Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

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

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF NOVEMBER 19, 2011::

Flukes and follies were the story of the weekend for NFL signal callers. Tim Tebow’s string of completion-less quarterbacking reached four full quarters, yet he once again delivered a Denver victory and solid fantasy production. Matthew Stafford threw two touchdown passes to Chicago defenders, and then ignited a brawl. Rex Grossman resurfaced in Miami and threw one less touchdown pass than Ray Rice, who was auditioning for our Week 11 Quarterback Rankings in Seattle. Rice missed the cut, but serious injuries to Matt Schaub and Matt Cassel opened the door for Matt Leinart and Tyler Palko to join our 32-man fraternity. Finally, as if Arizona’s acquisition of Kevin Kolb didn’t already look bad enough, John Skelton went for 300-and-three in an impressive upset in Philadelphia.

Fortunately, there was a bit of normalcy to be found amidst the oddities. Tom Brady, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers got their numbers, and Tony Romo and Matt Ryan continued to trend in the right direction. Conversely, the recent downward spirals of Michael Vick and Ryan Fitzpatrick are now spinning completely out of control.

After a one-week hiatus the bye weeks are back, eliminating four signal callers from our Fantasy Football Week 11 Quarterback Rankings. Let’s break down the remaining 28 and begin the playoff push!

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

**BEAT THE BRUNO BOYS $350 WEEK 11 FREE CONTEST - TOP 20 PAID** 

We’ve partnered with DraftStreet.com to provide our fans an opportunity to play WEEKLY salary cap fantasy football against the Bruno Boys Staff.  Through the first nine weeks of the NFL season we have given away over $4,000 in cash prizes. This week, we are offering a $350 free roll in which the TOP 20 win prize money. Make sure to sign-up now for a chance to win money and take on the Bruno Boys… IT’S FREE!!

Please use this link to enter:  Week 11 $350 Contest  (click to register)

1. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) vs. Tampa Bay

Aaron Rodgers is in the midst of what might be the greatest season in NFL history, regardless of position. He’s on pace to rewrite the quarterbacking record book from cover to cover, and he’s taking fantasy owners along for the ride. Through nine games, he’s accounted for 30 touchdowns (28 passing, two rushing) against just three interceptions. Moreover, he’s completing nearly 73 percent of his passes for 319 yards per game, and he’s adding over 16 yards per contest on the ground. Not that it actually matters, but Tampa Bay ranks in the bottom third of the league in defending opposing fantasy quarterbacks. Enjoy.
Point Projection: 28 points

2. Tom Brady (New England Patriots) vs. Kansas City

There were a lot of trends working against Tom Brady into the Sunday night showdown with the Jets. Brady had cooled significantly from his scorching start, and he was entering hostile territory against the league’s premiere pass defense. Let this be a lesson: Never bench Tom Brady. The Jets were no match for Brady, who rolled up 319 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions in the Patriots’ 37-16 blowout victory. The big numbers will be much easier to come by this week at home against a middling Kansas City pass defense.
Point Projection: 23 points

3. Eli Manning (New York Giants) vs. Philadelphia

There’s a large segment of the fantasy community that’s waiting for Eli Manning to fall on his face. Keep waiting. Although the Giants came up short in San Francisco, Manning continued to post fantasy QB1 numbers with 311 yards, two touchdowns and two interceptions. Manning’s averaging 299 yards per contest, and he’s connected on multiple touchdowns in seven of his last eight games. Philadelphia’s ballyhooed secondary ranks near the middle of the pack against opposing quarterbacks, and they just surrendered 315 yards and three touchdowns to John Skelton (apparently he’s a quarterback for the Arizona Cardinals). Manning went for 254 yards and four touchdowns in the teams’ first meeting, so there’s no reason to shy away from this matchup.
Point Projection: 19 points

4. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Tennessee

It’s been a frustrating road for fantasy owners who overdrafted Matt Ryan, but he’s finally producing some return on investment. In the past two weeks, Ryan’s totaled 626 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions. He’s accounted for multiple touchdowns in four straight, and he has a fair chance to continue his success at home against Tennessee. The Titans have been an extremely enigmatic pass defense. Last week they shut out Cam Newton, but the previous week they surrendered three scores to Andy Dalton. They’ve allowed just one 300-yard passing performance all season, yet they’ve given up a five-touchdown effort to Ben Roethlisberger. While we don’t know which Tennessee defense will show up, Ryan looks like he’s turning the corner.
Point Projection: 18 points

5. Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys) @ Washington

Tony Romo didn’t need Miles Austin to embarrass the Bills Sunday. Romo connected on 23-of-26 passes for 270 yards and three touchdowns (two of which went to Austin’s super-sub, Laurent Robinson. He’s cut back on the frustrating mistakes, totaling eight touchdowns and just one interception over the Cowboys’ last four games. Washington’s solid pass defense has surrendered just two multiple-touchdown efforts this season, and Romo posted a scoreless 255 yards and one interception against them in Dallas’ Week 3 loss. Still, the streaky Romo has been hot, so don’t shy away from him here.
Point Projection: 18 points

6. Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers) @ Detroit

Last week against the Titans, Cam Newton failed to record a touchdown for the first time in his NFL career. He completed 23-of-40 passes for 212 yards, and bounced an interception off of Legedu Naanee’s chest. His only saving grace was 55 rushing yards, and he’s now run for at least 47 yards in four consecutive games. Detroit’s surprisingly strong pass defense has only allowed one quarterback to throw for multiple scores this season, and only one quarterback has topped 257 yards. Although, this isn’t the fantasy friendly matchup it used to be, Newton’s proven enough throughout the course of the season to be issued a free pass for last week. Owners should stick with their stud on the fast track of Ford Field.
Point Projection: 17 points

