J.J. McCarthy vs Justin Herbert: Who Should You Start?
Two quarterbacks who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings) finished the 2025 season averaging 13.7 fantasy points per game in 10 games. Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers) came in at 18.7 PPG over 16 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Justin Herbert carries a 5.0-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Justin Herbert offers meaningful rushing upside with 498 yards on the ground in 2025, which separates his floor from a pocket passer like J.J. McCarthy (1632 passing yards, 11 touchdowns). In games where the passing matchup looks ugly, that rushing production can be the entire difference on a start/sit call.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: J.J. McCarthy sits Week 6 while Justin Herbert is off Week 5. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
