Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

13. Kevin Kolb (Philadelphia Eagles) vs. Dallas

With the Philadelphia Eagles having nothing to play for, and quarterback Michael Vick getting beat up in Week 16, head coach Andy Reid has decided to use Kolb as his starter in the season finale. Kolb started the season as the No.1 quarterback, however suffered an injury early on that forced Vick into action. In his absence, Vick performed so well Reid decided to stick with Vick and thus led to Kolb holing the clipboard. In Week 17, Kolb takes on a Dallas defense that is giving up 251.4 points per game and 28.2 points per game, which ranks 27th and 31st, respectively, in the league. Plus, the Cowboys are giving up about 18 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks, which makes them the second worst defense in that regard. That said, Kolb will likely be without DeSean Jackson and who knows how long the Eagles starters will play. The matchup is the right one, there is some upside, however the fact that you don’t know exactly how long he gets to play with the starters means starting Kolb comes with some risk. Still, you can use him as a low-end QB1, or a QB2 on Sunday.
Point Projection: 15 points

14. Sam Bradford (St. Louis Rams) @ Seattle

After going three weeks without throwing a touchdown St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford got out of his slump last week by throwing for 292 yards with one touchdown and no interceptions in a win over the San Francisco 49ers. Can you believe a win this week puts the Rams in the playoffs? Sounds odd to say but that’s the situation Bradford and the Rams are in this week against the Seattle Seahawks. However, the gut is telling us not to trust Bradford this week. Aside from last week’s game he hasn’t been playing well recently, plus it seems the matchup is so far in favor that nothing can go wrong. When it seems like nothing can go wrong is when it usually does. That said, Bradford has tons of upside and in two quarterback leagues is well worth the risk.
Point Projection: 15 points

15. Shaun Hill (Detroit Lions) vs. Minnesota

Detroit Lions quarterback Shaun Hill returned from his finger injury last week to help lead the team to a win over the Miami Dolphins. The Lions have now won three games in a row, which is impressive considering they won just two all of last season. In that game Hill showed no ill effects from his injury, throwing for 222 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions. It would be easy to project Hill for a big game considering he’s facing the punchless Minnesota Vikings, but the last time Hill faced the Vikings he was held to 237 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Expect a solid game from Hill, though there is some potential for more.
Point Projection: 14 points

16. Matt Cassel (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Oakland

The Kansas City Chiefs have already locked up the AFC West and a playoff spot, but as of Monday there was no word on how quarterback Matt Cassel would play this week against the Oakland Raiders. Consider the Chiefs are still trying to position themselves with the playoffs, it would behoove them to play Cassel to ensure a win. The last time he faced the Raiders he threw for 216 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. Expect a similar performance the second time around, though it could be less if the Chiefs take an early lead and the pound the ball on Oakland. The one thing to be aware of here is that the Raiders have forced one or more turnovers in six of their last eight games.
Point Projection: 14 points

17. Chad Henne (Miami Dolphins) @ New England

Miami Dolphins quarterback Chad Henne was once thought to be one of the more promising young quarterbacks in the league. Now, the guy enters Week 17’s game with the New England Patriots with 15 touchdowns to 18 interceptions, and is not the only Dolphin on the hot seat. The Patriots forced three interceptions last week from Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick. Henne had two picks last week in a loss to the Detroit Lions, though his 274 yards and one touchdown did offset that a bit. Don’t expect the Patriots to get three interceptions again this week, but they should force Henne into some mistakes. That said, if Miami is needing to throw often, Henne could be a sneaky play as a QB2 this week, especially considering he is finally starting to get stud wide receiver Brandon Marshall the football.
Point Projection: 13 points

18. Carson Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals) @ Baltimore

Was it the orange jerseys? Was it knowing that they were two games away from vacation? Whatever it was, the Cincinnati Bengals had no problem dispatching the San Diego Chargers last week, thanks mostly to the four touchdowns from quarterback Carson Palmer. Could somebody let Palmer know he’s supposed to play like that all the time? The Baltimore Ravens had not done well recently in defending the pass until they shut down Colt McCoy and the Cleveland Browns last week. They didn’t allow one passing touchdown but forced three picks from McCoy. The Baltimore defense is inconsistent at defending opposing quarterbacks, so what you have to go here is Palmer’s track record, and his track record this season is marred by inconsistency and turnovers. Try not to get too excited about last week’s four-touchdown outburst.
Point Projection: 13 points

