Matt Schaub: NFL Fantasy MVP?

Matt Schaub has been the poster boy for Fantasy Football Potential for several years. This season, it seems like he’s finally living up to it. He leads the league in passing yards with 2,653 and has thrown 17 touchdowns with nine interceptions. Those are fantasy MVP-type numbers.
The problem is that nobody seems to consider him a fantasy MVP. “Matt Schaub is a great fantasy QB but, you know, he’s no Drew Brees. Or Peyton Manning or Tom Brady. He’s good, but he’s not at that level.”
Wrong.
Don’t look know, but Schaub is on track to be the best QB in fantasy this season. He’s on a pace to top 4,700 passing yards and 30 touchdowns, stats that Manning or Brady would be proud to finish with. A lot of people seem to be missing this. It might be because the Texans aren’t on national TV as much as the Colts and Patriots but most NFL fans couldn’t identify Schaub if he bumped into them at the mall.
The Texans have a favorable schedule for the remaining seven games of the season so Schaub’s production should continue. They play the division-rival Colts, Jags and Titans again, but Schaub averaged 322 passing yards per game against those teams the first time around so that shouldn’t be a problem. Houston also plays Seattle, St. Louis and Miami during the fantasy playoffs (yum!) before finishing up with the Patriots in Week 17. Most fantasy leagues won’t use Week 17 stats but it’s likely to be a shootout, probably on national TV, probably with the Texans fighting for a playoff spot, probably with Schaub battling for the league passing title. If the Texans make the playoffs, a league MVP isn’t out of the question either.
When the season is over, fantasy owners are going to look at Schaub’s stats and his season and ask “How the heck did that happen?” If you can trade for Schaub now, think about doing it -- especially in keeper leagues. Barring an injury, Schaub will be a first round fantasy pick next season.