Brian Hoyer's Fantasy Outlook After Jay Cutler's Injury

The Chicago Bears are NFC North underdogs, and their path to piecing together a surprising 2016 campaign took a hit Monday, when quarterback Jay Cutler suffered a hand injury against the Philadelphia Eagles.

The team announced Cutler would not return to action after suffering the injury in the third quarter. The quarterback was 12-of-17 for 157 yards with an interception before coming out. He was also sacked three times.

For fantasy purposes, the injury directly affects the stock of backup signal-caller Brian Hoyer—who will slide under center and take starting snaps in Cutler's absence.

While Hoyer is hardly the most compelling stopgap solution out there, he has a track record of stability that could be appealing to owners in ultra-deep leagues who are scrambling for solutions at quarterback.

In 11 appearances—including nine starts—with the Houston Texans during the 2015 season, Hoyer completed 60.7 percent of his passes for 2,606 yards, 19 touchdowns and just seven interceptions while posting a 91.4 quarterback rating.

"When he’s played, he’s been productive," Bears general manager Ryan Pace said in June, per CBS Chicago's Chris Emma. "I like that [offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains] has been with him and has a lot of comfort with him. I’ve watched him play over the years. Very intelligent player. I know that he has strong work ethic because we have coaches that have been with him."

Hoyer has the chops to be an effective piece for the Bears while Cutler is on the sideline, but the team's lack of explosive weaponry beyond No. 1 wide receiver Alshon Jeffery limits his ceiling. 

As a result, fantasy owners shouldn't view Hoyer as more than a desperation starter in the deepest of leagues or a bye-week plug-and-play option in 10- and 12-team formats.