Andrew Luck's stunning retirement set plenty of shockwaves throughout the NFL on Saturday night. The Indianapolis Colts' quarterback called it quits at age 29 and just two weeks before the start of the 2019 NFL season. While this move certainly has implications for real NFL teams including the Colts and the New England Patriots, it also has a major impact on fantasy football.
Luck was rated as the No. 4 overall quarterback in our 2019 fantasy football quarterback rankings before his announcement. Now, Luck owners who have already had their fantasy drafts will have to try to find a sleeper option on the waiver wire to replace him. And in deeper leagues, some may be wondering about the effect that Jacoby Brissett is going to have on the offense.
Brissett, a former third-round pick by the Patriots in 2016, is set to emerge as the starter for the Colts. He previously started 15 games for the Colts in 2017 and didn't do anything special completing just 58.8 percent of his passes for 3,098 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 7 interceptions. However, he did add 260 yards on the ground and four rushing touchdowns as well.
Since that lone season as a starter, Brissett hasn't seen much action outside of the preseason. It's difficult to know just how much he's progressed as a passer, but there's reason for a bit of optimism. When he first started for the Colts, he had only been with the team for a couple of weeks after being acquired from the Patriots in exchange for Phillip Dorsett. Now, he has been with the Colts for three years and has spent two years in Frank Reich's offensive system. So, he could put up better numbers than he did as a rookie.
Additionally, Brissett's scrambling ability will give him some nice fantasy upside as well. He is mobile and big, so he should be able to continue to run for yardage and find the end zone. Playing behind a much better offensive line will give him more time to find open receivers, but it will also give him better blocking on designed quarterback runs. The upside is certainly there when considering his strong supporting cast.
Speaking of the supporting cast, the Colts' playmakers on offense are getting a downgrade with Brissett at the helm. Luck simply was an elite passer while Brissett is largely unproven tossing the rock. Because of this, T.Y. Hilton goes from being a potential WR1 to being more of a WR2/3. Eric Ebron's touchdown potential could be capped without Luck, and he may be set up for a disappointing second year in Indy as a result. Marlon Mack is still a solid RB2, but the potential of teams loading the box will make him a little less appealing.
New England Patriots
At this point in time, Brissett is a QB2 candidate who could surprise if he showcases enough passing ability at the start of the season. He's not proven enough to be considered a top 20 fantasy quarterback for 2019, but he could be worth a speculative add late in the draft of 12-team leagues as a high-upside backup QB. At the very least, his scrambling upside makes him an intriguing backup option.
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