After being slammed to the ground on a sack by Rashan Gary on a 3rd-and-9 Sunday, New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr was in obvious pain. We now know his official diagnosis.
Derek Carr Injury Update
Gary wrapped up and slammed Carr onto the ground on a third-down sack in the third quarter. Carr was able to walk off the field, but the Saints’ training staff was looking at the quarterback’s right arm as he got up and headed to the locker room.
It was recently revealed that Carr has a sprained AC joint and is week to week.
Derek Carr has a sprained AC joint and is week to week
— Katherine Terrell (@Kat_Terrell) September 25, 2023
After Carr went down Sunday, former No. 1 overall pick Jameis Winston took over for Carr.
Through two games with New Orleans, Carr is 2-0, completing 44 of 69 passing attempts for 533 yards, a TD, and two INTs. Prior to the injury Sunday, Carr completed 13 of 18 passing attempts for 103 yards.
After taking over, Winston was 10 for 16 for 101 yards.
Late Monday night, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that Saints HC Dennis Allen characterized Carr’s sprained AC joint as week to week. He also reported that the team is going to be cautious with their QB and it would be a surprise if Carr played Sunday against the Buccaneers.
While Saints’ HC Dennis Allen characterized Derek Carr and his sprained AC joint as week to week, the team is going to be cautious with its QB and it would be a surprise if Carr played Sunday vs the Bucs.
So it’s setting up as Saints’ QB Jameis Winston vs. his former team.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) September 26, 2023
As Schefter pointed out, looks like Winston might be getting a shot at his former team. Winston vs. Mayfield. Should be a fun one.
Fantasy Update Following Carr’s Diagnosis
With Winston under center and Alvin Kamara back, this Saints offense would look quite a bit different than what we saw through 2.5 games with Carr under center.
Winston has never been one to embrace checkdown passes, putting Michael Thomas’ target share in danger of falling in a significant way, especially with Kamara soaking up more targets in the short passing game than the RB position has up to this point in New Orleans.
Chris Olave is an elite receiver, and that’s not going to change. His range of outcomes is greater with Winston under center, but he’s a locked-in starter in all formats either way.
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Rashid Shaheed’s big-play profile (40+ yard play in six of his past eight games) would seem to fit like Winston likes to do. And with a week to get comfortable, that would land Shaheed right in the middle of the Flex conversation, even after a zero-catch performance in Week 3.