Jalen Hurts and the Eagles have been in good shape, winning six of their last seven games. As a result, their playoff spot is already assured and they will likely enter the postseason as the seventh seed. Will Hurts is playing the Cowboys tonight, and what can fantasy football managers expect him if he adapts?
Will Jalen Hurts play the Cowboys tonight?
Similar to Dak prescottThe belief is that Hurts will be active tonight. That means we could see him play four quarters, but we could also see him play a drive. The general feeling that comes from reporters is that we’ll see more of Gardner Minshew than Hurts.
These Week 18 scenarios make it very difficult to predict how much playing time the starting quarterbacks will get. That’s especially true for teams that have already secured playoff spots.
Hurts is a fierce competitor and of course he will want to be on the field. But it is important to take calculated risks in these situations. The only reason to let Hurts play much of the contest is to keep him ready for next week’s wild card round.
Even if the Eagles win tonight’s game, there’s a chance it won’t affect their position. His final position (either sixth or seventh seed) ultimately depends on what the 49ers and Saints do in Week 18. One of those two teams will make the playoffs alongside the Eagles, the other will not.
Take a look at Gardner Minshew
It makes perfect sense to me to allow Gardner Minshew to play most of the game tonight. When Hurts missed the New York Jets contest in Week 13, Minshew stepped in and did an excellent job. His 242-yard, 2-touchdown performance against the Jets rekindled the belief that he is a possible starting quarterback in the NFL.
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If Minshew played well, the Eagles would know a little more about what they have on their backup QB. A good exit for Minshew means his business value would increase, as does the Eagles’ belief that they have a viable option on the bench.
Jalen Hurts’ Fantasy Perspective
Hurts has been a consistent points scorer this year, despite not having a large number of touchdown passes. He ranks as the QB8 of the season, just one spot ahead of Prescott.
Hurts’ unique ability to run the ball has resulted in his fantasy totals being very strong from week to week. Lead all quarterbacks in rushing yards. Hurts has 784 rushing yards on 139 attempts, with 10 touchdowns on the ground. That’s a solid season for a starting running back.
We’ll see how much playing time Hurts has against the Cowboys, but the Week 18 game just doesn’t mean much to the Eagles. If it becomes clear that Minshew will take the most snapshots, he will become an intriguing starter in Week 18 and for DFS on Saturday.