Who Should I Start? Patrick Mahomes or Tanner McKee

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.

Sunday, January 4, 8:17 AM

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Tanner McKee will start under center for Sunday's regular-season finale versus the Washington Commanders. The Eagles have opted to rest starter Jalen Hurts with the team already locked into the second or third seed in the postseason. The assumption is that the Eagles will rest most of their starters, given their little incentive to win. On paper, this is a plus-matchup for McKee against a struggling Commanders secondary, which ranks at the bottom of the league against the pass. With Philly likely pulling their starters, it's going to be tough for McKee to have much success. Outside Superflex or 2QB leagues, fantasy managers should look elsewhere for help as McKee is unlikely to light up the box score in Week 18.