Laurence Maroney, who likely cost you a first round pick, finishing with 835 rushing yards and six touchdowns. To sum it up, the Patriots had the best season in NFL history. 2007 RECORD: 16-0 KEY ADDITIONS Kelley Washington (WR) / Marcus Pollard (TE) - While Washington and Pollard were mainly added for depth, you just never know who Tom Brady will turn into the next fantasy darling. Still, if that turns out to be the case with either of these two guys, we're sure you'll be able to find them on the waiver wire. KEY DEPARTURES Donte Stallworth (WR) – In the offseason, Stallworth signed a ludicrous deal to join the Cleveland Browns. While technically Stallworth is listed as a “key departure” the Pats likely won’t even notice him missing. Asante Samuel (CB) & Randall Gay (CB) & Eugene Wilson (S) – Come 2008, the Patriots secondary, which was a big contributor to the team's 6th ranked pass defense, will look a whole lot different with Samuel off to Philadelphia, Gay heading to the Saints, and Wilson joining Tampa Bay. Losing three key members of their pass coverage team in one off-season will be a true test to the Patriots. ROOKIES TO WATCH Jerod Mayo (LB) – When the Patriots drafted Mayo with the 10th overall pick, they did a great job of adding youth to linebacker corps that is averaging well over 30+ years of age. What you will like about Mayo is his athletic ability and competitive drive to always be around the football. During his last season at the University of Tennessee, Mayo finished with a team lead 140 tackles and he should be able to provide an immediate spark for the Patriots defense. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Laurence Maroney (RB) – Maroney was supposed to have a monstrous 2008 after taking sole possession of the running back job from Corey Dillon. However, retread vagabond Sammy Morris emerged from nowhere to split carries with Maroney early in the season, only losing his role due to a chest injury suffered against the Cowboys in week 6. Further clouding Maroney’s fantasy value was the presence of Patriots’ favorite Kevin Faulk, who garnered most of the 3rd down duties and two minute drill situations due to his pass catching proficiency. Maroney enters camp as the unquestioned starter, and could very well realize the expectations of 2007 in 2008. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS 2007 RECAP After an incredible 2006 season, the New Orleans Saints came back to earth last year as they finished 7-9 overall with sub-par performances all around. The Saints lost their first four games, with quarterback Drew Brees throwing nine interceptions and just one touchdown in those games, and were simply unable to recover. Brees actually finished strong, setting career highs in passing yards (4,423), attempts (652), completions (440), completion percentage (67.5) and passing touchdowns (28). Unfortunately he added nine fumbles, four of them lost, and a career-high 18 interceptions. The running back tandem of Deuce McAllister and Reggie Bush took a major hit when McAllister was lost for the season with another knee injury in the week. Without McAllister, Bush’s production suffered, as he finished with 581 rushing yards and 417 receiving yards and just 6 touchdowns. Wide receiver Marques Colston enjoyed his second straight fine season as he caught 98 passes for 1,202 yards and 11 touchdowns. 2007 RECORD: 7-9 KEY ADDITIONS Aaron Glenn & Randall Gay & Jonathan Vilma (DEF) – General Manager Mickey Loomis quickly got to work in the offseason, trading for Vilma from the New York Jets and signing corner backs Glenn and Gay to beef up a terrible pass defense. With Vilma in the mix, the Saints linebacking corps immediately goes from one of the weakest in the NFC to respectable. While there is still much work to be before the New Orleans defense can be considered one of the top ones, the Saints will be much improved in 2008. Still you should probably hold off drafting them. KEY DEPARTURES Olindo Mare (K) – Not often does a team go the whole offseason without having a key loss, but that can be said about the Saints. Olindo Mare had little to no fantasy football value in 2007, but he makes the list because he is the only notable name. In fact, Mare was expected to join the Saints high powered offense and become a top 10 fantasy kicker, instead he finished the season having played in just 13 games and converting on just 58.8% (10-17) of his field goal chances. ROOKIES TO WATCH Sedrick Ellis (DT) and Tracy Porter (CB) — Neither player will get drafted in your fantasy football league, unless you consider them in an IDP league, but the additions of Ellis and Porter are huge for the growth of the New Orleans defense. The Saints, who ranked 25th in points allowed, 26th in yards allowed and 30th in passing yards allowed realized they needed to make a commitment to defense and during the offseason they did just that. Combine Ellis and Porter with newly acquired linebacker Jonathan Vilma and the signings of defensive back's Aaron Glenn and Randall Gay, and all of a sudden the Saints defense has a chance to be a surprise in 2008. However, it seems that every year the Saints are improving on defense, only to falter during the season. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Drew Brees (QB) – Forget about how Drew Brees played in the first four games last year and remember that his numbers are trending up in all the right areas. The only reason his interceptions went up was because the lack of running game in New Orleans, had him trying to carry the team and he forced a lot of passes. With the running game expected to be back in full force, it should lead to more openings down the field and because of this we believe Brees should be able to put together what could be his best season yet in 2008. Expect 4,100 passing yards, 28-30 touchdowns and 14-16 interceptions. NEW YORK GIANTS 2007 RECAP Up until their amazing playoff run, capped by Eli's escape and David Tyree's miracle grab, the Giants' 2007 season was a solid, but not spectacular one. Carried mostly by a defense that ranked 7th in the league, despite giving up 45 and 35 points in weeks 1 and 2 respectively, the Giants were able to play themselves to a 10-6 record. However, with an offense that ranked just 16th in the league, it appeared the Giants were headed for an early playoff exit and Tom Coughlin would be filing for unemployment. But, as they say, that's why the play the game, and after the games were played, the Giants were the ones who hoisted the Lombardi trophy. Beware though, because come draft day 2008 you don’t want to be one of those owners who remembers the Giants of 2007 for their playoff run. However, with that warning in mind, also note that there are players on these New York Giants that won't be overvalued. Most notable of which are wide receiver, Plaxico Burres, and running back Brandon Jacobs. Burress won't be overvalued because he showed last season that he simply is as good as advertised. Playing with a banged up ankle, Burress still gave cornerbacks fits, going for 1025 receiving yards and 12 TD’s. As for Jacobs, despite missing five games due to injury, he still managed to rush for 1,009 yards on just 202 carries and find the end zone on six different occasions. 2007 RECORD: 10-6 KEY ADDITIONS David Carr (QB) – While Carr hasn’t quite found the success many envisioned he would in the NFL, he does make for a more suitable back-up to Eli Manning than Jared Lorenzen. However, we doubt that Carr will be asked to come in to solely push the pile like Lorenzen was. KEY DEPARTURES Gibril Wilson (S) –It’s never easy replacing a guy who racks up 92 tackles on the season and has more than a quarter of your team’s interceptions on the year, especially when his likely replacement will be a rookie. But, with Wilson leaving town for “richer” pastures in Oakland, that’s what the Giants will be looking to do. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Derrick Ward (RB) – Ward came out of nowhere to help numerous fantasy teams early in 2007, going for 10 or more fantasy points in each of the Giants first 5 games. But, like with Jacobs, injuries limited him the rest of the year, including a broken leg that landed him on the IR, and brings his status of Jacobs back-up into question. Ward will, once again, best help you as a waiver wire pick-up if Jacobs goes down. Otherwise, stay away until the Giants reveal how they want to use this tiny back. Keep in mind that the Giants also have speedy Ahmad Bradshaw and he is expected to see some action also. ROOKIES TO WATCH Kenny Phillips (S) – The loss of safety, Gibril Wilson, forced the Giants to draft for needs with the 31 selection of the 2008 draft. To that end, the team went with Phillips, who comes to the NFL from the U. Phillips has athletic ability; however, he’s not polished when it comes to playing the safety position. Look for the rookie to make some amazing plays, but also to make some bonehead mistakes as he learns the NFL game. st Lawrence Tynes (K) – Had the Giants lost their NFC Championship match-up against the Packers, Tynes, who had missed 2 FGs in the game, would most likely be looking to latch on with another NFL team. However, that’s not how things played out. Rather, Tynes kicked the game winner in overtime of that game to get the Giants to the Super Bowl, and with that kick, earned himself a new contract. However, while the Giants feel comfortable with Tynes, you shouldn’t. NEW YORK JETS 2007 RECAP After coming off an impressive 10-6 campaign in 2006, everyone thought the Jets would compete with the New England Patriots for the AFC East title, but inconsistency on both sides of the football led to a disappointing 2007 season. The Jets finished with a 4--12 record, lost eight of their first 9 games and failed to win consecutive games. A big issue that led to the Jets downfall was the play at quarterback. Chad Pennington started the season under center, but battled rocky play which eventually led to the Kellen Clemens era in New York. However, Clemens failed to find his groove and could manage just five touchdown passes in 10 games. Newly acquired running back Thomas Jones surpassed the 1,000 rushing yard mark, but it took him twelve games until he scored his first touchdown in a Jets uniform. As for the receivers, both Jerricho Cotchery and Laveraneus Coles had respectable seasons and can be considered the most consistent part of the offense. Cotchery hauled in 80+ receptions and had over 1,100 receiving yards but couldn't find pay dirt, while Coles receptions and yardage total were down from '06, but he matched his touchdown total (6). 