Who Should I Start? J.J. McCarthy or Carter Bradley

Thursday, January 16, 2:30 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) has resumed on-field work, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. The 2024 first-round pick out of Michigan suffered a preseason ACL tear that cost him his entire rookie campaign, forcing veteran Sam Darnold into the starting role. However, it was unclear how much McCarthy was slated to play in Year 1. Darnold threw 35 touchdowns and led Minnesota to 14 wins in 2024, but his late-season collapse in Week 18 and the NFC Wild Card Round could impact his standing with the organization. In all likelihood, McCarthy will start at some point in 2025, and he's an intriguing fantasy football option due to his elite supporting cast consisting of Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson.

Tuesday, December 10, 9:57 PM

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Carter Bradley has been signed to the 53-man roster on Tuesday. The rookie quarterback figures to serve as the backup to Desmond Ridder going forward. The Raiders already lost Gardner Minshew II (collarbone) and Aidan O'Connell (knee), so Ridder will now likely get a chance to prove himself in Week 15. Bradley is unlikely to touch the field unless Ridder goes down, which sadly has been a theme for Raiders quarterbacks this season. The Raiders also added Jake Luton to the mix, but he'll take over Bradley's spot on the practice squad. Fantasy managers shouldn't be too concerned about adding Ridder or Bradley in dynasty formats with the Raiders likely signing or drafting a quarterback next season.