Jalen Hurts Possibly Out for Week 17 | Fantasy Outlooks for Kenny Pickett, Saquon Barkley, A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith and More

In the most important week (for most) of the fantasy football season, owners might be without one of the top fantasy quarterbacks in the game.

Jalen Hurts is still in the concussion protocol, and his status is very much in doubt for the team’s week 17 clash with the Dallas Cowboys.

Of course, there’s still a chance he passes the protocol and can play, but in case he can’t here’s how I would proceed. 

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Hurt’s Fantasy Season

Hurts is the No. 8 overall fantasy player this season, and that’s after he scored just 4.5 points in week 16. He’s QB6, but would probably be sitting in third if he had played all of the last game.

He doesn't boast the greatest passing numbers (2,903 yards, 18 touchdowns, five interceptions), but he makes up for it with 630 rushing yards and 14 scores on the ground.

In the team’s first clash with the Cowboys, Hurts had 202 passing yards, two touchdowns and an interception, while rushing for 56 yards and two touchdowns. It was just one of his monster fantasy showings this season.

Fantasy Outlooks Without Hurts

If Hurts cannot play, the Eagles’ offense is not nearly as formidable. Kenny Pickett looks to be in line to get the start if Hurts is out, but Pickett is also dealing with an injury to his ribs. Tanner McKee is the only other quarterback on the active roster, while Ian Book was just added to the practice squad.

Pickett has played in four games this season, but was only really involved in week 16. He was 14-of-24 passing for 143 yards, a touchdown and a pick. He got sacked three times and rushed three times for 13 yards.

It’s a very favorable fantasy matchup for Pickett if he ends up starting, but he’s still not one I’d trust in a standard league, especially in such a critical fantasy week. He’s a decent deep-league option, as long as he’s cleared to go himself. If McKee gets the start, you can throw him into that same line of thinking.

Saquon Barkley has a pretty favorable matchup ahead, and if Hurts is out, he looks like maybe the top fantasy performer of the week. Barkley is averaging 20.4 PPR points per game this season and is a must-start fantasy player, regardless of who his quarterback is. 

He had just 66 yards on 14 carries and a 12-yard catch in the first clash with Dallas. Barkley would have been far more involved if the Eagles hadn’t absolutely obliterated the Cowboys in that contest.

The Philadelphia wide receivers have a pretty favorable test ahead too. A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith are the only two guys worth considering in any league types.

Brown had 109 yards on five catches and seven targets in the first game against Dallas. Smith was held to 14 yards on two grabs and three targets.

Brown is averaging 11.7 PPR points per game this season. He scored 15.7 last week with Pickett mostly running the show. He’s a good weekly starting option, and in the favorable matchup, I’d start Brown more often than not this coming week.

Smith is averaging nine PPR points per game this season and is coming off a 5.1-point outing. I think he’s truly on the start/sit line this week, but in the favorable matchup, I’d also prefer to start Smith this week, regardless of who is throwing to him.

Grant Calcaterra is the only other pass catcher to mention, and he’s coming off a game in which he played 66 snaps but got no targets. Wildly, Brown and Smith got all 23 targets in week 16.

Calcaterra is filling in for the injured Dallas Goedert and has just 2.2 PPR points over the past two weeks. The matchup is right for him, but I’d still only consider starting him in deeper fantasy leagues. 

Jahan Dotson and C.J. Uzomah were the only other pass catchers to play over 10 snaps in week 16. Dotson has just four targets over the past four weeks, while Uzomah doesn’t even have one. They are only options in the deepest of leagues, and only should be started if you are desperate.

Having Hurts out there doesn’t help Calcaterra, Dotson or Uzomah all that much. 

I should also mention backup running back Kenneth Gainwell, who got five touches across 14 snaps last week. He could be in line for a few more touches if Hurts is out, and in the favorable matchup, Gainwell becomes a deep sleeper option. He’s more of a lottery ticket option than someone I’d trust at all, but this game could definitely work in his favor, especially if Philly grabs a comfortable lead early on.