During the New Orleans Saints’ Week 5 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, quarterback Derek Carr suffered an oblique injury after taking a hard hit from Chiefs defensive back Chamarri Conner. This caused Carr to miss the Saints’ last two games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Denver Broncos
What’s the latest on Carr’s status, and will he be able to play in Week 8 when the Saints face the Los Angeles Chargers?
The Latest on Derek Carr’s Injury
Carr didn’t practice ahead of their Week 7 game vs. the Broncos. He was always expected to miss multiple games, so whether he returns to practice this week will be more telling about his potential availability.
The news was encouraging on Monday, as head coach Dennis Allen noted that Carr had begun throwing again.
Dennis Allen said Derek Carr had a throwing session today, will have another tomorrow and they'll see where he's at. Allen said the plan is to stick with Spencer Rattler at QB if Carr doesn't play. He again said he feels like Rattler has played well when he has protection.
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) October 21, 2024
Allen also reaffirmed that rookie Spencer Rattler will remain the starting QB if Carr is out. The South Carolina product has completed 47-of-75 attempts for 415 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, as well as three fumbles.
Rattler won’t be a recommended start given his disastrous showing to date. His presence has also sapped the fantasy value of every other player in the Saints offense.
We’ll continue to monitor the Saints’ injury report. You can also visit and bookmark our NFL Injury Tracker and Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Fantasy Outlook for Derek Carr, Spencer Rattler, and the Saints
Looking at the Saints offense with Rattler, they did score 27 points in the second quarter of their Week 6 game vs. Tampa Bay. The rest of his time has been a disaster.
- Second quarter vs TB: 7.7 yards per attempt and a touchdown
- Other seven quarters: 5.2 yards per attempt and two interceptions
Chris Olave (concussion), Rashid Shaheed (knee), and Taysom Hill (ribs) have all been out, with Shaheed done for the season. Dump-offs to Alvin Kamara can only get you so far.
Carr and Olave should be back in the next week or two, but the Saints are not playable against a strong Chargers defense in Week 8 if both remain out.
The Saints travel to Carolina in Week 9, and that will be your spot for DFS exposure if you think this offense can rediscover its form from Weeks 1-2.
