Inactive update: Carr is officially active and will start.
Game day update: Carr is expected to start against the Buccaneers, barring a pregame setback with his shoulder injury.
Saints’ QB Derek Carr, listed as questionable for Sunday due to a sprained AC joint, is expected to start vs. the Bucs barring a pre-game setback with his shoulder, per source. Carr took the first team reps at practice the past two days.
— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) October 1, 2023
New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr left last week’s game against the Green Bay Packers early in the third quarter with shoulder injury. Not long after the game, reports were that while the injury wasn’t serious, he would likely miss some time. But now, it’s not clear that he will.
Carr ended up with a questionable designation on this week’s injury report. He sat out practice early in the week, but returned on Friday and was throwing the ball during the session. Head coach Dennis Allen said at the end of the week the team wasn’t concerned about Carr making the injury worse by playing, and his availability came down to how well he can play with it bothering him.
The Saints host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this week, with a Noon ET kickoff, so we’ll have to keep an eye on the inactives report that morning to confirm his status.
Betting and DFS implications for Week 4
The Saints are four-point favorites heading into this one. I’m not confident in them holding that with or without Carr. And I’d lean toward the under, 40 points, if they’re forced to start backup Jameis Winston.
Tampa is coming into this game with a top-10 defense, holding opponents to an average of 19.7 points. They’re 2-1, suffering their first loss last week, to the Eagles. Even in that game, they managed to hold Philadelphia to just 25 points.
Carr hasn’t been great this season, throwing just two touchdowns and two picks and accumulating 636 yards. I wouldn’t bank on Winston being much better. Don’t put either quarterback in your fantasy football lineup this week.