Oct 28, 2018; Chicago, IL, USA; The Chicago Bears logo is seen prior to a game against the New York Jets at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Patrick Gorski-USA TODAY Sports
A quarterback injury might not derail a fantasy season, but it sure does make life difficult. It’s not always the direct impact that gets you, but the indirect one that does more damage. That’s how fantasy football owners feel about the absences of Justin Fields and Matthew Stafford. Sure, some of them are hoping to see the starters back relatively soon, but plenty are just hoping their Bears’ and Rams’ players can safely return to their lineups each week without having to think twice.
Below, we’ll give you the latest news on these injured QBs and break down how their injuries could potentially affect the Week 11 fantasy landscape.
Justin Fields injury update, Week 11 fantasy outlook
Fields (thumb) was nearing a return before the Bears’ Thursday night matchup against the Panthers, but he ultimately couldn’t give it a go. Considering his status was still up in the air with nearly 24 hours to go before kickoff, it bodes well for Fields’ chances in Week 12. Fields threw on Monday, but head coach Matt Eberflus stopped short of giving any definitive answers about his QB’s recovery from a dislocated thumb. An official report will come out on Wednesday, with Eberflus adding that the team needs more time before confirming Fields’ availability for Week 12 — specifically how he responds to team drills later in the week. Considering how close he was to returning against Carolina, it would be slightly surprising if the Bears ended up starting Tyson Bagent again.
Before the injury, Fields was playing at a high level, arguably the best stretch of his career. The quarterback tossed eight touchdowns in two weeks, signaling a real breakthrough from Chicago’s passing attack. This week’s matchup with the Lions isn’t an easy one for Fields, and we don’t have clarity on whether there will be any lingering effects from the injury. It might take a week to ease back into the swing of things after being sidelined for nearly a month, which is how fantasy owners should approach the Bears’ quarterbacks as long as other viable options remain available.
Matthew Stafford injury update, Week 11 fantasy outlook
From one thumb injury to another, Stafford appears ready to go when the Rams play host to the Seahawks on Sunday. Head coach Sean McVay told reporters Monday that Stafford is on track to start, a good sign coming out of the bye week. He only missed one game with the sprained UCL in his thumb and should provide a boost to the Rams offense upon his return.
While Cooper Kupp likely never left fantasy lineups, the same can’t be said for Puka Nacua, who will welcome Stafford back with open arms. The Brett Rypien experience was a complete failure in Week 9, leading to his departure from the City of Angels. L.A. cut Rypien in order to sign Carson Wentz. The well-traveled quarterback will now serve as the backup to Stafford going forward. As long as Stafford remains healthy — a real concern — the fantasy community shouldn’t have to worry about the Rams’ relevant options for lineups. As for the immediate outlook in Week 11, the Rams’ starter isn’t someone we’d be running to insert into 12-team, single-QB lineups, even against a Seahawks defense that was just carved up by Sam Howell in Week 10, but Stafford certainly works in superflex leagues and deeper single-QB leagues.
