Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

16. Joseph Addai (Indianapolis Colts) @ Houston

Addai had a quietly productive year in Indianapolis in 2009, with 828 rushing yards, 336 receiving yards, and 13 total touchdowns. Addai seems to have locked up the starting job and left Donald Brown on the back burner for now, which is great news for Addai’s fantasy owners. He should put up enough points to be a high-end RB2 for fantasy squads in 2010. He found the end zone twice in Week 8 against the Houston Texans last year, and should have a big Week 1 against them to start off this season.
Point Projection: 14 points

17. Shonn Greene (New York Jets) vs. Baltimore

Greene struggled to hold on to the ball in his rookie season with the Jets. That problem stopped, however, when playoff time rolled around and the old legs of Thomas Jones started barking. Greene was the star of the playoffs as he led the Jets to the AFC Championship Game, before leaving that game with an injury. Greene is a bruiser, so his durability may come into question. The Jets are a ground and pound team, and they’ll use Greene, along with new addition LaDainian Tomlinson, often. If Greene looks like the back that fans saw in the playoffs last year, he could be a huge value. The Baltimore Ravens are tough to run against, but the Jets should force the issue enough for Greene to find the end zone on Monday night.
Point Projection: 14 points

18. Ray Rice (Baltimore Ravens) @ New York Jets

Rice will be a top five running back this year, but this isn’t the week he gets rolling. In 2009, the New York Jets defense did an excellent job of shutting down running backs and things shouldn’t be different here. Don’t expect tons of yardage by way of carrying the football; however, Rice should be enough to catch 3-5 balls out of the backfield and rack up decent yardage.
Point Projection: 14 points

19. Ahmad Bradshaw (New York Giants) vs. Carolina

The young legs of Bradshaw beat out the beat up bruiser Brandon Jacobs for the starting role for 2010, and if healthy, Bradshaw could be a huge value pick for fantasy owners this season. Bradshaw managed 778 yards on just 163 carries last season, so he could push for his first 1,000 yard season if he can keep the starters role. Jacobs may vulture some touchdowns from Bradshaw, but he’ll make up for it with some big plays. Bradshaw had 53 yards on just 11 carries in Week 17 against the Carolina Panthers last season, so don’t be surprised with a 100 yard game from Bradshaw if he pushed 20 carries.
Point Projection: 14 points

20. Tim Hightower (Arizona Cardinals) @ St. Louis

Hightower is along the Brandon Jacobs mold but has a better back in front of him in Beanie Wells, who is now the unquestioned starter. Hightower will have an impact every now and then, and a match up against the St. Louis Rams could produce some points for Hightower. Look for him to catch three to four pigskins out of the backfield and you always have to like his chances of scoring a touchdown inside the 10 yard line.
Point Projection: 14 points

21. Cadillac Williams (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) vs. Cleveland

Williams shed his injury prone label for at least the time being in 2009, playing in all 16 games and totaling 823 yards on 211 carries with four touchdowns. Derrick Ward is now off the team, so if Williams can stay healthy again he has the starting job all to himself. Rookie Kareem Huggins has looked good in preseason and will step in if Williams goes to, but the job is Caddy’s to lose. He has a good Week 1 match up against the Cleveland Browns.
Point Projection: 13 points

22. LeSean McCoy (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Green Bay

McCoy is coming off a solid rookie season in which he totaled 637 rushing yards and four touchdowns on just 155 carries and he know has the starting job locked up with Brian Westbrook out of the picture. Mike Bell comes from the New Orleans Saints to join McCoy in the backfield, but he shouldn’t be much of a threat to his carries. McCoy is also a very skilled receiver, with 40 catches for 308 yards in his rookie year; he could build on that in year two if he can create some chemistry with new starting quarterback Kevin Kolb.
Point Projection: 13 points

23. Arian Foster (Houston Texans) vs. Indianapolis

A few weeks ago, Foster was going undrafted in many fantasy leagues. Now, with highly touted rookie Ben Tate out of the picture and Steve Slaton failing to impress, Foster is the started in Houston. He should be starting as an RB3/flex option in standard formats.
Point Projection: 13 points

24. Jonathan Stewart (Carolina Panthers) @ New York Giants

Injuries kept him out all preseason and could slow him down Week 1, but him and Williams are such a good tandem out in Carolina that they will both produce week in and week out. Stewart missed the entire preseason with an Achilles injury, but he’s confident and ready to go for Week 1. Stewart tore up the Giants for 206 yards and a touchdown in their Week 17 matchup last season, so he’ll hope to repeat that success to start off 2010.
Point Projection: 13 points

25. Pierre Thomas (New Orleans Saints) vs. Minnesota

It’s clear that Thomas is the guy in New Orleans. Reggie Bush has never been given the opportunity to handle a full work load and will be used in multiple different formations. Rookie Chris Ivory impressed in the preseason, but suffered an MCL injury and will be out at least three weeks. Thomas had a solid 2009 and there’s no reason he can’t build on it in that great Saints offense. He had two touchdowns in the NFC Championship Game against the Minnesota Vikings back in January, and will look to use his elusiveness as a pass catcher and runner to haunt Vikings fans again in Week 1.
Point Projection: 13 points

26. Ricky Williams (Miami Dolphins) @ Buffalo

Williams excelled as the Dolphins’ starting back after Ronnie Brown went down with a broken foot in 2009. The eccentric back has always had the skills, and his two years out of football seem to have benefited his legs. He’ll have a solid season splitting carries with Brown, and he should have a solid week against the Buffalo Bills, a team he has ran all over throughout his career (984 rushing yards and seven touchdowns against), in Week 1.
Point Projection: 12 points

27. Cedric Benson (Cincinnati Bengals) @ New England

Benson shocked many fantasy owners in 2009 with a very productive season, compiling 1,251 yards in just 13 games. Many are high on his backup, Bernard Scott, but as far as Week 1 goes, Benson is slated as the starter, so he’s worth a look.
Point Projection: 12 points

28. Marion Barber (Dallas Cowboys) @ Washington

Barber is part of a crowded backfield with Felix Jones and Tashard Choice in Dallas, but Barber is expected to get the bulk of the carries to start the season. Give him a shot in Week 1 as a low-end RB2 or flex and see how he does with a decent match up against the Washington Redskins.
Point Projection: 12 points

29. Jahvid Best (Detroit Lions) @ Chicago

Best is a rookie who has overtaken Kevin Smith as the starting running back and has been deemed a big part of the offense by Lions GM Martin Mayhew. Best has looked good this preseason and time will tell what kind of an impact he will have. He will have a very high ceiling as time will tell as the season progresses, but Week 1 will be a great gauge for him.
Point Projection: 12 points

30. C.J. Spiller (Buffalo Bills) vs. Miami

How the Bills backfield will play out this season is anyone’s guess. Fred Jackson is currently suffering from a hand injury that may limit him in Week 1. Marshawn Lynch’s status with the team seems to be sinking, which leaves the rookie C.J. Spiller with a chance to impress. He had a great preseason and has all the tools, but it’s just a bad situation in Buffalo. If there’s one guy you want right now, it’s Spiller. Try to avoid the situation as much as possible until it clears up.
Point Projection: 11 points