With another election day comes another “historic” election. To keep with the mood, here are the players I’d like to see serve as the Quarterback of my team for Week 9 and the rest of the 2010 NFL term.
Philip Rivers (SD)- Rivers has obviously been great and needs to be started every week. He gets the mention here because he will be the BEST Quarterback from here on out. Even without star receivers, Philip Rivers will use Antonio Gates and whoever lines up out wide to put up better numbers than the likes of Peyton Manning, Drew Brees and Aaron Rodgers. Rivers will be aided by a very cushy schedule. Also, he will be fighting for the Chargers’ playoff hopes while Manning and others may rest on the bench, something to keep in mind as fantasy teams gear up for the playoffs of their own.
Michael Vick (PHI) – Vick has been widely forgotten while recovering from a rib cartilage injury. This week, he should come back stronger and smarter and run all over a Indianapolis defense that ranks 28th against the run. As the season goes on, he will stay motivated and will continue to be a viable quarterback capable of propelling an average team to great heights.
Matthew Stafford (DET) – Stafford has been bruised and beaten, but he keeps on ticking. In his first game back, the former #1 pick put up four scores. While I don’t expect that kind of production every week, he is a solid option to consider in the coming weeks as he leads a dynamic offense.
Here are my selections for the Election of Week 9:
| START ‘EM | |
| Eli Manning @ SEA
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Manning has been smoking hot over the last three weeks against admittedly subpar defenses. Eli has posted two straight 100+ passer rating performances and has racked up 9 touchdowns in his last three games. Manning continues to mesh with his young receiving corps.
Coming off a bye week, the Giants travel to Seattle this week. After an extra week of preparation, the passing attack will tear up a Seahawks defense that has given up the 4th most passing yards per game. Guys like Jason Campbell, Sam Bradford and Alex Smith have put up great numbers against Seattle, so why can’t Manning? My only worry is that he doesn’t play as well in rain, and the current forecast is a 50% chance of precipitation. Still, Manning has played well against Seattle in the past, so I’m endorsing him as your starter this week. |
| Josh Freeman @ ATL | If you are looking for a safe choice, look no further. Although young guns are often inconsistent, Freeman has found a way to put up 200 yards and a touchdown in four consecutive games. As rookie WRs Arrelious Benn and Mike Williams continue to mature, Freeman’s production will only increase. This week, he goes to Atlanta and faces a pass defense that has given up the 6th most yards per game. Freeman has averaged 266 yards indoors and should play well Sunday. Feel free to start him. |
| Carson Palmer @ PIT
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Yardage wise, Palmer has been all over the map in the past few weeks. However, he has netted two scores in each of his last four games. Palmer has grown fond of Terrell Owens and the two have hooked up for TDs on the last four Sundays. The Steelers pass D is having a down year, so Bengals are looking forward to scoring some points in the rivalry matchup. |
| Jason Campbell vs. KC | Campbell lived up to my promise with a spectacular game against Seattle last week in which he posted a second straight passer rating of 120+. I believe the former Redskin is now worth a look, especially this week as the Raiders face the Chiefs’ bottom-10 pass defense. |
| Jay Cutler @ BUF | Cutler has had a couple rough weeks to say the least, most recently posting a four-interception performance against the Washington Redskins. However, I expect he will bounce back strong against the Bills after an extra week to repair, regroup and prepare. Buffalo has given up the 3rd most touchdowns through the air with only one interception on the year, putting them deep in the cellar of the NFL. Cutler has averaged 331 yards in two games against the Bills, and he’ll do well again this time around. Don’t feel scared to start him. |
And here is who to sit in Week 9:
| SIT ‘EM | |
| Matt Schaub vs. SD
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The top-tier QB has been surprisingly inconsistent thus far, netting 205 yards in only three of his first seven games. One cause is a severe drop in attempts. Schaub has ½ as many 35-attempt games this year as he did at this point in 2009. As Arian Foster continues to emerge, the passing game will lose its lion share of the plays.
This week looks especially bad for Matt Schaub. After a dismal performance against the Colts, the Texans have a short week to prepare for the Chargers. Houston will miss the extra day of preparation as they attempt to throw on the stingiest pass defense in the NFL when it comes to yardage. The Chargers also have the 2nd most sacks in the NFL. If you’ve got other options, consider sitting Matt Schaub. |
| Brett Favre vs. ARI | Ok, I’m finally done. Sure, Favre had a solid game before being sidelined by injury against New England, but I don’t think he’s worth a start this week. The Vikings do have a cushy matchup against the Cardinals, but without Randy Moss and with an iffy Percy Harvin, Favre will not have enough weapons to take advantage of the Arizona pass defense. |
| Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. CHI | After a week of praise, Fitzpatrick had an average game against Kansas City, even with extra playing time in OT. This week, I’d keep the surprise-stud on the team but away from the starting lineup as he faces the Bears. Chicago has given up the fewest passing touchdowns and has held Donovan McNabb and Eli Manning to 200 yards or fewer. |
| Chad Henne @ BAL | In the past few weeks, Henne’s production has declined steadily against a bad group of pass defenses. This week, he won’t get the luxury of an easy matchup as the Dolphins travel to Baltimore. The Ravens pass defense is in the top 10 in terms of yards and top 5 in terms of touchdowns. Henne will have his hands full and will not have a start-worthy performance, so sit him. |
| Matt Cassel vs. OAK | As I foresaw, Matt Cassel had a rough week against Buffalo. Don’t expect much better this week. Oakland is a top 5 pass defense and Cassel was anything but good against them last time he faced them. While you should sit Cassel this week, keep him on the team because he has several favorable matchups in upcoming weeks. |