2007 RECORD: 4-12 KEY ADDITIONS Alan Faneca (OT) – Considered one of the best offensive linemen in football, the Jets addressed an off season need by signing Faneca. With that came a big payout for the exPittsburgh Steelers superstar and a vastly improved offensive line for the J-E-T-S. When the deal was all said and done, Faneca's five-year $40 million contract makes him the highest paid offensive lineman in all of football. What comes to mind when looking at the 300-pounders resume is his durability, as Faneca hasn't missed a game since the 2001 season, and should be able to help the value of Thomas Jones. KEY DEPARTURES Jonathan Vilma (LB) – Unless you played in a league in which you start Individual Defensive Players (IDP), Vilma was of no use to you in 2007. But after missing nine games because of injury, the Jets decided it was time to cut ties with Vilma, and they traded him to the New Orleans Saints for a conditional 4th round pick. When healthy, Vilma is a middle of the road linebacker, who is usually around the football and he should be considered in an IDP league. ROOKIES TO WATCH Dustin Keller (TE) – With the 30th pick in the first round, BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Leon Washington (RB) – It's the little things that make Leon Washington worth mentioning. It seems that every time he gets his hands on the football something exciting happens, and this is evident by his three kick return touchdowns he had in 2007. Add those to his three rushing touchdowns and Washington totaled 6 on the season, which was four more than primary running back Thomas Jones. Washington is shifty with the football, low to the ground and has breakaway speed, but with durability being an issue, the Jets use him as a role player. Therefore, you should monitor his status, but if your leagues rewards kick return yardage points, target Washington early on. the Jets decided it would be wise to take a pass catching tight end. With the tight end position starting to become a bigger part of offensive schemes around the league, the Jets felt Keller could join the party. The University of Purdue graduate has all of the intangibles to put together a fine rookie season, but the question mark surrounding the Jets quarterback play could damper his chances. Plus, if you look at rookie tight ends, it usually takes them a few years to develop, unless you are Kellen Winslow. Keller should be targeted in leagues that play two tight ends, but his main value is in dynasty leagues. OAKLAND RAIDERS 2007 RECAP What was once considered a very proud franchise, finding its energy through Raider Nation, now finds itself on a downward spiral in which they still haven’t been able to recover. Following the 2007 draft in which they drafted highly touted quarterback, JaMarcus Russell, all hopes were high for the silver and black. That soon changed though as Russell held out until almost mid-September, which turned out to be the longest holdout by the top pick in the draft in over two decades! The Raiders went on to win only 4 games in 2007. Free agent running back, Dominic Rhodes, bombed, and 2006 holdout wide receiver, Jerry Porter, never got back on track. 2007 ended on a sour note with the team losing its last 4 match-ups, but with a few roster moves having been made during the off-season, and the arrival of another offensive stud, Darren McFadden, through the draft, 2008 looks to have the makings of a season that can produce better results. 2007 RECORD: 4-12 KEY ADDITIONS Javon Walker (WR) – Having signed a 6 year contract with the silver and black this off-season, Walker is already making news as a Raider. Unfortunately, it's not the good type as Walker was found bloodied in a Las Vegas street. Not quite the start the Raiders were hoping for for the guy they believe can fill the shoes of recently departed receivers Randy Moss and Jerry Porter, though the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff highly doubt that that happens. Walker could have a solid season, if he remains healthy, as he should become Russell’s first and favorite option, but that knee remains a concern. KEY DEPARTURES Jerry Porter (WR) – Porter left California for Florida, having signed a 6 year deal with the Jacksonville Jaguars this offseason. The impact on the team should be minimal as his role was severely reduced last season after having held out for most of the 2006 season. Although he is a very skilled wide receiver, his departure from the Raiders was two years in the making. The Raiders won’t miss the self proclaimed NFL’s ROOKIES TO WATCH Darren McFadden (RB) – McFadden, taken fourth overall by the Raiders brings to Oakland the type of skills that have been lacking in the backfield since the Marcus Allen and Bo Jackson days. Skilled both as a runner and a receiver, he can also pass the ball if need be. With the Raiders relying on a young QB this year, some trick plays would not surprise the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football staff. In 2007, he rushed for over 1800 yards and scored 17 TD’s for the University of Arkansas. Had there not been concerns about his off-thefield problems, McFadden could have possibly gone higher in the draft, which is saying something seeing as he was selected 4th overall. He has all the skills to be talked about in the same category as Barry Sanders and LaDainian Tomlinson, but it is up to him if he can reach his potential. best wide receiver. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT JaMarcus Russell (QB) – We have never been a fan quarterbacks with less than one full year under their belt and Russell really is no exception to this rule. In the limited time Russell did see in 2007, he did not have many passing attempts, threw for more INT’s than TD’s, and did not have a completion over 40 yards. What this tells us is that the Raiders were being easy on him last year, letting him get his feet wet, and this year could be more of the same. Although he is expected to get the majority of the playing time, don’t be surprised if you see a more watered down offense that features a lot of McFadden and Justin Fargas. You can consider Russell a backup quarterback in a 12 team league, but his value should probably come from the waiver wire. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES 2007 RECAP Determined to reclaim the starting quarterback position with authority after backup Jeff Garcia led the Philadelphia Eagles to a playoff berth in 2006, Donovan McNabb started the season in solid fashion. The sports hernia injury he suffered that paved the way for Jeff Garcia two years ago was healed and McNabb proved he still had it in him as he played in 14 games and throw for 3,324 yards, 19 touchdowns and seven interceptions while completing 61.5 percent of his passes. From a fantasy perspective, we saw the McNabb of old beginning to emerge again. It was his best season, statistically, since the 2004 season, which was by far the greatest of his career thus far. Supporting McNabb was running back Brian Westbrook, who rushed for 1,333 yards and seven touchdowns out of the backfield. Westbrook was also the team’s leading receiver as he caught 90 passes for 771 yards and five touchdowns. The receivers left a lot to be desired for McNabb but Kevin Curtis emerged as a good deep threat. Curtis caught 77 passes for 1,110 yards and six touchdowns. Reggie Brown, had his best season in terms of receptions, finishing with 61. 2007 RECORD: 8-8 KEY ADDITIONS Lorenzo Booker (RB) — Booker comes to Philadelphia in a trade for a fourth round draft pick. Booker spent last season as a member of Miami Dolphins, where he had just 28 carries for 125 yards and no touchdowns. Booker will likely be a third running option behind Westbrook and Buckhalter. Asante Samuel (CB) – While the Eagles defense was solid as usual, the pass defense was the weak link as it ranks 19th in yards allowed. Samuel immediately makes a mediocre unit one of the best and will help bolster an already solid defensive unit. KEY DEPARTURES Jevon Kearse (DE) – Injuries and inconsistent performances led to Kearse failing to live up to his nickname as “The Freak”. Kearse was incredible in five seasons with the Tennessee Titans before signing with the Eagles as a free agent prior to the 2004 season but was never able to regain the form that netted him such a big contract. The departure of Kearse won’t hurt the Eagles defense that much as they have the depth to make up for his combined seven sacks in the last two years. ROOKIES TO WATCH DeSean Jackson (WR) — The Eagles predictably spent most of the draft focusing on the offensive and defensive lines but got an absolute steal when they took Jackson with the 18th pick of the second round. Jackson is a playmaker in every sense of the word. He is fast, agile and explosive at the receiver position. Size issues ultimately caused Jackson to fall in the draft, as he is 6’0’’ but weights just 178 pounds. Jackson will fit perfectly in the slot for the Eagles and is also a dangerous punt returner. He should be one of the few rookie receivers that will make an impact this season and you should target him in deep leagues, as well as leagues that reward points for extra long touchdowns. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Donovan McNabb (QB) – If last year proved anything about McNabb, it’s that he still has the skills that he displayed in the 2004 season when he threw 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. The line is solid, the running backs are good and the receivers now have some experience. Barring health issues, we should see one of McNabb’s finest seasons in the NFL this year. Brian Westbrook (RB) – The Eagles’ Swiss-army knife of a running back has had injury issues in the past, but we saw the full potential of Westbrook last season when he is able to stay on the field. Similar to McNabb, he looks primed for another huge season, though don’t expect his numbers PITTSBURGH STEELERS 2007 RECAP The Steelers were solid as usual in 2007, winning games and making it to the playoffs with stifling defense and a less-than-usual conservative offense under first-year coach Mike Tomlin. Offensively, the Steelers flashed a few new formations but for the most part stuck to their tried-and-true formula of running the ball, racking up 511 carries for 2,151 yards. Willie Parker rushed 321 times for 1,316 yards but had just two touchdowns while backup and spot starter Najeh Davenport had five touchdowns. Hines Ward had a typical season, catching 71 passes for 732 yards and seven touchdowns. Santonio Holmes only caught three more passes in 2007 than his rookie year but went for 118 more yards and six more touchdowns. Tight end Heath Miller had his best season, catching 47 passes for 566 yards and seven touchdowns, setting career highs in each category. All those receiving yards had to come from somewhere and Ben Roethlisberger was the man as he enjoyed his finest season as a pro, throwing for 3,145 yards, 32 touchdowns and 11 interceptions while completing 65.3 percent of his passes. 2007 RECORD: 10-6 KEY ADDITIONS Mewelde Moore (RB) – Maybe a reach, but the signing of Moore signals that Pittsburgh wants to add depth at running back to take carries away from Parker, who simply should not carry the ball 321 times in a season. You may remember Moore from his days as a Minnesota Viking, a guy that flashed some potential a few times, but got hurt before he was able to capitalize on it. At this time Moore is third on the depth charts behind Parker and Mendenhall, so he can’t really be considered an option worth drafting for your fantasy squad. KEY DEPARTURES Clark Haggans (LB) & Alan Faneca (G) – Both of these players had a big impact on the Steelers. Faneca was unhappy with his contract situation last year and finally bolted for the New York Jets shortly after free agency began. The loss of Faneca could hurt Parker’s value, though the Steelers are traditionally good at finding new interior linemen. The loss of Haggans could hurt one of the top defenses, if only the Steelers weren’t so good at finding new linebackers as well. ROOKIES TO WATCH Limas Sweed (WR) – While other teams were gambling on receivers with upside, one of the most polished receivers in the draft fell right into the Steelers’ laps. Sweed’s size and speed are a great combination and he should fit in well as the third or fourth receiver with the Steelers. If Sweed is able to wrangle away the third receiver position from Nate Washington, then he could put up some fantasy-relevant numbers this year. Most receivers struggle as rookies but if anybody can make a quick transition it’s Sweed. With teams focusing a lot of attention on both Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes, Sweed could find himself matched up against bad cornerbacks and overmatched linebackers. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Rashard Mendenhall (RB) – What a steal it was for the Steelers to pick up Mendenhall so late in the first round. The addition of Mendenhall will take some pressure off Parker, and will help open up the offense. Mendenhall will have to make the transition from a zone-read offense at the University of Illinois to a more traditional one in Pittsburgh, but it is not as difficult for running backs to do it compared to quarterbacks and wide receivers. In attempt to keep Parker fresh and to maximize the full potential of Mendenhall, you can expect Tomlin to give both running backs their fair share of touches. What’s nice about the duo is that they both feature a different running style that should keep defenses off balance. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS 2007 RECAP Last season was supposed to be the year for the Chargers… supposed to be. Following a 1-3 start, many questioned the team, especially that first overall pick for many fantasy owners, LaDanian Tomlinson. Tomlinson had a whopping 130 yards rushing entering week 4, however, congratulations to those of you who bought low early. Tomlinson finished the season with 1474 yards, 19 total touchdowns (including the one he threw), 60 receptions, and 475 receiving yards. Not too shabby. Further, the massive stretch run weeks 14-16 likely carried many of his owners to the championship. The Chargers themselves did just fine following that 1-3 start as well, finishing 11-5 and advancing to the AFC Championship game. As for the rest of the Chargers, Phillip Rivers was a bit of a rollercoaster. Antonio Gates was pretty much himself, nearly identically reproducing his 2006 numbers. Vincent Jackson was supposed to add a vertical compliment to Gates, and to some extent, did just that. Chris Chambers, acquired from Miami in week 7, nearly out produced Jackson in six fewer games. 2007 RECORD: 11-5 KEY ADDITIONS Derek Smith (LB) & L.J. Shelton (OL) – When taking a look at the San Diego Chargers offseason acquisitions, the likes of Derek Smith and L.J. Shelton are miles away from making a fantasy football impact. Although, Shelton will add some bulk upfront and should be able to help an already impressive offensive line. As for Smith, he was hit or miss as a member of the San Francisco 49ers, and later found himself without a job once Patrick Willis stepped foot in the Bay Area. KEY DEPARTURES Michael Turner (RB) – Turner was never more than a backup running back during his tenure with the Chargers, but when he got his opportunity to make an impact, he often shined. Thus far, the four year veteran has totaled 1,257 rushing yards, 6 touchdowns and a 5.5 yard per carry average on just 228 rushing attempts. Despite his success in a limited role, the Chargers realized he wasn’t worth the money he would demand in the open market, and Turner signed a free agent contract with the Atlanta Falcons ROOKIES TO WATCH Jacob Hester (RB) – Hester was selected out of LSU with San Diego’s third round pick (No. 69 overall). The Chargers evidently like him quite a bit, as they traded a 2008 fifth rounder and a 2009 second rounder to obtain the pick from the New England Patriots. Hester will be a fulltime, do everything tailback for the Bolts, and will likely immediately assume the back-up role once occupied by Michael Turner. Make no mistake… we are not saying Hester is Michael Turner, but he’s your must have handcuff if you’ve got Tomlinson. Plus, with Tomlinson climbing the charts in career touches, you might see a slight decline in his carrier in 2008. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Antonio Gates (TE) – For years, Gates dominated as the top tight end in the fantasy game. Over the last two years, however, Gates has still been great, but has been just average in terms of the draft spot it takes to get him. Offseason foot surgery currently has Gates missing OTAs, but he’s still saying he’ll be ready in September. He does admit, however, that he’s likely to miss the start of training camp. Those risk-averse managers should look elsewhere this fall, as Gates could be a substantial risk/reward proposition in 2008. If he proves his health, don’t hesitate to make him your starting tight end, just please don’t waste a third rounder doing it. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 2007 RECAP After finishing the 2006 season on a hot streak, many league officials thought that the 2007 version of the San Francisco 49ers could compete for the NFC West title. Unfortunately, this was before offensive coordinator Norv Turner bolted to San Diego and the 49ers were stuck with unproven Jim Hostler calling the offensive plays.. The offense was supposed to flourish under the breakout season of running back Frank Gore and quarterback Alex Smith showed signs of promise towards the end of the '06 campaign. The 49ers got off to a hot start, winning their first two games, but after the quick start it all went downhill. The 49ers proceeded to drop eight straight games, en route to finishing the season with a 5-11 record and another disappointing season for the once proud franchise. Statistically the 49ers had one of the worst seasons in NFL history. The offense finished 32nd in the NFL in Points Per Game (13.7), Yards Per Game (237.3) and Passing Yards Per Game (145.0). If that wasn't bad enough, the defense ranked 25th in the NFL in Yards Allowed Per Game (346.2) and suffered a week two injury from key contributor Manny Lawson. 2007 RECORD: 5-11 KEY ADDITIONS Issac Bruce (WR) – Despite getting up there in age (35), Bruce still has performed at a high enough level that will benefit the 49ers. The true definition of a professional, Bruce hauled in 55 receptions for 733 receiving yards and four touchdowns last season. Heading to San Francisco, Bruce will step in as the veteran leader the 49ers offense has been lacking for years. Plus, with the hiring of offensive coordinator Mike Martz in the off season, the 49ers are rekindling bits and pieces of the "Greatest Show on Turf" that Bruce was a part of for many years. KEY DEPARTURES Bryant Young (DE) – With the way free agency works today, you just don't see many superstars playing their whole career with one franchise, unless you are Bryant Young. After being a staple in the San Francisco 49ers defense since 1994, Young decided that it was time to call it quits. This means the 49ers lose their defensive captain, leader and still at the age of 36 a pretty good player. Young finished his career with 620 tackles and an impressive 89.5 sacks. ROOKIES TO WATCH Kentwan Balmer (DT) – It might not have been the trendiest pick in the draft, but with the taking of Balmer the 49ers addressed a need with the loss of Bryant Young upfront. Balmer was an underachiever until he had a breakout senior season at the University of North Carolina. The 6’ 4’’ 300-pounder finished the season 113 tackles to go along with 12 sacks and he should his versatility be recovering six fumbles on the season. If the 49ers plug Balmer into the mix right away, you should see the skills that come with the package, as Balmer was one of the best pass rushers entering the 2008 draft. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Alex Smith (QB) - After making great strides in '06 (16 TD's and 16 INT's), Smith was far from productive in 2007. Despite the 49ers getting off to a 2-0 start, Smith was never able to find his groove from week 1, as he finished the season with 914 passing yards and two touchdown passes in 7 games. Part of his digression came from a shoulder injury that forced him to miss the 9 games and ended his season in week 10. Excuses aside, Smith completed an NFL worst 48.7 percent of his passes (94 for 193) and averaged just 4.7 yards per completion. Poor play aside, the Bruno Boys feel the future is bright for Smith in 2008 and beyond, reason being the addition of offensive genius Mike Martz. You should target him as your second quarterback in a twelve or 14 team leagues. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS 2007 RECAP The Seattle Seahawks found themselves in a familiar place at the end of the 2007 regular season, atop the NFC West standings, but the way they got there differed greatly from years past. In recent history, the Seahawks had been driven by their running game. That's what happens when you have s an MVP type back lining up behind your quarterback. But, as Shaun Alexander's skills deteriorated, a change in philosophy was needed. And, in 2007, the Seahawks did a 180, deciding to hand the reins to quarterback Matt Hasselbeck and become a pass first team. Hasselbeck, who put up the best numbers of his career, completing 62.6% of his passes for 3966 yards and 28 TDs to 12 INTs, had no trouble becoming the focal point of the offense. The change of philosophy also made Seattle's wide receivers viable ers fantasy football options throughout much of the season. Bobby Engram had the best year of his career, with 1,147 yards and 6 touchdowns. The rushing attack ranked 20th in the NFL, Maurice Morris (101 fantasy points) and Shaun Alexander (99 fantasy points) combined for just 200 fantasy points, which was far lower than in years past. 2007 RECORD: 10-6 KEY ADDITIONS Julius Jones (RB) – From 2001 to 2005, the Seahawks could look in their backfield, see Shaun Alexander and know that they would get 1100+ yards and 14 TDs from the running back position. But, two down years from Alexander , and now his release from the team, leaves the Seahawks wondering what they'll get in 2008 out of their backs. Jones is one of those backs the Seahawks hope can shoulder some of the load. A consistent underachiever, who's ave averaged less than four yards per carry in his career, Jones is looking to turn his career around in Seattle after losing his gig in Dallas. KEY DEPARTURES Shaun Alexander (RB) – Football is a fickle game, and one simply needs to look at Alexander for the case and point. Alexander had one of the best seasons by a running back ever in 2005 as he went for 1880 rushing yards and 28 total TDs. He was an elite back and considered a for sure top 3 n pick in fantasy circles, but in the course of just two years, Alexander finds himself no longer wondering whether or not he'll be selected in fantasy drafts ahead of Tomlinson. ROOKIES TO WATCH John Carlson (TE) – What does Carlson have in common with the likes of Antonio Gates and Tony Gonzalez Like Gonzalez? those super stud TEs, Carlson played some college basketball while at Notre Dame. That means you know the TE has hands, but does he have the speed needed to get open. After his 4.89 forty at the draft combine, that became a question on every team's mind. The Seahawks though took a gamble and Carlson could reward them with some solid outings if he gets the starting nod. