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Check out www.BrunoBoys.net to read my first article: QB's-What to Look For: Multiple TD Games.

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Passing yards are great and all, but with the TD being the bread and butter of fantasy football, the consistent nature in which a quarterback racks up scores is perhaps the most important statistic to look at when selecting your QB on draft day. Just like in the NFL, a productive QB week in and week out in your line-up takes the pressure off the rest of your squad.

With that in mind, let’s look at the top rated QB’s for 2009 and analyze their tendency for the multiple TD game:

Drew Brees (New Orleans Saints): 11 games with at least 2 TD’s. While Brees started 2008 slowly, going for multiple TDs in just 4 of 8 games to start the season, he really picked it up in the second half, finishing the year with a streak of 6 straight multiple TD efforts, coming up big for fantasy owners come playoff time.

Peyton Manning (Indianapolis Colts): 9 games with at least 2 TD’s. Like Brees, Manning was very similar in terms of his sluggish beginning. Due to a lingering knee injury that lasted into the pre-season, Manning looked rusty the first three weeks of the year, throwing for just 3 TDs to 4 INTs. Overall, though, his numbers ended in Peyton Manning-like fashion, and his high-ranking shows that. 

Tom Brady (New England Patriots): (2007 stats) 14 games with at least 2 TD’s. (Please note: Most of these games resulted in more than 2 TD’s.)  You don’t set the record for most passing TDs in a season without a ridiculous amount of multiple TD performances. Nonetheless, it’s no surprise that teams with Brady in 2007 won most of their leagues.

Philip Rivers (San Diego Chargers): 12 games with at least 2 TD’s. You know what they say: “Consistency wins fantasy leagues,” and if you were fortunate enough to have Rivers on your roster in 2008, you probably didn’t have many weeks where low point totals from your QB resulted in a scramble to make up points in other areas.

Kurt Warner (Arizona Cardinals): 10 games with at least 2 TD’s. With the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston to throw to, he’s going to be right up there in terms of rankings with the top tier of QB’s. The only question is his durability, as he’s not getting any younger.

Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay Packers): 10 games with at least 2 TD’s. How do you make Packer fans forget a legend? Going for multiple TDs in 10 games is definitely a start.

Donovan McNabb (Philadelphia Eagles): 7 games with at least 2 TD’s. The fact that McNabb tallied multiple TDs in less than half the games he played in is a bit disconcerting. So is the fact that he had 4 games in which he didn’t throw for a TD at all. However, 2009 could see the Eagle produce a bit more thanks to the addition of rookie wide receiver Jeremy Maclin to go with DeSean Jackson.

Tony Romo (Dallas Cowboys) : 8 games with at least 2 TD’s. Keep in mind that there were also 3 games in the middle of the season that he had a broken finger and was held out of the lineup.  Based on his percentages, he would have had 2 more games with at least 2 TD’s. You could do worse…

Jay Cutler (Chicago Bears): 8 games with at least 2 TD’s. The man from Santa Claus (Indiana) shall be providing you all with presents throughout the whole season, and hopefully not just in December. As long as he isn’t giving gifts to the opposing defensive backs, he should be in for a solid year as the #9 quarterback.

Matt Ryan (Atlanta Falcons): 5 games with at least 2 TD’s. Obviously keep in mind that as a rookie, Coach Mike Smith relied heavily on the running game and that he will probably let the second year QB run a little more rampant in 2009, which should result in higher TD totals, especially when you factor Tony Gonzalez into the mix.

Carson Palmer (Cincinnati Bengals): (2007 stats) 7 games with at least 2 TD’s. Yes, I know Housh is gone, but Laveranues Coles isn’t garbage. Coles in fact could be a better fit with Ochocinco, allowing the brash wide receiver to take care of the spotlight. Harmony in the passing game would be nice both for the receivers and Palmer.

Matt Schaub (Houston Texans): 5 games with at least 2 TD’s. Temper your groans; Schaub posted those 5 games in just 11 games played. While not a great ratio, I believe he’s capable of much more than this – Andre Johnson being his main target doesn’t hurt. But, can he stay healthy for the full slate of a 16-game season?

Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers): 5 games with at least 2 TD’s. If you can’t tell, you’re not among the top tiers anymore. In his 3 years prior to 2008, Big Ben posted 9 (‘07), 5 (‘06), and 6 (‘05) multiple TD games. Expect a low of 5 up to a high of 8 in 2009.

Matt Cassel (Kansas City): 5 games with at least 2 TD’s. All the hype…numbers not so much. Similar to McNabb, what is scarier is that in 6 (!) of his games, he posted all of ZERO TD’s. Throw in a weaker supporting cast and it’s proceed with extreme caution time…

Matt Hasselbeck (Seattle Seahawks): (2007 stats) 10 games with at least 2 TD’s. People sure are down on a guy, especially with the team bringing in a #1 receiver in T.J. Houshmandzadeh.  Could be in for a “typical Matt Hasselbeck year” circa 2003-08 (I mean the years where all he did was produce consistently and constantly. That’s what it’s all about isn’t it?).

