The story of Week 10 were the injuries to the quarterbacks, as three were lost due to concussion and another with a shoulder injury.  While they haven’t necessarily been ruled out, they also appear tough to depend on heading into the week.  Let’s take a look at how that, and everything else, influences our rankings:

1. Drew Brees – New Orleans Saints – at Oakland
2. Aaron Rodgers – Green Bay Packers – at Detroit
3. Tom Brady – New England Patriots – vs. Indianapolis
4. Peyton Manning – Denver Broncos – vs. San Diego
5. Matt Ryan – Atlanta Falcons – vs. Arizona
6. Matthew Stafford – Detroit Lions – vs. Green Bay
7. Andrew Luck – Indianapolis Colts – at New England
8. Robert Griffin III – Washington Redskins – vs. Philadelphia
9. Cam Newton – Carolina Panthers – vs. Tampa Bay
10. Carson Palmer – Oakland Raiders – vs. New Orleans
11. Andy Dalton – Cincinnati Bengals – at Kansas City
12. Josh Freeman – Tampa Bay Buccaneers – at Carolina
13. Tony Romo – Dallas Cowboys – vs. Cleveland
14. Joe Flacco – Baltimore Ravens – at Pittsburgh
15. Philip Rivers – San Diego Chargers – at Denver
16. Ryan Fitzpatrick – Buffalo Bills – vs. Miami
17. Sam Bradford – St. Louis Rams – vs. New York Jets
18. Nick Foles – Philadelphia Eagles – at Washington
19. Matt Schaub – Houston Texans – vs. Jacksonville
20. Ryan Tannehill – Miami Dolphins – at Buffalo
21. Brandon Weedon – Cleveland Browns – at Dallas
22. Colin Kaepernick – San Francisco 49ers – vs. Chicago
23. John Skelton – Arizona Cardinals – at Atlanta
24. Mark Sanchez – New York Jets – at St. Louis
25. Byron Leftwich – Pittsburgh Steelers – vs. Baltimore

Thoughts:

• Drew Brees enters Week 11 having thrown for 25 touchdowns and nine interceptions.  He has thrown for at least two touchdowns in all but one game this season, including each of his past seven.  In fact, he has thrown at least three touchdowns in six out of nine games this season.  Against an Oakland defense that was torched by the Ravens for 55 points (including three touchdowns from Joe Flacco), this appears like a perfect matchup.
• Speaking of Flacco, he is coming off a solid performance and has eight touchdowns against two interceptions in his past four regular season matchups with the Steelers.  As a low-end QB1/high-end QB2 he is worth the gamble.
• I know how good Robert Griffin III has been, overall, this season.  However, he has thrown for more than one touchdown in just two games and hasn’t scored a rushing touchdown in four of his past five games.  In other words, while he is a tremendous option with a lot of upside, it’s hard to consider him one of the elite at this point.  That’s not to say I wouldn’t use him, but I have to start to slide him down the rankings (at least a little bit).
• Matthew Stafford threw for 329 yards and three touchdowns in Week 10, the second time in the past three weeks that he has thrown for over 300 yards and three touchdowns (the touchdowns have been the biggest concern, as he has thrown over 250 yards in all but one game).  In the final game of the 2011 season Stafford torched Green Bay for 520 yards, five touchdowns and two interceptions.  While it likely won’t be that type of shootout once again, it goes to show what’s possible.
• Jay Cutler, Michael Vick and Alex Smith were all forced from their Week 10 games due to concussions.  While we will have to monitor the news and see if they get cleared or not, it is hard to anticipate any of them dressing this week.  Those in need of alternatives should look at stashing Nick Foles or Colin Kaepernick.  Kaepernick brings potential with both his arm and legs (though an extremely difficult matchup with the Bears), while Foles has a favorable matchup against the Redskins.  As for Jason Campbell?  He’s a major risk at this point.  Even if Cutler or Smith are able to play, neither would be better than low-end QB2s anyways.
• Ben Roethlisberger went down with a shoulder injury last night, so for now we are leaving him off the rankings.  If healthy he is a solid QB2.
• You don’t think the return of Danny Amendola will do wonders for Sam Bradford?  Taking on the 49ers he threw for 275 yards and two touchdowns (plus lost a big play to Amendola in overtime due to a penalty).  Taking on the Jets, he’s worth considering as a QB2.

Make sure to check out all of our Week 11 rankings:

• Top 40 Running Backs
• Top 25 Tight Ends