Who Should I Start? Michael Penix Jr. or Cam Ward

Tuesday, July 22, 6:31 PM

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr., who was taken eighth overall in the 2024 NFL draft, enters training camp this summer as the team's unquestioned starter under center after starting the final three games of last season after Kirk Cousins was benched. While the 25-year-old southpaw signal-caller has plenty to work on heading into his first full season as the starter, the Falcons offense did average 32 points a game in his three starts to close out 2024. Nobody should be drafting Penix this fall as a QB1 in fantasy, but he is one of the more intriguing young QBs in the NFL and could eventually join the ranks of QB1s if he can stay healthy. If that is going to happen, the Washington alum is going to need to be more accurate on the short and intermediate throws. Penix has plenty of weapons and is not a bad QB2 in superflex leagues, but his lack of rushing will cap his fantasy ceiling.

Wednesday, July 23, 5:31 PM

Tennessee Titans rookie quarterback Cam Ward, who was the first overall pick in this year's NFL draft, made his training camp debut on Wednesday and took all of the first-team reps, per ESPN's Turron Davenport. Now that Will Levis (shoulder) is out for the entire season while needing surgery on his right shoulder, Ward is firmly in line to start in his first year in the NFL. Back in OTAs and minicamp, the Titans used a rotation of Ward, Levis and Brandon Allen and Tim Boyle. The Titans haven't officially announced Ward as its starter, but it's pretty clear that will eventually come to pass. Davenport goes on to write that most of Ward's passes were towards the middle of the field on Wednesday after most of his success in college came there as well. His first season in the NFL will be more about development and will surely come with plenty of ups and downs. Ward is a low-end QB2 heading into his first year.