Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Written by Allie Fontana

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- Written by Kyle Smith
- Edited by Allie Fontana

Top Free-Agent Kickers

David Akers (Philadelphia Eagles)

Akers has been one of the better kickers in the league for quite some time, but when the Philadelphia Eagles signed Nebraska’s Alex Henery in Round 4 of the 2011 NFL Draft, it became clear that his days with the team were numbered. Although Akers is 36, you have to believe that he’ll get a shot somewhere else considering his track record of success. Speculation is that he’ll remain in the NFC East and sign with either the Dallas Cowboys or Washington Redskins. Akers has made at least 32 field goals and 43 extra points in each of his last three seasons, and should still be one of the top kickers for fantasy football owners in 2011.

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- Written by Kyle Smith
- Edited by Allie Fontana

Top Free-Agent Tight Ends

Zach Miller (Oakland Raiders)

Miller is a notch or two below the elite fantasy tight ends, however he’s still a useful starter for fantasy teams. He had a solid season in 2010 including a career-high five touchdown receptions, however his inconsistent play left a sour taste in the mouths of many fantasy owners. Although Miller started off strong, an injury slowed him down so much that he didn’t put up even a single fantasy point in five consecutive games from Weeks 8 through 13. Miller’s 685 receiving yards on the year were also fewer than he had put up in either of his previous two seasons. He has a good rapport with quarterback Jason Campbell and new offensive coordinator Al Saunders has a reputation for making great use of the tight end position. This could mean big things for the fifth-year Boss if he remain with the Oakland Raiders. Expect 60 catches for 700-plus yards and five scores from Miller, although he has the potential to deliver bigger numbers if things fall into place this season.

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- Written by Ryan Czopek
- Edited by Allie Fontana

Top Free-Agent Wide Receivers

Sidney Rice (Minnesota Vikings)   **SIGNED WITH SEATTLE SEAHAWKS**

Rice enters free agency in an enviable position. Despite missing 10 games in 2010 following hip surgery and having just one great season on his résumé, Rice is considered by many to be the crème de le crème of the 2011 free-agent class. He blossomed as Brett Favre’s favorite target in Minnesota during the 2009 season, catching 83 receptions for 1,312 yards and eight touchdowns. Rice brings a lot to the table–size (6’4”), athleticism, above-average speed and tremendous leaping ability. He also has good hands and the ability to make the tough catch. However Rice isn’t a finished product. He still has to refine his route running skills and his long frame makes it easier for defensive backs to rough him up. Rice returned to the Minnesota Vikings lineup in Week 12. While the team had serious offensive woes last year, Rice looked pretty good in limited action, posting 280 yards on 17 receptions and two scores. Rice’s injury history may be an issue for some teams looking to add a talented wide receiver through free agency, however his positives will undoubtedly outweigh the health concerns.  The Minnesota Vikings will make an early push to sign him to a long-term deal, but expect Rice to test his value in the free-agent market and consider other offers. The Chicago Bears, St. Louis Rams, Washington Redskins and most recently, the Seattle Seahawks are interested in the talented 24-year-old. Health concerns and the quarterback situation in Minnesota aside, fantasy owners are likely to draft him as a No. 2 fantasy option. His has enough upside to produce at the WR1 level under the right circumstances. 

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- Written by Ryan Boser
- Edited by Allie Fontana

Top Free-Agent Running Backs

DeAngelo Williams (Carolina Panthers)

In terms of pure rushing talent, you can count the number of running backs in DeAngelo Williams’ stratosphere on one hand. His deadly skill set is brimming with speed, quickness, power, balance, vision and elusiveness. Unfortunately, outside of a mind-bending 12-game stretch in 2008, Williams’ elite abilities haven’t translated into consistent fantasy greatness. Injuries have cost the 28-year-old 13 games over the past two seasons, which in turn, gave the gifted Jonathan Stewart an opportunity to shine in the Carolina Panthers backfield. It appears a forgone conclusion that Williams will follow former head coach John Fox from Carolina to Denver. If this holds true, Knowshon Moreno will be relegated to third-down duties, where he’d certainly make a smaller dent in Williams’ numbers than Stewart ever did. Conversely, Tim Tebow’s rushing production would undoubtedly chip away, which means there’s no guarantee that Williams’ fantasy value will get the Mile High boost that many anticipate.

