Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

—Written by Brad Berreman
—Edited by Marc Caviglia
—Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF FEBRUARY 2, 2012::

We have to wait until the calendar turns to February for more NFL football, not counting the Pro Bowl of course, and two of the best offenses and quarterbacks in the league will be on display with the New England Patriots and New York Giants play each other in the Super Bowl for the second time in recent years.

Since it looks likely to be a high-scoring affair at Lucas Oil Stadium, neither one of the defenses has a lot of appeal to fantasy owners looking to secure a victory in their playoff leagues.

Before we get going with our rankings for the Conference Championship games, here is a refresher on how to use our “Bruno Boys Star System” for ranking team defenses.

BRUNO BOYS DEFENSIVE STAR SYSTEM

5-Stars (*****)- Bruno Boys Top Plays of the Week
4-Stars (****)- Bruno Boys Very Solid Plays of the Week
3-Stars (*** - Bruno Boys Average Plays of the Week
2-Stars (**)- Bruno Boys Try To Avoid Playing This Week
1-Star (*)- Bruno Boys Do Not Start Unless You Have To

Full story

- Written by Kyle Smith
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF FEBRUARY 2, 2012::

The Super Bowl features one of the best fantasy kickers (at least during the regular season) in New England’s Stephen Gostkowski, against one of the worst in New York’s Lawrence Tynes. Each has been fairly successful in the postseason however, with Gostkowski averaging 10 fantasy points per game and Tynes averaging 8.3. We anticipate both kickers getting past those numbers in the Super Bowl, so let’s take a look at our two-man rankings.

Standard Scoring

17-39 Yard Field Goal: 3 points  |  40-49 Yard Field Goal: 4 points
50-plus Yard Field Goal: 5 points  |  Extra Point: 1 point

Full story

- Written by Kyle Smith
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 2012::

The Super Bowl match-up will feature a pair of outstanding tight ends for the Patriots with Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Anybody who played fantasy football this season is entirely familiar with the duo, but that doesn’t mean that New York’s tight end, Jake Ballard, should be discounted either. While he hasn’t done a whole lot this postseason, that doesn’t mean he won’t be a factor in the Super Bowl. We’ll explain as we get into the tight end rankings for the biggest sporting event of the year.

Standard Scoring

Pass TD: 4 points |  All Other TDs: 6 points
25 Passing Yards: 1 point |  All Turnovers: -2 points
10 Rushing Yards: 1 point |  10 Receiving Yards: 1 point

Full story

- Written by Ryan Czopek
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF FEBRUARY 1, 2012::

It all comes down to this. The dust has cleared and the New York Giants and New England Patriots will play for the game’s ultimate prize. Football fans couldn’t ask for a better game with so many intriguing storylines. Will Tom Brady join Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw by winning his fourth Super Bowl title? If Eli Manning wins his second Super Bowl title will he be widely recognized as the better Manning? Is Tom Coughlin automatically a Hall of Fame coach if he wins his second Super Bowl? Whatever happens, the contest has all the makings of an instant classic.
It’s no secret that both the New York Giants and New England Patriots have bad pass defenses. It’s entirely possible that a receiver on either team could end up being the seventh receiver in NFL history to win the Super Bowl MVP award. Deion Branch has a chance to be the only wide receiver in NFL history to have two MVP awards. Who has the best chance to win the award? Check out our Super Bowl wide receiver rankings below to find out.

Standard Scoring

Pass TD: 4 points |  All Other TDs: 6 points
25 Passing Yards: 1 point |  All Turnovers: -2 points
10 Rushing Yards: 1 point |  10 Receiving Yards: 1 point

Full story

- Written by Rich Arleo
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF JANUARY 31, 2012::

Well here we are. After 17 weeks of regular season football and three weeks of the playoffs, we are all set for the Super Bowl. Fans will be treated to a Super Bowl XLII rematch between the New York Giants and New England Patriots. There are just six running backs left to rank, and here they are in order in the Bruno Boys Super Bowl Running Back Rankings.

