There’s one final game left in the season and it looks like it’s going to be a great one. Super Bowl XLVI features the New England Patriots and the New York Giants in a rematch of Super Bowl XLII. You may recall in that game the Giants upset the undefeated Patriots with a few miracle plays down the stretch. The rematch promises to just as epic, with both teams boasting great offenses.

A lot of playoff challenges force you to lock in rosters during the conference championship rounds. However, for those that don’t or for those doing a Super Bowl-only game can take solace in the fact that we’ve got our regular line of fantasy articles, including the Sit ‘Ems. This game appears to be an offensive shootout so not many players graced the list this week, but the ones that did are ones you’ll want to avoid.

RUNNING BACKS - SIT ‘EM

Brandon Jacobs (New York Giants) vs. New England

The positive about New York Giants running back Brandon Jacobs is that he’s got good goal-line potential. That’s about all you can say about him, however. Jacobs does not get consistent touches nor does he get many yards. In the Giants’ three games thus far in the playoffs Jacobs went from 14 carries to nine to five, in that order. He also went from 92 yards to 22 yards to 15 yards. He did manage a touchdown against the Green Bay Packers and did rush for 92 yards against the Atlanta Falcons, but those were aberrations. Jacobs is not much of a factor in the offense and likely won’t be in this game either. Both teams favor a heavy passing game so running opportunities will be limited for the Giants, and you can expect Ahmad Bradshaw to get most of those.

WIDE RECEIVERS - SIT ‘EM

Deion Branch (New England Patriots) vs. New York Giants

For as much as the Patriots pass the ball you figure that wide receiver Deion Branch would catch more passes. However in the playoffs he’s combined for just five catches so far. The main targets are receiver Wes Welker and tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez. Branch is good for a clutch catch here and there but overall he’s not targeted often enough to be a fantasy factor. Even if Gronkowski missed the game - which won’t happen - Branch still wouldn’t be a good option. In Super Bowl XXXIX when the Patriots held on for a close win over the Philadelphia Eagles, Branch was named the game’s MVP after catching 11 passes for 131 yards. However is far from the player he was back then, and won’t come close to duplicating that performance.

DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS - SIT ‘EM

New England Patriots D/ST vs. New York Giants

For as much heat as the Patriots defense caught during the regular season, it was that side of the ball that won the AFC Conference Championship game over the Baltimore Ravens. However, New England is putting players into the lineup that wouldn’t crack the depth chart on other teams, including lining wide receiver Julian Edelman up at safety and Sterling Moore, who’s been cut multiple times by multiple teams this season at corner. That’s where the weakness of the defense is - defending the pass - which plays right into the hands of the Giants. The Patriots ranked 31st in the league passing yards allowed per game. The only thing that might save the Patriots D/ST here is that they intercept a lot of passes - 23 during the regular season - but with how well Eli Manning has been playing this season it’s unlikely he starts throwing picks left and right.

New York Giants D/ST vs. New England

Let’s be honest here, neither D/ST here is going to put up fantasy-worth statistics this week. It’s easy to rag on the Patriots but the Giants are just as bad defensively. New York 29th in the league in passing yards allowed per game, 27th in total yards allowed per game and 25th in points allowed per game. It’s hard to look at both defenses and not see a shootout happening here. The Giants did manage to hold the Packers to just 20 points in the NFC Championship but one good game does transform an average defense into a good one. As good as the defensive line is Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is one of the best players at getting rid of the ball when and where he needs to, which should nullify a lot of the speed from the defensive line. Also consider the Patriots offense ranks second in passing yards per game and total yards per game, as well as third in points per game.

The 2011 NFL season will come to an end on February 5, as Super Bowl XLVI in Indianapolis will give us a rematch of the Super Bowl four years ago as the New England Patriots and New York Giants will square off.
Fantasy football owners that are still looking to finish well in their playoff leagues obviously don’t have a ton of options at this point, but the two teams offer some of the top options owners have relied on all season like Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Eli Manning.

If you are looking for some worthy fantasy starters to secure a victory in your playoff league, feel free to check out our “Fantasy Football Start ‘Ems”for Super Bowl Sunday.

