Brandon Marshall: Updated Fantasy Analysis After Jay Cutler’s Return from Injury
Published by Chris Roling on November 25, 2012
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears
Chicago Bears wide receiver Brandon Marshall‘s fantasy football value has been altered dramatically now that quarterback Jay Cutler is back from a concussion.
While Cutler was absent suffering from the injury, Marshall wasn’t a viable option in any fantasy leagues as the man throwing him passes was backup Jason Campbell and the opposition for the Bears was the San Francisco 49ers.
That changes majorly now that Cutler is back.
Cutler is having an amazing year with 1,814 yards and 12 touchdowns while leading the Bears to a 7-3 record, and his favorite target just so happens to be Marshall.
Before Cutler went down with an injury, Marshall had caught 67 passes for 901 yards and seven touchdowns, and was easily a No. 1 receiver in any fantasy football league.
With Campbell as the starter, Marshall caught only two passes for 21 yards and one touchdown. To be fair to both, this came against the NFL‘s best defense in the 49ers, but one has to think Marshall’s numbers would have been even better with Cutler under center.
Now that Cutler is back, Marshall will once again have an elite level of production for the remaining games and into the postseason. According to Ben Maller via Twitter, Marshall has accounted for a jaw-dropping amount of the Bears’ total offense so far:
Brandon Marshall has accounted for an astonishing 45.9 percent of Chicago’s receiving yards, the highest such rate since 1975.
— Ben Maller (@benmaller) November 25, 2012
Cutler and Marshall have games remaining against the Minnesota Vikings, the Green Bay Packers, Arizona Cardinals and Seattle Seahawks. It’s a tough slate of games, but given how Marshall has produced so far this season, he’s in for a huge final set of games.
This is the same Marshall that caught eight passes for 108 yards in Week 10 against the elite defense of the Houston Texans. Not only does he find a way to get open, Marshall excels at yards after catching the ball, a crucial element for any fantasy receiver.
In Cutler’s first game back from injury against the Vikings in Week 12, Marshall caught a ridiculous 12 passes for 92 yards. The outburst proved his insanely high value in PPR leagues and beyond.
Now that Cutler is once again healthy and back to form, Marshall is a safe start in any fantasy league once again.
Marshall is a top-10 receiver in the NFL today with Cutler at quarterback, and that means his fantasy value will skyrocket. He’s totaled over 100 yards with at least seven receptions in five games this season, so don’t be surprised if he does that the rest of the way.
Make sure Marshall is starting the rest of the way no matter what league you own him in currently. You won’t regret it.
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