You know what Bruno Boys Nation, we waited months for Week 1 to come and as soon as it did, it seemed like it was over with a snap of the fingers! Although the games flew by that doesn’t mean that there wasn’t much going on in the NFL. As a matter of fact this Week 1 created many topics to discuss, amongst them being Tom Brady’s injury, Donovan McNabb’s stellar week, the Jacksonville Jaguars depleted offensive line, and Michael Turner's scorcher against our hapless Detroit Lions.
So nestle snugly into your computer chair, close the doors, and turn off the phones! It is time once again for another edition of Newz and Viewz from two whacky, insane, Detroit Lions fans, Bruno Boys Larry and Bruno Boys Ziza!
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NFL Newz: Tom Brady left the game Sunday with a knee injury which will require surgery and keep him out for the rest of the season.
Bruno Boys Ziza Viewz: This is not only a major blow to the New England Patriots, this is a major blow to the fantasy football world as a whole! Everyone takes a hit here! The Tom Brady owners now have to replace him with what is probably a lesser QB2 as Brady has become the face of consistency recently in the NFL. Larry, this is why I will always stress to everyone, do not draft a QB in the first round of a fresh draft. It just makes no sense.
Randy Moss and Wes Welker owners will also suffer some as both of these WR’s were projected to be top caliber guys to rely on in 2008, and now with Matt Cassel at the helm, it just isn’t looking good! Surprisingly, the man that should benefit the most is the one man that we all have forgotten about; Mr. Laurence Maroney!
New England is going to want to protect Cassel some and there is no doubt in my mind that the Patriots will be wanting to find a way to keep that time clock moving now that Sir Brady is out. This is the shot that Maroney has needed for a while, and he should take advantage of this situation! Look for his value to jump somewhere to the middle RB2 range during good match ups. As for the other Patriots, Moss should continue to be a top WR, but depending on Cassel’s ability to perform progression reads, Welker could start dropping to the lower WR2 and maybe even further into the WR3 range. As for Cassel, he should be an excellent fill in with the talent he'll have around him, and if you are lucky enough to grab him off the waiver wires, he would be an excellent option during good matchups making him a lower QB1, higher QB2 in deeper leagues.
Bruno Boys Larry Viewz: : Ziza my friend, I couldn’t agree with you more that this is a major blow to the Patriots and the fantasy football world. This is a blow for the entire NFL. Let’s face it, the NFL is a marketing machine. This is why teams like our beloved Lions can continue to be futile year after year, because they all make money no matter how the product on the field is. Sorry I am starting to digress. The NFL is the best sport at marketing itself, so when they lose a player of this magnitude it hurts everyone.
This takes last season’s Super Bowl runner-up and puts them in a position where they might be fighting for a wild card. It also takes a fantasy football team from a contender to a pretender real quick. Especially when you consider Tom Brady went in the first round of most drafts this summer. Enter Matt Cassel, who has been one of Brady’s backups for four seasons and is now the Patriots new starting QB.
Cassel is an obvious pickup for Brady owners, or even if you don’t have Brady. Even though he doesn’t have much experience, he is immediately a QB2 fantasy option and I don’t think it’s ridiculous to expect 200-plus yards passing and 2 touchdown’s a week from him. Brady may be gone, but Cassel has been groomed under Brady since being drafted in the 7th round in the 2005 NFL Draft. He also has Brady’s offensive system, his offensive weapons and most importantly Brady’s offensive line.
The Patriots will protect him and help groom him the way they did Brady. I am not saying he is going to be Brady, but I think Cassel has a chance to be a productive fantasy option. I will agree with you Ziza on how you rate the affect to wide receivers Moss and Welker. Moss’ value doesn’t change too much as he will still be the Patriots primary weapon on offense and is still a top WR1 option. I also agree with you that Welker will be affected a little more and that he will drop a little from his top WR2 position. He should still be a decent WR2 option, so if you drafted him, don’t panic as all is not lost.
Where I will disagree with you Ziza is I don’t think this really helps Maroney’s numbers at all. I think he was a low end RB2 or even a high end RB3 option before Brady’s injury and I think that’s right where he remains now. Many people believe that the Patriots were going to run the ball more than last season already, and I don’t think the plan was for Maroney to get more carries, I believe that is why LaMont Jordan and Sammy Morris are on this roster. HC Bill Belichick just doesn’t seem to be enamored with Maroney. He swooped up on Jordan just a day or two after Oakland cut him, when the Patriots still had Morris and Kevin Faulk on this roster. I am not saying Maroney is not the top running back option in New England, but I don’t think this necessarily adds to his value. There’s a shock, Ziza and I disagree on something.
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NFL Newz: Donovan McNabb looks like his old self as he had a huge game throwing for 361 yards with 3 TD’s in Week 1.
BBL Viewz: This actually could be my heart talking here, but I have Donovan McNabb as a starting QB in a money league. So, I am kind of banking on him already, but I do believe he is back to being a must start QB1 this season. I am not only saying this based on this one game, as I was willing to wait on a QB in the draft and took McNabb based on the feeling he will be a solid QB1 option this year.
