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

Monday, January 5, 12:37 PM

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Flacco isn't considering retirement, but he hopes to be "selective" in what comes next in his career, according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. It's clear that Flacco wants to continue playing, and he's even open to coming back to Cincinnati, even if that would mean serving as Joe Burrow's backup. He's also open to fielding calls from a team that needs a signal-caller for next season. The 40-year-old began the 2025 season as the Cleveland Browns' starting QB before a midseason trade to the Bengals to help out while Burrow recovered from turf-toe surgery. The former Super Bowl champion proved that he still has something left in the tank, although he went just 2-8 in his 10 starts with the Browns and Bengals. Flacco completed 60.3% of his passes for 2,479 yards, 15 touchdowns, and 10 picks. At best, Flacco will be in play as a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues if he ends up playing a 19th NFL season and making more starts in 2026.

Friday, February 13, 7:08 AM

A first-round selection in the 2024 NFL Draft, Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy was expected to take over as the team's unquestioned QB1 in 2025. However, the 23-year-old struggled mightily in his first chance to be an NFL starter this past season. Across 10 starts, McCarthy completed 57.6% of his pass attempts for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. He was able to add some value with his legs, rushing for 181 yards and four touchdowns on 37 attempts. However, injuries and availability have also been a major issue for McCarthy. After missing his entire rookie year with a torn meniscus, McCarthy missed time in 2025 with a high-ankle sprain, a concussion, and a fractured hand. Heading into 2026, Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell has stated that the team aims to have a "competitive" quarterback situation in training camp. While McCarthy is still young and could still be the long-term answer in Minnesota, his fantasy stock in dynasty formats is trending in the wrong direction.