MTSuper7 Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 Looking at my top 12 for QBs, I keep feeling like Jay Cutler has a shot to sneak into the top half. And not just a shot... A good shot. After Rodgers, Brees, Brady, and Stafford, things get cloudy on the QB front. Even Stafford has only shown us one year, so who knows with him... But assuming he's healthy, he seems like a near lock for top 5. Then there is a list of guys who are all on the list of potential top 5, but whom I think will fall short for various reasons: Newton, Vick, Eli, Romo, Peyton, Rivers... Newton - Where does he go from here? I smell sophomore slump. At the very least, he won't duplicate the rushing TDs. Vick - When healthy, as dangerous as they come, but he's getting a little old now so his legs aren't doing the damage they used to. Eli - Probably not many reasons to expect a decline in his numbers, but I expect the running game to be better. Combine that with Martellus Bennett being a downgrade and no proven WR3, and all it will take is the inevitable Nicks injury to have things looking pretty mediocre. Romo - If Dez can screw his head on right, and if Witten still has another solid year left in him, then Romo could hit top 5. I don't have faith in Dez, and no Laurent Robinson makes you wonder where Romo gets his stats... Austin will probably re-emerge as top 10 material, but I don't think thats enough. Peyton - Well, assuming he stays healthy all year, I think he will be a top 5 QB in the second half I the season. Too much rust and new elements to expect him to be a stud right away. Rivers - I stated my thoughts in the Rivers thread. He looks like a guy whose best years are behind him. And his best WR is gone and replaced with a somewhat unproven / underwhelming guy who couldn't supplant Devery freakin Henderson on the depth chart. I actually like Matt Ryan a lot this year: -New OC moving them to a pass-first scheme - Turner no longer a burner. - Julio! - Roddy and Gonzo still ruling the underneath stuff. - Emergence of Jacquizz Rodgers... Adds a new element if they can get a dangerous playmaker like Rodgers catching balls out of the backfield. Feels like the perfect storm for Ryan... And now onto Cutler... He is flying under the radar IMO, but here are reasons to expect him to severely outperform his ADP: - No more Mike Martz... Martz failed in Chicago. Period. The new offense will be more balanced which actually helps keep defenses honest. - Brandon Marshall... Cutler has proven he can put up big numbers with this guy. - Kellen Davis... Dude is a beast, and will emerge this season as a red zone animal. Don't be surprised if he gets 7-8 TD catches. - Alshon Jeffery... Camp reports are generally positive with Jeffery, and he presenta another nice red zone target. - Goalline woes running the ball... Seems like the Bears suck at punching it in on TE ground. I think Cutler's chances of getting into the top half of starting QBs (12 team league) are somewhat tied to the team's inability to run in TDs inside the 5. It'll be interesting to see if Michael Bush changes this trend. I'm betting he won't. - Forte... One of the best RBs in the league in the passing game. I'm targeting Cutler as my backup QB whenever possible, and in drafts where I wait on QB, I feel really good about a Ryan/Cutler pairing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris N Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I'm on the Ryan bandwagon with you. New pass first approach to finally use all their weapons effectively (instead of putting up goose eggs in the post season) will definitely boost his stats. cutler should have better stats this year, but no way i see him approaching top 6 QB. Ryan has a shot at top 6 for sure, but too many things have to go wrong for too many other qb's for cutler to jump in there. top 10 is do-able for cutler because of his history with marshall and weapons like forte and davis, but i just dont see your top 6 coming true for him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delusions of grandeur Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 (edited) Agree on Ryan, and Douglas and Meier are both back healthy and catching everything, to where he has a ton of reliable targets, and not jsut Roddy and Tony G. But just the big top 3 targets and dump-offs to Quizz are plenty enough. However, Turner is looking really good in training camp, definitely no slower than he looked last year, where even with a mediocre O-line still had a bunch of runs over 20 yards and turned in a plenty respectable season. He definitely doesn't have that 3rd gear to burn you any more, but he still has that first and second gear to get into the 1st and 2nd levels and mow over guys. Quizz should see more carries to keep him fresh, but I don't think this is the season to quite write Turner off yet. (Edit: I also like Cutler as a dark-horse candidate after reuniting with Marshall and getting Jeffrey, but maybe not quite as much as you do...) Edited August 3, 2012 by delusions of grandeur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White lightning Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I've been talking up Ryan as a top 6 QB for a couple weeks now. In addition to all those positives you listed, Ryan has one of the easiest SOS in the NFL according to the Huddle. However, I think Cutler finishes in the top 10 not 5. While The camp reports regarding him and Marshall have been good. I just don't see how he can post top 5 numbers in that system. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonsoxandy Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I think Matt Ryan is gonna have similar career arch as Tony Romo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
delfamdelfam Posted August 3, 2012 Share Posted August 3, 2012 I think Matt Ryan is gonna have similar career arch as Tony Romo. is that good or bad? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 is that good or bad? It's Romo, so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MTSuper7 Posted August 4, 2012 Author Share Posted August 4, 2012 I'm curious how others rank these 12 QBs... Here's how I've got them (this is where I project them to finish, not the order in which I think they should/will be drafted in fantasy leagues): Brady Rodgers Stafford Brees Ryan Cutler Romo Peyton Eli Newton Rivers Vick Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zooty Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 I'm curious how others rank these 12 QBs... Here's how I've got them (this is where I project them to finish, not the order in which I think they should/will be drafted in fantasy leagues): Brady Rodgers Stafford Brees Ryan Cutler Romo Peyton Eli Newton Rivers Vick check these http://forums.thehuddle.com/index.php?/topic/380902-list-of-top-12-qbs/ http://forums.thehuddle.com/index.php?/topic/380998-who-is-the-12th-best-qb/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scooby's Hubby Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 One thing I look at when trying to determine value of a non-top 5 QB is how good is his team's defense. If the defense is poor then the QB will likely be throwing in the 4th Q. I used that last year when I drafted Stafford. It comes down to passing attempts, sometimes. The more passing attempts the more yard potential. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bronco Billy Posted August 4, 2012 Share Posted August 4, 2012 Not seeing it from Ryan. He's got the weapons around him, but he's had weapons before. I just don't think he's got the intangibles to take his play to the next level - which is also why we have seen, and may very well see more, early exits from ATL in the playoffs every year. Cutler on the other hand has done it before, and with a less talented team around him in DEN. Now that he HAS taken some progressive steps (significantly better field judgment for one), won't be swinging like a steak in a dog pound with Martz' 7-step drop, everyone go out O, and has some very real and very strong weapons on the outside and in the red zone - which he hasn't had in CHI yet, I can definitely see him as a candidate to move up into that group. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bostonsoxandy Posted August 5, 2012 Share Posted August 5, 2012 is that good or bad? Matters on where you get can snag Ryan. I don't think he will be top-5/6, maybe for one or two years like romo, but a consistent mid/high-end QB1 that consistently puts up respectabel ffantasy numbers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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