Fantasy Football Week 14 Rankings: Top 25 QBs

As the season is winding down many fantasy owners are left stunned by the recent play of some of the bigger quarterback names, and not necessarily in a good way.  Most notable is the recent struggles of Peyton Manning to an extent we have never seen before. 

How does it effect his ranking for the coming week?  Let’s take a look at where he sits and the rest of the NFL QBs for Week 14:

1. Michael Vick—Philadelphia Eagles—at Dallas
2. Drew Brees—New Orleans Saints—vs. St. Louis
3. Aaron Rodgers—Green Bay Packers—at Detroit
4. Joe Flacco—Baltimore Ravens—at Houston
5. Philip Rivers—San Diego Chargers—vs. Kansas City
6. Peyton Manning—Indianapolis Colts—at Tennessee
7. Tom Brady—New England Patriots—at Chicago
8. Jay Cutler—Chicago Bears—vs. New England
9. Kyle Orton—Denver Broncos—at Arizona
10. Ben Roethlisberger—Pittsburgh Steelers—vs. Cincinnati
11. Eli Manning—New York Giants—at Minnesota
12. Josh Freeman—Tampa Bay Buccaneers—at Washington
13. Matt Ryan—Atlanta Falcons—at Carolina
14. Jon Kitna—Dallas Cowboys—vs. Philadelphia
15. Matt Schaub—Houston Texans—vs. Baltimore
16. Mark Sanchez—New York Jets—vs. Miami
17. Ryan Fitzpatrick—Buffalo Bills—vs. Cleveland
18. Matt Cassel—Kansas City Chiefs—at San Diego
19. Carson Palmer—Cincinnati Bengals—at Pittsburgh
20. Matt Hasselbeck—Seattle Seahawks—at San Francisco
21. David Garrard—Jacksonville Jaguars—vs. Oakland
22. Donovan McNabb—Washington Redskins—vs. Tampa Bay
23. Sam Bradford—St. Louis Rams—at New Orleans
24. Kerry Collins—Tennessee Titans—vs. Indianapolis
25. Alex Smith—San Francisco 49ers—vs. Seattle

Thoughts:

• Drew Brees is coming off a game where he threw for 313 yards, two touchdowns and one interception—his third consecutive game throwing for at least 300 yards.  With a matchup against the Rams, what is not to like?  If it weren’t for Michael Vick, he’d take home the top spot this week.
• What is going on with Peyton Manning?  He has thrown 11 interceptions over his past three games, including back-to-back four interception games.  Now he gets a Titans defense with 15 interceptions in its first 12 games, making you wonder how many more he may throw.  It’s possible the lack of stability in the receiving corps has caused many of the problems, but it still has to be a major concern.  He’s still a must play, but he has to be downgraded a few spots at this point.
• Kyle Orton entered the week having thrown for 3,370 yards, 20 TDs and only six INTs.  He had a terrible game in Week 13, being held to just 117 yards without a touchdown or interception.  It’s only the second time all year he has been held below 200 yards (he has eight games of at least 295 yards).  Look for him to rebound in a big way.
• In Week 13 Tom Brady drew the Jets, then in Week 14 he gets the Chicago Bears.  That’s certainly a tough stretch, huh?  The Bears have allowed just nine passing touchdowns through their first 12 games, while picking up 16 interceptions.  He gets downgraded slightly due to the matchup, but seeing him torch the Jets for 326 yards and four touchdowns certainly helps keep him among the better options.
• Will Roethlisberger’s knee injury (and now nose surgery) limit him in Week 14?  It’s so hard to depend on him right now, meaning he’s more of a low-level QB1/upper-level QB2.  Of course, the news could change during the week, so keep a close eye on things.  He didn’t seem to have a problem in Week 13, with 253 yards and a touchdown against the Ravens, so don’t downgrade him too far.
• Sam Bradford has been surprisingly good this season, but he gets a Saints defense who has allowed just eight receiving touchdowns on the season.  It’s hard to imagine him being anything more than a low-end option in two quarterback formats.
• Will Brett Favre’s streak finally come to an end?  Even if he plays, it is hard to imagine using him against a Giants team that is hitting on all cylinders.
• Word is that Alex Smith will replace Troy Smith as the 49ers starting quarterback.  Do you really want to trust him right now?

What are your thoughts on these rankings?  Who's too high?  Who's too low?

Make sure to check out Rotoprofessor’s Week 14 Rankings:

• Top 40 Running Backs
• Waiver Worthy

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