Who Should I Start? Geno Smith or Drake Maye

Wednesday, December 25, 12:10 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Geno Smith checks in as a QB2 in Week 17 against the Chicago Bears. Smith has a chance to put up solid numbers against a Bears defense that just got torched by Jared Goff and the Detroit Lions. The Bears have not played particularly well over the second half of the season given the turmoil in the organization and the multiple coaching changes. The Seahawks must win on Thursday to keep their playoff hopes alive. The offense should be aggressive both on the ground and through the air as a result. Smith should reach 200 yards passing without issue. The question is whether the touchdowns will flow for him. He has only thrown multiple touchdowns in a game on three occasions this year. That has limited him to the QB2 range despite being third in the league in passing yards. He is a great option for two-quarterback leagues, but he should remain on benches in leagues that only start a single quarterback.

Monday, December 23, 2:27 AM

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye completed 22 of his 36 pass attempts for 261 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception during Sunday's Week 16 loss to the Buffalo Bills. He also took two sacks, rushed six times for 30 yards on the ground, and was charged with a lost fumble. There's a lot to unpack from Sunday's divisional loss, but let's start with the good news. Maye nearly out-dueled Josh Allen in this contest, pulling his Patriots out to an early 14-0 lead before Buffalo stormed back and managed to hold off a late comeback effort. The rookie signal-caller had his first multi-touchdown game and highest yardage total since Week 11, as well as his best fantasy showing since Week 7. On a less positive note, turnovers continue to be an issue for Maye, who was charged with two on Sunday. His interception was a costly mistake in the end zone, where the No. 3 pick deserved all the blame for throwing to a lurking defender, ending a scoring drive. His fumble was even more costly as it led to a Bills touchdown, but he doesn't deserve all the blame. Backed up against his own end zone, Maye faced heavy pressure, panicked, and dumped the ball off to Rhamondre Stevenson. However, in the mayhem, Stevenson was unable to catch the ball, and it bounced into the end zone. Officials decided the throw was a lateral, which Buffalo promptly recovered for six points and a huge scoring swing. Evidently, there is a lot that Maye will need to clean up before returning to the field against the Los Angeles Chargers on Saturday, but he also showed flashes of progress that should make fans and fantasy managers optimistic. He will check in as a high-end fantasy QB2 for next week's contest against the Bolts.