Who Should I Start? Carson Wentz or Trey Lance

Monday, October 27, 5:37 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Carson Wentz (shoulder) will undergo season-ending surgery on his left shoulder and will be placed on Injured Reserve, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. To fill Wentz's spot on the active 53-man roster, the Vikings claimed tight end Ben Sims on waivers from the division-rival Green Bay Packers. The 32-year-old Wentz started the team's last five games with J.J. McCarthy working his way back from a high-ankle sprain that he suffered in the Week 2 loss to the Atlanta Falcons. Wentz was in undeniable pain every time he was hit last Thursday night's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, and now he won't play again this year. There were questions as to whether McCarthy would be ready to play in Week 9 against the division-rival Detroit Lions, but now that Wentz is out, the Vikes will be left with Max Brosmer if McCarthy isn't cleared to start this Sunday. Wentz finishes his 10th year in the NFL with 1,216 passing yards, six touchdowns, and five interceptions in his five starts.

Sunday, January 4, 10:32 AM

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Trey Lance will make his first start of the season during Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Denver Broncos. The former first-round pick is starting in place of Justin Herbert (coach's decision) as the Chargers look to keep their No. 1 quarterback healthy for the upcoming playoff stretch. Turning to Lance puts Los Angeles as a 14-point underdog, and they could still finish anywhere between the No. 5 and No. 7 seed in the AFC. The young quarterback has flashed upside in the past, and perhaps the Chargers still hope that he can live up to his first-round draft stock. However, the odds are stacked against him this week. For starters, the Broncos have an elite defense anchored by Patrick Surtain II and Nik Bonitto. Denver has allowed the fourth-fewest passing yards and eighth-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2025. Furthermore, Lance is playing behind an offensive line that PFF ranked second-worst heading into Week 18. Every Chargers offensive lineman finished with a PFF grade below 70 last week. This is not the right time to start Lance in fantasy football. Managers should avoid him in all leagues.