Who Should I Start? Michael Penix Jr. or J.J. McCarthy
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
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
J.J. McCarthy News
Wednesday, September 9, 10:51 AM
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell told reporters on Wednesday that veteran quarterback Carson Wentz is the backup to starter Kyler Murray and that J.J. McCarthy is the third-stringer to open the 2026 season, according to Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network. It will be a week-to-week evaluation. "This gives us the best chance to win," O'Connell said. The writing was on the wall for the 23-year-old former first-rounder from Michigan when the Vikings signed Murray to a one-year deal this offseason in free agency. McCarthy lost out in the training camp QB battle to Murray, and after struggling in the preseason and getting banged up, he will enter his third year in the NFL as the team's QB3. In his first full season as the Vikings' starter in 2025, McCarthy only played in 10 games due to various injuries and struggled with his accuracy, completing 140 of his 243 pass attempts for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions. McCarthy's best path back to fantasy relevance in dynasty/keeper leagues might be a trade out of Minnesota at this point.
Michael Penix Jr. vs. J.J. McCarthy
Still trying to decide between Penix Jr. and McCarthy? 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 J.J. McCarthy is projected to score 0.0 points.
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