Who Should I Start? Michael Penix Jr. or J.J. McCarthy

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.

Tuesday, June 17, 12:07 PM

There are plenty of question marks surrounding Minnesota Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy, the 10th overall pick last year, after he missed his rookie season in 2024 with a torn right meniscus in his knee. However, ESPN's Kevin Seifert writes that McCarthy's arm strength has been fine after it was a topic of discussion going into the 2024 draft. "He definitely has an arm," receiver Justin Jefferson said. "That's for sure. He can definitely zip it whenever he needs to." His arm has looked especially lively on throws down the middle of the field, and McCarthy is starting to learn to vary his throws after Jefferson noted last summer that the rookie tended to throw every ball the same way -- hard and straight. With no threats to the starting job under center, the 22-year-old is Minnesota's clear starting QB going into 2025 and has some of the best weapons in the league. He's a QB2 with upside in fantasy.