Here is some NEWZ for you all. We are more than half way through the regular season and as was discussed on Bruno Boy Cavigs' Sunday morning podcast with Paul Greco, leagues are pretty even this year with very few teams either completely dominating or getting blown out. If you fall somewhere inbetween, which seems to be the majority of us, you need to rely on some great fantasy football advice. And with the economy where its at right now, you are probably looking for some at a reasonable price. If that's the case, call on the Bruno Boys, where quality fantasy football information is available at the low, low price of $0! With that in mind, welcome to the Week 10 version of the Bruno Boys NFL Newz and Fantasy Football Viewz. In this weeks edition we will be discussing Tim Hightower and LaDanian Tomlinson as well as our individual Studs and Duds from Week 9 and our "Putz" of the week. So without hesitation, let's get this show on the road!
It is time once again for another edition of RED HOT Newz and Fantasy Football Viewz from two wacky, insane, Detroit Lions fans, Bruno Boys Larry and Bruno Boys Ziza.
-------------------------
RED HOT NFL Newz: Arizona Cardinals' rookie RB Tim Hightower got his first career start against the St. Louis Rams in week 9 and had 22 carries for 109 yards with 1 TD. Veteran RB Edgerrin James dressed, but never saw the field. What does this mean from a fantasy standpoint for the rest of the season?
Bruno Boys Larry’s Viewz: I will start by saying that it sure doesn’t seem to bode well for Edgerrin James. He was signed as a prize free agent from the Indianapolis Colts in 2006 that the Cardinals had hoped would put their offense over the top. In his first two seasons in Arizona, he posted decent numbers as he averaged 320+ carries with 1,150+ yards and 13 total TD’s, but those numbers were below the standards he had set in previous seasons for the Colts. Now, James has seemed to fall out of favor with coach Ken Whisenhunt by averaging just 3.5 yards per carry, gaining only 380 yards with 3 TD’s, but I never imagined he wouldn’t even see the field against the Rams.
This is not something anyone had predicted heading into this season. Granted, James seemed to be on the decline of his career, but I know I sure didn’t expect him to lose his starting job to a rookie 5th round pick out of Richmond. I am a big college football fan and didn’t even realize Richmond had a football team, not to mention a back that could come in and take over Edgerrin James' starting job during his rookie season. Hightower has been the Cardinal’s short yardage back most of the season scoring 6 TD’s to go with minimal yardage. In his first start of his career, he gained 109 yards on 22 carries with 1 TD against a below average run defense.
Now, the Cardinals do have some tougher defensive match-ups coming up including the Giants, Eagles, Vikings and Patriots, so I wouldn’t get too excited about Hightower, but he should still be a low-end RB2 or flex option the rest of the season. As far as James goes, I have a hard time believing he is totally done as a fantasy RB option this season, but his totals the last 3 weeks show that he should be left on the bench for the foreseeable future.
Bruno Boys Ziza’s Viewz: All I can say is this; the time has come for a new RB in Arizona. After trying to right their awful RB woes the past few years with veterans Emmit Smith and Edgerrin James, it looks as if the Cardinals have finally found a winner and someone to build around with in rookie RB Tim Hightower. Hightower had 6 TD's in limited duty going into this game, and in his first start, he accumulated 109 yards on 22 rushing attempts and a TD. It is safe to say that Edgerrin James can now be looked as a RB3, whereas Hightower leapfrogs him into RB2 status.
-------------------------
RED HOT NFL Newz: LaDanian Tomlinson, who has been looking more and more healthy by the week, has been able to rest even more this week because of a bye. He has started this year off at a slower pace than normal, putting up only 766 total yards and 5 TD's. Facing a Kansas City Chiefs team that has allowed 14 rushing TD's this year in Week 10 should get him going once again. Shouldn't it?
Bruno Boys Ziza's Viewz: I can say without a doubt that Week 10 will start what should be a tale of two different seasons. LT has a few hard matchups the remainder of the season in Pittsburgh and Tampa Bay, but he has 6 outstanding matchups in Kansas City, Indianapolis, Atlanta, Oakland, Kansas City and Denver. Those are some prime time games that could really prove to be God-sends to owners who have suffered through this sub-par LT season of 2008. The past few weeks his carries are up quite a bit and Darren Sproles' are down. Everything is looking as if LT is primed for an outstanding second half to this season and I, for one, wish I owned him in my main money league.
