Who Should I Start? Patrick Mahomes or Trevor Lawrence

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.

Wednesday, February 11, 10:01 AM

Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence came into the league with sky-high expectations after being selected first overall in the 2021 draft, but following four disappointing seasons, he had fallen to the low-QB2 range in dynasty formats. However, after one year with new head coach Liam Coen and an identity-redefining season that saw him receive MVP votes, Lawrence is back into the QB1 conversation in dynasty startups. The biggest change to Lawrence's game in 2025 was his ability to keep drives alive with his legs. Throughout the regular season and playoffs, 333 of his career-high 390 rushing yards came on scrambles, and his nine rushing touchdowns almost doubled his previous career high. It was an element that Coen previously helped bring to Baker Mayfield's game, and one that could continue to boost Lawrence's value as he looks to take advantage of the rare continuity around him, heading into year six.