Drew Stanton's Fantasy Outlook After Carson Palmer's Injury

An injury to Carson Palmer put the focus once again on the backup quarterbacks, which isn't good news for the Arizona Cardinals or fantasy owners. 

The veteran quarterback broke his left arm during Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams and will likely be out for eight weeks.

While Palmer hasn't been quite as dominant as he was a few years ago, he is still significantly better than the rest of the quarterbacks on the roster. Drew Stanton and Blaine Gabbert each have plenty of experience at this level, but there is a reason neither is a starting quarterback in the NFL.

Gabbert has struggled in stops with the Jacksonville Jaguars and San Francisco 49ers, producing a 9-31 career record as a starter. He entered the year with just 38 touchdowns to go with 37 interceptions.

Stanton is much more familiar with the system, playing with the Cardinals since 2013. Including his one year with the Indianapolis Colts, he is in his sixth year playing for head coach Bruce Arians.

This gives him a significant comfort level in the offense, especially with a talented group of receivers around him.

Unfortunately, he has rarely produced big numbers when given the opportunity. He entered the season with just a 66.3 career quarterback rating in 10 years in the NFL. He has made just one start in the past two years, finishing just 11-of-28 for 124 yards against San Francisco.

Although he did add two touchdowns and a win in this start, it's difficult to trust him to move the football consistently.

He threw an interception on his fifth pass against the Rams, which Mina Kimes of ESPN the Magazine mocked:

If Rams linebacker Mark Barron was on the Cardinals, it would have been a much better pass.

While there are a lot of weapons in this offense to give Stanton or Gabbert help, including the recently added Adrian Peterson, the entire Cardinals' receiving corps takes a hit with Palmer hurt. With the exception of those in two-quarterback leagues, fantasy players would be better served looking elsewhere for a starting quarterback this week.