Week 14 Fantasy Football Defensive Matchup Exploitation: QB

No matter what the matchups say, we try to roll with our “studs” since they have the highest upside. On Monday, we saw just what a truly unfavorable matchup can do to even the most prolific passer as Drew Brees was held to a mere 147 yards, a touchdown, and a fumble lost against the Seahawks. It was the first time all season Brees has been held to fewer than 236 yards and only the fourth time that he was held to fewer than 300 yards.

Unfortunately for Brees, he now has to face the only defense allowing fewer fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks than the Seahawks – the Panthers. Not once but twice over the next three weeks. Unlike the Seahawks, though, the Panthers can be beaten through the air. Although they’ve held Mike Glennon, Colin Kaepernick, Matt Ryan, Carson Palmer, and Eli Manning to single-digit fantasy points, they’ve allowed at least 296 passing yards and a touchdown in two of their last three weeks – once to Tom Brady, once to Ryan Tannehill. It’s Drew Brees, I’d roll with him regardless of what we saw on Monday and what the Panthers have done. I would, however, stay away from Colin Kaepernick against a Seahawks defense that held him to just 127 passing yards in their first meeting, picking him off three times and recovering a fumble. I’d also stay away from Russell Wilson, despite a big game against the Saints, since the Niners held him to just 142 passing yards, 33 rushing yards, one touchdown, and one interception in their first meeting and have been very tough on the likes of Cam Newton, Drew Brees, and Robert Griffin over the last four weeks.

The Saints had been stopping quarterbacks but have given up a lot of points to Kaepernick, Matt Ryan, and Russell Wilson over the last three weeks so I’d roll with the hot Cam Newton. Obviously, Peyton Manning gets to start weekly, no matter the matchup.

Ben Roethlisberger, Andrew Luck, Chad Henne, Ryan Tannehill, Matt Cassell, and Kellen Clemens are are unstartable this week. The Bears defense can be had through the air so I’d stick with Tony Romo, as well as Carson Palmer who has been red hot and faces a Rams defense that has given up 275+ yards and at least one passing touchdown in three straight weeks.

Robert Griffin is a dangerous start against the Chiefs and I wouldn’t expect big things with his current struggles.

On the favorable side, we have a lot of fringe starters worth putting out there, none more than Josh McCown (or Jay Cutler, if he plays) against a Vikings defense that has yet to hold a quarterback to fewer than 12 fantasy points. They have given up 15+ fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in six of their last seven weeks.

Joe Flacco, Eli Manning, Alex Smith, Ryan Fitzpatrick, Case Keenum, Nick Foles, Matt Ryan, EJ Manuel and even Matt McGloin all have highly favorable matchups and, even though none are very attractive outside of Foles, I’d have no qualms about any one of those guys in my lineup.

On the flip side, I’d stay away from Geno Smith no matter how favorable the matchup as well as anyone who starts for Green Bay if Aaron Rodgers can’t go.

Let’s take a look at all of the fantasy quarterback matchups for Week 14.

Browse Matchups by Position: QB – RB – WR – TE

Highly Unfavorable, Unfavorable, Neutral, Slightly Favorable, Favorable

*Values based on Yahoo standard scoring.

Browse Matchups by Position: QB – RB – WR – TE

Igor Derysh

Igor Derysh is Editor-at-Large at XN Sports and has been featured in The Los Angeles Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Herald, Baltimore Sun, Orlando Sun-Sentinel, and FantasyPros. He has previously covered sports for COED Magazine, Fantasy Alarm, and Manwall.com.

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