RADIO
The quarterback position has led to many fascinating stories in fantasy football this season. Tom Brady has returned to the top of the position. Peyton Manning has become impossible to start. Derek Carr, Tyrod Taylor and Marcus Mariota are progressing. Joe Flacco, Matt Ryan and Ryan Tannehill are regressing. The quarterbacks are all over the place. One name that has risen above most of the pack and is now matchup proof has to be Carson Palmer.
The Arizona Cardinals quarterback has been a top five player at the position all season due to his consistency. Palmer has delivered at least eighteen fantasy points in all but one game this season. He’s averaging over twenty-one points per game and is only behind Tom Brady, Cam Newton and Aaron Rodgers.
The most impressive game for Palmer was Sunday’s victory over the Seattle Seahawks. Seattle was in a must-win situation to stay in the NFC West divisional race and was hosting the Cardinals. Everyone expected a rocky evening for Palmer due to how elite the Seahawks defense can be but he proved us all wrong. Palmer threw for 363 yards and three touchdown passes.
While he did turnover the ball a few times, that can be forgiven with the high yardage and touchdowns. Palmer elevated himself into the rare “matchup proof” quarterbacks tier in the NFL. You can safely start him every week for the remainder of the season.
Another quarterback story in the news this week is the resurrection of Chicago Bears star Jay Cutler. It’s okay to admit that no one wants to start the unlikeable and typically inconsistent Cutler but with the fantasy season on the line, he may be your best option. Since sitting out Week 3 due to injury, Cutler has delivered at least seventeen fantasy points each week with an average of 19.8 points per game.
On Sunday, Cutler had a season best twenty-four fantasy points against the excellent St. Louis Rams defense. The chemistry between Cutler and his targets in Chicago is legitimate and he needs to be taken seriously as a credible fantasy quarterback going forward. If you were struck by the decline of Peyton Manning or the injury to Andrew Luck, Cutler is available in many leagues and has a favorable schedule for the majority of remaining games.
The return of wide receiver Alshon Jeffery and the emergence of running back Jeremy Langford have helped turn the Bears offense around and have made Cutler a trustworthy quarterback.
