Who Should I Start? Gardner Minshew or J.J. McCarthy

Friday, June 6, 3:50 PM

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Gardner Minshew II (collarbone) has been throwing during voluntary organized team activities. Minshew broke his collarbone in 2024 while with the Las Vegas Raiders and was limited to 10 games (nine starts), in which he threw for 2,013 yards, nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his only year in the desert. Now that he's recovered from the injury, the 29-year-old signal-caller is expected to open the 2025 season as the backup to starter Patrick Mahomes, with Bailey Zappe likely being named the third-stringer. Minshew was a first-time Pro Bowler in 2023 with the Indianapolis Colts, but he'll be off the fantasy radar completely in his seventh season in the NFL as long as Mahomes stays healthy.

Tuesday, June 17, 12:07 PM

There are plenty of question marks surrounding Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick last year, after he missed his rookie season in 2024 with a torn right meniscus in his knee. However, ESPN's Kevin Seifert writes that McCarthy's arm strength has been fine after it was a topic of discussion going into the 2024 draft. "He definitely has an arm," receiver Justin Jefferson said. "That's for sure. He can definitely zip it whenever he needs to." His arm has looked especially lively on throws down the middle of the field, and McCarthy is starting to learn to vary his throws after Jefferson noted last summer that the rookie tended to throw every ball the same way -- hard and straight. With no threats to the starting job under center, the 22-year-old is Minnesota's clear starting QB going into 2025 and has some of the best weapons in the league. He's a QB2 with upside in fantasy.