Who Should I Start? Brock Purdy or Michael Penix Jr.

Wednesday, September 17, 4:17 PM

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy (toe/shoulder) logged a limited practice on Wednesday and has "a chance" to play in Week 3, according to his head coach, Kyle Shanahan. Purdy was unable to play in Week 2 due to a "turf toe variant" and this shoulder injury. However, seeing him already upgraded to limited status does put him in a good position to suit up this weekend when the 49ers face the Arizona Cardinals. Fantasy managers should continue to keep a close eye on his status during the week. In Week 1, Purdy enjoyed a strong start to the season, going 26-for-35 with 277 passing yards and two passing scores en route to defeating the Seattle Seahawks. With Purdy sidelined, the 49ers turned to Mac Jones to lead the offense last weekend. If Purdy were to remain sidelined, Jones would carry mid-end QB2 value facing the Cardinals.

Tuesday, September 16, 3:45 PM

The Atlanta Falcons really did not need to rely on the left arm of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in Week 2 in their 22-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football. Penix attempted only 21 passes on the night, completing 13 of them for 135 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He carried the ball just once for a loss of a yard and was sacked three times for a loss of 27 yards. The Falcons were content to let running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier carry the load in a game in which Atlanta was ahead from start to finish. When Penix dropped back to pass, he mostly worked the short areas of the field. This type of game script could happen again in Week 3 versus the division-rival Carolina Panthers, but Penix showed in Week 1 that he can sling the ball around the yard when needed, as he nearly threw for 300 yards and a touchdown. Penix is a solid QB2 stash with upside in his first year as the Falcons' full-time starter under center.