Bounce Back For Matt Cassel: Week 14 Fantasy Football QB Rankings

FanHouse fantasy positional rankings are compiled weekly by the staff in order to provide answers to possible lineup questions. These are assuming most leagues use Fleaflicker's standard scoring structure. If you need clarification, you need more players ranked, or have funky league rules, feel free to shoot us an email question.

A few weeks ago, Matt Cassel was the next big thing and Tom Brady was just a system quarterback. So after two games where Cassel threw for 400-plus yards, we were ready to start anointing him the next Brady.

One week against the Steelers, and it's back to Earth. While I believe the "system quarterback" stuff is complete nonsense, I do believe a quarterback can put up good stats when he's throwing to Wes Welker and Randy Moss. That's not a huge leap, and anyone with common football sense knows that.

Enter the Seattle Seahawks and their atrocious pass defense, which is ranked dead last in the NFL.

There aren't many better plays than Cassel this week, as you can see from the rankings.

More notes after the rankings.

1. Kurt Warner, vs. StL
2. Drew Brees, vs. ATL
3. Peyton Manning, vs. CIN
4. Jay Cutler, vs. KC
5. Aaron Rodgers, vs. HOU
6. Matt Ryan, at NO
7. Matt Cassel, at SEA
8. Brett Favre, at SF
9. Tyler Thigpen, at DEN
10. Ben Roethlisberger, vs. DAL
11. Tony Romo, at PIT
12. Eli Manning, vs. PHI
13. Shaun Hill, vs. NYJ
14. Kyle Orton, vs. JAX
15. Philip Rivers, vs. OAK
16. Donovan McNabb, at NYG
17. Chad Pennington, at BUF
18. Joe Flacco, vs. WAS
19. Jeff Garcia, at CAR
20. Matt Schaub, at GB
21. David Garrard, at CHI
22. Matt Hasselbeck, vs. NE
23. Kerry Collins, vs. CLE
24. Gus Frerotte, at DET
25. Jason Campbell, at BAL
26. Jake Delhomme, vs. TB
27. Marc Bulger, at ARI
28. Daunte Culpepper, vs. MIN
29. JaMarcus Russell, at SD
30. J.P. Losman/Trent Edwards vs. MIA
31. Ryan Fitzpatrick, at IND
32. Ken Dorsey, at TEN

- Kyle Orton hasn't done much since his ankle injury, but this week is when it will happen. Remember, he's still getting healthy. The Bears are returning home after a three-game road trip, and they face the Jags. Why is that good? Jacksonville looked awful in Houston, they are having to travel far north in a short week for their second consecutive run game. Oh, and they are now missing their best player, cornerback Rashean Mathis.

- I'd be very careful with using Philip Rivers. The Raiders pass defense has now stifled Jake Delhomme, Chad Pennington, Jay Cutler and Tyler Thigpen in consecutive weeks.

- I'd also be careful with Donovan McNabb. Remember, before feasting upon Arizona -- who are awful in the East and whose pass defense allows more touchdown passes than anyone in the NFL -- he was terrible against the Bengals and Ravens on the road. Visiting the Giants in the Meadowlands poses a risk.

- I like Matt Schaub, but this isn't the best week for him to return to huge stats. The Packers can be shredded via the run, but they have a solid pass defense. It will be a nice opportunity for Gary Kubiak to ease his signal-caller back into the swing of things while relying heavily upon Steve Slaton.

- Sleeper of the week: Shaun Hill. Kind of a hunch, kind of think they won't be able to run on the Jets.