Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

With the loss of LaDainian Tomlinson and the reluctance to re-sign Darren Sproles (though they did sign him to a one-year tender), it is evident that the Bolts are looking for a first and second down back that can make an impact for years to come. Therefore, in our opinion, with the 28th pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the San Diego Chargers have one move to make… draft a running back! Do we think that there’s a chance they go in another direction and wait until the second round to draft a running back? Yes. However, it is not a likely scenario and at some point in the first few rounds San Diego is expected to get their hands on a rookie runner.

In 2009, the Chargers ranked among the leagues worst in rushing the football and relied heavily on the pass. On the season, San Diego ranked 31st in the NFL in rushing yards (per game): 1,423 (88.9 per game), 32nd in the NFL in rushing average (3.3 yards per carry) and all of their running backs combined for only had seven runs over 20 yards (long of 36 yards).

With Philip Rivers developing into one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, and the passing attack thriving, a rooking running back will not have to carry the offense immediately. This should allow San Diego to draft the player who they feel has the most long term potential, rather than taking the running back who might be closest to NFL ready. 

There are three names that stand out to us above the rest when it comes to which rookie running back the Chargers should take. With C.J. Spiller almost assuredly gone in the first round (plus, why would they go another Darren Sproles-esque RB?), Jahvid Best, Ryan Mathews, and Toby Gerhart are the few names that the Chargers might be looking at. 

While all three running backs are all from Northern California colleges and were all incredibly successful at the college level, there aren’t many similarities in their running styles. With that being said, let’s breakdown the three potential options and give you insight as to who San Diego might snag towards the end of Round 1.

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We know exactly what is running through your brain right now, how can a fourth tier offensive player make an impact in fantasy football in year one? After all, each year there is usually only a handful of rookies out of the positions combined (QB, RB, WR, TE) that make for a viable option on your fantasy team. That is why we are going to spin things a bit for you in the final week of our four-part series that breaks down 2010 Impact Fantasy Rookies. In tier four, we will look at guys who will not be big time playmakers in year one, but should be owned in keeper leagues and dynasty leagues. In fact, in a dynasty league players like Sam Bradford, Jimmy Clausen, Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow will likely be high draft picks. Outside of the signal callers, the majority of the Many of the guys listed in the other three tiers should be higher on your keeper or dynasty list; however, the Bruno Boys are here to give you even more ideas for the future. 

1. Jimmy Clausen, QB, Notre Dame: While every NFL team seems convinced that Bradford is the better quarterback when compared to Clausen, don’t be surprised if, for fantasy football purposes (and possibly real life), the Notre Dame signal caller will be the better pick. Remember, Clausen played on a team with a horrible defense (making his stats better but always playing from behind forced his offensive hand) and still put up points at a high rate to keep his team in games. He is a fiery guy who is physically and mentally tough. Clausen’s biggest adjustment will come with his accuracy, something that can be worked when you are focusing on football 24 hours a day. The way he makes plays and attacks defenses tells us that if he gets an opportunity (may take a year or so) that he could be the best fantasy football quarterback of the bunch. In 200,9 Clausen threw for 3,722 yards and 28 touchdowns.

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With the 2010 NFL Draft a month away, mock drafts are plentiful. In fact, our good friends at HailRedskins.com have a a database with 171 mock drafts published for the big day. If you took a minute to scan through a few of those drafts, you probably noticed that there are as many as six or seven players mentioned that might go to your favorite team come April. Obviously, only one (or maybe none) will end up being on the team you root for, but part of what makes the 2010 NFL Draft so interesting is the different possibilities that can change your favorite teams future.

In this article, we’ll break down the possibilities that lay ahead for the Baltimore Ravens. With that said, let’s get to it.

Baltimore Ravens

It’s time to start getting excited. The NFL off-season is in full swing and we are less than a month away from the NFL Draft that takes place on April 22-24 at Radio City Music Hall in New York.

When the Baltimore Ravens front office gets together to talk about what route they should go in Round 1, you have to figure they are taking a thorough look at some of the offensive playmakers that might be available at the end of the round. They have outstanding defense with sold veteran leadership and a nucleus of talented youngsters so taking someone on that side of the football seems unlikely. With the trade for Anquan Boldin, Baltimore is taking the necessary steps to surrounding quarterback Joe Flacco with skilled receivers and the addition of another pass catching option could pay off big as the Ravens look to get to their first Super Bowl since 2001.

Baltimore has the 25th overall pick in Round 1, and while there will probably be two wide receivers gone (two of Dez Bryant, Golden Tate,  and Demaryius Thomas) at that point, the Ravens are in great position to add depth to their receiving corps.

Whether it is a tight end or a wide receiver opposite Anquan Boldin, Baltimore needs to provide Flacco with as many targets as possible. Ray Rice is a viable receiving threat from the backfield, Boldin brings much needed help, but Derrick Mason is unsure if he is coming back and Todd Heap is struggling to stay healthy. The team did sign Donte Stallworth earlier in the off-season and that could prove worthy, as he is a low-risk, high-reward type; however, we won’t mention him as a factor until he proves he can rebound from missing the 2009 season.

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Every so often a rookie comes out of nowhere to become a fantasy football stalwart by the end of the season. While we have covered the incoming rookies that will make the most impact in our tier one and tier two breakdown, there are still some very good players that may surprise you in year one. Obviously, a lot will depend on what team these guys get drafted by; however, keep these seven players in your back pocket as a cheat sheet of rookies when the time does come to fill out your watch list.

1. Joe McKnight, RB, USC: While in college McKnight drew comparisons to another scat back type, Reggie Bush. During his days at USC, McKnight never quite lived up to the expectations and heroics of Bush, but the speedster has shown his ability to make big plays and have a future in the NFL. Many teams in the league need a scat back who they can check down to quickly and make plays with the football. That is why McKnight may not be fantasy football worthy on a regular league but could be a valuable bench piece in PPR (point per reception) leagues. In 2009 McKnight ran for 1,014 yards and 8 touchdowns for USC. He will likely be drafted in Round 2 or Round 3 in the 2010 NFL Draft and only should be considered in fantasy football dynasty leagues.

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Last Week we broke down seven players that should have the biggest impact in fantasy football as a rookie in 2010. While those seven players (All RB’s & WR’s) are the guys who are most likely to succeed, and we have stated in the past that not many rookies shine in their first year, you still need to be aware of what other young players may be able to help your fantasy football team from the beginning. With that in mind, we bring you the 2nd Tier, guys who may not be the best rookies but players who can certainly help fill out your bench.

1. Jonathan Dwyer, RB, Georgia Tech: It was tough excluding Dwyer among the first tier considering his incredible size and speed at the running back position; however, the rookie running back has too many concerns entering the NFL. The biggest concern with Dwyer is his inability to pick up blocks. Without that, he may have trouble seeing the field to start the year and won’t be utilized much as a 3rd down back unless he learns how to pick up a blitz. He put up good numbers in college in 2009, with 1,395 yards and 14 touchdowns. His intangibles are tough to match though and his poor blocking helps him stick in second round to a team who may need his skill set on the field right away. Teams like the Detroit Lions, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, or Cleveland Browns could all show interest in Dwyer’s services.

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With the 2010 NFL Draft a month away, mock drafts are plentiful. In fact, our good friends at HailRedskins.com have a a database with 171 mock drafts published for the big day. If you took a minute to scan through a few of those drafts, you probably noticed that there are as many as six or seven players mentioned that might go to your favorite team come April. Obviously, only one (or maybe none) will end up being on the team you root for, but part of what makes the 2010 NFL Draft so interesting is the different possibilities that can change your favorite teams future.

In this article, we’ll break down the possibilities that lay ahead for the Jacksonville Jaguars. With that said, let’s get to it.

Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jacksonville Jaguars have the 10th overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft and even experts are struggling to figure out who the Jaguars will select in Round 1. To make matters easier, we will rule out the running back position because Maurice Jones-Drew has a stranglehold on that position and it’s the only true strength in Jacksonville.

