Who Should I Start? Michael Penix Jr. or Jalen Coker

Tuesday, October 14, 11:59 AM

Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. completed 20 of 32 passes for 250 yards and a touchdown in Monday night's 24-14 win over the Bills, adding two rushes for six yards. The former first-round draft pick has looked more confident in his last two contests (69 percent completion rate, 3:1 TD:INT) after posting duds in Weeks 2 and 3 (54 percent completion rate, 0:2 TD:INT). Still, even though he's recorded one rushing score this season, the 25-year-old has gained just 37 yards on the ground through five games in 2025, so he does not have that weekly floor built into his fantasy value that so many other QBs have these days, currently ranking as the No. 27 QB in fantasy. The University of Washington product will face a 49ers defense in Week 7 that is middle of the pack in terms of allowing fantasy production to opposing QBs, but proactive managers interested in a streaming option might look ahead to the following week, where he'll face a soft Miami defense that has been generous in the passing game, giving up the third-most fantasy points to opposing quarterbacks.

Thursday, October 16, 4:17 PM

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (quad) practiced in full for the second straight day on Thursday. The 23-year-old was placed on Injured Reserve before the start of the season and has yet to play in 2025. However, it appears as though Coker is trending towards making his season debut in Week 7 against the New York Jets. Across 11 games in 2024, Coker recorded 32 catches for 478 yards and two touchdowns on 46 targets. Upon his return, he should compete with Panthers wideout Xavier Legette for WR2 status alongside Tetairoa McMillan. Coker may be eased into the lineup after his extended absence, which makes him tough for fantasy managers to trust in Week 7. Still, he's a name to monitor in deep leagues.