Tool #1 – Arena Fantasy Football

Just because the NFL season has ended, doesn’t mean there’s no more football! If you are a sports enthusiast and take pride in catching every Sports Center on ESPN, then you are fully aware that we are now in the mist of the Arena Football League’s season. After all, the network has been like Kelvin Sampson and his text messages with their promotions of the product. So, why not give in and create a fantasy AFL league? 

Sit down, and get to know the likes of T.T. Toliver, the Orlando Predators receiver who leads the league in touchdowns, and Joe Germaine of the Utah Blaze, who has thrown for 972 yards, 20 TDs, and just 3 interceptions. Not only does participating in a fantasy AFL league give you a chance to sharpen those GM skills, but it will also benefit you in other ways. Since defense in the AFL is comparable to the defense you’ll find in the NBA, your fantasy squad will be racking up the points, helping to boost your confidence as the NFL season rolls around. Additionally, when the next Kurt Warner comes around, you’ll know about him ahead of time and be able to steal him late in your fantasy draft.
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Tool #2 – Maximize Madden

Fantasy football owners and Madden football go together like Peanut Butter and Jelly. So, why not fully take advantage of the game? Utilize the fantasy draft to see what players are going where, which ones are the ones being highly targeted. It may not be a science, but partaking in these fantasy drafts in Madden should make your fantasy football draft a bit easier. 

To even use the game further, modify the rosters so that they reflect all of the transactions that have taken place so far this off-season. Then, simulate. Simulate season after season to get a good feel for how players may perform and progress. Don’t base your whole draft strategy on these results, but add the data to the hundreds of other pieces of information you gather. It may be what separates that sleeper wide receiver with that waste of bench space.
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Tool #3 – Take Interest in Your Kids

Let’s face it, come football season, your wife’s (husband’s) a widow and your kids are fatherless (motherless).Make up for lost time by taking an interest in your kids during the off-season, but if you’re smart about it, you can do so while still improving some of the skills you’ll need to manage your team to a fantasy football championship. The way to do this is to become your kids’ real life coach. Any sport your kid plays from now until the start of football season, be the first to volunteer to coach, doing so will allow you to improve on so many aspects of your fantasy game. You’ll learn when to be patient and when to pull the plug on someone. You’ll be able to analyze match-ups and sit and start players accordingly. Plus, your kids won’t ask your significant other, “who’s that strange man (woman)?” when football season is in full swing.
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Utilize these three tools and you’ll build yourself into the top GM in your fantasy league next season!

Bruno Boys Caviglia: Give me Tom Brady baby! We all know Brady’s 50 touchdown passes will be tough to repeat, but even if he throws between 35-40 touchdowns, he still is the top quarterback heading into 2008. If Brady’s on the board late in the first round, I’d take the gamble on him. However, if you are looking for consistency, than you have to go with Peyton Manning. In his 10 year NFL career, he has never thrown for less than 26 touchdown passes and has surpassed 4,000 passing yards in 8 of those 10 seasons.  Finally, if you consider yourself a risk taker, think about Tony Romo. He is fresh off a 36 touchdown season, and has the receiving corps to have another stellar season.

Bruno Boys Ziza: To me that is a tough one. Tom Brady is coming off a career year, but it seemed as if by the end of the season teams had figured them out some, and I believe the Patriots will be going to more of a running game. Manning was consistent as always, but not worthy of his normal first round draft status and Tony Romo had a very solid, yet unspectacular season. My money would be on Peyton Manning. As much as I am sure Brady would be the popular choice to most, Manning is the only QB on this board that has put up great numbers year after year. Falling back to reality somewhat would not surprise me with Brady, making Manning the man I would call on if I were in need of a QB.
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2. QB Philip Rivers (SD) or QB Jay Cutler (DEN)

Bruno Boys Ziza: To me, this is a no-brainer. Even when the Chargers brought in Chris Chambers, Philip Rivers never was able to find any type of consistent production. Jay Cutler, on the other hand, had less weapons to work with, went through some growing pains, but he is now entering his third full-season. I expect him to grow even more this year, and since it is starting to look as if Rivers may never piece things together, my money is on Cutler.

Bruno Boys Caviglia: One of the guys I will be targeting in all leagues next year is Jay Cutler. Last year, Cutler threw 12 TD’s to 6 INT’s over the last 8 games, and finished the season with a 63.6 completion percentage, which is good for 3rd all-time in Denver Broncos history.  With Brandon Marshall deveolping into a top tier wide receiver and the Broncos starting to properly use Tony Scheffler, Cutler should be a top 10 quarterback in 2008. As for Philip Rivers, he also caught fire towards the end of the season (11 TD’s to 5 INT’s over the last 8 games), but overall he dipped in production from 2006 to 2007. I believe both quarterbacks are fantasy football worthy, but with the San Diego Chargers having the better running game, it will be Cutler who has more opportunity to shine and post better statistics in 2008.
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3. RB LaDainian Tomlinson (SD) or RB Adrian Peterson (MIN)

Bruno Boys Caviglia: It’s funny how things work, LaDainian Tomlinson has been the top running back in fantasy football for 2 straight years, yet has competition for the number one overall pick again. Last year it was Steven Jackson, this year it’s Adrian Peterson. In my opinion, it could be Barry Sanders and I’m still going with Tomlinson. Peterson might be the next big thing since sliced bread, but Tomlinson is the “get ‘er done” running back that all should die for.  In what he considered a down year, he still led all running backs in yardage (1,474 rushing yards) and scored 18 total touchdowns.  Realistically, Peterson could have a season that outshines Tomlinson in 2008, but consistency wins fantasy football titles, and L.T. has been nothing short of consistent (18.4 TD per season average) over the past 7 seasons.

