Bears Blitz

Published by Craig Rondinone on January 9, 2015
Article Source: Bleacher Report - Chicago Bears

How NFL organizations and fantasy football owners feel about the seasons some players have can be as different as the opinions of Republicans and Democrats.

There were several football players who helped fantasy owners more often than they helped their NFL teams. Maybe it was because they piled up all their yards and touchdowns in blowouts. Maybe it was because they posted their biggest games against terrible teams and got shut down by dominating defenses during December when the contests were crucial.

No player exemplifies this better than Jay Cutler, the man who never met a turnover he did not like. But while his ill-advised interceptions, costly fumbles and mind-numbing decisions were a prime reason the Chicago Bears finished the 2014 campaign with a 5-11 record that resulted in their head coach and general manager getting fired, fantasy football owners do not consider Cutler the pariah that many in the NFL probably do.

Say what you want about how Cutler’s turnovers likely killed some fantasy owners’ seasons and how he racks up a lot of his numbers late in games during garbage time. Cutler was very useful in fantasy football, either as a No. 2 quarterback or as a starter in two-QB leagues.

While Cutler is the laughingstock of the league and the scourge of Chicago, his offensive numbers can be measured up against some of the NFL’s most popular passers, and Cutler comes out looking better stats-wise than he does when you give him the eye test and watch him play.

Cutler finished with 3,812 passing yards, 28 touchdown passes and 18 interceptions. Those numbers got him benched for a game as he was made the scapegoat for Chicago’s embarrassment of a season, even though his touchdown tosses were a career best and his yards were the second-highest total of his career.

Pull out your magnifying glass and inspect the stats more closely. Compare Cutler’s numbers against some of fantasy football and the NFL’s best passers. The difference between Cutler and other quarterbacks who you would consider had solid seasons is about the same as the difference between linguine and spaghetti.

San Diego’s Philip Rivers threw for 474 more yards and three more touchdowns during the season, but he played in one extra game than Cutler did. Rivers also tied Cutler for the league lead in interceptions. But while Cutler was widely considered a turnover machine, Rivers was thought of as a gutsy gamer who almost got his squad into the postseason.

If you asked 100 fantasy owners who they would rather have, Rivers or Cutler, Rivers would probably win, possibly in part due to the negative press Cutler received. But their fantasy values were virtually identical if you factor in Rivers’ extra game.

Atlanta’s Matt Ryan threw for 874 more yards than Cutler, but his 28-to-14 touchdown-to-interception ratio was not light years away from Cutler’s 28-to-18 ratio. Ryan had a better season and a better fantasy worth for sure, but those fantasy owners who passed on Ryan in their drafts and took Cutler a few rounds later were not disappointed.

Cutler had a half-dozen more touchdown tosses than Detroit’s Matthew Stafford, 107 more passing yards than Dallas’ Tony Romo and blew Cincinnati’s Andy Dalton away in most major categories (except who has more red hair).

Cutler also threw for more touchdowns than Baltimore’s Joe Flacco and Miami’s Ryan Tannehill despite playing in one fewer game thanks to his benching, and he would have thrown for more yards than the pair if he had played in said game. Flacco and Tannehill both had the best seasons of their careers in 2014, yet Cutler’s fantasy worth was arguably better depending on the scoring system of the fantasy league.

So for all the haters who spew their venom at Cutler as if he was a combination of Geno Smith, Ryan Lindley and Charlie Whitehurst rolled into one, they must not compete in fantasy leagues.

In the NFL, the stats do lie. Cutler’s passing yards and touchdowns are overshadowed by all of the poor throws that resulted in drive-killing incompletions or game-killing interceptions. But those stats are much more meaningful in fantasy leagues where a player’s impact on his NFL team’s wins and losses do not translate into wins and losses for his fantasy owner’s team.

Cutler could very well be a top-10 fantasy quarterback next season, especially depending on what team he eventually ends up with.

If Cutler somehow stays in Chicago, which is looking less likely than Jim Carrey getting nominated for an Oscar for Dumb and Dumber To, there is no reason to think his stats would suffer. He would still have a great (and gigantic) receiving corps led by Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffrey and Martellus Bennett that any quarterback would be overjoyed to have.

And if Cutler moves on to another organization, he could be placed with a head coach and/or offensive coordinator who could finally tap into his talents. Can you see Cutler quarterbacking the Tennessee Titans with Ken Whisenhunt grooming him and with young receivers like Justin Hunter and Kendall Wright and terrific tight end Delanie Walker as his top targets?

How about if the Mike/Kyle Shanahan package deal gets a job running a team again and the Shanahans acquire their old friend Cutler via trade? They were able to squeeze an amazing rookie season out of Robert Griffin III and have experience with Cutler from his Denver days, so a 30-TD season for Cutler is not unrealistic.

So when you are preparing your cheat sheets and draft lists entering the 2015 season in late August and you are ranking the quarterbacks for your fantasy draft, do not stick Cutler down near the bottom towards the No. 18-23 spots at the position. Cutler might not deserve respect or accolades in football circles, but in fantasy circles he can be just as productive as most signal callers can.

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