Another position in which Jacksonville will probably stay away from in Round 1 is offensive tackle. There might be tons of first round talent at the offensive live position however in 2009 the Jaguars drafted offensive tackle Eugene Monroe out of Virginia in Round 1, and offensive tackle Eben Britton out of Arizona in Round 2. This helped assist a line that had a plethora of issues the year before. 

While experts agree that the Jaguars biggest needs are at the quarterback, wide receiver, linebacker and defensive back positions, experts don’t agree on who will be taken.

ESPN.com draft guru Mel Kiper Jr. believes that the Jags will go with defensive end Derrick Morgan out of Georgia Tech (as of March 11th), while Todd McShay believes that safety Earl Thomas out of Texas will be the pick. In our latest 2010 NFL Mock Draft we hav Jacksonville selecting Thomas but that doesn’t mean it is set and stone. 

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Every NFL fan wants to know who their favorite team is going to take, and mock drafts can provide those fans with hope for the future.  With the 2010 NFL Draft only four weeks away, the Bruno Boys are putting their best foot forward to give you an idea of who will be taken in Round 1. Contrary to the hundreds of mock drafts you will find on the internet, the Bruno Boys truly believe that the top two quarterbacks will be taken within the first six picks.

When figuring out who each NFL team would target in our 2010 NFL Mock Draft we used our Off-season Team Needs series to help determine what position each team needs. From there, we looked at all potential rookies that could fill a void and started mocking the entire draft.  While many fans want the biggest name offensive player, you will notice offensive linemen rule supreme in Round 1. The NFL game today is run by the trenches (offensive and defensive lines), and this year more than most, there are talented lineman (both offensive that warrant being drafted in Round 1 of the NFL Draft.

1. St. Louis Rams — Sam Bradford, QB, Oklahoma

There is no quarterback as accurate and NFL ready as Bradford. If the Rams aren’t concerned about tanking another season they will draft Ndamukong Suh and wait around for Jake Locker (QB - Washington) in 2011. However, we feel that St. Louis realizes the time is now and they take their franchise QB at No.1

2. Detroit Lions — Ndamukong Suh, DT, Nebraska

Suh will make an immediate impact on an already much-improved defensive front seven. His intelligence, athleticism, and work ethic make him a slightly better option than McCoy.

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Part of being a fan of the NFL is studying the upcoming rookie class and trying to find players that can make an impact from the start. As fantasy football players we take it a step further in trying to find that gem from the NFL Draft that will make a immediate impact in on your fantasy squad. After watching the NFL Scouting Combine and loads of video on some of the top offensive players in the 2010 NFL Draft we noticed the talent pool isn’t as deep as years past. The majority of the first round is going to be dominated by NFL ready offensive lineman or skill players on defense that cane make an impact right away. While big names like Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen will be drafted early in the NFL Draft it doesn’t necessarily mean they will be fantasy contributors in 2010. In fact, you will notice that in Part 1 of our four-part series breaking down potential Impact Fantasy Football Rookies the two signal callers didn’t make the grade. Now it’s time to take a look at seven rookies who have the best shot of bringing fantasy football owners to the promise land in 2010.

1. C.J. Spiller, RB, Clemson: He will not be the first offensive skill player to be chosen on draft day, but he will be the first running back taken. Spiller has a ton of raw talent and is an excellent ball catcher out of the backfield. That will be huge in point per reception leagues and it will keep him on the field for more plays than any other back. Spiller ran for 1,212 yards and 12 touchdowns in 2009 for Clemson and also added 36 receptions out of the backfield. On top of that, Spiller will go down as arguably the best return man in college football history and he holds the record for kickoff return touchdowns with seven during his career.  He is a guy who fights for yards after contact and can turn the corner in a flash. The draft projections have Spiller going in the teens, anywhere from 13th to 19th overall. Likely spots for him could be the Seattle Seahawks or the San Francisco 49ers.

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With the 2010 NFL Draft a month and a half away, mock drafts are plentiful. In fact, there are already 139 mock drafts published for the big day. If you took a minute to scan through a few of those drafts, you probably noticed that there are as many as six or seven players mentioned that might go to your favorite team come April. Obviously, only one (or maybe none) will end up being on the team you root for, but part of what makes the 2010 NFL Draft so interesting is the different possibilities that can change your favorite team’s future.

