As we head into Week 18 of the NFL season, some fantasy managers are still battling it out for their league championship. Those GMs are closely monitoring a messy situation the Miami Dolphins have at the quarterback position.
Miami's incumbent starter Tua Tagovailoa has been recovering from a concussion, while backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater suffered a dislocated finger on his throwing hand in last week's loss to the New England Patriots. In addition to Tagovailoa and Bridgewater, the Dolphins have Skylar Thompson and a newly-signed Mike Glennon currently on their roster.
Is Tua Tagovailoa hurt or healthy? Is Teddy Bridgewater hurt or healthy? Should I pick up Skylar Thompson for fantasy football? Below we take a quick look at the updated injury status for Tagovailoa and Bridgewater ahead of Week 18 and attempt to answer these questions.
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Is Tua Tagovailoa Injured or Healthy?
Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel said that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) is officially ruled out for Week 18 against the New York Jets on Sunday. This comes as no surprise, as the Dolphins said earlier this week that Tagovailoa wasn't in their QB plans for the regular season finale in a must-win game.
Tagovailoa has suffered two concussions this year, so it remains to be seen if he'll even be available to play if the Dolphins make the postseason with a win and some help in Week 18. If he has played his last game of the 2022 season, the 24-year-old would finish with a 64.8% completion percentage, a career-high 3,548 passing yards, 25 touchdowns and eight interceptions in 13 games in his third NFL season.
Is Teddy Bridgewater Injured or Healthy?
Miami Dolphins quarterback Teddy Bridgewater (knee, finger) is questionable ahead of Sunday's matchup with the New York Jets. However, it appears he's moving in the right direction after practicing in a limited capacity during the week.
Bridgewater got the start for the injured Tua Tagovailoa (concussion) in the Week 17 loss to the Patriots, amassing one touchdown, one pick, and 161 yards passing before exiting with a pinky injury. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that the Dolphins expect to have Bridgewater available only in a backup capacity against the Jets in Week 18.
Should I Pick Up and Start Skylar Thompson for Week 18?
With Tagovailoa officially ruled out and Bridgewater only available in an emergency backup capacity, the Miami Dolphins will turn to rookie quarterback Skylar Thompson in what's a must-win game for the squad against the New York Jets.
The Dolphins must win against the Jets and have the New England Patriots lose to the Buffalo Bills in order to sneak into the NFL playoffs. While the rookie out of Kansas State isn't the perfect option in this situation, Thompson does at least have some game experience under his belt. He started for the Dolphins in Week 6 against the Minnesota Vikings but completed just seven of 13 attempts for 89 yards. Thompson entered last week's game in relief of the injured Bridgewater, throwing for 104 yards, one TD, and an INT in a loss to the Patriots.
Thompson draws a tough situation against a rugged Jets defense in what's a pressure-packed spot. It doesn't help that this Dolphins team has been trending in the wrong direction for the last several weeks. He isn't a viable fantasy consideration in Week 18.
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