Aidan O'Connell fantasy projection: What to expect from Raiders QB in wake of Jimmy Garoppolo's injury

Aidan O'Connell was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders in the fourth round of the 2023 NFL draft as a developmental quarterback. The team also acquired Jimmy Garoppolo during the same offseason to replace Derek Carr. This signified that O'Connell would serve as a depth piece on their roster, allowing him to develop his skillset while backing up Garoppolo.

The only real chance that O'Connell would have to possibly start during the regular season would be if Garoppolo suffered an injury. Following the Raiders' Week 3 game, this theoretical situation could be becoming a reality. Garoppolo is officially in the NFL's concussion protocol, putting his availability for Week 4 in jeopardy.

Aidan O'Connell's 2023 Fantasy Outlook

Aidan O'Connell

Aidan O'Connell put together an impressive college football career with the Purdue Boilermakers, earning him a selection by the Las Vegas Raiders in the 2023 NFL draft.

After a decent preseason, he solidified his spot on their final roster ahead of the regular season. For each of the first three games, he was listed as the third-string emergency quarterback, behind starter Jimmy Garoppolo and backup Brian Hoyer.

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Despite their current listings, it's entirely possible that the Raiders choose to start O'Connell instead of Hoyer if Garoppolo is forced to miss any time with his injury. If he's unable to clear the concussion protocols prior to their Week 4 game against the Los Angeles Chargers, this could realistically be the case.

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If the Raiders choose to go with O'Connell as their starter and leave Hoyer as their backup, he will get the opportunity to make his first appearance as a starting quarterback in a favorable matchup with the LA Chargers. They have already allowed 87 points across their first three games of the 2023 season, so the Raiders should have plenty of opportunities to score.

The Raiders will also likely need to pass the ball often to keep up with Justin Herbert and their high-powered offense. If Aidan O'Connell gets his chance to lead the offense, he will do so in one of the most favorable situations he could ask for, making him an interesting streaming option for fantasy football lineups.

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Before plugging O'Connell into any fantasy football lineups, make sure to consult the Start/Sit Optimizer first.

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Is Aidan O'Connell a good pick in Fantasy Football this year?

Aidan O'Connell

Aidan O'Connell put together an impressive 2023 NFL preseason with the Las Vegas Raiders, accumulating 482 passing yards in three games with three touchdowns and an excellent 108.4 passer rating. While preseason success doesn't always translate to the regular season, it at least demonstrated that the rookie prospect has plenty of potential as a possible future starter.

It's likely that the Raiders planned on developing O'Connell during the 2023 NFL season, serving as a backup and growing his skillset to potentially take over the starting job down the road.

The circumstances may have changed now that Jimmy Garoppolo is in concussion protocol and the Raiders have just a 1-2 record. They are in danger of falling out of playoff contention, so they need to give themselves their best chance to win this week.

A strong case can be made that O'Connell gives them that chance much more than Brian Hoyer does. Hoyer has been a career backup, and while he is solid in this position, he offers little upside at all as a starter.

At least with O'Connell, his promising preseason and lack of game film for the defense to prepare with could give them a better chance of upsetting the Chargers. Considering the favorable matchup, he makes for a solid speculative add from the Week 4 waiver wire for any fantasy football team in desperate need of a quarterback replacement.