It's now readily apparent that former first-round pick EJ Manuel is no longer in the running for the Buffalo Bills starting quarterback job. Matt Cassel started the team's opener this past week, and it appears that Tyrod Taylor will start the team's second preseason game this week.
From Vic Carucci of The Buffalo News:
"Once again, saw limited work as the No. 3 quarterback. Continues to fade out of the competition, which clearly is a two-man battle between Cassel and Taylor."
The Bills' beat writer was detailing how reps were handed out during the team's joint practice with the Cleveland Browns on Monday. He went on to indicate that Cassel and Taylor were splitting first-team reps.
Manuel, a first-round pick in the 2013 NFL draft, fell out of favor last year under the old regime. There had been some thought given to the idea that the Florida State product might be able to start anew under first-year head coach Rex Ryan. Whether he was given a fair shot remains to be seen, but there's now a possibility that Manuel is fighting for a job on the 53-man roster.
As it relates to Cassel and Taylor, neither was really impressive in Buffalo's preseason opener against the Carolina Panthers on Friday. Getting the start, Cassel completed 7-of-8 passes for just 45 yards without a touchdown or an interception. Most of his passes were of the short or intermediate variety. Meanwhile, Taylor attempted to get the ball down the field a bit more, completing 5-of-8 passes for 49 yards. As the third quarterback into the game, Manuel completed the longest pass of the evening, a 51-yard strike to Deonte Thompson. Though, it must be noted that this came against a Browns defense that was already deep into its bench.
Fantasy Slant
None of these three quarterbacks should be rostered. The only real takeaway from who wins the starting job as the preseason progresses is how he opens up the field and takes defense away from the box in the passing game. That will go a long way in determining just how productive LeSean McCoy can be in this offense. It's also going to be interesting to see who Sammy Watkins gels the most with. Outside of that, the quarterback competition is meaningless from a fantasy perspective.