NFL: Three Quarterbacks Benched Heading Into Week 16

If you are in the midst of your fantasy football playoffs, or you’re looking for the best NFL bets this weekend, this is big news.

On Tuesday, three different NFL teams announced that they were benching their starting quarterbacks, and one of the teams is in the midst of a playoff chase.

Atlanta Falcons Turn to Michael Penix Jr.

In the early afternoon on Tuesday, Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said at his news conference that he wasn’t ready to name a starter for their Week 16 game at home against the New York Giants. A few hours later, he had made up his mind.

Former Washington Huskies standout and first round draft pick Michael Penix Jr. will make his first career start on Sunday. After just 14 starts in Atlanta, Kirk Cousins is headed to the bench. Cousins signed a four-year, $180 million contract with the Falcons last March, with a $50 million signing bonus and $90 million in guarantees. But his recovery from last season’s Achilles tear has taken a toll on his ability to move in the pocket, and overall, his play has suffered.

When the season began, Cousins was the second betting favorite to win Comeback Player of the Year, paying +435, and only trailing Aaron Rodgers. In November, Cousins became the favorite, and was well ahead of the field at -120. Now, four losses and nine interceptions later, Cousins is off the betting board and out of the lineup.

His 88.6 passer rating this season is his lowest since he was a part-time starter in 2014, and his NFL-leading 16 interceptions is a career-high.

The Falcons are still alive in the playoff hunt, and with Penix under center, they are favored to beat the Giants by nine points.

Cleveland Browns to Sit Jameis Winston

The Cleveland Browns were 1-6 in the seven starts by Deshaun Watson, and even though the offense was far more exciting in the seven starts for Jameis Winston, the record was only 2-5. Head coach Kevin Stefanski is desperate for his quarterback to do better, so he is making a switch to Dorian Thompson-Robinson for Sunday’s game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

Cleveland turned the ball over six times in their Week 15 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, which included three interceptions by Winston. Thompson-Robinson came in late to relieve Winston on Sunday, and also threw a pick.

The second-year, fifth-round draft pick made three starts in 2023, winning one of them. In four games off the bench this season, he is 15-of-34 for 100 yards and three interceptions.

The game is in Cincinnati, and the Bengals are 7.5-point favorites.

Will Levis to the Bench in Tennessee

Will Levis was a part of the rookie quarterback class of 2023. But as the second pick of the second round, he is often forgotten behind Bryce Young, C.J. Stroud, and Anthony Richardson.

But like with Young and Richardson, the transition to the NFL has been a challenge for Levis, and at least for this week, he is headed to the bench. On Sunday against the Bengals, he threw three interceptions, including his NFL-leading fourth pick-six of the season. That prompted a change to Mason Rudolph last Sunday, and Rudolph will stay at QB1 for Tennessee’s trip to face the Indianapolis Colts this Sunday.

Rudolph started four games earlier this season when Levis was out with an injury, and two of Tennessee’s three wins came during that stretch.

The Titans are long out of the playoff race. But the Colts still have a shot at a wild card slot, so this game is very meaningful to them. Indianapolis is 3.5-point favorites, and a win over Tennessee would keep them in the playoff chase.