The fantasy football season is into Week 7 and with the New Orleans Saints on a bye week on the NFL schedule that means Drew Brees will be missing from the starting lineup and some bench and pickup options for him this weekend includes names like Nick Foles, Josh Freeman, Jay Cutler and Cam Newton.
Brees is having himself a great season and while fantasy owners likely won't be able to replace his production completely, these quarterbacks could help keep things going in the right direction. Foles is getting another start after coming in for Michael Vick and last week he had a very solid game, passing for nearly 300 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions. This season Foles has thrown for six touchdowns and no picks and he has been completing over 65 percent of his passes, way better than Vick.
People weren't sure if Foles could run the new offense under Chip Kelly, but they assumed that only a running quarterback could run it and that's where they were wrong. As Peter King on MMQB pointed out a few weeks ago, it's a misconception that a running quarterback needs to run the offense. Foles can move enough to get around the pocket and it takes an accurate quarterback to be successful for Kelly and Foles is doing just that this season and while the Cowboys are coming to town, that could be fruitful, as they are giving up the third most passing yards per game on defense.
Josh Freeman will start for the Vikings on Monday night football against the NY Giants and while he comes in without getting much prep, he could break out big, as the G-Men have been terrible on defense, including at stopping the pass. Freeman had terrible stats with Tampa Bay this season, completing less than 50 percent of his passes with two TDs and three picks, but he could end up as a solid replacement option on Monday night.
Cutler has been very solid this season and with him facing a Redskins team that also ranks near the bottom of the league in yards allowed in the air, him, Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery could cash in big time. Against the Giants Cutler had two TDs and no picks and he has thrown for four scores and zero picks over the past two weeks. Cutler ranks in the top 10 in touchdowns, completion percentage and QB rating and that could continue on Sunday.
Newton is a boom or bust quarterback and with the team playing the Rams at home it could be a boom. He had nine touchdowns this season and is coming off a game when he passed for 242 yards and three touchdowns while completing over 75 percent of his passes and if he has another day like that, fantasy owners should be very pleased.