Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (thumb) will be placed on Injured Reserve after fracturing his right thumb in the Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams, according to sources. O'Connell was making his second start of the year on Sunday but will now be out for four to six weeks and will miss at least the next four games after going on IR. He'll have a chance to return this season, but the earliest O'Connell can return would be in Week 13 against the division-rival Kansas City Chiefs on Dec. 8. In his two starts, O'Connell went 33-for-50 for 279 yards with a TD and an interception. Gardner Minshew II will now take over as Vegas' starter, but he's nothing more than a low-upside, low-end QB2 in superflex fantasy leagues. After relieving O'Connell on Sunday, Minshew went 15-for-34 for 154 yards with three interceptions and also lost a fumble.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew II was substituted in when lead quarterback Aidan O'Connell (thumb) was forced out for the rest of the game due to an injury when the Raiders played the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7. The former Jacksonville Jaguar finished the game, but it was a dreadful outing. H completed 15 of 34 passes for 154 yards, no touchdowns and three interceptions. He also carried the ball once for two yards and lost a fumble. Las Vegas lost 15-20, so it's safe to say the giveaways were the difference. O'Connell seems to be set to miss time, so Minshew could start against the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 8. He's difficult to trust against KC's elite defense, even in 2QB leagues.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (thumb) exited Sunday's matchup with the Los Angeles Rams. The signal-caller didn't last long in Week 7 and will finish the contest by throwing for 52 yards off 6-for-10 passing. Unfortunately, there is concern that O'Connell suffered a broken thumb, which would presumably put him on the shelf for a while. But fantasy managers will need to wait for the results of impending tests on Monday. If the worst is confirmed, Gardner Minshew II will likely be back under center, although his track record this season won't make him a viable fantasy asset in any format.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell (thumb) exited during the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Los Angeles Rams and was taken to the locker room for further evaluation. He is officially listed as questionable to return, but head coach Antonio Pierce told the CBS broadcast that "it doesn't look like he'll be back." O'Connell suffered the injury while grazing his hand on a defender during a pass attempt. Gardner Minshew II has entered the game in his place. At the time of his departure, O'Connell had completed six of 10 passes for 52 yards, zero touchdowns, and zero turnovers. It's been a tumultuous start to the year for the Las Vegas quarterback room. Minshew opened the year as the starter, was benched for O'Connell due to poor performance, and is now back in the lineup due to his teammate's injury. Based on Pierce's comments, it sounds like Minshew will stay in the game as Las Vegas' quarterback for the rest of Week 7.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell will face the Los Angeles Rams in Week 7. While they have a much softer defense than the Pittsburgh Steelers he played against in Week 6, he will be missing two important offensive weapons. Wide receiver Davante Adams is now with the New York Jets, and his now-top receiver, Jakobi Meyers (ankle), is doubtful to play. The second-year passer will now have to work with rookie tight end Brock Bowers and sophomore WR Tre Tucker as his top pass-catching options. Bowers has played admirably, but it could be yet another low-volume offensive performance for the black and silver on Sunday. O'Connell profiles as a fringe starter in 2QB fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | The Raiders will replace Gardner Minshew at quarterback with Aidan O'Connell. Dynasty Analysis: The Raiders are 2-3 and while Minshew hasn't been awful, he also hasn't done anything to make anyone believe this looks like a playoff team. With Davante Adams likely on the way out, this is starting to look a little like a lost season for Las Vegas, so it makes sense for them to see if O'Connell can provide a spark. In his 11 games last year, he threw for 2,218 yards with 12 touchdowns and seven interception looking relatively average most Sundays. At this point, the Raiders are likely going to be scouting the college scene pretty hard in search of who may be their next signal caller. If O'Connell falls on his face, they could also scour the trade market (Russell Wilson could be available). Minshew can be dropped in dynasty leagues while O'Connell is back on the map.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell will start against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, according to ESPN's Paul Gutierrez. Veteran Gardner Minshew has struggled as the team's starter, passing for 1,014 yards, four touchdowns, and five interceptions in five games. The Raiders are out to a 2-3 start and are rumored to be looking to trade All-Pro wideout Davante Adams (hamstring), so things are turning south in the Sin City quickly. O'Connell is now a must-add option in two-QB or Superflex leagues, but it would be surprising if he performs well enough to become a viable starter in single-QB formats. Without Adams, the Las Vegas skill group featuring Jakobi Meyers, Tre Tucker, and Brock Bowers is decent, but it's a bottom-half supporting cast in the NFL. O'Connell played in 11 games last year and posted 2,218 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | Raiders Head Coach Antonio Pierce was non-committal when asked about his starting quarterback moving forward. Dynasty Analysis: It's pretty rare when radio silence means your current starter is keeping their job and this doesn't look good for Minshew, who was replaced by Aidan O'Connell on Sunday after he threw a backbreaking "pick-six." Minshew hasn't been the biggest problem for Las Vegas but he also hasn't been much of the solution, either. O'Connell could provide a short-term boost for the offense but he hasn't exactly looked the part of a franchise quarterback, either. The Raiders are likely looking for a long-term solution this Spring. Both quarterbacks currently have some value, but Minshew will be a tough hold in a non-Superflex league should he lose his job.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dynasty | Raiders quarterback Gardner Minshew completed 12-of-17 passes with one touchdown and two interceptions before being benched in the Raiders loss to the Broncos. Dynasty Analysis: The Raiders are 2-3 and really haven't looked good on offense all season. Aidan O'Connell (10-of-20 with an interception) certainly didn't look much better, so we'll have to see what Las Vegas does moving forward. Regardless, Minshew has proven yet again he's more than capable of being a spot starter but hardly someone to rely on for an entire season. He's a weak hold in dynasty leagues and a drop candidate should this benching be permanent.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell has entered Sunday's matchup with the Denver Broncos. Gardner Minshew II didn't have the best showing, throwing for 137 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions, so the move was likely related to his performance. This isn't the first time this has happened this season, meaning it's possible Minshew's days as the starter are over, at least for now. However, O'Connell wasn't the most consistent fantasy signal-caller in 2023, making him hard to trust in any format moving ahead.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell took over for Gardner Minshew II in Sunday's matchup with the Panthers. Minshew didn't play the worst, throwing for 214 yards, one touchdown, and one pick off 18-for-28 passing. However, with the Panthers up big, the change was made. With that in mind, the situation is worth monitoring ahead of the Week 4 game with the Browns. But at this point, Minshew or O'Connell wouldn't draw much fantasy interest for the meeting with Cleveland.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce confirmed on Wednesday that quarterback Aidan O'Connell won't play in the preseason finale on Friday against the San Francisco 49ers. The Raiders named Gardner Minshew II as their starting QB earlier this week, and the Raiders will hold both Minshew and O'Connell out of action this weekend, with Carter Bradley and Nathan Peterman set to split the reps under center. The 25-year-old O'Connell will enter his second NFL season as the backup to Minshew, but if Minshew struggles early on, don't be surprised if Pierce gives O'Connell a shot. He went 5-5 as the starter in 2023 after the team moved on from Jimmy Garoppolo, throwing 12 touchdowns and seven interceptions. Ultimately, experience won out for Pierce, with Minshew having 37 career NFL starts under his belt. For now, O'Connell is merely a QB3/4 bench stash in superflex fantasy leagues.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | The Raiders have named Gardner Minshew their starting quarterback. Dynasty Analysis: Minshew beats out Aidan O'Connell for the job, though neither was overly impressive this off-season. Minshew was fine in Indianapolis last season, throwing for 3,305 yards with 15 touchdowns and nine interceptions. He slots in as an uninspiring game manager who should help keep the offense afloat but far from elite. His grip on the job won't be too strong but this is a major blow to the draft stock of O'Connell.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Dynasty | Gardner Minshew has been named the starter for the Las Vegas Raiders, pushing Aidan O'Connell to the bench. Dynasty Analysis: Yikes. It seems O'Connell just didn't show enough improvement this off-season for the Raiders to truly trust him with the job. Instead, they're going with a more conservative Gardner Minshew and likely playing some run-first football moving forward. This is a massive blow to the stock of O'Connell, who the Raiders could be quick to turn to, but will be holding a clipboard for the foreseeable future. He's a tough hold on dynasty rosters after this turn of events.

