Skip to main content

Rivers vs. Rodgers makes for a fantasy head-scratcher

After a week with six teams on a bye, fantasy owners should have fuller rosters this week. That doesn't mean your lineup decisions are getting any easier. Fantasy Football Audibles is back for another week to answer some of your tougher either/or choices. Let's get it going!

I'd say this is a pretty good problem to have. Rodgers looked like his past self again last week in the win over the Bears and there's reason to believe there's plenty more where that came from. Meanwhile, Rivers is the third-best quarterback in fantasy through the first month of the season. The difference this week is matchups. Rodgers faces the Vikings, who have done a pretty good job of slowing down some quality quarterbacks including Drew Brees and Matt Ryan. On the other hand, Rivers and the Chargers host the New York Jets whose secondary hasn't stopped anyone. This week, you might want to consider bolting up and going with Rivers.

Bradshaw has been one of the surprises of the early season after outplaying fellow Colts running back Trent Richardson. However, Indy faces a tough run defense this week against the Baltimore Ravens. Similarly, Frank Gore could find it tough sledding against the Chiefs. But what gives Gore the edge this week is that the 49ers have the most productive run game that Kansas City has faced all season. Plus, Gore has re-established himself as the focal point of the offense while reaffirming his status as the undisputed workhorse back. No matter how well Bradshaw is playing, Richardson is going to see some touches. The same can't necessarily be said of Carlos Hyde.

This pair of purple-clad running backs has been popular on plenty of fantasy waiver wires this week. Both face a similar dilemma -- what is each team's running back rotation? What gives McKinnon the advantage here is that the Vikings backfield situation has been a little easier to figure out. Matt Asiata is obviously the starter, but McKinnon could start seeing a larger role in the offense after a big performance in Week 4. If anyone can figure out exactly what the Ravens are doing with their running back committee, that person deserves a medal.

Marcas Grant is a fantasy editor for NFL.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarcasG.