Dalton has bone bruise

An MRI confirmed that Bears QB Andy Dalton escaped with only a bone bruise in his left knee in Sunday's win over the Bengals. It's not yet clear whether he'll miss further time, but Dalton did at least avoid major injury. HC Matt Nagy has said Dalton will remain the starter when he's back healthy.

Panthers QB Andy Dalton racked up 361 yards and 2 TDs on 34-of-58 passing in place of Bryce Young in Sunday's loss to the Seahawks. Carolina leaned surprisingly heavily on the pass, considering the team stayed within one score of Seattle until late in the third quarter. With the Sunday night and Monday games yet to go, Dalton sits seventh among QBs in fantasy points (by ESPN scoring). Dalton will carry some streaming potential for a Week 4 matchup with the Vikings if Young remains out.

Panthers QB Andy Dalton believes he’s still a top-32 QB in the NFL. “I view myself as a starter in this league; I don’t think there are 32 guys better than me,” Dalton told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram. “But this is the situation I am in, and I understand that. As soon as I don’t think I’m one of the best 32, or a little lower, I’ll be watching football on TV.” Barring a summer face plant from Bryce Young, Dalton will enter September in a backup role.

The Panthers have reportedly agreed to a two-year, $10 million contract with QB Andy Dalton. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the deal includes $8 million in guaranteed money and that the contract could be worth up to $17 million in total. This deal makes a lot of sense for the Panthers as they're likely to take a young QB with the number one overall pick in the NFL Draft next month. Having an experienced player like Dalton there to serve as a mentor and aid in the development of whoever the franchise ultimately chooses to draft is a wise choice. Should HC Frank Reich choose to take his time with whichever rookie QB the team opts for, Dalton could feasibly be a decent bridge option for a few games as well. Dalton totaled 2,871 passing yards with 18 touchdowns and nine interceptions in 14 starts with the Saints in 2022. If nothing else, this means dynasty managers can justify holding onto their shares of Dalton.

Saints QB Andy Dalton finished with 18 completions on 22 attempts for 204 yards and 1 INT in Week 17's win vs. the Eagles. QB/TE hybrid Taysom Hill had his fair share of production as well, completing both of his pass attempts for 24 yards in addition to 46 rushing yards and a TD on the ground. The tandem approach has worked relatively well for the Saints all season, but it's far from an ideal circumstance for an NFL offense to rely upon. The pair will prepare to take on the Panthers in Week 18.

Saints QB Andy Dalton threw for 151 yards and 2 TDs in Sunday's narrow win over the Falcons. He found TE Juwan Johnson for each score, from 19 and 22 yards out. He ceded the remaining TD toss to Taysom Hill, in a game that saw New Orleans attempt only 19 passes. The Saints visit another soft run defense in Cleveland in Week 16. Then comes a Philly defense that rates weak vs. the run and league best against the pass. Don't get excited about Dalton as an option for your fantasy football playoffs.