Who Should I Start? Kyler Murray or J.J. McCarthy
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20.2 | 18.4 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Kyler Murray News
Wednesday, March 11, 5:01 PM
Former Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (foot) will visit with the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday, according to John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports. Minnesota is offering a starting spot as they look to challenge first-round QB J.J. McCarthy, and a deal with Murray could be finalized in the next 24 hours. However, Murray and his representatives are also expected to explore several options as a backup in 2026 for teams that could need a starting signal-caller in 2027. The Vikings are the 28-year-old Murray's best chance for a starting gig right away and to rehab his fantasy football value after he played in only five games in 2025 due to a foot sprain. Injuries have been an issue for the former No. 1 overall pick out of Oklahoma, but when healthy, he offers plenty of dual-threat abilities and would have a strong WR duo to work with in Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. If Murray signs with the Vikings, he'll be one of the most obvious QB bounce-back candidates in the NFL.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17.9 | 7.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
J.J. McCarthy News
Tuesday, February 24, 11:51 AM
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said on Tuesday that he still views quarterback J.J. McCarthy as a franchise signal-caller, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN. "A lot of those feelings are still the same. It's just the timeline is in a different place for all of us than it was [in 2024]," McConnell said. The Vikings drafted the 23-year-old with the 10th overall pick in 2024 out of Michigan with the intentions of him being the team's long-term QB, but it hasn't gone as planned in his first two years in the NFL. McCarthy missed all of his rookie campaign due to a knee injury that required surgery, and he was extremely inconsistent in his first 10 starts in 2025 while missing time with various injuries. He completed 57.6% of his passes for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions. Decision-making and accuracy were a big issue, but durability is the primary concern for Minnesota and fantasy managers who have him rostered in dynasty/keeper leagues. There's still time for McCarthy to develop under O'Connell, one of the best QB gurus in the league, but the Vikes may bring in some competition to push him this offseason.
Kyler Murray vs. J.J. McCarthy
Still trying to decide between Murray and McCarthy? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Kyler Murray is projected to score 20.2 points this week while J.J. McCarthy is projected to score 17.9 points.
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