Sam Bradford's season is over before it even began with his second torn ACL in less than a year. We break down the fantasy implications.
St. Louis Rams quarterback Sam Bradford was officially placed on injured reserve Tuesday, ending his season. The move was part of the first round of cuts to bring the active roster down to 75.
Bradford re-tore the ACL in his left knee in St. Louis' third preseason game against the Cleveland Browns, the same ligament he had surgically repaired. The 2010 No. 1 overall pick will have played just seven out of a possible 32 games between 2013-14. Shaun Hill will start the season in Bradford's place, with Austin Davis expected to back him up.
Fantasy impact: This injury is a crushing blow to Bradford's career, but Zac Stacy should see some benefit. For those worried about defenses stacking the box against Stacy, he put up borderline RB1 numbers with Kellen Clemens under center in 2013. Stacy is worth taking in the second round, but grab Benny Cunningham as his handcuff.
In the passing game, this does hurt Kenny Britt, who was developing some real chemistry with Bradford. Tavon Austin is undraftable and shouldn't be on rosters until he proves he can hang with NFL defenders. Hill is a competent backup who might surprise, but for now his only real value is in deep two-QB leagues. Much like 2013, Jeff Fisher will need to lean on his defense and running game to keep St. Louis afloat in a brutal division.