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Derek Carr was taken in the mid to late rounds in most fantasy football leagues this season. The second-round pick from the 2014 NFL draft found a new home with the New Orleans Saints this offseason, after spending nine seasons with the Raiders with ups and downs.
This was intriguing for fantasy owners, as he's finished as a top-20 quarterback in fantasy all nine seasons in Oakland and Las Vegas. This season saw Carr get off to a good start in PPR leagues with 29.44 points. However, his most recent injury could put fantasy owners in a conundrum entering Week 4.
Derek Carr Injury Update
Carr circumvented potentially missing the rest of the 2023 season after exiting Week 3's game versus the Green Bay Packers per NFL insider Ian Rapoport. He went through a number of tests at a medical facility, discovering no additional damage to his shoulder.
The veteran quarterback should be out for an undisclosed amount of time with what is held to be a shoulder A/C joint injury. His return to being under center will be decided by "the swelling and how he gains mobility."
Derek Carr had thrown for 103 yards and one touchdown on 13 of 18 passing. Backup Jameis Winston stepped in and went for 101 yards on 10 of 16 passing. New Orleans didn't score another point after Carr left the game.
He doesn't have an extensive injury history in his career, starting 145 games he's appeared in. His most recent history when it comes to injury is back in October 2017, when Carr missed a game with a back vertebral fracture injury.
Fantasy-wise, Winston is available in almost all leagues, so pick up him if don't have a suitable option already on your roster. Put Carr on your IR instead of the bench to add another player to your fantasy team immediately.
Also read: Patrick Mahomes injury update: Latest on Chiefs QB for fantasy football Week 4
What happened to Derek Carr?
In the third quarter, Carr stayed down on the field at Lambeau after he was tackled by outside linebacker Rashan Gary. It was Gary's second sack in that game. The Saints quarterback was eventually assisted off the field by team personnel and headed to the locker room to be evaluated.
Some of Carr's teammates assessed what they saw on the field when he was sacked by Gary. Wide receiver Rashid Shaheed told reporters after the game that it was shocking to see his quarterback on the ground:
"Just to see him on the ground not wanting to move ... of course that was alarming to see."
Tight end Juwan Johnson added:
"He got slammed pretty good, you could just tell. Obviously, it was unfortunate because of the sack, just him being on the ground, I knew something was up with the force he was put on the ground. I hope it's nothing serious, that's kind of the biggest thing."
While the description of what took place seems grim, Carr is fine but won't be the Saints starter for some time. If your fantasy team is in desperation for a quarterback, look at Jimmy Garoppolo of the Raiders. He would be an ideal fit as a short-term option, though he took a nasty hit against the Pittsburgh Steelers and that is a situation worth keeping an eye on.
Also read: Jimmy Garoppolo injury update: Latest on Raiders QB for fantasy football Week 4.
How long is Derek Carr out for?
While head coach Dennis Allen or the Saints have given a timeline, Carr could be out the next couple of weeks. Shoulder A/C joint injuries need at least two to three weeks to return to complete activities such as practices.
Full healing may require four to six weeks. Type I injuries generally heal fine without an elevated risk of reinjuring it. It is unknown whether Carr's injury qualifies as a Type I injury.
One thing for certain is that the impacts the fantasy value of other players in New Orleans. Firstly, wideout Chris Olave stands at 52.2 points in PPR leagues with Carr. Receiver Michael Thomas is over halfway of his total PPR points from last season (51.1) with 34.6 points.
Shaheed has 29.3 points and Johnson sits at 13.1 points in the PPR leagues. Those who own any of these players in fantasy are hoping Carr comes back sooner rather than later.
Winston is a suitable replacement for Carr in the intermediate but could present issues long-term. This is applicable more so to Olave and Thomas as Carr has elevated their fantasy stock in just three games. Start any of these players if the matchups fit on a week-to-week basis.
