In one of the most anticipated games of Week 1, the Dallas Cowboys were outmatched by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, losing 19-3 at home. But perhaps the worst part of the night came in the fourth quarter when Dak Prescott exited the game with a right hand injury. He was replaced by backup quarterback Cooper Rush. Prescott finished the night completing just 14 of his 29 pass attempts for 134 yards and no touchdowns with one interception. After the game was over, owner Jerry Jones said that Prescott would likely miss several weeks of the season. Later, ESPN's Todd Archer reported he is expected to have surgery and miss six to eight weeks.
Dak Prescott is expected to have surgery Monday on a right thumb injury and miss 6-8 weeks, according to multiple sources. He will meet with the team’s hand specialist on Monday, but sources said he will have a pin and plate inserted to stabilize the joint.
— Todd Archer (@toddarcher) September 12, 2022
Not only it is a big problem for the Cowboys, but it also means some fantasy football owners will need to make some changes to their roster. There are a couple of solid quarterbacks who might be available on the waiver wire, so this could be the owners' chance to get a big in-season steal.
With that being said, here are four quarterbacks fantasy owners should consider to replace Dak Prescott after his injury on Week 1.
Fantasy Football Quarterback Options After Dak Prescott Injury
4. Marcus Mariota, Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons were very close of opening their season with a win. Despite the one-point loss to the New Orleans Saints, there are still some good points to highlight.
Marcus Mariota started his first game at quarterback since 2019, and he did a solid job overall. He completed 20 of his 33 pass attempts for 215 yards for no scores or interceptions. Although there were no touchdowns, Mariota compensated on the ground. He rushed for 72 yards on 12 carries, while also scoring once. It was good enough to place him in the top 10 in fantasy points among quarterbacks after Sunday's games, scoring 19.8 points.
Rostered in just 6.5% of leagues, according to FantasyPros, Mariota becomes an intriguing option for fantasy owners with Dak Prescott on their rosters. The Falcons are not expected to have a great season, but their quarterback's ability to run is something that could provide tremendous value.
3. Ryan Tannehill, Tennessee Titans
In Week 1, Ryan Tannehill did his part to help the Tennessee Titans, but it was not enough as the team lost 21-20 to the New York Giants. Still, the quarterback had a solid game that could attract some fantasy owners for the remainder of the season.
Tannehill completed 20 of his 33 pass attempts for 266 yards and two touchdowns with no picks. He was also sacked just once for no loss of yards and rushed for seven. Following the Sunday slate, he is the No. 11 quarterback in the league with 19.3 fantasy points. Tannehill scored more points than Tom Brady, Trey Lance, and Matthew Stafford during the opening week.
Tannehill is rostered in just 17.4% of leagues, according to FantasyPros. That means he is likely up for grabs ahead of Week 2. If someone drafted Prescott to be their quarterback, Tannehill should be a good option that is probably available on the waiver wire.
2. Carson Wentz, Washington Commanders
The Carson Wentz era in Washington started with a 28-22 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. After struggling in his final years in Philadelphia and not shining in Indianapolis, it seems that he might have found his new home.
The quarterback finished the game 27-for-41 with 313 yards and four touchdowns. He also threw two interceptions, rushed for 12 yards and got sacked once. Wentz finished the weekend as one of the top fantasy quarterbacks. According to FantasyPros, he scored 29.7 points, the third-best mark among quarterbacks, just behind Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen.
Wentz is certainly someone to consider as Dak Prescott's replacement after a strong debut in the nation's capital. Wentz is rostered in just 14.9% of leagues, so he is likely available for Week 2 moving forward in most leagues.
1. Jameis Winston, New Orleans Saints
One player that made the most out of Week 1 was Jameis Winston. After missing most of 2021 with a torn ACL, he returned to lead the Saints to an important 27-26 win over the Atlanta Falcons. Last year, the New Orleans Saints had tons of problems at the quarterback position. Now, if Winston stays healthy, he might represent some stability under center in the post-Drew Brees era.
Against the Falcons, Winston completed 23 of his 34 pass attempts for 269 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions. He also rushed for nine yards.
Following Sunday games, Winston finished No. 7 among quarterbacks in fantasy points, according to FantasyPros. He scored 21.7 points, which was more than Lamar Jackson and Kyler Murray. Rostered in just 41.2% of leagues, Winston is perhaps one of the best options for teams that had Dak Prescott as their QB1. The Saints' schedule is the ninth-easiest in the league, so having Winston could mean many points every week, as the Saints love to air the ball out.
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