AJ McCarron

The Cincinnati Bengals are releasing veteran backup QB AJ McCarron ahead of the new league year.

Fantasy Impact

McCarron appeared in two games after being signed to the team's active roster on Dec. 4 to provide further depth following QB Joe Burrow's injury. The 33-year-old McCarron was originally drafted by the Bengals as a fifth-rounder out of Alabama in 2014. This was his second stint with Cincinnati and came after a year with the XFL's St. Louis Battlehawks.

The Bengals have elevated AJ McCarron to the active roster.

Fantasy Impact

This was the corresponding move to Joe Burrow being placed on the injured reserve. McCarron figures to serve as the backup to Jake Browning the rest of this season for the Bengals.

AJ McCarron is signing with Cincinnati's practice squad.

Fantasy Impact

The Bengals are bringing in McCarron on the practice squad in case they need to elevate him if Joe Burrow (calf) doesn't play on Monday night. It remains to be seen if that will be the case or not, and that decision will be made closer to game time. The veteran has a lot of experience, but him replacing a QB like Burrow would hurt a lot of the skill-position players with fantasy value on Monday night.

Atlanta Falcons QB AJ McCarron (knee) suffered a torn ACL in his right knee during a 37-17 preseason Week 2 loss against the Miami Dolphins on Saturday.

Fantasy Impact

McCarron suffered the torn ACL after being tackled on a seven-yard scramble. The Falcons are left with a shallow depth chart behind aging veteran Matt Ryan, as rookie Feleipe Franks is athletic and mobile but has not shown strong competency with his passing ability during the preseason. However, the roster has supreme talent at the wide receiver and tight end positions, which means passing will likely be the offensive identity. New head coach Arthur Smith's history of a run-centric offense with the Tennessee Titans should be ignored, as the personnel in Atlanta is much different. Ryan led the league in pass attempts in 2020, so expect a similar offensive scheme in 2021.

Adam Schefter of ESPN reports Falcons QB AJ McCarron suffered a "significant" knee injury in Week 2 of the preseason.

Fantasy Impact

There's no diagnosis yet but it already sounds as if McCarron's season could be in jeopardy. UDFA Feleipe Franks is currently the team's No. 3 QB behind Matt Ryan and McCarron.