Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
With quarterback Aaron Rodgers (collarbone) out for at least one more game, Scott Tolzien will start his second straight game under center for the Green Bay Packers in Week 12 when the rival Minnesota Vikings come to Lambeau Field. Tolzien took over for an injured Seneca Wallace early in Week 10 against the Philadelphia Eagles, and he has 619 passing yards with one touchdown and five interceptions over the last two games.
Is Tolzien worth the attention of fantasy football owners as the playoffs approach?
The Vikings come into this week’s action allowing 19.8 fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks (third-most in the league, ESPN scoring), and they are 29th in the NFL against the pass (280.1 yards per game). They also have just one interception in their last six games, and cornerback Josh Robinson is now out with a fractured sternum to further test the depth of a struggling secondary. So Tolzien has a good chance to continue to be productive on Sunday, even if running back Eddie Lacy has a workload comparable to what he had against the Vikings in Week 8 (29 carries for 94 yards, four catches for 18 yards).
The Packers will then have a short week ahead of a Thanksgiving Day game against the Detroit Lions, so it would not be surprising to see Rodgers miss another game with an eye toward returning at full strength in Week 14. If Tolzien gets the nod against Detroit, another favorable matchup would come as the Lions have allowed multiple passing touchdowns in five straight games (14 total) with 290 or more passing yards allowed in four of those games (over 300 three times).
Tolzien’s fantasy impact will obviously be tied to Rodgers’ health, but he has a chance to help fantasy owners (particularly those that have Rodgers) make a push toward the playoffs over the next two weeks in a couple of very favorable matchups. In any case, Tolzien has plug-and-play appeal as a QB2 for at least Week 12 in deep leagues.
Brad Berreman is a contributing writer at Rant Sports.com. Follow him on Twitter @bradberreman24 or connect with him on Google +
