MatthewStafford

News: 2 days agoCoach Sean McVay said Thursday that he expects Stafford (hamstring) to return to practice next week, Jourdan Rodrigue of The Athletic reports.

Spin: Stafford left practice early Wednesday and isn't present for Thursday's walkthrough, but the Rams have described his absence due to hamstring tightness as precautionary. That the veteran signal-caller is expected to resume practicing next week confirms his injury isn't severe. In any case, neither of Stafford or backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo have been considered candidates to play during Saturday's preseason game against the Chargers, so Stetson Bennett and Dresser Winn will again lead Los Angeles' offense in the exhibition contest.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Two years removed from a Super Bowl victory and a top-six fantasy finish, Stafford managed a mostly healthy 2023 season, in which he averaged nearly 16 fantasy points per contest. It was a comeback of sorts for the 36-year-old, who missed the final seven games of 2022 with a back injury and was without the pass-catching talents of Cooper Kupp to start 2023. A surprisingly effective performance from the offensive line, as well as the stunning emergence of Puka Nacua, helped Stafford regain his fantasy relevance. The vet heated up as the season progressed, recording five multi-touchdown performances between Weeks 11 and 17 (he registered just one such effort prior to the team's Week 10 bye). He heads into 2024 as an ideal QB2 and superflex target.