Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

- Written by Cory Steger
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

WEEK 11 RANKINGS  QB  |  RB  |  WR  |  TE  |  K  |  DEF

One of the best parts of Week 11 is that it represents the final bye week of the season. Next week we’ll be at full strength. This week there is not a lot of surprise in the rankings. You’re going to see the elite players near the top, the average ones in the middle and the poor ones at the bottom. However, injuries to Jay Cutler, Alex Smith and Michael Vick have thrown a wrench into things. None of the three were terrific fantasy options but they all had their own strengths. Cutler was playing well recently, Smith is good at minimizing turnovers and Vick’s big-play ability is always a threat.

To check on the status of those three, as well as the rest of the players, check out our Week 11 Quarterback Rankings.

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF NOVEMBER 13, 2012::

1. Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers) @ Detroit

We can only hope that last week’s bye week didn’t all the momentum Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers had. In the six games before the bye Rodgers had 22 passing touchdowns. It’s unlikely the bye week will do anything to slow Rodgers considering his opponent this week, the Detroit Lions. Rodgers has played exceptionally well against Detroit in his lifetime, having thrown 16 touchdowns against just four interceptions in seven games. The Lions have given up multiple touchdown passes in three of their last four games and will add a fourth game to that list this week. Expect big things from Rodgers.
Point Projection: 23 points

2. Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints) @ Oakland

It is crazy to think that after a 1-4 start and with all the suspensions resulting from Bountygate that the New Orleans Saints find themselves with a chance to get back into the playoffs. A lot of credit goes to quarterback Drew Brees, who has six games with three or more touchdown passes, and eight multiple touchdown games this season. Expect more of those kind of numbers this week against the Oakland Raiders. Oakland’s giving up 17.2 fantasy points per game and there’s only been two games this season in which they’ve forced interceptions. The Raiders also have a tendency to get into shootouts, something the Saints are pretty good at.
Point Projection: 22 points

3. Tom Brady (New England Patriots) vs. Indianapolis

For so many years games between the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts have been about the Tom Brady-Peyton Manning matchup. Now, we have a new twist. It’s now the Brady-Andrew Luck matchup, and though the precocious little rookie will get a chance to prove his mettle, it’s going to be Brady lighting up the scoreboard this week. Brady only threw for 237 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions last week in a win over the Buffalo Bills, but we know he’s capable of bigger and better. He’ll do so this week against a Colts defense that’s forced just four interceptions all season, with two of them coming to the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars last week.
Point Projection: 22 points

4. Peyton Manning (Denver Broncos) vs. San Diego

When Denver Broncos quarterback Peyton Manning threw for 301 yards with just one touchdown last week it was a disappointment. It was the first time since Week 2 that Manning failed to throw multiple touchdowns. Expect Manning to get back onto the multiple-touchdown train this week against the San Diego Chargers. San Diego has five games where it’s given up multiple touchdowns, and though the Chargers’ defense has had a few good games those have come against weak offenses. Manning will bounce back nicely this week.
Point Projection: 21 points

5. Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons) vs. Arizona

Despite suffering their first loss of the season last week the Atlanta Falcons offense still showed it can hang with anybody. Quarterback Matt Ryan threw for 413 yards with three touchdowns and one interception, the fifth time this season Ryan has thrown for three touchdowns in a game. We wish we could predict three touchdowns again but this week Ryan faces an Arizona Cardinals defense that’s giving up just 12.1 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks. We still like Ryan for a good game, just not a huge one.
Point Projection: 20 points

6. Carson Palmer (Oakland Raiders) vs. New Orleans

One player that continues to impress is Oakland Raiders quarterback Carson Palmer. Palmer managed to throw for 368 yards with two touchdowns and one interception against the Baltimore Ravens last week. Expect even better production from Palmer this week against the Saints. The Saints cannot stop anybody (except for Michael Vick, who really stopped himself) as they rank 31st in passing yards allowed per game, 32nd in total yards allowed per game and 28th in points allowed per game.
Point Projection: 20 points

7. Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) vs. Green Bay

For the second time in the last three weeks Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford had three touchdown passes. In last week’s loss to the Minnesota Vikings, Stafford threw for 329 yards with three touchdowns and one interception. The Green Bay Packers are giving up 15.1 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, but that number is lower than it should, weighed down by facing some of the league’s worst quarterbacks in the last four weeks (Blaine Gabbert, John Skelton, Sam Bradford and an atrocious performance from Matt Schaub). Stafford and Rodgers are going to air it out a lot this week, expect good points from both.
Point Projection: 20 points

8. Robert Griffin (Washington Redskins) vs. Philadelphia

Hopefully the bye week gave Washington Redskins quarterback Robert Griffin the opportunity to refresh himself. He had some underwhelming performances in the two weeks prior to the bye, but knowing what he’s capable of gives us optimism. Also giving us optimism is Griffin’s matchup this week with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have given up seven passing touchdowns with no interceptions in their last three games. The changes they made to the defense have not worked, and if anything they are worse off. Griffin should have no problem getting back to his old high-scoring ways this week.
Point Projection: 19 points

9. Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers) vs. Tampa Bay

There was some positive and some negative from Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton in last week’s loss to the Broncos. New did throw two touchdown passes, which is just the second game this season in which he’s had multiple touchdowns. However, he also had two interceptions. It just feels like we’re not seeing his best. Is he pressing too hard? Or is just that opposing defenses have finally figured him out? We’ll give Newton some leeway this week considering his opponent, the Buccaneers, rank last in passing yards allowed per game.
Point Projection: 18 points

10. Josh Freeman (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) @ Carolina

The surprise of the season? Comeback player of the year? Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Josh Freeman continues to excel, having thrown for 210 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in last week’s win over the Chargers. That’s six consecutive games with multiple touchdowns, and he’s got just one interception during that span as well. Based upon what we’ve seen there’s no reason to believe he’ll play any differently against the Carolina Panthers this week. Freeman struggled against Carolina in Week 1, but that was the old Freeman.
Point Projection: 18 points

11. Andy Dalton (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Kansas City

A week ago we were ready to leave Andy Dalton and his Cincinnati Bengals for dead. Then last week they took it to the defending Super Bowl Champion New York Giants, with Dalton throwing for 199 yards with four touchdowns and no interceptions. Dalton’s only had two disastrous performances this season, and with little surprise those were to AFC-North Division foes Baltimore and Pittsburgh. This week Dalton gets a very promising matchup against a Kansas City Chiefs defense that’s giving up over 16 fantasy points per game. Don’t expect four touchdowns again, but Dalton will do well.
Point Projection: 18 points

12. Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers) @ Denver

We all remember what happened to San Diego quarterback Philip Rivers when he faced the Broncos in Week 6. If you don’t remember, then all you need to know is four interceptions and two fumbles lost, and it was uglier than it sounds. We’re not going to proclaim Week 11 as an instant failure for Rivers simply because of the matchup, though. Rivers has five passing touchdowns in the last two weeks, and since that disastrous performance against Denver he has just three interceptions in his last three games. Yes, this is a risky play but given the current quarterback landscape, so are many others. 
Point Projection: 17 points

13. Ryan Fitzpatrick (Buffalo Bills) vs. Miami

It was impressive to see Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick throw for 337 yards with two touchdowns and only one interception in last week’s loss to the Patriots. It’s hard to put Fitzpatrick so high up on the list but he gets yards and sometimes get touchdowns, and this week he’s got a good matchup with the Miami Dolphins. Miami is giving up over 17 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, and they’ve forced just one interception in their last four games. For a team looking for a spot starter this week, Fitzpatrick is a good option.
Point Projection: 17 points

14. Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys) vs. Cleveland

It’s now been two games since Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo last threw an interception. Unfortunately, that game in which he threw four interceptions still looms large. Romo’s fantasy numbers the last two weeks have been solid but not great. Expect a similar level of performance from Romo against the Cleveland Browns this week. Cleveland is giving up an average of 17 fantasy points per game, but they haven’t allowed more than 200 passing yards in any of their last three games.
Point Projection: 16 points