Matthew Stafford: Why His Injury Could Have A Fantasy Domino Effect In Detroit

Matthew Stafford was originally expected to miss eight weeks with what Peter King of SI characterized as a Grade two shoulder sprain which is basically a separated shoulder.

Now, the news from Adam Schefter is that Stafford will visit Dr. James Andrews for a second opinion, which has many fantasy owners asking a myriad of questions.

So let’s address some of them, shall we?

Does Stafford’s injury spell disaster for Calvin Johnson? The short answer is, maybe. No matter who throws the ball for the interim, it is a significant downgrade from Stafford, which means a significant hit in Johnson’s overall projected value. And if Stafford misses eight weeks, owners of Stafford and C-Jon have some decisions to make.

For now, wait to see what happens with Dr. Andrews, but it’s looking as if Johnson could wind up being early trade bait, while Stafford could be a candidate for a drop in 12 man leagues.

Does Stafford’s injury bode well for Jahvid Best? Again, the short answer is, maybe. A new QB means a more conservative approach offensively, and a more conservative approach first starts with the RB.

Jahvid Best does stand to have an increased role in the offense both in the passing game and on the ground specifically, so those of you in PPR leagues, Standard leagues, and even Modified TD leagues could wind up getting more out of Best than [previously thought.

Is Shaun Hill A Viable Fantasy Option? If you wound up being one of those guys who only drafted one QB, then yes, he could be a worthy pickup since I will assume your waiver wire at QB is more vacant than the Bates Motel.

But keep in mind one thing, Hill won’t be able to run the vertical offense that Detroit had hoped for this year, so if there is another option on your roster, grab it, but if not, and you are in need of a QB then I say take a chance on Hill.

What other choice do you have, right?

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