Bruno Boys Larry's Viewz: Well, Ziza, I have to agree with you from the standpoint that Tomlinson’s second half of his season should be much better then the first half of his season, but considering the huge disappointment he has been since he was the consensus number one overall pick in fantasy drafts I sure hope so. He currently has 142 carries for 551 yards with 4 TD’s, a far cry from what many owners expected. His meager 3.9 yards per carry is not what anyone expected heading into this season.
Now, as you pointed out, he has some favorable match-ups heading into the final half of this season and that factored in with his improving health should be a good sign for Tomlinson owners. Ziza you say that you wish you had Tomlinson in your main money league, but the question I have for you is could you have withstood his poor first half of the season for a strong second half to help you? I do believe that starting week 10 against the Chiefs Tomlinson should start the best part of his season; I just hope it’s not too late for Tomlinson owners this season.
-------------------------
STUDS & DUDS FROM WEEK 9
Bruno Boys Ziza’s Studs
1. Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona Cardinals. Week 9 stats: 23 for 34 passing for 342 yards, 2 TD's and 0 turnovers. As always, Warner produces a very solid game. With the WR's that he has it is hard to imagine why he won't keep up this outstanding season.
2. Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings. Week 9 stats: 25 rushing attempts for 139 yards and 1 TD. AP has been on a roll lately, and he should keep it up as he faces a Green Bay Packers defense that is not very good against the rush in Week 10.
3. Donald Driver, WR, Green Bay Packers. Week 9 stats: 7 receptions for 136 yards and 1 TD. Not only was this a very impressive game, but he also was able to do it against a dynamite Tennessee defense.
Bruno Boys Larry’s Studs
1. Derrick Mason, WR, Baltimore Ravens. Week 9 stats: 9 receptions for 136 yards and 1 TD. Maybe it should be rookie QB Joe Flacco in this spot after a big win for the Ravens, but considering Mason caught over half of Flacco's completions the veteran WR is my top stud this week.
2. Owen Daniels, TE, Houston Texans. Week 9 stats: 11 receptions for 133 yards and 0 TD's. Owen Daniels might not have scored a TD, but 13 points from a TE is a huge day, especially this season, and if you have him in a PPR league, it was even bigger.
3. Tyler Thigpen, QB, Kansas City Chiefs. Week 9 stats: 14 for 25 passing for 164 yards with 1 TD and 0 turnovers. OK, so at first look Thigpen's numbers don't look like much, but he did complete over 55% of his passes without a turnover. Plus, he did have 6 carries for 22 yards and 1 reception for a 37 yard TD.
Bruno Boys Ziza’s Duds
1. JaMarcus Russell, QB, Oakland Raiders. Week 9 stats: 6 for 19 passing for 31 yards, 0 TD's and 2 turnovers. Can you believe Earnest Graham had a better week at QB?
2. Ryan Torain, RB, Denver Broncos. Week 9 stats: 3 rushes for 1 yards and 0 TD's. Will the hype over Torain please end now? Probably not as I am guessing I will field at least 20 questions about him in the up and coming week.
3. Greg Olsen, TE, Chicago Bears. Week 9 stats: 2 receptions for 10 yards and 0 TD's. Against a team such as the Detroit Lions this is a very horrible game. The loss of Kyle Orton undoubtedly had some type of impact here.
Bruno Boys Larry’s Duds
1. Brad Johnson, QB, Dallas Cowboys. Week 9 stats: 5 for 11 passing for 71 yards with 0 TD's and 2 INT. Johnson was so bad this week the Cowboys actually replaced him with Brooks Bollinger in the second half. The Cowboys need Tony Romo back in a bad way.
2. Michael Pittman / Ryan Torain, RB's, Denver Broncos. Week 9 stats: Combined 10 carries for 5 yards with 0 TD's. A combined .5 yards per carry average, what happened to anyone can run in the Broncos system? Apparently not!
3. Plaxico Burress, WR, New York Giants. Week 9 stats: 3 receptions for 34 yards with 0 TD's. Burress hasn't exactly been lighting it up since returning from his suspension. QB Eli Manning continues to grow and Burress seems to be regressing.
