Who Should I Start? Baker Mayfield or J.J. McCarthy

Tuesday, April 14, 5:25 AM

After finishing his 2024 season as the QB4, Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield picked things right back up in 2025, playing some of the best ball of his career and garnering early MVP buzz. Through 10 games, the Buccaneers sat at 6-3 with Mayfield averaging more than 240 passing yards per game to go with his 8:1 touchdown to interception ratio. At 30 years old, Mayfield was priced as high as the dynasty QB10. The rest of the way, Tampa went 2-6, with Mayfield throwing for fewer than 188 yards per game, with only 10 touchdowns to his nine interceptions. His receiving core suffered injury after injury, and for whatever reason, he was unable to recapture the early-season magic he had with rookie Emeka Egbuka. Mike Evans has now moved on, leaving Egbuka, Chris Godwin, and Jalen McMillan atop the depth chart, along with two capable pass-catching backs in Bucky Irving and Kenneth Gainwell. Mayfield enters 2026 as RotoBaller's dynasty QB19, and at 31, there's likely little he can do to reclaim QB1 status, even if he is still capable of producing multiple top-12 finishes. A newfound rushing element over his past two seasons helps provide a healthy floor, but at this point, Mayfield profiles as a high-upside QB2 in superflex leagues.