Height/Weight: 6-4/230
| Birthdate: 6/22/1989
| Birthplace: San Diego, CA, USA
| Team: Arizona
| College: San Diego State
| NFL Experience: 2
| Owned/Started%: 1/0 | Average Draft Position: 142.00
News: New Cardinals coach Bruce Arians told the official team website he intends to give the quarterbacks currently on the roster a chance to stay with the club. Arians inherited a trio of passers with inconsistent track records: Kevin Kolb, John Skelton and Ryan Lindley. But just because they're there doesn't mean they'll start since the Cardinals have all offseason to look for replacements. "I'm sure that (general manager) Steve (Keim) and (vice president of player personnel) Jason (Licht) are going to be looking behind door number two," Arians said. "If door number two is a better option, we'll go to door number two."
Analysis: Combined, the quarterbacks had 11 touchdowns and 21 interceptions with Kolb owning eight of the touchdowns over six games. Skelton threw two touchdowns and nine interceptions in seven games and Lindley had seven interceptions and zero touchdowns in six games. Neither Skelton nor Lindley have Fantasy appeal.
News: Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt announced Wednesday that Brian Hoyer will start Week 17 against the 49ers. Hoyer came on for Ryan Lindley during the second half of Week 16 and completed 11 of 19 passes for 105 yards and an interception.
Analysis: Lindley has thrown for 752 yards in six games this season but has yet to throw a touchdown pass while being picked off seven times. He had minimal appeal in Fantasy as the starter and can be ignored in all formats for Week 17.
News: Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said Monday he is still evaluating the quarterback position and has not decided on a starter for the season finale against San Francisco. Newcomer Brian Hoyer replaced ineffective starter Ryan Lindley during the second half of the Cardinals' loss to Chicago in Week 16. "We haven’t even watched the tape with the team yet," Whisenhunt told the team's official website. "I’m hesitant until we go through some of those things. There are always situations that come up where you want to find out what was going through the player’s mind, what they were thinking, that all goes into the decision part of it."
Analysis: It's only fitting the Cardinals' constant shuffling under center would extend into the last game of the season. Arizona has used four different quarterbacks this season, and ranks near the bottom of the league in passing offense (186.5 yards per game). "At that position, you have to have stability, you have to have consistency of play, and we haven’t had that," Whisenhunt said. At this point, neither of the Cardinals' remaining quarterbacks are advisable Fantasy options as owners should seek other options in all formats for Week 17.
News: Cardinals quarterback Ryan Lindley made his fourth start of the season in Week 16 against the Bears but did not make it through the contest. He completed 17 of 28 passes for 141 yards in the first half but threw a pick-six to Charles Tillman on his second attempt after halftime and was pulled for backup Brian Hoyer. Lindley posted a 55 passer rating in the 28-13 loss.
Analysis: Lindley has yet to throw a touchdown pass in his young career and has been picked off seven times. Even if he ends up starting again in Week 17 against the 49ers, plan on ignoring the rookie in all Fantasy formats.
News: Cardinals quarterback Ryan Lindley will be making his fourth start of the season in Week 16 against the Bears and will look to throw the first touchdown pass of his career. The rookie has thrown for 611 yards with six interceptions thus far. Chicago ranks sixth in the league in pass defense, giving up under 211 yards per game, and has limited opposing quarterbacks to an average of 13.3 Fantasy points.
Analysis: Lindley has thrown for a combined 235 yards over the previous three games and will likely not be asked to throw a ton on Sunday. The Cardinals will likely rely on their running game once again so leave the 23-year-old on waivers in the majority of Fantasy formats.
News: Cardinals quarterback Ryan Lindley finished 14 of 21 for 104 yards during Arizona's 38-10 win over Detroit in Week 15. Lindley, who was back in the starting lineup after being benched for last Sunday's game at Seattle, recorded one interception and no touchdown passes. He has now racked up six interceptions without a touchdown over five games this season. The rookie gained a season-high eight yards on two rushing attempts.
