Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Normal fantasy football leagues have come to an end and what a great season it was. We hope that you did well in your league, or leagues, but if you’re still looking for some fantasy football action while the playoffs go on, and you’re looking for some help then look no further because the Bruno Boys will be here throughout the postseason. As such we’ll be releasing our normal weekly position rankings to help you best decide which players to go with in our Fantasy Football Playoff Challenge. To see where this round’s tight ends rank continue reading the Divisional Round edition of the Bruno Boys Weekly Tight End Rankings.

1. Dallas Clark (Indianapolis Colts) vs Baltimore

No tight end had a better season from start to finish then Clark. He had five or more fantasy football points in 14 of 16 games and had seven games of 10 or more fantasy points. In a Week 11 victory over the Baltimore Ravens Clark had just one reception for three yards but his lone catch was a touchdown. With the Ravens focusing on shutting down Clark it led to back-up tight end Tom Santi be on the receiving end of a career high six receptions and 80 receiving yards. Don’t expect Clark to be contained two times in the same year against Baltimore and look for him to continue his stellar play when it counts the most (46 receptions, 667 receiving yards, 3 TDs in nine playoff games). There is nothing safer than starting the games best tight end in the NFL’s most efficient offense.
Point Projection: 12 points

2. Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) @ Minnesota

To say Witten let down his owners in the Fantasy Football Playoff Challenge would be an understatement. Expected to produce as the top tight end in the Wild Card Round, the Cowboys tight end was blanketed all night and could manage just four receptions for 27 yards. Don’t expect Witten to be held in check two weeks in a row. If Dallas is going to compete with the Minnesota Vikings they will need someone to compliment Miles Austin and based on the match-up Witten should be the answer. On the season, Minnesota surrendered nine touchdowns and around 60 yards per game to the position. With the Vikings being vulnerable over the middle you can expect quarterback Tony Romo to be targeting his playmaking tight end. Now let’s hope he catches the ball with room to run.
Point Projection: 12 points

3. Antonio Gates (San Diego Chargers) vs. New York Jets

In his seventh NFL season, Gates put together his best showing since his 2005 campaign. His 79 receptions were the most since ‘05 and his 1,157 receiving yards marked a career high. The biggest difference in Gates’ increase in yardage had to do with his yard after catch (YAC) average. In 2009, Gates averaged 6.6 YAC which was almost three yards more than each of his last five years. A match-up with the New York Jets, who rank No.1 in the NFL against the pass, is no easy task, but when the going get’s tough you can expect Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers to rely on his tight end. Fantasy owners looking to make use of arguably the games best tight end should do so with confidence. 
Point Projection: 11 points

4. Visanthe Shiancoe (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Dallas  **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Despite being limited in practice throughout the week a nagging quadriceps injury shouldn’t slow down quarterback Brett Favre’s favorite red zone target. Shiancoe finished the season with a team high 11 touchdown receptions and was on the receiving end of a Favre touchdown pass in 10 of 16 games played. Not know for his reception totals, Shiancoe has 11 receptions over the Minnesota’s last two games and has played a more complete role in a Vikings offense that ranked second in the NFL in scoring. The Dallas Cowboys have struggled against the tight end of late, having allowed 263 yards over the last four games, which should make Shiancoe one of the top plays at his position. Look for Favre to find Shiancoe a handful of times in this game and for one of them to be on a short yardage play-action touchdown pass.
Point Projection: 11 points

5. Jeremy Shockey (New Orleans Saints) vs. Arizona  **CHECK INJURY STATUS**
Shockey missed the Saints last three games with a toe injury but reports indicate he should be healthy enough to take on the Arizona Cardinals on Saturday. With the Cardinals having trouble defending the tight end spot (159 yards allowed to Jermichael Finley last week) Shockey has the match-up to post his best statistics since Week 7. Look for quarterback Drew Brees to find his big target over the middle of the field en route to 55-65 receiving yards in an expected shootout. The only thing holding Shockey back from a bigger afternoon is the emergence of back-up TE David Thomas and the fact that he is one of eight playmakers in New Orleans.
Point Projection: 6 points

6. Dustin Keller (New York Jets) @ San Diego

With the Jets taking a more conservative offensive approach over the final six weeks of the season it led to the downfall of Keller’s fantasy football value. The second year tight end recorded four fantasy points over the final five weeks and was believed to have little value entering Wild Card weekend. That wasn’t the case, as Keller torched the Cincinnati Bengals for 99 receiving yards and a 45 yard touchdown catch on just three receptions. Facing a San Diego Chargers defense that has allowed just one touchdown reception to a TE over the last seven weeks you can’t expect another 33 yard per catch average and 15 fantasy points from Keller.
Point Projection: 4 points

7. David Thomas (New Orleans Saints) vs. Arizona  **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Make sure Thomas will play on Saturday before you go snagging him at a cheap price in your Fantasy Football Playoff Challenge. Despite missing Week 17 with a strained calf, the Saints coaching staff feels Thomas should be fine for this weekend. If he plays, Thomas will share opportunity with starting tight end Jeremy Shockey, but will still make a decent yardage play in match-up against an Arizona Cardinals defense that was seventh worst at defending the tight end in the regular season.
Point Projection: 4 points

8. Ben Patrick (Arizona Cardinals) @ New Orleans

Patrick produced when it counted most. In a Wild Card Round victory over the Green Bay Packers, Patrick had a season high in receptions (3) and a career high in receiving yards (42). This weeks opponent, the New Orleans Saints, have allowed a NFL low one receiving touchdown to the tight end spot but they have struggled at defending the position of late. New Orleans has allowed 20 receptions over the last four games to opposing tight ends which leads us to believe Patrick will be targeted enough to haul in 2-3 receptions.
Point Projection: 3 points

9. Todd Heap (Baltimore Ravens) @ Indianapolis  **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Last week, in a victory over the New England Patriots, Heap failed to record a catch. It marked the first time this season that the nine year veteran was held without a reception. On top of that, Heap will enter Saturday’s game against the Indianapolis Colts with the questionable tag as he is suffering from back spasms. Even if Heap plays, he isn’t worth rostering. The Colts have allowed a league low 32 receiving yards per game to opposing tight ends and Baltimore will spend the majority of the game handing the ball off to Ray Rice and Willis McGahee.
Point Projection: 2 points

10. John Phillips (Dallas Cowboys) @ Minnesota

The rookie out of Virginia started to see more game action when Martellus Bennett suffered a concussion injury and he’s made the most of it. Phillips finished the regular season with five receptions over the Cowboys last three games and last week he caught his first touchdown pass in the NFL. Evan in a favorable match-up, you can’t expect Phillips to see enough targets to warrant any fantasy football consideration.
Point Projection: 1 point

11. Martellus Bennett (Dallas Cowboys) @ Minnesota

In case you needed a reminder, Bennett hasn’t caught a pass since Week 13 and has been surpassed by rookie John Philips as the Cowboys No.2 tight end. 
Point Projection: 0 points

Divisional Round Rankings:  QB  |  RB  |  WR  |  TE  |  K  | DEF   (click to read)

Divisional Round Start & Sit:  START ‘EM  |  SIT ‘EM  (click to read)

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