Who Should I Start? Aaron Rodgers or Baker Mayfield

Tuesday, August 19, 5:32 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver DK Metcalf will not suit up for the team's preseason finale on Thursday against the Carolina Panthers, according to head coach Mike Tomlin. Pass-rushers T.J. Watt and Cameron Heyward also will not play. Rodgers will end up not playing at all in the preseason as he heads into his first year with the Steelers and potentially his last year in the NFL. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer will take on his former team, the New York Jets, in Week 1 on Sunday, Sept. 7, where he'll be an unappealing, low-upside QB2 option for fantasy managers against a strong defense. Rodgers has looked slow during training camp and is expected to be more of a game manager in offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's scheme in 2025. With Rodgers on the sidelines on Thursday, Mason Rudolph should start against Carolina.

Wednesday, August 20, 10:28 AM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback Baker Mayfield will not play in the team's final preseason game against the Bills. Instead, the Buccaneers will lean on Teddy Bridgewater and Kyle Trask to lead the offense in the team's final tune-up. After losing wide receiver Jalen McMillan (neck) to injury in a gruesome-looking fall in their latest preseason game, it is unlikely the team will play any of their starters. Mayfield finished 2024 as a top-five fantasy quarterback in his lone year with Liam Coen as offensive coordinator. Josh Grizzard steps into the coordinator role this year, and the expectation is that the Buccaneers should once again field a high-powered unit. Currently, RotoBaller's QB8, there is some concern that Mayfield is being drafted near his ceiling. With McMillan expected to start the season on injured reserve and veteran Chris Godwin (ankle) likely headed for the PUP list, it wouldn't be unexpected to see the Buccaneers' offense start slowly before eventually rounding into form.