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- Written by Brad Berreman
- Edited by Allie Fontana

Top Free-Agent Quarterbacks

Marc Bulger (Baltimore Ravens)

Bulger served as Joe Flacco’s backup in Baltimore last season, however he didn’t take a snap all season. Before he signed with the Ravens, Bulger started 95 games for the St. Louis Rams from 2002-2009 and that experience stands to make him one of the more sought after free-agent quarterbacks. Teams like the Tennessee Titans, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals could all use a veteran signal caller with the leadership qualities that Bulger has displayed throughout his career. Bulger may be interested in and well-suited to serving as a veteran mentor to a rookie quarterback in Minnesota or Tennessee, and should be able to make at least a few starts if necessary.  It is also possible that he stays in Baltimore and helps further develop Flacco.

Since he is likely to be a backup in most of his potential landing spots, Bulger probably won’t make a major fantasy football impact in 2011.  That said, Bugler could be useful in short spurts with a solid supporting cast around him if he gets the opportunity to start a few games.

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Since we don’t believe in an offseason, we’ll be releasing our normal weekly position rankings to help you best decide which players to go with in our Fantasy Football Playoff Challenge. The first iteration will be the quarterbacks and there isn’t a whole lot of surprise in the rankings. To see where all eight of the players rank this week continue reading the Divisional Round edition of the Bruno Boys Weekly Wide Receiver Rankings.

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::2010 Age is as of September 1, 2010::

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Shayne Graham | Cincinnati Bengals | FA Type: UFA | 2010 Age: 32.9

Timing is everything and missing two second-half field goals in a contract year – including an easy 28-yard chip shot in the fourth quarter of the Bengals’ 24-14 wild card playoff loss at home to the New York Jets – was bad timing to the nth degree for kicker Shayne Graham. Entering the 2009 season, Graham was Cincinnati’s all-time leading kicker with a field goal accuracy rating of 87.5 percent. He also accumulated five additional franchise records in his seven years with the team including most points in a season (131) and most field goals in a game (seven).

Now an unrestricted free agent, Graham had been the Bengals’ designated franchise player during the 2009 off-season but was unable to agree to a long-term extension with the team. A disgruntled Graham reportedly bashed team management on his Facebook page which strained his relationship with the Bengals’ top brass. Graham finished the 2009 regular season having connected on 23 of 28 field goals and 28 of 29 extra points.

Following the wild card loss, the Bengals appeared ready to permanently part ways with Graham. The team tried out six kickers and signed Dave Rayner in February. Rayner, 27, who sat out the 2009 season with a hip flexor injury after a brief preseason stint with the Washington Redskins, has kicked with four other clubs including the Green Bay Packers in 2006 and the Kansas City Chiefs in 2007. He also stepped in for an injured Graham in October 2008. Rayner’s made 42 of 59 field goal attempts in his career.

Graham has been one of the league’s most accurate kickers and while he’s currently saddled with the “can’t make the clutch kicks” reputation, we think Graham will generate interest on the open market. His production over the past seven years is simply too good to not find a home with another team in 2010. The Baltimore Ravens are currently in talks with Graham, and the Dallas Cowboys, Washington Redskins, and even the Indianapolis Colts are among other clubs that could be interested in signing him to a multiyear deal.

And while it’s a long-shot, we aren’t completely closing the door to the possibility that Graham could re-sign with the Bengals, though after the two missed postseason field goals, the club will not want to pay him more than the $2.8 million he earned in 2009. Depending on where he lands, Graham should continue to be a solid fantasy football option in 2010. If the Bengals completely sever ties with Graham, we expect them to bring in another leg to compete with Rayner during training camp or to look for a more proven kicker in the off-season. Given Rayner’s limited experience as a starter, we currently see him as a bye-week replacement at best.