Bruno Boys Ziza: In 1 year leagues, you have to go with Mr. Consistent, Ladanian Tomlinson! For some reason, LT never gets the type of press coverage that many lesser backs get, and I will never understand that. Barring injury, he will still be a top-3 back in 2008. That being said, if I were in a keeper league, it would be hard to convince me to not take Adrian Peterson with the first overall pick! He has it all. Great eyes, skills, speed and most importantly, a great offensive line! Ask Shaun Alexander how much Steve Hutchinson meant to his game. As long as Minnesota can keep their line together and as long as he stays healthy, there is no reason that Peterson won’t place in the top three for running backs on a yearly basis!
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4. RB Jamal Lewis (CLE) or RB Marion Barber (DAL) or RB Marshawn Lynch (BUF)

Bruno Boys Ziza: I like Lewis as far as a football player goes. As far as fantasy goes, I need to see him have a few healthy, productive years in a row until I consider him back to form. Marion Barber just lost his sidekick in Julius Jones to Seattle, most likely meaning that Barber will get an even bigger work load. Will that hinder or make the hard-running back prosper in 2008? It is yet to be seen, but I believe he will prosper. And for Lynch, I would like to see how he does in 2008 before giving him the nod over Barber. He has the skill-set to be productive in this league. But will he be able to remain healthy? That question has to be answered in resounding fashion before I put him in front of these veterans.
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5. RB Ryan Grant (GB) or RB Brandon Jacobs (NYG)

Bruno Boys Ziza: A lot of things went right for Grant this year, and a ton of things went wrong with Jacobs. I do like both, and Grant’s production (as long as he keeps the main role) should go up some since Brett Favre retired. But the problem with both is that they are most likely going to be in platoon situations, so it really is a pick your poison type of thing. In leagues that score heavily for TD’s, I would have to lean towards Jacobs as he is a solid goal-line back.
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6. WR Randy Moss (NE) or WR Terrell Owens (DAL) or WR Braylon Edwards (CLE)

Bruno Boys Ziza: So you have the most talented, least motivated receiver in Moss, the highly talented and highly motivated receiver in Owens, and the break through receiver of 2007 in Edwards to choose from. My choice would be Terrell Owens, as it seemed that Moss disappeared some at the end of last year and especially in the playoffs. Now that he has his contract, I can see him putting himself in a loafing rut more than the other two. I would need to see Edwards do it again to even consider him in the other two’s Tier, so my choice would be Owens, who year after year proves to be the most consistent WR on the board.
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7. WR Marques Colston (NO) or WR Brandon Marshall (DEN)

Bruno Boys Ziza: Colston or Marshall? I think of it more of a Brees or Cutler? As far as that goes, Brees is my choice for 2008, so goes my WR pick Colston. Both are great young receivers and you can’t go wrong either way, but at least until Cutler takes the next step, I like Colston’s chances more. If Cutler ever gets to the same, or near same type of QB as Brees, then I would sway to Marshall. Until that happens though, Coltson.
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8. WR T.J. Houshmandzadeh (CIN) or WR Chad Johnson (CIN)

Bruno Boys Ziza: I said it BEFORE the 2007 Bruno Boys site, and I will say it again, Houshmandzadeh is the better of the two receivers. He is a gritty, go getter as Chad is more about himself. Granted, it doesn’t hurt being the guy that is covered by only one guy rather than the two that Johnson sees regularly, but with TJ’s size and skills, along with his hands, I see him and Palmer growing together for years to come. My choice is Who’s-yo-mama!
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9. TE Jason Witten (DAL) or TE Antonio Gates (SD)

Bruno Boys Ziza: To me this isn’t even a question. Antonio Gates. Yes, it helps that Witten and Romo are roommates. And yes, Witten did have an awesome year and I do expect very good numbers, although slightly lower since the Cowboys receiving core should be healthy. So you really can’t go wrong with him in the top 3 (Winslow being the other). Gates though is a monster! And he proved it once again in 2007. The only way I see Gates slipping this year is if his injury suffered in the playoffs affects him throughout the season. And even then, he should still be a top TE. If I were drafting today, my choice is Gates!
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10. Alge Crumpler (TEN) or Jeremy Shockey (NYG)

Bruno Boys Ziza: Two TE’s that can’t seem to stay healthy. At least Crumpler is going to be liked on his team. Shockey was seen drinking beer in the stands instead of being on the side-line during the Super Bowl. To me that says a lot of his character. He has more talent than most T.E.’s in the league, but something just tells me that Shockey’s role in the team will start diminishing some if he remains with the Giants. Crumpler on the other hand is going to prove to be Vince Young’s safety net, most likely bringing in balls that he would never have seen in Atlanta. I think Crumpler has the potential to be a very nice bargain at the TE position this year! Crumpler is my choice.
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Bruno Boys Ziza: Thats right Cavigs, it’s never to early to start researching for the upcoming fantasy football season. It’s a year round job if you want to take home your leagues championship trophy. Now let’s get on with the show!
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1. What impact will WR Randy Moss resigning with the New England Patriots have on his and QB Tom Brady’s value? Do you expect a similar year of production from both players in 2008?

