By Chet Gresham – @ChetGresham
Follow @walterfootball for updates.
Each week, I will provide our loyal readers with a matchup chart for each NFL position. To start the season, I’ll be using last year’s stats, but will combine them and wean off of them as the season gets going.
Check out the other positions so far: Running Back | Wide Receiver | Tight End
My method is to rank each defense in different categories and then average those rankings into a single ranking. So below, you will see how well defenses performed against quarterbacks based on completion percentage allowed, passing yards allowed, touchdown passes allowed and so on and so forth. Remember, the numbers are how they ranked in that category. The higher the ranking the worse the defense performed. So as you can see in the chart, Oakland ranks the worst against quarterbacks and Denver the best so far this season
Marcus Mariota has thrown two touchdowns in each of his games and gets the Raiders and their worst pass defense in the league. Of course, the Raiders faced Drew Breen in New Orleans and a hot Matt Ryan, but they aren’t getting any pressure and any quarterback can do well with a clean pocket. I expect a nice game from Mariota and hope he can run a bit more to boost his stats.
Drew Brees is at home against Atlanta’s poor pass defense. There’s not much to deliberate on in this matchup. Brees is my No. 1 quarterback this week and has the highest upside in what should be a shootout.
Aaron Rodgers hasn’t broken out yet, but this week is his best chance to date. I expect him to put together a strong game against the Lions, who were dismantled by Andrew Luck and gave up a 76-percent completion rate to Marcus Mariota and two touchdowns to boot.
Philip Rivers will likely be without Antonio Gates, and we already know Keenan Allen and Danny Woodhead are out, but this matchup is too good and we saw how well Travis Benjamin and Tyrell Williams stepped up last week. The Colts are still running a skeleton crew in the secondary as well, so don’t expect big improvements anytime soon.
Quarterbacks | Tm | Opp | Com% | YPAtt | YPG | TD/G | Int/G | FPPG | FO | Avg |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Marcus Mariota | TEN | OAK | 29 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 16 | 32 | 32 | 29.0 |
Drew Brees | NO | ATL | 32 | 20 | 18 | 31 | 16 | 30 | 30 | 25.3 |
Case Keenum | LA | @TB | 13 | 28 | 26 | 27 | 26 | 29 | 27 | 25.1 |
Aaron Rodgers | GB | DET | 27 | 23 | 24 | 29 | 16 | 31 | 24 | 24.9 |
Alex Smith | KC | NYJ | 26 | 32 | 28 | 20 | 6 | 26 | 29 | 23.9 |
Philip Rivers | SD | @IND | 31 | 25 | 22 | 14 | 16 | 22 | 31 | 23.0 |
Matt Ryan | ATL | @NO | 28 | 26 | 29 | 3 | 26 | 18 | 26 | 22.3 |
Brock Osweiler | HOU | @NE | 24 | 24 | 27 | 20 | 6 | 25 | 28 | 22.0 |
Carson Palmer | ARI | @BUF | 25 | 30 | 25 | 9 | 26 | 15 | 23 | 21.9 |
Eli Manning | NYG | WAS | 30 | 28 | 21 | 14 | 16 | 24 | 20 | 21.9 |
Joe Flacco | BAL | @JAX | 15 | 13 | 4 | 29 | 26 | 28 | 25 | 20.0 |
Cody Kessler | CLE | @MIA | 21 | 18 | 20 | 20 | 16 | 23 | 21 | 19.9 |
Matthew Stafford | DET | @GB | 22 | 26 | 22 | 14 | 16 | 16 | 16 | 18.9 |
Andrew Luck | IND | SD | 23 | 13 | 30 | 20 | 3 | 27 | 13 | 18.4 |
Brian Hoyer | CHI | @DAL | 18 | 21 | 17 | 20 | 6 | 21 | 17 | 17.1 |
Ryan Tannehill | MIA | CLE | 7 | 13 | 18 | 20 | 6 | 20 | 22 | 15.1 |
Carson Wentz | PHI | PIT | 16 | 16 | 31 | 3 | 6 | 11 | 14 | 13.9 |
Ryan Fitzpatrick | NYJ | @KC | 20 | 18 | 16 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 11 | 12.3 |
Dak Prescott | DAL | CHI | 14 | 4 | 5 | 14 | 16 | 10 | 19 | 11.7 |
Kirk Cousins | WAS | @NYG | 12 | 2 | 13 | 3 | 26 | 5 | 18 | 11.3 |
Trevor Siemian | DEN | @CIN | 1 | 7 | 10 | 27 | 3 | 19 | 12 | 11.3 |
Cam Newton | CAR | MIN | 9 | 8 | 11 | 14 | 6 | 16 | 9 | 10.4 |
Derek Carr | OAK | @TEN | 5 | 10 | 14 | 3 | 16 | 9 | 15 | 10.3 |
Jameis Winston | TB | LA | 16 | 4 | 7 | 3 | 26 | 6 | 8 | 10.0 |
Blaine Gabbert | SF | @SEA | 8 | 16 | 8 | 1 | 26 | 8 | 3 | 10.0 |
Russell Wilson | SEA | SF | 4 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 3 | 14 | 6 | 9.6 |
Blake Bortles | JAX | BAL | 19 | 10 | 1 | 9 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 8.4 |
Sam Bradford | MIN | @CAR | 6 | 10 | 5 | 14 | 1 | 12 | 7 | 7.9 |
Ben Roethlisberger | PIT | @PHI | 10 | 21 | 8 | 1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 6.9 |
Tyrod Taylor | BUF | ARI | 10 | 3 | 15 | 9 | 1 | 3 | 5 | 6.6 |
Jacoby Brissett | NE | HOU | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 16 | 2 | 4 | 5.0 |
Andy Dalton | CIN | DEN | 2 | 1 | 2 | 9 | 6 | 13 | 2 | 5.0 |
Key
Com%: Completion Percentage allowed per game to QBs
YPAtt: Passing yards allowed per pass attempt
PaYd/G: Passing yards allowed per game to QBs
TD/G: Passing touchdowns allowed per game to QBs
Int/G: Interceptions made per game against QBs
FPPG: Fantasy points allowed per game to QBs
FO: Football Outsiders ranking for pass defense
Avg: Average of listed rankings
For more recommendations, check out WalterFootball.com’s Fantasy Football Rankings.
