Streaming Quarterbacks: Week 6 Targets

Oct 07, 2014

C.D. Carter

There were no statistical red flags for Blake Bortles or Ben Roethlisberger in the lead up to the Jaguars-Steelers Week 5 tilt.

That happens quite a bit when streaming quarterbacks: a handful of numbers will speak glowingly of a matchup, with one inconvenient stat or metric tapping you on the shoulder in that oh-so-annoying way. Go away, you say, and leave me to my confirmatory biases.

That wasn't the case with Roethlisberger and Bortles. Jacksonville was being gouged by quarterbacks to the tune of 18.1 schedule-adjusted points per game, while the Steelers were allowing 0.49 fantasy points per attempt (FPAT) to opposing signal callers. There were other statistical green lights along the way. I don't regret either call.

Quite sadly, Bortles and Roethlisberger brought down our seasonal average to 15.8 fantasy points per game for all recommended quarterback streaming options. That's equivalent to QB10 numbers, in line with Matthew Stafford's 2014 average. Optimal streaming options have notched 22.4 fantasy points per game, or QB2 numbers.

Here are four signal callers I'm targeting for streaming purposes in Week 6.

Joe Flacco (BAL) at Tampa Bay Bucs

The Bucs sport the NFL's worst secondary through five weeks, giving up an astouding 71.5 percent completion rate to opposing signal callers, along with three consecutive 300-yard passing performances.

Flacco has been scarily inefficient (0.41 fantasy points per pass attempt) in Gary Kubiak's offense, though the emergence of some sort of running game should be a boon for Flacco going forward. Tampa is allowing 17.8 adjusted fantasy points to quarterbacks. They've also proven among the most generous units to receivers and tight ends. I think Flacco has a ceiling in this one that might surprise streamers.

Carson Palmer or Drew Stanton (ARI) vs. Washington

We'd prefer a healthy Palmer -- recovered from a lingering nerve issue in his throwing shoulder -- against the ultimate streaming target: the Washington secondary. They're giving up a whopping 23 fantasy points per contest to opposing quarterbacks; when adjusted for strength of schedule, quarterbacks are averaging 25.8 points.

Stanton's 0.35 FPAT is a little on the concerning side, but I would still roll with Palmer's backup if he clears the NFL's concussion protocol and suits up in Carson's sted. Washington is allowing a hearty 7.4 yards per pass attempt through five games.