News that Philadelphia Eagles QB Jalen Hurts is uncertain to play this Saturday against the Cowboys because of a sprained shoulder rocked the entire NFL landscape, as Hurts has played a leading role in guiding Philly to a 13-1 record; and if I had a vote, he would be my pick for the league's MVP.
He also has a compelling case for the most valuable player in fantasy football, as he has been the highest-scoring quarterback in the league and is coming off three straight games with 30-plus fantasy points (he "slumped" four games ago when he had just 29.82 points against the Packers).
Hurts was the third-most popular player on playoff rosters this season, as 65.4% of people who had him as their quarterback made the playoffs. That's simply absurd.
The truth is, anyone with Hurts has a decidedly less rosy outlook for this week and potentially longer, but fantasy football is an unpredictable game, so don't count yourself out yet!
Let's dive into the fallout from the injury, beginning with potential replacements:
Gardner Minshew, Eagles: It's always good when you can turn in house for a potential replacement, and Minshew fits the bill. The circumstances are decidedly different now, but back in 2019 Minshew started 12 games for the Jaguars and averaged 16.7 fantasy points per game in those starts. He had 21 or more fantasy points in four of them and rushed for more than 350 yards for the season. Philly has an elite group of pass-catchers and offensive linemen around him, so this offense can still be successful. He's my QB12 for the week, as he is not nearly the runner Hurts is.