Raiders (2-11) hand QB1 to Desmond Ridder with Falcons up next

Mon Dec 9 2:54pm ET
Field Level Media

Another week, another loss and a new starting quarterback for the Las Vegas Raiders.

Desmond Ridder becomes the QB1 for the Raiders (2-11) in Week 15 as Las Vegas prepares to host his former team, the Atlanta Falcons (6-7), next Monday night.

Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce said Monday an official diagnosis of Aidan O'Connell's injured knee was expected later in the day.

"Desmond Ridder will be the starter for now," Pierce said.

O'Connell is expected to miss the rest of the season and Pierce said the injury "doesn't look good."

He was carted to the locker room with an air cast on his left leg after being pushed from behind by Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive lineman Calijah Kancey in the third quarter on Sunday. The Raiders soon ruled O'Connell out for the rest of the game with a knee injury.

The Raiders have lost nine consecutive games and failed to score 20 points in each of the past four defeats.

O'Connell began the season as a backup but became the starter after Gardner Minshew suffered a broken collarbone on Nov. 24.

O'Connell was fleeing pressure toward the right sideline with 1:23 left in the quarter when Kancey shoved him from behind after the play. No penalty was called.

O'Connell, who was 11-for-19 for 104 yards and an interception, was replaced by Ridder.

The 26-year-old O'Connell finished the day with a 63.2 completion percentage for 899 yards, four touchdowns and three interceptions over six games (four starts) in his second NFL campaign.

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The Paur Report

Bender's Starts/Sits: Week 14

Player Notes
Cade York Dec 9 3:00pm ET
Cade York

The Cincinnati Bengals elevated kicker Cade York from their practice squad to the active roster on Monday ahead of Week 14's meeting with the Dallas Cowboys. With Evan McPherson (groin) landing on injured reserve last Wednesday, Cincinnati was due to get their kicking situation straightened out. They'll turn to York to do so. The 23-year-old is on his second team in 2024 -- having kicked for the Washington Commanders earlier this season back in Week 1. He made both extra-point attempts but missed both field goal tries. It was his only appearance with the team. He'll get another chance now for at least this week. York is a bit tough to trust right away, but the Bengals score a lot, and if you're suddenly in need of an emergency kicker, there's an option for you.

From RotoBaller

Derek Carr Dec 9 2:40pm ET
Derek Carr

Per Ian Rapoport and Tom Pelissero, New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr (hand) sustained a "significant" fracture in his left hand during Sunday's 14-11 win over the New York Giants. Rapoport noted that Carr will miss multiple weeks with the injury, and it's "almost certainly season-ending." It will be the second time in 2024 that the 33-year-old will miss a stretch of time (abdomen [Weeks 6-8]). According to interim coach Darren Rizzi, the team has no plans to place the Fresno State product on IR -- giving him a chance to make a comeback at some point. Quarterback Jake Haener took over for Carr in Week 14 and projects to be the next man up as it is now. Haener will get a home tilt against the Washington Commanders as his first test.

From RotoBaller

Jonathon Brooks Dec 9 2:30pm ET
Jonathon Brooks

According to head coach Dave Canales, Carolina Panthers running back Jonathon Brooks (knee) will miss the remainder of the season after re-tearing his right knee in Sunday's 22-16 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. NFL Insider Tom Pelissero reported the news. Wow. What an unfortunate end to a very short rookie season. Brooks will now again begin the long road to recovery. Oddly enough, he tore his ACL in college around the same time last year, so maybe we can expect him to follow the same schedule as he did this season. It's a massive disappointment after it appeared he was finally finding his legs in the NFL. For now, teammate Chuba Hubbard should regain his massive touch load from the beginning of 2024 and continue to be a strong weekly play.