19. Kerry Collins (Tennessee Titans) @ Indianapolis

It’s only been three weeks since the Tennessee Titans and the Indianapolis Colts last played, and the memory of Tennessee quarterback Kerry Collins throwing for 244 yards and three touchdowns is still fresh. Maybe not as fresh as the Colts winning a close game, but we digress. Don’t expect Collins to repeat his performance from the last game, after all he’s thrown five interceptions in his last four games. The only game he didn’t throw an interception in was the one against Indianapolis. The Colts are giving up about 14 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, and we like Collins to hit that amount. However, there is the potential for more based off past experiences.
Point Projection: 13 points

20. Rex Grossman (Washington Redskins) vs. New York Giants

Are we witnessing the comeback of Rex Grossman? Let’s not get too excited about the Washington Redskins quarterback, but it’s interesting to see that he seems to be playing smarter now than he ever did as a Chicago Bear. In his two starts Grossman has five touchdowns and three interceptions. Grossman did play all that well last week even though the Jacksonville Jaguars should’ve been a good matchup for him. We’ll be optimistic and project Grossman for a decent amount of yardage and a score or two this week against the New York Giants, but the risk you run when starting Grossman is big. You have been warned.
Point Projection: 13 points

21. Jason Campbell (Oakland Raiders) @ Kansas City

Who would’ve thought that entering Week 17 the Oakland Raiders still had a shot at making the playoffs? A lot needs to happen for the Raiders to get in, but still we couldn’t have imagined that possibility before the season started. When Oakland quarterback Jason Campbell faced the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 9 he threw for 229 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Expect a similar performance from Campbell this week but know that the Chiefs have forced nine turnovers in their last five games, so there is the potential that Campbell could come up with single digits this week.
Point Projection: 12 points

22. Ryan Fitzpatrick / Brian Brohm (Buffalo Bills) @ New York Jets

If Ryan Fitzpatrick had any hopes of solidifying his chances at being the starting quarterback for the Buffalo Bills next year, his three-interception performance in last week’s loss to the New England Patriots did not help. This is what we’ve been warning about all year with Fitzpatrick. Across his career he’s shown that he typically throws a lot of interceptions. Fitzpatrick had 20 fantasy points when he faced the New York Jets in Week 4, but almost half of that came from rushing yards. Expect a much more modest output this time from Fitzpatrick, and he should only be considered in two-quarterback leagues. **QUESTIONABLE - FITZPATRICK WILL BE A GAME-TIME DECISION IN WEEK 17**
Point Projection: Fitzpatrick - 12 points; Brohm - 8 points

23. Alex Smith (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Arizona

After last week’s loss to the St. Louis Rams, the San Francisco 49ers fired head coach Mike Singletary. Singletary named Troy Smith as the starting quarterback last week just two weeks after benching him in favor of Alex Smith. Troy Smith had an interception and lost three fumbles last week before being benched and having a visible argument with Singletary. Interim head coach Jim Tomsula will start Alex Smith this week against the Arizona Cardinals and we believe he will finish the game, whether playing good or bad. Still there is no point of using Smith with your fantasy season on the line.
Point Projection: 11 points

24. Brett Favre / Joe Webb (Minnesota Vikings) @ Detroit

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Brett Favre didn’t play last week after failing the concussion test, though it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him play this week against the Detroit Lions. Favre’s so stubborn he could have one foot in the grave and still insist on playing. Given his multitude of injuries and the improved play of the Detroit Lions, don’t expect much from Favre if he does play. If he doesn’t play then Joe Webb will get his second consecutive start, and you shouldn’t expect a whole lot from a rookie who was picked in the sixth round.  **FAVRE LISTED AS DOUBTFUL. IF HE CAN’T PLAY JOE WEBB WILL START AT QUARTERBACK. MONITOR STATUS ON SUNDAY MORNING**
Point Projection: Favre - 11 points; Webb - 11 points

25. Jay Cutler (Chicago Bears) @ Green Bay

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler has had some hiccups here and there but for the most part this season he’s done a much better job at limiting his turnovers compared to last season. Cutler registered 13 fantasy points when he faced the Green Bay Packers in Week 3 but Cutler and the Bears offense has improved a lot since then. Also, the play of wide receiver Johnny Knox recently, who’s shown he can play well in inclement weather, has been a boon for Cutler. Expect Cutler to look sharper the second time around, but don’t expect anything Earth-shattering. After all the Packers are giving up about 11 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks.  **WILL START - NO GUARANTEE HE PLAYS FULL GAME IN WEEK 17**
Point Projection: 11 points

