Who Should I Start? Aaron Rodgers or Derek Carr

Tuesday, February 24, 6:50 AM

Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Omar Khan said on Tuesday that the team has not set a deadline for impending free-agent quarterback Aaron Rodgers to decide whether he will play in 2026, according to Mike DeFabo of The Athletic. However, Khan told reporters that he's been in communication with Rodgers and doesn't "foresee this going like it did last year." The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer was considering retirement last offseason and didn't agree to a one-year deal with Pittsburgh until just before mandatory minicamp in June. Rodgers led the Steelers to the postseason last year, but he finished as the QB19 in overall fantasy points with 3,322 passing yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 16 regular-season games. It remains to be seen if new head coach Mike McCarthy, who won a Super Bowl with Rodgers in Green Bay, will be able to persuade Rodgers to continue his career in the Steel City. If Rodgers does return to the Steelers in 2026, he'll be more of a midrange QB2 in fantasy, at best.

Wednesday, February 25, 2:20 PM

There is a "strong belief" that former New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr is "very serious" about unretiring and returning to the NFL in 2026, sources told Jordan Schultz of FOX Sports. Carr's rights belong to the Saints, but Schultz writes that teams with winning aspirations "have real interest" in the former four-time Pro Bowler. The 34-year-old's retirement last offseason was a surprise, and now he's got the itch to come back now that he's fully healthy. The former second-round selection by the Raiders in 2014 out of Fresno State, Carr played in only 10 games for the Saints due to injury in 2024 and threw for 2,145 yards, 15 touchdowns, and five interceptions. His prime for fantasy purposes came from 2018 to 2021 with the Raiders, when he had four straight seasons of 4,000 passing yards. Carr could be in contention for a starting role in 2026 if he comes out of retirement, but it's a stretch to think he'll be much more than a low-end QB2 in fantasy if it ends up happening.