Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or Desmond Ridder

Monday, February 2, 12:32 PM

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford (back) will not require offseason surgery for a herniated disc in his back, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. Stafford's availability for the start of the 2025 season was in question due to his back injury, but not only was he ready, but he played at an MVP level, throwing for 4,707 yards, 46 touchdowns, and only eight interceptions in the regular season. It was something that the Rams managed throughout the year. The 37-year-old veteran is still on the fence about his playing future, but he's leaning towards returning for an 18th NFL campaign in 2026. If Stafford does return, he'll have QB1 expectations from fantasy managers with both receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams returning. However, there will also be considerable injury risk for a player at his age near the tail end of his career.

Wednesday, December 31, 12:36 PM

Veteran free-agent quarterback Desmond Ridder is being signed to the Green Bay Packers practice squad on Wednesday, a source told Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Jordan Love (concussion) and Malik Willis (shoulder) are both dealing with injuries, and the Packers are locked into the No. 7 seed going into the playoffs, so Ridder could be elevated for the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday against the division-rival Minnesota Vikings. Ridder, the former third-round pick by the Atlanta Falcons in 2022 out of Cincinnati, has bounced around the league the last couple of years. The 26-year-old has not appeared in an NFL game since 2024 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Ridder was with the Bengals during the summer and also spent two separate stints with the Vikings. If Ridder is elevated to the active roster this weekend, he'll likely serve in a backup role behind Clayton Tune if both Love and Willis are inactive.