1. Cam Newton, Carolina Panthers
Projected Stats: 250 passing yards, 45 rushing yards, four total touchdowns, zero interceptions
With 14 total touchdowns and just two interceptions over the past five games, Newton is blazing hot heading into a tremendous mismatch against a disastrous New Orleans Saints defense that has allowed the most fantasy points to quarterbacks on the season.
It goes without saying that Newton is primed for a pretty big game here. The only concern is whether Carolina takes control of this game early, an indication that the Panthers might shut it down through the air.
2. Tom Brady, New England Patriots
Projected Stats: 320 passing yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions
Do we expect Brady's fantasy performance to take a hit with the plethora of targets he's missing in the passing game? Sure. That's really not even in question. And when the Patriots actually take on legitimate competition we will worry some.
That's not going to come against a Philadelphia Eagles defense that has yielded over 950 total yards and 90 points over the past two games. Heck, Philadelphia ranks 29th in the NFL against fantasy quarterbacks. Brady could be throwing to Don Hutson's hologram and still put up a big game here.
3. Andy Dalton, Cincinnati Bengals
Projected Stats: 280 passing yards, three touchdowns and zero interceptions
Outside of a horrendous Week 10 performance against the Houston Texans, Dalton has performed at an incredibly high level this season. He's put up nearly 550 yards with five touchdowns and one pick over the past two games and has tallied a near four-to-one TD/INT ratio on the year.
All this has Dalton as the sixth-best fantasy quarterback through 12 weeks. Now taking on a Cleveland Browns defense that has yielded the seventh-most fantasy points to quarterbacks on the season, Dalton is one of your best bets in both standard leagues and DFS contests.
4. Ben Roethlisberger, Pittsburgh Steelers
Projected Stats: 320 passing yards, three touchdowns and one interception
After suffering a concussion last week, Big Ben returned to practice on Wednesday. This is an indication that he will be good to go against the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday. Despite missing four games due to injury on the year, Roethlisberger is still on pace to put up nearly 4,000 passing yards. Last week against the Seattle Seahawks, the veteran tallied 456 passing yards.
Roethlisberger will line up against an Indianapolis Colts defense that has been surprisingly pedestrian when it comes to its performance against quarterbacks, ranking in the bottom 12 of the NFL in that category. Look for another big game from the veteran here.
5. Carson Palmer, Arizona Cardinals
Projected Stats: 330 passing yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions
Palmer may be coming off his first game of the season without a passing touchdown. He's also taking on a St. Louis Rams defense that ranks third in the NFL against fantasy quarterbacks. While both may factor into his fantasy performance this week, Palmer's productivity this year will make him a top-five fantasy option each week.
We are looking at a quarterback that ranks third at his position in fantasy points and has yet to put up a below-average fantasy performance in 11 games this year. Look for much of the same on Sunday.
6. Aaron Rodgers, Green Bay Packers
Projected Stats: 290 passing yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions
It's funny how people want to blame a quarterback when his team has lost four of five. While Rodgers hasn't been playing the elite-level football we have seen over the past several years, he has still put up nine touchdowns compared to two interceptions over the past four games.
Looking to exact revenge against a Detroit Lions team that upset Green Bay at Lambeau Field last month, Rogers will likely come out guns blazing in this all NFC North matchup. Despite an improved defensive performance that has seen Detroit win three in a row, the Lions still rank in the bottom 13 of the NFL against fantasy quarterbacks.
7. Blake Bortles, Jacksonville Jaguars
Projected Stats: 325 passing yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions
Bortles hasn't necessarily been a good quarterback this season. He's turned the ball over 15 times in 11 games and leads the league's 22nd-ranked scoring offense.
The second-year quarterback still ranks seventh at his position in fantasy points and is on pace to tally over 4,000 yards with 30-plus touchdowns. Taking on a Tennessee Titans defense that has yielded 300-plus passing yards in two of its past four games, Bortles should have himself another fine fantasy outing here.
8. Matt Ryan, Atlanta Falcons
Projected Stats: 295 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception
At some point here soon Ryan is going to have to pick up his performance if the Falcons are going to earn a playoff spot. This veteran has regressed a great deal in 2015, throwing just 16 touchdowns compared to 12 interceptions in 11 games. Over the course of his past three games, Ryan has thrown as many touchdowns (five) as interceptions.
Looking for revenge against a Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad that started Atlanta's downfall, Ryan will likely find himself putting the ball up in the air a ton here. While it might not lead to a win for the Falcons, it will give him an opportunity to put up some rather big numbers.
9. Derek Carr, Oakland Raiders
Projected Stats: 240 passing yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions
Don't look now, but Carr is currently the ninth-ranked fantasy quarterback in the NFL. He has put up 16 touchdowns compared to three picks over the past six games and has tallied above-average fantasy performances in six of his past seven games.
Carr and the Raiders are hosting a red-hot Kansas City Chiefs squad that has won five consecutive games. During that span, the Chiefs defense is giving up an average of 12 points per game. This is probably the only thing that will limit Carr's fantasy production in Week 13.
10. Marcus Mariota, Tennessee Titans
Projected Stats: 195 passing yards, 40 rushing yards, two touchdowns and zero interceptions
Coming off a three-touchdown performance against Oakland, Mariota is primed for another solid game in his second matchup with Jacksonville in less than three weeks.
While that first outing didn't go too swimmingly, it's important to note that the Jaguars have yielded the third-most fantasy points to quarterbacks on the year. Look for another QB1 performance from Mariota in this one.