Who Should I Start? Lamar Jackson or Michael Penix Jr.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
21.5 42.1 0.4 0.0 0.0 0.0

Lamar Jackson News

Ravens Confident They'll Reach Extension With Lamar Jackson

Tuesday, February 24, 6:44 AM

Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta told reporters on Tuesday at the NFL scouting combine that he's "confident" the team will get a contract extension done with quarterback Lamar Jackson, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN. The Ravens are looking to get something new done with Jackson since his salary cap hit will jump to $74.5 million for 2026 and 2027 after he signed a five-year, $260 million contract extension in April of 2023. The 29-year-old two-time MVP only played in 13 games in 2025 due to injury and finished with a disappointing 2,549 passing yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. He also had a career-low 67 rushing attempts for 349 yards and two touchdowns. Jackson will need to bounce back for Baltimore to have a shot at returning to the postseason, and with better health in 2026, he could easily be back in the high-end QB1 tier for fantasy managers.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
19.2 9.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Michael Penix Jr. News

Kevin Stefanski Non-Committal on Michael Penix Jr.

Tuesday, February 24, 1:14 PM

The Atlanta Falcons continue to be non-commital on quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) being their starter under center in 2026, according to Josh Kendall of The Athletic. "I'm not big on giving out positions in February. I think you guys know how I feel about Michael, and I'm excited about his trajectory. I also know he's focused on his rehab, which is the right thing to do," head coach Kevin Stefanski said. Penix is recovering from a torn left ACL in 2025, so it's understandable for Atlanta's new front office and coaching staff to be non-committal on him going into next season. Penix expects to be ready for Week 1 of the regular season this fall, but the reality is we won't have a better idea of his availability until this summer. The former first-rounder wasn't all that impressive in 2025 before his injury, and he's now rehabbing from his third torn ACL. Penix is determined to heal up and return as the starter, but he'll have to prove it to the team's new brass first. Now might be a perfect time to buy low on Penix in dynasty/keeper leagues, although his injury history dating back to college is worrisome.


Lamar Jackson vs. Michael Penix Jr.

Still trying to decide between Jackson and Penix Jr.? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Lamar Jackson is projected to score 21.5 points this week while Michael Penix Jr. is projected to score 19.2 points.