Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

Good morning, Bruno Boys Nation, as we get set for Week 17, the Bruno Boys are here to provide you with updated information on injuries and other issues that impact players. (Note: This article will update throughout the day as more and more information becomes available to the Bruno Boys.)

QB Ryan Fitzpatrick (Buffalo Bills) - Buffalo interim coach Perry Fewell announced that quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick will start in the Bill’s season finale against the Indianapolis Colts. Brian Brohm got the start last week against the Falcons while Fitzpatrick sat out with an ankle injury. With the Colts expected to rest many of their defensive starters; Fitzpatrick has a chance to generate a decent number of fantasy points. If you need a quarterback for Week 17, consider Fitzpatrick a low-end QB2 fantasy option.

QB Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints) - In a Friday interview with Peter King, Saints coach Sean Payton said that Drew Brees would be the team’s #3 quarterback behind expected starter Mark Brunell and backup Chase Daniel. Payton said that Brees is healthy – he just doesn’t want to risk him against the Carolina Panthers pass rush and Julius Peppers. These comments represent a significant change-of-heart from what Payton said earlier in the week about New Orleans playing to win and that after losing its last two games, the team couldn’t afford to rest. Now that Brees has been designated the emergency quarterback in Week 17, fantasy owners of offensive starters including Marques Colston and Robert Meachem should be concerned about how much playing time to expect from them this week. 

QB Philip Rivers/Billy Volek (San Diego Chargers) - San Diego Chargers coach Norv Turner said backup quarterback Billy Volek will see his most extensive playing time since January 2008 in the team’s regular-season finale Sunday against the Washington Redskins. Although Turner initially said that Philip Rivers would start and then give way to Volek, the latest reports coming out of San Diego indicate that Volek will start in lieu of Rivers. With Redskins safeties Reed Doughty and LaRon Landry out, Volek’s matchup will be easier than anticipated, though it’s difficult to recommend that any fantasy owner roll with him in Week 17.

QB Keith Null (St. Louis Rams) - Fantasy owners of the San Francisco 49ers defense/special teams rejoice – quarterback Keith Null is almost certain to get his fourth start over Kyle Boller in the Rams season-finale on Sunday. Null has thrown nine interceptions in three games and completed 64.4 percent of his passes. Although Rams coach Steve Spagnuolo declined to name his starting quarterback, Null took the majority of reps in practice this week. Only the most desperate of fantasy owners would start a Rams quarterback in Week 17.

QB Daunte Culpepper (Detroit Lions) - Coach Jim Schwartz named Daunte Culpepper the starting quarterback for the team’s season finale against Chicago Sunday. Culpepper took first-team reps in practice this week ahead of Drew Stanton who was limited in practice by an ankle injury. Stanton was benched in the fourth quarter after getting his first start last week against the 49ers. Neither Culpepper nor Stanton are expected to return to the Lions next season. Only the most desperate of fantasy owners would start a Lions quarterback in Week 17.

QB Matt Ryan/TE Tony Gonzalez/RB Michael Turner (Atlanta Falcons) - Quarterback Matt Ryan, tight end Tony Gonzalez, and running back Michael Turner are all listed as questionable to play in Sunday’s game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Ryan, hampered by a case of turf toe, practiced in a limited capacity on Thursday and Friday. Gonzalez had a limited role in practice on Friday after a strained calf caused him to miss the entire second half of Week 16’s game against the Bills. Turner was the only one of the three who didn’t participate in any practice this week. Ryan is expected to start and has a terrific opportunity to finish the season on a high note against a weak Tampa Bay defense. Gonzalez has an excellent matchup against the Bucs as well. He caught nine catches for 83 yards when the teams met in Week 12. Moreover, Gonzales needs just six receptions to achieve 1,000 in his career, so the Falcons are likely to target him often and early if he plays. Turner is the least likely of the three to play in the season finale on Sunday. Jason Snelling makes for a solid start in Turner’s place and Jerious Norwood should see touches as well.

RB Ahmad Bradshaw (New York Giants) - Good news for fantasy owners of running back Ahmad Bradshaw. We just received word that Bradshaw will play on Sunday in the team’s season-finale against the Minnesota Vikings. He is expected to start the game after not practicing all week due to injuries to his ankles and feet. Expect to see Danny Ware and Gartrell Johnson involved in the Giants running game, although Bradshaw should see the bulk of the touches.

RB Julius Jones (Seattle Seahawks) - Despite being listed as questionable on the team’s most recent injury report, Seattle Seahawks coach Jim Mora said running back Julius Jones is good to go and should play on Sunday in the season-finale against the Tennessee Titans. Jones fully participated in the team’s Friday practice after sitting out all week. Jones has been nursing rib and foot injuries. Jones’s expected return to the Seahawks lineup is not good news for fantasy owners of Justin Forsett, who would be a certain RB2 option this week if Jones missed the game or saw limited action.

RB Justin Fargas (Oakland Raiders) - Fargas is listed as doubtful for the team’s Week 17 game against the Baltimore Ravens. Fargas did not practice all week after sitting out Week 16 at Cleveland with a knee injury. He is not expected play this week. In his absence, Michael Bush and Darren McFadden will once again share the workload against a tough Baltimore run defense ranked sixth best in the NFL.

RB Pierre Thomas (New Orleans Saints) - The New Orleans Saints announced Saturday that running back Pierre Thomas has been ruled out for Week 17’s game against the Carolina Panthers.  Thomas, who is nursing bruised ribs, is most likely being sat for precautionary reasons and should be good to go by the time the Saints play their first post-season game. Although we expect to see more of Reggie Bush in Thomas’s absence, fantasy owners of Mike Bell are likely to see more touches and red zone opportunities from him than those who own Bush. Another Saints running back who might be available on your waiver wire is Lynell Hamilton, who will also share the workload with Bell. With the Panthers sketchy run defense, Hamilton makes a viable Week 17 flex option whether you own Thomas or not.

RB Donald Brown/Chad Simpson/Mike Hart (Indianapolis Colts) - Running back/kick returner Chad Simpson has been ruled out of Sunday’s regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills due to a concussion. While Simpson isn’t big fantasy news, we report it on the off chance that you picked up Simpson from the wire because Donald Brown had already been scooped up. With Simpson out and Joseph Addai and other Colts starters likely to sit out or see limited action, expect Donald Brown to see significant action in Week 17’s matchup against a weak Buffalo run defense. Brown’s back up will be third string running back Mike Hart.

RB Brandon Jacobs (New York Giants) - Jacobs has been ruled out of the team’s Week 17 matchup against the Vikings and placed on injured reserve (IR). Jacobs injured his knee after running for just one yard on six carries in last week’s humiliating 41-9 loss to the Carolina Panthers. Giants coach Tom Coughlin announced on Wednesday that Jacobs will undergo arthroscopic surgery next week. While Coughlin wasn’t specific about Jacobs’ injury, an examination showed there was no ligament damage and Jacobs is expected to be fine for the start of the 2010 season.

WR Devin Hester (Chicago Bears) - Chicago wide receiver Devin Hester was taken off the injury report on Friday and is expected to play in the team’s season finale against the Detroit Lions. Hester has been out for several weeks with a calf injury. Hester’s playing time could be limited in his first game back. He is likely to share targets with teammate Devin Aromashodu.

WR Brandon Marshall (Denver Broncos) - We broke the news during Friday’s Bruno Boys Friday Live Chat that the Broncos wide receiver Brandon Marshall has been deactivated for Week 17’s must win game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Coach Josh McDaniels made the announcement during a morning interview with the hosts of The Opening Drive on Sirius NFL Network. Although Marshall is dealing with a hamstring injury sustained in practice Wednesday, McDaniels said that the decision to sit Marshall was a coach’s decision based on an accountability issue. He further stated that a number of other Broncos players will play Sunday with injuries worse than Marshall’s. Sources close to the Broncos say that Marshall did not want to play through his hamstring injury. For his part, Marshall said that he will avoid a war of words with McDaniels though he commented that McDaniels had never played in the NFL and didn’t relate to the challenges of playing through an injury.

