Have QB plan before you really need it
AS WE head into NFL Week 15 and the fantasy football playoffs, the struggles with injuries and positive COVID tests continue to haunt us. In addition to dealing with the Week 14 bye for four teams, we also lost an array of players integral to our teams’ success, from Daniel Jones and Elijah Mitchell to Keenan Allen and Darren Waller. Conventional fantasy wisdom says to start your studs, but what happens when your studs can’t start? This is exactly what those who have ridden to the playoffs on the coattails of Aaron Rodgers are thinking right now.
The Packers gunslinger has been absolutely on-fire recently, averaging 344.3 passing yards per game with 10 touchdowns to zero interceptions over his last three games. Save for Rodgers’ positive COVID test that held him out of Week 9 against the Chiefs, he has, once again, been a force to reckon with as he seeks his second-consecutive NFL MVP award and fourth of his illustrious career. But a recent toe injury, which was aggravated this past Sunday night, could disrupt the end of his regular season.
While surgery has been discussed, Rodgers acknowledges that a procedure would be a last resort. Still, should he need to take a few games off to rest before the NFL playoffs, fantasy owners are going to have to scramble for a replacement.
Depending on the size, style and level of competition in your league, the options on your waiver wire could be slim.
With many owners having stockpiled their bench for the playoffs, replacing Rodgers will be a daunting task. Veteran help is usually preferred, but with the way Matt Ryan and Ben Roethlisberger have played, you may need to avoid them. Jimmy Garoppolo has the experience and the weaponry to help and while the 49ers’ offense may be run-first, he’s now thrown for nearly 300 yards and two touchdowns in each of his last two games. Impending matchups with Atlanta, Tennessee and Houston only increase his appeal.
If the veterans don’t catch your eye, you may be forced to go with a youngster who is, for lack of a better word, auditioning for the 2022 starting job. Tua Tagovailoa is still fending off Deshaun Watson rumors and has the Jets in Week 15 while Davis Mills is being given the chance for Houston and faces Jacksonville. The player may not enthrall you, but the matchups are right.
You’re never going to actually replace Aaron Rodgers, but you need to find the best possible candidate with the highest floor out there. Scraping the bottom of the barrel is never preferred, but desperate times call for desperate measures.
Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at FantasyAlarm.com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm. com for all your fantasy sports advice, NFL player rankings.