Bruno Boys Ziza: I think this helps Moss more than Brady, as I see the Patriots trying to go at least a little more into the direction of a solid running game this year. Moss remains with a team that has a solid QB that will be looking for him deep a few times a game, allowing him to remain on top of his game if he chooses to do so. As for Brady, this allows him to keep his homerun hitter, but I still see the Patriots using running back Laurence Maroney more, which all but should at least affect his fantasy football stats to some degree.

Bruno Boys Caviglia: Patriots fans better praise Randy Moss for “wanting to win” and not chasing the money, because in my opinion New England’s front office stiffed him financially. Regardless,  when it comes to fantasy football, Moss should be able to have another stellar season in Foxboro.  He might not eclipse the 23 touchdowns he had in 2007, but 1,400-1,500 receiving yards and 15+ touchdowns is likely. As for Tom Brady, the weapons surround him to continue his production, but to think he can repeat the 50 touchdown pass performance he had last season is a strech. Still,  I believe Brady’s 2008 totals will hover around 4,000+ passing yards and 35-40 touchdown passes, which make him worthy of an late first or early second round selection.
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2. With the Atlanta Falcons acquiring backup RB Michael Turner from the San Diego Chargers,  will he turn into the running back people predicted he would become if he were not stuck behind LaDainian Tomlinson? Or is he going to fall short of the expectations that his contract warrants?

Bruno Boys Caviglia: In my opinion, it’s going to take more than the signing of a running back who has never had more than 80 rushes in a season to make the Atlanta Falcons competitive. During his first 4 seasons in the NFL, Turner has averaged 5.5 yards per carry and has shown flashes of being something special, but the Falcons offense lacks the playmakers and talent of theSan Diego Chargers . With the Falcons likely to rely on a rookie quarterback and inexperienced wide receivers, Turner could fail to live up to the hype surrounding him heading into 2008. I believe a large part of Turner’s production has to do with how competitive Atlanta will be in 2008.  If they struggle like they did last year, he might not get the carries needed to warrant anything better than a second running back in a 10 or 12 team league.

Bruno Boys Ziza: To be honest, I am more than a little shocked that the Falcons, who are still far away from being competitive would chose to drop so much money on a back that is still unproven. There is no track record saying that he will be able to carry a full load, and even if he isn’t expected to do such, he still has to succeed as a back in a system that hasn’t produced an above average fantasy football running back since the Warrick Dunn in 2004. I say proceed with caution and don’t expect more than a low-end #2 or high-end #3 type of production out of Turner. 
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3.  The Seattle Seahawks  have added both Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett to their backfield this offseason, all but ending Shaun Alexander’s tenure with the team. What do the Bruno Boys thinks of this decision?

Bruno Boys Ziza: Lets face it, Shaun used to be a “KING” in the fantasy football world. That time is long gone. Ever since his lead blocker Steve Hutchinson bolted for the Minnesota Vikings, his production has dropped into the 3.5 avg yards per attempt over the past two seasons. Being replaced by Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett doesn’t say much to warrant anything but sour expectations for Alexanders future. I do not believe Jones will perform any better than he did in Dallas, so I would temper expectations for him. This was definitely a great football move by Seattle, but from a fantasy football stand point, I would steer clear of all three of these backs.

Bruno Boys Caviglia:  O’ how the mighty have fallen. In case your forgot, in 2005, Shaun Alexander scored 28 total touchdowns to set an NFL record (record was broken by Tomlinson in 2006) and averaged an impressive 5.1 yards per carry.   Just two years ago Alexander was the number one pick in fantasy football drafts across the nation, now he is going to be shopping around the league for a backup role. Personally, I think injuries have taken it’s toll on Alexander and that he lacks the explosiveness and durability to get back to his old self in the NFL.

In my opinion the addition of Julius Jones and T.J. Duckett will give the Seahawks some fresh legs to compliment Maurice Morris, but neither running backs have shown signs of super-stardom from a fantasy football standpoint. Duckett’s value will once again be limited to TD-only leagues, and until Jones proves otherwise, he should be worthy of drafting as your 3rd or 4th running back.
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4. Before the start of the 2007 season, the Detroit Lions had a lot of fantasy expectations coming from their young WR’s Roy Williams and Calvin Johnson, along with QB Jon Kitna. All performed less than expected and now Offensive guru Mike Martz has bolted for San Francisco 49ers.

What can we expect from the Lions as far as offensive production in 2008? What about the 49ers, can Martz turnaround what was the leagues worst offense in 2007?

Bruno Boys Ziza: Martz’s tenure in Detroit was a short lived one, but high in intensity and hatred. None of the Lions key offensive players showed any liking for the self-proclaimed offensive guru, and I believe I heard head coach Rod Marinelli screaming, “Don’t let the door hit ya where the good Lord split ya!”

