The young QBs have made a statement for fantasy football this year, both for good and bad. Some have pleasantly carried managers through tough matchups, while others have been the reason some teams have crashed and burned. C.J. Stroud, Trevor Lawrence, and Zach Wilson are all dealing with injury this week, and their Week 16 status is in jeopardy. What are the latest injury updates regarding these young QBs?
QB Injury Updates
C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans
For a while, it was all sunshine and rainbows for the Houston Texans. They were functioning on all cylinders, running an exciting offense that no one saw coming. The loss of Tank Dell slowed things down, and then Nico Collins had a calf issue and the offense slightly sputtered. They are still fighting for a playoff spot, but now they might have to deal with the loss of Stroud for another week.
Stroud is currently the QB10 on the season with 3,621 passing yards and 20 TDs, but he had to miss last week due to being in the concussion protocol. Stroud entered concussion protocol during the Week 14 loss to the New York Jets after a brutal hit, and he has not practiced since. That does not bode well for him returning this week since he has to progress through all the levels of the protocol before he is allowed to take the field.
When head coach DeMeco Ryans was asked on Wednesday if Stroud’s injury could end his season, he said, “No. Each concussion is different. It takes a different amount of time for each person to heal. He’s just going through the protocol just like everyone else has. The most important thing is making sure C.J. is healthy.”
Case Keenum will be under center if Stroud misses another game, which downgrades the passing options in Houston for fantasy.
Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars
Editor’s note: Lawrence was not at practice for the Jaguars on Thursday.
Jacksonville’s franchise QB Trevor Lawrence caused a universal gasp among Jacksonville Jaguars fans in Week 13 against the Cincinnati Bengals when he was pretty much bent backward and in half and was unable to get off the field on his own.
Thankfully, he was only diagnosed with an ankle sprain, and he managed to return the following week.
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Lawrence is now dealing with a different injury. He did not practice on Wednesday and had the injury designation of ankle/concussion. Head coach Doug Pederson did say today that his QB was “progressing well,” so fantasy managers can be hopeful.
If he doesn’t clear concussion protocol, it will be C.J. Beathard under center when the Jags travel to Tampa Bay this week.
Zach Wilson, QB, New York Jets
Lots of people have been rooting for Zach Wilson this season, and understandably so. Wilson was supposed to spend this season sitting behind veteran Aaron Rodgers, really digesting the offense and hopefully growing into a competent and usable backup QB for the franchise. We all know that this did not happen.
Wilson was thrust back into the starting role almost immediately when Rodgers went down with an Achilles injury. The year has not been kind to Wilson. He has had weeks that ranged between average and bad, punctuated with a benching. In Week 15, he left the game due to a concussion and entered the protocol immediately.
Wilson did not practice on Wednesday as he remains in the concussion protocol. Head coach Robert Saleh said that the Jets are “not closing the door yet” on Wilson being available for Sunday’s game against the Washington Commanders.
If Wilson is unable to clear protocol, QB Trevor Siemian will take the field, downgrading any fantasy options on the Jets.
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