Seton Hall
Major quarterback injuries in week two that affect fantasy
Date: September 18, 2019By: Jorie Mickens
The 2019 season continues to be unfriendly to the quarterback position. Three more starters are going to miss time with injuries and illnesses and there are plenty of fantasy implications that come from that.
Saints quarterback Drew Brees will miss a minimum of six to eight weeks after suffering a thumb injury against the Rams on Sunday. Saints receiver Michael Thomas is still capable of being a wide receiver one in fantasy but, without the third most accurate quarterback from last season, his production could take a huge hit. Alvin Kamara’s production will also take a slight hit. Teddy Bridgewater targeted Kamara just three times during his time in at quarterback against the Rams.
Receptions are a huge component to why Kamara is so valuable in fantasy, Kamara averaged 5.4 receptions and nearly 50 receiving yards per game over the last two seasons. Kamara could get more work in the running game to make up for his lack of receptions but, without Brees, Kamara is no longer a top tier fantasy running back, especially in PPR leagues.
The Steelers announced on Monday that quarterback Ben Roethlisberger will miss the remainder of the season after getting surgery on his right elbow. Second-year quarterback Mason Rudolph will get the start against the 49ers on Sunday. Rudolph is one of the better backups in the league, he had a successful college career at Oklahoma State that warranted a third-round pick by the Steelers after they went 13-3 in 2017.
Juju Smith-Schuster will be impacted the most by the injury. Smith-Schuster has struggled transitioning into the number one option for the Steelers, now he has to build rapport with a new quarterback. One intriguing player though is receiver James Washington. Rudolph and Washington spent four years together at Oklahoma State and one would imagine they already have a good chemistry in place.
Washington was also Rudolph’s favorite target in the preseason. Washington led all Steelers with 16 targets, 10 receptions, 208 receiving yards and two touchdowns in just two games. With Smith-Schuster getting a lot of double coverage this season, Washington could play the same role Smith-Schuster did last season when Antonio Brown was on the team. For Washington’s fantasy owners, be watchful of his production in the coming weeks, he could become a valuable trade asset or a starter for your own team.
Jets quarterback Sam Darnold is currently dealing with mono and is expected to return in two to six weeks. Monday night against the Browns, Jets backup quarterback Trevor Siemian suffered a brutal ankle injury and news surfaced Tuesday that he will miss the remainder of the season. Third-string quarterback Luke Falk replaced Siemian and finished the game going 20-25 with 198 passing yards.
Robby Anderson was Falk’s number one option, targeting him seven times and catching four passes for 81 yards. Shy away from the Jets receiving though, at least until Darnold returns. The Jets head to Foxborough this weekend and face a defense who has allowed just three points thus far in 2019 then, the Jets have a bye in week four. Falk and Anderson will struggle against the Patriots secondary but, there could be one beneficiary from the Jets quarterback woes.
Running back Le’Veon Bell played 90% of the Jets snaps Monday night and finished the game with 21 carries for 68 yards and 10 receptions for 61 yards. Expect the Jets to heavily utilize their $14.5 million dollar running back in the coming weeks. The best option for those who lost their starting quarterback this week would be to pick up either Josh Allen, who is owned in just 30% of ESPN leagues or Jimmy Garoppolo, who is owned in just 24% of ESPN leagues.
Garoppolo is coming off a career performance passing for the three touchdowns and 297 passing yards against the Bengals. The 49ers face a Steelers defense who just picked up defensive back Minkah Fitzpatrick but are looking to continue the momentum gained in last week’s game. Allen faces the Bengals who just allowed 41 points by the 49ers and could do nothing against the 49ers rushing attack, allowing 259 yards on 41 attempts. Allen could have a huge day against the Bengals this week.
Jorie Mickens can be reached at jorie.mickens@student.shu.edu.
