Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is dealing with an aggravated disc in his back and has reportedly received an epidural to ease the symptoms.
The 37-year-old remains week-to-week with his availability, but he hopes to be ready for Week 1 after a planned return to on-field practice work in the coming days.
Stafford sitting out for any period of regular-season games should be on the minds of fantasy football drafters considering selecting the big Rams WR duo of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
Matthew Stafford already a risky fantasy pick
Stafford already has dealt with injuries the past few seasons, missing three games combined across 2023-2024 after suiting up for just nine contests in 2022, during which he sustained a spinal cord contusion.
Despite throwing the rock to a talented group of receivers, Stafford's fantasy football average draft position (ADP) has been slotted as QB24 (163 overall) in 1QB setups as of early August, according to FantasyPros Consensus ADP data.
His utter lack of production as a rusher and the uncertainty around his age and health have kept him in fantasy backup quarterback territory.
This news solidifies concerns over his individual value; expect him not to be drafted outside of superflex/2QB or significantly deep 1QB leagues where it pays to stash two or three quarterbacks.
Who is the Rams' backup quarterback?
A familiar name: Jimmy Garoppolo settled in as LA's backup slinger in 2024, appearing only in Week 18 when Stafford and more key Rams starters rested before a postseason appearance the following weekend.
In that clash with a Seattle Seahawks club deploying nearly its full starting lineup, Jimmy G worked smoothly while working with other Rams backups, going 27-for-41 with 334 passing yards, 2 TD, and 1 INT.
Garoppolo also is sticking with a familiar face on the Rams' coaching staff: offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur, who spent time as the San Francisco 49ers' passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach while Garoppolo was making headlines in the Bay Area.
While not exciting for a backup QB, the former Super Bowl combatant at least gives Los Angeles an experienced path to offensive continuity. It could be much worse.
MORE: Consider these fantasy QB sleepers instead of the injured Stafford
How should fantasy players draft Puka Nacua, Davante Adams?
Puka Nacua (ADP 9.4 - WR5)
As of Aug. 6, I'm keeping Nacua at a Round 1 tag -- but nudging him down from the 7th overall pick to 12th in PPR leagues:
RK | TIER | Player Name | TM | POSRK |
1 | 1 | Ja'Marr Chase | CIN | WR01 |
2 | 1 | Bijan Robinson | ATL | RB01 |
3 | 1 | CeeDee Lamb | DAL | WR02 |
4 | 1 | Jahmyr Gibbs | DET | RB02 |
5 | 1 | Justin Jefferson | MIN | WR03 |
6 | 1 | Saquon Barkley | PHI | RB03 |
7 | 2 | De'Von Achane | MIA | RB04 |
8 | 2 | Nico Collins | HOU | WR04 |
9 | 2 | Malik Nabers | NYG | WR05 |
10 | 2 | Amon-Ra St. Brown | DET | WR06 |
11 | 2 | Brian Thomas Jr. | JAC | WR07 |
12 | 2 | Puka Nacua | LAR | WR08 |
Though Garoppolo could prop up the offense to perhaps 70% of Stafford's abilities, a long-term Stafford injury also may prompt the Rams to trade for an upgrade at the position if they're competing.
Regardless of who's under center, Nacua's skill set also plays into yardage after the catch: Nacua ranked sixth in the league (640) in his 2023 breakout years and still wound up 13th (518) in 2024 despite missing six games.
His makeup keeps him in the Round 1/Round 2 turn wheelhouse, where you can double him up with your choice of wideout or running back.
Davante Adams (ADP 38.0 - WR16)
I'd worry a bit more about Adams' stock if Stafford had to sit out. Though the veteran is typically an elite separation artist, the target magnet might suffer from worse quality throws if this combines with him hitting an age cliff.
The 32-year-old already has earned a slight fade from preseason draft rooms despite his 85-1063-8 season in 2024.
Adams probably dips behind other names in his "high-volume, risky QB situation, suspension coming, or holding out" tier that include the New York Jets' Garrett Wilson, the Chicago Bears' DJ Moore, the Washington Commanders' Terry McLaurin, the Kansas City Chiefs' Rashee Rice.
Would a Stafford injury mean more work for Kyren Williams?
Stafford's impending medical course might've been one of the reasons Los Angeles recently extended Williams' contract, but Williams already has one of the heaviest weekly workload outlooks among fantasy RBs. It drives his value as a top-15 option at his position.
Any decline of downfield passing by Garoppolo might translate into a handful more targets going to backfield names.
However, it's not enough to significantly increase the attention fantasy drafters should pay toward true backup Blake Corum and trendy sleeper rookie Jarquez Hunter.