Week 7 Byes: New Orleans Saints (Drew Brees), Oakland Raiders (Terrelle Pryor)
Determining QB2 streamers, and which ones to start revolves around two main components: recent play and match-up.
The way we rank and value fantasy players is different across the board, and for the purposes of this QB2 by committee streaming series, I rely on my quarterback rankings to determine which QB2 streamers you should consider starting.
After Week 4, I compiled a set of rest of season quarterback rankings which would be used to differentiate between QB1s, QB2s, QB3s, and QB4s.
Rankings like that are useful when combined with weekly quarterback rankings, as you get a clearer picture in regards to which quarterbacks belong in which tiers. Every week in the NFL is different, and you will see a QB2 or even a QB3 with a plus matchup, making him a top QB2 streaming option. It happens every week and it happened again this week.
If you take a look at my quarterback rankings for Week 6, you’ll notice a few QB2 names in the QB1 tier: Jay Cutler, Nick Foles, and Eli Manning.
Matchups are the main culprit as to why they’re ranked so high by me this week. With Cutler, it’s getting to the point where he’s a no-brainer every week QB2 starter, and even in 1-QB leagues, it wouldn’t surprise me to learn he’s an every week starter in that format as well.
After eliminating the QB1s from my rest of season quarterback rankings, below you’ll see the remaining QB2s/QB3s, and how they’re ranked for the week:
2. Jay Cutler @ Washington
5. Nick Foles VS. Dallas
8. Eli Manning VS. Minnesota
9. Andrew Luck VS. Denver
12. Russell Wilson @ Arizona
13. Brandon Weeden @ Green Bay
15. Mike Glennon @ Atlanta
17. Ben Roethlisberger VS. Baltimore
18. Ryan Tannehill VS. Buffalo
19. Chad Henne VS. San Diego
21. Thaddeus Lewis @ Miami
22. Alex Smith VS. Houston
23. Josh Freeman @ New York Giants
24. Andy Dalton @ Cleveland
25. Joe Flacco @ Pittsburgh
26. Geno Smith VS. New England
27. Sam Bradford @ Carolina
28. Case Keenum @ Kansas City
29. Ryan Fitzpatrick VS. San Francisco
30. Carson Palmer VS. Arizona
Week 7 QB2 Streaming Circle of Trust
Each week I pick out a few players from the above rankings I feel the most comfortable with as a QB2 streaming option and discuss why they could potentially provide you with fantasy QB2 streaming happiness.
Going forward I’ll try to highlight at least three such options, if they’re available, in a more easy to read ‘QB2 Streaming Circle of Trust’ sub-section …
Jay Cutler
This is an easy one. After six weeks of NFL action, Cutler stands at QB6 in standard scoring leagues. Those that had faith in Marc Trestman and the Bears’ offense this off-season in fantasy football have been rewarded with a QB1.
If you drafted Cutler as your team’s QB2, you’re probably sitting pretty at the top of your 2-QB league standings, especially if you’re also the owner of a top QB1.
Cutler’s Week 7 opponent is the Washington Redskins, who have allowed the tenth most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this year. Other than Tony Romo’s Week 6 dud, and an expected dud out of Matt Flynn in Week 4, the fewest fantasy points a quarterback has scored versus Washington this year was Matthew Stafford’s 22.60.
Hopefully Cutler is more Stafford than Romo this week.
Nick Foles
Until Michael Vick returns 100 percent fully healed from his hamstring woes, Nick Foles is locked and loaded as an every week QB1 in Chip Kelly’s offense. After the Eagles play the Cowboys this week, their schedule from Weeks 8-11 sees them play the Giants, Raiders, Packers, and Redskins. That’s a dream schedule for any fantasy quarterback.
For this week, that quarterback is Foles, and look for him to continue his strong quarterback play. Week 6 saw Foles score the second most fantasy points, at any position, in standard scoring leagues, and a high fantasy points output is in play again versus the Cowboys this week.
No team has allowed quarterbacks to score more fantasy points against them this this year than the Cowboys, and now it’s Foles turn to see how he can carve up the Cowboys’ defense. On the year, the Cowboys are allowing an average of 329 passing yards, 2.3 passing touchdowns, and 1 interception.
Look for Foles to flirt with QB1 fantasy numbers this week.
Mike Glennon
The newly anointed starting quarterback in Tampa Bay was a great streaming QB2 option, and actually finished the week in the QB1 tier of fantasy quarterback scorers. This week sees Glennon with another plus matchup versus the Atlanta Falcons, a team that has allowed the sixth most fantasy points to quarterbacks.
Ryan Tannehill’s 15.14 fantasy points versus the Falcons in Week 3 was the fewest they’ve allowed all season long, and on average, they’re giving up 21.34 points each game. If you own Glennon, now’s a good week to start him.
Stats used in this article from FantasyData.com and Yahoo! Fantasy Sports