WR Eddie Royal (Denver Broncos) - Eddie Royal joins teammates Brandon Marshall and Tony Scheffler on the list of inactive players for Sunday’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs. Royal is dealing with head and neck injuries that kept him out of the Week 16 matchup with the Eagles. With Royal being officially ruled out, the Broncos ever-thinning receiving corps comprises Jabar Gaffney, Brandon Stokely, Brandon Lloyd, and Matt Willis. Willis was just promoted from Denver’s practice squad.

WR Mario Manningham (New York Giants) - Reports indicate that Giants wide receiver Mario Manningham will not play in the team’s final game of the season in Minnesota. Manningham practiced on a limited basis during the week but is not healthy enough to play. With Manningham expected to sit out with a shoulder injury, Hakeem Nicks becomes an every-down receiver and he should have a solid game.

WR Pierre Garcon (Indianapolis Colts) - Wide receiver Pierre Garcon, who has been nursing a bruised hand for the past couple of weeks, will be held out of this week’s game against the Buffalo Bills. In his absence, expect more looks for Hank Baskett while Austin Collie will probably become the team’s leading wide receiver. Collie could be a nice play this week with the Bills’ secondary really banged-up. Baskett is certainly a bigger risk, but might be worth a look.

TE Tony Scheffler (Denver Broncos) - In the continuing drama unfolding in Denver, Broncos coach Josh McDaniels has benched tight end Tony Scheffler for Sunday’s game against the Chiefs. Rumors swirling in Denver indicate that Scheffler has been unhappy with his limited role in the Broncos offense this season and that the benching is a result of an “attitude” problem. There is also speculation that Denver will look to trade the unrestricted free agent Scheffler and that the move is to ensure he stays healthy. Either way, it’s a strange turn of events considering that wide receivers Brandon Marshall and Eddie Royal will not be active against Kansas City and Denver is still in the playoff hunt.

TE Visanthe Shiancoe (Minnesota Vikings) - Visanthe Shiancoe returned to practice in a limited capacity Thursday and Friday after he sat out Wednesday with a thigh injury. Shiancoe is listed as questionable for Sunday’s critical game against the New York Giants. Shiancoe caught four passes for 40 yards and a touchdown in Vikings Week 16 loss to the Bears. With the Vikings playing for a first-round bye, expect Shiancoe, one of Brett Favre’s favorite red zone targets, to make every effort to play in a favorable matchup with the Giants who give up significant fantasy points to opposing tight ends. Shiancoe will be a game-time decision on Sunday.

TE David Thomas/Jeremy Shockey/S Darren Sharper - New Orleans Saints tight end David Thomas and safety Darren Sharper will not play in the team’s regular season finale against the Carolina Panthers. Neither player made the trip to Charlotte for the game. Thomas had been listed as doubtful with a calf injury and Sharper had been listed as questionable with a sore knee prior to this afternoon’s announcement. Both Thomas and Sharper are expected to resume their normal duties for the Saints in post-season play. Saints tight end Jeremy Shockey continues to deal with turf toe problems and was limited in Friday’s practice. It’s likely the Saints will err on the side of caution with Shockey and either rule him inactive or severely limit his playing time.

K Neil Rackers/Mike Nugent (Arizona Cardinals) - Arizona Cardinals kicker Neil Rackers is healthy again and will resume kicking duties in Sunday’s game against the Green Bay Packers. Mike Nugent, who had temporarily replaced Rackers, was waived on Saturday.

K Adam Vinatieri (Indianapolis Colts) - Colts kicker Adam Vinatieri has been ruled out of Sunday’s regular season finale against the Buffalo Bills. No word on whether he suffered a setback or just resting his knee to be ready for the playoffs. Matt Stover will kick in Vinatieri’s absence.

K Shane Andrus/Ricky Schmitt/Joe Nedney (San Francisco 49ers) - The 49ers just signed free agent kicker Shane Andrus for the team’s final game against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday. Andrus, formerly of Murray State and the now-defunct NFL Europe, replaces Ricky Schmitt, who replaced Joe Nedney, who remains out with a groin injury. Schmitt strained his groin during practice and did not make the trip to St. Louis. The 49ers placed Schmitt on injured reserve (IR) to make room on the 53-man roster for Andrus. In three games with the Tampa Bay Bucs earlier this season, Andrus missed his only field goal attempt.

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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