For the majority of fantasy owners it is playoff time.  Which quarterback is going to help you move to the next round?  Who is better off avoided?  Let’s take a look at the rankings for this critical week:

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

Thoughts:

• The Oakland Raiders entered Week 13 having allowed 23 passing touchdowns vs. six interceptions.  While they had two interceptions this past week, they also allowed Brandon Weedon to throw for 364 yards.  That has to make us feel good about Peyton Manning, who threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns against Oakland in Week 4.  It’s hard not to put him atop the rankings.
• Obviously, we all expect Drew Brees to rebound from his no touchdown, five interception game, don’t we?  Look for him to try and light up the scoreboard against the New York Giants, keeping him as a Top 5 option.
• Andrew Luck is coming off a huge game against the Detroit Lions, throwing for 391 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions.  This week he draws a Titans’ defense who entered the week allowing 262.1 yards per game and yielded 297 yards to him back in Week 8.  It’s easy to imagine him having a big week once again, though I would remain cautious.  He is still a rookie and has had some inconsistent performances.
• In his last two games Matthew Stafford has thrown for 754 yards, four touchdowns and one interception.  Is anyone still concerned about him?  He’s back to being among the better options in the league.
• The resurgence of Cam Newton continued, throwing for 232 yards and three touchdowns while adding 78 rushing yards.  Over his past three games he’s thrown for six touchdowns and no interceptions while adding at least 40 rushing yards per game.  While the Falcons are a tougher matchup, his ability to add value on the ground keeps him as a viable option in all formats.
• It’s Josh Freeman’s turn to take on the beleaguered Eagles’ defense.  What’s not to like with that matchup?
• Will Colin Kaepernick continue to be the starting quarterback for the 49ers?  Time will tell, but if he does he remains a dynamic force and is a viable QB2 in all formats.  However, we just don’t know for sure and make sure you monitor the news before depending on him.
• Obviously, if Ben Roethlisberger plays he will find himself on these rankings.  However, time will tell if he does or not.

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Make sure to check out the rest of our Week 14 rankings:

• Top 40 Running Backs
• Top 25 Tight Ends
• Top 15 Kickers