From RotoBaller

George Pickens Dec 9 1:00pm ET
George Pickens

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver George Pickens (hamstring) suffered a hamstring injury late last week in practice and was inactive for the Week 14 win over the division-rival Cleveland Browns on Sunday. According to a league source, Pickens is dealing with a Grade 2 hamstring strain. There was optimism late Saturday night that Pickens would be able to play, but head coach Mike Tomlin made the call to hold the third-year player out for the first time in his NFL career. Tomlin will not speculate on Pickens' availability for a Week 15 showdown against the Philadelphia Eagles, and we probably won't have a better idea on his status until later this week. Pickens has been up and down in 2024 but has had much more upside since quarterback Russell Wilson took over the offense. With Pickens out on Sunday, tight end Pat Freirmuth led the team with 48 receiving yards and scored, while Scotty Miller was second on the team with 38 receiving yards on three receptions.

From RotoBaller

Bryce Hall Dec 9 12:50pm ET
Bryce Hall

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that star safety Antoine Winfield (ankle) suffered a sprained ankle in the Week 14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders and will miss "a couple" of games. Winfield will almost certainly not play in the Week 15 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers and could also be held out in Week 16 versus the Dallas Cowboys. In addition to the 26-year-old's injury, Tampa's secondary is hurting down the stretch, as Mike Edwards (hamstring), Jordan Whitehead (pectoral), Josh Hayes (hamstring) and Bryce Hall (ankle) are also all injured. With Winfield set to miss time moving forward, expect Kaevon Merriweather to be in a starting role for at least Week 15. Fantasy managers in IDP leagues that made the playoffs will be forced to go in another direction at defensive back with Winfield injured.

From RotoBaller

Jalen Hurts Dec 9 12:40pm ET
Jalen Hurts

The Philadelphia Eagles' struggles in the passing game continued in their narrow 22-16 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday in Week 14. The Eagles have won nine straight games to improve to 11-2 on the season, and while their running game and defense has been electric, their passing attack continues to leave a lot to be desired. Quarterback Jalen Hurts threw for only 108 yards on 21 pass attempts against Carolina, and Philly entered the week with an NFL-low 307 pass attempts on the year. The Eagles have stars at receiver in A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith, but they just have not been able to get in a rhythm through the air this year with Philly committing to the run so much. Things won't get any easier for Hurts and the Eagles' passing attack in a Week 15 showdown next Sunday against a stingy Pittsburgh Steelers defense.

From RotoBaller

Bucky Irving Dec 9 12:40pm ET
Bucky Irving

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Monday that rookie running back Bucky Irving (back) had his back tighten up on him in the Week 14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday. Irving's availability for Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers will depend on whether his back loosens up during the week. ESPN's Jenna Laine suggested that the 22-year-old's exit on Sunday was more for precautionary reasons, but it doesn't sound as though Irving is a sure thing to be available next weekend against the Bolts. In addition to a back injury, Irving was listed as questionable for Week 14 with a hip injury. He finished with only four carries for three yards and caught one pass for 15 yards on Sunday before leaving and never returning. If Irving is limited or out against LA in Week 15, Rachaad White figures to lead Tampa's backfield after nearly rushing for 100 yards and scoring twice against Vegas.

From RotoBaller

Evan Engram Dec 9 12:30pm ET
Evan Engram

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Evan Engram had a quiet day against the Tennessee Titans in Week 14. He finished with four catches on six targets for 33 yards. It was always possible for Engram to have a quiet day with backup quarterback Mac Jones under center. 7.3 PPR fantasy points isn't the worst for a tight end but falls well below expectations for a player of Engram's caliber. Jones spread the ball around for most of the game, but in the fourth quarter, homed in on rookie receiver Brian Thomas Jr., who led the team with eight receptions and 86 receiving yards. As long as Jones is under center, it will be hard for multiple receivers to thrive, especially if he has more zero touchdown games. Engram will look to improve on a solid but underwhelming outing in Week 15 against the New York Jets.

From RotoBaller

Parker Washington Dec 9 12:30pm ET
Parker Washington

Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Parker Washington did not do much in Week 14 against the Tennessee Titans. He finished with two catches for 15 yards on just two targets. Washington had a breakout game last week against the Houston Texans, catching six passes for 103 yards and a touchdown on 12 targets. However, he earned 10 fewer targets in a full game with backup Mac Jones, indicating that maybe Week 13 was more a fluke than the new normal. That is unfortunate given Christian Kirk and Gabe Davis are out for the rest of the season. Instead of Washington earning more targets each week, it seems Brian Thomas Jr., Evan Engram, and Travis Etienne Jr. will be more consistent receiving options going forward. Washington will look to get back on track in Week 15 against the New York Jets.

