Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or J.J. McCarthy

Thursday, February 5, 6:34 PM

Los Angeles Rams veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford was named the 2025 NFL Most Valuable Player on Thursday night for the first time in his 17th season in the league. Stafford beat out New England Patriots second-year QB Drake Maye for the award by just one vote. The 37-year-old also made the Pro Bowl in 2025 for only the third time in his career after one of his best all-around seasons. Stafford completed 65% of his 597 pass attempts for a league-high 4,707 passing yards, a league-high 46 touchdown passes, and only eight interceptions in 17 regular-season starts. In three playoff games, he added 936 passing yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. There was some doubt as to whether Stafford would return for an 18th NFL season following the Rams' loss to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship, but the former Georgia Bulldog announced on Thursday night that he will be returning. With weapons galore in L.A. on offense, Stafford will be a clear QB1 fantasy target going into next season.

Tuesday, February 17, 9:50 AM

Quarterback J.J. McCarthy's lack of availability through his first two NFL seasons is the Minnesota Vikings' "foremost concern," according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. McCarthy has played in 29% of the team's regular-season games since he was drafted in the first round in the spring of 2024. The 23-year-old has dealt with a torn meniscus in his knee, a sprained ankle, a concussion, and hand and finger injuries. Durability concerns are the primary reason why Minnesota is seeking QB insurance behind McCarthy going into the 2026 season. But injuries aren't the only reason for the Vikings to be concerned. Outside of a four-game stretch to close last season, McCarthy's overall body of work ranked at the bottom among all qualified QBs. The team removed most of its over-the-middle passing concepts last season to keep McCarthy's line of sight as simple as possible. It's clear McCarthy is still developing after missing his entire rookie campaign, but if he doesn't show improvement soon, he could be looking at losing the franchise QB title sooner than later.