QUARTERBACKS-START ‘EM

Eli Manning (New York Giants) @ New England

Manning went 32-for-58 for 316 yards and two touchdowns last week against the San Francisco 49ers, and did not throw an interception despite being sacked six times in the game. He will get a chance to continue his playoff momentum in the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots in a favorable matchup. The Patriots had one of the league’s worst pass defenses during the regular season, and they just allowed over 300 passing yards to Joe Flacco of the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game. Against New England during the regular season, Manning threw for 250 yards and two touchdowns with one interception. He is arguably playing better now than he was back then, so a better performance looks to be coming. The younger Manning is once again a no-brainer start in playoff leagues for Super Bowl XLVI.

RUNNING BACKS-START ‘EM

Ahmad Bradshaw (New York Giants) @ New England

Bradshaw had 20 carries for 74 yards along with six receptions for 52 yards against the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game, as backfield mate Brandon Jacobs had just five carries in the game. Bradshaw gets an easier matchupagainst the New England Patriots in Super Bowl XLVI, and his ability as a pass catcher only helps if the Giants have to throw a lot. He did not play against the Patriots when the two teams played in Week 9, but Jacobs had 100 combined yards from scrimmage and a rushing touchdown in that game. Bradshaw has at least 84 combined yards in all three games this postseason,and even if Jacobs vultures a few touches he should see plenty of work once again. Bradshaw is clearly the back from both teams fantasy football owners should be looking to start in the Super Bowl.

WIDE RECEIVERS-START ‘EM

Wes Welker (New England Patriots) vs. New York Giants

Welker had six catches (on eight targets) for 53 yards against the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game, and now has at least six receptions in seven of his last eight games heading into Super Bowl XLVI against the New York Giants. Against the Giants back in Week 9, Welker had nine receptions for 136 yards as he was also targeted 10 times in the game. Patriots quarterback Tom Brady should look Welker’s way often with the Giants’ pass rush looking to get after him, so a lot of targets and catches should absolutely be coming. New York has been much better during the postseason, but they did allow the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers during the regular season and that should not be forgotten. Welker has been dealing with a knee injury recently, but there is virtually no way he misses the Super Bowl and is a rock-solid choice as a WR1 for those looking to finish strongly in their playoff league.

Victor Cruz (New York Giants) @ New England

Cruz broke out a small playoff funk in a big way in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers, as he had 10 receptions for 142 yards and he was targeted a game-high 17 times. He gets a good chance at a second straight big game against the New England Patriots on Super Bowl Sunday, as the Patriots continue to struggle when faced with a talented group of receivers. Cruz himself had six catches (on 11 targets) for 91 yards against the Patriots in the regular season matchup of the two teams and he should again get plenty of looks from quarterback Eli Manning on Super Bowl Sunday. He was one of the biggest surprises of the fantasy football season in 2011, but at this point Cruz falls into the must-start category and he can be considered a WR1 with some upside for next Sunday’s game.

TIGHT ENDS-START ‘EM

Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots) vs. New York Giants

Gronkowski had five receptions for a team-leading 87 yards against the Baltimore Ravens last week, and he did have to leave the game after suffering a severe-looking left ankle injury. Two weeks between games should give him ample time to recover, so he appears in no danger of missing Super Bowl XLVI against the New York Giants and a favorable matchup. The Giants allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing tight ends (8.6 per game) during the regular season, and they just allowed 112 yards and two touchdowns to Vernon Davis of the San Francisco 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. Against the Giants in Week 9, Gronkowski had eight receptions for 101 yards and a touchdown as was targeted a team-high 15 times in the game as well. As long as he remains on track to play on Super Bowl Sunday, “Gronk” should be regarded as the top tight end available.

KICKERS-START ‘EM

Stephen Gostkowski (New England Patriots) vs. New York Giants

Gostkowski made all three of his field goal attempts and went 2-for-2 on extra points against the Baltimore Ravens last week, and has missed just one field goal in his last seven games. A matchup with the New York Giants in the Super Bowl looks to be a fairly difficult matchup, as the Giants have allowed more than five points to an opposing kicker just one in their past five games. That said, Gostkowski went 2-for-3 on field goals, including a 45-yarder, and made both of his extra points against the Giants when the two teams met in the regular season. Being indoors at Lucas Oil Stadium may give him some long-range opportunities, as weather will not be a factor at all on Super Bowl Sunday. There obviously are only two kicker options available to fantasy owners at this point, but Gostkowski is the one with the most upside for the last game of the 2011 NFL season.

