Jimmy Garoppolo took a hard hit in the Las Vegas Raiders’ Sunday night loss against the Pittsburgh Steelers and subsequently entered the NFL’s concussion protocol. With the Raiders’ Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Chargers just 48 hours away, will Garoppolo be able to suit up?
From the current NFL standings to team depth charts to coverage of every game in the 18-week NFL schedule, we have all the news from around the league to keep you up to speed!
Jimmy Garoppolo Injury Update
Garoppolo left Sunday’s game just before halftime after getting crunched by the Steelers’ defense, but he was able to return for the third quarter. However, he must have developed concussion symptoms after the game and is being monitored in the league’s head injury protocol.
On Friday, Raiders head coach Josh McDaniels announced that Garoppolo is still in the NFL’s concussion protocol. Garoppolo returned for a limited practice on Thursday but wasn’t cleared.
Garoppolo practiced again on Friday. Las Vegas wanted to see how its starting quarterback performs in his final concussion tests before deciding on his status for Week 4. After practice, the Raiders officially listed Garoppolo as questionable for Sunday’s game.
Update, September 30 | 6:43 PM ET: Despite being limited in practice on Thursday and Friday, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reports that Garoppolo was unable to clear protocol in time for Sunday and is not traveling to Los Angeles.
If Garoppolo can’t play against the Chargers, the Raiders will choose between veteran Brian Hoyer and fourth-round rookie Aidan O’Connell as their temporary starter. Hoyer has 40 NFL starts under his belt, but O’Connell thrived in the preseason, and Las Vegas might want to see what he’s capable of.
“It doesn’t mean that it’s going to determine how it’s going to go for one guy vs. another,” McDaniels said of his club’s quarterback options. “There’s a lot of guys that don’t have a lot of experience that can play well because they’re prepared. Ultimately, what matters is how they perform, not how long they’ve been in the NFL.”
Garoppolo, who signed a three-year, $72.75 million contract with the Raiders this offseason, has completed 68.1% of his passes this season for 709 yards, five touchdowns, and a league-leading six interceptions.
MORE: Las Vegas Raiders Depth Chart
Of course, Garoppolo has a lengthy injury history in the NFL. During his run with the San Francisco 49ers, he suffered a torn ACL in 2018, a calf strain and a hand/thumb injury in 2021, and a shoulder sprain in 2022.
Fantasy Fallout From Garoppolo’s Injury
At this point, it’s looking less and less likely that Jimmy G will be able to play for the Raiders in Week 4. If that is the case, we are most likely looking at a start from veteran QB Brian Hoyer. However, that has not been confirmed, and there’s the possibility that Aidan O’Connell will make his NFL regular-season debut.
Davante Adams has proven he is QB-proof at this point. He’s dominated even when detached from Aaron Rodgers, and he deserves to remain in starting lineups, whether it’s Garoppolo, Hoyer, or O’Connell starting for Las Vegas.
Jakobi Meyers becomes a bit more interesting of a decision for fantasy managers, as they may have other options to lean on in their starting roster. Meyers will take a bit of a tumble down my rankings if Jimmy G is out, but he won’t fall further than WR36.
— PFN Fantasy Director Kyle Yates