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Changes at quarterback

Three teams plugging in new starters

New quarterbacks are coming this week. At least three. But I don’t know how much any of them are going to help.

We’ve seen Kirk Cousins on the field twice this year, and it doesn’t seem like he can play anymore. Atlanta used him in a blowout loss at home against Miami, and he was at the helm when they frittered away their lead yesterday.

The Falcons are putting Michael Penix on IR, so it’s looking like Cousins will be starting for the duration. I don’t see him doing much (especially this week, with Drake London out).

With Dillon Gabriel in the concussion protocol, Shedeur Sanders likely will be starting on Sunday. It should be pretty rough. He’s just not there yet, in terms of pocket awareness and knowing what he’s doing. He went 4 of 16 against the Ravens, with 2 sacks and an interception. If he’s getting the green light on Sunday, I will be mulling whether to make a waiver claim on the Raiders defense.

Sanders at least isn’t lacking confidence. In September, he stated that he believes he’s better than the starters on some other teams. “I know for sure,” he said. “I know if you see the quarterback play in the league right now, I know I'm capable of doing better than that.”

Tyrod Taylor, I think, is the most interesting of the new guys. He’s got a lot more passing ability than Justin Fields. I could see him adding 50-80 yards per game above that admitted low bar. He passed for 197 yards and 2 TDs in a start at Tampa Bay earlier this year. And Taylor can still run. He’s run for at least 23 yards in each of his last eight full games (as a starter), including 48 yards in that Bucs game. Taylor has averaged 232 passing yards in his last eight full games as a starter.

If we’re in one of those Superflex leagues, Taylor is the guy I’d be filing a claim on. And if Taylor can elevate the Jets up to around 200 passing yards per week, maybe we can see something viable out of guys like Adonai Mitchell and Mason Taylor. If nothing else, Breece Hall won’t have to watch Fields run in the team’s short touchdowns.

But realistically, expectations should be low. Among quarterbacks who’ve attempted at least 15 passes this year, there are only three starting this week who’ve averaged even fewer yards per attempt than Cooper Rush, and these guys are them.

PASSING YARDS PER ATTEMPT
TeamComAttCmp%YdsTDIntYds/Att
Sam Darnold, Sea.19127270.22,54117109.34
Drake Maye, N.E.23032071.92,8362058.86
Lamar Jackson, Balt.11717268.01,4421538.38
Josh Allen, Buff.20429369.62,4561878.38
Daniel Jones, Ind.22331969.92,6591578.34
Jared Goff, Det.21631069.72,4902148.03
Brock Purdy, S.F.679967.7786747.94
Andy Dalton, Car.253767.6293117.92
Jordan Love, G.B.21031067.72,4211537.81
Mason Rudolph, Pitt.141877.8139107.72
Marcus Mariota, Was.9214065.71,065757.61
Matthew Stafford, LAR22333866.02,5572727.57
Mac Jones, S.F.20128969.62,1511367.44
Jalen Hurts, Phil.18026966.91,9951617.42
Jacoby Brissett, Ari.14221366.71,5701037.37
Patrick Mahomes, K.C.23336164.52,6251867.27
Carson Wentz, Min.11016965.11,216657.20
Michael Penix, Atl.16627660.11,982937.18
Caleb Williams, Chi.19432559.72,3291347.17
Justin Herbert, LAC25037666.52,6911997.16
Tyler Shough, N.O.518361.4586327.06
Dak Prescott, Dall.22832969.32,3191767.05
Jayden Daniels, Was.10516862.51,184827.05
C.J. Stroud, Hou.16124266.51,7021157.03
Russell Wilson, NYG6911958.0831336.98
Baker Mayfield, T.B.21634063.52,3651736.96
Jaxson Dart, NYG12820462.71,4171036.95
Jameis Winston, NYG192965.5201016.93
Geno Smith, L.V.17826766.71,84411126.91
Tyler Huntley, Balt.273773.0254106.86
Aaron Rodgers, Pitt.19228966.41,9691976.81
Tua Tagovailoa, Mia.21331268.32,12317136.80
Trevor Lawrence, Jac.20233859.82,1511186.36
Bo Nix, Den.23738761.22,4211886.26
Bryce Young, Car.19731462.71,9621476.25
Spencer Rattler, N.O.17425668.01,586856.20
Justin Fields, NYJ12820462.71,259716.17
Jake Browning, Cin.8012464.5757686.10
Joe Flacco, Cle.-Cin.22837361.12,2681496.08
Davis Mills, Hou.7212060.0726316.05
J.J. McCarthy, Min.7414052.9842686.01
Kyler Murray, Ari.11016168.3962635.98
Cam Ward, Ten.19433258.41,954665.89
Cooper Rush, Balt.345265.4303045.83
• Tyrod Taylor, NYJ436962.3379335.49
Joe Burrow, Cin.213658.3189205.25
Dillon Gabriel, Cle.10918459.2937725.09
• Kirk Cousins, Atl.325261.5250004.81
• Shedeur Sanders, Cle.41625.047012.94

