Should I Start J.J. McCarthy?

Tuesday, October 27, 10:21 AM

New York Giants quarterback J.J. McCarthy was written off in Minnesota and traded for a measly 2027 fifth-round pick. That trade looks like a bargain. Since joining the Giants, he's thrown for 495 yards on just 49 throws, an absurd 10.1 yards per attempt. He threw for 243 yards in late relief against New Orleans in Week 6 and 252 yards against Houston in Week 7. So far, his stats have been excellent, and his game tape may be even more impressive. However, you should still approach him with some caution. After 178 yards in the first half against Houston, he only managed 65 in the second half. All that yardage and still only one TD. Making matters worse, the Giants brought in Jameis Winston for four short-yardage sneaks, including a touchdown, taking away another potential source of fantasy points. With the Giants on a bye in Week 8, McCarthy is a good speculative addition in deeper and superflex leagues. Maybe Minnesota just gave up on him too quickly, or maybe this run won't continue. Either way, he's worth a bench spot to see what happens.