Who Should I Start? Kenny Pickett or Graham Mertz

Saturday, December 13, 12:21 AM

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Kenny Pickett will earn a spot start against the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15 with teammate Geno Smith (shoulder, back) sidelined. While Pickett should offer a nice change from Smith, who has 16 touchdowns, 15 turnovers, and 49 sacks this year, he likely won't be a reliable fantasy starter. Pickett went 8-for-11 with 97 yards and a touchdown in relief of Smith last week, and he hasn't finished any of his four seasons higher than the QB28 in fantasy football. He could struggle against an Eagles defense allowing the fourth-fewest passing touchdowns and 14th-fewest fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks in 2025. Pickett ranks as the overall QB31 in this week's RotoBaller fantasy rankings, which means that he can be benched in all leagues.

Monday, August 25, 6:32 AM

Houston Texans quarterback Graham Mertz got the start in the team's preseason finale in Detroit on Sunday, and the sixth-round rookie had a very strong showing while leading his team to a 26-7 win over the Lions. With starter C.J. Stroud and primary backup Davis Mills getting the day off, Mertz completed 14 of his 16 pass attempts for an efficient 145 passing yards. He threw a touchdown to Quintez Cephus and led three scoring drives before halftime. He also added 20 rushing yards on two carries. Mertz played ahead of Kedon Slovis, who was on the Texans' practice squad last year and took over for the second half of Saturday's win. Mertz likely secured the third spot on the quarterback depth chart with his strong showing, while Slovis could be headed back to the practice squad.