That being said, the offensive game is going to be more balanced. Starting running back Kevin Jones was released a few days ago, giving the starting job to Tatum Bell, unless the Lions draft a back early this draft. Either way though, it looks as if the running game will take more of a role this year taking away from the receivers targets. That doesn’t necessarily mean their stats will decline though, rather they should go up some as the passing game won’t be completely focused on by opposing defenses. Kitna shoud have a good enough season to be a top 12 fantasy quarterback, but I find it hard to believe that he will approach his 2006 stats.

As far as Frank Gore goes, I really think this will have a positive affect on his game. Martz is very aggressive, allowing the 49ers to get away from their conservative approach. And since Martz’s offense is very complicated,  Gore should see numerous dump passes (as should Vernon Davis), giving him plenty of yardage through the year. The negative for Gore though is it is like pulling teeth to convince Martz to run the ball, even if the situation calls for it. So his yards on the ground could take a small hit. All in all though, I see a bigger and better season for Gore as long as Martz doesn’t try and pull what he did in Detroit, throwing all the time.
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5. The Cleveland Browns brought in WR Donte’ Stallworth through free agency, and with the trades that are bringing in stud DT’s Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams, you would think the offense will be seeing more time on the field in 2008.

That being said, did quarterback Derek Anderson have a career year last year, or will we be seeing more of him near the top of the QB fantasy depth charts year in and year out?

Bruno Boys Ziza: Have the Browns gotten better with these signings? Without a doubt! But I still hold hesitation on Anderson, as he was a quarterback that came out from the middle of no-where to put up top 5 fantasy football quarterback numbers in 2007. In my opinion, a lot has to go right for this to really keep Anderson on top of his game. Kellen Winslow MUST stay healthy. Braylon Edwards must continue to improve. Donte’ Stallworth must remain healthy. Jamal Lewis must remain healthy. And most of all, Anderson has to continue to progress and not regress. That is a lot of must’s, making me believe that he might not repeat his 2007 performance.

Bruno Boys Caviglia: The addition of Donte’ Stallworth should help the Browns get vertical and add depth on the offensive side of the football, but to be honest, I’m not sold on Derek Anderson. If you look deeper into Anderson’s 2007 season, you will notice he was hot early and struggled down the strech. In the seasons first 11 games, Anderson tossed 22 TD’s to just 11 INT’s, but with the Browns chasing the final playoff spot, Anderson threw just 7 TD’s to 8 INT’s over the seasons final 5 weeks. As the season wore on, teams started to scheme properly against Anderson and this caused him to make bad decisions with the football.

Heading into 2008, the Browns signed Anderson to a the year extension, but with “the dog pound” wanting Brady Quinn under center, he better play mistake free football or else he might find himself being the lead signal caller in Cleveland. Still, Anderson has the talent surrounding him to succeed, is a top 8-10 quarterback heading into 2008, and will be targeted in the middle rounds of most fantasy football drafts.
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Bruno Boys Caviglia: So that wraps up the first installment of the Bruno Boys offseason roundtable, remember to check back later in the week as we bring to you another action packed offseason roundtable, Bruno Boys style!

Bruno Boys Ziza: Thats right guys, in our next edition we will be breaking down some of the top players in fantasy football in our “Who Would You Rather Own In 2008″ segment.
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News of Brett Favre’s retirement trickled out this morning, with Favre saying he’s mentally exhausted. He leaves the game with all kinds of records, most notably passing yards and touchdown passes. He won a Super Bowl and was a three-time MVP winner and now joins the discussion as one of, if not the, best quarterback ever.

To me growing up, Joe Montana was hands down the best quarterback I ever saw. He entered legendary status even before retiring and I feel that Favre represents the same for many of those younger than me.

Watching Favre play was something special because of the many talents he possessed. His arm strength was incredible and his leadership unquestioned, but perhaps the thing Favre will best be remembered by was his gunslinger mentality. Favre felt that he could complete any pass against any defender at any time. Sometimes, it got him in trouble, like the 2005 season in which he threw a career-high 29 interceptions. But more often than not, that no fear mentality led to touchdowns, comebacks, trophies and in 1997 a Super Bowl win.

Favre was also the league’s iron man, setting a quarterback record for consecutive regular-season starts with 253 games, demonstrating his ability to deal with both physical and mental pain.

While there are countless great Favre moments, perhaps the one that sticks out the most to me came on Dec. 22, 2003. The Packers were scheduled to play at Oakland Raiders in a Monday Night Football game but Favre’s father had passed away the day before and many wondered whether or not Favre would play. Well, Favre did play and quickly erased any doubt if it was a good decision or not as he went 22-of-30 for 399 yards and four touchdowns to help the Packers win 41-7.

But to sit here and chronicle all of Favre’s greatest moments and achievements would be doing the man a disservice. He did not live by stats or big contracts or fame and glory. Favre played because he loved the game and he loved winning, a trait more current players could embrace.

Fantasy Football-wise, no quarterback piled up the numbers more than Favre, because of this his former owners will still be thanking him years from now. Of course, if you were on teams opposing Favre, there’s no doubt that you swore like a sailor when Favre would throw a three yard shovel pass to a running back, only to see that back turn it into a 34-yard touchdown reception. In his final season, Favre recorded 237 fantasy points (standard scoring leagues), which put him ahead of many guys drafted before him and will go down as one of his best seasons of his career.

