Fantasy Football: Ranking the 15 Best Quarterbacks for the Rest of 2011

It's Week 11 of the 2011 National Football League season, which means the stretch run of the fantasy football campaign is upon us, and one of the most important parts of a successful fantasy playoff run and championship drive is having the right player as your starting quarterback.

Last week was a very eventful one where signal-callers were concerned, as no fewer than three starters went down with injury, and with a nod to that carnage under center, here's a look at the top 15 options at the position for the rest of the season.

15. Mark Sanchez, New York Jets

2011 Stats: 169-of-298, 2,081 yards, 14 TD, 9 INT

New York Jets quarterback Mark Sanchez has been up-and-down for most of the season, so it's hard to count on the third-year pro as much more than a serviceable matchup play or backup at this point in the year.

14. Ryan Fitzpatrick, Buffalo Bills

2011 Stats: 190-of-291, 2,076 yards, 16 TD, 12 INT

After a solid start to the season and fat contract extension, Buffalo Bills quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick has cooled off considerably, and with the weather in Buffalo set to do the same, I wouldn't want to have to count on the Harvard man to win me a playoff game.

13. Carson Palmer, Oakland Raiders

2011 Stats: 41-of-76 , 747 yards, 5 TD, 7 INT

Carson Palmer had easily his best game as a member of the Oakland Raiders in last week's win over the San Diego Chargers, but it's very hard to view the 31-year-old as more than a high-end fantasy backup at this point, especially given his unfavorable playoff schedule.

12. Michael Vick, Philadelphia Eagles

2011 Stats: 181-of-300, 2,193 yards, 11 TD, 11 INT, 535 rushing yards

As if things couldn't get any worse in the nightmare season that has been the 2011 Philadelphia Eagles, now quarterback Michael Vick has two broken ribs, raising the very real possibility that at some point soon he's either going to get shut down by the Eagles or knocked out for the year.

11. Tim Tebow, Denver Broncos

2011 Stats: 47-of-105, 605 yards, 7 TD, 1 INT, 320 rushing yards, 2 rushing TD

Tim Tebow may be setting offensive football back 25 years, but the Denver Broncos quarterback is averaging well over 20 fantasy points per game in his four starts, and the possibility that he could be benched at some point is the only thing keeping the second-year pro out of the top 10.

10. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons

2011 Stats: 197-of-328, 2,309 yards, 14 TD, 10 INT, 2 rushing TD

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan has already surpassed his 2010 interception total in nine games this season, and the fourth-year pro appears set to finish the season right about where he is right now, towards the bottom of the QB1 ladder.

9. Philip Rivers, San Diego Chargers

2011 Stats: 216-of-352, 2,743 yards, 13 TD, 15 INT, 1 rushing TD

Fantasy football owners of San Diego Chargers quarterback Philip Rivers had best hope that he ends this season more like the Rivers of 2010 that finished in the top five at his position and less like the Rivers of 2011 that is leading the NFL in interceptions.

8. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers

2011 Stats: 224-of-354, 2,877 yards, 16 TD, 9 INT

Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger of the Pittsburgh Steelers broke his thumb in last week's victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, but the eighth-year veteran has played through (and even excelled with) those sorts of nagging injuries before, making him a viable mid-range fantasy starter.

7. Matthew Stafford, Detroit Lions

2011 Stats: 216-of-362, 2,508 yards, 20 TD, 8 INT

After a hot start to the season, Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford has cooled off a bit of late, and while the omnipresent risk of injury looms over the third-year pro, he also possesses the talent and weapons to post big fantasy numbers in any given week.

6. Eli Manning, New York Giants

2011 Stats: 202-of-320, 2,688 yards, 17 TD, 8 INT, 1 rushing TD

New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning is off to one of the best starts of his eight-year career in 2011, and if Manning can continue to avoid turning the ball over he should also continue to be a solid mid-range weekly starter.

5. Tony Romo, Dallas Cowboys

2011 Stats: 200-of-309, 2,508 yards, 16 TD, 7 INT

It's been yet another roller-coaster season for Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, but with the emergence of such players as running back DeMarco Murray and wide receiver Laurent Robinson in the Dallas offense, Romo appears to be trending upward as the season progresses.

4. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers

2011 Stats: 197-of-327, 2,605 yards, 11 TD, 10 INT, 374 rushing yards, 7 rushing TD

Rookie Cam Newton of the Carolina Panthers has undoubtedly been one the biggest fantasy football surprises of 2011, and while he may be the riskiest of the elite options at his position, he's also quite possibly fantasy's most valuable player to this point in the season.

3. Tom Brady, New England Patriots

2011 Stats: 238-of-360, 3,032 yards, 23 TD, 10 INT

New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady has come back to Earth after posting unworldly numbers early in the season, but the 12th-year veteran is still third overall in fantasy points at his position, second in points per game and an excellent bet to hang onto that spot.

2. Drew Brees, New Orleans Saints

2011 Stats: 299-of-422, 3,326 yards, 23 TD, 11 INT

There appear to be three things in life that are certain—death, taxes and the fact that New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees will top 4,000 passing yards, 30 touchdown passes and finish the season among the top fantasy options at his position.

1. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers

2011 Stats: 215-of-295, 2,869 yards, 28 TD, 3 INT, 148 rushing yards, 2 rushing TD

Like there's any doubt who was going to be No. 1.

All Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers has done this year was throw at least three touchdown passes in seven of nine games, post a passer rating of over 130 and set himself on a potential collision course with Tom Brady's single-season touchdown record.