Today's installment of Choose Your Quarterback pits Russell Wilson vs. Jay Cutler, the Nos. 14 and 17 assets in my rankings of the 32 presumed starting quarterbacks. Here's a week-by-week fantasy breakdown of Cutler vs. Wilson, just in case you're torn on which quarterback offers better value from Rounds 3 through 6: Week 1 Cutler (vs. Cincinnati) over Wilson (@ Carolina) Week 2 Cutler (vs. Minnesota) over Wilson (vs. San Francisco) Week 3 Wilson (vs. Jacksonville) over Cutler (@ Pittsburgh) Week 4 Cutler (@ Detroit) over Wilson (@ Houston) Week 5 Cutler (vs. New Orleans) over Wilson (@ Indianapolis) Week 6 Wilson (vs. Tennessee) over Cutler (vs. N.Y. Giants) Week 7 Cutler (@ Washington) over Wilson (@ Arizona) Week 8 Wilson (@ St. Louis) over Cutler (BYE) Week 9 Wilson (vs. Tampa Bay) over Cutler (@ Green Bay) Week 10 Wilson (@ Atlanta) over Cutler (vs. Detroit) Week 11 Wilson (vs. Minnesota) over Cutler (vs. Baltimore) Week 12 Cutler (@ St. Louis) over Wilson (BYE) Week 13 Wilson (vs. New Orleans) over Cutler (@ Minnesota) Week 14 Cutler (vs. Dallas) over Wilson (@ San Francisco) Week 15 Wilson (@ N.Y. Giants) over Cutler (@ Cleveland) Week 16 Wilson (vs. Arizona) over Cutler (@ Philadelphia) Week 17 Cutler (vs. Green Bay) over Wilson (vs. St. Louis)Final Tally Wilson slips past Cutler, 9-8 Breakdown 1. Last year, Wilson (3,118 yards passing, 30 total TDs last year) dwarfed Cutler's numbers (3,033 yards passing, 19 TDs), but that doesn't have a ton of fantasy carryover into the 2013 campaign. The additions of tight end Martellus Bennett, head coach Marc Trestman (a noted offensive guru) and the maturation of receiver Alshon Jeffery (primed to take a big leap forward) will undoubtedly help expand Chicago's offense. Plus, even with Seattle trading for Percy Harvin, it's hard to see Russell Wilson eclipsing his rookie TD tally (30) from year to year. 2. We're probably splitting hairs with the matchups from Weeks 1, 5, 6, 10, 15 and 16. 3. Here's an apples-for-apples comparison of the Seahawks and Bears playmakers: Brandon Marshall gets the nod over Percy Harvin (WR1); Sidney Rice (Seattle) trumps Earl Bennett (WR2); Alshon Jeffery tops Doug Baldwin (WR3); Martellus Bennett (Chicago) clips Zach Miller (tight end) and from a pass-catching standpoint (running back), Matt Forte gets the nod over Marshawn Lynch. 4. For 2013, Wilson has eight common opponents from last year's regular-season slate. Of those games, he averaged 175 yards passing and 1.5 touchdowns. Cutler, in turn, has just seven carryover opponents from last year's schedule averaging 199 yards passing and 1.4 TDs in 2012. 5. For what it's worth, Toronto Argonauts quarterback Anthony Calvillo (the all-time passer in CFL history) averaged 299 yards passing and 1.82 TDs last year -- while playing in Marc Trestman's progressive offense. Of those 18 games, Calvillo attempted 29 or more passes 14 times. 6. From my perspective, neither Seattle nor Chicago rank among the league leaders in weather-friendly schedules for 2013, which should make fantasy owners pause a bit before reaching for Wilson or Cutler on draft day. 7. Cutler may have the easier overall schedule, but Wilson holds the advantage during the playoff period of Weeks 13-16, drawing three starts. That Week 13 start against the Saints the NFL's worst pass defense last year is a gift from the scheduling gods. Jay Clemons can be reached on Twitter, day or night, at @FOX_JayClemons.
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