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Dom evaluates the quarterback controversy with the Philadelphia Eagles after Week 13. Is Jalen Hurts or Gardner Minshew the QB to trust in fantasy football?
A quarterback controversy for the Eagles? If you listen to the Philadelphia media, that is what they would want you to think.
The Philly media are prone to overblowing every situation and the recent performance of Gardener Minshew is no exception. He had a solid game in Week 13 for sure and led the team to a 33-18 victory. But it came against the New York Jets and their terrible defense. So let's not get too excited about it.
But with all of the media buzz and a week off to talk about off-field issues, it is worth lending a bit of legitimacy. So let me tell you why it will not happen and why it is not even an issue.
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Minshew Isn't the Answer
We have seen some of the difficulties the offense has experienced during Jalen Hurts' tenure in Philadelphia. After a game against the New Orleans Saints in which he ran for more than 100 yards and got a win, he next dropped a turd of a game while throwing three interceptions and only managing seven points against a bad New York Giants team. The team is 6-7 and ranks 30th in passing yards. This seems like the type of QB you may want to replace. But Minshew is not the answer.
He seems cool. He has the mustache and the jorts. He has the awesome pre-game outfit, fun celebrations, and social media presence. But he also has a 7-13 career record as a starter before last week. Sure, this record was with the Jacksonville Jaguars, a team which, if eligible, would be relegated to the SEC and replaced by Alabama. Nevertheless, he was not the savior many made him out to be during his time in Jacksonville.
On top of this, you also need to look at the entire picture. Minshew played well against the Jets. His 242 yards and two touchdowns on 20 of 25 passing was good. But he did this for one simple reason. He had nothing to lose. When you are playing with no cares, it is easy to go YOLO and put everything out there. When you know you are in there for only one game, you had better make it a good one.
Jalen Hurts had a bad ankle, and it would not allow the Philadelphia Eagles to do what they wanted to do with him in the lineup. If there is no threat for Hurts to run, the team becomes completely one-dimensional and this leads to losses, which the Eagles cannot afford at this point. Despite some of his limitations in the run game compared to Hurts, Gardener Minshew gave the Philadelphia Eagles the best chance to win that week. When Jalen Hurts is healthy after their bye, he will give them the best chance.
Hurts may not be quite as efficient of a passer as Minshew. We have known since college when Minshew led the country in passing at Washington State that he was a gunslinger. This is why Mike Leach loved him and why he was drafted. But this mentality is not the best for winning multiple games. It is great for a change of pace. This is exactly what the Philadelphia Eagles got and exactly why Minshew should have a long and money-making career as a solid backup in the NFL.
Don't Worry About Jalen Hurts
123 carries for 695 yards and eight touchdowns. No, this is not the stat line of Miles Sanders. It is the stat line for Jalen Hurts. This, on top of his passing makes him a top 10 fantasy quarterback and a reason to continue to start him on your fantasy roster. In the real world, this shows the double threat the Philadelphia Eagles have in their quarterback and why he is not going to be replaced. On top of his 58 yards per game average on the ground, Hurts is averaging more than 200 yards per game in the air and has accounted for 21 total touchdowns this season. While these numbers need to improve, so do his weapons. When they do, he will be even better. Until they do, he is doing everything in his power to keep the team afloat.
The Philadelphia Eagles had a preseason over/under of six wins. After 13 games and heading into their bye week, they have already matched this number. With the easiest schedule in the NFL remaining over the rest of the season, there is a legitimate chance they can make the playoffs. This will be directly done on the back and legs of Jalen Hurts.
For your fantasy team, he is going to have a great final month. Two of their next three matchups come against Washington, which allows the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks on the season. For the Philadelphia Eagles, he is going to lead them to the brink of the playoffs. Both you and the Eagles should be prepared for a fun ride. A ride filled with no quarterback controversy.
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