Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or Kenny Pickett

Saturday, July 26, 7:25 PM

According to Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay, quarterback Matthew Stafford (back) won't practice next week. Fortunately, the signal-caller didn't suffer a setback. Still, with McVay indicating that the team "will take it a week at a time," the uncertainty surrounding Stafford's return date won't sit well with fantasy managers. He appeared in 16 games for the Rams last season, throwing for 3,762 yards, 20 touchdowns, and eight picks while completing 65.8% of his attempts. Despite Stafford's age, he continues to play at an acceptable level, making him a viable starting option in Superflex formats. The hope is he'll be available for Week 1. However, if the 37-year-old isn't ready to go when the Rams host the Texans on September 7, Jimmy Garoppolo or Stetson Bennett will presumably be under center. Either quarterback would be a step down from Stafford, which wouldn't be ideal for Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. For now, Stafford should be considered week-to-week.

Monday, July 28, 2:59 PM

Cleveland Browns quarterback Kenny Pickett (hamstring) left the team's Saturday practice with a hamstring injury, and head coach Kevin Stefanski would not disclose the severity of the injury when meeting with the media on Monday. Stefanski reportedly said that Joe Flacco will handle the majority of first-team reps for the team in the immediate future, according to Tony Grossi of The Land on Demand. Pickett is in a competition with Flacco and rookie quarterbacks Dillon Gabriel and Shedeur Sanders for the starting job in Cleveland, but this injury threatens to set him back. In five games (one start) for the Philadelphia Eagles last season, Pickett completed 59.5% of his passes for 291 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception. A former first-round pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022, Pickett may be getting his last chance to prove himself as a starter with Cleveland. He'll need a quick recovery to beat out Flacco for the job heading into the regular season.