Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or J.J. McCarthy

Wednesday, January 21, 3:47 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold (oblique) "continues to get better" but will be limited in practice this week as he deals with a left-oblique injury that he suffered in practice last Thursday, according to head coach Mike Macdonald. Darnold won't throw every pass in practice, but the plan is still for him to start on Sunday in the NFC Championship against the division-rival Los Angeles Rams. The 28-year-old went 12-for-17 passing for 124 yards and a touchdown in the 40-6 blowout win over the Niners. Darnold could draw another questionable tag going into the weekend, but all signs point to him suiting up as he attempts to lead the Seahawks to the Super Bowl. We expect Darnold to have to throw the ball much more against the Rams, which will give him a higher fantasy ceiling. In two games against L.A. this year, Darnold went 51-for-78 for 549 yards, two touchdowns, and six picks.

Tuesday, January 13, 2:54 PM

Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said he wants a competitive situation at quarterback going into next season, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. O'Connell said McCarthy "is going to be a major emphasis," but "the competition in that room will only enhance the entire team." The Vikings want McCarthy to seize the starting job, but he's going to have to earn it and play better than he did in 2026, and the Vikings are fully expected to add to their QB room to push McCarthy this offseason. The 22-year-old former first-round signal-caller missed his entire rookie season in 2024 due to a knee injury that required surgery. McCarthy missed time with multiple injuries in 2025 and struggled with turnovers and efficiency when he was on the field, completing 57.6% of his pass attempts for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in 10 starts. Fantasy managers will want to see improvement from the Michigan product before considering him as anything more than a low-end QB2 option with upside.