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Maurice Morris (RB) - Since 2002, Morris has toiled in the shadow of Shaun Alexander (though he did have more fantasy points last season). This year, though, there is daylight as Alexander no longer dawns the Seahawks colors. Morris has shown flashes in the past, including 5 do double digit weeks in 2007, and could very well help some fantasy teams again in 2008, but we advise taking a wait and see approach as the daylight may fade with Morris once again finding himself in someone else's shadow ( (see Julius Jones). ST. LOUIS RAMS 2007 RECAP The Rams suffered through a rough 2007 season as they went 3-13, 1-5 in their division. But unlike most crappy teams, they have a very valid excuse, injuries! Suffering through a slew of injuries, they had star running back Steven Jackson out with a torn groin muscle for 4 weeks. QB Marc Bulger missed 4 weeks with a long-list of nagging injuries. WR Torry Holt started all 16 games but was clearly affected by his bum knee. OT Orlando Pace played in just one game and Return Specialist Dante Hall, who played in only 7 games due to a high-ankle sprain, was also missed. If the Rams can avoid the injury bug to key players it would not surprise me to see this teams compete for the NFC West title. That is a big if though as Holt, Pace and Bulger are not getting any younger, Hall is just a smidgen of what he used to be with the Chiefs, and Steven Jackson’s injury involves a muscle that men just clearly do not enjoy having hurt. 2007 RECORD: 3-13 KEY ADDITIONS Josh Brown (PK) – Brown left the Seattle Seahawks to sign with the Rams for a reported 5 years and $14.2 million. He brings with him a strong, accurate leg, hitting at a 80% clip throughout his career. Still young at age 28, Brown brings what could be a breath of fresh air in what was beginning to be an aging kicking game. Best known as (Ram Killer) in St. Louis, as he has beaten the Rams time and time again with field goals, Brown jokes that he is no longer called that, by teammates or fans. KEY DEPARTURES Isaac Bruce (WR) – Bruce, who will turn 37 during the 2008 NFL season, signed a 2 year contract to go to the 49ers after the Rams parted way with him this winter. He is just a glimpse of what he used to be, so his on-the-field skills will not be sorely missed. What will be missed is his leadership, but with Torry Holt still at the helm, the transition of Bruce to San Francisco should not be a hard one to cope with in Saint Louis. ROOKIES TO WATCH Chris Long (DE) - Chris, the son of former NFL star, Howie Long, is an outstanding DE prospect. At 6-4, 275 he excelled in his senior year. He tallied 14 sacks and an interception and almost had many more as he broke up several passes from the opposing quarterback. Long has great physical attributes, with his long arms and big hands to go along with a good physically toned body. All-in-all he should become a star in the league for years to come. Donnie Avery (WR) – With the departure of Isaac Bruce, the Rams were looking to add to the wide receiver position by drafting Avery in the second round. Avery possesses incredible speed, break-away ability and can cut on a dime, but he has trouble getting going, a lot of which comes when he is bumped by his defender at the line. He has very large hands, and we feel he could turn into one of the best wide outs, if not the best, in this years draft. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Marc Bulger (QB) – 2008 is a welcomed beginning for Bulger, as his 2007 season was spent mostly on the sidelines or on his back. A healthy Orlando Pace would help significantly to rectify that problem. In 2007, Bulger’s accuracy percentage dropped to 58.5, the lowest of his career and it was also the first year in his career in which he threw for more INT than TD’s. If healthy Bulger could be a steal in fantasy drafts around the world, as before the season started he was a legitimate top-5 quarterback. A healthier OL, WR tandem and Steven Jackson should all help turn back the clock and bring back the Bulger of old. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS 2007 RECAP The Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ offense could have withstood a facelift before last season, and can certainly make use of one now. There were no legitimate questions surrounding Jeff Garcia’s ability to perform sufficiently as a QB2, but he did not offer the upside that owners typically look for in the middle rounds of their draft. Some hung their hopes on third-year running back Cadillac Williams, but he sustained a hideous, season-ending knee injury (torn patellar tendon) in Week 4 against the Carolina Panthers that left his owners scrambling for Michael Pittman and then, Earnest Graham, who turned out to be one of the three hottest free agent grabs of the season. Joey Galloway posted numbers atypical of a 35-year-old receiver, and Ike Hilliard scored his fourth touchdown in four years. Alex Smith, just like his quarterback counterpart, was also not worth owning, combining with Hilliard to give Garcia that aforementioned minimal upside. Matt Bryant was a benefactor of the overly deliberate offense, turning in a career season by converting 28 of 33 field goal attempts. To put it in perspective, it was a pretty bland fantasy season in Tampa Bay. 2007 RECORD: 9-7 KEY ADDITIONS Warrick Dunn (RB) – With Pittman’s departure, Tampa Bay needed a third down back. Dunn returns to the team that drafted him in 1999 and should provide enough competition in training camp to put a little giddy-up in Earnest Graham. Antonio Bryant (WR) – Bryant adds an element of explosiveness to an sluggish passing attack. He could challenge Hilliard for the starting flanker job after sitting out the last season for violating the league's drug policy. KEY DEPARTURES Michael Pittman (RB) – Pittman signed with the Denver Broncos and will compete for third down duties after serving the Bucs in that capacity for the last three years. His departure gave the team reason to bring back Warrick Dunn after he spent his last six seasons with the Atlanta Falcons. With Dunn's homecoming and the anticipated return of Cadillac Williams, Earnest Graham will need to be sharp throughout training camp and the preseason to remain the ROOKIES TO WATCH Dexter Jackson (WR) – The burner out of Appalachian State should appear as a faint glimmer on your waiver radar. He was drafted as a return specialist and is not expected to contribute as a receiver, at least not this season. However, Jackson did have 3 receptions for 92 receiving yards and two touchdowns in the Mountaineers upset over University of Michigan last year. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Ike Hilliard & Maurice Stovall & Antonio Bryant (WR) – It’s difficult to justify a draft choice on Tampa Bay’s No. 2 receiver, so that’s why we will list them all. Ike Hilliard has been reliable at both the flanker and slot position, but his primary function is to keep a safety honest while Galloway sprints down the sideline. Maurice Stovall likewise does not have game-breaking ability. And Antonio Bryant has seemingly been a man without a country since entering the league, now on his third team in five years. We just don’t have a lot of praise for a guy who couldn’t emerge as the goto guy in Cleveland when Dennis Northcutt and Andre’ Davis were his main competition for targets. All three of these guys are simply undraftable in standard leagues. TENNESSEE TITANS 2007 RECAP A quick look at the offensive statistics for the Tennessee Titans last season reveals nothing eye-opening. The quarterback threw more interceptions than touchdowns, the running back had over 1,000 yards, but averaged just 3.7 yards a carry and no receiver had more than 800 yards. Yet, the Titans somehow managed to go 10-6 and advanced to the playoffs. Quarterback, Vince Young, had what can only be called a transitional year. He threw for 2,546 yards, nine touchdowns and 17 interceptions. Comparatively, he threw for 2,199 yards, 12 touchdowns and 13 interceptions as a rookie. Young also had four more rushing touchdowns and 157 more rushing yards as a rookie. However, there were some positives, as Young increased his completion percentage, from 51.5 in 2006 to 62.3 in 2007. Meanwhile, running back, LenDale White, finally made good on some of his potential, rushing for 1,110 yard and seven touchdowns on 303 carries. On the receiving end, Justin Gage caught 55 passes for 750 yards and two touchdowns, while Roydell Williams caught 55 passes as well, going for 719 yards and four touchdowns. 2007 RECORD: 10-6 KEY ADDITIONS Alge Crumpler (TE) – Because the Titans are hell-bent on upgrading every position but wide receiver, they decided to sign Crumpler despite the emergence of Scaife. This signing makes sense however, as it will allow the Titans more passing options out a two-tight end formation, which is a formation the team also likes to run out of, meaning defenses will be kept on their toes. Crumpler comes from the Atlanta Falcons, where he was a favorite target of the since incarcerated Michael Vick. Crumpler is best in the red zone, and should be a favorite of Vince Young. KEY DEPARTURES Chris Brown (RB) – The oft-injured Brown has seen his days with Tennessee come to an end. Through five seasons, Brown totaled 2,757 yards and 16 touchdowns, but ultimately failed to become the Titans’ next power back following the release of Eddie George. His best season came in 2004 when he rushed for 1,067 yards and six touchdowns in just 11 games. He will enter the 2008 season as a backup behind Ahman Green in Houston. ROOKIES TO WATCH Chris Johnson (RB) – The Titans again avoided the issues at wide receiver and picked a running back in the first round of this year’s draft. This may appear to be a questionable call to some, as the Titans took White and Ahmard Hall in the draft two years ago and Henry last year. But, the move is a good one as Johnson’s speed will complement White’s power perfectly in the Titan’s offense. Johnson also opens up options in the passing game, which could lead to better opportunities for Williams, Gage, Scaife, Crumpler and Brandon Jones. If you are in a dynasty draft, Johnson would be a great guy to target and stash away on your bench. But, if you are looking for immediate impact, it’s probably best to see what Johnson’s role will be before jumping the gun. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Justin Gage (WR) — Flying under the radar was Gage, who had the best season of his career in his first year with Tennessee. Prior to last year Gage had never caught more than 31 passes in a season. Gage is a good fit for the Titans offense because he can stretch the defense and has good size, something the other receivers lack. Still, Young doesn’t have a favorite receiver so to expect Gage to take a big step forward would be a mistake. Expect 65 receptions, 900 yards and three touchdowns. WASHINGTON REDSKINS 2007 RECAP The Washington Redskins finished 2007 with a 9-7 mark, and then quickly forgot to show up in the playoffs, exiting before anyone could notice. Bye bye Joe Gibbs, welcome Jim Zorn. Who? Zorn has been the quarterbacks coach for the Seattle Seahawks for the past seven years, and evidently Snyder was impressed enough with the 35 points Seattle dropped on his team to offer Zorn a job. What was there to like? Not a ton, but Clinton Portis was a great value for where he was taken in many drafts, providing a strong season of 1262 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns. Perhaps more impressive was the 47 receptions and 389 receiving yards he added. But wasn’t Ladell Betts supposed to significantly cut into Portis’ carries? Well, 93 carries for 335 yards is not significantly cutting into anything. Jason Campbell suffered from a significant lack of weapons outside of Portis and Chris Cooley, but did show ability before his season ended in week 14. In fact, it could be said the whole receiving corps was a bust, with Santana Moss producing 61 receptions for 808 yards and three touchdowns. 