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Nick Foles named Jaguars starting QB, becomes strong fantasy football waiver wire add

Jaguars QB Nick Foles gets his starting job back as Gardner Minshew returns to the bench.

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Gardner Minshew and quarterback Nick Foles look on during the third quarter against the New Orleans Saints at TIAA Bank Field. Douglas DeFelice-USA TODAY Sports

Jaguars coach Doug Marrone announced that Nick Foles will be the starter now that he is healthy. He will take over for Gardner Minshew, who played well in his stead. Foles broke his clavicle in Week 1 after throwing a beautiful 35-yard touchdown to D.J. Chark in the face of intense pressure. At 5-6, the Jaguars still have hope for the playoffs, and they will see what Foles can do to get them there.

Minshew was inconsistent at times and fumbled too often, but he also made plays you’d only expect from a starting NFL quarterback. So far this year, he completed 61.2 percent of his passes for 2,285 yards, 13 touchdowns and four interceptions to go along with 11 fumbles. He also performed well as a runner, as he ran the ball 42 times for 235 yards through eight starts.

Foles is the Jaguars big-money free agent, as he agreed to an $88 million, four-year deal with $45 million guaranteed. His clutch performances to help the Philadelphia Eagles win the Super Bowl two seasons ago didn’t hurt his selling power.

Minshew performed well enough to keep the job, but his last outing against the Texans likely gave the team some clarity. He completed just 57 percent of his passes for 309 yards, no touchdowns, two interceptions and had two fumbles.

Fantasy football analysis: Jacksonville Jaguars QB Nick Foles

The Jaguars have a good set of young receivers and Minshew showed that they can get the job done. The fleeting glimpse of Foles in Week 1 was also positive, so there is a good chance Foles can at least pick up where Minshew left off and have upside for more.

He should be a priority add in any deep or 2QB league and should make for a strong streaming option. the Jaguars schedule looks good, with a by this week, then @Colts, @Titans, Buccaneers, Chargers, @Raiders, and @Atlanta, on the plate. Those matchups are worth a preemptive add even in 12-team leagues if you don’t feel good about your quarterback situation.