This week my co-worker, Jeff Krisko, suggested that starting Josh McCown is the smart fantasy football play. In our week thirteen quarterback sit or start counterpoint, I find myself wondering what world we are living in that makes Josh McCown a smart fantasy football play. He absolutely is a solid play this week, but I don’t feel good about it. This week, I would rather start Marcus Mariota.
The fact is, Josh McCown has been a pretty solid streaming option throughout the fantasy football season. Over his last seven starts, he has thrown for 14 touchdowns and 5 interceptions. Josh McCown has been a stable hand in the unstable world of fantasy football quarterbacks.
However, I do still have some concerns this week. The Kansas City Chiefs have been on a downward spiral the last few weeks. They look like a completely different team from the one that looked like it was going to run away with the AFC at the beginning of the season.
While the Chiefs are a favorable match-up for the Jets, I also worry that this is the week that they finally right the ship. The Chiefs are too talented, too well-coached and have been playing too poorly for too long. I don’t trust that their descent will continue.
So while I understand the appeal of going full McCown, I think there are better options for starting at quarterback. And while it might not be a popular choice, I want to start Marcus Mariota.
Coming into this season, Marcus Mariota was everyone’s favorite sleeper. Unfortunately, he has played like a man asleep at the wheel. This season, Mariota has been one of the biggest fantasy disappointments. However, there is room for hope. This week, he is playing a Houston Texans team that has given up the 3rd most fantasy points to quarterbacks in standard scoring leagues.
On top of this, the Texans have given up the 5th most rushing yards to quarterbacks. They have also given up the 8th most passing yards to quarterbacks. Perhaps most important of all, they have given up the 2nd most touchdowns to quarterbacks. This shows they are especially susceptible to dual-threat quarterbacks.
While I can appreciate the desire to start Josh McCown, don’t ever forget that he is still Josh McCown. Starting him is inherently risky. While Marcus Mariota might not feel less risky, he is much more likely to correct his issues going forward. And there is no denying that this match-up favors his skill-set. That is why this week, you should start Marcus Mariota.
If you want more week thirteen starts, sits and sleepers, check out these articles
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