Standard Scoring

Pass TD: 4 points |  All Other TDs: 6 points
25 Passing Yards: 1 point |  All Turnovers: -2 points
10 Rushing Yards: 1 point |  10 Receiving Yards: 1 point

Full story

- Written by Ryan Boser
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF JANUARY 31, 2012::

It’s Beantown versus the Big Apple in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII, and one thing’s for certain: we can expect more than 31 total points this time around. Let’s break down the sequel in our Super Bowl Quarterback Rankings!

Standard Scoring

Pass TD: 4 points |  All Other TDs: 6 points
25 Passing Yards: 1 point |  All Turnovers: -2 points
10 Rushing Yards: 1 point |  10 Receiving Yards: 1 point

Full story

—Written by Brad Berreman
—Edited by Marc Caviglia
—Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF JANUARY 21, 2012::

Even in today’s quarterback-driven NFL, defense still seems to be an important factor in winning championships. Fantasy football owners have two of the top three defenses in ESPN leagues from the regular season (San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens) available this week, and two more (New York Giants, New England Patriots) that have looked good thus far in the playoffs.

Before we get going with our rankings for the Conference Championship games, here is a refresher on how to use our “Bruno Boys Star System” for ranking team defenses.

BRUNO BOYS DEFENSIVE STAR SYSTEM

5-Stars (*****)- Bruno Boys Top Plays of the Week
4-Stars (****)- Bruno Boys Very Solid Plays of the Week
3-Stars (*** - Bruno Boys Average Plays of the Week
2-Stars (**)- Bruno Boys Try To Avoid Playing This Week
1-Star (*)- Bruno Boys Do Not Start Unless You Have To

Full story

- Written by Kyle Smith
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF JANUARY 20, 2012::

The four kickers remaining for fantasy owners to choose from each had good games in the divisional round of the playoffs. They went a combined 9-for-10 in field goal tries, with the lone miss coming from a blocked Lawrence Tynes attempt. It helped that seven of the kicks were from inside 40 yards, though that did cost fantasy owners a few points. We should see kickers have an impact again this week, so let’s take a look at what’s in store.

Standard Scoring

17-39 Yard Field Goal: 3 points  |  40-49 Yard Field Goal: 4 points
50-plus Yard Field Goal: 5 points  |  Extra Point: 1 point

Full story

- Written by Kyle Smith
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF JANUARY 11, 2012::

Forty targets, 28 receptions, 497 yards, eight touchdowns (oh, and 61 rushing yards to boot) – those were the cumulative totals at the tight end position. On Saturday. In the first two games of the divisional playoffs. Granted, things got a lot less fruitful at the position during the Sunday games, but it was still an outstanding week at the tight end position for fantasy owners. It will be nearly impossible for the tight ends to replicate that type of performance in the conference championship games, but there are still plenty of fantasy points to be had. Let’s take a look at how things will mete out this week.

Standard Scoring

Pass TD: 4 points |  All Other TDs: 6 points
25 Passing Yards: 1 point |  All Turnovers: -2 points
10 Rushing Yards: 1 point |  10 Receiving Yards: 1 point

Full story

- Written by Ryan Czopek
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF JANUARY 18, 2012::

It was an exciting Division Championship weekend and we are now down to the final four. There is no more Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees, but Tom Brady and Eli Manning are still standing. The games haven’t been played yet and already several possible scenarios and questions come to mind. Will Tom Brady avenge his Super Bowl loss to the New York Giants? How many times will NBC show Jack and Jackie Harbaugh and how popular will the drinking game be? Can the San Francisco 49ers defense slow down the New England Patriots’ offense? Will the Network suits at NBC do a spit take once they realize the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens are in the Super Bowl again? Whatever the results maybe, it should be another exciting weekend for football fans nonetheless.

Standard Scoring

Pass TD: 4 points |  All Other TDs: 6 points
25 Passing Yards: 1 point |  All Turnovers: -2 points
10 Rushing Yards: 1 point |  10 Receiving Yards: 1 point

Full story