Who Should I Start? Patrick Mahomes or Cameron Ward

Thursday, February 12, 1:27 PM

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes (knee) is no longer a top-tier fantasy option, primarily due to injury uncertainty. Mahomes tore his ACL and LCL in Week 15, and it's currently unclear whether he'll be ready for the start of the 2026 regular season. He's still one of the most talented players in NFL history, but without a clear timeline, fantasy managers shouldn't expect to rely on him as their starting quarterback in Week 1. We also can't ignore the fact that his fantasy production has gone backward. He went from the overall QB1 in 2022 to QB8 in 2023, QB11 in 2024, and QB11 in his shortened 2025 campaign. He has thrown at least 11 interceptions in each of his last five seasons, and he's been held to 27 or fewer touchdowns every year since 2022, when he threw for 41. Josh Allen has taken over as the consensus QB1 in fantasy football, but players like Lamar Jackson, Drake Maye, and Joe Burrow have also become more appealing to managers than Mahomes. Of course, that could change if the Chiefs add a superstar receiver this offseason, and it also wouldn't hurt if tight end Travis Kelce bounces back following a down year.

Friday, February 13, 6:21 AM

Tennessee Titans quarterback Cameron Ward (shoulder) sprained his right shoulder in the Week 18 regular-season finale, but the injury has not impacted his offseason training since he has been working mostly on footwork. However, ESPN's Turron Davenport writes that Ward's rehab, paired with learning offensive coordinator Brian Daboll's new offense, will likely be a challenge. The Titans are hoping that Daboll can help Ward make a Year 2 jump after he helped Bills QB Josh Allen go from a raw rookie to an All-Pro. Ward showed flashes in his first year in the NFL and finished on a high note, but overall, he was too inconsistent and struggled with accuracy. The first overall pick in 2025 completed 59.8% of his passes for 3,169 yards, 15 touchdowns, and seven interceptions while adding 159 rushing yards and two TDs in 17 starts. The good news is that Ward's throwing shoulder should be 100% for training camp this summer.