7. Carson Palmer (Oakland Raiders) @ Minnesota

Things are really starting to click for Carson Palmer in Oakland. Last Thursday in San Diego he completed an efficient 14-of-20 passes for 299 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He’s now connected on five touchdown passes in his two starts, and his fresh arm looks stronger than it has in years. Minnesota’s No. 31 fantasy pass defense has struggled against opposing signal callers all season, and Monday night they may have lost top defensive back Antoine Winfield (clavicle) for the season. Minnesota has surrendered multiple touchdown passes in four straight games, and Palmer’s proven to be a worthy option for fantasy owners employing a quarterback-by-committee approach.
Point Projection: 17 points

8. Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) vs. Carolina

Matthew Stafford had a forgettable day in Chicago Sunday. He fought gusting winds to complete just 33-of-63 passes for 329 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions in the lopsided defeat. We found out later that Stafford played the game with a fractured index finger on his throwing hand, which certainly could have contributed to his first multiple-interception game in his last 12 starts. Clearly, this injury will need to be monitored closely. Carolina boasts a top-ten fantasy pass defense, and opposing signal callers have thrown exactly one touchdown in four consecutive games. With all things considered, Stafford’s must-start status should be called into question this week. 
Point Projection: 16 points

9. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) @ Chicago

Philip Rivers has been intercepted eight times during San Diego’s current four-game losing streak. Fortunately, he’s finally countering his mistakes—he’s averaged 343 passing yards in his last three games, and he’s thrown six touchdown passes in his last two. Chicago’s pass defense started the season poorly, thanks to an imposing slate of opposing signal callers that included Matt Ryan, Aaron Rodgers, Drew Brees, Cam Newton and Matthew Stafford. However, over their past four games they’ve surrendered just three touchdowns, and they’ve collected a whopping nine interceptions in their last three. You’ll have to take the bad with the good from Rivers in Chicago.
Point Projection: 15 points

10. Tim Tebow (Denver Broncos) vs. New York Jets    **THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL**

Tim Tebow is not a passer. Nor is he a game manager. So what exactly is he? Unwatchable but iconic. A winner but a punch line. Less than a god but more than a man. For fantasy purposes, Tebow’s essentially a QB2 with his arm and an RB2 with his legs, which is resulting in QB1 production. Last week against the Chiefs he completed just two-of-eight passes. One of them went for a 56-yard touchdown. He also scored a rushing touchdown, and he’s averaging 71 rushing yards in his four starts. Although the Jets are the top-ranked fantasy pass defense, they rank in the bottom ten against opposing running backs. Because of his legs, this matchup isn’t nearly as daunting for Tebow as it is for typical quarterbacks.
Point Projection: 14 points

**BEAT THE BRUNO BOYS $350 WEEK 11 FREE CONTEST - TOP 20 PAID** 

We’ve partnered with DraftStreet.com to provide our fans an opportunity to play WEEKLY salary cap fantasy football against the Bruno Boys Staff.  Through the first nine weeks of the NFL season we have given away over $4,000 in cash prizes. This week, we are offering a $350 free roll in which the TOP 20 win prize money. Make sure to sign-up now for a chance to win money and take on the Bruno Boys… IT’S FREE!!

Please use this link to enter:  Week 11 $350 Contest  (click to register)

11. Mark Sanchez (New York Jets) @ Denver    **THURSDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL**

It was a wobbly game for Mark Sanchez against the Patriots, but at the end of the day, fantasy owners couldn’t complain. He completed 20-of-39 passes for 306 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions, and added 11 yards and another score on the ground. He’s now accounted for multiple touchdowns in four of his last five contests, and he should make it five-of-six this week in Denver. The Broncos have allowed a league-worst 22 touchdowns to the quarterback position, and two of the last three opposing signal callers have thrown for three scores.
Point Projection: 14 points

12. Jay Cutler (Chicago Bears) vs. San Diego

With the Bears D/ST making three trips to the endzone against Detroit, Jay Cutler was essentially given the day off. He completed nine-of-19 passes for 123 scoreless yards, and in his past six games, he’s thrown multiple touchdowns just twice and he hasn’t topped 267 passing yards. He gets a San Diego defense that’s been giving up points to opposing signal callers in bunches over the past month. They’ve surrendered 10 touchdown passes in the last four games, so Cutler figures to be much more involved this week. Despite his recent scoring drought, he’s a viable bye week option.
Point Projection: 14 points

13. Matt Hasselbeck (Tennessee Titans) @ Atlanta

Matt Hasselbeck has been a pleasantly solid fantasy QB2. He’s thrown at least one touchdown pass in every game this season, and his 219 passing yards against Carolina marked his second lowest output of the season. Hasselbeck threw an interception last week for the first time in three games, but he erased the two-point penalty with a 21-yard scamper. Atlanta’s ordinary pass defense just surrendered 322 yards and two touchdowns to Drew Brees, so Hasselbeck remains a safe option with modest upside.
Point Projection: 14 points

14. Alex Smith (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Arizona

Prototypical game manager Alex Smith has led the San Francisco 49ers to an improbable 8-1 record while remaining largely irrelevant for fantasy purposes. In a passing league, Smith has topped 250 yards just once in nine games, and he’s only managed multiple touchdowns three times. While his ceiling is extremely low, he’s notched at least one touchdown in eight-of-nine games, so we can pretty much set our watch to 200 yards and one touchdown without much wiggle room in either direction. Arizona’s once-putrid pass defense has made great strides in the last month. The Cardinals have held four of the last five opposing signal callers without a touchdown pass, however Smith has a nice track record against Arizona and seems to be dialing up all of te right calls right now. If you are in a pinch, Smith should provide a solid showing in two quarterback leagues this week.
Point Projection: 14 points