Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Keeping you on your toes, this week, it’s Bruno Boys Whooley that will be covering our weekly Carrots or Karats? - Identifying Fantasy Value article. This in an article that takes you “beyond the box score,” filling everyone in on some of the more alarming fantasy happenings that surfaced throughout the NFL in Week 15. And as a quick refresher, a “Carrot” means the fantasy situation DID NOT benefit the player, while a “Karat” means the fantasy situation DID benefit the player. With that covered, let’s dive into the review of Week 15.

Joseph Addai had two solid chances to pick up a TD on the Indianapolis Colts’ first drive of Thursday Night’s contest with the Jacksonville Jaguars. On 1st-and-10 from the Jaguars 10-yard line, Addai ran the ball up the middle, but was stuffed for just one yard. On the ensuing play, Colts’ QB Peyton Manning hit Addai on a short pass in the middle that the running back took to the Jags’ 6-yard line. Following Addai’s two chances, on 3rd-and-5, Manning hit tight end Dallas Clark for the score. Karat to Clark and Manning, and a Carrot for Addai, who went his second straight game without finding the end zone.

 
While we’re willing to forgive Jason Hanson for missing a 54 yarder against the Arizona Cardinals, I am going to give Nick Folk a Carrot for his horrendous miss against the New Orleans Saints on Saturday Night, a miss that nearly allowed Dallas’ December woes to continue.

Randy Moss’ fantasy owners had to be fuming after Moss was interfered with on a deep bomb that likely would have resulted in a TD in the second quarter of the Patriots-Bills game. The penalty placed the ball on the one-yard line, seemingly setting up an easy score for Laurence Maroney. Luckily for Moss’ owners, the Pats came out throwing on 1st-and-goal. The pass was incomplete, but one of the Pats’ linemen did incur a pass interference penalty, pushing the Patriots back 10 yards. The next play, Tom Brady connected with Moss for a quick six points. Karats go to Randy Moss and Tom Brady, while Maroney gets the Carrot for missing out on an easy goal-line score.

Brady and Maroney, though, did reverse roles later in the quarter. Thanks to another pass interference call, the Patriots’ were once again on the one-yard line. Brady got first dibs as the team tried a QB sneak. Brady, however, was held from pay dirt, which allowed Maroney to punch it in on the next play. Can you say Karma? Karat for Maroney, Carrot for Brady.

Jason Snelling is doing a horrendous job at establishing himself as a goal-line option in Atlanta as has been well-documented through this article throughout the year. This past Sunday was no exception. In the first quarter of the Falcons’ match-up with the New York Jets, Snelling was stopped not once but twice from the one-yard line, resulting in a chip shot field goal for Matt Bryant. Karat goes to Bryant who converted on the kick, and Snelling, which has been a growing trend this year, receives the Carrot.

The Jets may not want to be reminded of the following sequence as it likely cost them the game. But, in the second quarter, on a 3rd-and-goal situation, Thomas Jones was stopped at the one by the Falcons’ defense. As such, the Jets opted to go for the gimme field goal. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as much a gimme as they thought as Kellen Clemens botched the hold, preventing Jay Feely from ever getting a kick off. Karat goes to the Falcons’ defense for the stop, Carrot to Thomas Jones and Jay Feely, who both missed out on fantasy points.

Early in what almost became a disastrous loss for the Houston Texans against the St. Louis Rams, the Texans found themselves in the red zone facing a 3rd-and-7 situation. The play call? A four-yard pass to Andre Johnson across the middle of the field. The pass was completed, but facing a 4th-and-2 situation, the Texans opted for the field goal. Carrot for the Texans’ skill players as a potential trip to the end zone was taken off the table. Karat, though, for Kris Brown as he converted on the kick.

With less than two minutes left in the first half in the Texans-Rams battle, Steven Jackson had a chance to get his fantasy owners a quick six. Usually money near the goal-line, Jackson was stopped this time, leading to a 3rd down TD pass from rookie Keith Null to Danny Amendola. As such, Jackson gets the Carrot, and while they probably weren’t in anybody’s fantasy line-ups, Null and Amendola get the Karat.

For those fantasy owners who were gutsy enough to start Steve Breaston despite the fact that he had had just four points in his previous four games prior to week 15, you were almost handsomely rewarded. After Dennis Northcut botched a punt, giving the ball to the Cardinals deep in Lions’ territory, Kurt Warner threw a nice screen to Breaston, which he then took just short of the goal-line, getting stopped at the one. The next play was a TD pass from Warner, not to Breaston, but rather to Larry Fitzgerald. Warner got the TD either way, so he gets a Karat, as does Fitz. Breaston, however, gets a Carrot. After all, missing out on the TD resulted in an one point day rather than a seven point outing.

Breaston and his teammates missed out on another scoring opportunity early in the 3rd quarter against the Lions. After the Cardinals intercepted Drew Stanton, giving them the ball again deep in Lions’ territory, Warner quickly returned the favor throwing a pass, which was intercepted by Louis Delmas and returned to the house. Karat for the Lions D/ST and Delmas. Carrot for all Cardinals’ skill players, who missed out on potential points.

