Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

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

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF DECEMBER 10 2011::

For many fantasy owners, Week 13 in the NFL played a lot like Any Given Scrubday. In the most crucial week of regular season action for most leagues, the scrubs rose up against the stars, and the quarterback position was no exception.

While they accumulated their points very differently, Cam Newton and Aaron Rodgers set the pace as they continued to rewrite the record books. Around the league, Drew Brees and Eli Manning maintained their banner campaigns, but who expected Alex Smith to keep pace with Tom Brady? In other super-scrub action, Christian Ponder put on the big boy helmet and flirted with 400 passing yard, while Dan Orolovsky showed us just how bad the Patriots’ secondary really is.

Surely this craziness was a mirage, right? Find out in our Fantasy Football Week 14 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

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

What’s left to say about Aaron Rodgers? He’s averaging over 320 passing yards per contest this season, and he’s thrown for at least three touchdown passes in six of his last seven. He’s coming off arguably his most impressive performance of the season, throwing for 369 yards, rushing for another 32, and posting four touchdown passes in a nail-biting win over the Giants. Oakland’s No. 27 fantasy pass defense has surrendered multiple scores to five straight signal callers, including Christian Ponder, Caleb Hanie and Matt Moore in their past three weeks. Enjoy.
Point Projection: 25 points

2. Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) vs. Minnesota

Thankfully, it appears that Matthew Stafford’s finger issues have finally been put to rest. Sunday night against the Saints he completed 31-of-44 passes for 408 yards, one touchdown and one interception. While frustrating penalties surely cost him an even better evening, his encouraging performance couldn’t have come at a better time for fantasy owners. Minnesota ranks No. 30 against opposing quarterbacks, but they are without question the worst secondary in the league, as Tim Tebow proved Sunday. A below-average unit to begin with, the Vikings are now without their best five defensive backs (most notably, Antoine Winfield). At this point, Minnesota’s secondary would struggle in the Big 10, so Stafford’s in line for a monster effort.
Point Projection: 23 points

3. Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers) vs. Atlanta

Cam Newton has made a habit of turning professional stadiums into his own backyard sandlot. Last week he threw for 201 yards and a touchdown, and ran for 54 yards and his 11th, 12th, and NFL-record 13th touchdowns of the season. Then he chipped in a 27-yard reception on a throwback screen, just for good measure. At this point the rookie is an automatic start, and he should fare well this week against Atlanta. The Falcons are a middling fantasy pass defense, and they’ll be without their best cornerback, Brent Grimes. It’s Cam’s time to shine.
Point Projection: 22 points

4. Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints) @ Tennessee

In the Saints’ past three games, Drew Brees has totaled ten touchdowns and averaged 342 passing yards on 68 percent passing. He’s locked in. Unconscious. In the zone. Now on pace for 5,375 passing yards, Brees is in position to obliterate Dan Marino’s record (5,084). Tennessee is a slightly above average fantasy pass defense, but they haven’t faced a passing attack or a quarterback of Brees’ caliber all season.
Point Projection: 21 points

5. Tom Brady (New England Patriots) @ Washington

We all expected Tom Brady to go bananas against the Colts Sunday, but nothing is promised in fantasy football. While Brady threw for an acceptable 289 yards and two touchdowns, he had a third touchdown to Rob Gronkowski later ruled a lateral, and his numbers suffered when the Patriots put it in cruise control after sprinting to a 31-3 lead. Although Washington is a top-ten fantasy pass defense, you’re obviously never benching Brady, especially in the fantasy playoffs.
Point Projection: 21 points

6. Eli Manning (New York Giants) @ Dallas

After totaling a ridiculous 753 yards and five touchdowns in his last two games, Eli Manning now ranks inside the NFL’s top five in both touchdown passes and yardage. He’s on pace for 4,940 yards, which would crush Peyton’s career best of 4,700. While Dallas’ respectable secondary should provide more resistance than the Saints and Packers have in Giants’ last two games, Manning remains a must-start. In his last four meetings with Dallas, he’s totaled 10 touchdowns and averaged 313 yards, so keep riding Eli into the playoffs.
Point Projection: 19 points

7. Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys) vs. New York Giants

Tony Romo hasn’t hit 300 yards in seven straight games, but he’s averaged two touchdowns per contest and has been intercepted just three times in that same seven-game span. In short, he’s been consistently good, not great, for about two months. After giving up 772 total yards and nine touchdowns to Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers in the past two weeks, the Giants find themselves a bottom-five fantasy pass defense. In his last meeting with New York, Romo broke his clavicle, and we like his chances of exacting his revenge against a reeling secondary.
Point Projection: 19 points

8. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) vs. Buffalo

For most of owners, Philip Rivers’ big Monday Night performance was likely too little too late. Rivers completed 22-of-28 passes for 294 yards and three scores against Jacksonville before the Chargers took their foot off the pedal early in the second half. A historically strong finisher, he could pay big dividends this week for owners who’ve been able to weather the storm. Buffalo’s bottom-ten fantasy pass defense has been giving up points in bunches over the last month, so things are suddenly looking up for Rivers and his owners.
Point Projection: 18 points

9. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) @ Carolina

Matt Ryan was riding a four-game hot streak into last week, but we used this space to advise against using him in a dire matchup against the Texans. The matchup held true—Ryan completed just 20-of-47 passes (43 percent) for 267 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He’ll look to get back on track this week in a neutral matchup against Carolina. While Ryan threw for just 163 yards and one score in the first meeting, he’s been a completely different quarterback since the Falcons’ Week 8 bye. Expect a bounce back performance in Week 14.
Point Projection: 17 points

10. Michael Vick (Philadelphia Eagles) @ Miami

It looks like Michael Vick (ribs) is on track to return to the starting lineup after a three-week absence. Unfortunately, he’ll likely be less than 100%, rusty, and he was riding a two-game cold streak into the injury. Miami ranks inside the top third of the league against opposing signal callers, and the Eagles have completely imploded, so there’s a lot of risk here. Still, we’re all well aware of Vick’s astronomical upside, so he certainly warrants starting consideration if active. He’s an ideal play for the massive underdog who needs to swing for the fences.
Point Projection: 16 points

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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 $5,600 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 14 $350 Contest  (click to register)

11. Tim Tebow (Denver Broncos) vs. Chicago

If If only for a week, Tim Tebow was a passer and not a runner. He rushed four times for 13 yards, which were both season lows by a wide margin. Conversely, he put up a season-best 202 passing yards and two scores, easily exploiting the 15-yard caverns in the Vikings’ Cover 2. Chicago is a middle-of-the-road fantasy pass defense, and it’s comforting to know that Tebow is capable of picking up points through the air when it’s not there on the ground. Feel free to start him if you usually would, and as always, don’t watch until the 58th minute.
Point Projection: 15 points

12. Carson Palmer (Oakland Raiders) @ Green Bay

Last week Carson Palmer made ample use of garbage time, throwing for 273 yards, two touchdowns and one interception in a blowout loss to the Dolphins. We could see a very similar situation this week in Lambeau. The blowout loss is imminent, and the Packers No. 31 fantasy pass defense has played soft with big leads all season. Only the Vikings have surrendered more touchdowns than the 22 given up by the Packers. However, Green Bay also leads the league with 23 interceptions. You’ll have to take the good with the bad this week, but by sheer volume, Palmer should accumulate useful fantasy numbers.
Point Projection: 14 points

13. Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) vs. Cleveland

Been Roethlisberger is in the midst of an underwhelming four-game stretch, and it couldn’t be coming at a worse time for fantasy owners. In his last four games, he’s totaled just five touchdown passes, and averaged a paltry 236 yards. As if that weren’t bad enough, he draws a Week 14 matchup with the Cleveland’s No. 1 fantasy pass defense. Are you sitting down? The Browns have surrendered just three touchdown passes in their last eight games, while playing matador run defense. Considering Cleveland’s dominance and Big Ben’s swoon, you’ll want to look elsewhere this week.
Point Projection: 14 points

14. Rex Grossman (Washington Redskins) vs. New England

After back-to-back solid showings, Rex Grossman showed his true colors against the Jets. Grossman completed just 19-of-46 passes (41 percent) for 221 yards and one interception in the Redskins’ loss. However, New England’s No. 32 fantasy pass defense has been making fantasy stars out of lousy quarterbacks all season. Case in point: last week career backup Dan Orlovsky looked like Peyton Manning, completing 30-of-37 passes for 353 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. It’s not about trusting Rex to succeed this week, it’s about trusting the Patriots’ secondary to fail.
Point Projection: 14 points

15. Alex Smith (San Francisco 49ers) @ Arizona

In his past three outings, Alex Smith has bookended a Thanksgiving clunker in Baltimore with efforts of over 265 passing yards and two touchdowns. While he appears to be stretching his ceiling just in time for the fantasy playoffs, he gets a sneaky-tough matchup with Arizona in Week 14. After a horrendous start, the Cardinals have put the clamps down, allowing just one multiple-touchdown effort from opposing signal callers in their last six games. That lone two-touchdown effort happened to come from Alex Smith, who also threw for 267 yards in the 49ers’ Week 11 victory. Smith is a viable option in two-quarterback leagues this week.
Point Projection: 14 points

16. Ryan Fitzpatrick (Buffalo Bills) @ San Diego

Coming off his fantasy rebirth, in which he torched the Jets for 298 total yards and three touchdowns, Ryan Fitzpatrick underwhelmed against the Titans. He chucked it a whopping 46 times, but managed just 29 completions for 288 yards and one touchdown. Not horrible, by any means, but highly inefficient considering the volume of attempts. He’ll look to step it up a notch when he makes the cross-country trip to San Diego, to face the Chargers’ below-average fantasy pass defense. However, with just one multiple-touchdown effort in his last five games, you should be able to do better in Week 14.
Point Projection: 13 points