Who Should I Start? Daniel Jones or J.J. McCarthy

Thursday, January 8, 7:27 PM

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said the team plans to re-sign quarterback Daniel Jones (Achilles) this offseason, according to Stephen Holder of ESPN. "I'm looking at him both near and long [term]," Ballard said of Jones, adding, "When you're chasing the quarterback all the time, it makes it very hard. Your margin for error really shrinks down. And I feel very good about Daniel Jones and where he's at, where he's going. Yes, he's got the Achilles. But I think Daniel Jones has got a really bright future here in Indianapolis." The 28-year-old tore his Achilles in Week 14, and the Colts ended up missing the playoffs after starting 8-2. Meanwhile, former first-rounder Anthony Richardson Sr.'s future in Indy is in question after losing the starting job to Jones and then suffering a season-ending orbital fracture in October. Jones threw for 3,101 yards, 19 touchdowns, and eight picks in 13 starts before his season-ending Achilles tear. He proved in 2025 that he has QB1 upside in the Colts' offense, but his lengthy injury history makes him more of a QB2 target in fantasy drafts.

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.