Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

- Written by Lane Rizzardini
- Edited by Marc Caviglia

With the end of Week 16 came the end of many fantasy leagues out there, but for those of you who couldn’t get enough. you will be playing one more week. Week 17 brings a unique challenge to the fantasy landscape, as you not only need to pick the best options but those guys that will actually play. With that in mind, we’ll run down many of the players who are peaking at just the right time for fantasy owners still fighting for championships along with those who will be sneaky starts to get a large workload in place of the studs in front of them that could be sitting out this week in anticipation of the playoffs.

**Stat Note: the stat referred to as “Plays” is found by calculating (Carries + Targets)/Total Team Plays**

Running Backs Touches & Targets

	Players	Team	Plays	Carries	Carry%	Season Carry%	Targets	Receptions	Target%	Season Targets	Season Target %	RZ Plays
1	Maurice Jones-Drew	JAC	34	24	86%	70%	10	6	24%	61	13.50%	5
2	Peyton Hillis	CLE	28	24	96%	38%	4	2	12%	31	6%	4
3	Steven Jackson	STL	27	24	67%	63.50%	3	2	12.50%	56	11%	3
4	Kahlil Bell	CHI	27	23	55%	14%	4	4	14%	18	4%	3
5	Ray Rice	BAL	26	23	62%	62.50%	3	3	12.50%	102	19.50%	1
6	Michael Bush	OAK	26	23	92%	54%	3	2	11.50%	44	9%	5
7	Arian Foster	HOU	26	23	74%	54%	3	3	19%	72	16.50%	4
8	Reggie Bush	MIA	25	22	81.50%	49%	3	2	9%	52	12%	1
9	Frank Gore	SFO	24	23	57.50%	60%	1	1	4%	30	7%	3
10	Marshawn Lynch	SEA	23	21	78%	65%	2	2	7%	37	8%	4
11	Evan Royster	WAS	23	19	79%	10%	4	2	10%	7	1%	3
12	Joseph Addai	IND	20	19	59%	30.50%	1	1	2.50%	21	4%	3
13	Rashard Mendenhall	PIT	19	18	64%	55%	1	1	4.50%	27	5.50%	3
14	C.J. Spiller	BUF	19	16	57%	24.50%	3	2	11%	33	6%	2
15	Chris Johnson	TEN	19	15	60%	70%	4	0	10%	75	14%	1
16	Cedric Benson	CIN	18	16	47%	60%	2	1	6.50%	19	4%	3
17	Kevin Smith	DET	18	15	65%	18.50%	3	2	8%	22	4%	3
18	Shonn Greene	NYJ	18	14	56%	57.50%	4	3	7%	39	7.50%	1
19	Sammy Morris	DAL	17	13	32.50%	6%	4	4	10%	6	1%	0
20	Willis McGahee	DEN	16	15	43%	44%	1	0	3%	19	5%	1
21	Ahmad Bradshaw	NYG	16	15	58%	39%	1	1	4%	40	7%	3
22	Adrian Peterson	MIN	15	12	31.50%	50%	3	2	17%	23	5%	6
23	LeSean McCoy	PHI	15	13	50%	63%	2	1	6%	69	13%	0
24	Beanie Wells	ARI	15	14	78%	68.50%	1	1	2%	15	3%	0
25	Ryan Mathews	SDC	15	11	69%	55%	4	3	7.50%	59	11%	0
26	Jackie Battle	KCC	15	14	47%	33%	1	0	3%	13	3%	4
27	Kendall Hunter	SFO	15	12	30%	21%	3	1	11.50%	23	5.50%	1
28	Michael Turner	ATL	15	11	78.50%	68.50%	4	4	6.50%	25	4%	0
29	LaDainian Tomlinson	NYJ	14	5	20%	15%	9	6	15%	55	11%	0
30	Donald Brown	IND	14	11	34%	35%	3	2	7%	17	3.50%	3
31	Stevan Ridley	NEP	14	13	42%	18%	1	0	2%	5	1%	6
32	Tashard Choice	BUF	14	9	32%	15%	5	1	18.50%	28	5%	7
33	Michael Tolbert	SDC	14	4	25%	27.50%	10	6	19%	78	14%	2
34	Ricky Williams	BAL	12	10	27%	24%	2	2	8%	20	4%	0
35	Toby Gerhart	MIN	12	11	29%	22%	1	0	5.50%	26	5.50%	2
36	Thomas Jones	KCC	11	11	37%	30%	0	0	0%	6	1%	5
37	Kregg Lumpkin	TBB	11	7	37%	9%	4	4	10.50%	46	8.50%	3
38	Pierre Thomas	NOS	11	9	39%	26.50%	2	2	5%	54	9%	5
39	Armando Allen	CHI	11	11	26%	2.50%	0	0	0%	0	0%	3
40	Dexter McCluster	KCC	10	3	10%	22%	7	5	19.50%	58	12%	0

