Jay Cutler has tons of weapons and is often going undrafted.
Jay Cutler has been the butt of fantasy jokes for years. He’s arguably one of the most mocked quarterbacks in the league, and is the guy that everyone loves to hate. There is no love left for Jay Cutler in fantasy land, as I have personally seen him go undrafted in mocks and as a third quaterback MFL10s. Currently, Fantasy Pros has Cutler as the 25th ranked quarterback behind Jimmy Garapollo, Alex Smith, Nick Foles, Joe Flacco, and Derek Carr, in that order. The masses have given up on Jay Cutler but I haven’t (yet). Here’s why:
1. 2014 was Jay Cutler’s best fantasy season since he finished top 10 in 2009
Hard to believe isn’t it? It’s true. Last season, Jay Cutler had his best fantasy performance in five years. Take a look at Cutler’s fantasy finishes since he was a top 10 quarterback:
| YEAR | CUTLER’S FINISH | #10 QB |
POINTS SHY |
| 2010 | 14 | Flacco, J | -21 |
| 2011 | 24 | Sanchez, M | -101 |
| 2012 | 23 | Wilson, R | -91 |
| 2013 | 23 | Romo, T | -93 |
| 2014 | 14 | Manning, E | -14 |
Cutler hasn’t seen a top 10 finish in five years but he came close last season. From 2011-2013 he averaged 95 fantasy points outside of the top 10 finishers. Last season he missed it by just 14 points. Another touch down or two, a few less picks, or just a few more yards could have put him in that category. If he finished 10th overall last season would the loss of Brandon Marshall and Marc Trestman or the criticism knock him down all the way to 25th overall?
2. 2014 was one of Jay Cutler’s best football seasons statistically
I know, also hard to believe. Numbers do not lie, and Cutler had career bests in a few categories:
Touchdowns – 28. Previous career best – 27 (2009)
Completion % – 66.0. Previous career best – 63.6 (2007)
300+ yard games – 4. Previous career best – 2 (2011 & 2013)
Total yards – 3,812. Previous career best – 4,526 (2008, 2014 2nd best of career)
Granted, Cutler threw far too many interceptions last season (18), but keep in mind during his top 10 finish in 2009 he threw for a career high 26 interceptions. Picks will hurt the value of any fantasy quarterback, but it is important to consider that in 2014 he saw his highest touchdown rate, completion percentage, most 300 yard games, and threw for the 2nd highest amount of yards in his career.
3. Despite Brandon Marshall’s departure, Jay Cutler is surrounded by weapons
Not only did Matt Forte finish as the 4th overall running back last season, but he is a PPR machine. Forte’s 102 receptions for 808 yards and four receiving touchdowns equated to fantasy points for Jay Cutler. On top of that, he had a 100 yard receiving game, two games with double digit receptions, and eight games where he finished with over 50 receiving yards. These Forte statistics boost Jay Cutler’s value. Alshon Jeffery was a WR2 in 2014 who put up WR1 numbers, finishing just outside of the top 10 as the 11th overall receiver. New toy Kevin White (6’3, 215 lbs) measures closely to Brandon Marshall (6’4, 230lbs), and is a full decade younger than Marshall. White and acquired veteran Eddie Royal should feast on Marshall’s leftover 103 targets from last season. If he remains a Chicago Bear, Martellus Bennett finished as the 5th tight end last season and is another fine receiving weapon for Cutler.
4. There is a new regime in Chicago that just finished a tenure with Peyton Manning
Three seasons with Peyton Manning has got to have an impact on John Fox’s intelligence in terms of quarterback. It helps that Adam Gase had two seasons with Manning. The intangibles and quarterback knowledge they absorbed from the future hall of famer can only help Jay Cutler. Let me be clear: Jay Cutler will never be Peyton Manning, nor will he ever come close. With that said, coming off of a year where his criticism has been heightened, I have to imagine that Fox and Gase will bring some of the things they learned (I know they are the coach, but it’s Peyton – they learned things from him) with them to Chicago and implement into Jay Cutler’s brain.
5. Jay Cutler is dirt cheap
If you subscribe to the late round quarterback theory like I do, then Jay Cutler is a target for you this season. His current ADP (25) makes him pretty much free. As I previously mentioned, he is being selected as a third quarterback in many leagues right now. I’d take him as my QB2 with QB1 upside and over quarterbacks such as Carr, Garropollo, Smith, and Foles. In fact, when looking for a quarterback in the late rounds, Cutler is a guy I want. Even if he doesn’t finish top-10, he’s an excellent value.
All of the above reasons have put Jay Cutler firmly on my radar. His supporting cast, coaching staff, cost, and his talent (yes, Cutler has talent) make him a steal in fantasy drafts. While people in your league are busy taking fliers on other people in later rounds, load up on studs in your early rounds, players with upside in your middle rounds, and draft Jay Cutler with a reasonable amount of confidence in your late rounds.
Jen Ryan is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Jen, check out her archive and follow her @JerseyJen22.
