Who Should I Start? Aaron Rodgers or Joe Flacco

Friday, June 20, 12:37 AM

The Athletic's Mike DeFabo imagines that Pittsburgh Steelers offensive coordinator Arthur Smith's scheme will take many of the quick-game concepts from the West Coast offense that will help get the ball out of quarterback Aaron Rodgers' hand to keep him upright and take advantage of his quick release. It could mean lots of slants to receiver DK Metcalf and plenty of Shanahan-style concepts like wide-zone runs and play-action passing built off those runs. DeFabo also thinks they will lean heavily on formations that put four eligible receivers on one side of the formation. Metcalf doesn't have much competition for targets in Pittsburgh, but he comes to the Steel City on a decline since 2020 and is now entering a run-first offense with an aging QB that is probably playing in his final season. The 27-year-old physical freak can do damage on slants, and his overall production could come down to his chemistry with Rodgers. RotoBaller has Metcalf on the WR2/3 borderline in 2025.

Friday, May 30, 10:54 PM

While the Cleveland Browns haven't made any announcements on their quarterback competition, The Athletic's Zac Jackson writes that 18-year veteran Joe Flacco should be well ahead of rookies Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders, and he's also probably ahead of Kenny Pickett. Flacco throws the ball better than the others in a practice setting, and his overall experience makes him the clear favorite to win the job. It's possible that Pickett will outplay Flacco in the coming months, though. Flacco and Pickett alternated turns with the No. 1 offense in practice at OTAs on Wednesday, with Gabriel out-repping Sanders in the second OTA practice. Jackson thinks it's almost a certainty that the QB battle is between Flacco and Pickett. Although Flacco had a nice little run with Cleveland at the end of 2023, he'll be a low-end QB2 option in two-QB fantasy leagues if he wins the starting gig over Pickett this year.