Running Back Notes:

1. Evan Royster exploded for 136 yards on 19 carries as the gazillionth random running back to excel in Mike Shanahan’s zone-blocking scheme. This time, it was not Shanahan’s fault that we were duped, but an injury to Roy Helu that kept him out of the contest and put Royster, not Ryan Torain, in the driver seat. Considering how productive Royster was and that the Washington Redskins actually cut Torain this week, he could be a valuable fantasy option if Helu sits once again.

2. A massive loss to the NFL community was Adrian Peterson, who tore his ACL and MCL in the win over the Washington Redskins on Sunday. It is an absolute disaster for all who love football and something fantasy owners will have to weigh heavily going into 2012 as Peterson isn’t projected to be ready at the beginning of the 2012 season. Toby Gerhart is the obvious beneficiary, and while clearly not as talented as Peterson he has been productive in his absence, totaling 334 yards and two touchdowns over the four games in which he replaced the Peterson this year. He will be a great bet for 20-plus touches and solid production against the Chicago Bears in Week 17.

3. Arian Foster has been his usual studly self this season despite being hampered by injury early on, a major component to the Houston Texans first franchise playoff berth. With the playoffs on the horizon though, the team could choose to rest their starter for a majority of their Week 17 contest against the Tennessee Titans. This decision is more likely due to the fact that they have an extremely capable backup in Ben Tate, who has gone for over 100 yards in four games this year while picking up three rushing touchdowns behind Foster. Keep tabs on the news in Houston leading up to the game, but if there is a hint that Foster could be rested, Tate could be a tasty option in your Week 17 matchup.

4. Frank Gore has managed to uncharacteristically avoid injury this entire season, leading to a phenomenal end-of-year streak of three touchdowns over his last three games. He has been dealing with some issues as of late though, which could open the door for rookie Kendall Hunter to get some more work in Week 17. The San Francisco 49ers haven’t quite clinched the No. 2 seed in the NFC so Gore could still get a considerable workload, but if things roll the right way Hunter could be a genius start in the final fantasy matchup of the season.

5. Steven Ridley led the New England Patriots in carries for the second game in a row, apparently supplanting Danny Woodhead on passing downs and the struggling BenJarvus Green-Ellis on most other plays. He appears set to see the majority of the carries at least for Week 17 so he should be a lucrative start against the Buffalo Bills in Week 17.

