Matthew Stafford Arm Soreness Puts Fantasy Managers on Alert Ahead of Week 9

Matthew Stafford emerged from Sunday's win over the Chargers with ice on his throwing arm, and coach Sean McVay isn't offering much clarity, according to ProFootballTalk (NBC Sports). When asked about it Monday, McVay told reporters, "He's had some soreness there," then punted the question entirely to Stafford himself. That's not a denial, and it's not nothing.

Matthew Stafford

Hold, but watch Wednesday closely. The Rams file their first practice report of the week ahead of Sunday's game at Washington on Wednesday — if Stafford is limited or receiving treatment, he'll show up on it. ProFootballTalk notes he has a long history of playing through pain, and the story stops short of suggesting he'll miss time. But "soreness in the throwing arm" for a quarterback is a different animal than a foot or a knee. Don't panic-drop him, but don't ignore this either. His practice designation Wednesday is must-see information before you lock in your lineup.

If Stafford were to miss time — and nothing in the source story says that's likely — the next man up would be Stetson Bennett IV, who is healthy and has appeared in all seven games this season, averaging 16.4% of snaps. He's a handcuff worth monitoring on the waiver wire (the pool of unclaimed free agents) if this situation escalates. Third on the depth chart, Ty Simpson, is currently listed as out and is not a realistic option.