Who Should I Start? Aaron Rodgers or J.J. McCarthy

Saturday, July 4, 6:01 AM

In his first season with the Pittsburgh Steelers, veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers completed more than 65% of his passes for 3,322 yards and 24 touchdowns to only seven interceptions; respectable numbers that earned him a QB18 finish, but a far cry from the MVP form that saw him finish as the QB7 or better in 10 of his first 13 seasons as a starter. Seven different times he finished a year as either the fantasy QB1 or QB2, and while those days are comfortably behind him, the 42-year-old 21st-year veteran should not be completely written off for 2026. With Mike McCarthy assuming the head coaching job in Pittsburgh, an offense that already threw the ball at the league's seventh-highest rate with Rodgers in 2025 could see even more volume when the two reunite. The Cowboys were one of the league's pass-heaviest teams in the final years of McCarthy's tenure, while the Packers led the league with a 67.5% pass rate the last time Rodgers led his offense. With Rodgers average depth of target ranking dead last in the NFL in 2025, his fantasy ceiling has fallen significantly in recent years, but with the Steelers actively surrounding him with capable pass-catching running backs and short area targets like Michael Pittman Jr. and Germie Bernard, an elevated floor should keep him in the streaming conversation throughout the 2026 season. At RotoBaller's QB29, Rodgers can still be a safe and consistent second quarterback in superflex leagues, providing value at ADP and allowing drafters to chase riskier upside from their QB1 slot.