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Panthers announce Will Grier as Week 16 starter

The Panthers made an expected decision and announced Will Grier as their starting quarterback. We break down the fantasy football implications.

Will Grier of the Carolina Panthers before their game against the Atlanta Falcons at Bank of America Stadium on November 17, 2019 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Photo by Jacob Kupferman/Getty Images

Carolina Panthers head coach Perry Fewell announced on Thursday that quarterback Will Grier will start on Sunday against the Indianapolis Colts. The decision was expected all week, with a report about it on Monday.

Kyle Allen struggled with turnovers, and with the organization firing Ron Rivera and potentially set to trade Cam Newton in the offseason, it’s time to look toward the future. The Panthers spent a third round pick on Grier this year, and while things are messy in Carolina, it gives them two regular season games to begin the assessment heading into the offseason. If they like what they see, maybe they deal Newton and sign a veteran to serve a as a bridge.

Fantasy football analysis: Panthers offense

Grier is not worth starting in most fantasy leagues, although he’s worth a look in two-QB leagues. The Panthers face a Colts defense that has given up the tenth most fantasy points to quarterbacks.

The bigger question is what it means for the rest of the offense. Christian McCaffrey, D.J. Moore, Curtis Samuel, and Greg Olsen will all be getting starts in plenty of fantasy leagues. Their ceiling potentially comes down, although one or more could become a safety blanket type of option for Grier. We just don’t know who it is.