In this article, we’ll break down the possibilities that lay ahead for the Buffalo Bills. With that said, let’s get to it.

Buffalo Bills

::NFL commissioner Roger Goodell walks up to the podium at the 2010 NFL Draft and begins to speak::

With the ninth pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, the Buffalo Bills select…

We know that all these mock draft picks are just guesses at this point; however, the Buffalo Bills are in such a dilemma as to who will be available at their pick in the first round, that it’s hard to even speculate.

If we took the time to identify the Bills problems last year it would take all day, so we’ll give you a quick view at the stone cold fact and get them out of the way. 

On offense, the Bills finished 32nd in the NFL in 3rd down percentage at a whopping 26% (yes, worse than the Cleveland Browns and the Oakland Raiders). 30th in the NFL in yards per game. 29th in the NFL in time of possession. 30th in the NFL in passing yards per game. 28th in the NFL in sacks allowed. Their defense was slightly better, but you get the picture.

With the calculated failures of Trent Edwards and Ryan Fitzpatrick, it seems evident that the Bills should consider targeting a quarterback to rebuild the team (a la Mark Sanchez in ’09, and Joe Flacco and Matt Ryan in ’08). While Buffalo can’t expect that a QB can change their team’s fortunes as quickly as those three quarterbacks previously did, they can hope that the effort of rebuilding and starting with a franchise QB will put them on the right track.

Terrell Owens is as good as gone, Marshawn Lynch has enough problems with the law that he can’t be trusted, and thus their best offensive threat (perhaps remains to be seen, but from a fantasy football perspective) is undrafted running back Fred Jackson. As you can see, the Bills don’t exactly have the keys to success in a fiercely competitive AFC East division.

The top two quarterbacks, Sam Bradford and Jimmy Clausen, could undoubtedly be gone by the 9th pick in this draft. With that in mind, the Bills could be left to stretch for a skill player, or build up their trenches with a young offensive tackle to anchor their line. Six of the top nine teams could use a franchise QB (St. Louis, Washington, Seattle, Cleveland, Oakland and Buffalo), and even though most of them won’t draft one, it doesn’t leave much room for error on the Bills part. They need to take this draft seriously as they move forward from a failed regime of the past half-decade.

Let’s follow through and start looking at their potential options in the upcoming 2010 NFL Draft:

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With the 2010 NFL Draft a month and a half away, mock drafts are plentiful. In fact, there are already 139 mock drafts published for the big day. If you took a minute to scan through a few of those drafts, you probably noticed that there are as many as six or seven players mentioned that might go to your favorite team come April. Obviously, only one (or maybe none) will end up being on the team you root for, but part of what makes the 2010 NFL Draft so interesting is the different possibilities that can change your favorite team’s future.

In this article, we’ll break down the possibilities that lay ahead for the Washington Redskins. With that said, let’s get to it.

Washington Redskins

Similar to the rest of the teams we have looked at in the NFL Draft articles we have posted in the previous month, the Washington Redskins are in desperate need of some big changes. The team has already brought in Mike Shanahan as their Head Coach, and they are now looking to make some serious additions in this off-season, as they look to keep up with the rest of the NFC East.

With the fourth pick overall in the 2010 NFL Draft, the ‘Skins can definitely make a splash by drafting a quarterback in the first round. No offense to Jason Campbell, but he just doesn’t seem the QB to turn this franchise around. Whether it’s Sam Bradford or Jimmy Clausen, going with a QB on Day 1 would give the Redskins a potential franchise QB for years to come.  If they’re not enamored by either of the top two quarterback options or have extreme faith in Campbell, another route the Redskins could go is the offensive tackle position.

Truth be told, the Redskins could go either way on this one. Fortunately, a franchise player should be available to them at either position come their pick (especially with initial mock drafts showing two defensive tackles assuredly going off the board within the first three picks). Whether the ‘skins go with Clausen/Bradford or Okung/Davis (Russell Okung, OT, Oklahoma State/Anthony Davis, OT, Rutgers), they are setting themselves up nicely for the coming years.

But, the question is who marks the biggest improvement to the Washington Redskins for 2010?

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