Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder attempted 39 passes and completed 23 throws for 208 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions in Monday's loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Unsurprisingly, he didn't throw his first TD pass until the game was nearly out of reach -- it happened with under three minutes left in the fourth quarter. He attempted to lead a futile comeback, but it was too little, too late. His second interception was on a Hail Mary attempt that failed, but he was mostly ineffective against one of the league's worst pass defenses. He'll likely not start next week if Aidan O'Connell (knee) can get the clearance to return in Week 16, though.
Desmond Ridder Starting On Monday Night, Aidan O'Connell Ruled Out
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder will start in a revenge game against his former team, the Atlanta Falcons, on Monday Night Football. Meanwhile, Aidan O'Connell (knee), who was listed as questionable with a bone bruise in his left knee, is officially inactive and will serve as the emergency third QB. O'Connell was initially feared to have suffered a season-ending knee injury when he was hurt in the Week 14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it ended up being a bone bruise. If he recovers this week, O'Connell could be an option for the Raiders in Week 16 versus the Jacksonville Jaguars, but it might also depend on how Ridder fares against Atlanta. The 25-year-old will be making his first start of the year after going 12-for-18 for 101 yards in relief of O'Connell in Week 14. With limited offensive weapons around him, we're expecting Ridder to struggle to move the ball consistently on Monday.
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder is expected to make his first start of the season on Monday night against his old team, the Atlanta Falcons, according to sources. Aidan O'Connell (knee) is listed as questionable with a bone bruise in his knee. He's expected to work out before the game to test his knee, but the expectation is that the Raiders will go with Ridder in this one. The Raiders initially feared that O'Connell suffered a season-ending injury in last week's loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but it ended up just being a bone bruise, which means he could return in Week 16 to face the Jacksonville Jaguars if he can make more progress in practice on a short week. Ridder went 12-for-18 for 101 yards without a TD or interception in relief of O'Connell against the Bucs. The turnover-prone signal-caller has a good matchup against Atlanta but has limited fantasy upside as a low-end QB2 on Monday evening.
Desmond Ridder Still Not On Fantasy Radar Vs. Falcons
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder is not a starting option in fantasy, even if he ends up playing Monday against the Atlanta Falcons. Raiders starter Aidan O'Connell (knee) is questionable, and with Gardner Minshew II (collarbone) out for the season, Ridder would start if O'Connell cannot. The former Cincinnati Bearcat is on his third team in a year and is now a backup option for a team in contention for the first overall pick. A fantasy manager who turns to Ridder in the fantasy playoffs is asking to start their offseason early.
Desmond Ridder In Line To Start If Aidan O'Connell Can't Play
Per head coach Antonio Pierce, if Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (knee) is not healthy enough to suit up for their meeting with the Atlanta Falcons on Monday Night Football, Desmond Ridder would start against his old team in Week 15. New reports of O'Connell are that tests reveal he's picked up a bone bruise in his knee. Admittedly, it is a much less severe outcome than we could have imagined yesterday. Still, while the 26-year-old hasn't been ruled out of the Monday night matchup, it hasn't explicitly been said that he's starting. With his status in doubt, Ridder would slot in as the team's QB1, just as he did this past Sunday in their loss to the Buccaneers. We'll see how this shakes out with an extra day of rest in store for Las Vegas ahead of Week 15. Keep an eye out for the Raiders' first practice report of the week on Thursday.
Desmond Ridder Plays Turnover-Free Football In Relief
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder completed 12 of his 18 pass attempts for 101 yards, zero touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Week 14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He also took one sack and rushed for three yards. Ridder entered in relief of Aidan O'Connell (knee), who was carted to the locker room and quickly ruled during the third quarter. The 25-year-old hasn't started a game this season, but he has made three appearances coming off the bench for Vegas. He could be headed for his first start of the year next week if O'Connell is forced to miss extended time. In Week 15, the Raiders face the Atlanta Falcons, potentially putting Ridder in a position to get revenge against his old team.
Desmond Ridder Completes Five Passes, Loses Fumble In Replacement Action
Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Desmond Ridder stepped in for starting QB Gardner Minshew II (collarbone), who suffered a season-ending injury near the end of the team's Week 12 loss to the Denver Broncos. Ridder completed five of ten passes for 64 yards, carried the ball one time for three yards, and was sacked twice. He lost a fumble on one of his sacks. He only played the final 2:50 of the game, so he didn't have many chances to make an impact, as the game was out of reach at that point. But what he showed wasn't great. It's not yet known if the former Falcon will start in Week 13 -- Aidan O'Connell (thumb) remains on injured reserve with a broken thumb. The team will face the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 13, who've looked mortal lately, but Ridder is tough to justify starting even in 2QB/Superflex leagues.
Raiders Expected To Make The Change To Desmond Ridder At QB
The Athletic's Vic Tafur writes that the Las Vegas Raiders are expected to make the change to quarterback Desmond Ridder after Gardner Minshew II was benched for a third time this year in the Week 9 loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Nothing is official yet, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see the Raiders go with Ridder under center coming off their bye to face the Miami Dolphins this Sunday. Aidan O'Connell (finger) is on Injured Reserve. Head coach Antonio Pierce is feeling the pressure after losing five straight games to fall to 2-7 before the Week 10 bye. After Ridder took over for Minshew in the loss to the Bengals, he went 11-for-16 for 74 yards and a touchdown while also losing a fumble. The former Falcons QB won't be anything more than a desperation QB2 in superflex leagues if he gets the start against a Dolphins D that just kept the Rams out of the end zone all game on Monday.
The Las Vegas Raiders signed quarterback Desmond Ridder off of the Arizona Cardinals' practice squad on Monday, according to sources. Ridder will give the Raiders extra QB depth after the team placed Aidan O'Connell (thumb) on Injured Reserve after he fractured his right thumb in the Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. O'Connell is expected to miss four to six weeks with his injury. Ridder, the former third-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2022 out of Cincinnati, did not see the field at all in Arizona and is coming off a 2023 campaign in Atlanta that saw him throw for 2,836 yards with 12 touchdowns and 12 interceptions while completing 64.2% of his pass attempts. For now, he'll serve as Gardner Minshew II's backup with the Raiders. If he's forced into action, Ridder will be a desperation QB2, at best, in superflex formats.
Desmond Ridder Returns To Cardinals Practice Squad
The Arizona Cardinals are re-signing quarterback Desmond Ridder (concussion) to their practice squad on Wednesday, according to sources. Ridder returns to the desert just a day after he was waived as the Cardinals cut their roster down to 53 players. The 24-year-old signal-caller failed to prove to the Atlanta Falcons that he was their franchise QB in his two seasons, and now he'll enter the 2024 regular season as the QB3 in Arizona behind Kyler Murray and Clayton Tune. The former second-rounder out of Cincinnati is no longer on the fantasy radar in single-year leagues after completing only 64% of his 503 pass attempts in his two years in Atlanta while throwing for 3,544 yards, 14 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. In addition to his 12 picks, Ridder was turnover-prone with 15 total fumbles, including 12 in 2023.
Desmond Ridder
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Raiders