Now, Ziza you can go ahead and say I told you so, I know you want to. You called Cavigs and I out Sunday morning when we said Brett Favre was a better start this week than McNabb. The thing is, I wasn’t trying to diminish McNabb as much as I thought Favre was going to have a huge game against the Dolphins. As it turns out, you were right and I was glad I was starting McNabb in my money league. I was extremely glad to see this big game out of him this week, whether you were right or not, because this is huge for my fantasy team, as I now know that I have a stud QB this year.
You can go ahead and argue the fact that this was one week and it was against the St. Louis Rams. It is actually a pretty good point, but to me it was just the start of things to come. Ok I’m not crazy, I’m not telling you McNabb is going to get 350+ yards with 3 TD’s each week. What I am saying though is that even though McNabb plays in the tough NFC East and has to play the Washington Redskins, Dallas Cowboys and Super Bowl Champion New York Giants twice each, I think he is a must start QB each week. He is capable of getting close to 300 yards each week, with a couple of TD’s.
McNabb posted huge numbers this week with wide receivers Hank Baskett and rookie DeShean Jackson stepping up and making big plays. Imagine what will happen when this offense gets healthy and wide receivers Kevin Curtis and Reggie Brown are back from injury. I say if they can remain reasonably healthy, this offense that also includes a top five RB in Brian Westbrook can be close to what they were in 2004 when they were 13-3 and went to the Super Bowl. I don’t know if McNabb can repeat the 3,875 yards with 31 TD’s with only 8 Int. he had in ’04, but I do feel he is a QB1 option capable of starting for you every week.
BBZ Viewz: Larry, I know we both lived near 8 Mile, but this isn’t the movie. You don’t have to tell me what I am going to argue that way you get me to lose my train of thought as it was portrayed in the final scene of the rap wars. You are not Eminem and I am not the Free World.
With that being said I am going to keep this rather short and sweet. McNabb definitely had a hell of a Week 1. I know he did, I told you he would. But, that doesn’t mean that I am in love with him this year. He does get to play the Dallas Cowboys on Monday night so I feel he has the opportunity to once again shine, but you have to remember, he was eating a lot of Chunky soup with his mother as he was banged up a lot the past few years.
He is looking very healthy and you are right, if he remains healthy, he will be a stud. And in a year where Tom Brady is gone, Peyton Manning looks nothing like his old self and a few other QB’s are banged up or have depleted offensive lines, McNabb has a shot at being a possible MVP at this position. Do I expect it though? Not really. I do expect a very solid year though, and if he does remain healthy and plays at least 15 games this year he should definitely finish in the top-5 for fantasy football QB’s. Peace to your mother!
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NFL Newz: Already suffering with the shooting of backup OL Richard Collier and a injury to center Brad Meester that could keep him sidelined four weeks, the Jacksonville Jaguars took two more major blows to their offensive line on Sunday with the season ending ACL tear to guard Vince Manuwai and a ruptured right bicep to guard Maurice Williams which should keep him out at least 2 months.
BBZ Viewz: This is horrible news for every fantasy footballer out there that owns QB David Garrard, RB’s Maurice Jones-Drew or Fred Taylor and any of their WR’s. This offensive line is spread thinner than a primer coating on a wall that is about to be painted. Unfortunately, I have Garrard in two of my leagues, so I must say this news doesn’t make me happy!
But the people that should be most concerned are the owners of Maurice Jones-Drew. With a lack of a solid offensive line this undoubtedly could affect Jones-Drew’s fantasy value some, yet make it better at the same time. I know I just sounded like a true Polack there Larry, so let me explain.
In standard scoring leagues, Jones-Drew will find it tough to pick up solid enough points to keep him as an automatic RB2 in deeper leagues. His rushing yards should decline and his TD’s could take a little bit of a hit. Ironically with a weaker line, more quick-pass routes could be established which could help him out immensely in PPR leagues.
I don’t think this is something that owners of any Jacksonville Jaguars players should panic about just yet, but this does cause some concern. Unless they are able to cope and find balance with their offensive schemes the value of all of their players should all take at least a small hit when it comes to their fantasy football value. If you can find an owner that will give you full value of your Jacksonville players, definitely entertain that offer!
BBL Viewz: Well Ziza, my Polish-American buddy, you made your best attempt at trying to confuse me and you know it might have worked. All kidding aside you make some great points. I can’t even really come up with an argument for you. This has turned into an epidemic for the Jaguars and the offensive line is in shambles. Now, being that we are both Detroit Lions fans we know a little something about bad offensive lines. The Lions have some solid offensive weapons, but without a solid offensive line, they are never going to make the playoffs. Oh, how I miss the playoffs, oh sorry I digress again.
Garrard’s fantasy value will take a loss, as he will lose solid protection up front. He will have less time to throw and let’s face it the Jaguars don’t exactly have the best receiving unit in the NFL. They have resorted to hoping that when Jerry Porter is healthy he can actually become a number one wide receiver. Garrard drops from a low end QB1 to a QB you only start when the match-up is right, but he is still worth being on your roster, but you will need to find a compliment to him for your team. The Jaguars only managed 10 points against Tennessee on Sunday.
