Who Should I Start? Jayden Daniels or J.J. McCarthy

Friday, August 8, 3:53 PM

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels and the starters on offense are not expected to play in Friday's preseason opener against the New England Patriots. The Athletic's Nicki Jhabvala writes that it will be the Josh Johnson and Sam Hartman show. Daniels and the starters presumably will see their most preseason work next week on Aug. 18 against the Cincinnati Bengals. Veteran backup Marcus Mariota is dealing with a lower-leg injury and did not travel with the team this weekend. Daniels played about as well as any QB last year, but what made it really impressive is that it was his first year in the league. The 24-year-old former second overall pick out of LSU looked to have the "it" factor as a playmaker with both his arms and legs. Daniels finished as the QB5 in fantasy in 2024 and has quickly jumped into the top-five rankings at the position.

Sunday, August 10, 9:31 AM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy finished 4-for-7 passing for 30 yards and added an 8-yard run for a first down Saturday in a 20-10 win against Houston. The second-year quarterback led the Vikings to a field goal on the opening drive before giving way to backup Sam Howell. McCarthy is now the clear top option in Minnesota, but he's effectively a rookie in terms of playing time after missing the entire 2024 regular season with a meniscus injury. From a fantasy perspective, McCarthy figures to be a high-upside QB2 flier alongside proven skill players and revamped offensive line in Minnesota.