San Francisco 49ers quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo suffered a serious thumb injury against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16. He missed a Week 17 win against the Houston Texans but returned in a must-win game against the Los Angeles Rams last week. Will Garoppolo continue to play through his thumb injury, and what can fantasy football managers expect from him this weekend?
Jimmy Garoppolo’s 2021 production
Garoppolo’s performed well for San Francisco throughout the season. He’s thrown for 3,810 yards with 20 touchdowns and 12 interceptions on 441 pass attempts. He’s added 51 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground over 15 games as well.
Although he’s performed well overall, Garoppolo’s seen mixed results in terms of game-by-game performances. He’s thrown for multiple touchdowns in only six games while also throwing for multiple interceptions in four contests this season. Garoppolo also struggled in some of San Francisco’s biggest games. He threw 2 interceptions against the Tennessee Titans in Week 16, which ultimately led to a 20-17 loss.
But after missing a week, Garoppolo returned in a must-win situation against the Los Angeles Rams in Week 18. He responded with 316 yards and 1 touchdown in an overtime win.
Despite picking up the win, Garoppolo threw a pair of picks in that game as well. He’s flashed at times this season, but he’s been wildly inconsistent, specifically in terms of real-life success.
How would Garoppolo’s absence affect the 49ers’ offense?
Trey Lance would start at quarterback if Garoppolo were unable to suit up this weekend. Although Lance is an elite prospect, he’s a more inconsistent option at this point.
Lance started two games for San Francisco this year, totaling 441 yards, 2 touchdowns, and 2 interceptions. He posted 120 yards on the ground, though, as the 49ers’ offense would become much more run-oriented. Lance has flashed the ability to make elite NFL throws, but Garoppolo is the more consistent passer at this point in their careers.
Will Garoppolo play vs. the Cowboys this week?
Garoppolo injured his thumb in Week 16 against the Titans. Some doctors believed he’d be out for multiple weeks, but after missing Week 17 against the Texans, he returned in the regular-season finale to face the Rams.
Garoppolo saw three consecutive limited practices before playing last weekend. This week, he saw a limited practice on Wednesday followed by two full practices on Thursday and Friday. As a result, Garoppolo is off the injury report and will start again for the 49ers on Wild Card Weekend.
Are fantasy points available vs. Dallas?
There are some fantasy points available against the Dallas Cowboys, but this is far from an elite matchup for Jimmy G. They’re allowing 17.1 fantasy points per game, which ranks 23rd in the NFL. The Cowboys are allowing 238.2 passing yards per game this season. They’ve also given up 24 passing touchdowns on the year.
Garoppolo is a risky option at QB, but he as high upside. The Cowboys have struggled with yards after the catch, and Deebo Samuel’s YAC ability gives Garoppolo a higher ceiling than he usually possesses.