Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

In a division which features the Dallas Cowboys, Philadelphia Eagles, and New York Giants, it has been the Redskins who have not had much success in the difficult NFC East. Washington came off an 8-8 year in 2008 to only post half of the amount of wins (4) in 2009.

That sent Washington into another offseason wondering what needed to be done. Their offense was not very impressive, although quarterback Jason Campbell threw for 3,618 yards. He only had five more touchdowns to interceptions (20-15) and did not feature any one wide receiver in the offense, as no one was able to reach 1,000 yards. Santana Moss led the receiving game with 70 catches for 902 yards and 3 touchdowns. The passing game was not very effective due to the running game struggling, as Clinton Portis was the Redskins leading rusher with 494 yards and one touchdown.

Injuries did play a big part in why Washington couldn’t get the offense going. Portis missed eight games, his backup Ladell Betts missed six games, and tight end Chris Cooley missed nine games. Add that the defense, despite the Albert Haynesworth addition, did not get much better and you see why the Redskins were one of the worst NFL teams in 2009. One positive from last season was the production from rookie defensive end Brian Orakpo from Texas, who registered 11 sacks and 50 tackles.

Now Washington will go back to the drawing board for 2010. With the players currently on the team and the money in owner Daniel Snyder’s wallet, the Redskins clear goal was to try and load up instead of rebuilding. It has been an offseason of change which includes a new head coach (Mike Shanahan) and a new general manager (Bruce Allen). As for the players, well, the roster seen a shake up too.

KEY ADDITIONS

Donovan McNabb (QB) – Anytime a new head coach joins a struggling team, a quarterback change is all but certain. Interesting where the Redskins went to get their man in a division foe. Donovan McNabb, formerly of the Philadelphia Eagles, will bring his veteran leadership to a team who desperately needs a signal caller who can make a big difference. McNabb is obviously on the tail end of his career and has had injury issues in the past. While missing 2 games last season, McNabb threw for 3,553 yards and 22 touchdowns with only 10 interceptions. The question remains how well McNabb will perform with Washington considering the weapons aren’t as dangerous as they were in Philadelphia. A slight set back may occur in McNabb’s numbers, but he will feel he has a lot to prove after being shipped away by his old team. As for the supporting cast for the Redskins, everyone’s value certainly goes up with the arrival of the new quarterback.

Larry Johnson (RB) – Could this be the second coming for Larry Johnson? After being released by the Kansas City Chiefs last season, Johnson played inspired when given the opportunity by the Cincinnati Bengals. With Clinton Portis dealing with concussions last year (and tough to overcome) plus Ladell Betts no longer being with the team, Johnson could become fantasy relevant once again. Add that Mike Shanahan (who has had a ton of success running the football when he coached for the Denver Broncos) is leading the Redskins and it isn’t out of the realm of possibility that Johnson could have success. However, competition was added when Willie Parker of the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ryan Torain  signed with Washington as well. This forces Johnson to not only compete with Portis; however, will also have to fight off Parker and Torain to see significant. That may be a lot to ask, but Johnson could be someone you want to keep in mind and possibly stash away.

Willie Parker (RB) – It’s not that the former Steelers running back was a bad player, but he simply could not stay on the field due to health issues. If Parker can get back to full strength and perform at a high level like he has shown in previous seasons, the Redskins may be forced to get him on the field even if Portis, and Johnson, are healthy.

Vonnie Holliday (DE) – The Redskins signed Holliday to a free-agent contract in the middle of May and the 12-year veteran is expected to make an immediate impact in Washington. At 34, Holliday isn’t young for football standards; however, he has a high functioning motor and does an excellent job of stopping the run. Also, Holliday has 60 career sacks and his five sacks in 2009 were his highest total since 2006. He is a good fit for Washington’s defensive scheme and is expected to excel in his first season with the Redskins.

 

KEY DEPARTURES

Jason Campbell (QB) – Let’s make it plain and simple, the guy never really got a fair shake in Washington. Although he was never a highly touted quarterback, Campbell simply never had the stability other signal callers get in terms of having a consistent offensive coordinator. With the different coordinator almost every season, Campbell was never able to develop in a system that fit his needs. Add that the playmakers surrounding Campbell weren’t the greatest and it’s no surprise he struggled at times. Last season he threw for 3,618 yards and 20 touchdowns for the Redskins and has over 10,000 yards and 55 touchdowns in his four year career. Campbell will be taking those numbers to the Oakland Raiders, a team that hasn’t had a quarterback throw for 3,000 yards since Kerry Collins in 2005.

