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

Friday, February 13, 7:08 AM

A first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy was expected to take over as the team's unquestioned QB1 in 2025. However, the 23-year-old struggled mightily in his first chance to be an NFL starter this past season. Across 10 starts, McCarthy completed 57.6% of his pass attempts for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He was able to add some value with his legs, rushing for 181 yards and four touchdowns on 37 attempts. However, injuries and availability have also been a major issue for McCarthy. After missing his entire rookie year with a torn meniscus, McCarthy missed time in 2025 with a high-ankle sprain, a concussion, and a fractured hand. Heading into 2026, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has stated that the team aims to have a "competitive" quarterback situation in training camp. While McCarthy is still young and could still be the long-term answer in Minnesota, his fantasy stock in dynasty formats is trending in the wrong direction.

Tuesday, February 10, 11:58 AM

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (shoulder) acknowledged that the hit he took in the AFC Championship game against the Denver Broncos was significant as it relates to his right throwing shoulder, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Maye was managing his shoulder injury in the two weeks leading into Super Bowl LX against the Seattle Seahawks, but both Maye and the Patriots downplayed the severity. Maye admitted that his shoulder was an issue in the 29-13 loss to Seattle in the Super Bowl, in which he went 27-for-43 passing for 295 yards and two touchdowns. The second-year QB threw picks and lost a fumble as well in what was a disappointing finish to an excellent second year for the North Carolina product. Maye doesn't expect to require surgery, though, and he should be fully healthy going into the 2026 campaign. The 23-year-old led the NFL with a 72% completion percentage during the regular season and finished as a top-five fantasy QB, although New England's regular-season schedule was extremely soft.