Who Should I Start? Jimmy Garoppolo or Jake Browning

Saturday, September 6, 9:56 PM

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay views quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo as a "starting-caliber" option. Matthew Stafford is in line to start on Sunday versus the Houston Texans. However, with the veteran signal-caller battling a lingering back injury, the Rams are confident Garoppolo can fill in admirably if necessary. From a fantasy standpoint, Stafford has had a better career. Still, with concerns about his health, Garoppolo may get a chance to start at some point moving ahead. The 33-year-old played for the Patriots, 49ers, and Raiders before arriving in Los Angeles in 2024 to suit up for the Rams. In 82 regular-season contests, he's thrown for 15,828 yards, 96 touchdowns, and 52 interceptions off 67.4% passing while also leading the 49ers to the Super Bowl in 2019. All things considered, Garoppolo doesn't have much fantasy value at the moment. If Stafford goes down this season due to the nagging back issue, Garoppolo could prove useful for those participating in deeper SuperFlex formats, especially with Puka Nacua and Davante Adams at his disposal.

Tuesday, September 16, 10:25 AM

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning is expected to take over as the starter for the foreseeable future after Joe Burrow (toe) was ruled out for at least the next three months with turf toe. Browning entered in the second quarter of Week 2 and led the Bengals to a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, completing 21 of 32 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns. The 28-year-old started seven games in 2023, where he impressed by completing over 70% of his passes while averaging 266.9 yards per game with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. While turnovers remain a concern, Browning has shown enough efficiency to keep Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins near the top of the rankings at the WR position. He should be rostered in all Superflex formats and can be viewed as a mid-to-low QB2 over the next three months.