Top Five Fantasy Football Quarterbacks - Week 7
Dual threat quarterbacks are well represented in my top five fantasy football quarterbacks.
5-Â Aaron Rodgers (GB), $17,700 vs (CAR)
With a point total of 49, and the Packers sitting as seven point favorites currently according to Vegas Insider, Rodgers and the Packers project to be one of the highest scoring teams this week. The ring leader of that offense will have a huge hand in that, and that’s why Rodgers cracks the top five fantasy football quarterbacks this week. The Packers quarterback is arguably the best in the game, and he sits second in PFF QB Rating this season. He’s once again throwing touchdowns at a high rate, tied for second with 15, while taking care of the football, just one interception. His 64.6% completion percentage is down from his norm, but that’s what happens when your pass catchers drop a whopping 13 passes (eighth most dropped passes). Rodgers is oh so good, and he’s facing a Panthers defense that is a shell of its 2013 self. The Panthers rank 23rd in pass coverage according to Pro Football Focus (PFF) and 23rd in pass defense according to Football Outsiders (FO). Rodgers should have a field day, and only his price tag prevents him from ranking higher.
4- Philip Rivers (SD), $15,750 vs (KC)
The man besting Rodgers in PFF QB Rating is Rivers, as he continues to lead the league in that category. Like Rodgers, he’s thrown 15 touchdowns, and he’s only thrown two interceptions, so he, too, is taking care of the football. The signal caller for the Chargers is absolutely gutting defenses averaging 8.82 Yds/Att, by far the best mark in the league (next closest is Charlie Whitehurst at 8.39 Yds/Att). Rivers doesn’t have an easy assignment facing a Chiefs defense that PFF ranks 13th in pass coverage and FO ranks 15th defending the pass, but at his cost and with his ability, I feel confident using him in a home start against his division rival, and thus, making him my fourth ranked quarterback in the top five fantasy football quarterbacks for week seven.
3- Colin Kaepernick (SF), $13,750 @ (DEN)
Kaepernick torched the Rams on Monday Night Football in week six, and he’s been outstanding this season on the whole. I’m completely enamored with his very talented group of pass catchers, and it’s likely they’ve played a sizable role in him earning the fourth best PFF QB rating this season. His 10 passing touchdowns are tied with a trio of others for the 10th most this season, and his four interceptions are an acceptable total. He ranks in the top half of the league in passing yards with 1,456 (13th), and his 7.83 Yds/Att are the 10th highest mark this year. Kaepernick has eclipsed 200 yards passing in every game this year, albeit that’s not the highest bench mark, it still speaks to his consistency this year, and he’s tossed at least one touchdown in every game. All of these numbers speak to his work with his arm, but the fact he can post points with his legs is what takes him to another level, and makes him one of this week’s top five fantasy football quarterbacks. The 49ers’ quarterback has reached double digit rushing yards in all six games, and he’s bested 50 yards in half of them. In all, his 242 yards rushing this year are the most by any quarterback. The Broncos defense has been stout against the run and tough to beat through the air, so they won’t do him in favors, but there are points to be gained for DFS gamers using Kaepernick.
2- Russell Wilson (SEA), $14,600 @ (STL)
I harbor some irrational fear that after losing at home against the Cowboys, Pete Carroll will make an overreaction and feed Marshawn Lynch the ball 25-plus times, but it’s not deep seeded enough to dissuade me from ranking Wilson highly in my top five fantasy football quarterbacks. The Rams were just embarrassed on Monday Night Football by another dual threat quarterback, and I can see Wilson doing a decent job of duplicating most of Kaepernick’s production. Since I alluded to Wilson’s running skills, it’s worth noting that he’s second among quarterbacks in rushing yards with 221. The biggest knock on Wilson remains that he doesn’t throw the ball in the same volume that many of his peers do, and by many of his peers, I mean all other quarterbacks that have started all of their teams games. The only quarterbacks who has less passing attempts than Wilson this year have either been benched or are the replacements that have taken over for benched opening week starters. Thankfully, Wilson’s legs and efficiency through the air help make up for his low pass attempt total, and his price tag also helps a great deal. Additionally, he’ll get a bump in value facing the Rams this week since PFF ranks them 22nd in pass coverage and FO views them even less favorably and ranks them 30th defending the pass.
1- Cam Newton (CAR), $13,800 @ (GB)
Newton, the third leading rusher at the quarterback position with 149 yards on the ground (107 coming in week six), wraps up the list of the top five fantasy football quarterbacks this week. Another week removed from his rib injury, it’s extremely encouraging to see him having piled up yards on the ground in his last contest. This is the Cam Newton DFS gamers love. His passing stats are far from eye popping, but most, such as his PFF QB Rating and % YIA (yards in the air), rank around the middle of the pack. Furthermore, His passing and running work combined have earned him PFF’s highest rating among quarterbacks (not to be confused with PFF QB Rating, which is a stat that looks exclusively at a quarterback’s passing work). The former Auburn Tiger will have a difficult task airing it out against the Packers since PFF ranks them fifth in pass coverage and FO ranks them ninth defending the pass, but I’m excited about what Newton can potentially do on the ground. The Packers rank 22nd in run defense at FO, and 29th against the run according to PFF, and Ron Rivera would be foolish not to exploit their struggles stopping runners by using Newton’s running skills on some designed runs.