The customary tradition around these parts is to recap the previous week’s QB2 streaming recommendations before moving onto this week’s options. So here’s how we fared in Week 15…
Eli Manning – 22 Fantasy Points/QB2
Ben Roethlisberger – 14.20 Fantasy Points/QB12
Mark Sanchez – 6.08 Fantasy Points/QB27
Two QB1s in Eli and Big Ben was a welcome sight. Sanchez’s disappointing performance was a surprise, considering the matchup. Below are this week’s QB2 streaming recommendations…
Week 16 QB2 Circle of Trust
Alex Smith @ PIT
One week after finishing as the third-highest scoring fantasy quarterback in a matchup versus the Oakland Raiders, Alex Smith gets an even better matchup in the form of the Pittsburgh Steelers.
On the year, the Steelers have allowed the fifth-most passing touchdowns (28), have forced only nine interceptions, given up the ninth-most passing yards/game (263), and allow the seventh-most fantasy points/game to opposing quarterbacks (18.98), according to Yahoo! Fantasy Sports.
Eight straight signal callers have scored 17+ fantasy points against the Steelers, and that includes such illustrious names as Michael Vick, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Zach Mettenberger.
The Steelers have also have given up back-to-back 300+ passing yard games to Drew Brees and Andy Dalton, and are currently sporting a 20:6 passing touchdown:interception ratio their past eight games.
Also in Smith’s favor is that six quarterbacks have ran for 14 or more yards in a game versus Pittsburgh this year, and he has eight such performances this year. #KonamiCode
While many may tend to think of as this notion as inconceivable, but there’s a chance Smith helps owners win fantasy championships this week.
Robert Griffin III vs. PHI
Jay Gruden might not want Robert Griffin III to start for him this week, but he might not have any other choice. There’s a possibility Gruden calls 7,000 straight running plays to Alfred Morris, Roy Helu, Chris Thompson, Darrel Young, and Silas Redd this week. But hopefully he actually calls a game catered to RG3‘s strengths.
If he does, the opportunity is there for RG3 to have a more than decent fantasy showing versus a Philadelphia Eagles defense giving up the third most fantasy points/game to opposing quarterbacks.
Four of the past five quarterbacks to face the Eagles have scored 20+ fantasy points. RG3 looked sharp at times versus the Giants last week, and that momentum could carry over into this week.
Of course, you never know with Washington, but RG3’s skills and rushing abilities always give him a high ceiling when he plays, and the GLSP Projections app on RotoViz has him projected with a high of 22.7 fantasy points in standard scoring leagues.
Andy Dalton vs. DEN
Andy Dalton has continued his erratic playing ways, and that has showed up in his fantasy box scores. His weekly fantasy scores resemble an ECG chart.
One week he puts up 20+ points, a couple of weeks later he scores negative fantasy points, then the week after that back into the mid-20s. Last week versus Cleveland he scored less than three fantasy points, but the week before he scored over 26.
Will a Week 16 matchup versus the Broncos lead to good fantasy Andy Dalton or bad fantasy Andy Dalton? I’m banking on good, but wouldn’t be surprised by bad. The matchup is there for Dalton to put up fantasy points.
The Broncos allow the sixth-most fantasy points/game to quarterbacks, and have given up two 20+ fantasy performances in their last four games (Ryan Tannehill and Kyle Orton). They also held Alex Smith and Philip Rivers to under 14 fantasy points.
One thing Dalton’s favor is that he’s playing in a game with a 48 point over/under projection, and will most likely be playing catch up with Peyton Manning and the Broncos’ offense.
*Stats used in this article from Yahoo!, FantasyData, and ESPN