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF FEBRUARY 2, 2012::

We have to wait until the calendar turns to February for more NFL football, not counting the Pro Bowl of course, and two of the best offenses and quarterbacks in the league will be on display with the New England Patriots and New York Giants play each other in the Super Bowl for the second time in recent years.

Since it looks likely to be a high-scoring affair at Lucas Oil Stadium, neither one of the defenses has a lot of appeal to fantasy owners looking to secure a victory in their playoff leagues.

Before we get going with our rankings for the Conference Championship games, here is a refresher on how to use our “Bruno Boys Star System” for ranking team defenses.

BRUNO BOYS DEFENSIVE STAR SYSTEM

5-Stars (*****)- Bruno Boys Top Plays of the Week
4-Stars (****)- Bruno Boys Very Solid Plays of the Week
3-Stars (*** - Bruno Boys Average Plays of the Week
2-Stars (**)- Bruno Boys Try To Avoid Playing This Week
1-Star (*)- Bruno Boys Do Not Start Unless You Have To

1. New York Giants (vs. New England)

The Giants had another solid defensive effort in the NFC Championship Game against the San Francisco 49ers, as they allowed 17 points and 328 yards of offense while sacking quarterback Alex Smith three times. A much more difficult matchup is coming for the Super Bowl against the New England Patriots, who have had one of the league’s top offenses all season. The Giants actually put together a solid defensive effort against New England during the regular season, allowing 20 points while forcing four turnovers and sacking Tom Brady twice in the game. They did allow 438 offensive yards to the Patriots in that game, so they may be hard pressed to hold them off the scoreboard if they can’t force turnovers again. It looks likely to be a high-scoring contest on Super Bowl Sunday, but fantasy owners should hold the Giants defense is slightly higher regard for the game.
Bruno Boys Stars:**

2. New England Patriots (vs. New York Giants)

New England allowed nearly 400 yards of offense to the Baltimore Ravens in the AFC Championship Game, including 306 passing yards to quarterback Joe Flacco, but they did hold the Ravens to 20 points and sack Flacco three times in the game. A much more difficult matchup is coming for Super Bowl XLVI against the New York Giants, have a much better overall offense than the Ravens. The Patriots allowed 24 points and 361 yards of offense to the Giants back in Week 9, as they forced two turnovers and failed to sack quarterback Eli Manning. Giants’ running back Ahmad Bradshaw did not play in that previous game, and Manning has played very well late in the season. Simply put, there is not a lot of upside here for fantasy owners on Super Bowl Sunday.
Bruno Boys Stars:*

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF FEBRUARY 2, 2012::

The Super Bowl features one of the best fantasy kickers (at least during the regular season) in New England’s Stephen Gostkowski, against one of the worst in New York’s Lawrence Tynes. Each has been fairly successful in the postseason however, with Gostkowski averaging 10 fantasy points per game and Tynes averaging 8.3. We anticipate both kickers getting past those numbers in the Super Bowl, so let’s take a look at our two-man rankings.

Standard Scoring

17-39 Yard Field Goal: 3 points  |  40-49 Yard Field Goal: 4 points
50-plus Yard Field Goal: 5 points  |  Extra Point: 1 point

1. Stephen Gostkowski (New England Patriots) vs. New York Giants

Gostkowski has been perfect in New England’s pair of playoff contests, making all 12 of his kicks.  He’s 4-for-4 in field goals and 8-for-8 in extra points. He hasn’t made or attempted a field goal from at least 40 yards out, so there have not been any bonus points for kicks from distance from him, but on the other hand, Gostkowski’s perfection means no negative points for missed kicks. The Giants stymied the Patriots’ offense in their last Super Bowl meeting, but even though New York has ramped up their defensive play, we have a hard time believing that will happen again.
Point Projection: 11 points

2. Lawrence Tynes (New York Giants) vs. New England

Tynes has made more field goals than any kicker this postseason with six, but he’s also missed a pair of kicks (he’s 9-for-9 on PATs). Like Gostkowski, Tynes has not made any kicks from at least 40 yards, going 0-for-1 from that distance. He was erratic during the regular season, and is a far riskier play in the Super Bowl for fantasy owners than the steady Gostkowski. The Giants should move the ball well enough to make Tynes a decent option, but not as good as his New England counterpart.
Point Projection: 9 points

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick is focused on his next game - not the ones that follow.

On Friday, Belichick was asked if he'd retire should the Patriots defeat the New York Giants in Super Boxl XLVI on Sunday.

