Spencer Rattler To Start On Monday If Derek Carr Can't Play
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler is expected to start in Week 16 if Derek Carr (hand) isn't able to play, according to ESPN's Katherine Terrell. Carr faces an uphill battle to play, but the Saints are leaving the door open for him to suit up against the Green Bay Packers. Regardless of who starts next Sunday night, neither quarterback is a reliable option for fantasy purposes in leagues with 14 or fewer teams. Carr has just one turnover over his last five games but has delivered subpar production in fantasy football. Meanwhile, Rattler came off the bench last week and went on to tally 135 passing yards and one touchdown. This news is equally noteworthy for Kendre Miller, Juwan Johnson, and Cedrick Wilson, whose fantasy values hinge on reliable production at the quarterback position.
The New Orleans Saints announced on Thursday that rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler will make the start on Monday night against the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. This was the expected decision from the Saints after they benched Jake Haener for Rattler in the Week 15 loss to the Washington Commanders. Derek Carr (concussion, hand) is unlikely to play again this year, especially with the Saints unlikely to make the playoffs, so Rattler should start each of the team's final three games of the season. The 24-year-old almost led the Saints to a remarkable comeback against Washington last Sunday, going 10-for-21 for 135 yards and a touchdown. In three starts earlier in 2024, the rookie out of South Carolina completed 59.6% of his passes with a touchdown and two picks. He'll have a tough matchup in Green Bay, and with the lack of weapons around him, he'll be a low-end QB2 play, at best, in fantasy.
The New Orleans Saints brought in quarterback Spencer Rattler to replace spot starter Jake Haener at halftime of Sunday's game against the Commanders. Haener proved ineffective in the first half, going 4-for-10 for 40 pass yards and one interception, and losing 29 yards on three sacks. After coming in, Rattler went 10-for-21 for 135 yards and one touchdown. The touchdown pass went to tight end Foster Moreau as the game clock expired, bringing the Saints within one point of the Commanders. His pass on the ensuing two-point conversion was wide of intended target Juwan Johnson's reach and New Orleans ended up losing 20-19. Rattler did seem more poised in the pocket than Haener but many of his throws were off the mark, as was the case during his three-game stretch as the Saints' starter earlier this season. It is too soon to tell which of the two backups will start in Week 16 if Derek Carr (concussion, hand) remains sidelined. Neither should be considered an option in the second round of the fantasy playoffs.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener was benched and replaced by Spencer Rattler during halftime on Sunday against the Washington Commanders. Assuming his day is done, Haener finishes Week 15 having completed just four of 10 passes for 49 yards, zero touchdowns, and one interception. He also took three sacks and rushed for seven yards. Haener was inserted into the offense this week with Derek Carr (hand, concussion) injured, but evidently, interim head coach Darren Rizzi had seen enough after just two quarters. The offense will belong to Rattler, a rookie, during the second half as the Saints look to overcome a 17-point deficit. Even if Rattler wins the starting job heading into Week 16, he'll still be a mid-to-low QB3 in fantasy football.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Jake Haener completed 9 of his 17 pass attempts for 122 yards and gained 10 rushing yards on two carries in Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The second-year man out of Fresno State was brought in with just under five minutes left to play in the third quarter. Starter Spencer Rattler's inconsistent play demanded a change be made while the Saints were still in range of a comeback. Unfortunately, Haener was not able to spark the offense as was hoped and the team managed to add just another field goal with him under center. With three weeks of Rattler's struggles in the books and Haener not offering much of an improvement it is unclear who will be under center in Week 9. In postgame comments to the media, head coach Dennis Allen acknowledged Derek Carr (oblique) may be ready to play which would stamp out any brewing quarterback controversy in New Orleans and make both backups obsolete in fantasy.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler completed 12 of 24 pass attempts for 156 yards in Sunday's 26-8 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie's third start in place of Derek Carr (oblique) featured the same inconsistent play as was seen in his other appearances. Rattler avoided big mistakes in the first half and was effective in the two-minute drill, completing five passes for 51 yards to set up a Blake Grupe field goal. After halftime though, Rattler completed just two more passes on his next seven tries. With the offense sputtering he got the hook late in the third quarter in favor of Jake Haener, who closed out the game. When New Orleans first tabbed their fifth-round pick as Carr's replacement they indicated he would get a long leash to acclimate to the NFL. The result has been three weeks of erratic play and inaccurate passing. Carr is getting close to his return but if he needs more time off then the Saints have to decide if they will stand by Rattler or give Haener a shot as the starter in Week 9.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler popped up on the team's injury report this week with a hip injury but was able to practice in full. Rattler went down awkwardly near the end of the Saints' Week 7 matchup against the Broncos and was removed from that game to avoid aggravating the injury. With Derek Carr (oblique) still needing time off to recover from the oblique injury he picked up in Week 5, the Saints are giving Rattler his third consecutive start on Sunday. Rattler will have his hands full in Week 8 as he will once again be up against one of the league's top defenses in the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers are giving up 184.2 passing yards per game so far and have recorded an interception in each game of the season. Rattler's volatility, combined with the difficult matchup, make him a poor candidate for fantasy lineups in Week 8.
New Orleans Saints rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler (hip) will start again this Sunday, according to Sean Fazende of FOX 8. Rattler has gotten the starting nod in each of the past two weeks and has averaged 207.5 passing yards per game with one total score. After eclipsing 200 yards in his professional debut, he took a step back last Thursday and tallied just 172 passing yards against Denver. Fantasy managers in superflex formats should continue to hold on to Rattler for the time being, as he should remain the starter until Derek Carr (oblique) is ready to return. He faces a tough Los Angeles Chargers defense this weekend that has allowed the 10th-fewest points to opposing QBs, only making him start-worthy in deep superflex leagues. UPDATE: Rattler was a full practice participant on Wednesday.
Spencer Rattler Will Make Another Start If Derek Carr Isn't Ready For Week 8
New Orleans Saints head coach Dennis Allen said the plan is to stick with rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler (hip) if Derek Carr (oblique) is unable to play in Week 8 against the Los Angeles Chargers. Allen feels that Rattler has played well when he has been protected. Meanwhile, Carr had a throwing session on Monday and will have another on Tuesday as the team continues to evaluate him. The Saints pulled Rattler late in a blowout loss to the Denver Broncos last Thursday due to a hip-pointer injury, but he appears to be on track to play this weekend if Carr isn't cleared. The 24-year-old was dominated by a good Broncos defense last week and threw for 172 yards and no TDs while losing two fumbles. He's been sacked 11 times in his first two NFL starts and could be without top wideout Chris Olave (concussion) again this week. If Rattler makes a third straight start, he'll be a desperation low-end QB2 against the Bolts.
New Orleans Saints quarterback Spencer Rattler (hip) went 25-for-35 for 172 passing yards and gained 35 rushing yards on five carries in Thursday's loss to the Denver Broncos. Similar to his Week 6 debut, Rattler faced heavy pressure behind a patchwork offensive line and was sacked six times. The rookie also lost two fumbles and it could have been three had it not been for a defensive penalty nullifying the play. Rattler left the game early after going down awkwardly on the play that resulted in his second fumble of the night. In postgame comments to the media head coach Dennis Allen labeled the injury as a hip pointer and added that he took Rattler out so as not to risk further injury. Jake Haener finished out the game, which only amounted to 12 more plays, and completed 3-of-4 passes for 38 yards and a touchdown. The quarterback situation in New Orleans is suddenly very muddled with Rattler potentially injured and Derek Carr (oblique) still ailing. Luckily, the Saints have a 10-day break to figure things out before facing the Chargers in Week 8.
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