Who Should I Start? Aaron Rodgers or Mac Jones

Friday, September 12, 8:39 PM

Even Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers' biggest supporters may have been surprised that he turned back the clock to throw four touchdowns in a 34-32 Week 1 win over his former team, the New York Jets, last Sunday. Rodgers did it on 22-for-30 passing while throwing for 244 yards. Only one time last year did Rodgers throw for four TDs with the Jets, and it came in the Week 18 regular-season finale. The 41-year-old future Hall of Famer's back was tight and limited his mobility against the Jets, but he was not on Pittsburgh's injury report this week and is cleared for a Week 2 meeting with the Seattle Seahawks in his Steel City debut. Seattle allowed Brock Purdy to throw for 277 yards and two TDs against them in Week 1, but they also picked him off twice. Rodgers proved he still has a little magic in him, but the ceiling and floor remain low for fantasy purposes, and the bottom line is that most weeks, the Steelers are hoping he won't have to wear a cape.

Monday, September 15, 12:40 AM

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Mac Jones completed 26 of his 39 pass attempts for 279 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Week 2 win over the New Orleans Saints. He also rushed for six yards and took three sacks. Jones made the start on Sunday with Brock Purdy (shoulder) sidelined, and he looked very comfortable and productive. The former first-round pick will remain the team's starter for the duration of Purdy's absence, which will likely last several weeks. While Jones isn't a long-term solution for fantasy managers, he presents an intriguing option on the waiver wire ahead of Week 3. Next Sunday, the 49ers are set to take on the Arizona Cardinals, who just allowed 328 yards and three touchdowns to Bryce Young. With NFL starting experience and a variety of weapons at his disposal, Jones should put together another solid game against the subpar Cardinals defense. He should rank just outside the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks heading into next week, making him a worthwhile fill-in for managers dealing with injuries or underwhelming quarterback play.