It feels strange to sit here writing this after I penned a column last year, on this very same Bruno Boys website, around this time last year stating that Favre should retire. I conveniently have forgotten exactly what it was I said, but nonetheless the article received a generous response much more negative than positive. As last season went on, I realized I would have to eat crow on this issue and I did. Favre ended the season with 4,155 passing yards, 28 touchdowns and 15 interceptions while leading the Packers to a 13-3 regular season record.

I used to say that I hated Brett Favre, but you must understand the context in which it was said. I hate Brett Favre like I hate a rival, like I hated Michael Jordan and Wayne Gretzky. I hated him because he was not only a great player, but also a great person and he wasn’t on my team. I did not hate him in the traditional sense of the word rather I hated him because I envied him. Watching Favre play was a treat and though I rooted against him for so many years, I’m happy for what he accomplished and I’m glad that I had the opportunity to watch him play all these years.

So on behalf of the rest of the Bruno Boys, let me say thanks for a great career Brett. Your first-ballot Hame of Fame induction will be well deserved.

In the meantime, however, consider what it would be like to have the ultimate player on your team?  Sure Adrian Peterson, LaDanian Tomlinson, and Tom Brady owners have to feel pretty close, but that’s not exactly my point.  What if science actually allowed us to assemble the best aspects of all the players in the NFL?   What if we could actually make the ultimate fantasy football player?  I warned you it was the offseason, and the minds of the Bruno Boys start to wander.  We’ve assembled all the parts; now we just need science to pull their weight.
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Brain: Peyton Manning (QB – Indianapolis Colts)

Let’s be honest, is there a safer pick in the first round?  I never end up with him on any of my teams, unless it’s via trade.  But Manning consistently puts up numbers.  Every. Single. Year.  And if you’ve been near a TV anytime in the last year, you’ve seen his face on any number of ads. One such ad features Sprint shamelessly pimping the mind of Manning, complete with swimming Dolphins and a freaky little kid whispering.  Um yeah, we just want his brain.  Thanks.
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Arm: Tom Brady (QB – New England Patriots)

I’m not looking up the numbers, for fear I’ll hurl, but Tom Brady was incredibly accurate this season.  He’s been accurate before, pretty much for his entire career, but this year was just gaudy.  There’s not a throw he can’t make, and his arm strength is certainly adequate.  We’re also taking his womanizing (see: man whoring) skills.  He faced some tough competition from fellow QB Matt Leinart in this one as both have proven they’re not sterile, allegedly.  You’re such a good guy, Tom.
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Legs: Adrian Peterson (RB – Minnesota Vikings) 

 This was a tough one as I wanted to take the legs of Randy Moss, which provide incredible speed and form the foundation of his height advantage.  Chad Johnson was also considered; the man outran a horse.  ‘Nuff said.  However, when you watch Adrian Peterson play (the good one), his cuts, acceleration, and breakaway speed are truly incredible.  Anyone else notice he has a sort of gallop when he gets past the linebackers?  Take that, Chad.  You outran a horse… Peterson is part horse.  Touche.
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Hands: Terrell Owens (WR – Dallas Cowboys)

Umm, no. Never T.O.!  Santana Moss?  Nope.  Asante Samuel? I’ll let Patriots fans answer that one.  For this one we’ll take Asante’s teammate, Randy Moss.  Not only because Moss rarely drops a ball on a big play, but mostly because he consistently displays the ability to catch passes at the height of his reach.  He’s not that much taller than everyone, and he can’t really jump that high (all this is very easy for me to say), rather his technique accounts for a lot of his ability to catch passes over defenders.  And if he ever does drop one, you can be sure he’s catching the next one, maybe even with one hand.
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Eyes: LaDanian Tomlinson (RB – San Diego Chargers)

We considered a few guys for this award, but chose Tomlinson for his incredible vision.  Call it a career achievement award (he told me he was thrilled to receive it), as Tomlinson’s been seeing the cutback for years.  He’s practically clairvoyant, and our investment is well protected behind that convenient black plastic shield.  Always minimize risk, kids.
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Mouth: Chad Johnson (WR – Cincinnati Bengals)

Some people can’t stand this guy.  I personally love him.  In 2006 he posted a list in his locker of every cornerback he was going to face, a hit list of sorts.  Then he told us about it.  Terrell Owens tries, but usually just comes off as a bit of an asshole.  Chad’s rarely called a bad teammate.  Some get tired of his antics, but he can run his mouth for us any day. 
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And with that I’ll stop running my mouth, er, fingers.  Imagine how many leagues you could win with this guy though.  What if you could clone him and put him at every position?  I’ll stop.  I promise. 

Comment below with any aspects you feel I left off the list.  We would love to hear them.
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Article written by Bruno Boys newest content writer Joel Stubblefield. Be sure to check back on a weekly basis for more articles featuring the Bruno Boys newest staff member::

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Adam Vinatieri (Indianapolis Colts) - 112 fantasy points is really nothing to be ashamed of, but Vinatieri was cursed by expectations. A Super Bowl hero playing for the previous year’s Super Bowl Champion is going to be dogged by lofty projections, and the Bruno Boys ranking of Vinatieri as the number two kicker in fantasy football at the beginning of 2007 demonstrates that perfectly.

