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

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Week 1 Projections

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Kirk Cousins News

Kirk Cousins Could Make Starts for Raiders in 2026

Saturday, April 4, 2:10 PM

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that the money that the Las Vegas Raiders gave veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins indicates that he "could or maybe should end up being the starting QB" to begin the 2026 regular season. Somehow, Cousins will be guaranteed $20 million in 2026, with almost half of the money being paid by the Atlanta Falcons, who released the 37-year-old at the start of the new league year. Even though the Raiders are expected to take Indiana QB Fernando Mendoza with the No. 1 overall pick at the end of April, Cousins is expected to be the team's Week 1 starter as they let Mendoza sit and learn early on in his first year in the NFL. The four-time Pro Bowler played in 24 games (22 starts) in his two years in Atlanta and completed 65% of his passes for 5,229 yards, 28 touchdowns, and 21 interceptions. At best, he'll be a low-end QB2 option for those in superflex fantasy leagues in 2026, and his run as Vegas' starter could be short-lived, depending on his performance and Mendoza's development.

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Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

J.J. McCarthy News

Is J.J. McCarthy Worth Buying Low?

Wednesday, April 22, 5:40 AM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy has had a tumultuous start to his NFL career. While Caleb Williams, Jayden Daniels, Drake Maye, and Bo Nix, fellow quarterbacks taken in the 2024 NFL Draft, have all seen their dynasty stock rise tremendously through their first two years in the league, McCarthy's has been in free fall. After missing the entire 2024 season with a torn meniscus sustained in the preseason, McCarthy struggled mightily in what was essentially a redshirt rookie season, throwing for 163.2 yards per game while tossing 11 touchdowns to 12 interceptions, all the while dealing with nagging injuries and rumors of a soft benching. Heading into his third season, the Vikings have brought in former Cardinal Kyler Murray on a one-year deal. While Murray has faced his own on-field struggles of late, the presumption is that he should have the inside track to Minnesota's starting job in 2026, and after peaking as high as QB12 before ever taking a regular-season snap, McCarthy has fallen to RotoBaller's dynasty QB28. While things currently look bleak for his NFL future, it's important to remember that McCarthy is only 23 and has made just 10 professional starts. With Murray's deal only tying him to the Vikings for one season, a lot can happen between now and the point when Minnesota will need to make a decision on McCarthy's fifth-year option. Depending on just how low his stock dips, he could still be a worthwhile dart-throw acquisition for rebuilding dynasty managers.

Kirk Cousins vs. J.J. McCarthy

Still trying to decide between Cousins and McCarthy? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Kirk Cousins is projected to score 0.0 points this week while J.J. McCarthy is projected to score 0.0 points.