Who Should I Start? Taylor Heinicke or Jake Haener

Tuesday, August 26, 8:05 PM

The Los Angeles Chargers have released quarterback Taylor Heinicke, according to Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Heinicke was outplayed in the preseason by Trey Lance, who has made the team and will serve as the backup to Justin Herbert in Los Angeles. The 32-year-old Heinicke has played seven seasons in the NFL and made 29 starts. He's been a capable backup for stretches of his career and should be able to find a new home rather quickly. For fantasy purposes, a Herbert injury would now make Lance a priority waiver-wire addition due to his dual-threat ability at the quarterback position.

Tuesday, August 26, 11:17 AM

The New Orleans Saints are waiving quarterback Jake Haener, per Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. A fourth-round pick by New Orleans in 2023, Haener started training camp in competition with Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough for the team's QB1 role. Haener had clearly fallen behind Rattler and Shough in recent weeks, and he will now get a chance to latch on elsewhere. The 26-year-old played in eight games (one start) for the Saints in 2024, completing 18 of 39 pass attempts for 226 yards, one touchdown, and one interception. Haener may have an opportunity to sign with another team as a backup, but he's unlikely to be fantasy-relevant in 2025.