Who Should I Start? Joe Burrow or J.J. McCarthy
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 24.7 | 9.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Joe Burrow News
Monday, February 9, 10:00 AM
NFL Network's Ian Rapoport said over the weekend that the Cincinnati Bengals won't entertain trade offers for quarterback Joe Burrow this offseason and will instead look to spend and build around him. Rapoport expects teams to call the Bengals after Burrow expressed some discontent with the organization during the 2025 season, but the franchise signal-caller is not expected to go anywhere. More than anything, the Bengals will probably spend on the defensive side of the ball to help supplement what is already a strong offensive unit. The 29-year-old Burrow only made eight starts in 2025 due to a turf toe injury that required surgery, and he threw for 1,809 yards, 17 touchdowns, and five interceptions. Staying healthy has been an issue for the former No. 1 overall pick, but with one of the best receiving duos in the NFL, Burrow should be primed for a bounce-back campaign in 2026 as a QB1 in fantasy if he can stay on the field.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.9 | 7.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
J.J. McCarthy News
Tuesday, February 24, 11:51 AM
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said on Tuesday that he still views quarterback J.J. McCarthy as a franchise signal-caller, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN. "A lot of those feelings are still the same. It's just the timeline is in a different place for all of us than it was [in 2024]," McConnell said. The Vikings drafted the 23-year-old with the 10th overall pick in 2024 out of Michigan with the intentions of him being the team's long-term QB, but it hasn't gone as planned in his first two years in the NFL. McCarthy missed all of his rookie campaign due to a knee injury that required surgery, and he was extremely inconsistent in his first 10 starts in 2025 while missing time with various injuries. He completed 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Decision-making and accuracy were a big issue, but durability is the primary concern for Minnesota and fantasy managers who have him rostered in dynasty/keeper leagues. There's still time for McCarthy to develop under O'Connell, one of the best QB gurus in the league, but the Vikes may bring in some competition to push him this offseason.
Joe Burrow vs. J.J. McCarthy
Still trying to decide between Burrow and McCarthy? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Joe Burrow is projected to score 24.7 points this week while J.J. McCarthy is projected to score 17.9 points.
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