Who Should I Start? J.J. McCarthy or Drake Maye

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.

Sunday, January 5, 2:03 PM

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was pulled from Sunday's AFC East clash with the Bills. The Pats are playing for draft picks, so the signal-caller will finish by failing to connect on his lone pass attempt. He wasn't the most reliable rookie quarterback during the 2024-25 campaign, throwing for 2,276 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions, adding 54 carries for 421 yards and two touchdowns. It's obvious New England has work to do to bolster depth on the offensive side of the ball. With that said, dynasty managers can consider retaining Maye for at least another season to see how things play out, although he may not be a viable fantasy starter in 2025-26. With Maye presumably done for the remainder of Week 18, Joe Milton III is in under center and has already thrown a touchdown.