Who Should I Start? Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy

Tuesday, December 30, 4:36 PM

ESPN's Josh Weinfuss writes that there's an outside chance that if both head coach Jonathan Gannon and general manager Monti Ossenfort are fired, the new regime will decide to run it back with Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (foot). If the Cardinals decide to move on from Murray, who didn't play at all in 2025 after spraining his foot back in Week 5, they will likely bring veteran Jacoby Brissett back on the second year of his two-year deal while drafting a signal-caller. The Cardinals should be able to pick one of three young QBs in next year's draft among Indiana's Fernando Mendoza, Oregon's Dante Moore, or Alabama's Ty Simpson. The Cardinals have taken a liking to the 6-foot-2 Simpson, who is known as a pocket passer. But if Arizona decides to trade down in the first round or wait until the second round to take a QB, they could look at Miami's Carson Beck or LSU's Garrett Nussmeier.

Monday, December 29, 2:13 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (hand) is progressing in his injury recovery, and the swelling has come down in his throwing hand, according to head coach Kevin O'Connell. McCarthy has a hairline fracture in his right hand that kept him out of the team's Week 17 win over the Lions. Still, there remains a possibility that he could return for the final game of the season, a Week 18 divisional matchup with the Packers. McCarthy has had a rough showing in his first year as a starter, making Justin Jefferson one of the biggest disappointments in fantasy this season. That said, in any leagues with a Week 18 championship, the return of McCarthy is the only way fantasy managers should consider starting Jefferson one last time. In the two games started by undrafted rookie Max Brosmer, Minnesota has averaged 161.5 total offensive yards, with Jefferson finishing as the WR94 and WR48.