Terrelle Pryor will start at quarterback for the Oakland Raiders in Week 17 against the San Diego Chargers, the team announced via Twitter. Pryor will be making his first start, after being selected in the third round of the 2011 NFL Supplemental Draft.
Terrelle Pryor named starting quarterback by Raiders: Fantasy implications
Terrelle Pryor has been named Raiders’ starting quarterback for Week 17 ahead of Matt Leinart. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Matt Leinart will be relegated once again to a backup role. He struggled mightily last week after taking over for the injured Carson Palmer during the first quarter of last week's loss to the Carolina Panthers, going 16-for-32 passing for 115 yards and an interception.
Fantasy Impact: The 4-11 Raiders don’t have anything to play for at this point, so why not take a chance on the uber-athletic, though somewhat notorious, Pryor? His upside is very high, especially when compared against Leinart. That said, if your fantasy league is still going on in Week 17, you should probably stay clear of Pryor as a starting option.
Those in long-term keeper leagues may want to pay close attention to Sunday’s game against the Chargers, however. If Pryor shows the slightest hint of potential, he could be worth stashing for use a year or two down the line. Despite his inconsistency as a passer, he was a very effective quarterback at the college level due to his supreme rushing ability.
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