The NFL preseason is starting to wind down and teams are preparing to make their first cut down to 75. Week 3 of the preseason has long been considered a “dress rehearsal.” This is the week of the preseason that most resembles a real game, well for a half anyway, as teams' starters usually play 25 to 30 plays. As teams continue to evaluate talent as they prepare for the NFL season, fantasy football owners continue to study the 2008 Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets as we prepare for the 2008 Fantasy Football season. Now because this week is probably the most important week of the preseason, for the NFL and fantasy football owners alike the Bruno Boys have decided to change up this week’s Preseason Rundown. Of course, it will still be fantasy-style and it will of course have the Bruno Boys flavor, but instead of only hitting on five or six players we are going to give you a recap of all 16 games in Week 3. It will be broken down into three different editions, so make sure you check back as the week goes on.
Enjoy Part One of Week 3’s version of the Bruno Boys Preseason Rundown (fantasy-style).
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San Francisco 49ers vs. Chicago Bears
J.T. O’Sullivan rebounded from a shaky performance last week to secure his spot as the San Francisco 49ers starting quarterback. He was 7 for 8 passing for 126 yards and 1 TD, while Alex Smith was only 6 for 17 passing for 83 yards and 1 TD. O’Sullivan is the #33 ranked QB on the 2008 Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets, though he should move up slightly now that he has been named the starter; however, the Bruno Boys feel O’Sullivan won't hold the job for long. If O’Sullivan falters at all there will be a lot of pressure on the coaches to put Smith in the game. Currently, Smith is the #27 QB on the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets, though as O'Sullivan moves up the list, Smith will move down. Neither of these guys is more then a QB3 at this time.
49ers running back Frank Gore had a nice game gaining 51 yards on 8 carries and adding 2 catches for 19 yards. Gore is ranked as the #6 RB in the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets and seems primed for a big season. TE Vernon Davis had 1 reception for 40 yards. Davis is the #9 ranked TE in the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets and is a low end TE1.
Chicago announced this week that Kyle Orton will be the Bears starting QB this year. He followed that announcement by going 10 for 17 passing for 147 yards and 2 TDs. Rex Grossman did nothing to prove HC Lovie Smith wrong going 1 for 4 passing for a whopping 6 yards. Orton is the #37 QB on the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets and is no more then a QB3 at this time with an unproven running game and no clear-cut top receiver.
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Philadelphia Eagles vs. New England Patriots
Eagles QB Donovan McNabb led three long drives on the banged up Patriots defense going 13 for 17 passing for 180 yards and 1TD. McNabb who has been a little hot and cold this preseason is the #7 ranked QB on the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets and is a low end QB1 who has good value available in the 6th round or later is most drafts. Rookie WR DeSean Jackson had 4 catches for 67 yards and a 76-yard punt return for a TD. Jackson is worth keeping an eye on at WR with the injury to the Eagles top wide out Kevin Curtis. RB Brian Westbrook had 9 carries for 39 yards and is the #3 RB in the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets and looks poised for a career year.
Tom Brady missed his third straight preseason game with a foot injury, but fantasy owners should not be concerned. It appears the Patriots are resting Brady as a precaution and he should be ready to start the regular season. He remains the top ranked QB by the Bruno Boys and until proven otherwise is the fantasy football QB King. What may be a little more of a concern is that WR Wes Welker left the game in the 2nd quarter with a rib injury. No word has been given to the extent of the injury, but he is listed as questionable for Week 4 of the preseason. Welker had 112 receptions in 2007 and is the #16 WR on the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets and is a WR2, but if he misses any time due to injury his value may drop so keep an eye on this situation.
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Houston Texans vs. Dallas Cowboys
In three quarters of action Houston QB Matt Schaub was 15 for 27 passing for 166 yards with 1 TD. Schaub who has had a nice preseason is the #18 QB in the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets He is a QB2, but if he and WR Andre Johnson can remain healthy he could become a low end QB1 worth starting when the match-up is right. Johnson did see his first preseason action, but did not record a catch. Kevin Walter had 6 catches for 61 yards and 1 TD. Walter has been Schaub’s favorite target this preseason and is ranked the #56 WR in the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets, but will lose value when Johnson is completely healthy. When healthy Johnson is a WR1 and he is the #6 WR ranked by the Bruno Boys.
