Who Should I Start? Tua Tagovailoa or J.J. McCarthy
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 11.7 | 3.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Tua Tagovailoa News
Saturday, August 15, 7:15 AM
Atlanta Falcons quarterback Tua Tagovailoa earned the start in Friday's 27-7 preseason home loss to the Broncos, playing two series in the first quarter before giving way to backup QB Cooper Rush. Tagovailoa was 3-of-5 passing for 22 yards, with four of his five passes being directed to tight end Kyle Pitts, and he was credited with one rush for no gain after the left-handed signal caller fumbled a snap but was able to recover the ball. It was reported on Saturday by ESPN's Jeremy Fowler that the former first-round draft pick has the "inside track " for the starting job in Atlanta while Michael Penix Jr. (knee) finishes up rehabbing his knee, and this performance likely does nothing to change that, with his next chance to secure the gig coming next Saturday against the Colts in a preseason contest on the road. Assuming he does secure it, it does little for his fantasy prospects, with the Alabama product currently sitting at No. 30 in RotoBaller's latest QB rankings.
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
Sunday, August 23, 7:32 AM
Minnesota Vikings head coach Kevin O'Connell said that backup quarterback J.J. McCarthy would have played longer in Saturday's preseason loss to the Baltimore Ravens if he had not gotten "banged up" during a rough first quarter, according to Kevin Seifert of ESPN. McCarthy only played 18 offensive snaps over four series in the first quarter and struggled with his accuracy while taking three hits and a sack. O'Connell was hoping to send McCarthy out for at least one more possession. The Vikings have not revealed a specific injury, but it is notable after several injury-plagued seasons in Minnesota to begin his NFL career after he was taken 10th overall out of Michigan in 2024. McCarthy missed his entire rookie season due to a torn meniscus in his right knee and missed seven games in 2025 with a high right-ankle sprain and a concussion. He also missed time with a hairline fracture in his right hand. He finished 5-for-10 passing for 81 yards against Baltimore on Saturday. While McCarthy might be banged up, it is unlikely that he will not be ready for the start of the regular season in several weeks as the QB2 behind Kyler Murray.
Tua Tagovailoa vs. J.J. McCarthy
Still trying to decide between Tagovailoa and McCarthy? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Tua Tagovailoa is projected to score 11.7 points this week while J.J. McCarthy is projected to score 1.5 points.
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