Who Should I Start? Tyler Shough or J.J. McCarthy
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22.3 | 17.3 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Tyler Shough News
Friday, September 4, 11:27 AM
New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough is one of the more appealing late-round bets for fantasy managers who don't want to pay up at the position. He took over in Week 9 last year and went 5-4 as a starter, finishing his rookie season with 2,384 passing yards, 10 touchdowns and six interceptions while completing 67.6% of his throws. The finish was much better than the full-season line suggests. Shough totaled 10 touchdowns from Weeks 12-18 and ranked QB5 in total fantasy points over that stretch, with 272, 308 and 333 passing yards in consecutive games from Weeks 15-17. He also ran for 186 yards and three scores on 45 carries, which gives him a little more floor than a pure pocket passer. New Orleans enters 2026 with Shough firmly entrenched as the starter and Chris Olave, Juwan Johnson and Travis Etienne Jr. around him, although first-round rookie Jordyn Tyson will open the year on injured reserve. Shough is still only QB22 in RotoBaller's Sept. 3 rankings. For managers waiting on quarterback, that leaves plenty of room for him to beat the price.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 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.
Tyler Shough vs. J.J. McCarthy
Still trying to decide between Shough and McCarthy? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Tyler Shough is projected to score 22.3 points this week while J.J. McCarthy is projected to score 0.0 points.
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