Who Should I Start? Joshua Dobbs or Nick Mullens

Monday, August 19, 12:51 AM

San Francisco 49ers quarterback Joshua Dobbs took the bulk of the offensive snaps for the team in a 16-10 preseason victory over the New Orleans Saints in Santa Clara on Sunday night. The 29-year-old entered the game for San Francisco's fourth possession following a struggling Brock Purdy offense. Dobbs would remain at the helm for three point-generating possessions before yielding to Brandon Allen at the half. Dobbs totaled 12 of 21 passes completed for 133 yards with no sacks or interceptions. He added three carries for 25 yards, including an impressive reverse-field scramble for a first down and a one-yard touchdown plunge. While preseason successes -- and failures -- should be taken with a grain of salt, San Francisco has to be happy to see a continuation of the skills Dobbs flashed in 2023 with Arizona and Minnesota. Dobbs is not fantasy-rosterable at this point but should draw some waiver-wire action if Purdy misses time.

Thursday, August 15, 9:45 AM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Nick Mullens will start Saturday's preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Despite a challenging 2023 season where he went 0-3 with seven touchdowns and eight interceptions as a starter, Mullens is now firmly positioned as the No. 2 quarterback. Following him on the depth chart is second-year pro Jaren Hall. Head coach Kevin O'Connell expressed confidence in Mullens due to his solid grasp of the offense. Mullens is known for his high-risk, high-reward style and had notable success during his time with the San Francisco 49ers before joining the Vikings. Though he tends to turn the ball over, with 31 career interceptions in just 20 starts, he also boasts 34 touchdown passes. Last season, after Kirk Cousins' injury, Mullens had mixed results in five games (three starts), with a respectable 8.8 yards per attempt but eight interceptions. Mullens is a veteran with the potential to deliver strong performances, particularly if he maintains his solid rapport with star receiver Justin Jefferson.