Who Should I Start? Jaylen Warren or J.J. McCarthy

Tuesday, October 28, 8:12 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Jaylen Warren turned 13 carries into 62 yards and caught two of three targets for 11 yards in a Week 8 loss to the Green Bay Packers. Warren ran efficiently in the first half but became an afterthought late as Pittsburgh fell behind early in the fourth quarter. His utilization will be worth monitoring in Week 9 against the 7-1 Indianapolis Colts, who shouldn't struggle to score on the Steelers' faltering defense. The Colts have been strong against the run this season, so Warren's best path to production likely comes as a receiving weapon for Aaron Rodgers. Fantasy managers can continue to roll with the 27-year-old as a solid RB2 heading into Sunday's matchup.

Wednesday, October 29, 4:56 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) will have a full week to prepare before returning as the starter for Week 9 against the Detroit Lions, according to Ben Goessling of the Star Tribune. McCarthy is expected to step back in as Minnesota's starting quarterback for the first time since Week 2 against the Atlanta Falcons, when he suffered a high-ankle sprain that caused him to miss five games. The 2024 first-round pick struggled to adjust to the speed of the NFL in his first two games, completing 24 of 41 pass attempts for 301 yards with two touchdowns and three interceptions to go with nine sacks taken. The 22-year-old will have plenty of growing pains after missing all of his rookie year with a knee injury, but head coach Kevin O'Connell has expressed confidence in him as their starter going forward. It's a tough spot to make his return, with a hostile road environment awaiting in Detroit for Week 9.