Who Should I Start? Geno Smith or J.J. McCarthy


Week 1 Projections

Fant. Pts. Rush. Yds. Rush TD Rec. Rec. Yds. Rec TD
19.1 8.8 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Geno Smith News

Geno Smith Faces Favorable Matchup but Limited Fantasy Appeal in Week 1

Friday, September 5, 7:05 PM

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith opens his tenure in silver and black with a favorable Week 1 matchup against the Patriots. New England's secondary is thin after releasing Jabrill Peppers and with Christian Gonzalez battling a hamstring injury, leaving exploitable holes in coverage. Smith's experience should help him move the ball, but questions remain about his supporting cast outside of second-year tight end Brock Bowers. The Raiders are expected to lean heavily on the run game, which caps Smith's fantasy ceiling. While the matchup is intriguing, Smith remains a risky play and is best avoided as a streaming option to open the season.


Week 1 Projections

Fant. Pts. Rush. Yds. Rush TD Rec. Rec. Yds. Rec TD
16.3 -0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

J.J. McCarthy News

J.J. McCarthy A Superflex Option In NFL Debut

Saturday, September 6, 3:48 PM

It has been a long wait, but quarterback J.J. McCarthy is a playable option in Superflex leagues with his Minnesota Vikings set to take on the Chicago Bears in Week 1. The second-year quarterback missed his entire rookie season after sustaining a meniscus injury, but it's now his show in Minnesota after the Vikings parted ways with Sam Darnold in the offseason. He'll start with a road game against a strong Bears pass defense that allowed the fewest passing touchdowns in the NFL and ranked seventh in pressure percentage in 2024. With a rebuilt interior offensive line, capable veterans at all skill positions -- including All-Pro Justin Jefferson at receiver -- and a quarterback-friendly coach, McCarthy is still worthy of holding a QB2 spot in Week 1.


Geno Smith vs. J.J. McCarthy

Still trying to decide between Smith and McCarthy? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Geno Smith is projected to score 19.1 points this week while J.J. McCarthy is projected to score 16.3 points.