Who Should I Start? Joe Flacco or DK Metcalf

Sunday, November 23, 9:38 AM

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco will get one more opportunity to start after Joe Burrow (toe) was ruled out for Sunday's Week 12 contest against the New England Patriots. While Burrow was trending in the right direction for this week, the Bengals have ultimately decided to keep him on injured reserve for at least a few more days. As a result, Flacco will remain installed as Cincinnati's starting quarterback for Week 12. He's coming off an uninspiring 199-yard clunker against the Steelers, and although he has five touchdowns over his last two games, he also has four turnovers during that span. To make matters worse, he'll be without Ja'Marr Chase (suspension), shifting Tee Higgins to the top receiver role. New England's defense has been strong this season, but it's best at stopping the run. The Patriots have allowed the ninth-most passing yards, seventh-most passing touchdowns, and 12th-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2025. This matchup and situation are best defined as "good, not great." That sentiment is reflected in RotoBaller's ranking of Burrow as the overall QB17 this week.

Tuesday, December 2, 8:26 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver DK Metcalf caught three of his five targets for 32 yards in a 26-7 loss to the Buffalo Bills. While he managed to find the end zone in Week 12, Metcalf has now gone five consecutive games without surpassing 50 receiving yards. Pittsburgh's offense has been incredibly ineffective lately, especially through the air, making it hard to rely on any of its pass-catchers. Metcalf remains the only Steelers wideout worth rostering for fantasy purposes, but he is far from a must-start at this point. The Baltimore Ravens, who have tightened up defensively over the past eight weeks, are on tap for Week 14. Fantasy managers in need of a safe floor should explore other options, but Metcalf's explosiveness and talent still give him enough upside to profile as a WR3 or flex play.