Who Should I Start? Joe Burrow or J.J. McCarthy

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.

Tuesday, February 17, 9:50 AM

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy's lack of availability through his first two NFL seasons is the Minnesota Vikings' "foremost concern," according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. McCarthy has played in 29% of the team's regular-season games since he was drafted in the first round in the spring of 2024. The 23-year-old has dealt with a torn meniscus in his knee, a sprained ankle, a concussion, and hand and finger injuries. Durability concerns are the primary reason why Minnesota is seeking QB insurance behind McCarthy going into the 2026 season. But injuries aren't the only reason for the Vikings to be concerned. Outside of a four-game stretch to close last season, McCarthy's overall body of work ranked at the bottom among all qualified QBs. The team removed most of its over-the-middle passing concepts last season to keep McCarthy's line of sight as simple as possible. It's clear McCarthy is still developing after missing his entire rookie campaign, but if he doesn't show improvement soon, he could be looking at losing the franchise QB title sooner than later.