Vinatieri though did not help his own cause, missing 6 Field Goals and 2 Extra Points on the year. The scariest thing for fantasy owners is that Vinatieri’s long was just 39 yards. With long kicks giving those oh so precious bonus points, that just won’t cut it.
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Jeff Wilkins (St. Louis Rams) - Wilkins was money in 2006, booting 32 Field Goals and 35 Extra Points for the high scoring Rams, but like many of his compadres in St. Louis, 2007 was a season to be forgotten. The Rams were once the greatest show on turf; in 2007, they became the lamest show on turf as injury followed injury followed injury. Marc Bulger, Steven Jackson, and Orlando Pace, all key cogs to the Rams potent offense, missed time in 2007. With their big guns out, the Rams sputtered, and we all know what happens to a kicker when an offense sputters, production drops as opportunities come fewer and far between.

Wilkins trip to “the Ugly” list should be short lived as the Rams should regain some of their swagger in 2008 as bodies have an off-season to rest. Keep that in mind come next years last round.
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Olindo Mare (New Orleans Saints) - Pegging a sleeper kicker is a difficult task. So many things have to go just right in order for a kicker to have that magical season, which is why you usually see the same names coming off the draft board each and every year when it comes to the kicker position. Better safe than sorry. Still, we love to try and find that diamond in the rough, and this year most fantasy owners thought it was Mare’s time to shine.

After a down year with the dismal Dolphins in 2006, Mare found a new home heading into 2007 as he latched on with the New Orleans Saints. Kicking for the Saints high powered offense in the friendly confines of a dome, it only seemed logical that Mare would be in for a good year. Sometimes football doesn’t follow logic, and Mare’s 10 Field Goals out of just 17 attempts on the year exemplifies that perfectly. Crap, Shayne Graham had nearly that many (7) in just one game.
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Joe Nedney (San Francisco 49ers) - Being a 49ers fan, it pains me to have to place Nedney on this list, especially after he racked up 116 points for the Red and Gold in 2006. In fact, it’s even harder to put his name down on “the Ugly” list when you consider his Field Goal percentage in 2007 (89.5%) was near 7% better than his 2006 percentage (82.9%). But, this is what happens when you play for the league’s worst offense.

The 49ers were horrendous on the offensive side of the ball in 2007. Things were so bad that the Patriots more than doubled the 49ers 219 points score on the year. In fact, they surpassed that mark by 370 points. When your team averages just 13.7 points a game and you’re a kicker, things are going to be ugly.
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Mike Vanderjagt (Free Agent) - Many of you may ask how Vanderjagt can end up on this list without even playing a game or attempting a kick this season, but that is exactly why he ends up here. Vanderjagt used to be a hot commodity at the kicking position in both fantasy and in the NFL, but times have changed, and the Canadian kicker couldn’t even get a job this season. Maybe Vanderjagt has had one too many brewskis, but when a team has more faith in Morten Andersen than they do you, things are rough.

Enough of me ranting, it’s time to talk about the Tight Ends who failed to bring their “A” game in 2007, and left owners having to hoard the waiver wire to find a reliable Tight End on a weekly basis.  These guys where as bad as they come, so therefore they make the Bruno Boys list of “The Ugly” Tight Ends for 2007.
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1. Todd Heap (Baltimore Ravens) - When healthy, Heap is one of the best tight ends in all of football. In 2005 and 2006, Heap hauled in over 1,500 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns. In fact, 2007 was supposed to be a breakout season for Heap, as many experts (Bruno Boys included) expected him to give Antonio Gates a run for his money as the top fantasy football tight end.  Unforunately, for the second time in four years, Heap missed 10 games and owners who waisted a middle round pick on him had nothing to show for it. To top it off, each week Heap was listed as questionable or doubtful, which often times created tough lineup decisions for owners. Because if he plays, he tends to perform, but if he doesn’t that is a goose egg in your fantasy lineup.

To say the Baltimore Ravens offense was “bad” in 2007 should be considered an understatement, and part of the blame can stem from Heap’s inconsistency. Even before the injury Heap never really found his stride.  In 6 games, he managed just 239 receiving yards (39.8 yards per game), 1 touchdown and his 10.4 yards per receptions was a career low. With the emergence of many tight ends in 2007, Heap no longer will be considered a top 5 tight end, but is still a TE1 and could be a draft day bargain, if he can stay healthy.
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2. Alge Crumpler (Atlanta Falcons) - So much for Crumpler continuing to be the “headliner” of the Falcons receiving game.  In fact, the Bruno Boys predicted that despite the loss of Michael Vick, that Crumpler would still be one of the top 5 fantasy football tight ends and make his 5th Pro Bowl.  Unforunately, he was hindered by nagging injuries and the quarterback chucking him the football was of all people Joey Harrington. Yes, the same guy that is known for throwing more interceptions than touchdowns throughout his lackluster career.  Over the first 15 weeks of the season, Crumpler did nothing but put a dagger in the hearts of his owners, as hemissed 3 games, left another one injured and scored just two touchdowns.  It wasn’t until the last two weeks of the season that Crumpler flashed signs of his old self, as he scored three touchdowns in the seasons final 2 weeks.  Plus, by that time Crumpler found himself on the waiver wire in most fantasy football leagues.

