Who Should I Start? Philip Rivers or Jimmy Garoppolo

Sunday, December 21, 12:15 AM

Indianapolis Colts quarterback Philip Rivers will be a risky fantasy asset when he lines up with the visiting San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football in Week 16. The 44-year-old made an improbable return to the field a week ago, leading the team under center in his first action since the 2020 campaign. Rivers and the Colts ultimately lost 18-16 to the Seahawks, although he actually looked pretty decent considering the long layoff. While the box score may have left owners wanting, and the veteran has lost significant zip on his balls, he was accurate and decisive, operating efficiently in the short and intermediate areas. With all that in mind, Rivers' current play style hinders his fantasy upside, relegating him to a low-end desperation play in superflex and 2QB formats. The 22-year NFL vet comes in as RotoBaller's QB30 for his outing with San Francisco.

Saturday, September 6, 9:56 PM

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay views quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo as a "starting-caliber" option. Matthew Stafford is in line to start on Sunday versus the Houston Texans. However, with the veteran signal-caller battling a lingering back injury, the Rams are confident Garoppolo can fill in admirably if necessary. From a fantasy standpoint, Stafford has had a better career. Still, with concerns about his health, Garoppolo may get a chance to start at some point moving ahead. The 33-year-old played for the Patriots, 49ers, and Raiders before arriving in Los Angeles in 2024 to suit up for the Rams. In 82 regular-season contests, he's thrown for 15,828 yards, 96 touchdowns, and 52 interceptions off 67.4% passing while also leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2019. All things considered, Garoppolo doesn't have much fantasy value at the moment. If Stafford goes down this season due to the nagging back issue, Garoppolo could prove useful for those participating in deeper SuperFlex formats, especially with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams at his disposal.