Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

16. David Thomas (New Orleans Saints) @ Carolina

Look for Thomas to see the field as much as he has been lately, even if Jeremy Shockey comes back from his injury. Thomas had five receptions last week, but for only 25 yards, and he’s been fairly inconsistent recently. He also does not have a particularly good match-up with the Panthers. Still, his 13 catches over the last two weeks cannot be ignored.
Point Projection: 5 points

17. Bo Scaife (Tennessee Titans) @ Seattle

Scaife was shut out last week for the second time this season, but only after a solid run of fairly productive games. He should get back on track somewhat this week against the Seahawks, who have allowed the seventh-most receiving yards in the league to opposing tight ends at 854.
Point Projection: 5 points

18. Todd Heap (Baltimore Ravens) @ Oakland

While we appreciate the fact that Heap has caught four touchdowns in the past two games on just seven receptions, that’s not going to last. Especially not this week against the Raiders, who, for all their faults, put a clamp on opposing tight ends; no NFL team has allowed fewer receptions to opposing tight ends, and just two have allowed fewer touchdowns.
Point Projection: 4 points

19. Dustin Keller (New York Jets) vs. Cincinnati

Keller only gained 19 yards last week on three receptions. He has a difficult match-up this week with the Bengals, so don’t expect any eye-popping numbers, at least for the rest of this year. As for 2010? Well, things may be different come next year.
Point Projection: 4 points

20. Zach Miller (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ Cleveland

Miller filled in for Marcedes Lewis last week after Lewis went out with a concussion and cracked a bone in his face. Miller caught two passes for 17 yards in the game and has a superb match-up this week. Cleveland has given up the second-most receiving yards in the league to opposing tight ends. Still, we’d probably stay away from Zach Miller No. 2 just as we are doing with Miller No. 1.
Point Projection: 4 points

21. Joel Dreesen (Houston Texans) vs. New England

Dreesen had four receptions for 65 yards last week against the Dolphins, and has become a solid target at the end of the season for Matt Schaub. His total receiving yards have gone up in each of his last three games, and though the Patriots can be difficult on opposing tight ends, Dreesen has shown himself to be somewhat reliable of late.
Point Projection: 3 points

22. Anthony Fasano (Miami Dolphins) vs. Pittsburgh

Fasano has been a disappointment this season, and that continued last week against the Texans in a game that saw him catch all of one pass for eight yards. This was just two weeks after he failed to amass any catches. This week he faces the Steelers, who have allowed the sixth-fewest yards in the league to opposing tight ends.
Point Projection: 3 points

23. Jeremy Shockey (New Orleans Saints) @ Carolina **CHECK INJURY STATUS**

Shockey did not play last week, and though his prognosis for this week is good health-wise, the Saints have nothing to play for, having wrapped up home-field advantage in the playoffs, and the Saints may not want to put him out there for a boatload of snaps.
Point Projection: 3 points

24. Tony Scheffler (Denver Broncos) vs. Kansas City

In the nine games since Denver’s bye week, Scheffler has one or zero receptions in six of them, including last week when he pulled in one pass for 26 yards against the Eagles, though he was targeted four times. That was a good match-up, as is this one against the Chiefs, a team he had just one catch for 19 yards against in Week 13.
Point Projection: 3 points

25. Evan Moore (Cleveland Browns) vs. Jacksonville

Moore had one catch for 19 yards last week, marking the second straight game that he had fewer than 20 receiving yards after a solid start to his season (which began in Week 13). The Jaguars don’t offer a whole lot of resistance in terms of defending tight ends, however, so look for Moore to go out this season with a decent effort – at least decent when it comes to members of the Cleveland Browns’ offense not named Jerome Harrison.
Point Projection: 3 points

26. Dante Rosario (Carolina Panthers) vs. New Orleans

Rosario’s been a non-factor of late, and last week was shut out of the stat column for the first time since Week 1. He didn’t play the last time the Panthers and Saints met, and you shouldn’t expect anything big this week against a Saints team that is tied for fewest touchdowns allowed in the league to opposing tight ends.
Point Projection: 2 points

27. Leonard Pope (Kansas City Chiefs) @ Denver

Pope had his worst game in a few weeks last Sunday, when he caught only one pass for seven yards. Don’t expect a whole lot more this week against the Broncos, who held Pope to 18 yards on two catches back in Week 13.
Point Projection: 2 points

28. Randy McMichael (St. Louis Rams) vs. San Francisco

McMichael caught two passes for 12 yards last week against the Cardinals, which is roughly the same numbers he put up against the 49ers back in Week 4, when he had two receptions for 17 yards. Don’t expect anything as dramatic as a touchdown from McMichael, because the 49ers are tied with the Saints for fewest receiving scores given up to opposing tight ends.
Point Projection: 2 points

29. Shawn Nelson (Buffalo Bills) vs. Indianapolis

After six catches in his previous two contests, Nelson didn’t catch one pass last week. The Colts are a very tough match-up for any tight end, but they won’t be playing their starters much this week, giving Nelson a chance to put up his usual middling numbers.
Point Projection: 2 points

30. Ben Watson (New England Patriots) @ Houston

Watson caught one pass for 14 yards last week, which is about what you can expect from him these days. He has just one touchdown reception since Week 7, but three games with zero catches or yards, so it’s probably wise to avoid him.
Point Projection: 1 points

Week 17 Rankings:  QB  |  RB  |  WR  |  TE  |  K  | DEF    (click to read)

Week 17 Start & Sit:  START ‘EM  |  SIT ‘EM    (click to read)

Week 17 Waiver Wire Advice:  PICK THEM UP  |  CUT THEM LOOSE    (click to read)

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