Eli Manning (New York Giants): 5 games with at least 2 TD’s. Sure you could do worse, I guess. Facts are, even in his magical 2007 Super Bowl winning year, he still only posted 5 games with at least 2 TD’s. Back to the drawing board.

Kyle Orton (Denver Broncos): 7 games with at least 2 TD’s. If he can develop a rapport with Brandon Marshall in training camp and if he can get a handle of the Josh McDaniel run offense, his numbers could be inflated. I’m not sure that he’s the most talented QB out there (in fact, I’m positive he’s not), but there is undoubtedly some potential.

Trent Edwards (Buffalo Bills): 1 game with at least 2 TD’s. It’s not a pretty number. But in my opinion, he is one of the guys that could make that jump to the next level this season. The reason? None other than T.O.

Draft day is all about making the wise decision. Knowing the above, only helps to clarify what that is.

Holliday to the Cards

Wow, today has been a day. Matt Holliday has recently been traded to the St. Louis Cardinals.

What this does in the MLB: Holliday provides a huge presence behind Albert Pujols which will inevitably force teams to pitch to Pujols (To this argument, how have teams even considered pitching to Pujols after 9 straight unbelievable seasons??? It's embarrassing that at bat after at bat he gets pitches to hit and teams have no way of pitching around him).

I'm not in love with the Cardinals pitching rotation, but their offense has now become lethal. A force to be reckoned with....

What it does for Fantasy Implications:

This is what you all want to know about. Yes, those of you in AL only leagues must be pissed off, to say the least. Those in NL leagues, must be ecstatic and are figuring out ways to acquire as much Free Agency money as you can to get your hands on Matt Holliday.

Albert Pujols, who is already the best fantasy player in all the land, is now even better. Skip Schumaker will definitely put up 100 runs now (if that is something you need). Holliday should continue to hit for power, steal bases, and provide a solid hitter to any fantasy team. Ryan Ludwick can hopefully keep up his July pace for the rest of the season...

The real winner is Colby Rasmus. This kid has continued to impress throughout the season, and he just seems to get better and better. Rasmus will be the real deal soon enough. Pick him up in all mixed-leagues.

Until next time,

Peace, Love and Fantasy

Fantasy Football: www.BrunoBoys.net

For all your news on Fantasy Football throughout this upcoming season, check out www.BrunoBoys.net.

With great insight from fantasy experts, they are your one-stop shop for football advice. 

Along with a fantastic, FREE, 118-page fantasy football webazine; their quick responses to questions regarding your teams do not go unnoticed.

Use them and ride your way to Fantasy Gold.

Roy Halladay Fantasy Implications

Roy Halladay. 

For what he's worth to almost any MLB team is immeasurable. Recent talks claim the Phillies are still the frontrunner. 

If Halladay goes to the NL, I think his ERA drops at least .3 the rest of the way. And the way that Halladay pitches, that could be dangerous to fantasy competitors. However, the bandbox that the Phillies play in may not be the best spot for him.

Roy Halladay, LAD: Doesn't look right. It's not just being a Giants fan that makes me hate this, but with a staff that I think is not credible enough to win it all in the playoffs, Halladay ensures them that they are just that. Fantasy-wise, being allowed the honor to play in the NL West could be absolutely devastating to competition the rest of the way.

The other two potential suitors are the NL Central foes, the Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals. Reality aside, I think Halladay again gains value by moving to either of these teams, but not such an extreme difference between playing right now in the AL East. The Cardinals would just be filthy though, with Carpenter, Halladay and Wainwright when they make it to the playoffs, but I digress.

Other possible teams are: Texas Rangers, New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants. These teams are noticeably far from having a chance, so I'm not going to put my two cents into these low percentage Halladay owners.

Wherever he goes, he will be a boost to your fantasy roster. Roy Halladay has shown the consistency as a fantasy starter, mainly by going deep into ballgames allowing the chance at more wins on his polished resume.

Player Spotlights: David Wright & Bobby Abreu

What are the thoughts about David Wright this year? While he is running at a greater pace than he ever has before, all of his other numbers across the board have slumped significantly.

I, for one, think that he will turn around what has been a "disappointment" in fantasy leagues. I quote this because while some expected at least 15-15 before the break, he is still ranked highly in all leagues.

But David Wright hit his magical age of 26/27, and his power numbers have been meager. His turn around will be vast in the second half. While his overall numbers throughout will not be 30-30 like everyone expected, with a very solid second half, he could easily end up being a 20-35 player at the end of the season.

