Who Should I Start? Patrick Mahomes or Jake Browning

Sunday, September 14, 9:42 PM

Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes struggled to move the ball through the air in his team's 20-17 Week 2 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, completing 16 of 29 pass attempts for 188 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Still, Mahomes managed to save his fantasy stat line by rushing for 66 yards and a touchdown on seven attempts. The Chiefs will have easier matchups than the Eagles' defense going forward, but it may be difficult for Mahomes as a passer while top receivers Rashee Rice (suspension) and Xavier Worthy (shoulder) remain sidelined. Mahomes has been highly effective as a rusher so far this season, recording 123 yards and two touchdowns on 13 attempts. However, Kansas City likely won't want to risk his health by asking him to do too much with his legs. Mahomes remains a mid-to-low-end fantasy QB1 going forward.

Tuesday, September 16, 10:25 AM

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Jake Browning is expected to take over as the starter for the foreseeable future after Joe Burrow (toe) was ruled out for at least the next three months with turf toe. Browning entered in the second quarter of Week 2 and led the Bengals to a win over the Jacksonville Jaguars, completing 21 of 32 passes for 241 yards and two touchdowns. The 28-year-old started seven games in 2023, where he impressed by completing over 70% of his passes while averaging 266.9 yards per game with 11 touchdowns and seven interceptions. While turnovers remain a concern, Browning has shown enough efficiency to keep Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins near the top of the rankings at the WR position. He should be rostered in all Superflex formats and can be viewed as a mid-to-low QB2 over the next three months.