Who Should I Start? Bryce Young or J.J. McCarthy

Tuesday, September 2, 1:35 AM

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young received a vote of confidence from wide receiver Adam Thielen after the veteran pass-catcher was traded to the Minnesota Vikings last week. "He's a great quarterback," Thielen said of Young. "You saw that at the end of last year." He also proceeded to commend Young for overcoming periodic struggles last season and returning to inject some life into the Panthers' offense near the end of the year. If that carries over into 2025, Young has the potential to be a mid-range fantasy QB2 while the Panthers could sneak into the Wild Card conversation.

Friday, August 29, 10:41 AM

Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes that the Minnesota Vikings' offense "has been scaled down with quarterback J.J. McCarthy taking over." Howe also notes that there's "measured optimism" in league circles around McCarthy's future, but that a "seamless transition" should not be expected. The 22-year-old is taking over for the departed Sam Darnold under center in Minnesota after Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 record in 2024. McCarthy has drawn favorable reviews for his play in training camp and the preseason, but there's always a level of unknown for a player who has not seen the field in an actual NFL game. McCarthy profiles as a high-end QB2 in redraft fantasy leagues.