Week 17 vs. Carolina Panthers
Trevor Lawrence is on a horrific run of picking up injuries of late, and his latest to the AC joint in his shoulder may finally see him sit a game out. If he cannot go against the Panthers in Week 17, it is hard to get excited about C.J. Beathard from a fantasy point of view. The Panthers rank second in aFPA to quarterbacks this season, which further complicates matters.
If you are a Lawrence manager, it would be best to try and find an alternative on another roster this week, rather than hoping Beathard can keep his head up above water in fantasy terms,
Week 16 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Trevor Lawrence entered the NFL concussion protocol following the Jaguars' loss to the Ravens in Week 15. At the time of writing, it is uncertain whether he will be able to play, making it likely that C.J. Beathard will take the reigns for this all-Florida clash with the Buccaneers. Beathard hasn't started a game in the NFL since 2020 and is the proud owner of a 59.5% career completion rate, along with 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 30 career games.
The Bucs have been more than generous towards fantasy quarterbacks this season, ranking 31st in aFPA to the position. But it is so hard to get excited about the Jaguars offense with Beathard under center that it sinks the fantasy appeal of everyone, including what little there would be for Beathard. If you need to start him this week, that fantasy title you were hoping for in 2023 is likely slipping through your fingers.
Week 14 at Cleveland Browns
With Trevor Lawrence set to miss "some time" with an ankle injury, C.J. Beathard is tasked with keeping the Jaguars offense afloat. Beathard hasn't started a game in the NFL since 2020 and is the proud owner of a 59.5% career completion rate, along with 18 touchdowns and 14 interceptions in 30 career games.
The Browns have been fairly middle of the road towards fantasy quarterbacks this season, ranking 15th in aFPA to the position. But there is no way unless you are desperate that you should be starting Beathard in fantasy this week
Week 9 vs. Oakland Raiders
C.J. Beathard struggled against a tough Cardinals pass defense last week, throwing for only 190 yards and a touchdown in a narrow loss. Beathard didn’t turn the ball over for the first time as a starter this season, but with only one game over 300 yards passing this season, it’s hard for fantasy owners to feel encouraged moving forward.
This week, Beathard faces a Raiders defense that has allowed the ninth-most fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this year. Still, even in a good matchup it’s hard to trust him. If you need a bye week replacement or streaming option this week, he has upside, but he’s a much more attractive QB2 than a QB1.
Update:
Beathard is battling an injury and may not be a go against the Raiders. He's a risky bet anyway, so fantasy owners should look elsewhere in case he's playing hurt or winds up on the inactive list.
Week 8 at Arizona Cardinals
C.J. Beathard struggled against a tough Rams defense last week, throwing for two interceptions and being held to only 170 yards and a touchdown. He added 13 yards on the ground. It was Beathard’s worst game of the season.
This week, Beathard will face a tough Cardinals defense that has allowed the third-least fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this year. That may be a bit skewed due to the Cardinals being so bad on offense, but they still have talent on the defensive side of the ball. Beathard has some potential as a second quarterback in large leagues, but in most formats, he should remain on waivers this week.
Week 7 vs. Los Angeles Rams
C.J. Beathard made a game of it against the Packers last week, and he even had some luck throwing the ball downfield. Mr. Checkdown posted 245 yards, two touchdowns and a pick, and averaged 10.6 yards per pass attempt - the second-highest in his pro career.
Beathard has some long-term upside as a spot-starter, but it’s hard to trust him against the Rams this week. The Rams allow the ninth-least fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks this year, and Beathard may struggle. Fantasy owners should view him as a low-level option in leagues that use two quarterbacks, or maybe as a bye-week option in deep leagues.
Week 6 at Green Bay Packers
C.J. Beathard actually put up pretty good numbers last week against the Cardinals. Despite throwing two interceptions, Beathard threw for 349 yards and a pair of touchdowns on a surprising 54 pass attempts. He also ran in a touchdown, turning in a solid performance overall. Beathard shouldn’t be trusted outside of deep two-quarterback leagues however. He’ll face a Packers defense that ranks fifth in the league in sacks this season and will be hungry after getting beat by the Lions a week ago.
Week 5 vs. Arizona Cardinals
C.J. Beathard had an uneven performance in his first start of the season, throwing for 298 yards and a pair of touchdowns, but also tossing two interceptions. Beathard was only sacked once, which is a good sign for a team already down their starting quarterback, but until he shows consistent production, it’s hard for fantasy owners to trust him. He’ll face a Cardinals defense that has allowed the fifth-fewest amount of fantasy points per game to the quarterback position this year, making him a risky option in most leagues. He should remain on waivers.
Week 4 at Los Angeles Chargers
With Jimmy Garoppolo set to miss the remainder of the season with a knee injury, C.J. Beathard is the likely starter for this week’s tilt against the Chargers. While only the Saints have given up more points per game than the Chargers so far this season, it’s hard to trust Beathard to put up good fantasy numbers. He averaged 238 yards, 0.67 touchdowns and an interception per game during his six-game stint last season. However, he did average 22.7 yards and 0.5 touchdowns on the ground as well. It seems unlikely he’ll outproduce those totals this year. He should remain on waivers in most leagues.
Week 12 vs. Seattle Seahawks
C.J .Beathard remains San Francisco's starting quarterback following the bye week. Why not? He threw for 288 yards and 2 touchdowns the last time out. But Jimmy Garoppolo will be lurking. Seattle's defense is banged up but the front seven will present a challenge. And Beathard is working with a makeshift WR group. He's not a recommended start this week.
