Sometimes being a fantasy football writer isn’t very easy at all, as in the case for fantasy football’s Week 5 quarterback rankings.
Sure, after the Top 10 it isn’t that difficult to figure out who’s who, but the Top 10 is a completely different beast this week, particularly with who exactly will occupy the Top three slots.
Yeah? You don’t need me to tell you—each week—to start Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees? Well is it equally easy to tell who the better start is?
No, not at all—not that easy and there are quite a few owners out there who need questions like that answered.
For this week, I will forgo my usual Top 5, to focus on why the Top 3 are the Top 3, then follow suit with my normal commentary on the remaining balance, and keep in mind, Baltimore, Miami, Cleveland, Dallas, Washington and St. Louis all have the bye week in Week 5.
Top 3 Quarterbacks for Week 5
Aaron Rodgers – QB – Packers: For the second week in a row, Aaron Rodgers is atop the fantasy football rankings, and with very good reason.
Aaron Rodgers was last week’s top fantasy football player and quarterback, and this week, out of all the quarterbacks, he has the best matchup overall, slightly edging Michael Vick and Drew Brees.
Rodgers has faced three bottom feeding pass defenses thus far in New Orleans (20th), Chicago (29th) and Denver (23rd) while facing one very good team against the pass in Carolina who is ranked 6th.
But the rankings aren’t the only factor here.
When you face teams that are bad you are supposed to consistently take care of business which is what is what Rodgers has done better than Drew Brees and Michael Vick.
To help fantasy owners, Green Bay’s pass defense is so bad, that the Packers have to throw as much as possible, since it is their only true neutralizer.
Atlanta is currently ranked 24th against the pass, and 12th in interceptions, while also possessing their own potent offense, so Rodgers is due for yet another shootout that will only benefit fantasy owners better than any other quarterback this week.
Drew Brees – QB – Saints: Similarly to Rodgers, Drew Brees has faced two terrible teams against the pass in Green Bay (31st) and Chicago (29th). But Brees has also faced two pretty good teams in Houston who is ranked 10th against the pass and Jacksonville who is ranked 14th against the pass.
Against Houston and Jacksonville, however, Brees accumulated four total interceptions which has this week’s matchup against the 6th ranked Panthers pass D, a little hairy.
Yes, Brees will put up a ton of passes and yards and will even throw a few TDs, but fantasy owners are going to have to live with a strong possibility of a turnover or two.
For the record, Brees is 5-5 with a 64.8% completion rate and a 12:7 TD:INT ratio lifetime against the Panthers.
Michael Vick – QB – Eagles: Coming in at number three is good Ol’ Mike Vick. Through four games, Vick has faced what is arguably the stiffest completion out of the three—not by any separate measure though—in St. Louis (13th), Atlanta (24th), New York Giants (18th) and San Francisco (27th)—passing rankings.
But there are a few issues to look at here as they get ready to face a Buffalo Bills team that ranks 25th against the pass, but 1st in the NFL in interceptions.
Vick has thrown just six TDs to three INTs, and can’t seem to find his true swagger.
The Eagles have failed miserably each week to protect Vick consistently, Vick himself is mildly injured and against teams that are good at intercepting the ball, Vick has developed a small penchant for just that—interceptions.
So why list him at number 3? Because he is Michael Vick, and despite the insane amount of adversity that would otherwise cripple a sub-par quarterback, Vick is still a Top 5 fantasy QB every single week when everything is said and done, that’s why.
He’ll have a nice day, but not as well as Brees and Rodgers.
The Remaining Balance:
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