Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Throughout the off-season, the Bruno Boys peered into their Crystal Ball to provide you out there in Bruno Boys Nation with a look into what the future held for specific players for the 2009 season. Now, we shift our focus and utilize our psychic powers to provide you with a breakdown of all the NFL games on the docket for this Week 17 of football action as Bruno Boys Kyle presents the Week 17 - Game Previews (Fantasy Style). We hope everyone out there in Bruno Boys Nation had a great 2009 fantasy football season and Happy New Year!

Indianapolis Colts @ Buffalo Bills: Both of these teams are just playing out the string, as we’ve seen with the Bills all season and with the Colts last week. In relief of Peyton Manning, Curtis Painter faced the No. 1 pass defense in the NFL last week, and this week he gets to face the No. 3 pass defense. Fantasy Prediction: Despite his playing time being limited, Reggie Wayne still gets 50 receiving yards, but nothing more.

Jacksonville Jaguars @ Cleveland Browns: Both of these teams underachieved because neither could throw the ball – Cleveland enter Week 17 31st in passing scores and Jacksonville is 27th. Luckily, they’re facing two defenses that can’t stop the pass this week. Look for this game to be one of the highest scoring ones of the week and for lots of fantasy points to be had from the skill players on both teams.. Fantasy Prediction: Derek Anderson actually completes more than 10 passes.

Chicago Bears @ Detroit Lions: Detroit is still alive for the first pick in the draft this spring; all it will take is for them to lose (a probability) and for the St. Louis Rams to win (not so much of a probability). Other than that this game has nothing to really talk about, unless you are a fan of the Bears’ and hoping they can finish the season with two straight wins. Fantasy Prediction: Jay Cutler ends on a hot streak, with three more touchdown throws.

San Francisco 49ers @ St. Louis Rams: The season started out well for the 49ers before they ran into trouble. At least after they win this game they’ll be able to salvage a .500 record and some momentum into next season. With a loss, the Rams will gain the top pick in the draft, and St. Louisans will start practicing how to say Ndamukong Suh. Fantasy Prediction: Michael Crabtree sets a career-high with 90+ receiving yards and all the 49ers studs reward their fantasy owners’ with solid performances.

Pittsburgh Steelers @ Miami Dolphins: If the Dolphins win this game, both teams will finish 8-8. Nobody would have predicted that in the early portion of the season after Miami lost their first three games and Pittsburgh won six of their first eight. Fantasy Prediction: After a big Week 16, in which he scored double-digit fantasy points, Ted Ginn plummets back to earth with less than 30 receiving yards.

New York Giants @ Minnesota Vikings: Remember how much everybody loved the Giants at the beginning of the season? Remember how much everybody loved the Vikings, oh, about three weeks ago? Well the Giants have nothing to play for and the Vikings are in jeopardy of losing their first round bye in the NFC. Fantasy Prediction: Adrian Peterson ends his season with seven straight games of less than 100 rushing yards.

Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers: It’s seemed like the Falcons have had a much worse season than they really have, because if they win this game like they should, they’ll wind up with a 9-7 record. As for Tampa, well, this season is as bad as it’s seemed all year. Fantasy Prediction: Two of the games premier tight ends,Kellen Winslow and Tony Gonzalez, combine for 200 receiving yards.

New Orleans Saints @ Carolina Panthers: If this were a playoff game, would you go ahead and pick the Panthers right now? Silly as that sounded a few weeks ago, the Saints have not marched into January with much grace, and the Panthers have picked it up now that they have a quarterback in Matt Moore who doesn’t constantly throw the ball to the other team. Fantasy Prediction: Moore continues his solid play with two more touchdown passes and four straight games with 10 or more fantasy football points.

New England Patriots @ Houston Texans: This game will be interesting if for no other reason that you get to watch two of the most freakishly talented wide receivers ever to play the game square off against one another. Even if the Patriots decide to rest Randy Moss and the regulars, he should see enough action in the first half to post solid fantasy football totals. Fantasy Prediction: Andre Johnson and Randy Moss combine for 230 receiving yards.

Green Bay Packers @ Arizona Cardinals: Green Bay has nothing to play for as they will be the No.5 or No.6 seed in the playoffs, while Arizona won’t know their fate until game-time on Sunday. If the Minnesota Vikings win, Arizona will be hosting a first round playoff game but if they lose the Cardinals have a chance to claim the No.2 seed and a first round bye.  Fantasy Prediction: If Arizona needs to win this game, Kurt Warner throws for 250 passing yards and two touchdowns but only the fantasy owners’ that decided to gamble on him benefit from it.

Washington Redskins @ San Diego Chargers: Jim Zorn coaches his final game for Washington, as he’ll likely be fired on Monday. That’s a situation that San Diego Chargers coach Norv Turner can certainly empathize with. Though Turner received a boost of confidence when the Chargers brass reportedly “assured” him he would receive a contract extension.  Fantasy Prediction: LaDainian Tomlinson ends his season with no 100-yard rushing games.

Tennessee Titans @ Seattle Seahawks: These have been two of the most disappointing teams in the NFL, despite Tennessee’s recent surge. But it also may be one of the most closely scrutinized games of the weekend as Chris Johnson will be fighting to obtain 2,000 rushing yards – he needs 128 in this game to hit that mark. Fantasy Prediction: Johnson gains 130+ yards and gets to 2,000 for the season.

Baltimore Ravens @ Oakland Raiders: The most surprising thing about either of these two teams in recent weeks has been that Baltimore tight end Todd Heap has caught four touchdowns in his last two games. Besides his recent surge and a good Week 1, his fantasy owners’ are wondering where Heap’s been the rest of the season? Fantasy Prediction: Facing a Raiders’ defense that has fared well against the tight end, Heap is kept out of the end zone for the first time in three games.

Philadelphia Eagles @ Dallas Cowboys: Remarkably, the Cowboys can actually jump to the No. 2 seed in the NFC if everything goes just right for them, including a win here and losses from the Minnesota Vikings and Arizona Cardinals. But if they lose, the No. 2 seed belongs to Philly. Despite both teams being in the playoffs no other game in the NFL has such an impact on playoff placement Fantasy Prediction: Both Jason Witten and Miles Austin have 100 receiving yards.

Kansas City Chiefs @ Denver Broncos: Denver is only 2-7 over their last nine games, a mark that wouldn’t have surprised many people if it was the start of the season, but was very surprising considering they started 6-0. If Denver takes care of business and one of the Baltimore Ravens or New York Jets lose the Broncos will claim one of the two remaining wild card spots. Can they take care of business so without start wide out Brandon Marshall? Fantasy Prediction: With Marshall being ruled OUT of action on Sunday, Jabar Gaffney steps up and goes for over 70 receiving yards.

Cincinnati Bengals @ New York Jets: The Bengals are just 4-5 outside of their division, so this game should offer a litmus test of sorts for the playoffs. And in those playoffs, they’ll need Carson Palmer to be a lot better than he has been. Fantasy Prediction: Thomas Jones holds off Ricky Williams and Frank Gore to finish the season as the No.5 fantasy running back in standard scoring leagues.

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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