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The Washington Redskins are 3-10 and sit at the bottom of the NFC East one year removed from winning the division. When news broke that head coach Mike Shanahan was about to leave last year, we knew there was a problem. With the Redskins out of playoff contention, an announcement was made to seal the team’s fate. Kirk Cousins will start in Week 15 and Robert Griffin III will be inactive.
RGIII was playing nowhere close to the way he played in his rookie season. Through 13 games, he has not recorded a rushing touchdown. He had six in the first six games. He scored four fantasy points in Week 12 and 10 in Week 14. The benching will allow RGIII to regroup and get his confidence back.
As for Cousins, he could provide a spark for the Redskins. He lead the team to two comeback wins in Weeks 14 and 15 of 2012 when RGIII when down last year. The Week 15 matchup is a good game for Cousins to get back onto the field. The Redskins play the Atlanta Falcons, the fourth-worst fantasy defense to opposing quarterbacks.
This also increases the value of running back Alfred Morris. With the backup quarterback taking over, the running back usually gets more touches. Just look at Eddie Lacy in Green Bay. He’s scored six touchdowns since Week 7. On the flip side, Pierre Garcon‘s value drops a little. He hasn’t scored since Week 10 and the streak will continue for another week. Cousins won’t throw the ball as much, leading to a drop in targets and receptions for Garcon.
Cousins is not a player worth adding, despite the good matchup. However, it is safe to drop RGIII in redraft leagues. He isn’t playing in Week 15 and his status for Week 16 is uncertain. As for 2014, he will still be a top-10 quarterback and will be a steal in the later rounds.
Bill Pivetz is a fantasy football writer for Rant Sports. Follow him on Twitter @Mr_Piv1127.
