Who Should I Start? Cooper Rush or J.J. McCarthy

Sunday, October 12, 3:30 PM

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush was benched during Sunday's Week 6 contest against the Los Angeles Rams. He has been replaced by Tyler Huntley, who is currently on his third stint with the organization. Rush has struggled immensely while filling in for Lamar Jackson (hamstring). Last week, he had 179 yards and three interceptions. This week, through three quarters of play before being benched, he amassed 72 yards, one interception, and one last fumble. Trailing by multiple possessions in the final quarter, Baltimore decided that a change was necessary. The pivot to Huntley gives the Ravens a more mobile and athletic option under center. He'll likely quarterback the Ravens for the rest of Sunday's contest and could be in the conversation to start Baltimore's next game in Week 8 if Jackson remains sidelined.

Tuesday, January 13, 2:54 PM

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said he wants a competitive situation at quarterback going into next season, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. O'Connell said McCarthy "is going to be a major emphasis," but "the competition in that room will only enhance the entire team." The Vikings want McCarthy to seize the starting job, but he's going to have to earn it and play better than he did in 2026, and the Vikings are fully expected to add to their QB room to push McCarthy this offseason. The 22-year-old former first-round signal-caller missed his entire rookie season in 2024 due to a knee injury that required surgery. McCarthy missed time with multiple injuries in 2025 and struggled with turnovers and efficiency when he was on the field, completing 57.6% of his pass attempts for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 10 starts. Fantasy managers will want to see improvement from the Michigan product before considering him as anything more than a low-end QB2 option with upside.