2007 RECORD: 9-7 KEY ADDITIONS Jim Zorn (Head Coach) – Replacing the man, the myth, the legend Joe Gibbs, Zorn has his work cut out for him, handling an overactive owner, erratic Quarterback, and smurfs for receivers that do not fit his west coast system. Zorn is a good fit for the ‘Skins though, and should have the offense producing much better in short order. Often, Gibbs had Campbell throwing 25 yard routes on 3rd and 6. Zorn will have Campbell throwing rhythm passes that mesh perfectly with the hard-nosed running style of Clinton Portis. KEY DEPARTURES Outside of losing a few role players on both sides of the football, the ‘Skins return the bulk of their talent on both sides of the football. BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT Jason Campbell (QB) – Campbell was unquestionably Joe Gibb’s guy. Since being selected with the 25th pick in the 2005 NFL Draft, Campbell has been largely up and down. He’s blessed with good size and mobility and a cannon for an arm, and I happen to think Jim Zorn could get the most from Campbell by installing the methodical, rhythmic passing game that made Matt Hasselbeck a star. If Campbell is accurate, there’s plenty of hope for good things. Draft him as a reserve and hope he blossoms under Zorn’s tutelage. Santana Moss (WR) – There’s no question Moss has ability. There are not many faster in the game, and he’s quite elusive in the open field. However, he drops too many passes and has the uncanny ability to completely disappear in some games. Zorn’s system should make Moss a bit like Seattle comparable Deion Branch, which has substantial value. ROOKIES TO WATCH Devin Thomas (WR) & Malcolm Kelly (WR) – Thomas was the Redskin’s selection early in the second round with the number 34 overall pick, and many pundits pointed to Thomas as having the best overall upside in this year’s draft at the WR position. While he’ll likely be eased into the system, Thomas absolutely has all the measurables (6’2” 218 lbs) of a big-time wide out. Kelly likewise has substantial size and collegiate production backing his entrance to the pro game. At 6’4”, he could be an immediate red zone threat for the ‘Skins, despite his notoriously slow 40 time. Zorn has already stated both rookies will see a lot of action in 3 and 4 wide receiver sets. RANKINGS - MARC CAVIGLIA - 8/14 RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 QUARTERBACKS Tom Brady (NE) Peyton Manning (Ind) Tony Romo (Dal) Drew Brees (NO) Carson Palmer (Cin) Ben Roethlisberger (Pit) Donovan McNabb (Phi) Matt Hasselbeck (Sea) Marc Bulger (Stl) Derek Anderson (Cle) Brett Favre (NYJ) Matt Leinart (Ari) David Garrard (Jax Matt Schaub (Hou) Eli Manning (NYG) Jay Cutler (Den) Jon Kitna (Det) Jake Delhomme (Car) Philip Rivers (SD) Jason Campbell (Was) Vince Young (Ten) Jeff Garcia (TB) Aaron Rodgers (GB) Tarvaris Jackson (Min) JaMarcus Russell (Oak) Trent Edwards (Buf) Alex Smith (SF) Brodie Croyle (KC) Kurt Warner (Ari) Chad Pennington (Mia) Matt Ryan (Atl) Kyle Boller (Bal) Kyle Orton (Chi) JT O’Sullivan (SF)) Chris Redman (Ari) Rex Grossman (Chi) Sage Rosenfels (Hou) Brady Quinn (Cle) Chad Henne (Mia) Troy Smith (Bal) RUNNING BACKS LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) Adrian Peterson (Min) Brian Westbrook (Phi) Steven Jackson (Stl) Joseph Addai (Ind) Frank Gore (SF) Clinton Portis (Was) Larry Johnson (KC) Marshawn Lynch (Buf) Marion Barber III (Dal) Maurice Jones-Drew (Jax) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) Willis McGahee (Bal) Laurence Maroney (NE) Ryan Grant (GB) Jamal Lewis (Cle) Reggie Bush (NO) Michael Turner (Atl) Ronnie Brown (Mia) Earnest Graham (TB) Willie Parker (Pit) Selvin Young (Den) Darren McFadden (Oak) Thomas Jones (NYJ) Edgerrin James (Ari) LenDale White (Ten) Jonathan Stewart (Car) Fred Taylor (Jax) Rudi Johnson (Cin) DeAngelo Williams (Car) Kevin Smith (Det) Matt Forte (Chi) Rashard Mendenhall (Pit) Felix Jones (Dal) Julius Jones (Sea) Ahman Green (Hou) Justin Fargas (Oak) Jerious Norwood (Atl) Chester Taylor (Min) Pierre Thomas (NO) Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) Warrick Dunn (TB) Maurice Morris (Sea) Chris Brown (Hou) Chris Johnson (Ten) Ricky Williams (Mia) Andre Hall (Den) Leon Washington (NYJ) Tatum Bell (Det) Kenny Watson (Cin) WIDE RECEIVERS Randy Moss (NE) Reggie Wayne (Ind) Terrell Owens (Dal) Braylon Edwards (Cle) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) Andre Johnson (Hou) Marques Colston (NO) TJ Houshmandzadeh (Cin) Chad Johnson (Cin) Steve Smith (Car) Plaxico Burress (NYG) Wes Welker (NE) Torry Holt (Stl) Anquan Boldin (Ari) Roy Williams (Det) Brandon Marshall (Den) Santonio Holmes (Pit) Roddy White (Atl) Greg Jennings (GB) Marvin Harrison (Ind) Calvin Johnson (Det) Hines Ward (Pit) Lee Evans (Buf) Dwayne Bowe (KC) Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ) Donald Driver (GB) Kevin Curtis (Phi) Laveranues Coles (NYJ) Joey Galloway (TB) Chris Chambers (SD) Santana Moss (Was) Patrick Crayton (Dal Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) Derek Mason (Bal) Bernard Berrian (Min) Reggie Brown (Phi) Donte Stallworth (Cle) DJ Hackett (Car) Bobby Engram (Sea) Isaac Bruce (SF) Jerry Porter (Jax) Nate Burleson (Sea) Javon Walker (Oak) Sidney Rice (Min) Vincent Jackson (SD) Amani Toomer (NYG) Ted Ginn Jr. (Mia) Ronald Curry (Oak) Bryant Johnson (SF) Drew Bennett (Stl) Deion Branch (Sea) Kevin Walter (Hou) Reggie Williams (Jax) Jabar Gafney (NE) Justin Gage (Ten) TIGHT ENDS Jason Witten (Dal) Kellen Winslow (Cle) Antonio Gates (SD) Tony Gonzalez (KC) Dallas Clark (Ind) Jeremy Shockey (NO) Chris Cooley (Was) Vernon Davis (SF) Todd Heap (Bal) Tony Scheffler (Den) Owen Daniels (Hou) Heath Miller (Pit) Alge Crumpler (Ten) Ben Watson (NE) Greg Olsen (Chi) Donald Lee (GB) Randy McMichael (Stl) LJ Smith (Phi) Ben Utecht (Cin) Zach Miller (Oak) Anthony Fasano (Mia) Marcedes Lewis (Jax) Dustin Keller (NYJ) Kevin Boss (NYG) Desmond Clark (Chi) KICKERS Nick Folk (Dal) Stephen Gostkowski (NE) Josh Brown (Stl) Shayne Graham (Cin) Nate Kaeding (SD) Josh Scobee (Jax) Adam Vinatieri (Ind) Rob Bironas (Ten) Phil Dawson (Cle) Mason Crosby (GB) Robbie Gould (Chi) Jason Hanson (Det) Kris Brown (Hou) Shaun Suisham (Was) Matt Bryant (TB) David Akers (Phi) Neil Rackers (Ari) Jason Elam (Atl) Jeff Reed (Pit) Lawrence Tynes (NYG) Mike Nugent (NYJ) John Kasay (Car) Ryan Longwell (Min) Olindo Mare (Sea) Matt Stover (Bal) Joe Nedney (SF) Sebastian Janikowski (Oak) Saints Kicker (NO) Matt Prater (Den) Rian Lindell (Buf) Dan Carpenter (Mia) N. Novak/C. Barth (KC) DEFENSE San Diego Chargers New England Patriots Minnesota Vikings Chicago Bears Jacksonville Jaguars New York Giants Pittsburgh Steelers Dallas Cowboys Seattle Seahawks Green Bay Packers Indianapolis Colts Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Houston Texans Oakland Raiders Buffalo Bills Baltimore Ravens Philadelphia Eagles Washington Redskins Arizona Cardinals New York Jets New Orleans Saints Detroit Lions San Francisco 49ers Cincinnati Bengals Carolina Panthers Denver Broncos Cleveland Browns St. Louis Rams Kansas City Chiefs Miami Dolphins Atlanta Falcons RANKINGS – MIKE WHOOLEY – 8/14 RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 QUARTERBACKS Tom Brady (NE) Tony Romo (Dal) Peyton Manning (Ind) Drew Brees (NO) Ben Roethlisberger (Pit) Carson Palmer (Cin) Derek Anderson (Cle) David Garrard (Jax) Matt Hasselbeck (Sea) Donovan McNabb (Phi) Brett Favre (NYJ) Jay Cutler (Den) Marc Bulger (Stl) Eli Manning (NYG) Philip Rivers (SD) Matt Leinart (Ari) Jon Kitna (Det) Jake Delhomme (Car) Jason Campbell (Was) Jeff Garcia (TB) Vince Young (Ten) Matt Schaub (Hou) Aaron Rodgers (GB) Alex Smith (SF) Trent Edwards (Buf) Tarvaris Jackson (Min) JaMarcus Russell (Oak) Rex Grossman (Chi) Chad Pennington (Mia) Brodie Croyle (KC) Kyle Boller (Bal) Matt Ryan (Atl) Chris Redman (Atl) Joe Flacco (Bal) JT O’Sullivan (SF) Kurt Warner (Ari) J.P. Losman (Buf) Kellen Clemens (NYJ) Brady Quinn (Cle) Sage Rosenfels (Hou) RUNNING BACKS LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) Steven Jackson (Stl) Adrian Peterson (Min) Brian Westbrook (Phi) Joseph Addai (Ind) Clinton Portis (Was) Frank Gore (SF) Marshawn Lynch (Buf) Marion Barber III (Dal) Larry Johnson (KC) Maurice Jones-Drew Willis McGahee (Bal) Earnest Graham (TB) Jamal Lewis (Cle) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) Ryan Grant (GB) Michael Turner (Atl) Reggie Bush (NO) Darren McFadden (Oak) Ronnie Brown (Mia Laurence Maroney (NE) Willie Parker (Pit) Selvin Young (Den) Thomas Jones (NYJ) Fred Taylor (Jax) LenDale White (Ten) Edgerrin James (Ari) Jonathan Stewart (Car) Matt Forte (Chi) Rudi Johnson (Cin) Rashard Mendenhall (Pit) Julius Jones (Sea) Maurice Morris (Sea) DeAngelo Williams (Car) Kevin Smith (Det) Ahman Green (Hou) Deuce McAllister (NO) Chester Taylor (Min) Warrick Dunn (TB) Felix Jones (Dal) Kenny Watson (Cin) Justin Fargas (Oak) Chris Brown (Hou) Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) Pierre Thomas (NO) Tatum Bell (Det) Leon Washington (NYJ) Chris Johnson (Ten) Ricky Williams (Ind) Jerious Norwood (Atl) WIDE RECEIVERS Randy Moss (NE) Terrell Owens (Dal) Reggie Wayne (Ind) Braylon Edwards (Cle) Andre Johnson (Hou) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) Steve Smith (Car) Marques Colston (NO) Brandon Marshall (Den) TJ Houshmandzadeh (Cin) Chad Johnson (Cin) Plaxico Burress (NYG) Anquan Boldin (Ari) Torry Holt (Stl) Santonio Holmes (Pit) Wes Welker (NE) Marvin Harrison (Ind) Roy Williams (Det) Roddy White (Atl) Jerrich Cotchery (NYJ) Greg Jennings (GB) Kevin Curtis (Phi) Lee Evans (Buf) Hines Ward (Pit) Donald Driver (GB) Chris Chambers (SD) Calvin Johnson (Det) Dwayne Bowe (KC) Joey Galloway (TB) Santana Moss (Was) Patrick Crayton (Dal) Derrick Mason (Bal) Bobby Engram (Sea) Deion Branch (Sea) Jerry Porter (Jax) Nate Burleson (Sea) Bernard Berrian (Min) Laveranues Coles (NYJ) Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) Donte Stallworth (Cle) Javon Walker (Oak) Reggie Brown (Phi) Bryant Johnson (SF) DJ Hackett (Car) Brandon Stokley (Den) Ted Ginn Jr. (Mia) Vincent Jackson (SD) Antwaan Randle El (Was) Kevin Walter (Hou) Amani Toomer (NYG) Ronald Curry (Oak) Andre Davis (Hou) Isaac Bruce (SF) Shaun McDonald (Det) Devin Hester (Chi) TIGHT ENDS Jason Witten (Dal) Kellen Winslow (Cle) Antonio Gates (SD) Tony Gonzalez (KC) Dallas Clark (Ind) Jeremy Shockey (NO) Chris Cooley (Was) Heath Miller (Pit) Tony Scheffler (Den) Owen Daniels (Hou) Alge Crumpler (Ten) Vernon Davis (SF) LJ Smith (Phi) Todd Heap (Bal) Zach Miller (Oak) Donald Lee (GB) Ben Watson (NE) Greg Olsen (Chi) Randy McMichael (Stl) Leonard Pope (Ari) Dustin Keller (NYJ) Kevin Boss (NYG) Jeff King (Car) Marcedes Lewis (Jax) Ben Utecht (Cin) KICKERS Nick Folk (Dal) Stephen Gostkowski (NE) Nate Kaeding (SD) Shayne Graham (Cin) Adam Vinatieri (Ind) Josh Brown (Stl) Phil Dawson (Cle) Rob Bironas (Ten) Josh Scobee (Jax) Robbie Gould (Chi) Kris Brown (Hou) Shaun Suisham (Was) David Akers (Phi) Jeff Reed (Pit) Neil Rackers (Ari) Mason Crosby (GB) Jason Hanson (Det) John Kasay (Car) Saints Kicker (NO) Olindo Mare (Sea) Matt Bryant (TB) Lawrence Tynes (NYG) Mike Nugent (NYJ) Ryan Longwell (Min) Matt Stover (Bal) Jason Elam (Atl) Joe Nedney (SF) Sebastian Janikowski (Oak) Rian Lindell (Buf) Matt Prater (Den) N. Novak/C. Barth (KC) Dan Carpenter (Mia) DEFENSE San Diego Chargers Indianapolis Colts Jacksonville Jaguars New England Patriots Dallas Cowboys Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Minnesota Vikings Seattle Seahawks New York Giants Green Bay Packers Baltimore Ravens Philadelphia Eagles Oakland Raiders Pittsburgh Steelers Houston Texans Washington Redskins Chicago Bears Arizona Cardinals Buffalo Bills Carolina Panthers Detroit Lions Cincinnati Bengals Kansas City Chiefs Denver Broncos St. Louis Rams New York Jets Cleveland Browns San Francisco 49ers New Orleans Saints Atlanta Falcons Miami Dolphins RANKINGS - CORY STEGER RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 QUARTERBACKS Tom Brady (NE) Peyton Manning (Ind) Tony Romo (Dal) Drew Brees (NO) Ben Roethlisberger (Pit) Carson Palmer (Cin) Donovan McNabb (Phi) Matt Hasselbeck (Sea) David Garrard (Jax) Derek Anderson (Cle) Jay Cutler (Den) Jason Campbell (Was) Marc Bulger (Stl) Eli Manning (NYG) Vince Young (Ten) Matt Schaub (Hou) Matt Leinart (Ari) Jon Kitna (Det) Philip Rivers (SD) Jake Delhomme (Car) Jeff Garcia (TB) Trent Edwards (Buf) Aaron Rodgers (GB) Rex Grossman (Chi) Tarvaris Jackson (Min) Chad Pennington (Mia) JaMarcus Russell (Oak) Brodie Croyle (KC) Alex Smith (SF) John Beck (Mia) Matt Ryan (Atl) Kurt Warner (Ari) Kellen Clemens (NYJ) Kyle Boller (Bal) Joe Flacco (Bal) Shaun Hill (SF) Todd Collins (Was) Sage Rosenfels (Hou) Josh McCown (Mia) Damon Huard (KC) RUNNING BACKS LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) Adrian Peterson (Min) Joseph Addai (Ind) Brian Westbrook (Phi) Larry Johnson (KC) Steven Jackson (Stl) Clinton Portis (Was) Frank Gore (SF) Marshawn Lynch (Buf) Marion Barber III (Dal) Maurice Jones-Drew (Jax) Willis McGahee (Bal) Darren McFadden (Oak) Ronnie Brown (Mia) Reggie Bush (NO) Ryan Grant (GB) Michael Turner (Atl) Laurence Maroney (NE) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) Deuce McAllister (NO) Thomas Jones (NYJ) Earnest Graham (TB) Willie Parker (Pit) LenDale White (Ten) Edgerrin James (Ari) Selvin Young (Den) Jamal Lewis (Cle) Julius Jones (Sea) Fred Taylor (Jax) DeAngelo Williams (Car) Michael Pittman (Den) Ahman Green (Hou) Matt Forte (Chi) Chester Taylor (Min) Rudi Johnson (Cin) Tatum Bell (Det) Jerious Norwood (Atl) Leon Washington (NYJ) Ladell Betts (Was) LaMont Jordan (Oak) Felix Jones (Dal) Maurice Morris (Sea) Chris Brown (Hou) Ricky Williams (Mia) Chris Johnson (Ten) Justin Fargas (Oak) Pierre Thomas (NO) Rashard Mendenhall (Pit) Kenny Watson (Cin) Warrick Dunn (TB) WIDE RECEIVERS Randy Moss (NE) Reggie Wayne (Ind) Terrell Owens (Dal) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) Braylon Edwards (Cle) Marques Colston (NO) Torry Holt (Stl) Steve Smith (Car) Plaxico Burress (NYG) TJ Houshmandzadeh (Cin) Andre Johnson (Hou) Anquan Boldin (Ari) Brandon Marshall (Den) Roy Williams (Det) Chad Johnson (Cin) Santonio Holmes (Pit) Marvin Harrison (Ind) Lee Evans (Buf) Wes Welker (NE) Roddy White (Atl) Hines Ward (Pit) Greg Jennings (GB) Dwayne Bowe (KC) Calvin Johnson (Det) Chris Chambers (SD) Joey Galloway (TB) Bernard Berrian (Min) Laveranues Coles (NYJ) Javon Walker (Oak) Kevin Curtis (Phi) Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ) Santana Moss (Was) Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) Donald Driver (GB) Bobby Engram (Sea) Patrick Crayton (Dal) Nate Burleson (Sea) Ronald Curry (Oak) Jerry Porter (Jax) Donte Stallworth (Cle) Bryant Johnson (SF) Derrick Mason (Bal) Marty Booker (Chi) Reggie Brown (Phi) James Hardy (Buf) Mark Clayton (Bal) Vincent Jackson (SD) Justin Gage (Ten) Sidney Rice (Min) Isaac Bruce (SF) DeSean Jackson (Phi) Reggie Williams (Jax) Deion Branch (Sea) Mushin Muhammad (Car) Jabar Gaffney (NE) TIGHT ENDS Antonio Gates (SD) Jason Witten (Dal) Kellen Winslow (Cle) Tony Gonzalez (KC) Chris Cooley (Was) Dallas Clark (Ind) Heath Miller (Pit) Jeremy Shockey (NO) Todd Heap (Bal) Vernon Davis (SF) Owen Daniels (Hou) Alge Crumpler (Ten) Tony Scheffler (Den) Donald Lee (GB) LJ Smith (Phi) Zach Miller (Oak) Greg Olsen (Chi) Leonard Pope (Ari) Ben Watson (NE) Randy McMichael (Stl) Dustin Keller (NYJ) Ben Utecht (Cin) Desmond Clark (Chi) Anthony Fasano (Mia) Robert Royal (Buf) KICKERS Stephen Gostkowski (NE) Nick Folk (Dal) Phil Dawson (Cle) Adam Vinatieri (Ind) Josh Brown (Stl) Nate Kaeding (SD) Rob Bironas (Ten) Shayne Graham (Cin) Neil Rackers (Ari) David Akers (Phi) Kris Brown (Hou) Mason Crosby (GB) Josh Scobee (Jax) Olindo Mare (Sea) Jason Hanson (Det) Jeff Reed (Pit) John Kasay (Car) Shaun Suisham (Was) Saints Kicker (NO) Mike Nugent (NYJ) Robbie Gould (Chi) Matt Bryant (TB) Lawrence Tynes (NYG) Jason Elam (Atl) Ryan Longwell (Min) Matt Stover (Bal) Sebastian Janikowski (Oak) Matt Prater (Den) Rian Lindell (Buf) Joe Nedney (SF) Dan Carpenter (Mia) N. Novak/C. Barth (KC) DEFENSE San Diego Chargers Minnesota Vikings New York Giants Chicago Bears Dallas Cowboys Jacksonville Jaguars Pittsburgh Steelers New England Patriots Tampa Bay Buccaneers Seattle Seahawks Green Bay Packers Philadelphia Eagles Baltimore Ravens Oakland Raiders Indianapolis Colts Tennessee Titans Buffalo Bills New York Jets Washington Redskins Denver Broncos Arizona Cardinals Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions San Francisco 49ers Houston Texans New Orleans Saints Carolina Panthers Kansas City Chiefs Miami Dolphins Cincinnati Bengals St. Louis Rams Atlanta Falcons RANKINGS - CHRIS ZIZA RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 QUARTERBACKS Tom Brady (NE) Peyton Manning (Ind) Tony Romo (Dal) Carson Palmer (Cin) Drew Brees (NO) Marc Bulger (Stl) Ben Roethlisberger (Pit) Matt Hasselbeck (Sea) Derek Anderson (Cle) Donovan McNabb (Phi) Jay Cutler (Den) Matt Leinart (Ari) Vince Young (Ten) Jon Kitna (Det) Jake Delhomme (Car) Eli Manning (NYG) Philip Rivers (SD) Matt Schaub (Hou) David Garrard (Jax) Jason Campbell (Was) Jeff Garcia (TB) Alex Smith (SF) JaMarcus Russell (Oak) Aaron Rodgers (GB) Tarvaris Jackson (Min) Brodie Croyle (KC) Chad Pennington (Mia) Trent Edwards (Buf) Chris Redman (Atl) Rex Grossman (Chi) Kyle Boller (Bal) Kurt Warner (Ari) Matt Ryan (Atl) Kellen Clemens (NYJ) Trent Green (Stl) Sage Rosenfels (Hou) Josh McCown (Mia) Chad Henne (Mia) Joe Flacco (Bal) John Beck (Mia) RUNNING BACKS LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) Steven Jackson (Stl) Adrian Peterson (Min) Joseph Addai (Ind) Brian Westbrook (Phi) Frank Gore (SF) Larry Johnson (KC) Clinton Portis (Was) Marshawn Lynch (Buf) Ryan Grant (GB) Marion Barber III (Dal) Reggie Bush (NO) Jamal Lewis (Cle) Maurice Jones-Drew (Jax) Willis McGahee (Bal) Julius Jones (Sea) Willie Parker (Pit) Darren McFadden (Oak) Earnest Graham (TB) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) Michael Turner (Atl) Edgerrin James (Ari) Laurence Maroney (NE) Rudi Johnson (Cin) Kevin Smith (Det) Ronnie Brown (Mia) Jonathan Stewart (Car) Thomas Jones (NYJ) Selvin Young (Den) Fred Taylor (Jax) Rashard Mendenhall (Pit) LenDale White (Ten) DeAngelo Williams (Car) Michael Pittman (Den) Chris Johnson (Ten) Chester Taylor (Min) Tatum Bell (Det) Felix Jones (Dal) Matt Forte (Chi) Justin Fargas (Oak) Jerious Norwood (Atl) Steve Slaton (Hou) Ryan Torian (Den) Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) Aaron Stecker (NO) TJ Duckett (Sea) Ahman Green (Hou) Kenny Watson (Cin) Kevin Jones (FA) Deuce McAllister (NO) WIDE RECEIVERS Randy Moss (NE) Reggie Wayne (Ind) Steve Smith (Car) Terrell Owens (Dal) TJ Houshmandzadeh (Cin) Braylon Edwards (Cle) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) Plaxico Burress (NYG) Andre Johnson (Hou) Torry Holt (Stl) Marques Colston (NO) Roy Williams (Det) Brandon Marshall (Den) Chad Johnson (Cin) Marvin Harrison (Ind) Wes Welker (NE) Anquan Boldin (Ari) Santonio Holmes (Pit) Chris Chambers (SD) Greg Jennings (GB) Lee Evans (Buf) Roddy White (Atl) Calvin Johnson (Det) Javon Walker (Oak) Bernard Berrian (Min) Kevin Curtis (Phi) Joey Galloway (TB) Jerry Porter (Jax) Donald Driver (GB) Dwayne Bowe (KC) DJ Hackett (Car) Laveranues Coles (NYJ) Bobby Engram (Sea) Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ) Hines Ward (Pit) Nate Burleson (Sea) Sidney Rice (Min) Vincent Jackson (SD) Derrick Mason (Bal) Patrick Crayton (Dal) Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) Deion Branch (Sea) Reggie Brown (Phi) Isaac Bruce (SF) Marty Booker (Chi) Santana Moss (Was) Donte Stallworth (Cle) Reggie Williams (Jax) James Jones (GB) Devin Hester (Chi) Drew Carter (Car) Darrell Jackson (Den) Ted Ginn Jr. (Mia) Ronald Curry (Oak) Terry Glenn (Dal) TIGHT ENDS Antonio Gates (SD) Jason Witten (Dal) Dallas Clark (Ind) Kellen Winslow (Cle) Tony Gonzalez (KC) Alge Crumpler (Ten) Todd Heap (Bal) Vernon Davis (SF) Ben Watson (NE) Chris Cooley (Was) Heath Miller (Pit) Owen Daniels (Hou) Jeremy Shockey (NO) LJ Smith (Phi) Tony Scheffler (Den) Donald Lee (GB) Zach Miller (Oak) Greg Olsen (Chi) Kevin Boss (NYG) Dustin Keller (NYJ) Jeff King (Car) David Martin (Mia) Leonard Pope (Ari) Marcedes Lewis (Jax) Alex Smith (TB) KICKERS Stephen Gostkowski (NE) Adam Vinatieri (Ind) Nick Folk (Dal) Josh Brown (Stl) Matt Stover (Bal) Shayne Graham (Cin) Nate Kaeding (SD) Rob Bironas (Ten) Phil Dawson (Cle) Mason Crosby (GB) Lawrence Tynes (NYG) Jason Hanson (Det) Neil Rackers (Ari) John Kasay (Car) David Akers (Phi) Robbie Gould (Chi) Shaun Suisham (Was) Ryan Longwell (Min) Jason Elam (Atl) Kris Brown (Hou) Matt Bryant (TB) Mike Nugent (NYJ) Sebastian Janikowski (Oak) Olindo Mare (Sea) Jeff Reed (Pit) Saints Kicker (NO) Josh Scobee (Jax) Joe Nedney (SF) Dan Carpenter (Mia) Rian Lindell (Buf) Matt Prater (Den) N. Novak/C. Barth (KC) DEFENSE New England Patriots San Diego Chargers Minnesota Vikings New York Giants Jacksonville Jaguars Baltimore Ravens Dallas Cowboys Oakland Raiders Pittsburgh Steelers Chicago Bears Washington Redskins Seattle Seahawks Tennessee Titans Philadelphia Eagles Green Bay Packers Denver Broncos New Orleans Saints Tampa Bay Buccaneers Arizona Cardinals Indianapolis Colts Carolina Panthers Kansas City Chiefs Detroit Lions Buffalo Bills St. Louis Rams New York Jets Cincinnati Bengals Cleveland Browns Houston Texans Miami Dolphins Atlanta Falcons San Francisco 49ers RANKINGS - JOEL STUBBLEFIELD RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 QUARTERBACKS Tom Brady (NE) Peyton Manning (Ind) Drew Brees (NO) Tony Romo (Dal) Carson Palmer (Cin) Ben Roethlisberger (Pit) Marc Bulger (Stl) Donovan McNabb (Phi) Matt Hasselbeck (Sea) Jay Cutler (Den) Derek Anderson (Cle) Eli Manning (NYG) David Garrard (Jax) Jake Delhomme (Car) Matt Schaub (Hou) Jon Kitna (Det) Philip Rivers (SD) Matt Leinart (Ari) Vince Young (Ten) Aaron Rodgers (GB) Jeff Garcia (TB) Jason Campbell (Was) Alex Smith (SF) Tarvaris Jackson (Min) Trent Edwards (Buf) Brodie Croyle (KC) Rex Grossman (Chi) Chad Pennington (Mia) Joe Flacco (Bal) JaMarcus Russell (Oak) Matt Ryan (Atl) Kellen Clemens (NYJ) Kurt Warner (Ari) Shaun Hill (SF) Josh McCown (Mia) J.P. Losman (Buf) John Beck (Mia) Chris Redman (Atl) Chad Henne (Mia) Brady Quinn (Cle) RUNNING BACKS Adrian Peterson (Min) LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) Steven Jackson (Stl) Brian Westbrook (Phi) Joseph Addai (Ind) Frank Gore (SF) Larry Johnson (KC) Willis McGahee (Bal) Marshawn Lynch (Buf) Marion Barber III (Dal) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) Ryan Grant (GB) Jamal Lewis (Cle) Maurice Jones-Drew (Jax) Clinton Portis (Was) Laurence Maroney (NE) Reggie Bush (NO) Willie Parker (Pit) Ronnie Brown (Mia) Michael Turner (Atl) LenDale White (Ten) Jonathan Stewart (Car) DeAngelo Williams (Car) Rudi Johnson (Cin) Edgerrin James (Ari) Earnest Graham (TB) Thomas Jones (NYJ) Darren McFadden (Oak) Ahman Green (Hou) Fred Taylor (Jax) Justin Fargas (Oak) Kevin Smith (Det) Julius Jones (Sea) Rashard Mendenhall (Pit) Matt Forte (Chi) Jerious Norwood (Atl) Michael Pittman (Den) Deuce McAllister (NO) Chester Taylor (Min) Ryan Torian (Den) Chris Brown (Hou) Selvin Young (Den) Shaun Alexander (FA) Steve Slaton (Hou) Brandon Jackson (GB) TJ Duckett (Sea) Felix Jones (Dal) Warrick Dunn (TB) Dominic Rhodes (Ind) Tatum Bell (Det) WIDE RECEIVERS Randy Moss (NE) Steve Smith (Car) Reggie Wayne (Ind) Braylon Edwards (Cle) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) Torry Holt (Stl) Terrell Owens (Dal) Chad Johnson (Cin) Marques Colston (NO) Roy Williams (Det) TJ Houshmandzadeh (Cin) Anquan Boldin (Ari) Andre Johnson (Hou) Plaxico Burress (NYG) Brandon Marshall (Den) Santonio Holmes (Pit) Lee Evans (Buf) Marvin Harrison (Ind) Wes Welker (NE) Donald Driver (GB) Hines Ward (Pit) Calvin Johnson (Det) Deion Branch (Sea) Reggie Brown (Phi) Laveranues Coles (NYJ) Bobby Engram (Sea) Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ) Santana Moss (Was) Javon Walker (Oak) Mark Clayton (Bal) Dwayne Bowe (KC) Donte Stallworth (Cle) Derrick Mason (Bal) Joey Galloway (TB) Roddy White (Atl) Greg Jennings (GB) Vincent Jackson (SD) Chris Chambers (SD) Bernard Berrian (Min) DJ Hackett (Car) Kevin Curtis (Phi) Nate Burleson (Sea) Justin Gage (Ten) Matt Jones (Jax) Mushin Muhammad (Car) Eddie Kennison (KC) Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) Ronald Curry (Oak) Isaac Bruce (SF) Bryant Johnson (SF) Drew Bennett (Stl) Devery Henderson (NO) Ted Ginn Jr. (Mia) Patrick Crayton (Dal) Devin Hester (Chi) TIGHT ENDS Antonio Gates (SD) Kellen Winslow (Cle) Jeremy Shockey (NO) Jason Witten (Dal) Tony Gonzalez (KC) Todd Heap (Bal) Chris Cooley (Was) Vernon Davis (SF) Alge Crumpler (Ten) Heath Miller (Pit) Dallas Clark (Ind) Ben Watson (NE) LJ Smith (Phi) Greg Olsen (Chi) Owen Daniels (Hou) Kevin Boss (NYG) Ben Troupe (TB) Zach Miller (Oak) Jeff King (Car) Tony Scheffler (Den) Gary Barnidge (Car) Dustin Keller (NYJ) Billy Miller (NO) Daniel Graham (Den) Brad Cottam (KC) KICKERS Robbie Gould (Chi) Shayne Graham (Cin) Nate Kaeding (SD) Jason Elam (Atl) Mason Crosby (GB) Adam Vinatieri (Ind) Nick Folk (Dal) Jason Hanson (Det) Neil Rackers (Ari) Stephen Gostkowski (NE) Joe Nedney (SF) Olindo Mare (Sea) Josh Brown (Stl) Matt Stover (Bal) David