Start Em Sit Em Week 8: Breaking Down This Week's QB Matchups

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Quarterbacks may be the king of the hill in the National Football League, they garner fat paychecks, hog all the attention and even get the chicks, but the same isn't necessarily true in fantasy football. Running backs rule the roost, even in today's pass-wacky NFL.

All this isn't to say that quarterbacks don't have value in fantasy football and can't make the difference between a win or a loss.

Here's a look at some signal-callers with the favorable matchups that should make for a big statistical outing and others who could be in for a tough go of it in Week 8.

Great Matchup: Peyton Manning, Denver Broncos (vs. NO)

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Sure, Peyton Manning may not be the quarterback he was a decade ago, but that hasn't stopped the four-time NFL MVP from piling up over 1,800 passing yards and 14 touchdowns over his first six games with the Denver Broncos.

That production places Manning third among quarterbacks in fantasy points per game so far this season, and the 36-year-old should keep piling up the stats this week in a matchup with the New Orleans Saints that has all the makings of a shootout.

Bad Matchup: Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers (at CHI)

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There were many fantasy pundits (myself included) who warned before the season that expecting a repeat of Carolina Panthers quarterback Cam Newton's scintillating rookie season could be a mistake, but I don't know that anyone thought things would go this badly.

The 23-year-old has lurched and pouted his way to nine turnovers against only eight touchdowns, ranking 19th among fantasy quarterbacks.

Things aren't apt to get much better this week against a Chicago Bears defense that has been the stingiest fantasy matchup for opposing quarterbacks in 2012.

Great Matchup: Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers (vs. WAS)

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These aren't your father's Pittsburgh Steelers.

It's a transition that has been underway for some time, but with a running game that has been inconsistent at best, the Pittsburgh Steelers have become a passing team, with ninth-year pro Ben Roethlisberger as the trigger man.

The two-time Super Bowl champ is averaging just under 300 passing yards a game in six starts this season.

Roethlisberger should flirt with that benchmark again this week against a porous Washington Redskins pass defense surrendering the most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks this year.

Bad Matchup: Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions (vs. SEA)

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Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford eclipsed 5,000 passing yards in 2011, but things haven't gone as planned in 2012.

The fourth-year pro ranks 15th in fantasy points at his position after managing only five touchdown passes so far this year.

Unfortunately for Stafford's fantasy owners, this doesn't appear to be the week for a bounceback, as the Seattle Seahawks pass defense features a pair of big, physical cornerbacks that aren't kind to quarterbacks from either an NFL or fantasy football perspective.

Great Matchup: Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers (at CLE)

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After a miserable 2011 season that saw him throw a career-high 20 interceptions, the struggles of San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers have continued this year. The 30-year-old has already tossed nine picks through six starts in 2012.

Rivers ranks a moribund 25th among fantasy signal-callers this season.

If there was ever a week for the ninth-year pro to get on track, it's against a Cleveland Browns defense allowing the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks this year.