Who Should I Start? Jameis Winston or J.J. McCarthy

Wednesday, October 23, 1:24 PM

The Cleveland Browns will officially start veteran quarterback Jameis Winston in Week 8 against the division-rival Baltimore Ravens with Deshaun Watson (Achilles) out for the year and Dorian Thompson-Robinson (finger) nursing an injury, according to head coach Kevin Stefanski. With Watson done for the year, the Browns also signed Bailey Zappe to their active roster, and he could serve as Winston's backup if DTR is inactive on Sunday. Winston has appeared in five games in 2024, completing six of 12 pass attempts for 83 yards and a touchdown, which came in the Week 7 loss to the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals. The 30-year-old has plenty of NFL experience, but Thompson-Robinson could eventually take over the starting gig if Winston plays poorly. In an offense lacking explosive weapons now that Amari Cooper is out of town, Winston will be a low-end QB2, at best, in fantasy this weekend.

Friday, August 16, 4:43 PM

Minnesota Vikings rookie quarterback J.J. McCarthy (knee) was officially placed on the season-ending injured reserve on Friday afternoon. In a corresponding move, the Vikings signed quarterback Matt Corral, who will compete for the No. 3 job. McCarthy missed practice earlier this week as he was dealing with knee soreness but eventually underwent an MRI, which showed a tear in his meniscus. The Michigan product underwent knee surgery on Wednesday and will now focus on recovering for the 2025 season. This is a tough blow for the former national champion, who looked quite sharp in the pro debut on Saturday as he went 11-for-17 with 188 passing yards and two scores. Fantasy managers should expect Sam Darnold to serve as the starting quarterback in Minnesota this season, with Nick Mullens slotted as the No. 2.