New week, new Shuffle Up. The ranks you find below are not Week 6 fantasy ranks; instead, they're rest-of-season ranks. If I were to enter a start-fresh draft right now, I'd be using something similar to this blueprint.
In the even-numbered weeks, we discuss the quarterbacks and wide receivers. In the odd-numbered weeks, the running backs and tight ends have the floor.
I reserve the right to tweak this list as the day goes along. The quarterbacks are on board for now, the wideouts will follow shortly. I welcome your intelligent disagreement, in the comments and on Twitter (you can get me @scott_pianowski, and use the hashtag #shuffleup).
Make the jump and we'll sort it out together.
1. Drew Brees
2. Matt Ryan
3. Aaron Rodgers
4. Tom Brady
5. Eli Manning
6. Robert Griffin
It comes down to health for Griffin. If we knew for sure he would play the full 16 games, he could easily rank anywhere you want, even No. 1. But can he withstand the pounding and punishment for a full season? And if they pull back on the rushing attempts, will he throw the ball well enough to be an elite fantasy QB? … One astounding thing about Manning is how well he's played through a host of receiver injuries. Like the true greats at the position, he's able to excel almost in spite of his supporting cast at times. That said, the occasional collapses of the New York defense have also helped his fantasy cause. You get the idea 2013 will be the first season Manning goes for his just price tag; when's the last time anyone drafted Eli Manning and regretted it afterwards? … Brady is a tricky call given how New England's rushing game has grown up. And the NFC West schedule, a slate that looked fairly cushy back in August, looks challenging now.
7. Peyton Manning
8. Andrew Luck
9. Matthew Stafford
10. Cam Newton
11. Ben Roethlisberger
12. Michael Vick
Denver's Manning currently stands No. 6 in QB points per game, and he's done that in his get-to-know-you month with a new batch of teammates. The efficiency figures to go up from this point forward, but as the Broncos face an easier batch of opponents (they've already lost to Houston, Atlanta, and New England), Manning might not have to throw as much. … I'd like to go even lower on Newton, but he's an aggressive runner and that obviously pays the bills. And despite the pricy in-house backfield, the Carolina staff still likes to script rushing plays for Newton around the goal. The Panthers just lost center Ryan Kalil for the season, another major hit for this stumbling offense. The bye week arrived at a good time, but the formidable Dallas and Chicago defenses are lying in wait. … If I ran the Eagles, I'd dump all of those Vick goal-line draws into the nearest trash bin. For all of Vick's streakiness and erratic play, you need him healthy for the long haul if you have any designs on a Super Bowl run.
13. Philip Rivers
14. Tony Romo
15. Andy Dalton
16. Joe Flacco
17. Christian Ponder
18. Jay Cutler
The awful offensive line keeps Romo's upside limited, and on some occasions the Cowboys will be able to win on the strength of the defense (consider the Tampa Bay victory). Where are the shootouts going to come from? … Cutler's setup is similar to Romo's: mediocre offensive line, very strong defense, a few stinkers here and there. Cutler rates lower in the Shuffle Up because his defense is stronger and his receiving corps isn't nearly as deep.
19. Carson Palmer
20. Matt Schaub
21. Ryan Fitzpatrick
22. Brandon Weeden
23. Ryan Tannehill
24. Alex Smith
25. Jake Locker
26. Josh Freeman
27. Kevin Kolb
Palmer gets this ranking because I respect Oakland's skill players — assuming everyone can stay healthy for 15 seconds — and I don't see how this Raiders defense is going to stop anyone (even when the secondary heals up). Garbage time production is a beautiful thing. … Schaub has attempted a mere 14 fourth-quarter passes this year, last among regular quarterbacks. To put that number in some context, Brees leads the way, at 71. … Smith is getting a lot of props for his recent play, but he still has to worry about Kaepernick swiping some snaps every week — and perhaps some at the goal line. I'm also curious to see how Smith handles playing from behind, or under adversity; he didn't show a thing during the Minnesota loss.
28. Russell Wilson
29. Sam Bradford
30. Brady Quinn
31. Matt Hasselbeck
32. Blaine Gabbert
33. Mark Sanchez
34. Matt Cassel
35. Matt Flynn
36. John Skelton
I don't think we've seen the last of Skelton, not the way Kolb is handing out sacks in Arizona. I know, I know, the Cardinals offensive line is horrendous. No one disputes that. But Kolb's pocket awareness is still on back-order — he's not good at identifying blitz triggers pre-snap, and he's slow to process information post-snap. He's as much to blame on those 22 sacks as the Arizona blocking, and I can't see how he stays healthy all season playing like this. … Maybe Quinn will return to fantasy obscurity after his likely Tampa Bay start, but if he shows anything against the Bucs, you have to figure the Chiefs might consider a long-term switch. To make things more interesting, Kansas City has a Week 7 bye: that would present a perfect opportunity for a regime change. Cassel hasn't done anything to protect his job through the opening five weeks.
36. Shaun Hill
37. Tim Tebow
39. Colin Kaepernick
40. Nick Foles
41. Kyle Orton
42. Jason Campbell
Sticking with the bye week theme for a minute, note that the Jets get their break in Week 9. If they're going to switch from Sanchez to Tebow for good, that's the time to do it — a Tebow-centric offense requires a significant foundation change. It's going to be a major challenge for any Gang Green quarterback to make something of the upcoming schedule, however; after the Colts in Week 6, the Jets line up this way: at NE, MIA, bye, at SEA, at STL, NE, ARI. Where are the plus matchups? The Jets don't get their much-anticipated Bills rematch until Week 17 — fantasy nothingness.