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Over the past 10-15 years the role of a tight end in the NFL has changed. There used to be a time when the tight end was primarily used as an extra blocker; however, with the evolution of the passing game it has led to a huge spike in production at the position. Just how much has the tight end position developed over time? In 2000, Tony Gonzalez was the only tight end to record over 71 receptions and just two tight ends had over 800 receiving yards. Fast forward 10 years and you will notice how far how the passing game has developed around the league. In 2009 we saw eight tight ends catch over 71 passes and eight record over 800 receiving yards. On top of that, 15 tight ends score five or more touchdowns in 2009, while only four were able to achieve the same feat in 2000.

Whether it’s through free agency, the NFL Draft or making a trade, the rapid rise in growth at the position has led to many teams looking to find that franchise tight end. However, those NFL owners looking to free agency to fill a hole at tight end will be disappointed. Outside of Owen Daniels, who is a restricted free agent (RFA), the available options are nothing to get excited about. In fact, Benjamin Watson, who was the most attractive unrestricted free agent, (UFA) has already signed with the Cleveland Browns.

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

Alge Crumpler | Tennessee Titans | FA Type: UFA | 2010 Age: 29.9

Unrestricted free agent tight end Crumpler is a seasoned veteran who spent his first seven years in the NFL with the Atlanta Falcons (2001-2007) before signing with the Titans prior to the 2008 season. Once among the league’s most potent receiving tight ends, Crumpler had just 27 receptions for 222 yards and one touchdown in 2009. While Crumpler’s role as a pass catching threat diminished due to his bulked up frame as well as the emergence of Bo Scaife, his skills as blocker contributed significantly to Tennessee’s rushing attack over the past two seasons.  In terms of fantasy football value, Crumpler has not been a factor since he signed with Tennessee; however, he is a solid overall player and has missed only five games through nine complete seasons. If he does not re-sign with the Titans, we expect him to find a home with a team looking for a blocking tight end with experience. A move isn’t likely to increase Crumpler’s fantasy value, so leave him undrafted in all formats.

UPDATE: Bruno Boys is following news reported in the Boston Globe and the Boston Herald that Crumpler is close to signing a deal with the New England Patriots. While it’s possible that Crumpler could see more targets given the Pats passing attack, his primary role will likely be a blocker. New England is expected to draft a pass-oriented tight end in the second round.

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According the the NFL Players Association, the average player in the NFL lasts just 3.3 years. If you think that is a short lived, try being a running back in the NFL. The average running back lasts just 2.57 years, which is almost one full year less than league average. The reason for this is because of the wear and tear a running back endures over the course of a 16-game season. We mention this when talking about NFL Free Agency because with the average running back having a short lived careers it leads to turnover at the position and often times teams look to the open market to build their backfield.

When taking a look at the 2010 Free Agent Running Backs you will notice a big difference between Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA) and the Restricted Free Agents (RFA). All of the mentioned players have exceeded the average life span of a RB; however, some of them are reaching the end of the road. The most desirable UFA running backs are veterans that have had very successful careers to date, but seem to have lost a step or two, while the top RFA options are only three to five years into their careers but have enjoyed some sort of success thus far.

::2010 Age is as of September 1, 2010::

UNRESTRICTED FREE AGENTS

LaDainian Tomlinson | Free Agent | FA Type: UFA | 2010 Age: 31.4

Tomlinson heads the list of 2010 unrestricted free agent running backs and he didn’t make the list because his contract expired. The San Diego Chargers released Tomlinson on February 22 after an incredible nine-year run with the franchise. With Tomlinson due to receive a $2 million dollar roster bonus in March, San Diego management decided it was time to close the book on arguably the greatest running back of all-time. They also said goodbye to a player his fans had come to know as LT. Heading in to the 2009 season, Tomlinson rushed for at least 1,100 yards and scored double-digit touchdowns in each of his first eight seasons in the league. Unfortunatey things began to unravel for Tomlinson in his ninth season with the Chargers. The wear and tear on his body caught up with Tomlinson and it was noticeable on the field. LT averaged a career low 3.3 yards per carry and only three out of 223 rushing attempts were over 20 yards.

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