Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

WIDE RECEIVERS – SIT ‘EM

Steve Smith (New York Giants) vs. Carolina

Fantasy football owners must have been happy with how most of the Giants played against a tough Washington Redskins defense on Monday Night Football. In fact, the production of guys like Eli Manning, Ahmad Bradshaw and Steve Smith probably won many fantasy owners’ their match-ups on Monday. Smith posted a solid 10 fantasy point in Week 15, and over the course of the season only a handful of wide receivers have been more reliable than Smith. On the season the emerging wide out has 90 catches for 1,093 yards and six touchdowns. The Carolina Panthers defense has done a fantastic job shutting down opposing No.1 receivers the past two weeks. Sidney Rice could manage just four fantasy points n Week 15, while Randy Moss disappointed his owners with -1 fantasy point in Week 14. Look for Chris Gamble & Co. to do the same this week as they will roll blanket coverage towards Smith and make the Giants’ run game beat them. Your best bet is to look for a comparable option with a better match-up this weekend, but understand that Smith could yet again prove to be reliable play.

Chris Chambers (Kansas City Chiefs) @ Cincinnati

Chambers has been the wide receiver that Kansas City needed in the absence of suspended wide receiver Dwayne Bowe. However, a tough match-up in Week 16, and the return of Bowe last week, makes Chambers a risky play. On the season, the Cincinnati Bengals have only given up 15 fantasy points per game to opposing wide outs position, and even after a solid Week 15, Matt Cassel(331 yards, two touchdowns) has done nothing to prove that he can pick apart the Bengals secondary. Chambers should be able to haul in between 55-70 receiving yards, but with the Bengals likely to use top defensive back Leon Hall on him you can’t expect much more. I

Brandon Marshall (Denver Broncos) @ Philadelphia

At Bruno Boys, we have always stressed the importance of rolling with your gut and only benching your studs if you truly have a better match-up, or a comparable player that you have a better feeling about. Marshall’s match-up against the Philadelphia Eagles is not what we would call favorable; however, we understand if you can’t bench him after watching him go for 28 receptions and three touchdowns over the past two games. Still, Philadelphia allows less than 16 fantasy football points per game to the opposition’s wide receivers, which means they have been able to shut down most fantasy wide outs from having big games. Case in point, wide receiver Michael Crabtree (26 yards), Vincent Jackson (10 yards), Miles Austin (49 yards, TD), Steve Smith (NYG) (74 yards) and Roddy White (104 yards, TD and end of game with a 34-point Philly lead). Even with Marshall’s recent dominance, he could definitely come back down to earth this weekend.

TIGHT ENDS – SIT ‘EM

Kellen Winslow (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) @ New Orleans

While Winslow may be one of the only options for a anemic Buccaneers offense, the New Orleans Saints will do their best to shut down Winslow en route to clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs. The Saints have only given up one touchdown to the tight end position this entire season, so while Winslow may rack up a handful of catches and 55-70 yards, you can’t rely on him to do much of anything else in Week 16. Fantasy owners have to date all the way back to Week 9 to benefit from Winslow finding pay dirt and with a tough match-up this week odds are against them for Winslow to break his scoreless streak. Mark it down…Winslow’s streak without a touchdown reaches seven games after the Saints are through with him on Sunday.

KICKERS – SIT ‘EM

Matt Stover (Indianapolis Colts) vs. New York Jets

With the Colts offense doing nothing but scoring six pointer after six pointer Stover has not needed to be a great kicker playing in Indianapolis. In fact, the last time Stover attempted a field goal was in Week 13. The New York Jets allow less than six points per game to opposing kickers and with Peyton Manning and the Colts offense likely to find the end zone more often than not, it once again makes Stover nothing more than a point after touchdown play. Start if you must, but don’t expect big point production out of Stover.

DEFENSES – SIT ‘EM

Baltimore Ravens D/ST @ Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Steelers proved that they can actually win a football game while posting 37 points in a come from behind victory over the Green Bay Packers. Without having their real rushing attack (65 rushing yards against Green Bay), Pittsburgh was able to pick apart a usually stout Packers’ secondary en route to 503 passing yards from quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Expect much of the same in Week 15. The strength of Pittsburgh is to throw the football and with the Baltimore Ravens being in the middle of the pack against the pass it should lead to plenty of opportunity for Roethlisberger & Co. The Steelers offense looks to have found it’s groove once again and it is not recommended to start the Ravens defense against them. Even if they record a few sacks on Big Ben, they shouldn’t get much else.

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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