—Ian Allan

8 Reader Comments:

Robert Cummings

Los Angeles, CA
2025-11-17T22:38:59Z
So true. Sanders got beat out by Gabriel, who doesn't look like a legit NFL QB. Now, Flacco looked terrible on that team, and much better (until yesterday) on a different team, so we "could" need more evidence.

Cousins has me worried about Bijan. He looks washed, so opponents may be more concerned with Bijan than any receivers. It sort of worked out yesterday, but there were times Cousins ignored his checkdown and threw more difficult passes downfield.

Tyrod is a good game manager - but it doesn't mean much to be a better QB than Fields (who should just change positions). I think Taylor gets more out of the other players for sure, but I'm avoiding the Jets - but agree that Breece could/will see a major improvement in his scoring opportunities.

Dave Cohen

Brooklyn, NY
2025-11-18T14:49:34Z
Tyrod also targeted Breece 6 times in his only full game as Jets QB, so hopefully he'll catch more passes than he did with Fields. Sounds crazy--and I am a Jets fan, so take it with a grain of salt--but I think if someone is absolutely desperate in a deep PPR league, John Metchie might be a sleeper. Much better hands than Mitchell, anyway, and he looked decent last week.

Andy Richardson (Fantasy Index)

Port Chester, NY
2025-11-18T15:11:44Z
I know I mentioned this before, but I’m not giving up on Mitchell. He had one bad drop last week. The sideline over the shoulder one was a very tough catch, and if they’re charging him with a drop on the ball that fields threw way behind him, and he had to twist completely around just to get his hands near it, then I disagree strongly with the stat.

Scott Fitch

San Mateo, CA
2025-11-18T19:48:20Z
"Cousins ignored his checkdown and threw more difficult passes downfield." - Robert as someone who had Bijan last year, this is precisely what Cousins did. I cannot tell you how many times I screamed at the TV that Bijan was open only for Cousins to sail a pass downfield, often for an INT.

Scott Fitch

San Mateo, CA
2025-11-18T19:50:47Z
Ian et al, what do you think the likelihood is that Taylor KEEPS the job in NY/NJ? I am trying to stash a backup for week 14 bye in a 2QB league. I had Penix as a hold your nose and plug him in, but now...do I try to chase Cousins, hope Shough in week 14 is an okay play, risk Tyrod lasting three weeks to cover me. Someone put Tua out there but I do not have the FABs to get him since we have players who lost Rodgers and did not plan for their bye, I will try. I am going to be left with tablescraps...

Ian Allan (Fantasy Index)

Redmond, WA
2025-11-18T21:10:48Z
Rodgers is playing, I think. Taylor can run; Cousins can't. NO has been sneaking decent passing. I will take Week 14 Taylor over Week 14 Shough.

Andy Richardson (Fantasy Index)

Port Chester, NY
2025-11-18T21:17:36Z
I don't think Tyrod will play poorly enough to get benched, but he does have something of a history of getting injured at some of his previous starting stints -- Cleveland, Giants, and maybe Houston I'm not sure. (I'm leaving out the lung puncturing incident with the Chargers.)

Robert Cummings

Los Angeles, CA
2025-11-18T22:49:59Z
I had forgot about that friendly fire stabbing with the Chargers! He's been bumped around, even got his knee scoped this year before the season. But for our Fantasy purposes, at least he's a consistent guy. And he actually likes getting the ball out of his hands. Believe it or not, he still holds a couple of Bills records that have to do with safe quarterbacking...
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