His response? Well, none.

Belichick elected to brush aside the question and keep focused on both the Giants as well as the health of tight end Rob Gronkowski and his team in general.

The 59-year-old Belichick has spent 37 years of his life in the NFL.

The NFL will take a more prominent role on Thursdays.

Commissioner Roger Goodell announced on Friday that NFL Network will air 13 games in the upcoming 2012 NFL season.

The network, which currently airs eight games a season, will begin its coverage in Week 2.

“We think that's great for the fans ... and that's great for the network,” Goodell said at his annual state of the NFL news conference on Friday.

Goodell also noted that while he'd love for the NFL to have a team in Los Angeles, there has been no talk of expanding the league to 34 clubs.

There are two current proposals to build a new stadium in the suburban Los Angeles area.

Los Angeles is the nation's second largest media market.

New York Giants defensive tackle Chris Canty promised a parade next week, essentially guaranteeing a Super Bowl victory.

For their part, the New England Patriots were less than impressed with Canty's comments, according to the New York Daily News.

“They've got a parade?” Patriots wideout Deion Branch told the newspaper. “I don't know, man. Anybody can throw a parade. I can throw a parade if I want to. I think anybody can throw a parade.”

New England tackle Matt Light also dismissed Canty's comments, saying it goes “in one ear and out the other.”

Canty told the New York Daily News to “get ready for a great game on Super Bowl Sunday. And get ready for a parade on Tuesday.”

The two teams will play on Sunday in Super Bowl XLVI - with a parade going to the winner.

New England Patriots coach Bill Belichick detailed on Friday that tight end Rob Gronkowski is no worse for wear after his first practice since suffering a left high ankle sprain.

“I think he's OK this morning. I think he's OK. I don't think we had any setbacks,” Belichick said.

Gronkowski, who returned to practice on a limited basis Thursday, is expected to play in Sunday's Super Bowl versus the New York Giants.

Prior to Thursday's practice, Gronkowski played to the camera and exagerated his injury to the laughter of many.

Gronkowski suffered the injury during the team's AFC Championship Game win over the Baltimore Ravens.

On Wednesday, Gronkowski said the team is looking into a specialized cleat he could wear on Sunday.

Gronkowski has had a monster season, setting league records for tight ends for touchdowns (17) and receiving yards (1,327).

He also came up huge in New England's 45-10 playoff win over Denver, hauling in 10 catches for 145 yards and three touchdowns.

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford admitted he wants a ring.

When pressed as to which he'd like first - a Super Bowl ring or one to announce an engagement - a clearly flushed Stafford chose the former.

Although Stafford has been dating girlfriend Kelly Hall, the Lions quarterback admitted that the young couple won't be headed to the alter “anytime soon.”

As for the question posed by the host of the “The Dan Patrick Show,” the 23-year-old Stafford admitted that winning on the NFL's grandest stage is his highest priority.

“Oh, my gosh, this guy,” Stafford answered. “Hopefully, (a) Super Bowl ring. Hopefully, (a) Super Bowl ring.”

The top overall pick of the 2009 draft, Stafford completed 421 of 663 passes for a career-best 5,038 yards with 41 touchdowns and 16 interceptions this season.

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay refuted an ESPN report which detailed that quarterback Peyton Manning received clearance from doctors to return to football.

After the network reported that the NFL's only four-time Most Valuable Player had been medically cleared to resume his NFL career, Irsay took to Twitter to set the record straight.

“Peyton has not passed our physical nor has he been cleared to play for the Indianapolis Colts,” Irsay wrote late Thursday. “Team statement coming on Friday.”

Manning, who underwent three surgical procedures on his neck in a 19-month period that forced him to sit out the entire 2011 season, received the green light from two doctors, according to ESPN's report.

One of them was Dr. Robert Watkins, who performed the last surgery on Manning in September - a cervical neck fusion to repair a bulging disk.

However, Manning still faces a significant hurdle to getting back on the field as he awaits the nerves in his right arm to regenerate.

That has been the biggest issue since Manning was given the OK to resume throwing in December. Doctors have no way to predict a timetable for the nerve regeneration.

Signed to a long-term contract before the season, Manning is due a $28 million roster bonus on March 8. If the Colts decline to pay the bonus, he will become a free agent.

Indianapolis has the No. 1 selection in April's NFL draft and is expected to select Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck.