Who Should I Start? Kirk Cousins or Michael Penix Jr.

Saturday, September 27, 7:46 PM

According to Dianna Russini of The Athletic, the Atlanta Falcons have no plans on trading quarterback Kirk Cousins, at least "for now." There are several factors to consider regarding a potential deal involving the signal-caller. He has a no-trade clause. In addition, his hefty contract is something most teams aren't willing (or able) to take on. After Michael Penix Jr. played poorly in the Week 3 blowout loss to the Carolina Panthers, some believed Cousins would reclaim his spot as the team's starting quarterback. However, that's not the case, with Penix in line to remain under center. Of course, anything could change. With that said, as long as Cousins isn't starting, he's not worth rostering in any format. On the other hand, his fantasy stock could climb significantly if he gets shipped elsewhere and gets a chance to start. Cousins briefly saw some action in Week 3, throwing for 29 yards off 5-for-7 passing.

Wednesday, October 22, 3:41 PM

Atlanta Falcons head coach Raheem Morris said that quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (foot) is still day-to-day and will be limited in practice on Wednesday, according to Marc Raimondi of ESPN. Penix suffered a bone bruise in his foot in the Week 7 loss to the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday night, putting his availability for a Week 8 tilt against the Miami Dolphins this Sunday somewhat in question. The 25-year-old second-year QB's injury doesn't sound too serious, but it's enough to keep him out of a full practice in the first session of the week. Morris is optimistic about Penix playing this weekend, but fantasy managers will want to monitor the left-hander's status the rest of the week. If he can practice in full on Thursday or Friday, he should be just fine to play against Miami, where he'll have clear QB1 upside against the Dolphins' weak defense. If Penix cannot go, veteran Kirk Cousins would see his first action of the year and would immediately be on the streaming radar in fantasy leagues.