Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

J.J. McCarthy vs Justin HerbertWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Justin Herbert is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 17.9 PPG to J.J. McCarthy's 12.5 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Justin Herbert is the better fantasy play this season.

Justin Herbert is clearly the better fantasy option heading into 2026. With 17.9 PPG and 4,225 total yards in 2025, the production separation is too wide to overcome on matchup alone. J.J. McCarthy (12.5 PPG) is a hold, not a sell, but roster Justin Herbert as the starter and J.J. McCarthy as depth.

High confidence: stats strongly favor the leader, and the gap is unlikely to close on matchup alone.

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QBMinnesota Vikings#32

J.J. McCarthy

PPG

12.5

Games

Pass Yds

1,632

Pass TDs

Rush Yds

181

Rush TDs

Bye

Week 6

QBLos Angeles Chargers#10PPG LEADER

Justin Herbert

PPG

17.9

Games

Pass Yds

3,727

Pass TDs

Rush Yds

498

Rush TDs

Bye

Week 7

The Edge Chart

J.J. McCarthy

Justin Herbert

Head to Head

12.5 PPG17.9 PPG

10 GP16 GP

Bye: Week 6Bye: Week 7

Fantasy Tiers

J.J. McCarthy: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) QB (ranked #32 at the position). Justin Herbert: Tier 2 (Strong Starter) QB (ranked #10 at the position). Among the top 32 quarterbacks this season, J.J. McCarthy is producing at 57% of elite pace and Justin Herbert at 81%. That ranking gap means Justin Herbert carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

J.J. McCarthy vs Justin Herbert: The Full Breakdown

Two quarterbacks who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. J.J. McCarthy (Minnesota Vikings) finished the 2025 season averaging 12.5 fantasy points per game in 10 games. Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers) came in at 17.9 PPG over 16 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.

Justin Herbert carries a 5.4-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 7. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Justin Herbert at a discount because your league-mates undervalue quarterback production, do it. J.J. McCarthy is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: J.J. McCarthy (age 23) is in the early stages of his career with 5+ years of starter-caliber upside. His dynasty value is rising. Justin Herbert (age 28) is in his prime window. Peak production now with steady value for the next 3-4 seasons.

Did You Know?

•Justin Herbert outscored J.J. McCarthy by a projected 92 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Justin Herbert played 16 games in 2025 compared to J.J. McCarthy's 10. That durability gap means Justin Herbert contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Justin Herbert scored 28 total touchdowns in 2025 (1.8 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at quarterback.
•Justin Herbert added 498 rushing yards in 2025, which historically correlates with a higher fantasy floor in bad passing matchups.
•J.J. McCarthy is 5 years younger than Justin Herbert (23 vs 28), which significantly impacts dynasty league trade value.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

J.J. McCarthy vs Justin Herbert: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	J.J. McCarthy	Justin Herbert
PPG (Half-PPR)	12.5	17.9
Games Played	10	16
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	125	286
Passing Yards	1,632	3,727
Passing TDs	11	26
Pass Yds/Game	163.2	232.9
Rushing Yards	181	498
Rushing TDs	4	2
Total TDs	15	28
TDs/Game	1.5	1.8
Age	23	28
Experience	1 yrs	5 yrs
Bye Week	Week 6	Week 7

Summary

Based on 2025 production, Justin Herbert holds the PPG edge with solid output at 17.9 points per game. J.J. McCarthy averaged 12.5 PPG. Season averages are a starting point, not the final word. For a full AI analysis factoring matchup quality, recent form, injury impact, and game script, download DraftCall and get a verdict backed by real data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start J.J. McCarthy or Justin Herbert in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Justin Herbert has the edge at 17.9 PPG compared to J.J. McCarthy's 12.5 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did J.J. McCarthy and Justin Herbert average in 2025?▾

J.J. McCarthy averaged 12.5 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 10 games in 2025. Justin Herbert averaged 17.9 PPG over 16 games. That is a difference of 5.4 points per game.

When are J.J. McCarthy and Justin Herbert's bye weeks in 2026?▾

J.J. McCarthy (MIN) has a bye in Week 6, and Justin Herbert (LAC) has a bye in Week 7. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is J.J. McCarthy or Justin Herbert a better fantasy quarterback in 2026?▾

Justin Herbert outscored J.J. McCarthy by 5.4 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.