Aaron Rodgers, Jay Cutler, Matt Ryan, and Matt Stafford all have this week off. No wonder my list looks a bit odd at first glance. It’s not often I’m picking between Carson Palmer and Ryan Tannehill for the fifth spot, but that’s what happens when six teams have a bye week. So here’s what we’re left with: the five best fantasy quarterbacks for a less-than-busy week 9:

1. Andy Dalton – The Red Rifle gets to play the Jaguars at home this Sunday, and his buddy AJ Green will more than likely be back in the lineup. Dalton is coming off a hell of a fantasy performance against the Ravens last week where he rushed for a couple scores. He won’t have that kind of success on the ground again, but now that he has Green and Sanu to throw to, his passing stats should benefit. I expect something like 20-25 from Dalton this week, especially with starting running back Giovanni Bernard ruled out.

2. Andrew Luck – Indianapolis went from smacking around the Bengals two weeks ago to being a victim to Big Ben’s six touchdown performance last week. This was less Luck’s fault, and more because of the Colts defense, as Luck threw for 400 yards and two touchdowns. This week the Giants host the Colts on Monday night, and — as it is every wee — there’s no reason to expect less from the best fantasy quarterback of 2014.

3. Russell Wilson – Wilson’s Seahawks got a big win last week against the Panthers after losing two tough ones to the Cowboys and Rams. This week, its the winless Raiders coming into CenturyLink, and I strongly believe that the defending Super Bowl Champs will get a signature win this week. While Derek Carr is the real deal, and this smells faintly of a trap game, I just don’t see Wilson, who is wise beyond his years, falling to the level of his competition. Look for Russ to exploit busted coverages and pick up some rushing points as well. Start him if you got him.

4. Peyton Manning – Here’s the game of the week: Manning-Brady Bowl XVI. That’s right, they’ve played each other sixteen times throughout the years. Brady has the edge (10-5), but Manning won the most recent matchup: last years AFC Championship. This game though, has the potential to look a little different than past matchups, and weather is going to be a factor. It’s going to be about 40 degrees with consistent winds of 15 mph, gusts up to 40 mph, and its supposed to rain. If the weather wasn’t such a potential factor, Manning would have been higher on my list, but I really think its going to have an effect on the game. The game is in New England, and the Patriots are a team that focuses on winning the battle in the trenches, which could spell trouble for Denver’s pass-reliant offense, especially if it is rainy and miserable out. Peyton Manning is still Peyton Manning, and he’ll get his.

5. Carson Palmer – I’m not trying to be cute here, I really think Palmer is going to do well this week when the Cardinals take on the Cowboys in Jerry World. He tore up Philly’s defense last week for 25 points, and he played well in the two games before that as well. Tony Romo will likely be inactive for this game — and even if he plays, he’ll be limited and targeted by the vaunted Arizona blitz — so the pressure will be on Murray and his lineman to move the ball. This doesn’t sound like a problem, but if you take away Romo, you take away the passing game to a large degree. Demarco Murray is the best running back in the league and all, but I doubt anyone can run the ball against thi s agressive Cardinals defense, especially when they’re expecting run. Cowboys have difficulty moving the ball, giving Palmer & Co. more chances to expose a lackluster Dallas secondary

Honorable Mention: Colin Kaepernick, Eli Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Ryan Tannehill

—–

Check out our other weekly fantasy previews:

Over the Middle

Down the Seam

In the Backfield

Rock Solid

Down and Distance Contributor Jim Bearor