Wide Receivers Targets

	Players	Team	Targets	Receptions	Target%	Season Targets	Season Target %	RZ Plays
1	Wes Welker	NEP	19	12	41%	162	28%	0
2	Roddy White	ATL	16	11	26%	170	30%	3
3	Julio Jones	ATL	14	8	23%	89	15.50%	1
4	Reggie Wayne	IND	14	8	34%	121	24.50%	2
5	Malcom Floyd	SDC	13	6	24.50%	61	11%	3
6	Brandon Marshall	MIA	12	7	36%	134	30.50%	1
7	Pierre Garcon	IND	12	6	29%	129	26%	1
8	Brandon Lloyd	STL	12	3	50%	139	27%	0
9	Larry Fitzgerald	ARI	11	6	25%	136	27%	3
10	Damian Williams	TEN	11	8	27.50%	92	17%	1
11	Marques Colston	NOS	11	7	28%	97	15.50%	1
12	Nate Washington	TEN	11	4	27.50%	112	20.50%	0
13	Dwayne Bowe	KCC	11	6	30.50%	135	29%	3
14	Jarett Dillard	JAC	10	5	24%	48	11%	1
15	Andre Roberts	ARI	10	6	23%	90	18%	0
16	Santana Moss	WAS	10	4	24%	86	16%	1
17	DeSean Jackson	PHI	9	5	28%	98	19%	1
18	Roy Williams	CHI	9	6	32%	56	12.50%	0
19	Deion Branch	NEP	9	3	19.50%	87	15%	2
20	Santonio Holmes	NYJ	9	4	15%	97	19%	2
21	Denarius Moore	OAK	9	4	35%	70	14.50%	0
22	Steve Breaston	KCC	8	4	22%	93	20%	1
23	Dez Bryant	DAL	8	6	20%	95	18%	0
24	Brian Hartline	MIA	8	4	24%	59	13.50%	1
25	Jabar Gaffney	WAS	8	6	19.50%	104	19%	3
26	Miles Austin	DAL	8	4	20%	68	13%	2
27	Mike Williams	TBB	8	4	21%	122	22.50%	2
28	Victor Cruz	NYG	8	3	30%	120	21.50%	1
29	Demaryius Thomas	DEN	8	4	27%	63	15.50%	1
30	A.J. Green	CIN	8	2	26%	106	21.50%	2
31	Jeremy Kerley	NYJ	8	5	13.50%	42	8%	1
32	Vincent Jackson	SDC	7	2	13%	110	20%	1
33	Donte Stallworth	WAS	7	5	17%	37	7%	2
34	Greg Little	CLE	7	4	21%	115	22%	1
35	Torrey Smith	BAL	7	2	29%	88	17%	1
36	Hakeem Nicks	NYG	7	1	26%	127	23%	1
37	Nate Burleson	DET	7	6	19.50%	99	16%	2
38	Doug Baldwin	SEA	7	2	25%	81	17%	1
39	Mike Wallace	PIT	7	4	32%	109	22%	2
40	Dane Sanzenbacher	CHI	7	4	25%	50	11%	2
41	Steve Johnson	BUF	7	4	26%	126	24%	0
42	Jordy Nelson	GBP	7	6	24%	80	16%	1
43	Golden Tate	SEA	6	3	21.50%	52	11%	1
44	James Jones	GBP	6	4	21%	47	9%	3
45	Austin Collie	IND	6	3	15%	83	17%	1
46	Calvin Johnson	DET	6	4	17%	141	23%	1
47	Plaxico Burress	NYJ	6	3	10%	91	18%	2
48	Antonio Brown	PIT	6	3	27%	114	23%	0
49	Jerome Simpson	CIN	6	5	19%	95	19%	2
50	Percy Harvin	MIN	6	5	33%	104	22%	2

Wide Receiver Notes:

1. Torrey Smith has had a nice season as the Baltimore Ravens No. 2 receiver and primary deep threat, and with Anquan Boldin now out with a knee injury until the playoffs had the chance in Week 16 to be the top dog in the receiving game. He promptly fell on his face, catching two passes for 38 yards despite a team-high seven targets. Still though, as the No. 1 receiver he has a good chance of quality production in 12-team or deeper leagues for those in search of a WR3.

2. Brandon Lloyd posted a curious line in Week 16 from a target perspective, receiving 50-percent of the St. Louis Rams targets but only caught three of them for 29 yards as the inaccurate Kellen Clemens couldn’t put the ball in his wheelhouse. He still has to be viewed as a quality start considering his target totals throughout the season, but considering how much the rest of the offense caps his value, it might be wise to find other options if they are available especially since he is facing a formidable San Francisco 49ers defense that is still fighting to lock down the No. 2 spot in the NFC.

3. DeSean Jackson finally showed some signs of life in Week 16, catching five balls on nine targets for 90 yards, his highest receiving yards total since Week 4. He also tacked on two carries for 27 yards, an indication he is out of the doghouse. He faces the Washington Redskins in Week 17 who are tough on receivers (third-fewest fantasy points allowed) but if you really need a high-upside option to put you over the top, Jackson is your man.

