Most fantasy leagues are heading into their second week of playoff action. In 2-QB leagues that usually means the quarterback well has been picked apart and the waiver wire is bare of serviceable quarterbacks.
The keyword there is usually.
Week 15 has a few interesting names of note to pick up from the waiver wire in 2-QB leagues…
As I’ve mentioned before, Johnny Manziel was most likely rostered in a high number of 2-QB leagues. But with the rookie Browns signal caller being given the official go ahead to start this week I’d be remiss to at least not mention his name. If he’s available, pick him up and stash him on your 2-QB roster.
Backup Panthers quarterback Derek Anderson was a name I emphasized as a must add in 2-QB leagues for the stretch run leading into the playoffs.
The thinking behind that was a combination of Cam Newton‘s play and the Carolina Panthers’ playoff chances. Week 13 didn’t do much to dissuade me, with Newton throwing for under 200 yards for the fourth time this season, and the Panthers losing to the Vikings by a score of 31-13.
Then something happened last week, as the Panthers destroyed the Saints 41-10. Newton was the fantasy QB1 in Week 14, totaling 309 yards of offense (226 passing, 83 running) and he scored four combined touchdowns (3 passing, 1 rushing). It seemed maybe we had ended Newton’s season too early.
However, on Tuesday, Newton was involved in a serious car accident, where he was eventually diagnosed with two minor back fractures. Rotoworld noted it was an injury similar to the one Tony Romo suffered early in the season that cost him one game.
There’s a good chance Newton will miss this week’s game, and if the team is interested in looking out for his best long-term interests, they might shut him down the rest of the season.
Derek Anderson has proven to be an adequate fill-in for Newton, and already has one QB1 fantasy finish this year. With upcoming matches versus Tampa Bay, Cleveland, and Atlanta, Anderson might wind up playing a major role in some 2-QB playoffs the rest of the way.
It’s been a little over a month since Bucs head coach Lovie Smith benched Mike Glennon for Josh McCown. During that span, McCown has had his fantasy moments, including two straight games of 19+ fantasy points in Weeks 10 and 11. However, the team only has one win since reinstating McCown, and are on a current three-game losing streak.
A Tampa Bay Times article makes it seem that Smith might turn back to Mike Glennon for the last three games of the season for evaluation purposes. Nothing has been made official yet though.
Glennon might not make much noise during the playoffs, but he did throw two passing touchdowns in four of his five starts this year, scoring at least 15 fantasy points in each of those games. For 2-QBers in need of a QB2 streamer, and who miss out on Manziel or Anderson, Glennon could help out.
Robert Griffin III/Kirk Cousins
Colt McCoy hurt his neck in Week 14 and his status for Week 15 against the Giants is unknown at the moment.
Robert Griffin III is listed as the QB2 on the depth chart, and is expected to start if McCoy is a no-go. Kirk Cousins is still kicking around though and Washington head coach Jay Gruden might decide he’d rather go with him over Griffin. Who really knows what’s happening in Genoa City at this point though. Maybe Gruden will start himself or sign Jeff George out of retirement. Anything’s a possibility.
Stashing RG3 would be the correct action to take in 2-QB leagues, but the Washington Dumpsterfires kind of make good process a moot point.
With Zach Mettenberger sidelined for the season, the Jake Locker Show has been renewed in Tennessee. The latest comeback episode will air this weekend versus a Jets defense that has allowed the second-most passing touchdowns in the league (29).
After the date with the Jets, Locker goes on to face the Jaguars and the Colts. Not the worst three-game stretch for a potential free agent quarterback auditioning his services for the Titans and 31 other NFL franchises.
What Locker does with his opportunity remains to be seen. In two back-to-back relief appearances, he has thrown three interceptions on 23 attempts.
Sigmund Bloom of Footballguys had an interesting tweet this week regarding Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles…
Consider adding Nick Foles this week regardless of situation, just in case. You don't want to be facing him vs WAS in Week 16.
— Sigmund Bloom (@SigmundBloom) December 8, 2014
Foles hasn’t been cleared yet from his collarbone injury, and there is no guarantee that he would play or get his job back from Mark Sanchez. But anything can happen in the NFL, and in the off chance Foles is cleared for NFL action and gets a chance to start, a Week 16 matchup versus Washington would be a great streaming opportunity. As would a Week 17 game versus the Giants (if your league plays into Week 17).
If you have the room to stash Foles, go for it. If it doesn’t pan out you wasted a bench spot for a week, at worst.
*Stats used in this article from FantasyData