Dallas had a nice game from all of its offensive stars. Tony Romo was 15 for 19 passing for 166 yards with 1 TD and 1 Int. Romo remains the #3 QB available in drafts this season and is a QB1. Marion Barber had 13 carries for 75 yards and 1 TD, he is the #9 ranked RB by the Bruno Boys. Barber has had 14 TD’s each of the last two seasons and could possibly improve on his overall numbers now that he is not splitting carries with Julius Jones who is now in Seattle. Terrell Owens had 4 catches for 43 yards and Jason Witten had 2 catches for 18 yards. Owens is the #3 WR and Witten is the #1 TE in the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets.
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Atlanta Falcons vs. Tennessee Titans
Rookie QB Matt Ryan was 9 for 11 passing for 102 yards with 1 TD and as a result has been named the Falcons starter for the regular season, beating out Chris Redman for the job. Ryan is currently the #34 ranked QB by the Bruno Boys, though in winning the starting job, he should jump a couple of spots. He is a QB3, but he will get a lot of experience and could start producing as soon as this season. WR Brian Finneran led the team in receiving for the game with 5 catches for 53 yards, he has missed the last two season’s with knee injuries and has little fantasy value at this time, but might be worth scouting as a rookie QB can use all the weapons he can find. Roddy White who had only 1 catch for 1 yard in the game is the team’s top wide out is ranked the #20 WR in the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets.
Tennessee QB Vince Young was 9 for 18 passing for 102 yards with 0 TD’s and 1 Int. Young has had a less then stellar preseason and is the #20 ranked QB by the Bruno Boys and is nothing more than a QB2. Rookie RB Chris Johnson had 11 carries for 35 yards and added 2 receptions for 23 yards. Johnson is the #45 ranked RB in the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets, but he has impressed the coaches and has a good chance to take more carries then expected from LenDale White. He could possibly start at RB for the Titans, especially since White has been banged up throughout the preseason. Keep an eye on this rookie, he has sleeper potential at the RB position. WR Justin Gage who has emerged as a possible starter for the Titans had 2 catches for 32 yards and is the #57 ranked WR in the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets.
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Green Bay Packers vs. Denver Broncos
Aaron Rodgers took a step in helping the Packers faithful move on from Brett Favre. Rodgers was 18 for 22 passing for 193 yards with 1 passing TD and 1 rushing TD. Rodgers who is the #23 ranked QB by the Bruno Boys is a low end QB2, but may be worth a start when the match-up is right. WR Greg Jennings saw his first preseason game action and had 4 catches for 42 yards. WR Donald Driver had 2 catches for 33 yards and 1 TD. Jennings and Driver rank #22 and #27 respectively in the Bruno Boys WR rankings. If Jennings can remain healthy he can be a WR2 and Driver is a WR3, but both of their production will be predicated on Rodgers having success in his first season as a starting QB. RB Ryan Grant, who missed time in camp, is now resting a sore hamstring. Grant is the #12 ranked RB by the Bruno Boys, but if he continues to miss time he may start feeling pressure from second year RB Brandon Jackson who has impressed coaches while getting a majority of the time with the number one offense at camp and the in the preseason.
Denver QB Jay Cutler was 6 of 13 passing for 115 yards and two TD’s in the game. Cutler has had a decent preseason and is the #14 ranked QB heading into 2008. Cutler is a high end QB2, but will be missing his top target WR Brandon Marshall for the first two games of the season as he serves a league-mandated suspension. Marshall had 2 catches for 71 yards and is the #18 ranked WR by the Bruno Boys and is a high-end WR2 even with the suspension, just make sure if you have Marshall you have a good back-up for weeks 1 and 2. Selvin Young who is the projected starting RB for the Broncos had 6 carries for 42 yards. Young is the #25 ranked RB on the Bruno Boys Cheat Sheets and is a high-end RB3 with upside in the Broncos offense.
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Remember to check back with the Bruno Boys for more of the Week 3 version of the Preseason Rundown (fantasy-style) with editions two and three later this week.
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