After being cut by the Falcons just last week, Crumpler is looking for a new domain around the NFL.  Until he signs with a new team ,it is tough to predict his outlook for 2008, but it shouldn’t be dificult to surpass his 442 receiving yard and 5 touchdown performance he brought to the table in 2007.
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3. Jeremy Shockey (New York Giants) -
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4. L.J. Smith (Philadelphia Eagles) -
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5. Daniel Graham (Denver Broncos) -
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In the meantime, we wanted to let you in on the reason for our absence. In much the same way NFLers were enjoying the beautiful weather of Hawaii, the Bruno Boys were enjoying the sunshine down south in sunny Los Angeles, participating in  RotoHog.com’s First Annual Awards Banquet. Not only do the folks at RotoHog.com have a great product as most of you who challenged the Bruno Boys this past season know, but they also know how to throw a banquet. With excellent food, raffle prizes, and a game of golf (By the way, I crushed Cavigs), it was an awesome experience. In addition to all that, we got to meet a lot of big time fantasy players, including Rotohog’s $100,000 winner Chris Peterson, and the Bruno Boys league winner, Nate Wilds, who we hope to conduct an interview with for later this week. It was an awesome experience and we encourage all of you to try and attend next year.

One last bit of business. We know the Pro Bowl isn’t quite the ratings darling for the NFL. With that being the case, Adrian Peterson’s big day probably went unnoticed by many of you. Peterson helped propel an NFC comeback by rushing for 129 yards on 16 carries and 2 scores. Normally, Pro Bowl performances are nothing to hang your hat on, but with the season he had and now this performance, Peterson is making a very strong case for being one of the top overall picks in 2008.

Then there’s the case of the seven that follow, the seven players who bounced back beyond the expectations of their managers. These seven far exceeded their value in most drafts, providing steady contributions and then some. Just remember this list when next fall rolls around, and bear in mind that the rookie with upside isn’t always the best play in the draft.
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1. WR Randy Moss (New England Patriots)

(2006) 42 Receptions, 553 Receiving Yards, 3 Touchdowns

(2007) 98 Receptions, 1493 Receiving Yards, 23 Touchdowns

Uh… yeah. For all his mouth-running, off-field problems, clubhouse cancer, fake-mooning-green-bay-fans ways, Randy Moss was proverbially big pimpin’, cash money, off the chain, ballin’ and whatever other hip-hop references you’d like to add. His voice makes me laugh every time I hear him talk, but Moss can say whatever he wants after completing the best season ever by a WR. It’s truly disgusting to think the Patriots got him for merely a 4th round pick, but Al Davis isn’t exactly the portrait of a quality decision maker. After a combination of Pop Warner QBs threw him the ball in Oakland in 2006, Moss landed with Tom Brady in ’07. We all underestimated this combination; admit it; you laughed at the guy that took Moss too early in your draft.

Well, who’s laughing now? Moss, in his thick southern accent, that’s who. I don’t need to talk about the numbers… he was really damn good. Enough said. Just try not to overrate the pending free agent next year.
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2. RB Jamal Lewis (Cleveland Browns)

(2006) 1132 Rushing Yards, 18 Receptions, 115 Receiving Yards, 9 Touchdowns

(2007)1304 Rushing Yards, 30 Receptions, 248 Receiving Yards, 11 Touchdowns

Let’s be honest, who legitimately expected this? Sure Ruben Droughns had been somewhat successful in Cleveland the year before as a big, bruising pounder. But when Cleveland plucked Lewis from the top of the jalopy heap, I was truly surprised. Lewis is the personification of hammering a square peg into a round hole. He’ll take plenty of hits and keep coming back for more, but expecting much more than 3 yards a carry prior to this year was just foolish. Lewis managed 4.4 yards per carry for 2007 (compared to 3.6 in ‘06), however, and was huge for his owners down the stretch. Yes he scored 4 touchdowns in week 9 with less than 40 yards rushing, but owners had to be pleased with yardage totals of 137, 174, and 134 in weeks 14-16 (fantasy football playoffs).

Cleveland has somehow managed to successfully field a potent rushing attack the past two years with spare parts. Perhaps the 2008 draft will see them land their RB of the future, but Lewis deserves credit for his efforts in ’07.
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3. WR Derrick Mason (Baltimore Ravens)

(2006) 68 Receptions, 750 Receiving Yards, 2 Touchdowns

(2007)103 Receptions, 1087 Receiving Yards, 5 Touchdowns

Let me ask you all something; who else was burned by Derrick Mason in 2006? I drafted Mason to be my 2nd or 3rd WR in 2006 (depending on how some other guys panned out) in a PPR league, expecting his usual 90ish catches and 1000 receiving yards. Instead, Mr. Mason proceeded to have his worst year since 2000. Now I’m not into bashing my head over miseries of two years ago, but my reluctance to accept his 2007 bounce back probably hurt me again this year. You know how it goes; burn me once, never see my roster again… or something like that. Not only does Mason return to form this year, he posts the highest reception total of his entire career. Even more amazing is the fact that he caught half these passes from Kyle Boller.

