Who Should I Start? Brenton Strange or J.J. McCarthy

Wednesday, December 3, 10:43 AM

Jacksonville Jaguars tight end Brenton Strange has been a major spark for the Jaguars since his return in Week 13. In his last two games, he's hauled in eight of nine targets for 138 yards and a touchdown. After being placed on the injured reserve with a hip injury suffered in Week 5, Strange has reminded Jacksonville how valuable he is. When Strange is active, the Jags are 6-1, and without him, they are 2-3. Despite crowded competition for targets with Brian Thomas Jr. and Jakobi Meyers, Strange has a clear role in this offense and a strong connection with quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguars host the Indianapolis Colts in Week 14, who have allowed the third-most fantasy points to tight ends this season. Fantasy managers can rely on Strange as a starting option in Week 14, who will look to help the Jaguars to an outright lead in the AFC South.

Friday, December 5, 3:48 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (concussion) is back in the lineup and facing one of the NFL's worst defenses in the Washington Commanders, but should be considered a volatile QB2 option for fantasy lineups. The second-year quarterback picked up two huge NFC North road wins earlier this season, but has once again missed significant time due to injuries and mostly struggled when available. McCarthy has 10 interceptions and a 54.1% completion percentage in his six starts, though Washington's defense has had its own issues. The Commanders have allowed scoring drives at the highest rate in the NFL and rank in the bottom five against fantasy quarterbacks, and McCarthy has shown flashes of mobility with 120 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns on 23 carries. Managers approaching the fantasy playoffs in Superflex formats will have to evaluate McCarthy against their other options, but there is some hope that a talented Minnesota offense can finally turn a corner against a bad defense at home.