Buffalo Bills rookie quarterback E.J. Manuel played the entire first half against the Indianapolis Colts in preseason action on Sunday. Manuel has been in a quarterback battle with offseason acquisition Kevin Kolb, but earned the start primarily due to Kolb missing so much practice time of late, due to minor injuries and personal issues.
He made the best of his opportunity. The lone first-round quarterback in the 2013 NFL Draft managed to complete 16 of 21 passes for 107 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions. He also managed three keepers for 28 yards. Initially, he struggled, fumbling on a handoff and letting two drives stall inside the 10-yard line, but his final drive was a beauty.
Manuel completed 9 of 9 passes and capped that drive off with a 17-yard touchdown strike over the middle to tight end Dorin Dickerson.
Fantasy Impact: The Bills will continue with their battle as Kolb gets more practice time, but Manuel definitely did himself a big favor in his first ever NFL game. He showed poise and play-making ability, and if that continues and he wins the battle, he may find himself as a dark horse candidate for fantasy owners looking for boom-or-bust potential in their leagues.
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