Fantasy Football Week 8: Why Mark Sanchez Has More Fantasy Value Than Jay Cutler

It may be hard to believe, but Mark Sanchez is a decent QB to have on your fantasy roster.

In fact, he’s a much better option than the strong-armed Jay Cutler.

The New York Jets' beleaguered quarterback hasn’t played particularly well in his third year in the league. It’s beginning to worry fans in the Big Apple if Sanchez is the long-term answer.

For the rest of us, he is a great fantasy option if your QB is injured, on a bye or Sam Bradford.

Against one of the top pass defenses in the league in the Chargers, Sanchez threw three TD passes for 18 points in ESPN standard scoring leagues on Sunday.

He may have only completed 18-of-33 passes for 173 yards, but who cares when you are getting that kind of production in the red zone.  

Aside from his incredibly awful -4 performance against the Ravens, Sanchez has scored at least two touchdowns in every other game.

The rushing attack is a shell of it’s former self and the Jets are getting their touchdowns through the air. Only four teams have more passing touchdowns than the Jets.

Conversely, the Bears are tied for 13^th.

Cutler may be winning in the yards department (1,702 to 1,542), but he is losing in every other category that fantasy owners care about.

Sanchez has more two rushing touchdowns in addition to his 12 via the air—giving him a five TD advantage over Cutler.

With Plaxico Burress finally showing up in the red zone, it’s hard to imagine Sanchez slows down anytime soon, especially with two games against Buffalo, the Patriots, Broncos, Giants and Dolphins still on the schedule—all teams that are in the lower third in pass defense.

Conversely, Cutler faces three of the hardest secondaries in the league in Philadelphia, Detroit and San Diego in consecutive weeks after the bye.

Don’t always be mesmerized by passing yards, Sanchez is the much better fantasy option in the 2011 season.