Joe Burrow vs Patrick Mahomes: Who Should You Start?
Deciding between Joe Burrow and Patrick Mahomes is a common lineup dilemma for fantasy managers. The Cincinnati Bengals quarterback put up 17.4 PPG in 2025 over 8 games; Patrick Mahomes of the Kansas City Chiefs averaged 21.2 in 14. A 3.8-point margin that could shift on any given week.
The per-game difference of 3.8 points favors Patrick Mahomes, though savvy managers know that gap can shrink or widen depending on the weekly slate. Defensive matchup, recent scoring trends, and health status all shift the calculus from one quarterback to the other.
Patrick Mahomes offers meaningful rushing upside with 422 yards on the ground in 2025, which separates his floor from a pocket passer like Joe Burrow (1809 passing yards, 17 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: Joe Burrow sits Week 12 while Patrick Mahomes is off Week 6. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
