Who Should I Start? Spencer Rattler or J.J. McCarthy
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.0 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Spencer Rattler News
Saturday, August 29, 7:17 PM
The New Orleans Saints have received trade interest in Spencer Rattler, but they expect to keep him on their 53-man roster, according to Jeremy Fowler. The former fifth-round pick will offer quality depth as the backup quarterback behind Tyler Shough. Rattler, 25, started the first eight games of the 2025 season before being benched for Shough. In those eight games, he completed 67.7% of his pass attempts for 1,586 yards, eight passing touchdowns, and five interceptions. He also tallied 167 rushing yards, 18 sacks, and two lost fumbles. Rattler's mobility gave him occasional QB2 appeal in fantasy football, but for the most part, managers wanted no part of starting him. That will remain the case if he's thrust into action due to a Shough injury in 2026.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.5 | 1.3 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
J.J. McCarthy News
Wednesday, September 2, 10:15 AM
Minnesota Vikings general manager Nolan Teasley said on Wednesday that he expects quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle), who has practiced in full the last two days, to be on the Week 1 roster, according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic. However, Teasley would not discuss whether McCarthy would be the backup to starter Kyler Murray over veteran Carson Wentz. The 23-year-old former 10th overall pick from Michigan in 2024 injured his ankle in the second preseason game and then was held out of the preseason finale, leading to speculation that the Vikings might cut McCarthy altogether if they could not find a trade partner for him. Not only will he be on the Week 1 roster, but McCarthy could still win the backup job now that he appears to be recovered from his ankle injury. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season after having knee surgery, and he flopped as the full-time starter in 2025, throwing for 1,632 yards, 11 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions in only 10 games while dealing with multiple injuries. His dynasty/keeper stock is at an all-time low going into the start of the 2026 season.
Spencer Rattler vs. J.J. McCarthy
Still trying to decide between Rattler and McCarthy? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Spencer Rattler is projected to score 1.0 points this week while J.J. McCarthy is projected to score 1.5 points.
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