Who Should I Start? Joshua Dobbs or Joe Burrow

Saturday, August 16, 6:36 PM

New England Patriots quarterback Joshua Dobbs completed 11 of his 16 pass attempts for 106 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions during Saturday's preseason win over the Minnesota Vikings. The veteran backup looked solid, albeit against the Vikings' second-team defense. With only Drake Maye and Ben Wooldridge alongside him in the Patriots' quarterback room, Dobbs is in line to earn the backup job ahead of Week 1. The 30-year-old has seen increased opportunities over the last few seasons, including the 2023 campaign in which he threw for 13 touchdowns with the Vikings and Arizona Cardinals. He spent 2024 backing up Brock Purdy in San Francisco but did attempt 47 passes through two games (one start). If Maye were to suffer an injury, Dobbs possesses the experience, mobility, and arm needed to keep the Patriots competitive down the stretch.

Wednesday, September 17, 1:18 PM

Cincinnati Bengals head coach Zac Taylor said he has "not shut the door" on a return this year for quarterback Joe Burrow (toe), according to Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic. However, Taylor doesn't have any timeline updates and doesn't know yet when Burrow will undergo surgery to fix torn ligaments in his toe. The 28-year-old is also dealing with turf toe after getting hurt in the Week 2 win over the Jacksonville Jaguars. While there is no official timeline for his return, Burrow is expected to miss at least three months, making it possible he could return at the tail end of the regular season. Fantasy managers with an IR spot available could stash Burrow, but just know that he may not end up helping you from here on out if you make a run in the playoffs. In the meantime, backup Jake Browning will run Cincy's offense. The Bengals offense will surely take a hit, but Browning can serve as a high-end QB2 in the right matchups.