Who Should I Start? Trevor Lawrence or Michael Penix Jr.

Tuesday, September 16, 2:53 PM

In his Week 2 loss to the Bengals, Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence dropped back 45 times and attempted 43 passes. Both numbers were the highest that he's put up since Week 18 of 2023. In his ten games in 2024, Lawrence attempted 28.4 passes per game. Through his first two weeks in Liam Coen's offense, that number sits at 37 attempts per game. Facing entirely different game scripts against the Panthers and Bengals, the raw volume he's putting up is an encouraging sign for fantasy managers who are still waiting for Brian Thomas Jr. to make an impact. Any fears of Thomas Jr. and Travis Hunter eating into one another's workload can also be put to rest, as the two have combined for 32 targets through the first two weeks. Now it's just a matter of turning those opportunities into points.

Tuesday, September 16, 3:45 PM

The Atlanta Falcons really did not need to rely on the left arm of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in Week 2 in their 22-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football. Penix attempted only 21 passes on the night, completing 13 of them for 135 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He carried the ball just once for a loss of a yard and was sacked three times for a loss of 27 yards. The Falcons were content to let running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier carry the load in a game in which Atlanta was ahead from start to finish. When Penix dropped back to pass, he mostly worked the short areas of the field. This type of game script could happen again in Week 3 versus the division-rival Carolina Panthers, but Penix showed in Week 1 that he can sling the ball around the yard when needed, as he nearly threw for 300 yards and a touchdown. Penix is a solid QB2 stash with upside in his first year as the Falcons' full-time starter under center.