Akers (Phi) Rian Lindell (Buf) Jeff Reed (Pit) Matt Bryant (TB) John Kasay (Car) Lawrence Tynes (NYG) Mike Nugent (NYJ) Ryan Longwell (Min) Josh Scobee (Jax) N. Novak/C. Barth (KC) Rob Bironas (Ten) Kris Brown (Hou) Dan Carpenter (Mia) Shaun Suisham (Was) Sebastian Janikowski (Oak) Matt Prater (Den) Phil Dawson (Cle) Saints Kicker (NO) DEFENSE Pittsburgh Steelers New England Patriots Baltimore Ravens Chicago Bears Minnesota Vikings Green Bay Packers Jacksonville Jaguars San Diego Chargers Indianapolis Colts Dallas Cowboys Tampa Bay Buccaneers Tennessee Titans Carolina Panthers Seattle Seahawks Denver Broncos Philadelphia Eagles New York Giants San Francisco 49ers Miami Dolphins Oakland Raiders New Orleans Saints Houston Texans Washington Redskins Arizona Cardinals Buffalo Bills St. Louis Rams Kansas City Chiefs Cincinnati Bengals New York Jets Cleveland Browns Detroit Lions Atlanta Falcons BRUNO BOYS - JESSE BURKHART RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 QUARTERBACKS Tom Brady (NE) Peyton Manning (Ind) Tony Romo (Dal) Drew Brees (NO) Derek Anderson (Cle) Carson Palmer (Cin) Ben Roethlisberger (Pit) Eli Manning (NYG) Donovan McNabb (Phi) Matt Hasselbeck (Sea) Marc Bulger (Stl) Jay Cutler (Den) David Garrard (Jax) Matt Schaub (Hou) Jake Delhomme (Car) Jon Kitna (Det) Matt Leinart (Ari) Jason Campbell (Was) Philip Rivers (SD) Vince Young (Ten) Trent Edwards (Buf) Aaron Rodgers (GB) Jeff Garcia (TB) Chad Pennington (Mia) Alex Smith (SF) Tarvaris Jackson (Min) JaMarcus Russell (Oak) Chris Redman (Atl) Brodie Croyle (KC) Kyle Boller (Bal) John Beck (Mia) Kyle Orton (Chi) Rex Grossman (Chi) Kurt Warner (Ari) Kellen Clemens (NYJ) Shaun Hill (SF) Gus Freroote (Min) Chad Henne (Mia) Joe Flacco (Bal) Brian Brohm (GB) RUNNING BACKS Adrian Peterson (Min) LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) Joseph Addai (Ind) Brian Westbrook (Phi) Steven Jackson (Stl) Clinton Portis (Was) Larry Johnson (KC) Marshawn Lynch (Buf) Willis McGahee (Bal) Marion Barber III (Dal) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) Maurice Jones-Drew (Jax) Frank Gore (SF) Reggie Bush (NO) Jamal Lewis (Cle) Ryan Grant (GB) Earnest Graham (TB) Michael Turner (Atl) Laurence Maroney (NE) Willie Parker (Pit) Darren McFadden (Oak) Matt Forte (Chi) Selvin Young (Den) Edgerrin James (Ari) Ronnie Brown (Mia) Rudi Johnson (Cin) Justin Fargas (Oak) LenDale White (Ten) Julius Jones (Sea) Ricky Williams (Mia) Jonathan Stewart (Car) Tatum Bell (Det) Thomas Jones (NYJ) DeAngelo Williams (Car) Rashard Mendenhall (Pit) Felix Jones (Dal) Fred Taylor (Jax) Ahman Green (Hou) Deuce McAllister (NO) Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) Chris Brown (Hou) Kevin Smith (Det) Chester Taylor (Min) Chris Johnson (Ten) Jerious Norwood (Atl) Ladell Betts (Was) Kenton Keith (Ind) Ron Dayne (FA) Shaun Alexander (FA) TJ Duckett (Sea) WIDE RECEIVERS Randy Moss (NE) Reggie Wayne (Ind) Braylon Edwards (Cle) Terrell Owens (Dal) Andre Johnson (Hou) Steve Smith (Car) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) Marques Colston (NO) TJ Houshmandzadeh (Cin) Plaxico Burress (NYG) Torry Holt (Stl) Chad Johnson (Cin) Santonio Holmes (Pit) Brandon Marshall (Den) Anquan Boldin (Ari) Greg Jennings (GB) Roddy White (Atl) Roy Williams (Det) Wes Welker (NE) Bobby Engram (Sea) Lee Evans (Buf) Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ) Chris Chambers (SD) Hines Ward (Pit) Dwayne Bowe (KC) Calvin Johnson (Det) Marvin Harrison (Ind) Kevin Curtis (Phi) David Patten (NO) Donte Stallworth (Cle) Santana Moss (Was) Jerry Porter (Jax) Donald Driver (GB) Bernard Berrian (Min) Joey Galloway (TB) Darrell Jackson (Den) Derrick Mason (Bal) Patrick Crayton (Dal) Laveranues Coles (NYJ) Ronald Curry (Oak) Mushin Muhammad (Car) Reggie Brown (Phi) Ted Ginn Jr. (Mia) Reggie Williams (Jax) Marty Booker (Chi) Nate Burleson (Sea) Kevin Walter (Hou) Amani Toomer (NYG) Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) Sidney Rice (Min) Vincent Jackson (SD) Javon Walker (Oak) Shaun McDonald (Det) Justin Gage (Ten) DJ Hackett (Car) TIGHT ENDS Jason Witten (Dal) Kellen Winslow (Cle) Tony Gonzalez (KC) Jeremy Shockey (NO) Chris Cooley (Was) Dallas Clark (Ind) Antonio Gates (SD) Heath Miller (Pit) Todd Heap (Bal) Vernon Davis (SF) Ben Watson (NE) Owen Daniels (Hou) Alge Crumpler (Ten) Greg Olsen (Chi) LJ Smith (Phi) Zach Miller (Oak) Donald Lee (GB) Ben Utecht (Cin) Randy McMichael (Stl) Alex Smith (TB) Jeff King (Car) Leonard Pope (Ari) Anthony Fasano (Mia) Marcedes Lewis (Jax) Visanthe Shiancoe (Min) KICKERS Josh Brown (Stl) Nick Folk (Dal) Adam Vinatieri (Ind) Stephen Gostkowski (NE) Nate Kaeding (SD) Shayne Graham (Cin) Rob Bironas (Ten) Mason Crosby (GB) Robbie Gould (Chi) Shaun Suisham (Was) Phil Dawson (Cle) Josh Scobee (Jax) Matt Bryant (TB) David Akers (Phi) Jason Hanson (Det) Neil Rackers (Ari) Lawrence Tynes (NYG) Jeff Reed (Pit) Kris Brown (Hou) Jason Elam (Atl) Ryan Longwell (Min) Saints Kicker (NO) Matt Stover (Bal) Rian Lindell (Buf) Sebastian Janikowski (Oak) Olindo Mare (Sea) John Kasay (Car) Matt Prater (Den) Mike Nugent (NYJ) Dan Carpenter (Mia) Joe Nedney (SF) N. Novak/C. Barth (KC) DEFENSE Minnesota Vikings Chicago Bears San Diego Chargers Seattle Seahawks New England Patriots Tennessee Titans Arizona Cardinals Dallas Cowboys Pittsburgh Steelers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Philadelphia Eagles Jacksonville Jaguars Green Bay Packers Baltimore Ravens Indianapolis Colts New York Giants Oakland Raiders Carolina Panthers Buffalo Bills Denver Broncos New York Jets Cleveland Browns Miami Dolphins Washington Redskins Atlanta Falcons Detroit Lions Kansas City Chiefs Houston Texans Cincinnati Bengals San Francisco 49ers New Orleans Saints St. Louis Rams RANKINGS - BRUNO BOYS CONSENSUS AVERAGE - 8/14 RANK 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 QUARTERBACKS Tom Brady (NE) Peyton Manning (Ind) Tony Romo (Dal) Drew Brees (NO) Carson Palmer (Cin) Ben Roethlisberger (Pit) Donovan McNabb (Phi) Derek Anderson (Cle) Matt Hasselbeck (Pit) Marc Bulger (Stl) David Garrard (Jax) Brett Favre (NYJ) Eli Manning (NYG) Jay Cutler (Den) Matt Leinart (Ari) Jon Kitna (Det) Philip Rivers (SD) Matt Schaub (Hou) Jake Delhomme (Car) Vince Young (Ten) Jason Campbell (Was) Jeff Garcia (TB) Aaron Rodgers (GB) Trent Edwards (Buf) Tarvaris Jackson (Min) JaMarcus Russell (Oak) Alex Smith (SF) Chad Pennington (Mia) Brodie Croyle (KC) Rex Grossman (Chi) Kurt Warner (Ari) Kyle Boller (Bal) JT Sullivan (SF) Matt Ryan (Atl) Chris Redman (Atl) Chad Henne (Mia) Kyle Orton (Chi) Sage Rosenfels (Hou) Byron Leftwich (Pit) JP Losman (Buf) RUNNING BACKS LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) Adrian Peterson (Min) Brian Westbrook (Phi) Steven Jackson (Stl) Joseph Addai (Ind) Frank Gore (SF) Clinton Portis (Was) Marshawn Lynch (Buf) Marion Barber III (Dal) Larry Johnson (KC) Maurice Jones-Drew (Jax) Ryan Grant (GB) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) Willis McGahee (Bal) Reggie Bush (NO) Jamal Lewis (Cle) Michael Turner (Atl) Laurence Maroney (NE) Thomas Jones (NYJ) Earnest Graham (TB) Willie Parker (Pit) Darren McFadden (Oak) Ronnie Brown (Mia) Edgerrin James (Ari) Selvin Young (Den) Lendale White (Ten) Rudi Johnson (Cin) Fred Taylor (Jax) Matt Forte (Chi) DeAngelo Williams (Car) Jonathan Stewart (Car) Rashard Mendenhall (Pit) Kevin Smith (Det) Ahman Green (Hou) Justin Fargas (Oak) Chester Taylor (Min) Julius Jones (Sea) Felix Jones (Dal) Jerious Norwood (Atl) Tatum Bell (Det) Ricky Williams (Mia) Pierre Thomas (NO) Chris Brown (Hou) Maurice Morris (Sea) Chris Johnson (Ten) Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG) Warrick Dunn (TB) Ray Rice (Bal) Kenny Watson (Cin) Leon Washington (NYJ) WIDE RECEIVERS Randy Moss (NE) Reggie Wayne (Ind) Terrell Owens (Dal) Braylon Edwards (Cle) Larry Fitzgerald (Ari) Andre Johnson (Hou) Marques Colston (NO) TJ Houshmandzadeh (Cin) Steve Smith (Car) Torry Holt (Stl) Plaxico Burress (NYG) Chad Johnson (Cin) Anquan Boldin (Ari) Roy Williams (Det) Santonio Holmes (Pit) Wes Welker (NE) Marvin Harrison (Ind) Brandon Marshall (Den) Lee Evans (Buf) Roddy White (Atl) Calvin Johnson (Det) Greg Jennings (GB) Hines Ward (Pit) Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ) Dwayne Bowe (KC) Chris Chambers (SD) Donald Driver (GB) Kevin Curtis (Phi) Laveranues Coles (NYJ) Joey Galloway (TB) Bernard Berrian (Min) Santana Moss (Was) Derrick Mason (Bal) Reggie Brown (Phi) Patrick Crayton (Dal) Donte Stallworth (Cle) Nate Burleson (Sea) Anthony Gonzalez (Ind) Bobby Engram (Sea) DJ Hackett (Car) Deion Branch (Sea) Vincent Jackson (SD) Jerry Porter (Jax) Javon Walker (Oak) Sidney Rice (Min) Ronald Curry (Oak) Isaac Bruce (SF) Drew Bennett (Stl) Ted Ginn Jr. (Mia) Reggie Williams (Jax) Bryant Johnson (SF) Devin Hester (Chi) Amani Toomer (NYG) Mushin Muhammad (Car) David Patten (NO) TIGHT ENDS Jason Witten (Dal) Kellen Winslow (Cle) Antonio Gates (SD) Tony Gonzalez (KC) Dallas Clark (Ind) Jeremy Shockey (NO) Chris Cooley (Was) Todd Heap (Bal) Vernon Davis (SF) Heath Miller (Pit) Alge Crumpler (Ten) Owen Daniels (Hou) Tony Scheffler (Den) Ben Watson (NE) LJ Smith (Phi) Greg Olsen (Chi) Zach Miller (Oak) Donald Lee (GB) Randy McMichael (Stl) Dustin Keller (NYJ) Ben Utecht (Cin) Jeff King (Car) Leonard Pope (Ari) Kevin Boss (NYG) Marcedes Lewis (Jax) Ben Troupe (TB) Anthony Fasano (Mia) Desmond Clark (Chi) Alex Smith (TB) Billy Miller (NO) KICKERS Nick Folk (Dal) Stephen Gostkowski (NE) Adam Vinatieri (Ind) Nate Kaeding (SD) Shayne Graham (Cin) Josh Brown (Stl) Mason Crosby (GB) Rob Bironas (Ten) Robbie Gould (Chi) Phil Dawson (Cle) Neil Rackers (Ari) Jason Hanson (Det) David Akers (Phi) Josh Scobee (Jax) Shaun Suisham (Was) Kris Brown (Hou) Jeff Reed (Pit) Matt Bryant (TB) Jason Elam (Atl) Lawrence Tynes (NYG) John Kasay (Car) Matt Stover (Bal) Brandon Coutu (Sea) Ryan Longwell (Min) Mike Nugent (NYJ) Taylor Mehlhaff (NO) Joe Nedney (SF) Rian Lindell (Buf) Sebastian Janikowski (Oak) Matt Prater (Den) Dan Carpenter (Mia) N. Novak/C. Barth (KC) Olindo Mare (Sea) Martin Gramatica (NO) DEFENSE San Diego Chargers New England Patriots Minnesota Vikings Jacksonville Jaguars Chicago Bears Dallas Cowboys Pittsburgh Steelers New York Giants Seattle Seahawks Baltimore Ravens Tampa Bay Buccaneers Green Bay Packers Tennessee Titans Indianapolis Colts Washington Redskins Philadelphia Eagles Oakland Raiders Arizona Cardinals Buffalo Bills Denver Broncos Carolina Panthers Houston Texans New York Jets Detroit Lions New Orleans Saints San Francisco 49ers Kansas City Chiefs Cleveland Browns Cincinnati Bengals Miami Dolphins St. Louis Rams Atlanta Falcons 2007 QUARTERBACK STATS QUARTERBACK Tom Brady (NE) Tony Romo (DAL) Peyton Manning (IND) Ben Roethlisberger (PIT) Drew Brees (NO) Derek Anderson (CLE) Brett Favre (GB) Matt Hasselbeck (SEA) Carson Palmer (CIN) Kurt Warner (ARI) Jay Cutler (DEN) Donovan McNabb (PHI) Jon Kitna (DET) David Garrard (JAX) Eli Manning (NYG) Philip Rivers (SD) Jeff Garcia (TB) Vince Young (TEN) Jason Campbell (WAS) Tarvaris Jackson (MIN) Sage Rosenfels (HOU) Cleo Lemon (JAX) Marc Bulger (STL) Damon Huard (KC) Matt Schaub (HOU) Chad Pennington (NYJ) Joey Harrington (ATL) Brian Griese (TB) Kyle Boller (BAL) Trent Edwards (BUF) Daunte Culpepper (FA) Chris Redman (ATL) Quinn Gray (Hou) Kellen Clemens (NYJ) Josh McCown (MIA) Luke McCown (TB) Jake Delhomme (CAR) J.P. Losman (BUF) Brodie Croyle (KC) Todd Collins (WAS) Rex Grossman (CHI) Todd Collins (WAS) Gus Frerotte (MIN) Shaun Hill (SF) Alex Smith (SF) Todd Collins (WAS) David Carr (NYG) Troy Smith (BAL) Kyle Orton (CHI) Matt Leinart (ARI) Matt Moore (CAR) Kerry Collins (TEN) John Beck (MIA) Aaron Rodgers (GB) ATTEMPTS 578 520 515 404 655 527 535 562 575 451 467 473 562 325 529 460 327 382 417 294 240 309 378 332 289 260 348 262 275 269 186 149 144 250 190 139 86 175 224 105 225 105 167 79 193 105 136 76 80 112 111 82 107 28 COMPLETIONS 398 335 337 264 443 298 356 352 373 281 297 291 355 208 297 277 