Analysis: Despite failing to record a touchdown again, there were some positives from Lindley's outing. He completed a season-high 66.7 percent of his passes while surpassing 100 yards for the first time in his past three games. The 23-year-old also showed improved chemistry with top wideout Larry Fitzgerald, who had four catches for 22 yards. He was held to less than two receptions in three of his past four outings. Lindley is still too risky to trust at this point in the season and should be bypassed in all Fantasy formats for Week 16 against Chicago.
News: The Cardinals' woeful quarterback rotation turns back to Ryan Lindley for another start during a Week 15 matchup against Detroit. Lindley had started two games but was benched in favor of John Skelton for last Sunday's game in Seattle. But Skelton was pulled after throwing four interceptions against the Seahawks and Lindley finished the game, completing 47.1 percent of his passes. "We're going to go with Ryan this week," Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "He's gotten experience and you'd like to think that we can progress from those experiences, and hopefully he'll play well in this game."
Analysis: Lindley said he wants to show he's better than his disappointing performance two weeks ago in a 7-6 loss to the Jets, when he completed 10 of 31 passes for 72 yards. The Cardinals had five first downs in that game, tying a franchise worst, and were 0 for 15 on third-down conversions. "I just kind of knew after that game there was a lot of improvement I needed to do," the rookie said. "I needed to show I can play better than that. Getting another opportunity, that's exactly what it is, an opportunity to go out and play." But Lindley is not viewed as a reliable Fantasy option for Week 15 against a Lions defense that is permitting an average of 18.4 Fantasy points per game to opposing quarterbacks.
News: Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt announced Wednesday Ryan Lindley will start at quarterback Week 15 vs. Detroit. Lindley, who started Week 12 and Week 13, came off the bench Week 14 at Seattle to replace John Skelton, who will now return to a backup role Sunday. The Cardinals also placed quarterback Kevin Kolb (ribs) on injured reserve Wednesday.
Analysis: The Cardinals had to chose a quarterback to start Week 15 now that Kolb is done for the season. Skelton was quite disappointing during a 58-0 loss to Seattle, so it seems Whisenhunt wants to give Lindley another chance. It's just that Lindley had 4 Fantasy points in his start against St. Louis and no Fantasy points in his start against the Jets, so he is not a recommended Fantasy start Week 15.
News: Cardinals quarterback Ryan Lindley did not receive the start in Week 14 against the Seahawks but saw some action in the 58-0 blowout loss. After starter John Skelton completed 11 of 22 passes for 74 yards and four interceptions, Lindley came on in the third quarter. He went 8 for 17 for 59 yards. Lindley also lost a fumble in the defeat.
Analysis: The Cardinals have not gotten much out of Lindley and Skelton this season but one of the two will likely be needed to start again in Week 15 against the Lions unless Kevin Kolb is able to return. Keep an eye on the situation going forward but even if Lindley receives the nod against Detroit, continue to ignore him in most Fantasy formats.
News: Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt has decided to make another change at quarterback. After starting Ryan Lindley the last two games, Whisenhunt said Wednesday he is going back to John Skelton for Week 14 at Seattle. Kevin Kolb continues to nurse an injury to his ribs.
Analysis: You can't really blame Whisenhunt for putting Lindley back on the bench. He didn't provide the spark Whisenhunt was looking for and completed just 48.5 percent of his passes since replacing Skelton Week 11 at Atlanta. Lindley was started in zero percent of Fantasy leagues, so continue to leave him out of active lineups.
News: Arizona quarterback Ryan Lindley connected on just 32.3 percent of his attempts and failed to record a touchdown pass during the Cardinals' 7-6 loss to the Jets in Week 13. Lindley went 10 of 31 for 71 yards and an interception while playing for quarterback Kevin Kolb, who missed his sixth straight game with a rib injury. In his two starts, he has amassed five interceptions and no touchdown passes during two Arizona losses.