The Mets offense has struggled, some would say it has been downright offensive.  Beltran, Delgado and Reyes; is that serious? How can one of the best hitters in the league do what he does best when his lineup protection has now become Jeff Francouer.  In fact, look at their starting lineup on Wednesday, July 22nd:

Pagan

Castillo

Murphy

Wright

Francouer

Sullivan

Berroa

Schneider

Pelfrey

Ummm...Really? When I thought this team would be an offensive juggernaut, I must have been mistaken because injuries have really killed this team. It's unfortunate that Wright has such an awful team surrounding him today...

Bobby Abreu has never done anything wrong. Which I think may be why he always falls through the cracks on draft day and throughout trades.

In my main fantasy league, he has been traded twice. Perhaps he has become expendable for teams...But I really don't understand why. All Abreu has done is exactly the same as he has done every year since he joined the Phillies in 1998; hit and run. Yeah, it sounds like a crime, but the fact of the matter is, it's a crime that he is an afterthought throughout fantasy leagues.

His consistency is only paralleled by a few studs, and while he obviously does not deserve the first few rounds in drafts, he is treated poorly, and has been since he was traded to the Yankees in 2007 when everyone thought he was over the hill. His pace of 35 steals says otherwise. 

If you have some stupid owners in your leagues, take care of it and make an offer for Abreu before it's too late.

Until next time,

Peace, Love and Fantasy

Going off in the 2nd Half

So who is going to go off in the 2nd half of the MLB season? Are pitchers like Greinke, King Felix, and Cain all going to stay as hot as I said they would 4 months ago? 

I'm not gonna call myself a genius. In fact, most of my 1st half wills and won'ts were way off base. But let me hit you with some knowledge...They were purposely supposed to be wrong. I'm not gonna waste time by saying facts that everyone knows are going to be true.

Pujols will be good=FACT. 

What the reader really wants to read is who will not be as good as most originally believed?

Whether or not, I did mention that Greinke, Felix, and Cain would dominate in the first half. 3 picks, 3 all-stars.

Question is: Who will keep up their pace moving forward (or pick it up after stumbling), or more importantly, who will lose the streak and not assist you in the 2nd half?

Players to trade for/pick up:

Miguel Cabrera, DET: While it's not like he struggled, I expect much, MUCH more in his second half this year. I'm sure he won't be easy to trade for, but consider giving up first half studs like Bartlett, Reynolds, or Crawford; all guys that I think will slow down in the second half.

Pablo Sandoval, SF: Yes, the .330 pace will be kept up throughout the entire season. For those who have not had the pleasure to watch him in action, please do. He has become more selective, which means he will be one of the most dangerous hitters in the second half this season. 

Juan Pierre, LAD: Pierre is an injury in the Dodger outfield away from not only being fantasy relevant, but being a stud. Trade for him now while he is cheap, and reap the benefits if someone goes down. He is worth stashing on the bench until the right time.

Lance Berkman, HOU: .260 in the first half. He will be hitting .295 by the end of the second half. What does that mean? It means he will hit at least .315 the rest of the way to get there. Throw in 15 more home runs and 5-8 steals, and he is back where he started the season, one of the best in the league.

Joey Votto: CIN: No, he probably won't hit .347 for the entire season. He probably won't even hit .325. But this kid is extremely talented, so it wouldn't shock me if he did either. One thing is for sure, as long as his dizziness is behind him, he will keep hitting for power and cement his place among the top 8 one baggers in the league.

Players to trade away:

I've already mentioned Reynolds, Bartlett, and Crawford. Reynolds is easy. Power potential=HUGE. Steals potential=Average. Batting average=Much below average. The fact that he is running at will is a surprise. A guy who strikes out this often is certain to fall into deep slumps, something he didn't see in the first half. If you were lucky enough to have him, great. Just make sure you sell him before his average dips below .240.

Jason Bartlett, TB: Really? Has he ever been considered even of fantasy relevance before this season? I'm not gonna say it is impossible, he will have value through the second half because Maddon has his team run around the bases like it is little league. But the power is probably not legit, and neither is the .345 average. Don't sit on him and let his numbers drag you down. 

Russell Branyan, SEA: He's finally get hyped up after all these years, and I'm shooting him right back down. The power is real, and nice, but nothing else is. He is going to go back to where he was before this season, a Free Agent in fantasy leagues.

Adrian Gonzalez, SD: His team sucks. He doesn't. But it is a recipe for disaster when you have a fantasy stud. 

Really? After all people expected, that is all that you've produced in the first half?

The award goes to: Nick Markakis. Drafted between rounds 3-5 in drafts, he has been a supreme disappointment. Wasn't this a guy that people thought could go 30-20 this year? He's on pace for 16-3. Don't get me wrong, he's not a bad fantasy player, but really? That is all you've produced?

Shoot for these pitchers in the 2nd half:

John Lackey, ANA; Jon Lester, BOS; Cliff Lee, CLE.

Stay away from:

Chad Billingsley, LAD; Jarrod Washburn, SEA.