Who Should I Start? Justin Jefferson or Bryce Young

Tuesday, October 7, 2:11 PM

The Minnesota Vikings are on a bye in Week 6, but their return to the field could have fantasy implications for wide receiver Justin Jefferson. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) has not played since Week 2, but the team is targeting Week 7 against the Philadelphia Eagles as his projected return. Jefferson drew 6.5 targets in two games with McCarthy compared to 9.7 with backup Carson Wentz, though Minnesota has been much more intentional about getting their star wideout the ball in the past two weeks, throwing his way a robust 22 times. Despite Minnesota facing tons of injury issues on the offensive line and both opponents surely game-planning for Jefferson to be heavily featured, he still put up 100-yard efforts in both games. Among fantasy receivers, Jefferson is about as QB-proof as there is, but McCarthy's return still will be a variable worth monitoring.

Saturday, October 11, 8:56 PM

Carolina Panthers quarterback Bryce Young has shown signs of growth in his third season in the National Football League. While he hasn't been consistent, he's still had some favorable outings for fantasy managers. The signal-caller most recently threw for 198 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception off 19-for-30 passing in the Week 5 win over the Miami Dolphins. Although things could have gone better in that one, it's safe to say Young could have played much worse based on his volatile track record. Truth be told, he at least did enough to keep his team competitive in Week 5, with Rico Dowdle handling the rest by amassing 206 yards and one touchdown on the ground. With that in mind, Young has work to do before earning the trust of fantasy managers. However, with injuries at the quarterback position and a few teams getting the week off, the 24-year-old can realistically occupy a spot in Superflex lineups versus a weak Cowboys defense, assuming managers are comfortable taking a gamble.