Who Should I Start? Jameis Winston or Sam Darnold

Tuesday, March 12, 11:13 AM

Free-agent quarterback Jameis Winston is joining the Cleveland Browns on a one-year, $8.7 million deal, according to Bleacher Report's Jordan Schultz. Winston has spent the last four seasons with the New Orleans Saints, racking up 20 passing touchdowns and 11 interceptions in 21 games (10 starts). The former No. 1 overall pick passed for at least 20 touchdowns in three of his five seasons with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but 88 interceptions over that span ultimately lost him his starting gig. He will likely begin the 2024 season as Deshaun Watson's (shoulder) backup, but there is a path to playing time considering Watson's struggles and injury issues since becoming a Brown in 2022. He should be rostered in deep Superflex and two-QB leagues next year.

Wednesday, May 8, 11:20 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold could be named the team's Week 1 starter over first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. As Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com writes, "It's only a matter of time before McCarthy becomes the Vikings' starting quarterback [...] but it is not likely to happen as quickly as some fans might hope, and if anything, the Vikings are poised to err on the side of methodical caution." Such a scenario could see Minnesota let Darnold, whom they signed this past offseason when Kirk Cousins left for Atlanta, start a few games before transitioning to McCarthy. Darnold has struggled to support major fantasy production from his playmakers at previous stops, including the Jets and Panthers, so fantasy managers might want to temper expectations with players like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson to start the year. Darnold himself falls to the low-end QB3 tier in fantasy football drafts.