New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo will still be carrying a clipboard on the sidelines when the regular season begins, in the wake of Tom Brady's overturned DeflateGate suspension.
Court ruling shifts Jimmy Garoppolo from fantasy lineups to fantasy irrelevance
After a court ruling overturned Tom Brady’s suspension, Jimmy Garoppolo goes back to the Patriots bench. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Garoppolo did everything for the Patriots this preseason, short of donning a cape after changing in a phone booth. Since a shaky first half versus the Green Bay Packers, Garoppolo completed 43 of 50 passes and carved up the New Orleans Saints defense in his most recent outing, only failing to complete three of his 20 pass attempts.
Fantasy Spin: With Brady now cleared to play, Jimmy G could have teleported into the end zone each preseason snap, and it still wouldn't give him the starting job in New England. Such is the life of a Tom Brady backup, but on the plus side, Garoppolo can find solace from a support group that has Brian Hoyer, Matt Cassel, Ryan Mallett, Damon Huard and Rohan Davey likely sitting in a circle in a rented-out church basement.
For anti-Patriots owners who want to troll their fantasy leagues, Garoppolo provides value as a "Mr. Irrelevant" pick at the end of drafts, but being a punchline is the extent of his value. For Ravens, Colts, Dolphins, Bills and Jets fans who can't come to grips with the court's decision, it would be a great statement to make.