209 238 250 171 154 173 221 206 192 179 215 161 168 151 108 89 80 130 111 94 55 111 127 67 122 67 94 54 94 67 73 40 43 60 63 50 60 20 COMPLETION % 68.86% 64.42% 65.44% 65.35% 67.63% 56.55% 66.54% 62.63% 64.87% 62.31% 63.60% 61.52% 63.17% 64.00% 56.14% 60.22% 63.91% 62.30% 59.95% 58.16% 64.17% 55.99% 58.47% 62.05% 66.44% 68.85% 61.78% 61.45% 61.09% 56.13% 58.06% 59.73% 55.56% 52.00% 58.42% 67.63% 63.95% 63.43% 56.70% 63.81% 54.22% 63.81% 56.29% 68.35% 48.70% 63.81% 53.68% 52.63% 53.75% 53.57% 56.76% 60.98% 56.07% 71.43% PASSING YARDS 4806 4211 4040 3154 4428 3787 4155 3966 4131 3417 3497 3324 4068 2509 3336 3152 2440 2546 2700 1911 1684 1773 2392 2257 2241 1765 2215 1803 1743 1630 1331 1079 986 1529 1151 1009 626 1204 1227 888 1411 888 1014 501 914 888 635 452 478 647 730 531 559 218 PASSING TDS 50 36 31 32 28 29 28 28 26 27 20 19 18 18 23 21 13 9 12 9 15 6 11 11 9 10 7 10 9 7 5 10 10 5 10 5 8 4 6 5 4 5 7 5 2 5 3 2 3 2 3 0 1 1 INTs 8 19 14 11 18 19 15 12 20 17 14 7 20 3 20 15 4 17 11 12 12 6 15 13 9 9 8 12 10 8 5 5 5 10 11 3 1 6 6 0 7 0 12 1 4 0 5 0 2 4 5 0 3 0 RUSHING YARDS 98 129 -5 204 52 70 12 89 10 15 205 236 61 185 69 33 116 395 185 260 51 102 13 -1 52 32 33 28 89 49 50 16 57 111 143 117 26 110 18 1 27 1 3 14 89 1 59 54 -1 42 5 -3 12 29 RUSHING TDS 2 2 3 2 1 3 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 3 1 3 1 4 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 3 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 FUMBLES 4 2 1 3 4 2 3 5 1 6 4 5 6 2 7 6 2 3 8 3 3 3 3 3 3 0 0 1 4 0 3 1 1 1 3 2 0 2 3 2 3 2 1 2 5 2 0 2 0 0 0 1 5 0 2007 RUNNING BACK STATS RUNNING BACK LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) Brian Westbrook (PHI) Joseph Addai (IND) Adrian Peterson (MIN) Clinton Portis (WAS) Jamal Lewis (CLE) Marion Barber (DAL) Willis McGahee (BAL) Edgerrin James (ARI) Frank Gore (SF) Earnest Graham (TB) Marshawn Lynch (BUF) Maurice Jones-Drew (JAX) Steven Jackson (STL) Fred Taylor (JAX) Ryan Grant (GB) LenDale White (TEN) Kenny Watson (CIN) Willie Parker (PIT) Brandon Jacobs (NYG) Chester Taylor (MIN) Thomas Jones (NYJ) Justin Fargas (OAK) Ronnie Brown (MIA) Reggie Bush (NO) Laurence Maroney (NE) Ron Dayne (FA) Kevin Jones (CHI) DeAngelo Williams (CAR) Warrick Dunn (TB) DeShaun Foster (SF) Maurice Morris (SEA) Najeh Davenport (FA) Shaun Alexander (FA) Adrian Peterson (CHI) Larry Johnson (KC) Derrick Ward (NYG) Travis Henry (FA) Cedric Benson (FA) LaMont Jordan (OAK) Selvin Young (DEN) Jerious Norwood (ATL) Aaron Stecker (NO) Julius Jones (SEA) Leon Washington (NYJ) Kenton Keith (IND) Chris Brown (HOU) Rudi Johnson (CIN) Kolby Smith (KC) Jesse Chatman (NYJ) Reuben Droughns (NYG) Sammy Morris (NE) Correll Buckhalter (PHI) Kevin Faulk (NE) T.J. Duckett (SEA) Pierre Thomas (NO) Ladell Betts (WAS) Ahman Green (HOU) CARRIES 315 278 261 238 325 298 204 294 325 260 222 280 167 237 223 188 304 178 321 202 157 310 222 119 157 185 194 153 144 228 247 140 107 207 151 158 125 167 196 144 140 102 114 165 71 121 101 170 112 128 85 85 62 62 65 50 93 70 RUSHING YARDS 1474 1333 1072 1341 1262 1304 975 1207 1224 1102 898 1115 768 1002 1202 956 1108 763 1316 1009 844 1119 1009 602 581 835 773 581 717 718 876 638 499 716 510 559 602 691 674 549 729 615 444 585 353 533 464 497 407 515 275 384 313 265 335 251 335 360 YPC 4.68 4.79 4.11 5.63 3.88 4.38 4.78 4.11 3.77 4.24 4.05 3.98 4.60 4.23 5.39 5.09 3.64 4.29 4.10 5.00 5.38 3.61 4.55 5.06 3.70 4.51 3.98 3.80 4.98 3.15 3.55 4.56 4.66 3.46 3.38 3.54 4.82 4.14 3.44 3.81 5.21 6.03 3.89 3.55 4.97 4.40 4.59 2.92 3.63 4.02 3.24 4.52 5.05 4.27 5.15 5.02 3.60 5.14 RECEPTIONS 60 90 41 19 47 30 44 43 24 53 49 18 40 38 9 30 20 52 23 23 29 28 23 39 73 4 17 33 23 37 25 23 18 14 51 30 26 7 17 28 35 28 37 23 36 13 19 13 22 27 7 6 12 47 4 19 21 14 RECEIVING YARDS 475 771 364 268 389 248 282 231 204 436 324 184 407 271 58 145 114 374 164 174 281 217 188 389 417 116 112 199 177 238 182 213 184 76 420 186 179 65 123 247 231 277 215 203 213 77 128 110 148 161 49 35 87 383 54 152 174 123 TOTAL TDS 19 12 15 13 12 11 12 8 7 6 10 8 10 7 5 8 7 7 2 6 7 2 4 5 6 6 6 8 5 4 4 5 7 5 4 4 4 4 4 3 1 1 5 2 6 4 5 4 2 1 6 3 4 1 3 2 2 2 FUMBLES 0 1 0 3 5 2 0 3 0 3 1 1 2 2 1 1 5 2 3 4 4 0 1 0 3 0 0 1 1 2 5 1 0 0 2 1 1 1 2 0 1 0 1 0 2 0 1 2 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 2007 WIDE RECEIVER STATS WIDE RECEIVERS Randy Moss (NE) Terrell Owens (DAL) Braylon Edwards (CLE) Reggie Wayne (IND) Larry Fitzgerald (ARI) Chad Johnson (CIN) TJ Houshmandzadeh (CIN) Marques Colston (NO) Brandon Marshall (DEN) Plaxico Burress (NYG) Greg Jennings (GB) Wes Welker (NE) Torry Holt (STL) Kevin Curtis (PHI) Roddy White (ATL) Bobby Engram (SEA) Santonio Holmes (PIT) Steve Smith (CAR) Anquan Boldin (ARI) Joey Galloway (TB) Andre Johnson (HOU) Derrick Mason (BAL) Nate Burleson (SEA) Dwayne Bowe (KC) Jerricho Cotchery (NYJ) Shaun McDonald (DET) Bernard Berrian (MIN) Chris Chambers (SD) Reggie Williams (JAX) Hines Ward (PIT) Donald Driver (GB) Roy Williams (DET) Lee Evans (BUF) Patrick Crayton (DAL) Calvin Johnson (DET) Kevin Walter (HOU) Jerry Porter (JACX) Reggie Brown (PHI) Laveranues Coles (NYJ) Isaac Bruce (SF) Ronald Curry (OAK) Brandon Stokley (DEN) Santana Moss (WAS) Andre Davis (HOU) Roydell Williams (TEN) David Patten (NO) Deion Branch (SEA) Amani Toomer (NYG) Arnaz Battle (SF) Donte Stallworth (CLE) Justin Gage (TEN) Dennis Northcut (JAX) Antwaan Randle El (WAS) Bobby Wade (MIN) Joe Jurevicius (CLE) Vincent Jackson (SD) Devin Hester (CHI) Michael Jenkins (ATL) Nate Washington (PIT) Anthony Gonzalez (IND) RECEPTIONS 98 81 80 104 100 93 112 98 102 70 53 112 93 77 83 94 52 87 71 57 60 103 50 70 82 79 71 66 38 71 82 63 55 50 48 65 44 61 55 55 55 40 61 33 55 54 49 59 50 46 55 44 51 54 50 41 20 53 29 37 RECEIVING YARDS 1493 1355 1289 1510 1409 1440 1143 1202 1325 1025 920 1175 1189 1110 1202 1147 942 1002 853 1014 851 1087 694 995 1130 943 951 970 629 732 1048 836 849 697 756 800 705 780 646 733 717 635 808 583 719 792 661 760 600 697 750 601 728 654 614 623 299 532 450 576 YPC 15.23 16.73 16.11 14.52 14.09 15.48 10.21 12.27 12.99 14.64 17.36 10.49 12.78 14.42 14.48 12.20 18.12 11.52 12.01 17.79 14.18 10.55 13.88 14.21 13.78 11.94 13.39 14.70 16.55 10.31 12.78 13.27 15.44 13.94 15.75 12.31 16.02 12.79 11.75 13.33 13.04 15.88 13.25 17.67 13.07 14.67 13.49 12.88 12.00 15.15 13.64 13.66 14.27 12.11 12.28 15.20 14.95 10.04 15.52 15.57 RUSHING YARDS 0 5 0 4 0 47 14 0 57 0 0 34 0 0 -2 0 17 66 14 1 0 0 4 0 38 2 0 12 8 11 4 1 0 0 52 30 0 36 0 -4 1 -6 13 0 -17 -5 0 0 4 12 0 27 -3 -9 0 0 -10 0 0 0 TOTAL TDS 23 15 16 10 10 8 12 11 7 12 12 8 7 6 6 6 8 7 9 6 8 5 11 5 2 6 5 4 10 7 2 5 5 7 5 4 6 4 6 4 4 5 3 6 4 3 4 3 6 3 2 4 1 3 3 3 8 4 5 3 FUMBLES 0 0 2 3 3 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 2 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 2 0 1 2 1 0 2 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 2007 TIGHT END STATS TIGHT ENDS Jason Witten (DAL) Antonio Gates (SD) Tony Gonzalez (KC) Kellen Winslow (CLE) Dallas Clark (IND) Chris Cooley (WAS) Heath Miller (PIT) Donald Lee (GB) Owen Daniels (HOU) Tony Scheffler (DEN) Jeremy Shockey (NYG) Desmond Clark (CHI) Ben Watson (NE) Alge Crumpler (TEN) Vernon Davis (SF) Randy McMichael (STL) Chris Baker (NYJ) Alex Smith (TB) Zach Miller (OAK) Leonard Pope (ARI) Greg Olsen (CHI) Marcedes Lewis (JAX) Jeff King (CAR) Eric Johnson (NO) Jerramy Stevens (TB) Billy Miller (NO) David Martin (MIA) Bo Scaife (TEN) Robert Royal (BUF) Ben Utecht (CIN) Marcus Pollard (NE) Daniel Graham (DEN) Visanthe Shiancoe (MIN) Justin Peelle (MIA) Bubba Franks (NYJ) Todd Heap (BAL) Michael Gaines (DET) L.J. Smith (PHI) Quinn Sypniewski (BAL) Will Heller (SEA) Kevin Boss (NYG) RECEPTIONS 96 75 99 82 58 66 47 48 63 49 57 44 36 42 52 39 41 32 44 23 39 37 46 48 18 27 24 46 25 31 28 24 27 29 18 23 25 22 34 13 9 RECEIVING YARDS 1145 984 1172 1106 616 786 566 575 768 549 619 545 389 444 509 429 409 385 444 238 391 391 406 378 189 328 303 421 248 364 273 246 323 228 132 239 215 236 246 82 118 YPC 11.93 13.12 11.84 13.49 10.62 11.91 12.04 11.98 12.19 11.20 10.86 12.39 10.81 10.57 9.79 11.00 9.98 12.03 10.09 10.35 10.03 10.57 8.83 7.88 10.50 12.15 12.63 9.15 9.92 11.74 9.75 10.25 11.96 7.86 7.33 10.39 8.60 10.73 7.24 6.31 13.11 TOTAL TDS 7 9 5 5 11 8 7 6 3 5 3 4 6 5 4 3 3 3 3 5 2 2 2 2 4 2 2 1 3 1 2 2 1 2 3 1 2 1 1 3 2 FUMBLES 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 3 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 2007 KICKERS STATS KICKERS Mason Crosby (GB) Rob Bironas (TEN) Stephen Gostkowski (NE) Nick Folk (DAL) Josh Brown (STL) Jason Hanson (DET) Shayne Graham (CIN) Robbie Gould (CHI) Kris Brown (HOU) Phil Dawson (CLE) Nate Kaeding (SD) Shaun Suisham (WAS) Jason Elam (ATL) Matt Bryant (TB) Jeff Reed (PIT) Lawrence Tynes (NYG) Adam Vinatieri (IND) Neil Rackers (ARI) Mike Nugent (NYJ) Matt Stover (BAL) Ryan Longwell (MIN) Sebastian Janikowski (OAK) John Kasay (CAR) David Akers (PHI) Rian Lindell (BUF) Jay Feely (FA) Joe Nedney (SF) Josh Scobee (JAX) John Carney (KC) Olindo Mare (SEA) Dave Rayner (FA) Martin Gramatica (NO) Justin Medlock (STL) Matt Prater (DEN) 1 to 39 19/20 22/24 18/19 17/19 17/17 15/18 25/26 19/20 13/14 18/20 16/17 18/20 17/17 22/23 19/19 15/19 23/26 13/15 22/24 19/19 9/9 10/11 16/17 22/22 18/18 13/13 12/12 9/9 10/10 7/9 10/13 2/2 1/2 0/1 40 to 49 9/14 9/10 3/5 7/7 8/12 11/13 6/7 12/14 7/10 7/8 7/8 10/14 9/12 6/7 4/5 8/8 0/2 5/6 6/8 8/12 10/11 7/10 6/9 1/6 4/6 7/9 4/4 3/4 2/4 2/3 5/8 2/2 0/0 1/3 50+ 3/5 4/5 0/0 2/5 3/5 0.75 0/1 0/2 5/5 1/2 1/2 1/1 1/2 0/3 0/1 0/0 0/1 3/9 1/4 0/1 1/4 6/11 2/2 1/4 2/3 1/1 1/3 0/0 0/0 1/5 0/1 1/1 0/0 0/0 TOTAL 31/39 35/39 21/24 26/31 28/34 29/35 31/34 31/36 25/29 26/30 24/27 29/35 27/31 28/33 23/25 23/27 23/29 21/30 29/36 27/32 20/24 23/32 24/28 24/32 24/27 21/23 17/19 12/13 12/14 10/17 15/22 5/5 1/2 1/4 FG % 79.49% 89.74% 87.50% 83.87% 82.35% 82.86% 91.18% 86.11% 86.21% 86.67% 88.89% 82.86% 87.10% 84.85% 92.00% 85.19% 79.31% 70.00% 80.56% 84.38% 83.33% 71.88% 85.71% 75.00% 88.89% 91.30% 89.47% 92.31% 85.71% 58.82% 68.18% 100.00% 50.00% 25.00% EXTRA POINTS 48/48 28/28 74/74 53/53 43/43 35/36 37/37 33/33 40/40 42/43 46/46 29/30 33/33 34/34 44/44 40/42 49/51 47/48 23/24 26/26 39/40 28/28 27/27 36/36 24/24 26/26 22/22 26/27 27/28 34/34 14/14 8/8 0/0 1/1 2007 DEFENSE STATS TEAM DEFENSE San Diego Chargers New England Patriots Seattle Seahawks Chicago Bears Minnesota Vikings Indianapolis Colts Green Bay Packers Tampa Bay Buccaneers Dallas Cowboys Tennessee Titans New York Giants Pittsburgh Steelers Jacksonville Jaguars Arizona Cardinals Washington Redskins Buffalo Bills Cincinnati Bengals Detroit Lions Houston Texans Kansas City Chiefs Cleveland Browns Carolina Panthers New York Jets Baltimore Ravens New Orleans Saints Denver Broncos Philadelphia Eagles San Francisco 49ers Oakland Raiders St. Louis Rams Atlanta Falcons Miami Dolphins INTs 30 19 20 16 15 22 19 16 19 22 15 11 20 18 14 18 19 17 11 14 17 14 15 17 13 14 11 12 18 18 16 14 FUMBLE RECOVERIES 18 12 14 17 16 15 9 19 10 12 10 14 10 11 10 12 16 18 14 8 10 16 6 6 10 16 8 10 8 9 12 8 SAFETY 0 0 1 1 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 2 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 SACK 43 47 45 41 38 28 36 33 46 40 53 36 37 36 33 26 22 37 31 37 28 23 29 32 32 33 36 31 27 31 25 30 POINTS ALLOWED 284 274 291 348 311 262 291 270 325 297 351 269 304 399 310 354 385 444 384 335 382 347 355 384 388 409 300 364 398 438 414 437 KR TD 1 2 2 2 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 4 0 2 0 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 PR TD 1 0 1 4 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 2 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 BLOCK 0 1 0 8 0 1 0 1 1 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 1 4 2 2 0 2 1 1 1 1 0 2 2 1 0 1 All PHOTOS are property of Icon SMI and can be viewed by visiting: WWW.ICONSMI.COM All content is property of Bruno Boys Fantasy Football ™ For more Bruno Boys Fantasy Football ™ content please visit: WWW.BRUNOBOYS.NET