The Jacksonville Jaguars are on a three-game winning streak but could be without quarterback Trevor Lawrence when they take on the New Orleans Saints in Week 7.
Here is the latest injury update we have for Lawrence and how this could impact the fantasy outlook for the entire Jaguars offense for Thursday Night Football.
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Latest News Surrounding Trevor Lawrence
Lawrence picked up a knee injury in the team’s 37-20 lopsided victory against the Indianapolis Colts last week.
#Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence grabs at his knee after getting taken down on this play.
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 15, 2023
While there is some optimism about him being able to take the field against the Saints, it’s noteworthy that backup quarterback C.J. Beathard took all of the first-team reps in Tuesday’s practice session.
Will Lawrence Play This Week?
Beathard himself did suggest that it’s still very likely Lawrence plays in Week 7. But it’s not exactly an encouraging sign for your starting quarterback to cede all first-team reps to the backup less than 72 hours away from kickoff for your next game.
The Jaguars seem to be downplaying Lawrence’s knee injury, but his practice participation paints a different picture.
The practice workload on Wednesday on a short week for the Jaguars isn’t likely to be rigorous, but we should definitely monitor the injury report of the team’s final practice before their showdown against the Saints on Thursday Night Football.
Editor’s Note: A report from NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero indicates the Jaguars have signed quarterback Nathan Rourke to the active roster ahead of their Thursday Night Football matchup against the Saints.
Just mentioned on The Insiders on #NFLPlus: The #Jaguars are signing QB Nathan Rourke to the 53-man roster, per source. Some insurance with Trevor Lawrence dealing with a knee injury.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero)
Editor’s Note: Per Ben Arthur on X, “#Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence (knee) is officially questionable to play on Thursday Night Football against the Saints.”
Editor’s Note: Per Rapoport, Lawrence is confident of playing in Week 7 against the Saints.
What Does This Mean for Calvin Ridley, Christian Kirk, and Evan Engram’s Fantasy Ranking?
If Lawrence is available for Thursday Night Football, then I’m confidently ranking both Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk inside my top 25 at the WR position despite the tough matchup against the Saints’ secondary. Evan Engram would still sneak inside my top six at the TE position as well.
However, if Lawrence is inactive, then the outlook for the Jaguars’ collection of pass catchers will change drastically with Beathard under center against one of the most formidable pass defenses in the league.
MORE: PFN Consensus Rankings
Ridley would likely drop outside of my top 20 at the position, while Kirk would fall outside the top 30. Engram wouldn’t fall much, but he would become a fringe top-10 option at the position with Beathard under center.
This isn’t meant to be an indictment on Beathard, but simply wanting to stay away from an unknown commodity against one of the stingiest defenses in the league.
