Quarterbacks
My weekly matchup chart highlights the best positional matchups vs. the toughest. Translation: green is a good matchup for the position, red is bad, and yellow is neutral. This information is updated weekly based on fantasy points against (to date) and a few other factors and presented in no particular order per tier.
My Guys This Week
Caleb Williams, Chicago Bears
Here we are! It took all of five weeks for me to get here, but I finally feel safe enough to recommend CW18 this weekend against the Jags. Maybe it’s that Jacksonville ranks nearly dead last against the position. Maybe it’s Williams’ steady improvement game after game. Maybe it’s the emergence of D’Andre Swift as a pressure relief valve. Maybe, just maybe, it’s knowing that Cole Kmet is Caleb’s binky. IDK WHAT TO TELL YOU. HERE WE ARE. Williams looked right on Sunday, finally. A few hiccups, but mannnnnnn, this is why the Bears drafted him. I know it was against the Panthers, but he did what a good QB is supposed to do against a terrible defense. All the metrics have improved week over week, and I expect more of the same against the Jaguars.
Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
Or Jayden Daniels. Either or. Any way you slice it, this one is going to be a big number. One of the highest O/Us on the week (52.5), you’re going to want a piece or two of this game. 348 yards, 4 passing tuddys, and another 55 yards on the ground last week for Lamar, who is the overall QB1 at this point in the campaign. For their part, the Washington defense – 22nd against the position – has been much better over the past two weeks. But… that was against Kyler Murray and Deshaun Watson, neither of which are scaring anyone. I think the Washington defense gets back to giving up 30-burgers this week. You know you’re starting him; I’m just here to tell you this has the potential to be his biggest week all season.
Honorable mention: Daniel Jones (NYG), Geno Smith (SEA), Kirk Cousins (ATL)
KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – OCTOBER 16: Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills calls a play at the line during the third quarter against the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead Stadium on October 16, 2022 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jason Hanna/Getty Images)
My Fades This Week
Josh Allen, Buffalo Bills
Friends, Josh Allen is broke. He’s off. He ain’t right. Nine for thirty. Nine. For thirty. He’s QB10 on the year, granted, but if it weren’t for Weeks 1 and 3 (33 points in each), he’d be a complete bust – especially considering he was probably the first QB off the board in your draft. His top receiver was out last week, I’ll give you that, but he’s scored less than 17 per in 60% of his games this season. And the offense is running more, which further dilutes his value. Oh. And he gets the Jets this week, who happened to be the top defense in the league against the QB position. In fact, the Jets have given up less than 10 points to QBs in three straight. Sam Darnold (or Darling, dealer’s choice) put up six points against them. SIX. Josh Allen is no longer a must-start and certainly isn’t this week against Gang Green.
Trevor Lawrence, Jacksonville Jaguars
Lawrence actually had his first big boy game of the season in Week 5 against the Colts – 28-34 for 371 and two scores – resulting in nearly 35 fantasy points. We’d take that every week and six times on Sunday if we could get it. Indianapolis is kind of garbage against QBs, yielding the third-highest average to the position in 2024, so maybe that explains it a bit. This week presents a much stiffer challenge – a trip to Chicago to play my Bears, who happen to be second to only the J-E-T-S vs. quarterbacks. The Bears defense has held opposing signal callers to fewer than 10 points in 4/5 games so far and has surrendered only two passing touchdowns in five games. Lawrence has experience playing in London, though I’m not sure it will help this week.
JACKSONVILLE, FL – DECEMBER 04: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars throws the ball during an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals at EverBank Stadium on December 4, 2023 in Jacksonville, FL. (Photo by Perry Knotts/Getty Images)
Honorable mention: Will Levis (TEN), Jacoby Brissett/Drake Maye (NE), Raiders QBs (LVR)