It wasn’t too long ago when Matthew Stafford was an unquestioned starter week in and week out around fantasy football circles.
Things certainly have changed as it relates to how we view the talented young quarterback. Stafford currently ranks 23rd among quarterbacks in fantasy average, making him a bottom feeder QB2 option through the first six weeks of the 2012 season. Who would have thought?
Meanwhile, Calvin Johnson continues to perform at an extremely high level for a WR1 option. He is currently on pace for nearly 1,800 receiving yards, but has only scored one touchdown in five games. Of course a lot of that has to do with the struggles at quarterback. After all, Stafford is on pace to throw a total of 13 touchdowns this season, three less than Johnson scored by himself last season.
I honestly don’t see either breaking through against the No. 1 overall fantasy defense in the National Football League. Expect Julius Peppers to get pressure on Stafford from the outside, which will throw off his rhythm. Also take a deep look at the possibility of an interception being returned for a touchdown by a Bears’ defense that has four touchdowns over the course of the last two games.
As it relates to Chicago’s offense, this is a completely different ballgame. Jay Cutler and company have racked up some serious numbers in their last two games. Stunningly, the Bears offense has put up 37.5 points and 430 yards per outing during that span.
It goes without saying that the Cutler-to-Brandon Marshall connection has gained some steam as the season has progressed, but Chicago’s success has more to do with pass-protection in front of Cutler. He was sacked a total of three times against the Dallas Cowboys and Jacksonville Jaguars. I don’t expect protection to be an issue this evening either. Detroit’s defense has a total of 12 sacks in five games, ranking them in the middle of the pack in that category.
If Cutler gets protection, he should be able to eat apart what is a lackluster Lions’ secondary. Expect both him and Marshall to have big games.
Matt Forte appears to be at 100 percent, which bodes well for those of you who own him in your league. That being said, he is going up against a Detroit rush defense that ranks 10th in the NFL. While Forte will put up pedestrian rush totals tonight, he should make an impact in the passing game.
Statistical Projections
Matthew Stafford: 250 passing yards, one touchdown and one interception
Mikel Leshoure: 16 rushes, 60 yards and zero touchdowns
Calvin Johnson: seven receptions, 100 yards and a touchdown.
Jay Cutler: 300 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception
Matt Forte: 65 rushing yards, five receptions, 50 receiving yards and a touchdown
Brandon Marshall: eight receptions, 125 yards and a touchdown.