26. Colt McCoy (Cleveland Browns) vs. Pittsburgh

Just by chance Cleveland Browns quarterback Colt McCoy will his final start of his rookie season against the same team that he made his first start against, the Pittsburgh Steelers. In that game McCoy threw for 281 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions. Aside from his three-interception game last week, McCoy had been fairly steady, albeit low-scoring, in terms of fantasy football. We all know how good the Steelers are. They’re giving up about 11 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks, and we wouldn’t expect anything more from McCoy this week.
Point Projection: 10 points

27. Charlie Whitehurst / Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks) vs. St. Louis

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Matt Hasselbeck injured his hip on a rushing touchdown last week, and head coach Pete Carroll said Charlie Whitehurst will likely start this week’s game against the St. Louis Rams. Carroll did say it’s possible that Hasselbeck will play this week, however, we doubt that will be much if at all. Whitehurst has one touchdown to three interceptions thus far this year, has an average yards per attempt of 5.0 and is completing 55.5 percent of his passes. Thus, he is not good and shouldn’t be viewed as an option this week, even in two-quarterback leagues.  **HASSELBECK RETURNED TO LIMITED PRACTICE ON SUNDAY. WILL BE A GAME-TIME DECISION. ONLY CONSIDER SEATTLE QB IF YOU OWN BOTH WITH IT BEING A SUNDAY NIGHT GAME**
Point Projection: Whitehurst - 10 points; Hasselbeck - 10 points

28. Mark Sanchez / Mark Brunell (New York Jets) vs. Buffalo

The New York Jets lost to the Chicago Bears last week but during the post game press conference head coach Rex Ryan found out the team was headed to the playoffs following a Jacksonville Jaguars loss. Ryan said Sanchez may start this week’s game with the Buffalo Bills but won’t play all of it. That means Mark Brunell will either start or see some considerable playing time this week. What that means for you is if you own Sanchez, you need to find a better starting option immediately, and Brunell does not fit into that category either because there’s no telling how much he plays either. **SANCHEZ EXPECTED TO START, HOWEVER BRUNELL WILL ALSO PLAY**
Point Projection: Sanchez - 8 points; Brunell - 8 points

29. John Skelton (Arizona Cardinals) @ San Francisco

Let’s give some credit to Arizona Cardinals quarterback John Skelton. He helped lead the team to an upset win over the Dallas Cowboys last week. Still, Skelton completed just 44 percent of his passes against Dallas. He doesn’t turn the ball over that much - just one interception and one fumble - but he’s only scored one touchdown and doesn’t generate enough yards to make up for his other shortcomings. He’s done alright at not turning the ball other but other than that he’s got no redeeming qualities.
Point Projection: 8 points

30. Trent Edwards (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ Houston

The Jacksonville Jaguars are playing for a potential playoff spot, and this week’s matchup represents a good opportunity for them to win, however it will be with Trent Edwards, not David Garrard under center.  Garrard injured his finger in the Texans Week 16 loss to the Washington Redskins and this will alter the Jaguars gameplan. Although the Texans allow around 20 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks you can expect Jacksonville to run the football frequently and try to keep the Texans explosive offense off the field. If Edwards can make the most of a condensed playbook and get Mike Thomas and Mike Sims-Walker the football he could surprise, however he has looked horrible in backup duty this year and you can’t rely on him.
Point Projection: 8 points

31. Stephen McGee (Dallas Cowboys) @ Philadelphia

In Week 14 we saw an excellent game between the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, one in which the Cowboys saw a big lead turn into a late comeback for the Eagles. In that game Dallas quarterback Jon Kitna threw for 242 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but his 27 rushing yards helped offset one of those picks. However, we are unlikely to see an encore performance in Week 17 from Kitna, as the veteran injured his hip on Christmas day and is unlikely to play on Sunday because of multiple injuries. If the Cowboys are forced to start McGee in the season finale it likely won’t be pretty. While McGee did leave Dallas on a late fourth quarter touchdown drive to take the lead last week, he will have trouble getting time to throw against an experienced and hungry Philadelphia Eagles defense. Stay far away from McGee.
Point Projection: 8 points

32. Jimmy Clausen (Carolina Panthers) @ Atlanta

The Carolina Panthers have already secured the first pick of the 2011 draft. Given how poorly quarterback Jimmy Clausen has played this year, what are the odds the Panthers select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck? We say pretty good. At no point this season has Clausen been a good fantasy option, and that’s not going to change this week against the Atlanta Falcons, who are giving up about 13 fantasy points per game to quarterbacks. Watch Clausen improve that average - in the Falcons’ favor, that is.
Point Projection: 7 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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