I also agree that the biggest hit could come to RB Maurice Jones-Drew. Drew was drafted by many fantasy owners to be a RB1 option, but when you lose almost your entire starting offensive line even the best running backs numbers will dip some. Jones-Drew will still get enough carries to put up solid numbers, but they will be the numbers of a RB2.
This is not total gloom-and-doom for the Jaguars, but they were hoping to take steps forward in the AFC South and maybe overtake the Colt’s for the division title. As many fantasy footballers took Jones-Drew and Garrard with hopes of moving forward in their fantasy football leagues, but take if from a long suffering Detroit Lions fan, offensive numbers are sometimes just a fantasy without a decent offensive line and it’s too early to tell if their new patch-work line will be decent or not.
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NFL Newz: Michael Turner absolutely torched the Detroit Lions gaining 220 yards with 2 TD’s including one for 66 yards in the first quarter.
BBL Viewz: Michael Tuner was already a starting fantasy option in most leagues. He was starting in 83 percent of the leagues at CBSSports.com when the day started, mostly at the RB2 or flex positions. The question really should be is he a must start RB1? I‘m just not 100 percent sold that he is.
He has shown flashes in the past that he could become a solid starting NFL running back when he was the backup to fantasy stud LaDainian Tomlinson and today he proved that most of us were probably right. He is an NFL starter that will have a ton of fantasy football value. I just don’t think he can run for 220 yards and 2 TD’s every week.
First, he played the Detroit Lions this week. The Lions defense looked very similar to the defense from 2007 that in 6 road losses gave up 30+ points five times including giving up more than 50 points twice. The Lions did not have an answer for Turner today, but the Lions have a history of being a team that doesn’t have the answers for opposing team’s hot players. This probably won’t be the only time this season the Lions get torched for over 200 rushing yards!
Secondly, the Atlanta Falcons have a rookie QB leading the charge. Matt Ryan caught the Lions playing run heavy and hit Michael Jenkins for a 62 yard TD in the first series of the game. This forced the Lions to respect the passing game enough for Turner to get off early and often. Ryan is not going to come out every game and lead an impressive scoring drive that will help the running game. He will more than likely face the growing pains of most rookie quarterbacks that are thrust into the starting position right out of the gate. This means that Turner will face many defenses that will stack the box with the hopes of slowing Turner down.
Turner is a high end RB2 that has the potential of being a RB1; I just don’t think that the time is now. Like I have stated above, he is likely to face a tougher defense than the Lions most weeks and he has a rookie QB leading his offense. Expect close to 100 yards and a TD each week, just don’t expect him to go from being LT’s backup to posting LT type numbers on a weekly basis.
BBZ Viewz: Larry, I respect your views, but I have to disagree on some aspects. First of all, he was facing a diminished Detroit Lions D as you mentioned, but it is more involved than that. Michael Turner is a heck of a talent that splits touches with Jerious Norwood. With a rookie QB at the helm, these two will definitely see a fair amount of carries, and it is even being rumored that Head Coach Mike Smith wants to get Turner at least 300 carries this year. If that is the case I am here to tell you my friend, Turner is a must-start RB1 in deeper leagues of 12 or more teams! I am also here to tell you that he could be a huge part to getting fantasy football players to their respective championship games, but that is when his service should end!
Let me break this down to you Larry, this is Turner’s schedule for the 2008 season in comparison to the 2007 rushing defensive team rankings from 2007. Starting in Week 2 he faces @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17), then Kansas City Chiefs (28), @ Carolina Panters (18), @ Green Bay Packers (14), Chicago Bears (24), Bye Week, @ Philadelphia Eagles (7), @ Oakland Raiders (31), New Orleans Saints (13), Denver Broncos (30), Carolina Panthers (18), @ San Diego Chargers (16), @ New Orleans Saints (13), Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17) and then Week 16, most leagues championship games, @ Minnesota Vikings (1).
Broken down I see only a few teams that Turner could struggle against, primarily in Week 16 against Minnesota. Other than that it is a pretty solid cakewalk for him. I am not saying he will get a ton of TD’s, but his yardage should remain on a high note! Look for Turner in this day and age of a RBBC to get close to his 300 carries as well as put up numbers that would make any fantasy football owner proud to have him on their squad. As he was drafted by most teams at their RB2 there is a good chance that they backed him up with a solid RB3. If that is truly the case, then they may actually have lucked out and gotten two RB1’s without even planning on it! In my money PPR League I drafted him as my RB2 behind Reggie Bush and backed up Turner with one of my sleeper RB picks this year in Willie Parker. As you see, most teams that have Turner probably lucked out fairly close to as what I did.
All in all I think Turner was a great signing by the Atlanta Falcons, and I really believe that he is going to give all the fantasy football owners a hell of a happy year!
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WEEK 2 RANKINGS (click to view)
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Kickers
Team Defense
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