Who Should I Start? Joe Burrow or Michael Penix Jr.


Week 3 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
24.7 10.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Joe Burrow News

Joe Burrow Facing Tough Steelers Defense In Week 3

Friday, September 25, 12:17 PM

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow will take on the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road in Week 3. Burrow passed for 207 yards and two touchdowns in the 20-6 win over the Houston Texans last week and will try to build on that success this week. The Bengals star took a step back in terms of yardage perspective in Week 2, throwing 47 fewer passing yards, but his touchdown total increased and he didn't throw any picks in his second game. Burrow will try to build on the touchdown success while increasing the yardage against a tough Steelers defense. Through two games, Pittsburgh has allowed the sixth-fewest passing yards and the ninth-most rushing yards. If that trend continues, Burrow could be in for another low-yardage outing on Sunday. The Bengals have the skill players to overcome nearly every matchup, so Burrow has the potential to exceed expectations, but it will not be a cakewalk matchup. It should also be noted that Burrow was not listed on the Bengals injury report this week, signaling that the back issue is now behind him. Burrow is ranked QB9 in our RotoBaller Week 3 rankings, making him a low-end QB1 this Sunday. Fantasy managers should be encouraged by Burrow's upward trend in fantasy scoring, but may need to temper expectations against Pittsburgh.


Week 3 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
20.0 8.8 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Michael Penix Jr. News

Michael Penix Jr. Impresses in Successful Injury Return on Thursday

Friday, September 25, 5:58 AM

In his first game back since suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 11 of 2025, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was effective. The 26-year-old completed 18 of 25 pass attempts for 256 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, and led his team to a 35-14 win over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. Atlanta finished the game with nearly 250 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, which kept Penix Jr. from having to do too much with his arm. Still, the third-year quarterback averaged a highly efficient 10.2 yards per pass attempt and helped power a massive game from star Falcons wideout Drake London, who recorded nine catches for 194 yards on 10 targets. Penix Jr. offers zero upside with his legs and will likely often be handing the ball off to Falcons running back Bijan Robinson when the team gets near the goal line, both of which limit his fantasy value. At the same time, Penix Jr. could establish himself as a solid QB2 option for fantasy managers if he can stay healthy.


Joe Burrow vs. Michael Penix Jr.

Still trying to decide between Burrow and Penix Jr.? 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 Michael Penix Jr. is projected to score 20.0 points.