Who Should I Start? Michael Penix Jr. or C.J. Stroud


Week 3 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
20.0 8.8 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Michael Penix Jr. News

Michael Penix Jr. Impresses in Successful Injury Return on Thursday

Friday, September 25, 5:58 AM

In his first game back since suffering a season-ending knee injury in Week 11 of 2025, Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. was effective. The 26-year-old completed 18 of 25 pass attempts for 256 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, and led his team to a 35-14 win over the Green Bay Packers on Thursday night. Atlanta finished the game with nearly 250 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns, which kept Penix Jr. from having to do too much with his arm. Still, the third-year quarterback averaged a highly efficient 10.2 yards per pass attempt and helped power a massive game from star Falcons wideout Drake London, who recorded nine catches for 194 yards on 10 targets. Penix Jr. offers zero upside with his legs and will likely often be handing the ball off to Falcons running back Bijan Robinson when the team gets near the goal line, both of which limit his fantasy value. At the same time, Penix Jr. could establish himself as a solid QB2 option for fantasy managers if he can stay healthy.


Week 3 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
23.6 13.3 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

C.J. Stroud News

C.J. Stroud Is a High-Risk QB2 without His Top Receiver

Saturday, September 26, 2:52 AM

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud led the NFL in pass attempts through the first two weeks of the season, attempting a total of 93 passes against the Bills and Bengals. While he has had plenty of opportunities, he has only completed 60.2% of those passes for an average of 313.5 yards per game and two passing scores. Stroud threw the ball 55 times last week against the Bengals but couldn't lead the offense into the end zone on any drives in the team's 20-6 defeat. Stroud and the Texans' offense felt the absence of top receiver Nico Collins (hamstring), who will miss a second straight game this week. The 0-2 Texans will be visiting the 0-2 Colts in a matchup of desperate teams trying to avoid three straight losses to start the season. The Colts have allowed the third-most fantasy points to QBs this season, allowing 300+ yards passing to both Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson. While he does have some sleeper upside, without Collins, Stroud is only the No. 25 QB in Rotoballer's rankings in Week 3. He's high-risk in this struggling offense and is not a good option in single-QB leagues, sitting on the fringes of being a starter in dual-QB leagues.


Michael Penix Jr. vs. C.J. Stroud

Still trying to decide between Penix Jr. and Stroud? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Michael Penix Jr. is projected to score 20.0 points this week while C.J. Stroud is projected to score 23.6 points.