Who Should I Start? Tyler Shough or J.J. McCarthy

Thursday, April 2, 8:10 AM

New Orleans Saints quarterback Tyler Shough emerged as an incredibly strong fantasy option during the second half of his Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign in 2025. Across nine starts, he racked up 2,256 passing yards, 10 passing touchdowns, five interceptions, 174 rushing yards, and three rushing touchdowns. He was particularly dominant following the Saints' bye. From Week 12-18, he had 10 total touchdowns and ranked as the overall QB5 in fantasy football. In addition to his own talent, Shough benefited from the presence of Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson, who will both remain with the team in 2026. Going forward, he also gets another weapon in the form of running back Travis Etienne Jr., who will create opportunities for the offense on the ground and through the air. Given that Shough was the QB9 as a starter and the QB5 during the aforementioned seven-game stretch, there's a very real chance that he can be a top-12 fantasy quarterback during the 2026 season. There's still a window to buy low on him in dynasty leagues, too.