Who Should I Start? Kirk Cousins or J.J. McCarthy

Friday, October 31, 11:35 AM

The Athletic's Josh Kendall reports that the Atlanta Falcons have yet to have "any serious trade discussions with another team," regarding quarterback Kirk Cousins ahead of next Tuesday's trade deadline. Cousins has been the speculation of quarterback-needy teams, although his recent performance in a blowout loss to the Miami Dolphins likely didn't help his case. As it stands, Atlanta is likely to hold both the veteran and second-year pro Michael Penix Jr. (knee). However, Kendall notes that doesn't mean Cousins is a long-term fit for the team. He figures to resume backup duties behind Penix Jr. once the latter is fully recovered from his knee injury. That's likely to change following the 2025 season.

Friday, November 14, 6:56 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy is a solid Superflex candidate with his team set to face the Chicago Bears in Week 11. The second-year quarterback led a furious comeback in the Week 1 meeting between the two teams in which he accounted for three total touchdowns in the fourth quarter, and the Chicago defense continues to rank among the bottom of the barrel against fantasy quarterbacks. McCarthy is a work in progress as a passer, but encouragingly for managers, he's developed a nice rushing floor in his limited time with the Vikings. He rushed for a touchdown in two of his four starts and ran for 48 yards on only five carries last week against the Ravens. Certainly, some volatility is to be expected from a first-time starter, but McCarthy is already playable in two-quarterback leagues and could have additional week-to-week value with favorable matchups.