Who Should I Start? Baker Mayfield or J.J. McCarthy
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Baker Mayfield News
Friday, June 12, 9:26 AM
Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said on Thursday that there is "absolutely no question" he wants veteran quarterback Baker Mayfield around long term, according to Jenna Laine of ESPN. Mayfield said just last week that he and the team are "not anywhere close to what we were thinking" as he seeks a new deal going into the final year of his three-year, $100 million deal. The 31-year-old wants a new deal done before the start of training camp at the end of July. If a deal isn't reached by then, Mayfield and his agent, Tom Mills, plan to shut down negotiations and focus on the 2026 season. If no deal is struck during or after the season, Mayfield would become an unrestricted free agent in 2027. Mayfield led Tampa to back-to-back NFC South titles in 2023 and 2024 immediately after Tom Brady retired. The team has gone 27-24 with Mayfield as their starter, and he was a Pro Bowler in both 2023 and 2024 while throwing for over 4,000 yards in both seasons. He took a step back last year, though, throwing for 3,693 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 picks in 17 starts. Mayfield's fantasy stock is down entering his ninth NFL season due to durability concerns and the fact that he lost his top wideout, future Hall of Famer Mike Evans, in free agency. RotoBaller currently has Mayfield ranked as the No. 20 QB for the 2026 campaign.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
J.J. McCarthy News
Friday, June 5, 9:58 AM
Will Ragatz of Sports Illustrated writes that he saw enough eye-popping throws from new Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray in offseason practices that "make it hard to imagine" J.J. McCarthy "having a realistic chance to win this competition." It's still only OTAs, but so far, Murray has looked sharper throwing the football than McCarthy. McCarthy still has plenty of zip on his passes and has shown signs of mechanical improvement from a year ago (his first as a full-time starter in the NFL), but Murray "looks like a veteran quarterback who can make all the throws." "His physical talent throwing the ball has been on display every day," head coach Kevin O'Connell said of Murray. "The ability to throw to all three levels, layer the ball, anticipation that veteran players bring to the position." McCarthy, who was the 10th overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Michigan, struggled mightily with accuracy and decision-making, and also struggled to stay healthy, completing 57.6% of his pass attempts for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 10 starts after missing his entire rookie season due to knee surgery. It's still early in McCarthy's career, but it's quickly looking like he's falling out of favor as Minnesota's QB of the future.
Baker Mayfield vs. J.J. McCarthy
Still trying to decide between Mayfield and McCarthy? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Baker Mayfield is projected to score 0.0 points this week while J.J. McCarthy is projected to score 0.0 points.
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