Byes: Atlanta (Matt Ryan), Buffalo (Kyle Orton), Chicago (Jay Cutler), Detroit (Matt Stafford), Green Bay (Aaron Rodgers), Tennessee Titans (Zach Mettenberger)
It happened again. A back-up quarterback started in Week 8. In fact, two backups made their first starts of the year. On top of that, both the quarterbacks (Colt McCoy and Zach Mettenberger) were at once third-string quarterbacks. For Washington and Tennessee, McCoy and Moustache Mett became the third different quarterbacks to make a start for them this year.
Now, McCoy looks to be relegated back to clip holder duties, but should be the #2 clip holder over Kirk Cousins, with Robert Griffin III possibly making a return this week. Moustache Mett will most likely be the starting quarterback for the Titans the rest of the season.
When you add the latest backups starting from Week 8, that brings the total number of starting quarterbacks on the year to 44.
I know I sound like a broken record, but if you play in 2-QB fantasy football leagues you need to stay on top of the quarterback depth charts in the NFL. There might come a time when you need to know who the third-string quarterback of a team is, as you never know when you might need them to become the QB1 or QB2 of your 2-QB fantasy football team.
As always, you’ll find my weekly quarterback rankings and stock watch report below…
Week 9 Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings for 2-QB Fantasy Football Leagues:
1. Russell Wilson vs OAK
2. Andrew Luck @ NYG
3. Peyton Manning @ NE
4. Tom Brady vs. DEN
5. Carson Palmer @ DAL
6. Cam Newton vs. NO
7. Drew Brees @ CAR
8. Philip Rivers @ MIA
9. Colin Kaepernick vs. STL
10. Alex Smith vs. NYJ
11. Nick Foles @ HOU
12. Ryan Tannehill vs. SD
13. Tony Romo vs. ARI
14. Eli Manning vs. IND
15. Robert Griffin III @ MIN
16. Ben Roethlisberger vs. BAL
17. Andy Dalton vs. JAC
18. Teddy Bridgewater vs. WAS
19. Michael Vick @ KC
20. Joe Flacco @ PIT
21. Ryan Fitzpatrick vs. PHI
22. Brian Hoyer vs. TB
23. Mike Glennon @ CLE
24. Austin Davis @ SF
25. Blake Bortles @ CIN
26. Derek Carr @ SEA
27. Brandon Weeden vs. ARI
28 Johnny Manziel vs. TB
29. Colt McCoy @ MIN
Week 9 Quarterbacks on the Rise:
Kyle Orton
Here are some Kyle Orton stats since taking over the starting quarterback job in Buffalo:
- Pass Attempts – 140 (eighth-most)
- Passing Yards – 1,126 (fifth-most)
- Passing TDs – 9 (tie sixth-most)
- Fantasy Points – 78.5 (eighth-most)
As you can see, Orton ranks in the top-ten of each of those categories the past four weeks.
Will he continue producing top-ten numbers once he returns from the Bills’ Week 9 bye? It’s hard to tell. Buffalo is without starting running backs C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson, and Orton has a DGAF attitude throwing the ball to Sammy Watkins, so there’s a chance. His rest of season schedule has some tough matchups though.
While Orton might not play a QB1 level on a consistent week-to-week basis, he should be continue to remain a steady force in your lineup at the QB2 slot.
Tom Brady
Just like Russell Wilson last week, I wanted to carve out some space in this article to show Tom Brady some love.
Since his bad game in Week 4 vs. the Kansas City Chiefs, Brady has gone on to score the most fantasy points at the quarterback position from Week 5 to Week 8. He’s the rich man’s Kyle Orton.
Brady has also thrown the fourth-most passing yards during that span (1,267 yards), and is tied with Peyton Manning for the most passing touchdowns at 14 apiece. Oh, he threw ZERO interceptions during his four-game hot streak.
Week 9 Quarterbacks on the Slide:
Jake Locker
“You lose your job, your stock will go down. It’s pretty simple.” I wrote those exact same words about Kirk Cousins last week in the stock watch report, and I can use them again this week when talking about Jake Locker.
The former eighth-overall pick of the 2011 NFL Draft has only played in four games this year, and the team decided to move on without him so they could see what sixth-round rookie draft pick Zach Mettenberger could do.
Locker’s contract runs out after this season with the Titans so he’s mostly a goner. Whether he gets a chance to compete for a starting job with a new team or is relegated to backup duty remains to be seen. For this season it seems he won’t see the field again.
Joe Flacco
There are good Joe Flacco games, great Joe Flacco games, and Joe Flacco games you want to forget.
Joe Flacco’s Week 8 performance was one you’d like to forget. He only completed 50 percent of his passes for 195 yards and two interceptions. His zero touchdown day led to him finishing as the QB31 in Week 8, well outside the QB2 tier. Flacco’s five Week 8 fantasy points was his lowest total of season, and the second time he scored less than 10 fantasy points.
A matchup in Week 9 vs. the Pittsburgh Steelers, who have given up 662 passing yards and five touchdowns over the past two weeks to Ryan Fitzpatrick and Andrew Luck, might help Flacco turn things around. He did threw for 166 yards and two touchdowns vs. Pittsburgh in Week 2.
*Stats used in this article from Pro-Football-Reference, Pro Football Focus, FantasyData, and Yahoo!
