Who Should I Start? Justin Fields or Tyler Shough

Thursday, June 26, 12:34 AM

New York Jets quarterback Justin Fields is impressing the coaching staff this offseason with his work ethic as he heads into his first season with the team. "He's going out there and he's busting his a-; trying to be the best quarterback he can be for this team. Everybody sees that and I like that," head coach Aaron Glenn said. The biggest knocks on the former first-rounder in 2021 by the Chicago Bears were accuracy issues and his processing at the line of scrimmage. "The biggest takeaway I would say is that this guy is just a workaholic," offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand said. If Fields can improve his accuracy and decision-making while throwing to college teammate Garrett Wilson, he could become the long-term answer in New York and give fantasy managers clear QB1 upside given his elite rushing abilities. The 26-year-old has a high floor as a QB2 because of his rushing prowess.

Thursday, June 26, 2:37 PM

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough was selected in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft, and veteran signal-caller Derek Carr (shoulder) announced his retirement shortly after. This leaves Shough as the favorite to win the QB1 job in his rookie season, though he is competing with sophomore Spencer Rattler. After a long college football career full of adversity, Shough is ready for the growing pains and downs of his first year in the NFL. "I think for me and what I've been through: I've been carted off the field, I've been booed, I've been an MVP, I've been a starter, I've been a backup to [Justin] Herbert," Shough said. "You're not going to faze me if we start off 0-2 or I suck. It's going to be fine." The former Oregon Duck, Texas Tech Red Raider, and Louisville Cardinal acknowledge that while he's an older first-year player, he's still a rookie who will have to learn. Even if Shough pans out, he likely won't be a fantasy football contributor in single-QB leagues this season since he does not have much of a rushing skill set. That said, he could be a QB2 sleeper for Superflex and two-QB leagues while throwing passes to Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, Alvin Kamara, Juwan Johnson, and Marquez Valdes-Scantling.