Dwayne Bowe had a nice opportunity to make a big splash in his return game against the Cleveland Browns as Cassel hit him on a 3rd-and-four play in the end zone. Perhaps, Bowe was a bit rusty from all his time off as the wide out dropped the ball. Karat for Ryan Succop, who came in and connected on the field goal attempt. Carrot for both Bowe and Cassel, who lost out on a fantasy TD.

If you watched ESPN at all since Sunday’s football action, you’re probably very familiar with the play I’m about to discuss. In the Titans-Dolphins match-up, Chad Henne threw a pass that was nearly intercepted by Michael Griffin; however, the ball bounced off his hands and other extremities before being caught by Dolphins’ wide receiver Brian Hartline. Karat for Henne and Hartline thanks to the ball’s friendly bounce. Carrot for the Titans’ D/ST and Griffin as an interception was lost.

Henne may receive a Karat for the above, but sadly, the Dolphins’ QB was also the recipient of a Carrot. In the 4th quarter of Sunday’s game, trailing 24 to 9, Henne hit tight end Anthony Fasano in the middle of the field for an 18 yard gain. Problem was Miami was 19 yards away from the end zone. Ricky Williams was then given two chances to run the ball in from the one and successfully did so. While Henne and Fasano made up for it with a TD later in the quarter, this go around left them with Carrots, while Williams receives the Karat.

LT had a chance to make it five straight games with a rushing score in week 15 when he received a 1st-and-goal carry from at the four-yard line against the Cincinnati Bengals. LT took the hand off for just one yard, leading to a TD pass from Philip Rivers to Antonio Gates for three yards two plays later. LT gets a Carrot, though his fantasy owners do have to appreciate the 10 point day he put up, while Rivers and Gates both get a Karat.

Nate Kaeding does deserve credit for nailing the 52-yard field goal that gave the Chargers the win in their match-up over the Bengals, but had the refs noticed an illegal formation by the Chargers’ earlier on the game-winning drive, he would never had had the chance. Karat to Kaeding, Carrot for the refs.

An interception by San Francisco 49ers’ QB Alex Smith with just 30 seconds left in the first half of the Niners’ contest with the Eagles, allowed David Akers to notch one of his two field goals on Sunday. Karat for the Eagles D/ST and Akers, while Smith is the un-proud recipient of a Carrot.

LeSean McCoy’s owners have to be getting a little tired of Leonard Weaver’s presence this season, but they do owe Weaver one as the Eagles’ running back came up short on a run from the two-yard line on second down this past Sunday, allowing McCoy an opportunity to get the job done on third down, which he did. McCoy’s effort also brings him a Karat, while salt is poured into Weaver’s wound as he not only fails to get the TD, but also gets a Carrot.

Santonio Holmes’ owners have to be disappointed with the wide out’s seven fantasy points this past weekend, as he was just two-yards short of nearly doubling that as he was pushed out of bounds at the Packers’ two-yard line in the first quarter after a 12-yard reception. Going to the ground game on 1st-and-goal, Rashard Mendenhall punched in the score for the Steelers. Karat for Holmes and Big Ben. Carrot for Mendenhall.

Jonathan Stewart had an impressive day filling in for DeAngelo Williams, totaling 123 yards and two scores, but had he gained just one more yard, it would have been all the sweeter for his fantasy owners. After a 1st-and-goal from the three-yard line, Stewart gained two-yards to the Minnesota Viking’s one-yard line. The next play saw a play-action fake from Matt Moore, in which he completed one-yard TD pass to Brad Hoover. As hard as it is to do, Carrot to Stewart, and Karat to both Moore and Hoover.

While plenty of this article focuses on guys coming up just short, I did want to commend and award Karats to both Minnesota Vikings’ running back, Adrian Peterson, and Carolina Panthers’ back Jonathan Stewart. Both running backs looked to be held short of a TD in Sunday Night’s match-up, but both kept their legs churning and with their second effort found pay dirt. A job well-done to both!

Brandon Jacob’s disappointing season continued this past Monday Night. While teammate Ahmad Bradshaw racked up two short TDs, Jacobs was kept out of the end zone despite the New York Giants putting up 45 points on the Washington Redskins. Bradshaw was the one to get the TDs, but Jacobs had the first shot to prove his worth at the goal-line; however, on a 2nd-and-goal in the first quarter, the bruising back was stuffed for a loss of one. Luckily, for the Gmen, Bradshaw was able to come in and clean up the mess. Jacobs a Carrot for this week and pretty much the season, while Bradshaw gets a Karat.

Week 16 Rankings:  QB  |  RB  |  WR  |  TE  |  K  | DEF    (click to read)

Week 16 Start & Sit:  START ‘EM  |  SIT ‘EM    (click to read)

Week 16 Waiver Wire Advice:  PICK THEM UP  |  CUT THEM LOOSE    (click to read)

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