Carson Wentz Looks Good, So Far
By Matt Rogers
Carson Wentz looks Good, So Far. After his first NFL regular season career start, and game, Wentz appears to be worth the gamble the Eagles made to acquire Carson as the 2nd overall pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, in April. However, Wentz was lucky to face what could be the NFL’s worst team in 2016, the Cleveland Browns, in his first start.
Before we dive into Carson Wentz‘s week 1 performance, it’s important to set the right context. The Cleveland Browns defense ranked 27th, of 32 teams, in 2015. Only the New York Giants, Jacksonville Jaguars, and New Orleans Saints gave up more points than the Cleveland Browns average of 27 points-per-game last season. On Sunday, six of the Browns’ eleven starters had 10 or fewer career starts heading into the game. This is not a good defense, and the Browns have very little in terms of total NFL experience. So before we get too excited in Philadelphia about Carson Wentz performance on Sunday, keep in mind, it’s unlikely he’ll face as bad a defense for the rest of the season.
Still, for his first career start, Carson Wentz looked very calm and focused on the field. Carson made fewer errors than I was expecting, and at times Wentz’s passes were smooth and right on the money. It has been years since Philadelphia has seen multiple over-the-shoulder throws for touchdowns in a game.
By the end of the game, Carson Wentz had completed 22 passes on 37 attempts (59.5 Comp Pct), 278 total passing yards, 10th in the NFL heading into Monday, two touchdowns, and no interceptions. Carson also did not fumble the ball. Given this was his first start, I was expecting at least one turnover due to nerves or a mental mistake. Wentz did have a ball tipped, but as luck would have it, Nelson Agholor was surprisingly aggressive on the field Sunday, and quickly caught the ball to make up for the mistake. This is an impressive start for a rookie quarterback and could translate to fantasy football gold later.
Next: Eagles Fantasy Impact
Eagles Fantasy Impact
Heading into Monday, Jordan Matthews is tied with Jason Witten for 14 targets. Allen Robinson leads the NFL in targets with 15. As a result of so many targets, Matthews had seven receptions and 114 yards receiving, 6th in the NFL, and one touchdown. Yes, it’s only week 1, but the fact that Wentz threw the football Jordan’s way 14 times in one game is a sign he knows how to find his top receiver. If you haven’t already, pick up Jordan Matthews in your fantasy league. Jordan could also become a FanDuel NFL target. Matthews salary entering week 2, against a struggling Chicago defense, is only $6,900. If Matthews gets another 14 targets, that’s a cheap way to get 20 points in FanDuel NFL.
While Zach Ertz didn’t record an effective fantasy football result, he was targeted seven times against the Browns. Ertz ended the game with six receptions and 58 yards, including a one-handed grab when Carson Wetz threw the football on the side of Ertz that was away from the Browns defender. If Ertz stays healthy, he could have some big games in the future.
Nelson Agholor came to life on Sunday after a disappointing rookie campaign in 2015. Agholor didn’t have as many targets as Ertz or Matthews, only five. He still had four receptions for 57 yards and a touchdown. Agholor’s touchdown was the result of a beautiful route run, and an accurate pass right into the out-stretched arms of Nelson as he entered the end zone. He may not be worth it yet, but keep an eye on Agholor in week 2 against the Chicago Bears. It’s possible Nelson is a WR4/WR5 sleeper.
Next: Is Wentz a Fantasy Quarterback Option?
Is Wentz a Fantasy Quarterback Option?
In total, Carson had a QB rating of 101.0, also 10th in the NFL heading into Monday. In comparison to another first start at QB, Jimmy Garoppolo had a slightly better day with a QB rating of 106.1 against a very good Arizona Cardinals Defense. However, Garoppolo is not a rookie and has spent a good deal of time with Bill Belichick, and under Tom Brady’s wing. So I did expect a decent result from Jimmy, although that one was impressive. Also, once Brady is back from his suspension, he’s clearly the starter.
After a much-hyped preseason, Dak Prescott had a solid but lack-luster NFL debut. Prescott ended the game with 25 completions on 45 attempts (55.6 Comp Pct), 227 yards, and no touchdowns or interceptions. Also, Prescott played against a New York Giants defense that should be much better than the Cleveland Browns, the only defense Wentz has faced so far. So even though Wentz had a very good start, Prescott is still in the running for best rookie QB this season. Also, it remains to be seen whether Romo will take the reigns from Prescott when he returns.
So as a fantasy option, Wentz is an interesting consideration in keeper/dynasty leagues. This was a strong start for a quarterback who will continue to play as long as he’s healthy. However, wait a few weeks to add Wentz to your fatanasy team, unless you’re in 12-person/2-QB starter league. It’s way too early to waste a roster spot on a rookie quarterback.
For DFS, Carson is going to be great value option until he either has a disastrous game, or becomes too expensive. I risked playing Wentz in two of my FanDuel NFL lineups this past weekend, because I wanted to load up on the RB and WR positions. I also suspected Wentz may fair well against a terrible defense. Luckily, I was rewarded with 19.22 points at QB on a $5,000 salary. Carson’s salary was only $5,000 because FanDuel set salary’s roughly a month in advance of the season and at the time Bradford was the clear starter in Philadelphia. This week, Wentz salary climbs to $6,900. That’s still relatively cheap for a quarterback facing a struggling defensive secondary. For FanDuel NFL, I may got back to Wentz again this weekend. After last weekend, why not?