Quite an impressive season, Derrick. You’re still never setting foot on a team of mine again. I know that hurts you deeply, and that’s just too bad. Deal with it like a man.
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4. QB Brett Favre (Green Bay Packers)

(2006) 343 Completions, 3885 Passing Yards, 18 Touchdowns, 18 Interceptions

(2007) 356 Completions, 4155 Passing Yards, 28 Touchdowns, 15 Interceptions

The NFL’s iron-man, Brett Favre has been the metronome of consistency at the QB position, at least in games played. But if you owned him in 2005 or 2006, you were probably ready for the career to be over and the cleats retired. Brett’s been great, and his career will perhaps go on record as the best in history. But his previous two seasons had been absolutely brutal, tossing more interceptions than touchdowns. Sure the yards were still there, but the interceptions erased the positive contributions. Favre had become little more than a bye-week filler. Then 2007 happened. I recall my roommate excitedly telling me he landed Favre as his 2nd QB in a 2 QB league, and I thought it was tragic that Favre’s name value so exceeded his true value among the average fantasy football player. Then I looked like the true idiot as Favre bounced back in a HUGE way, topping 4000 passing yards and 25 touchdowns for the first time since 2004. Further, he posed his highest QB efficiency rating (95.7) since the Super Bowl season of 1996.

Sure he threw an ugly pick against the New York Giants in the NFC Championship game, but Favre will still play as long as he wants, and that’s fine by me. I may not own him, but I’ll always respect him.
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5. QB Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks)

(2006) 210 Completions, 2442 Passing Yards, 18 Touchdowns, 15 Interceptions

(2007) 352 Completions, 3966 Passing Yards, 28 Touchdowns, 12 Interceptions

Matt Hasselbeck has always been the type of QB that most fantasy owners forget about. He’s never the first selected at the position, and for good reason as he’s always had Shaun Alexander to vulture touchdowns a plenty. But many owners completely forget about the guy after the top 5 QBs are off the board, and that’s truly an injustice. For years Hasselbeck has teamed with head coach Mike Holmgren, one of the best gurus of the west-coast offense, to produce quality numbers for his Seahawks and owners alike. 2006 was truly a year to forget for Hasselbeck as he only played in 12 games, producing his worst yardage and touchdown totals since arriving in Seattle in 2001.

2007 saw a reduced role for Alexander, and a pass-happy Holmgren, allowing Hasselbeck to accrue career highs in completions, attempts, passing yards, and touchdowns. That’s a textbook bounce back performance.
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6. RB Clinton Portis (Washington Redskins)

(2006) 523 Rushing Yards, 17 Receptions, 170 Receiving Yards, 7 Touchdowns

(2007) 1262 Rushing Yards, 47 Receptions, 389 Receiving Yards, 11 Touchdowns

Frankly, I can’t keep all of his alter-personalities straight, but  Clinton Portis had become little more than a side-show to me. His 2006 was beset by injuries, and saw the emergence of Ladell Betts as a quality RB. In fact, Betts had made such a push in ‘06 (1154 Rushing Yards, 53 Receptions, 445 Receiving Yards, 5 TDs) that many were calling for him to be the starter, or at the very least, for a true timeshare to emerge. In one of my drafts, I accidentally took Portis over Willis McGahee early in the 3rd round due to clicking the wrong button. I was so mad at myself for screwing up that I ended up with Joey Harrington as a starting QB in a 2 QB league. Portis was quite the surprise, however, and many owners were found saying, “Ladell who?” Truly at his best in offensive coordinator Al Saunders system in 2006, Portis bounced back behind a makeshift offensive line. Sure he was nicked up from time to time, which isn’t surprising with the mileage on his legs, but his season was quite a nice surprise for his owners.

His 47 receptions were the best of his career, and should make any Steven Jackson owner in a PPR league absolutely randy for 2008 to begin. Too bad I don’t own him. Make those off season trades accordingly in keeper leagues.
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7. WR Chris Chambers (San Diego Chargers)

(2006) 59 Receptions, 677 Receiving Yards, 4 Touchdowns

(2007) 66 Receptions, 970 Receiving Yards, 4 Touchdowns

Now I know what you’re thinking… this is supposed to be a bounce back list. His numbers aren’t that different from 2006, and they’re not back to his 2005 levels in the least. However, Chambers belongs on this list in my opinion, when considering the path of his 2007 and our expectations. We all thought he had arrived in 2005, and most drafted accordingly for ‘06. Ouch. So, this year he slipped far past his value in many drafts, and why not? Father Time, also known as Trent Green, was throwing him the football, one helmet slap of congratulations away from a coma. None of us expected anything valuable in the Miami receiving corps. Yet Chambers produced, compiling 31 catches for 415 yards in his first 6 games. Following an unexpected trade to San Diego prior to week 7, Chambers joined an offense run by an erratic Phillip Rivers (ok so that’s probably still an upgrade from the Green, Cleo Lemon, and John Beck show in Miami).

Despite the presence of Antonio Gates, the league’s most explosive TE, and LaDanian Tomlinson, the league’s top RB, and even Vincent Jackson, a massive third year receiver, Chambers found a niche, catching 35 passes for 555 yards and 4 TDs. Sure they’re not eye-popping numbers, but Reche Caldwell was surprised. I was too.
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::Article written by Bruno Boys newest content writer Joel Stubblefield. Be sure to check back on a weekly basis for more articles featuring the Bruno Boys newest staff member::