If you’re reading this post, first and foremost, I am so sorry. Because this likely means you sat patiently during your fantasy draft while quarterbacks flew off the board early and waited to grab Aaron Rodgers in a later round to set your team up for immediate success.
And who could blame you?
With a New York Jets offense featuring Garrett Wilson, Allen Lazard, Randall Cobb and Breece Hall and Dalvin Cook, even a toned down version of Rodgers should still have been able to make scoring magic.
That hope died four plays into the Week 1 opener as Rodgers suffered a season-ending Achilles injury. So where do you go from here? We’ve got some suggestions.
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1
Brock Purdy, San Francisco 49ers
Cary Edmondson-USA TODAY Sports
Available in 44% of Yahoo leagues and 75 percent of ESPN leagues
If you were comfortable starting a nearly 40-year-old Rodgers on your roster, you should be OK with a 23-year-old Brock Purdy. Much like Rodgers, the allure here is in the rest of the offense at the QB’s disposal.
The 49ers boast arguably the most electric set of playmakers in the league with Brandon Aiyuk, Deebo Samuel, George Kittle and Christian McCaffrey. We saw Purdy make the most of those tools in Week 1 with a 220 yards and two touchdowns on the road in Pittsburgh.
2
Jordan Love, Green Bay Packers
(AP Photo/Matt Ludtke)
Available in 68 percent of Yahoo leagues and 84 percent of ESPN leagues
The irony of replacing Rodgers with Jordan Love aside, the new QB in Green Bay looked exceptional in Week 1 and he didn’t even have his biggest wideout threat with Christian Watson sidelined by a hamstring injury.
Love passed for 245 yards and three touchdowns to begin season, but take that with a small grain of salt because it came against a Chicago Bears franchise that seems to go into the fetal position the moment it sees green and yellow.
3
Derek Carr, New Orleans Saints
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Available in 62 percent of Yahoo leagues and 72 percent of ESPN leagues
A high-risk, high-reward option. Carr’s first game with New Orleans proved he’s still going to be the same guy who airs it out as much as he can and you’ll just have to live with the results.
In his Saints debut, he passed for 305 yards and one touchdown with one interception for a 62.6 QBR.
4
Matthew Stafford, Los Angeles Rams
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Available in 71 percent of Yahoo leagues and 70 percent of ESPN leagues
Even without Cooper Kupp available for at least the next three games, it looks like Matthew Stafford will have few issues moving the ball downfield with the emergence of wideouts Tutu Atwell and Puka Nacua.
The duo was a large reason why Stafford passed for 334 yards in the season opener against Seattle — however he didn’t score any touchdowns. That should change once the offense is back at full strength.
5
Whoever replaces Rodgers (unless it's Zach Wilson)
Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports
For now, Zach Wilson is once again QB1 for the New York Jets. Avoid him at all costs as long as that’s the case — but leave some room to hope that he may be replaced soon.
After all, this is a roster that’s just a competent quarterback away from contending for a Super Bowl. Maybe the Jets go out and get someone like Jameis Winston (currently backing up Carr in New Orleans) or Marcus Mariota (currently backing up Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia). Either of those options in this offense is worthy of an add on your roster.
But again, not Wilson. Never Wilson. Don’t do it.
