Who Should I Start? J.J. McCarthy or Cameron Ward

Tuesday, February 17, 9:50 AM

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy's lack of availability through his first two NFL seasons is the Minnesota Vikings' "foremost concern," according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. McCarthy has played in 29% of the team's regular-season games since he was drafted in the first round in the spring of 2024. The 23-year-old has dealt with a torn meniscus in his knee, a sprained ankle, a concussion, and hand and finger injuries. Durability concerns are the primary reason why Minnesota is seeking QB insurance behind McCarthy going into the 2026 season. But injuries aren't the only reason for the Vikings to be concerned. Outside of a four-game stretch to close last season, McCarthy's overall body of work ranked at the bottom among all qualified QBs. The team removed most of its over-the-middle passing concepts last season to keep McCarthy's line of sight as simple as possible. It's clear McCarthy is still developing after missing his entire rookie campaign, but if he doesn't show improvement soon, he could be looking at losing the franchise QB title sooner than later.

Friday, February 20, 6:31 PM

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cameron Ward (shoulder) is "recovering well" from his right-shoulder AC sprain that he suffered in the Week 18 regular-season finale, according to Cameron Wolfe of the NFL Network. Ward has been working with the team's quarterbacks coach on his lower body, and the plan is for him to resume throwing the football in March. Before he resumes throwing, the Titans want to work on the former first overall pick's base after he picked up some bad habits in his rookie season. The 23-year-old is excited to work with new offensive coordinator Brian Daboll and believes he'll allow him to be the playmaker he was in college at the University of Miami. Wolfe says that Daboll and Ward hit it off during the pre-draft process last year, and Daboll tried to trade up to get Ward as the Giants' head coach. Time will tell if Daboll will help in Ward's development. He predictably struggled in Year 1 in a Tennessee offense without many high-end weapons. Going into Year 2, Ward will be a low-end QB2 target in fantasy with upside.