Who Should I Start? Kenny Pickett or Bryce Young

Thursday, September 4, 9:39 AM

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kenny Pickett (hamstring) logged a full practice on Wednesday and is cleared to suit up in Week 1 when the Raiders face the New England Patriots. Pickett began the offseason with the Cleveland Browns but was traded to the Raiders in exchange for a fifth-round pick. The former first-round pick has been dealing with a hamstring injury, but appears to have moved past it. Fantasy managers should expect Pickett to operate as the backup option to Geno Smith. Currently, Aidan O'Connell (wrist) is on the injured reserve, which means Pickett will likely be given all of those opportunities under center if Smith were to miss time. Last season, Pickett spent time as Jalen Hurts' backup in Philadelphia but was deployed as a starter across his first two seasons in Pittsburgh. He is only worth a look in deeper superflex leagues if he were to take over the starting job.

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.