*Week 4 byes: Arizona, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Denver, Seattle, St. Louis
Bye week season is upon us, as six teams will be sitting this week out. It’s tricky to navigate bye weeks in 2-QB leagues because the waiver wire is usually bare at the quarterback position.
You might find a backup replacing a starter (like Mike Glennon) or a rookie making his first start (Bridgewater, Bortles) but for the most part the waiver wire is picked clean. I looked over ways to handle the bye week in 2-QB leagues recently, so hopefully you can find a plan of action that works for you.
Before going over my quarterback rankings and weekly stock watch report for 2-QB leagues I just wanted to stress again how important it is to up-to-date on quarterback depth charts. It’s only been three weeks, but we’ve already seen a total of 39 quarterbacks score at least one fantasy point this year.
Backups Shaun Hill, Austin Davis, Drew Stanton, Kirk Cousins, and Derek Anderson have each started at least one game this year. Mike Glennon, Blake Bortles, and Teddy Bridgewater will be making their 2014 starting debuts this week as well.
Not every backup quarterback is going to wind up starting, but eight of them already have or will. Know your depth charts, keep an eye on the performances of quarterbacks to see who’s up/who’s down, and always be aware of the injury report.
Week 4 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings for 2-QB Leagues:
1. Drew Brees @ DAL
2. Aaron Rodgers @ CHI
3. Jay Cutler vs. GB
4. Nick Foles @ SF
5. Colin Kaepernick vs. PHI
6. Andrew Luck vs. TEN
7. Matt Ryan @ MIN
8. Matthew Stafford @ NYJ
9. Eli Manning @ WAS
10. Teddy Bridgewater vs. ATL
11. Philip Rivers vs. JAC
12. Kirk Cousins @ NYG
13. Alex Smith vs. NE
14. Tony Romo vs. NO
15. Cam Newton @ BAL
16. Tom Brady @ KC
17. Ben Roethlisberger vs. TB
18. Geno Smith vs. DET
19. Ryan Tannehill @ OAK
20. Joe Flacco vs. CAR
21. Blake Bortles @ SD
22. Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. BUF
23. Mike Glennon @ PIT
24. EJ Manuel @ HOU
25. Derek Carr vs. MIA
26. Charlie Whitehurst @ IND
27. Zach Mettenberger @ IND
28. Derek Anderson @ BAL
Week 4 Quarterbacks on the Rise in 2-QB Leagues:
Mike Glennon
The #FreeMikeGlennon movement is upon us. This time around a Josh McCown thumb injury led to Glennon coming off the bench to being the team’s starting quarterback. What this really tells us is that if your name is Josh do not ever become a quarterback for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
Going from riding the pine to taking snaps under center is the biggest value jump a quarterback can get in 2-QB leagues, and this will be the second year in a row Glennon has made the leap.
*You can also add Teddy Bridgewater and Blake Bortles to this list.*
Eli Manning
After a dismal preseason and not-so-great start in Week 1, Eli Manning has reeled off two straight games of positive production. It might seem hard to believe after how much talk there was this offseason of Eli not grasping the new Ben McAdo offense in New York.
But 511 passing yards and 4 passing TDs his last two games shows Eli and the Giants offense might be putting the pieces together. With an upcoming schedule that features matchups versus Washington, Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Dallas the next four weeks Eli might become a consistent QB2 or better for the foreseeable future.
Week 4 Quarterbacks on the Slide in 2-QB Leagues:
Ryan Tannehill
The controversy Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin stirred when he was noncommittal regarding whether or not Ryan Tannehill would start at quarterback for the team earlier in the week wound up being nothing, as Tannehill confirmed later in the week he was still the starter.
Still, we shouldn’t feel all too comfortable with Tannehill’s current stock. If his head coach is already wavering on who should start at quarterback for his team this early in the season what does that mean if the Dolphins go on a losing streak or Tannehill doesn’t perform well?
Matt Moore is a veteran quarterback with starting experience, who is ready to go at a moment’s notice. If Tannehill were to stink up the joint in the first half vs. Oakland this week would Philbin yank him for Moore?
As fantasy owners, all we can do is control our team. Add/drop who we want, trade for who we want, and submit the best possible starting lineup. That’s it. We can’t tell Philbin benching Tannehill for Moore this early in the season is not a good idea. We could, but he wouldn’t listen to us. We just have to hope Tannehill can help the Dolphins win while racking up decent stats for fantasy purposes.
Cam Newton
Cam Newton already missed the first week of the 2014 NFL season. During Carolina’s Week 3 matchup vs. Pittsburgh he looked like he was in pain at times, and the team eventually benched him for Derek Anderson when the game was too far out of reach in the fourth quarter.
If Newton’s rib injury persists the team could sit him once again, so that he can heal up. Seeing your fantasy QB1 benched in real life is never a good sight, but if it’s done for the better of his health it could be a long-term win.
Newton’s rib injury has also caused him to run less, as he only has six rush attempts this year. Newton’s fantasy appeal comes from his rushing ability, and if it’s not there his fantasy ceiling is not as high.
Derek Anderson has performed well in Newton’s absence, having thrown for 310 yards and 3 TDs in one start and one relief appearance. With Anderson playing at a respectable level the Panthers might feel even more safe letting Newton heal up on the sidelines.
*Stats used courtesy of PFF, Rotoworld, and FantasyData
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