Chris

Streveler

Streveler is reportedly dealing with an undisclosed injury and could revert to the Jets’ IR if he goes unclaimed on waivers. The 28-year-old quarterback has bounced around between the Cardinals, Ravens, Dolphins, and Jets since leading the Winnipeg Blue Bombers to a CFL championship in 2019. A dual-threat quarterback who boasts 4.5 speed, Streveler is an athletic player who has primarily served as a practice squad QB.

Flacco, not down-bad Zach Wilson, will draw the start with Mike White sidelined with a rib injury he suffered last month. Jets beat write Connor Hughes said Wilson may have started if the team’s offensive line were healthier. Sure. White was severely compromised and exposed as a deeply-flawed passer in Week 17 against the Seahawks, completing half of his passes for 240 yards, no touchdowns, and two picks. Flacco’s passing volume in 2022 spot starts has been excellent for Jets pass catchers, including Tyler Conklin and Garrett Wilson. If Chris Streveler is active against Miami, he could be used as a read-option quarterback in short yardage and goal line situations.

It’s not that fantasy managers were eager to use Streveler in their championship matchups, but that the dual-threat quarterback would complicate matters for both Mike White and Zonovan Knight. In Week 16 against the Jaguars, Streveler relieved Zach Wilson and rushed nine times for 54 yards while passing for 90 yards. Jets coaches talked early this week about deploying Streveler in read-option packages against the Seahawks, potentially taking away touchdown opportunities for Knight and White. Fantasy managers should keep a close eye on Streveler’s Week 17 status.

Called up from the practice squad just hours before Thursday night’s kickoff against Jacksonville, Streveler played most of the second half in Zach Wilson’s place, rushing for 54 yards on nine carries and passing for 90 scoreless yards. Wilson was his usual inaccurate, discombobulated, unconfident self, throwing for 92 yards and a pick on 18 attempts before being yanked. Wilson said he had no issue with the team’s QB change. “You can’t blame [Saleh] in that situation,” Wilson said. “He put Chris out there, and he’s obviously great with his legs and his arm, and he was able to give us a little spark there. You could see that was the most we moved the ball all day, so you can’t blame him.” Zonovan Knight had another down game on Thursday. He rushed six times for -2 yards while Michael Carter operated as New York’s pass-catching back. Continued playing time for Streveler would make Knight all but unplayable in fantasy leagues going forward. No Jets player has particularly bright fantasy prospects over the season’s final couple weeks unless Mike White (ribs) can return.

With the Jets in desperate need of an offensive spark — and we do mean desperate — they turned to Taysom Hill-esque Streveler in the dying moments of the third quarter. He responded by generating more first downs on one drive (four) than Zach Wilson had in seven previous possessions (three). He was then allowed to finish out the game as Wilson and Joe Flacco watched from the sideline in windswept conditions. Although the frantic gambit provided some returns this evening — Streveler was the Jets’ leading rusher in addition to most effective passer — we highly doubt it will lead to a future start. The Jets will return to Mike White (ribs) if he’s healthy for Week 17 against the Seahawks and likely pair Streveler with Flacco if White isn’t ready. The only thing that’s certain is that Wilson is done under center for 2022.

Streveler had a pretty strong preseason, completing 24-of-33 passes for 277 yards and a 5:1 TD:INT mark, while also leading the Jets with 71 rushing yards. There just wasn’t any room for Streveler behind Zach Wilson, Joe Flacco, and Mike White. Streveler should definitely get another shot elsewhere.

Streveler ended his 2021 season on the Ravens’ practice squad but his only regular season reps have come with the Cardinals. He completed 17-of-25 passes for 141 yards, a touchdown, and an interception across seven non-starts with the Cardinals. Streveler will compete for a backup job in Miami.

The 2018 UDFA is fresh off winning a Grey Cup for the CFL’s Winnipeg Blue Bombers. A dual-threat for Minnesota and then small-school South Dakota in college, Streveler is described as a Taysom Hill-esque “swiss-army-knife quarterback” by the Cardinals’ website. Streveler just turned 25. His odds of making the 53-man roster will be long.