More 2016 Fantasy Football Articles:
Fantasy Football Rankings
2016 Fantasy Football Rankings:
2016 Fantasy Football Rankings: Quarterbacks - 9/7 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Quarterback Rankings - 8/30 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Rankings: Running Backs - 9/7 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Running Back Rankings - 8/30 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Rankings: Wide Receivers - 9/7 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Wide Receiver Rankings - 8/30 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Rankings: Tight Ends - 9/7 (Walt)
Chet Gresham's Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings - 8/30 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Rankings: Defenses - 6/15 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Rankings: Kickers - 6/15 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings - 5/13 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/13 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Rookie Rankings: Dynasty - 5/27 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Drafts:
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 9/1 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Video - 8/31 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Real Draft - 8/29 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 8/25 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: 2-QB - 8/25 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Video - 8/24 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 8/18 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Video - 8/13 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 8/11 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: Standard - 8/4 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Video - 8/4 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 8/2 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft: PPR - 7/28 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft - 7/21 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football: MFL 10 Draft - 5/13 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheets:
2016 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 - 9/7 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 PPR - 9/7 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 2-QB - 9/7 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Top 250 Touchdown League - 9/7 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Cheat Sheet: Custom - 9/7 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football: Dynasty Rankings - 9/7 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football PPR Rankings - 8/26 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Spreadsheets - 9/7 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Articles:
2016 Fantasy Football Stock Report: Training Camp - 9/7 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Mock Draft Simulator - 9/7 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Sleepers - 9/4 (Walt)
2016 NFL Preseason Recap, Fantasy Football Notes - 9/2 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Preseason Stock - 9/2 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Preseason Quarterback Targets - 9/2 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Waiver-Wire Targets - 8/31 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Busts - 8/31 (Walt)
Fantasy Football Auction Advice - 8/24 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Round-by-Round Strategy Guide - 8/18 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Daily Fantasy Preseason Week 2 Streaming Options - 8/18 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Draft Queue: Wide Receivers and Tight Ends - 8/17 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Draft Queue: Quarterbacks and Running Backs - 8/16 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Training Camp Notes - 8/10 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Wide Receivers to Avoid - 8/6 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Running Backs to Avoid - 8/5 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football Notes - 7/26 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Late-Round Wide Receiver Targets - 7/21 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Late-Round Running Back Targets - 7/19 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football ADP Values - 7/14 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: C.J. Anderson Profile - 7/7 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Favorite MFL Players - 6/29 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: 2016 NFL Draft Fallout: Chip Kelly - 6/23 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: Marvin Jones Profile - 6/22 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: Devin Funchess Profile - 6/15 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football 2-QB Draft - 6/9 (Chet)
Fantasy Football Beginner's Guide - 6/7 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football: Running Back Drafting and ADP - 6/3 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: Quarterback Drafting and ADP - 6/1 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: Eli Manning Profile - 5/25 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: Jordan Matthews Profile - 5/24 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Rookie Dynasty Draft Wrap-up - 5/18 (Walt)
2016 Fantasy Football: 2016 NFL Draft Fallout - 5/11 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: MFL 10 Quarterback Values - 4/30 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: MFL 10 Wide Receiver Values - 4/28 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: Tight End Strength of Schedule - 4/25 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: Wide Receiver Strength of Schedule - 4/21 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: Running Back Strength of Schedule - 4/20 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: Quarterback Strength of Schedule - 4/19 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: MFL 10 - 2/19 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Sleepers: Philip Rivers - 2/16 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football: Quarterback ADP vs. Reality - 2/12 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Fallout: Marshawn Lynch Retires - 2/11 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Fallout: Calvin Johnson Retires - 2/9 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Forecast: Dynasty - 1/21 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Forecast: Tight Ends - 1/19 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Forecast: Wide Receivers - 1/14 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Forecast: Running Backs - 1/13 (Chet)
2016 Fantasy Football Forecast: Quarterbacks - 1/12 (Chet)
NFL Picks - Oct. 12
2025 NFL Mock Draft - Oct. 9
NFL Power Rankings - Oct. 8
Fantasy Football Rankings - Sept. 4