Who Should I Start? Baker Mayfield or Michael Penix Jr.


Week 2 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
24.1 18.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Baker Mayfield News

Baker Mayfield Still a High-Upside Target Despite Week 1 Dip

Monday, September 14, 9:48 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield had four turnovers in Week 1 against the Cincinnati Bengals, leading to an apparent decline in his fantasy stock. However, fantasy managers shouldn't overreact to one bad week, especially when Mayfield has had games like this before. The 31-year-old plays with a level of recklessness, and although it led to three fumbles on Sunday, he's just as capable of harnessing that playing style and dropping three or four touchdowns. He's a high-ceiling, low-floor fantasy quarterback, and he's worth rostering in most leagues simply due to his talent, track record, and strong supporting cast. Dropping a dud game against a subpar Bengals defense is far from ideal, but he should bounce back against an even worse Browns squad in Week 2. He continues to rank as a mid-range QB2 with QB1 upside depending on the matchup. There's rest-of-season appeal here, but he's also a very intriguing short-term streamer.


Week 2 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
10.6 4.7 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Michael Penix Jr. News

Michael Penix Jr. Splits First-Team Reps on Wednesday, "Close" to a Return

Wednesday, September 16, 12:32 PM

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) split first-team reps with fellow Falcons QB Cooper Rush on Wednesday, per Cameron Wolfe of NFL Network. Penix Jr. is working his way back from the knee injury that ended his 2025 season. Wolfe reports that Penix Jr. is "close" to a return and has not yet ruled out playing in Week 2 against the Carolina Panthers. Across nine starts in 2025, the 26-year-old completed 60.1% of his pass attempts for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions. While Penix Jr. profiles as a borderline top-24 fantasy quarterback at best, his return would represent a major upgrade in quarterback play for Falcons pass-catchers like wide receiver Drake London and tight end Kyle Pitts Sr. A third Falcons quarterback, Tua Tagovailoa (oblique), is also reportedly improving from the oblique injury that sidelined him in Week 1 and could be in the mix to start in Week 2 if Penix Jr. remains out.


Baker Mayfield vs. Michael Penix Jr.

Still trying to decide between Mayfield and Penix Jr.? 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 24.1 points this week while Michael Penix Jr. is projected to score 10.6 points.