Ouija Boards, magic eight balls, tarot cards. For centuries, man has looked for supernatural ways to try and get answers. We here at Bruno Boys Fantasy Football are no different. Always looking for an edge for the upcoming fantasy season, we look to higher powers and turn to our magical crystal ball. The article below is the eight of many that will reveal what we have seen. This time our look into the future is focused on the likes of Miami Dolphins' running back, Ronnie Brown.
2007 In Review:
Those fantasy football owners who were fortunate enough to own Ronnie Brown will be the first to tell you that it was more than a devastating blow when he suffered an season ending ACL injury in week 7. The sad part about the injury is that it occurred late in the 3rd quarter of a game in which the Dolphins trailed the New England Patriots 42-7 and in all reality Brown should have been on the sidelines resting for next week.
With the loss of Brown, down went the Dolphins season, as well as the hopes of millions of fantasy football owners who rode the hard nosed runner to early success. Despite the fact that Brown led the NFL in yards from scrimmage through six weeks, his season didn't get off to an ideal start. In the season first two weeks, Brown rushed for just 65 yards on only 22 carries and many owners began to send him packing for free agency. Boy, did those impatient owners make a big mistake, as Brown went on arguably the most impressive four game stretch of the 2007 season. In weeks 3,4,5 and 6, Brown combined for 741 yards from scrimmage (461 rushing and 280 receiving) to go along with five touchdowns. From a fantasy football perspective, those numbers were good enough to total 100 fantasy points in just four weeks and had both the owners who stuck with him, as well as those who stole him off the waiver wire, thinking championship! However, this was not the case, as the Dolphins had to rely on the likes of Jesse Chatman and as we like to call him, Ricky "Puff-Puff-Pass" Williams to man the ground game. This didn't fare well as Chatman was mediocre for the most part and Williams lasted just six carries before he headed to the injured reserve with an torn pectoral muscle.
When most players come back from an ACL injury it usually takes them a full season to get back to complete playing speed, so it should be interesting to see how Brown bounces back in 2008. Will he start off this season where he left off last season or will he be slowed down by a nagging knee problem and a potential running back by committee appraoch in South Beach? Let's take a look into the Bruno Boys Crystal Ball to determine his worth in '08.
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2008 Bruno Boys Crystal Ball
It's crazy how one freak injury can change the value of a budding superstar. If Brown hadn't suffered an torn ACL midway through the 2007 season, we would more than likely be considering him as a top 5 fantasy football pick heading into 2008. Now, we head into 2008 and many fantasy owners don't know what to make of Brown, and they are concerned as to how his season will play out. Taking a gamble on him could lead to a great reward, but you have to be willing to take on the risks that come with his potential reward.
Some of the red flags that come with the ownership of Brown include; health issues, the sudden emergence of Ricky Williams during Dolphins training camp, and a new offensive system put in place by new head coach Tony Sparano. Also, reports out of South Beach indicate that Williams has been impressive in training camp and is making it difficult on Sparano and Bill Parcells to determine how they will distribute the carries this season. Before his addiction to marijuana and multiple suspensions from the league, Williams was a top fantasy football option and is a proven runner in the NFL. Factor this in with Brown's ailing knee and you have what looks to be a Running Back By Committee (RBBC) approach in Miami.
Although the Dolphins have not finalized that Williams and Brown will split carries, they have hinted towards it and the Bruno Boys think it makes sense. With inexperienced quarterbacks John Beck, Josh McCown and Chad Henne battling it out in training camp, the Dolphins are going to use a heavy run game to stay competitive. This philosphy means lots of carries for the backfield and perhaps just enough touches to rank Brown as a top 20 fantasy football running back in 2008.
Ranked as the19th best running back in the 2008 Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets, we feel that Brown qualifies as a high risk/reward pick. If his knee can hold up, and the Dolphins offense can move the football, Brown should be able to produce statisitcs in the likes of 250 carries, for 1,400 yards from scrimmage to go along with 7-8 touchdowns. Opposite of 2007 in which Brown got all of his fantasy football points early in the season, we feel that he could have his best value towards the end of 2008. His knee will have more time to recover, the Dolphins offense will have a better feel for the new offense and his matchups against the Buffalo Bills, San Francisco 49ers and Kansas City Chiefs during the fantasy playoffs are favorable.
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Past Crystal Ball Articles (click to view)
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Tom Brady
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Derek Anderson
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Eli Manning
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Vince Young
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Adrian Peterson
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Steven Jackson
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Marion Barber III
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Ronnie Brown
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Steve Smith
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Donald Driver and Greg Jennings
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Javon Walker
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Brandon Marshall
Bruno Boys Crystal Ball - Jeremy Shockey
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