From RotoBaller

Kirk Cousins Dec 9 12:20pm ET
Kirk Cousins

Despite their fourth straight loss to the Minnesota Vikings in Week 14 that has dropped them out of the division lead in the NFC South, Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris doesn't plan to replace struggling quarterback Kirk Cousins with rookie Michael Penix Jr. "Everything is always discussed, but Kirk Cousins is our quarterback," Morris said. Cousins has thrown eight interceptions and no touchdown passes in his last four games. Up until 2024, he had never gone more than two straight games without a TD pass. In a homecoming game in Minnesota for Cousins, he threw for 344 yards on 23-for-37 passing but threw another two picks. He leads the NFL in interceptions with 15, the most he's thrown in a single season in his career. Although it's fair to expect fantasy managers to avoid Cousins with how bad he's been, he does have a get-right matchup in Week 15 against the Las Vegas Raiders.

From RotoBaller

Tank Bigsby Dec 9 12:20pm ET
Tank Bigsby

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Tank Bigsby was the lead back in a 10-6 victory over the Tennessee Titans. The former Auburn back finished with 18 carries for 55 yards and a touchdown, as well as one catch for seven yards. Bigsby out-touched fellow back Travis Etienne Jr. 19 to eight but was less efficient with his touches. That didn't matter from a fantasy perspective, as a rushing touchdown salvaged what would have otherwise been a mediocre fantasy output. With Mac Jones under center instead of Trevor Lawrence, Bigsby's yards per carry fell to 3.1, well below his 4.3 average for the season, but the volume was enough to still produce fantasy points. Bigsby will look to maintain this level of volume with better efficiency against the New York Jets in Week 15.

From RotoBaller

Aidan O'Connell Dec 9 12:20pm ET
Aidan O'Connell

The Las Vegas Raiders aren't optimistic on quarterback Aidan O'Connell's knee injury that he suffered late in the Week 14 loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, the team's ninth straight loss to drop them to 2-11 on the season. "It doesn't look good," head coach Antonio Pierce said after the game. O'Connell was knocked out of the game late in the third quarter and was carted off the field with his leg in an air cast. Gardner Minshew II (collarbone) is already out for the rest of the season, so if O'Connell is, too, the Raiders would be down to third-stringer Desmond Ridder for the final four games of the year. Ridder should at least make the start in Week 15 against his old team, the Atlanta Falcons, on Monday Night Football. Between bad QB play and star receiver Davante Adams' departure via trade, the Raiders offense hasn't had much of a chance in 2024.

From RotoBaller

Isaac Guerendo Dec 9 12:10pm ET
Isaac Guerendo

San Francisco 49ers rookie running back Isaac Guerendo (foot) exited the Week 14 blowout win over the Chicago Bears early on Sunday with a foot injury, but he said the move to remove him from the contest was for precautionary reasons and that he feels great. It's good news, but Guerendo could be dealing with a foot sprain and he'll go for additional testing on Monday. It may not be a very serious injury, but the Niners have a short turnaround in Week 15 with a pivotal divisional matchup this Thursday night against the Los Angeles Rams upcoming. The 24-year-old contributed right away for fantasy managers that picked Guerendo up with Christian McCaffrey (knee) done for the year and Jordan Mason (ankle) expected to land on Injured Reserve, racking up 128 scrimmage yards and two TDs on Sunday. If he cannot get cleared for Thursday night, Patrick Taylor Jr. figures to be San Fran's lead back.

From RotoBaller

Jake Moody Dec 9 11:50am ET
Jake Moody

San Francisco 49ers kicker Jake Moody went 5-for-5 on extra points and also made his lone field-goal attempt during Sunday's Week 14 win over the Chicago Bears. His successful field goal came from 23 yards out in the waning minutes of the first half. The 25-year-old is averaging 8.6 fantasy points per game, but he ranks 22nd among kickers in fantasy points over his last four contests. Moody can be left on waivers heading into Week 15 against the Los Angeles Rams.