Antwaan Randle El (WR) – Randle El is a classic example of the mistakes owner Daniel Snyder makes in free agency. While the former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver was a good player with speed, he was never anything more than a number three wide receiver. Randle El made some big plays for the Steelers in winning Super Bowl XL and all of a sudden he gets the big contract from Washington and Snyder. His numbers never matched what they were expecting in a number two wide receiver, including his 50 catches for 530 yards and no touchdowns in 2009. Now Randle El will go back to Pittsburgh, where his role will be similar to that of five years ago.

Cornelius Griffin (DT) – When Shanahan took over as the head coach in Washington he immediately cleaned house. Griffin was one of the veterans that was given his pink slip, ending his six year tenure with the team. Griffin started 85 games with Redskins and in 2009 he was named co-captain of the defense. While the 10-year pro might have lost a step or two on the field, Griffin provided the Redskins with veteran leadership. He has yet to sign with a new team for the 2010 season.

ROOKIE TO WATCH

Trent Williams (OT) – After trading away their second round pick to acquire quarterback Donovan McNabb, the team knew it needed to protect its gunslinger if they wanted to keep him around for more than one season. That’s why they chose Williams, a quick and powerful offensive tackle that can protect McNabb’s blindside and open up huge running lanes. The only real concern is his work ethic, which came into question at Oklahoma. If Washington can keep Williams focused on football and get the most out of him, the offense will be degrees better without having to add a flashy skill position player.

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BRUNO BOYS SPOTLIGHT

Clinton Portis (RB) – If we seen the addition of head coach Mike Shanahan after a typical Portis season, fantasy onlookers would be going nuts at what could be a great 2010 campaign (he did rush for 3,099 yards and 29 touchdowns in his 2 seasons under Shanahan in Denver). But after missing eight games and only rushing for 494 yards and one touchdown, the skepticism is warranted. Especially given the fact that those eight games missed were due to a concussion, an injury that players sometimes can never come back from. The question is how much do you want to gamble on the 29-year-old running back. There is not a clear-cut answer as to what will happen, but as seen in the past, Shanahan will go with the hot hand. Since Portis is the current starter, as long as he stays healthy, there is the possibility for big numbers in 2010. 

Chris Cooley (TE) – Cooley represents another player who missed a lot of time due to injury. The tight end broke his ankle last season, causing him to miss nine games. While Cooley should rebound from the injury, his problem could be the number of passes thrown his way. He was the main tight end for the Redskins, but when he went down Fred Davis began to shine. His 48 catches for 509 yards and six touchdowns mostly came in the 10 games filling in for Cooley, making you wonder what Washington will decide to do with their tight ends. What we do know is that quarterback Donovan McNabb loves throwing to his tight ends. That means added targets for both players and Washington offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has already started to design plays to have both TEs on the field at the same time. Don’t be surprised if Cooley get’s back to his old self and produces 60+ catches.

Devin Thomas (WR) – The second wide receiver out of Michigan State, taken with the 34th overall selection in the 2008 NFL Draft, has yet to establish himself as a good NFL wide receiver. In his first two pro seasons he has totaled 40 catches for 445 yards and three touchdowns. With little to hang your hat on, you got to wonder why anyone would even consider targeting Thomas. Well the addition of quarterback McNabb certainly helps, as the team could look to throw more often. The release of Antwaan Randle-El also helps, freeing up a starting position opposite Santana Moss. Plus Thomas did show some potential in the Redskins overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints last season, catching seven passes for 100 yards and two touchdowns. The ability is there, the question is how much will Washington throw the ball and will Thomas take advantage of the opportunities that will be handed his way. It’s certainly worth finding out with a selection late in your fantasy football drafts.

2010 TEAM PREVIEWS

NFC WEST:  ARI  |  STL  |  SF  |  SEA

NFC SOUTH:  ATL  |  CAR  |  NO  |  TB

NFC NORTH:  CHI  |  DET  |  GB  |  MIN

NFC EAST:    DAL  |  NYG  |  PHI  |  WAS

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Also, don’t forget to head over to our Fantasy Football Message Board and sign-up for a FORUM account. By doing so you will be able to talk fantasy football all season long.

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GET YOUR COMMISH KIT DRAFT BOARD NOW

The Bruno Boys have once again teamed up with Commish Kit to sell fantasy football draft boards. The 2010 draft boards are available for purchase and you can pick one up here… DRAFT BOARDS

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Also, don’t forget to head over to our Fantasy Football Message Board and sign-up for a FORUM account. By doing so you will be able to talk fantasy football all season long.