Analysis: Lindley was harassed by a Jets defense that was terrific in keeping the Cardinals out of the end zone, taking advantage of a rookie quarterback making his second NFL start. In a game that saw New York remove ineffective starter Mark Sanchez, Lindley remained in the game despite finishing with an average of just 2.3 yards per pass attempt. Kolb has reported progress in his recovery from the injury and Arizona hopes he can return for Week 14 at Seattle. If not, Lindley could earn another start but is far from a reliable Fantasy option.
News: Arizona quarterback Kevin Kolb remained on the team's inactive list for Week 13 against the Jets as he continues to deal with a lingering ribs issue. Kolb, who was a limited participant in practice and listed as questionable for Sunday's game, will be replaced under center again by rookie Ryan Lindley. New York enters Sunday's matchup surrendering just 211.3 passing yards per game this season.
Analysis: Lindley failed to provide much hope for the Cardinals' woeful quarterback situation and was picked off four times by the Rams' opportunistic defense in last Sunday's loss. The 23-year-old, who was the team's sixth-round pick in last April's NFL draft, did attempt 52 passes (completing 31 of them) as he racked up 312 yards -- the second-highest total by an Arizona quarterback this year. With the Jets yielding an average of 16.8 Fantasy points per game, Lindley is hardly considered a worthwhile option in most formats for Week 13.
News: Cardinals quarterback Ryan Lindley could make his second straight start during Week 13 against the Jets after Kevin Kolb was listed as questionable on the team's injury report. Earlier this week, Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said Lindley would remain the starter if Kolb was unable to return from a ribs injury. He has missed the past five games with the issue while the Cardinals have been mired in a seven-game losing streak. New York enters Sunday's matchup surrendering just 211.3 passing yards per game this season.
Analysis: Lindley failed to provide much hope for the Cardinals' woeful quarterback situation and was picked off four times by the Rams' opportunistic defense in last Sunday's loss. The 23-year-old, who was the team's sixth-round pick in the previous NFL draft, did attempt 52 passes (completing 31 of them) as he racked up 312 yards -- the second-highest total by an Arizona quarterback this year. With the Jets yielding an average of 16.8 Fantasy points per game, Lindley is hardly considered a worthwhile option in most formats for Week 13 if he starts.
News: Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said Monday Ryan Lindley will remain the starting quarterback Week 13 at N.Y. Jets, if Kevin Kolb, who has missed the last five games with an injury to his ribs, isn't ready to return.
Analysis: Lindley made his first career start Sunday against the Rams. While he surpassed 300 passing yards, Lindley had no touchdowns and four interceptions. Apparently John Skelton is so deep in the doghouse that Whisenhunt rather suffer through Lindley's growing pains than put Skelton back under center. Luckily, Fantasy owners don't have to put up with Lindley, who is just a desperation option if he starts again Sunday.
News: Cardinals quarterback Ryan Lindley made the first start of his young career in Week 12 against the Rams and was able to rack up some yards. He completed 31 of 52 passes for 312 yards but was picked off four times in the 31-17 loss. The rookie was intercepted by Janoris Jenkins in the second quarter and Jenkins returned it 36 yards for a touchdown. After getting picked off by Craig Dahl in the third quarter, he tossed another pick-six -- again to Jenkins -- before James Laurinaitis ended Arizona's comeback with another interception in the closing minutes of the game. Lindley, who also gained 1 yard on one carry, posted a 44.7 passer rating in the defeat. “You’ve got to roll with the punches,” Lindley said, per the team's official website. “I think I punched myself pretty good today.”
Analysis: Lindley showed some decent arm strength Sunday but had plenty of passes he would like to have back. Despite turning the ball over four times, coach Ken Whisenhunt stuck with the 23-year-old but the quarterback controversy in Arizona seems far from over. John Skelton could return to the starting lineup for Week 13 against the Jets so keep an eye on the situation going forward. Even if Lindley remains the starter for the Cardinals, continue to ignore him in the majority of Fantasy formats, especially against New York.
