Fantasy Football and NFL News, Rumors and Injury Updates

Strategy: Dealing With Injured QBs

October 11, 2007 @ 13:33:48

By Kenneth Humphrey
Edited by Cory J. Bonini

Last week we profiled some of the more notable injuries to high-profile players at the quarter mark of the season. Well, in the week that just was, the NFL gods decided to spin up the injury carousel in a way we haven't seen in recent years. Specifically, we're talking about the churn in starting quarterbacks. Take a gander at who currently sit on the injury list after a wild Week 5:

Miami Dolphins quarterback Trent Green (head)
Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (elbow)
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart (collarbone)
Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman (knee)
St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger (ribs)
San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex D. Smith (shoulder)

What in the name of Joe Theismann's leg is going on?

In the interests of full disclosure, several names above were already scratches coming into Week 5. Others received their season-ending injuries Sunday. The one positive to take away from those names is that none were top-tier players, thus the impact of losing them is not as significant. Now that we're in the Bye weeks and your starters will be missing a game at some point, these second-tier quarterbacks become more important from a fill-in perspective. We'll take a look at each of the injured players above, their prognosis and their backups.

Miami Dolphins quarterback Trent Green (concussion) - Much has been made of the legality of Green's block during a running back sweep play. Without entering that debate, the main question remains: If Green had to do it again, would he? Judging by the way he went limp and the potentially season-ending result - probably not.

However, it's all academic now. Enter Cleo Lemon.

The fourth-year vet out of Arkansas State has the reins. Does he possess enough potential to pickup? ...Only if you're desperate or in a deep, deep league. Green had little value before, and adding Lemon to the offense won't likely change much. The problems with the Fins go way beyond the issue of quarterback. They will remain a run-first team. With rookie quarterback John Beck and wide receiver Marty Booker as the emergency quarterback, they have no other option. Your job is to move along - nothing to see here.

Carolina Panthers quarterback Jake Delhomme (elbow) - When Carolina picked up former Houston Texans quarterback David Carr in the offseason, they either knew something we didn't or didn't think they'd really need him. Well, they do, in the worst way. After injuring his elbow in a Week 3 scrum with Atlanta, Delhomme missed the next two weeks. This week it was announced that he will miss the rest of the season and undergo Tommy John surgery, paving the way for Carr to work his particular brand of magic.

Does Carr bring much value? The Fresno State product, in 10 quarters worth of work, has two scores, two interceptions and five sacks. He is completing 51.6 percent of his passes. The Panthers are still basically a one-dimensional passing attack, aptly titled the "Get it to Smith" game plan. With a Bye as well as teams like the Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans on the docket over the next month, his value is strictly as emergency fill-in.

Arizona Cardinals quarterback Matt Leinart (collarbone) - It is not our intent to make light of any player injury, so take this in the spirit with which it is intended: At least now we don't have to hear any more talk about that quarterback controversy in Arizona. With one crack of his collarbone, Leinart put an end to that argument. Mr. Warner, the helm is now yours.

The tale of quarterback Kurt Warner is well known to even the most casual football fan, just as his weaknesses are known to defenses. The question with him is the same as it's been the last few years, namely: How long before he goes down. Face it, when he's healthy and protected, Warner can be a deadly weapon. His career completion percentage is top notch. In Arizona's receiving crew, Warner has his best talent since those halcyon days in St. Louis. Throwing for 258 yards, two scores and no interceptions undoubtedly pricked up the antennae of many a fantasy owner.

Of all the backup quarterbacks covered in this report, Warner may be the best pickup. He can produce at starter levels and there is no question of him getting pulled. In fact, until Wednesday of this week, Arizona didn't even have a third stringer! Then they picked up quarterback Tim Rattay. Yikes.

Buffalo Bills quarterback J.P. Losman (knee) - Losman is another player who was scratched from the roster prior to Week 5. He missed most of Week 3 and all of Week 4. That leaves rookie quarterback Trent Edwards to lead the team, a job he did with surprising calm during that most excellent Monday night game against the Dallas Cowboys. Unfortunately, rookie calm does not necessarily translate into worthy stats, nor erase the pick he threw late in the game. He has little value as a starter or even as a fill-in on your team; there are better options. The good news for Losman owners is that, of this writing, he is projected to return in Week 7, assuming the coaching staff permits him to return to his starting job. The bad news for Losman owners is that they are Losman owners. May the fantasy gods have mercy on your soul.

St. Louis Rams quarterback Marc Bulger (ribs) - Arguably no team has surprised fantasy owners in 2007 more than St. Louis, and it's not in a good way. Bulger, running back Steven Jackson (groin) and wide receiver Torry Holt were likely the first picks at their respective positions for many owners. They proceeded to fall flat on their collective faces. As of this writing, Bulger is slated to serve as the No. 2 quarterback for the Week 6 game.

Quarterback Gus Frerotte filled in admirably for Bulger in Week 5, slinging for 268 yards and three touchdowns while chucking three picks. Holt's numbers for that game remained the same as his yearly average, except for one - yards per reception. It was 17.8 for the game, versus his 2007 average of 11.7. What that bodes for the future is anyone's guess, but at least it's an improvement, right?

For the time that Bulger is hobbled, Frerotte can substitute as a short-term replacement. In this decade he has seemed to perform well in the relief role. Who can forget his stint in Minnesota during the 2003 season in which he threw for 689 yards and seven touchdowns over a three-week patch? Actually, the better question might be: Who remembers it?

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Alex D. Smith (shoulder) - The line for Smith does not form around the corner. Matter of fact, there may not be a line, especially near your waiver pool. With one touchdown, one pick, a 51.2 completion percentage and a 66.6 quarterback rating, Smith should be nowhere near your lineup, lest he infect it. Someday he may be good. Today is not that day.

Quarterback Trent Dilfer started the Week 5 game in relief of Smith. He ended with one touchdown, one pick, a 46.2 completion percentage and a 43.3 quarterback rating. That, my friends, is consistency. At least now we know why he's backing up Smith.

In terms of fantasy value, Dilfer possesses little to none, somewhere on par with Lemon and Edwards. Reports indicate Smith will likely return for the Week 7 game. However, if you are waiting for him to return in order to pick him up, find another hobby. Soon.

There you have it, a recap of the M.A.S.H. unit that is nearly 20 percent of the league's starters under center. Every year we preach the strategy of planning for injuries. This drives home our point. Knowing who the backup is, the value of that backup, and getting him before anyone else does, can pay dividends. When you lose games by two points, three points, five points, it highlights the criticality of replacing injured players correctly.