Fantasy Football Week 5: Replacements for Tony Romo and Joe Flacco

With two major QBs on bye week, many fantasy football owners may be on the fence about which QB to start in their places. Here are a couple that should be capable of holding the fort until your main guys return.

Matt Ryan vs. Green Bay

I know what you may be thinking. The Falcons are playing the Packers, oh my god, Clay Matthews Jr. Not so fast on the Packer defensive bandwagon. The Packers pass defense has given up at least 300 yards in every game except the last one.

Even last week, they allowed a season-low 278 yards passing to Kyle Orton. The Packers defense is the most overrated unit in the NFL. They are 4-0 because their offense is an absolute machine. The D is yielding 25 points per game.

In short, don't be afraid of the Packers defense. Matt Ryan should rack up fantasy points and this just might be the day Julio Jones announces his arrival on the fantasy football scene.

Josh Freeman vs. San Francisco

Freeman is probably starting at QB for guys and gals who didn't pre-rank their starters and didn't attend the live draft. Aside from those situations, he is a backup on most squads. Freeman is a winner but he certainly hasn't solidified himself as a fantasy stud to this point. 

He has only three TD passes to four INTs so far this season and his 287 yards passing against the Colts on Monday Night was his season high. So why is he here? The Niners defense has been stout against the run and they figure to limit LeGarrette Blount.

In contrast, their pass defense is 21st in the NFL. They give up a ton of yards on intermediate throws. Freeman seems to really be finding his comfort zone as a passer. I predict this will be his first 300-yard passing performance of the year and only the second of his career.

Hopefully for the Bucs, the outcome and the rest of his line will be better than it was in the other 300-yard performance. In 2009, he threw for 321 yards against the Carolina Panthers, but also threw five INTs.