News: Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt named Ryan Lindley the starting quarterback Week 12 vs. St. Louis. Lindley replaced John Skelton Week 11 at Atlanta. Kevin Kolb remains sidelined by a rib injury. “I’m ready to go,” Lindley said, per the team's official website. “Come Sunday it’s just about getting it done.”
Analysis: Kolb is expected to practice some this week, but clearly he isn't ready to start. Kolb will likely be the starter once healthy, but now Lindley gets a chance to showcase his skills. Kolb was under center for Arizona's 13-7 loss at St. Louis in Week 5. He passed for 289 yards, but had no touchdowns and was sacked nine times. Quarterbacks average 240.7 passing yards and 17.8 Fantasy points per week against St. Louis. Lindley is just a desperation Fantasy play. Fantasy owners should continue to stash Kolb in the deepest of formats and drop Skelton to waivers.
News: Cardinals coach Ken Whisenhunt said Monday he hasn't made a decision yet about who will be the team's starting quarterback Week 12 vs. St. Louis. John Skelton was replaced by Ryan Lindley during a 23-19 loss Sunday at Atlanta. Whisenhunt said he will sit down with his coaching staff and discuss the situation. Adding a wrinkle to the mix will be the status of quarterback Kevin Kolb, who has missed the last four games due to an injury to his ribs. Whisenhunt said he expects Kolb to practice some this week.
Analysis: You don't need to be a brain surgeon to connect the dots. Kolb is the likely starter when healthy, so if he is healthy enough to play Week 12, you have to think he will start. Whisenhunt said Monday he never considered starting Lindley since Skelton had a strong performance Week 9 at Green Bay, but Skelton missed plays Week 11, which is why Lindley came off the bench. Kolb was under center for Arizona's 13-7 loss at St. Louis in Week 5. He passed for 289 yards, but had no touchdowns and was sacked nine times. Quarterbacks average 240.7 passing yards and 17.8 Fantasy points per week against St. Louis. Whoever starts will be just a low-end Fantasy option.
News: The Cardinals opted to replace an ineffective John Skelton with rookie Ryan Lindley midway through the second quarter Week 11 at Atlanta. The move came after the Cardinals had to settle for field goals on two drives that began on the Falcons' side of the field. Skelton badly missed a wide-open Larry Fitzgerald in the end zone on one of the drives that resulted in a field goal. Lindley wasn't exactly an improvement, completing 9 of 20 passes for 64 yards. He didn't have a touchdown or an interception, but he did lose a fumble. He said he was "geeked up" and rushed his decisions in the first half.
Analysis: With Kevin Kolb sidelined by a rib injury, Lindley is essentially the third-sting quarterback for the Cardinals, so they must have really been dissatisfied with Skelton's performance to make the switch to the rookie. Lindley was a sixth-round pick in the 2012 draft, so his upside isn't especially high, and he didn't exactly reward the Cardinals' confidence in him. He isn't guaranteed to start Week 12 against the Rams, but you probably wouldn't want to use him in Fantasy even if he gets the nod.
News: The Cardinals took quarterback Ryan Lindley of San Diego State with a sixth-round pick in the NFL Draft. Lindley started a school record 49 consecutive games with the Aztecs, establishing several school passing and total yardage records. He has a strong arm but has had issues with his accuracy. He says he has worked hard in the offseason with former USC offensive coordinator Ted Tollner on his footwork.
Analysis: He joins a team that has three quarterbacks already under contract - Kevin Kolb, John Skelton and Rich Bartel, so he's clearly a project-type player for the Cardinals. If he can improve his accuracy and bide his time, he might get some chances to play. Only if you're in a league that can carry players for a long time should you consider Lindley.
