Who Should I Start? Joe Burrow or Tua Tagovailoa


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
28.4 9.6 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Joe Burrow News

Joe Burrow Set To Make Season Debut Against Tampa Bay

Friday, September 11, 11:03 AM

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow is poised to begin his MVP campaign against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday in Week 1. The Bengals superstar had an injury-plagued 2025 season, missing nine games with a severe turf toe injury. Burrow was productive upon his return, scoring 19+ fantasy points in five of the final six games of the season. Now Burrow enters the 2026 season fully healthy and armed with a trio of elite offensive weapons in Ja'Marr Chase, Chase Brown, and Tee Higgins. The 29-year-old will get an opportunity to run up the score against the Buccaneers in a game with the highest game total of the week set at 50.5 points. Both the Bengals and Buccaneers had down years by their standards in 2025, but both teams were top-six in scoring in 2024. With Burrow fully healthy and opposing quarterback Baker Mayfield fresh off signing his new contract extension, both teams should be ready for a high-scoring affair. Burrow is currently ranked as the overall QB1 in our RotoBaller Week 1 rankings, so fantasy managers should be very excited about starting him this week.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Tua Tagovailoa News

Tua Tagovailoa Ruled Out for Sunday

Friday, September 11, 9:37 AM

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa (oblique) has been ruled out for Sunday's season opener against the Pittsburgh Steelers after popping up on Thursday's injury report with an oblique injury, as reported by NFL Insider Adam Schefter. Tagovailoa signed a one-year, veteran minimum deal with the Falcons after being released by the Dolphins. Following a rocky training camp and preseason that began with back spasms, he was recently named the Week 1 starter, as 2024 first-round pick Michael Penix Jr. (knee) continues to work his way back from the ACL tear that ended his 2025 season. Penix, who is still listed as the fourth quarterback on the team's unofficial depth chart, has been a full practice participant to begin the week, so there is a chance he could now step into the Week 1 starting role. If not, the Falcons will begin the year with either Cooper Rush or undrafted rookie Jack Strand under center. A report from The Palm Beach Post's Joe Schad (citing Pro Football Talk) suggests that there is a "strong possibility" that Tagovailoa is released if/when he is replaced as the starting QB. Now that more injury issues have popped up for the former first-rounder, he might not even end up taking a single snap in a regular-season game for Atlanta.


Joe Burrow vs. Tua Tagovailoa

Still trying to decide between Burrow and Tagovailoa? 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 28.4 points this week while Tua Tagovailoa is projected to score 0.0 points.