------------------------
PUTZ OF THE WEEK
“Putz” of the week – Kansas City Chiefs RB Larry Johnson has been suspended for the team’s Week 10 match-up with the San Diego Chargers by NFL commissioner Roger Goodell for violation of the league’s personal conduct policy. Johnson has been accused of spitting in a woman’s face in a Kansas City nightclub incident, and it is the fourth time in five years that Johnson has been accused of assaulting a woman.
Bruno Boys Larry's Viewz: Choosing Larry Johnson as the “Putz of the Week” is about as easy as it was choosing Adam “Pacman” Jones. It seems that the longer the season goes the more of a putz this guy becomes. First, he starts the season blasting team coaches and management about the way he is used in the offense, then he misses team meetings, and then he spits in a woman’s face. Now, I can deal with him mouthing off to coaches or management, let’s face it, there are times that all of us think that our bosses do something ridiculous or make decisions we disagree with, but spitting in a woman’s face; that I can’t take. What kind of man do you have to be to spit in a woman’s face? Not to mention this is the fourth incident in five years in which he has assaulted a woman in one manner or another. This guy is not only a putz; he is a jerk and not much of a human being.
Johnson was inactive week 9 for the third straight week for violating team rules, and with the suspension by Goodell, he will now miss his fourth straight game in week 10. I wouldn’t be surprised if we don’t see this fool lace up the cleats another game this season, and why should he. He doesn’t seem to want to play, and he definitely doesn’t deserve the honor of being a NFL player. It’s a privilege to play in the NFL, and this moron continually takes it for granted. What is even more perplexing about his continued moronic behavior is this guy is one of the most talented backs in the league. In 2005 and 2006, he rushed for over 1750 yards each season and looked to be well on his way to a Hall of Fame career. Then, after a lengthy holdout in 2007 that brought him a contract with a guaranteed 19 million dollars, he has never been the same. The Chiefs showed faith in this guy and he has rewarded them by being a shell of what he was in his two Pro Bowl seasons. Larry Johnson went from be a Hall of Fame RB to being a Hall of Fame Jerk and is ever so deserving of our “Putz of the Week” and may be the front-runner for “Putz of the Year”.
Bruno Boys Ziza's Viewz: My man Larry Joseph, let me start by saying that there are many worse things that you can do to a woman's face than to spit on it in my opinion. Now, that this column has some true controversy, let's get to the real topic at hand. He has been unreliable to a Chiefs' team desperate for veteran leadership, he has been an punk to women and the organization in general, and his head seems to be so far up his *** that he may not be much of a RB for the rest of the season. I am going to stake my reputation on the line by saying that LJ is not a RB that you want to give up on.
First of all, if not for the NFL he would have played in week 9. Yes, I realize that isn't saying much, but that is the truth. He is an punk, but if the Chiefs had their way LJ would have suited up, so right there it is clear that the Chiefs want him in the lineup. Secondly, as you said, they have committed a ton of money to him so there is no way they can just write him off. If they do, then they will really lose out for years to come. The Chiefs wanted to trade him this past trade deadline, so I highly doubt that they will have a change of heart come the off season. So what does a team do to trade a player who's stock and reputation has gone down hill? Rectify it! He is going to get his starts down the stretch, and it couldn't come at a better time. These are the cupcake rush defenses that he plays in the next 8 weeks; San Diego (twice), New Orleans, Buffalo, Oakland, Denver, Miami and Cincinnati. That is right, all eight of his final games are against favorable matchups. How can you not be at least somewhat intrigued by what he could represent?
Now, I totally agree with you, he is a total "Putz" and turning quickly into one of my least favorite players in the game. Hell, you put him and Barry Sanders in a room and you know in Sanders' quiet way he would express what a total putz LJ really has been. Huge putz or not, fantasy points win games and that is what LJ should bring from here on out. I don't see a week in which he suits up that he won't be a mid-high RB2 for the remainder of the season.
--------------------
WEEK 10 RANKINGS (click to view)
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends
Kickers
Team Defense
---------------------
Also read: Fantasy Football Week 10 Start Em & Sit Em (click to view)
Also read: Fantasy Football Week 9 Waiver Wire Advice (click to view)
---------------------
::Questions? Comments? How about you SIGN UP for an account and leave a comment. Plus, by signing up you can MANAGE ALL of your FANTASY FOOTBALL teams from ONE ACCOUNT.
::Also, you can click the Fantasy Sports Dashboard (powered by our partner Screaming Sports) at the top of the screen and import plus manage all of your fantasy teams from one page::