From RotoBaller

Jason Myers Dec 9 11:50am ET
Jason Myers

Seattle Seahawks kicker Jason Myers went 3-for-3 on extra points and 3-for-3 on field goals during Sunday's Week 14 win over the Arizona Cardinals. His field goals came from 20, 35, and 36 yards out. The 33-year-old has missed six kicks in 2024 three of each kind. He ranks as the overall K14 in 2024, but that ranking jumps to K7 when you single out his last four games. Myers should continue to be treated as a fringe fantasy starter heading into next week's battle with the Green Bay Packers.

From RotoBaller

Tyler Bass Dec 9 11:40am ET
Tyler Bass

Buffalo Bills kicker Tyler Bass went 6-for-6 on extra points and did not attempt a field goal during Sunday's Week 14 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. Six extra points aren't ideal for fantasy scoring, but fantasy managers should still be satisfied with Bass achieving perfection on the road. The 27-year-old is now 44-for-48 on extra points and 19-for-23 on field goals in 2024, ranking 12th in fantasy points among kickers. He should continue to be deployed as a fringe top-12 kicking option ahead of Week 15 against the Detroit Lions.

From RotoBaller

Will Reichard Dec 9 11:40am ET
Will Reichard

Minnesota Vikings kicker Will Reichard went 6-for-6 on extra points but missed his lone field-goal attempt during Sunday's Week 14 win over the Atlanta Falcons. The rookie returned from injured reserve this week, but his accuracy issues persisted; he is now 0-for-3 on field goals over his last two games. On a more positive note, he has been perfect on 29 extra-point attempts so far. Reichard ranked as the overall K12 from Weeks 1 to 9. Despite Sunday's miss from 47 yards out, the 23-year-old still has significant fantasy upside given Minnesota's strong offense. He remains just inside the top 12 kicking options for Week 15 against Chicago.

From RotoBaller

Chase McLaughlin Dec 9 11:30am ET
Chase McLaughlin

Tampa Bay Buccaneers kicker Chase McLaughlin went 4-for-4 on extra points and did not attempt a field goal during Sunday's Week 14 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Four extra points don't exactly move the needle in terms of fantasy scoring, but managers can still be satisfied with the fact that he didn't miss a kick against Las Vegas. McLaughlin has now gone 38-for-40 on extra points and 21-for-23 on field goals in 2024, ranking eighth among kickers in terms of fantasy points this year. He should continue to be deployed as a top-12 kicking option heading into Week 15 against the Los Angeles Chargers.

From RotoBaller

Jahan Dotson Dec 9 11:20am ET
Jahan Dotson

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Jahan Dotson caught one of two targets for just five receiving yards during Sunday's Week 14 win over the Carolina Panthers. Dotson's lone reception came two minutes into the first quarter, and he would not catch another pass for the remainder of the contest. With DeVonta Smith (hamstring) back in the mix, the 24-year-old saw his role get scaled back. He played just 41 percent of the offensive snaps, which represents his lowest mark sinceWeek 6. All in all, Dotson remains a low-volume receiver who has just a dozen catches this season. Fantasy managers can leave him on waivers in all redraft leagues.

From RotoBaller

Travis Etienne Dec 9 11:20am ET
Travis Etienne

Jacksonville Jaguars running back Travis Etienne Jr. served as the pass-catching back and complement to Tank Bigsby in a 10-6 win over the Tennessee Titans. The former first-round back out of Clemson finished with an efficient 20 yards on four carries and 50 yards on four receptions. While it's not ideal for Etienne Jr. fantasy managers that Bigsby out-carried him 18 to four, his fantasy day was salvaged in the passing game. With Mac Jones being much less of a downfield passing threat than Trevor Lawrence, the running backs are expected to be more involved in the passing game. That came to fruition with Etienne Jr., who was second on the team in receptions and receiving yards. Etienne Jr. will look to continue producing in the passing game in a Week 15 clash with the New York Jets.

From RotoBaller