4. Dwayne Bowe showed some life in Week 16, totaling six receptions on 11 targets for 80 yards and a touchdown and should have had another on a slant that simply bounced off his hands. Kyle Orton has proven to be a big improvement over Tyler Palko and clearly likes his most talented receiver in Bowe, making him an intriguing play against the Denver Broncos in Week 17.

Tight End Targets

	Players	Team	Targets	Receptions	Target%	Season Targets	Season Target %	RZ Plays
1	Dustin Keller	NYJ	18	8	30.50%	108	21%	1
2	Brandon Pettigrew	DET	10	9	28%	115	19%	1
3	Tony Gonzalez	ATL	9	5	15%	115	20%	2
4	Jimmy Graham	NOS	9	4	23%	140	22.50%	4
5	Rob Gronkowski	NEP	9	7	19.50%	114	20%	1
6	Vernon Davis	SFO	8	4	31%	86	20.50%	1
7	Jared Cook	TEN	8	8	20%	74	13.50%	0
8	Jason Witten	DAL	7	4	17.50%	109	20.50%	2
9	Kellen Winslow	TBB	7	6	18.50%	112	21%	0
10	Evan Moore	CLE	7	5	21%	41	8%	2
11	Jermaine Gresham	CIN	7	5	22.50%	87	18%	2
12	Antonio Gates	SDC	6	4	11%	83	15%	1
13	Aaron Hernandez	NEP	6	4	13%	97	17%	2
14	Jermichael Finley	GBP	6	3	21%	84	16.50%	2
15	Martellus Bennett	DAL	6	3	15%	25	5%	1
16	Todd Heap	ARI	5	2	11%	34	7%	0
17	Ed Dickson	BAL	5	2	21%	88	17%	1
18	Brent Celek	PHI	5	2	16%	87	17%	1
19	Colin Cloherty	JAC	4	2	9.50%	6	1%	0
20	Tony Scheffler	DET	4	3	11%	36	6%	1
21	Joel Dreessen	HOU	4	4	25%	36	8%	0
22	Lance Kendricks	STL	3	2	12.50%	50	10%	0
23	Kellen Davis	CHI	3	3	11%	34	7.50%	1
24	Jordan Cameron	CLE	3	1	9%	8	1.50%	1
25	Randy McMichael	SDC	3	2	6%	41	7%	0
26	Luke Stocker	TBB	3	3	8%	18	3%	0
27	Zach Miller	SEA	3	1	11%	40	8.50%	0
28	Marcedes Lewis	JAC	3	1	7%	81	18%	1
29	Robert Housler	ARI	2	1	4.50%	23	4.50%	0
30	Brody Eldridge	IND	2	2	5%	10	2%	1

Tight End Notes

1. Dustin Keller registered a whooping 18 targets on Sunday, reeling in eight for 77 yards against the New York Giants. Somewhat of a confusing fantasy option for fantasy owners, he has scored just four touchdowns so far this season and just two (in one game against Buffalo) since Week 2. Despite that he has managed to cobble together a decent season as far as the tight end position goes, totaling 58 receptions and 770 yards and figures to be a useful starter against the Miami Dolphins in Week 17.

2. Owen Daniels has had a sub-par season and is dealing with a hyper-extended knee at the moment, making backup Joel Dreessen an intriguing fantasy play in Week 17 for teams struggling to find a tight end. Dreessen caught all four targets for 38 yards in Week 16 as the team’s preferred bootleg target and with the Houston Texans locked into their playoff spot the same situation could apply in the final game of the season, which would be lucrative for fantasy owners.

3. It was not Dallas Clark or Jacob Tamme but Brody Eldridge who led all Indianapolis Colts tight ends with two targets, both of which he reeled in for eight yards. This is clearly not an endorsement of Eldridge but more an indictment of the Colts tight end situation which despite having one of the premier tight ends of the past few seasons has been a fantasy wasteland. Much of the fantasy value of the Colts offense relies on a healthy Peyton Manning, and it will remain to be seen what happens with this offense in 2012.