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Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford comes out the team’s bye week third in the NFL in passing yards (2,617) along with 16 touchdowns and six interceptions, so his fantasy football owners have surely been happy with his production to this point. He has also been fairly consistent, with over 250 passing yards six times and multiple passing touchdowns in five of eight games. But is he benchable in Week 10 against the Chicago Bears?
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Stafford’s season low for yardage (242) came back in Week 4 at home against the Bears, though it’s worth noting his season-lows in completions (23) and attempts (35) also came in that game as running back Reggie Bush rushed for 139 yards, and a rushing touchdown bolstered his statline from a fantasy perspective.
The Bears come into Week 10 allowing the eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks (14.0 per game, ESPN scoring), though facing Seneca Wallace instead of Aaron Rodgers in their Week 9 win over the Green Bay Packers surely helped things in that regard. Chicago has faced a mixed bag of quarterbacks thus far, ranging from great (Drew Brees) to those that have a tenuous hold on their starting job (Christian Ponder), but it is notable they have allowed more than 250 passing yards in game just four times and have an interception in seven of their eight games.
The Bears’ defense is not the vaunted unit of the past due to age, departures and injuries, but they have still been tough on opposing signal callers this season. It would take a very gutsy fantasy owner to bench Stafford, but those that can only start one quarterback and have another option with a more favorable matchup available to them (Philip Rivers, Robert Griffin III, Andrew Luck) can consider taking a calculated risk and shoot for upside that the former No. 1 overall pick does not have this week.
Brad Berreman is a contributing writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradberreman24.
