Who Should I Start? Andy Dalton or Taylor Heinicke

Monday, September 25, 2:32 PM

Carolina Panthers quarterback Andy Dalton completed 34 of his 58 passing attempts for 361 yards, two touchdowns, and zero interceptions in the 27-37 loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 3. It was an impressive performance for the 35-year-old, who started in the absence of Bryce Young (ankle). Wide receivers Adam Thielen and DJ Chark both racked up at least 86 yards and a touchdown. If Young is out again in Week 4 against the Minnesota Vikings, Dalton will have upside in another favorable matchup for quarterbacks. However, it's important not to overreact to his big performance. He should not be started over big-name fantasy signal-callers.

Tuesday, April 2, 2:21 PM

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Taylor Heinicke took a pay cut recently from an expected $5 million base salary in 2024 to $1.21 million, according to Roster Management System. His $1.32 million roster bonus, which was due just after the league year began last month, was instead classified as a signing bonus. His $40,000 per game active roster bonus was also removed from his contract. The reduction in his deal lowers Heinicke's salary cap number from $8.96 million to $4.53 million, including a cash value of $2.53 million. If Atlanta were to release him, he would cost $3.32 million in dead money with only a cap savings of $1.21 million. The 31-year-old got a chance to start in 2023 when Desmond Ridder was benched, but Heinicke did nothing to separate himself and also got hurt. He'll enter 2024 as the backup to starter Kirk Cousins.