Ryan Fitzpatrick will start against the Jets on Sunday, and I’m modestly interested in what he might do against his former team. Fitzpatrick forces too many passes that simply aren’t there, resulting in too many interceptions. But he can get hot at times, putting up serviceable fantasy numbers.
Dirk Koetter says the Bucs will go with Fitzpatrick because of a shoulder injury that’s affected Jameis Winston in recent weeks. Winston originally hurt the shoulder at Arizona, and he’s left two of their last four games early. Now Koetter says they will shut him down for a couple of weeks.
Put weapons around him, on Fitzpatrick can put up decent numbers. That wasn’t the case on Sunday in the Superdome; Fitzpatrick completed only 8 of 15 passes for 68 yards in a half, with a touchdown. But Fitzpatrick in a half at Arizona back in Week 5 threw for 290 yards and 3 TDs.
He’ll face a Jets defense that isnt’ great against the pass. New York has allowed 19 touchdown passes, including at least 2 TDs in five straight games. New York also has allowed an average of 281 passing yards in its last five games.
Bucs play better at home. It’s early, but I’m figuring Fitzpatrick will be a middle-of-the-pack fantasy quarterback on my board this week. It will be easier for Fitzpatrick to succeed, of course, if they have Mike Evans. Still a chance, I think, that the league will suspend Evans for a game after the stunt he pulled in New Orleans.
In his two years in New York, Fitzpatrick went 13-14 in the 27 games he started, averaging 234 passing yards, with 42 touchdowns and 29 picks.
I was reading a book about the Rubik’s Cube a few weeks back, and I was surprised to see Fitzpatrick quoted in it. He’s a fan of the cube, apparently, and he’s got his kids doing it. I didn’t know. Sadly, he’ll be going without his trademark beard in this game – he shaved it off recently, and he looks like a different guy without it.
| FITZPATRICK AS STARTER FOR JETS | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Opp | Result | Pct | Yards | TD | Int |
| 2015 | Clev. | W 31-10 | 63% | 179 | 2 | 1 |
| 2015 | at Ind. | W 20-7 | 65% | 244 | 2 | 1 |
| 2015 | Phil. | L 17-24 | 60% | 283 | 2 | 3 |
| 2015 | at Mia. | W 27-14 | 55% | 218 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 | Wash. | W 34-20 | 73% | 253 | 2 | 1 |
| 2015 | at N.E. | L 23-30 | 56% | 295 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | at Oak. | L 20-34 | 80% | 46 | 0 | 0 |
| 2015 | Jac. | W 28-23 | 62% | 272 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | Buff. | L 17-22 | 44% | 193 | 2 | 2 |
| 2015 | at Hou. | L 17-24 | 49% | 216 | 1 | 2 |
| 2015 | Mia. | W 38-20 | 59% | 277 | 4 | 0 |
| 2015 | at NYG | W 23-20 | 72% | 390 | 2 | 0 |
| 2015 | Tenn. | W 30-8 | 58% | 263 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | at Dall. | W 19-16 | 67% | 299 | 1 | 1 |
| 2015 | N.E. | W 26-20 | 63% | 296 | 3 | 0 |
| 2015 | at Buff. | L 17-22 | 43% | 181 | 2 | 3 |
| 2016 | Cin. | L 22-23 | 54% | 189 | 2 | 1 |
| 2016 | at Buff. | W 37-31 | 71% | 374 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | at K.C. | L 3-24 | 45% | 188 | 0 | 6 |
| 2016 | Sea. | L 17-27 | 56% | 261 | 1 | 3 |
| 2016 | at Pitt. | L 13-31 | 66% | 255 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | at Ariz. | L 3-28 | 52% | 174 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 | at Clev. | W 31-28 | 47% | 228 | 1 | 0 |
| 2016 | at Mia. | L 23-27 | 59% | 194 | 1 | 2 |
| 2016 | N.E. | L 17-22 | 69% | 269 | 2 | 0 |
| 2016 | Ind. | L 10-41 | 42% | 81 | 0 | 1 |
| 2016 | Buff. | W 30-10 | 67% | 210 | 2 | 0 |
—Ian Allan