Who Should I Start? Lamar Jackson or C.J. Stroud

Wednesday, August 13, 4:08 PM

Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said that the same players who didn't play at all in the preseason opener last week against the Indianapolis Colts won't play in their second preseason tilt versus the Dallas Cowboys on Saturday, either. It means that key starters like quarterback Lamar Jackson won't be suiting up. Backup Cooper Rush could get more than a quarter of action this weekend. The 28-year-old Jackson didn't play at all last preseason, so don't be surprised if the same thing happens this year after he threw for a career-high 4,172 yards, 41 touchdowns and only four interceptions in 17 regular-season games a year ago. The four-time Pro Bowler and two-time MVP is at the top of his game and is a high-end, dual-threat QB1 for fantasy managers in 2025. Jackson isn't dealing with any sort of injury this summer.

Monday, August 18, 8:49 AM

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud played just two series on Saturday against Carolina, but he looked sharp, completing 6-of-8 pass attempts for 44 passing yards and a touchdown to Nico Collins. He wasn't satisfied with his preseason debut, though, expressing frustration that he missed Collins on a deep ball on the team's first possession, which ended in a punt. Stroud only played two series, but did enough to put his Texans ahead in a game they went on to win 20-3. After winning Offensive Rookie of the Year in 2023, Stroud struggled a little bit last season, throwing for 3,727 yards and 20 touchdowns but also throwing 12 interceptions. With new offensive coordinator Nick Caley taking over from Bobby Slowik, Stroud will look to bounce back and be a fantasy factor again this season. He's a QB2 with upside coming into the season, but he has the potential to be a borderline QB1 if he can return to his 2023 form with better protection than he had last year.