Who Should I Start? Baker Mayfield or Justin Herbert

Thursday, January 1, 2:43 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield (knee, shoulder) practiced in full for the second straight day on Thursday and has been cleared to play in Saturday's Week 18 regular-season finale against the division-rival Carolina Panthers. Mayfield is nursing knee and shoulder injuries, but he will be active as the Bucs look to win the NFC South this weekend with a win over Carolina and a loss by the Falcons to the Saints. The 30-year-old won't be a very inspiring QB1 option for fantasy managers still playing for something in Week 18, although he is coming off a 346-yard passing effort with two touchdowns in last week's loss to the Miami Dolphins. In the first meeting against the Panthers two weeks ago, Mayfield threw for only 145 yards with a touchdown and an interception. After four straight games without multiple passing TDs, Mayfield has two TD passes in two of his last three games.

Friday, January 2, 6:29 PM

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert (hand) was removed from the Week 18 injury report on Friday, but he will not play in the regular-season finale against the division-rival Denver Broncos on Sunday, according to Eric Smith of Chargers.com. Herbert was limited in practice on Wednesday before being held out on Thursday and Friday. The Chargers announced early in the week that they would be resting Herbert with a playoff spot already locked up. Backup Trey Lance will make his first start of the year in a bad matchup against a team trying to secure the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoffs and a first-round bye. Despite a suspect offensive line protecting him, Herbert enters Week 18 action as the QB7 in overall fantasy points. In 16 regular-season games, he threw for 3,727 yards, 26 touchdowns, and 13 interceptions. Herbert added 498 rushing yards and two TDs on the ground.