From Dynasty League Fantasy

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce has yet to decide on a starting quarterback for the preseason opener against the Vikings, but he indicated that both Gardner Minshew II and Aidan O'Connell will each play a quarter. Pierce noted that the order of the starters is not significant because the other quarterback will start the following week. Throughout the offseason, Pierce allowed O'Connell to take the initial reps while equally distributing opportunities with Minshew. Early in camp, neither quarterback has managed to distinguish themselves. Although Minshew appeared to gain an edge over the past week, Pierce has maintained that the situation remains "status quo," with no final decision made. "This preseason game will be very telling," Pierce said of the QB battle. "I want to see these guys manage the ball, lead the team, and handle situational football." The unofficial depth chart for the game also lacks clarity, listing the first-team QB as either O'Connell or Minshew. While neither quarterback is likely to be worth rostering in single-QB leagues, monitoring the situation to determine who will be throwing passes to receiver Davante Adams and rookie tight end Brock Bowers is essential.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders head coach Antonio Pierce won't announce a starter at quarterback for the team's preseason opener this Saturday against the Minnesota Vikings but said Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell will each get an opportunity to set themselves apart in the QB competition. "Like I said, both quarterbacks are gonna play a legit quarter. Who goes out first and who goes out second really doesn't matter. [They will] get hopefully an equal amount of snaps and opportunity to showcase," Pierce said. The head coach has allowed O'Connell to get the initial reps throughout the offseason but has equaled out the opportunities with Minshew. Through the opening stages of training camp, neither signal-caller has distanced themselves, despite some speculation that Minshew has the slight edge. By all accounts, it sounds as though the Raiders offense has struggled under both Minshew and O'Connell so far.

From RotoBaller

When asked who the Las Vegas Raiders' starting quarterback is heading into training camp at the end of July, wide receiver Davante Adams thinks it's Aidan O'Connell over newcomer Gardner Minshew. "I want whoever is going to look the best when it's live bullets... I think right now if I had to say, I think Aidan has the job," Adams said. O'Connell has the experience running the offense from 2023, but given the two-year, $25 million investment in Minshew this offseason, it wouldn't be a surprise if Minshew takes the job from O'Connell in camp and the preseason. Both signal-callers didn't look great during OTAs and minicamp, and O'Connell was up and down in 10 starts in 2023 in his rookie season. Whoever wins the Raiders job under center to open the 2024 campaign will be a low-end QB2 option for fantasy managers in superflex formats.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders quarterbacks Gardner Minshew and Aidan O'Connell split snaps with the starters during offseason team activities and will continue to do so when training camp begins later this month. Both signal-callers got off to rough starts during OTAs and struggled with accuracy, turned the ball over too much and failed to consistently push the ball down the field. They are both learning offensive coordinator Luke Getsy's scheme, but they both still have a ways to go. The front office and coaching staff are confident that Minshew or O'Connell will separate themselves in training camp and the preseason. It will depend on performance, but it wouldn't be a surprise if both Minshew and O'Connell take the field at some point in 2024. Minshew is probably the favorite given his experience and ability to make plays with his legs.

From RotoBaller

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Aidan O'Connell was unexpectedly moved into the starting role last season after veterans Jimmy Garoppolo and Brian Hoyer flamed out and head coach Josh McDaniels was fired. The Purdue product completed 62.1% of his passes for 2,218 yards, 12 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He played well enough to contend to be the starting in 2024, but he'll have to beat out Gardner Minshew II. Hoyer, a 15-year NFL veteran, isn't counting O'Connell out. "Maybe I'm biased," Hoyer said. "But I think what Aidan did last year -- I know he hasn't shown it as much as Gardner Minshew has throughout his career -- but I know the guys really gravitated to the way Aidan took over and his leadership as a young player." O'Connell has familiarity with the organization and chemistry with Davante Adams and Jakobi Meyers, so he could have a slight edge in the battle for the QB1 spot. If he wins the job, he might have underrated value in Superflex and two-QB formats.

From RotoBaller

Dynasty | Numerous reports are stating Aidan O'Connell is in the lead to be the Raiders starting quarterback. Dynasty Analysis: Many believed Gardner Minshew would walk in and take over but that doesn't seem to be the case. The Raiders were left in the cold in this year's NFL Draft, seeing just about every option being taken ahead of them. O'Connell had his moments but he's far from a sure thing to start. Regardless, this is a story to keep track of moving forward.

From Dynasty League Fantasy