Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or Tyree Jackson

Wednesday, May 8, 11:20 PM

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Darnold could be named the team's Week 1 starter over first-round pick J.J. McCarthy. As Kevin Seifert of ESPN.com writes, "It's only a matter of time before McCarthy becomes the Vikings' starting quarterback [...] but it is not likely to happen as quickly as some fans might hope, and if anything, the Vikings are poised to err on the side of methodical caution." Such a scenario could see Minnesota let Darnold, whom they signed this past offseason when Kirk Cousins left for Atlanta, start a few games before transitioning to McCarthy. Darnold has struggled to support major fantasy production from his playmakers at previous stops, including the Jets and Panthers, so fantasy managers might want to temper expectations with players like Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and T.J. Hockenson to start the year. Darnold himself falls to the low-end QB3 tier in fantasy football drafts.

Friday, August 18, 10:25 AM

Philadelphia Eagles tight end Tyree Jackson caught both of his targets and gained 41 yards during the team's 18-18 preseason tie with the Cleveland Browns. The 25-year-old tore his ACL at the end of the 2021 season and failed to net a reception in 2022. The fact that Philadelphia brought him back this offseason to a crowded tight-end room shows that they believe he is talented, and he showed his explosiveness on a completion deep up the right side of the field for 35 yards in the fourth quarter Thursday night. However, with Dan Arnold and second-year tight end Grant Calcaterra likely making the final 53-man roster, Jackson will have a tough time surviving cutdowns unless he absolutely explodes next week against the Colts. Expect Jackson to land on the Eagles practice squad by the time the regular season rolls around.