Quarterbacks Week 7

Quarterbacks
Bye Weeks: Detroit, Houston, Indianapolis, and the NY Jets, so that means Matthew Stafford and Drew Stanton, Matt Schaub, Peyton Manning and Mark Sanchez are all benched.

Start 'Em:
Quarterbacks Who Will Outperform Relative To Their Draft Position And Recent Hype

Max Hall @ SEA
The good news is that undrafted rookie quarterback Max Hall won his first NFL start and is completing nearly 60 percent of his passes. The bad news is that he has no TDs, has been sacked 10 times in one and a half games, and has 3 fumbles (1 lost) and an INT. So why am I recommending starting him? The Seattle Seahawks 30th-ranked pass defense is why. Seattle gives up 291 yards and 1 TD per game through the air, in addition to the third most big plays and the seventh highest yards per completion (7.4) in the league. And remember, Hall still has Larry Fitzgerald to throw the ball to.

Matt Cassel vs. JAX
The Jaguars are just what the doctor ordered for Matt Cassel and his weak 170 yards per game. Cassel is 23rd in the league in passing yards but does have 7 TDs against just 3 INTs, and his 4 sacks are the lowest in the league for any starting quarterback. Heck, Jay Cutler gets sacked four times in one offensive series. Meanwhile, the Jaguars are giving up 264 yards and 2.5 TDs per game on average. Only Houston has given up as many passing TDs this season, and their 8.8 yards-per-completion average and 33 big plays allowed are both worst in the league. Cassel should thrive against a team allowing opposing quarterbacks a 67 completion percentage and a 110 QB rating.

Trent Edwards @ KC
Trent Edwards will likely fill in for the concussed David Garrard, although it could be Todd Bouman if Edwards can’t play with a sprained right thumb. Edwards started the first two games of the season in Buffalo, was benched, then cut, and didn’t see action until last week when he had to step in for the injured Garrard. Edwards’ totals this year are horrible: 43 for 76 with 381 yards, 1 TD, 4 INTs, and 9 sacks in three games. But last week aside, the Jaguars have been putting up points, and this week’s matchup should result in another high-scoring game. So I’m going out on a limb here and saying Edwards will get lots of chances to rack up some yards and a score or two against the league’s 27th-ranked pass defense that is giving up 250 yards and more than a TD per game.

Jay "Ragdoll" Cutler.

Jay Cutler vs. WAS
Sure, Cutler is the NFL’s official ragdoll, getting sacked 23 times in five games (almost 5 sacks per game); but he’s averaging 240 yards per game (10th best in the league) and 8.5 yards per completion (2nd best) to go along with his 60 percent completion rate and his 1 TD per game average. And this week he faces the Redskins, the leagues 31st-ranked pass defense. Washington is one of just two teams giving up more than 298 yards per game through the air (Houston is the other). The Redskins have given up the fourth most big plays and have allowed 9 TDs, the eighth highest QB rating (90.9), and the eighth worst passer completion percentage (65%). As long as Cutler can stay on his feet—and, granted, that’s a big “if”—he should have a nice day throwing the ball and getting you some solid fantasy points.

Bench 'Em:
Quarterbacks Who Will Under Perform Relative To Their Draft Position And Recent Hype