Who Should I Start? Quentin Johnston or J.J. McCarthy

Saturday, September 6, 1:06 AM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston converted seven targets into five catches, 79 yards, and two touchdowns during Friday's Week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs. The 24-year-old has struggled with drops throughout the early portion of his career, but he has still continued to flash plenty of upside, totaling 711 yards and eight touchdowns last year. After Friday's game, quarterback Justin Herbert commended Johnston and explained how easy it is for him to trust the receiver to make a play when the ball is in his hands. These comments indicate that Johnston is one of Herbert's favorite targets, vaulting him into WR3/FLEX territory for next week's contest against the Las Vegas Raiders.

Friday, August 29, 10:41 AM

Jeff Howe of The Athletic writes that the Minnesota Vikings' offense "has been scaled down with quarterback J.J. McCarthy taking over." Howe also notes that there's "measured optimism" in league circles around McCarthy's future, but that a "seamless transition" should not be expected. The 22-year-old is taking over for the departed Sam Darnold under center in Minnesota after Darnold led the Vikings to a 14-3 record in 2024. McCarthy has drawn favorable reviews for his play in training camp and the preseason, but there's always a level of unknown for a player who has not seen the field in an actual NFL game. McCarthy profiles as a high-end QB2 in redraft fantasy leagues.