J.J. McCarthy or Mac Jones?

Who to start in Week 1, who is better for the rest of the season, and who carries more trade value — from the FantasyPros expert consensus and the LeagueLogs Market Index.

Week 1 · 2026 season · Consensus updated September 3 at 1:20 PM EDT

Connect your league and an AI analyst settles debates like this one against your actual roster.

The lean

  • This week: Mac Jones
  • Rest of season: even on the consensus29 of 38 experts
  • Trade value: close to even

The horizons disagree, which is exactly when your roster context decides it.

J.J. McCarthyMac Jones
Rest of season
29 of 38 experts rank J.J. McCarthy ahead · 9 rank Mac Jones ahead
QB39#33–#55QB39#35–#52
Week 1QB44#40–#50QB41#34–#47edge
Week 1 projection (PPR)0.90.8
Market Index value (redraft PPR)2 #407 overall2 #424 overall
Rostered2%2%
Bye68
StatusNo injury designationNo injury designation

Expert consensus and ownership data via FantasyPros · Market Index values by LeagueLogs

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Frequently Asked Questions

Who should I start in Week 1, J.J. McCarthy or Mac Jones?
Mac Jones. This week's consensus has J.J. McCarthy at QB44 (range #40–#50) and Mac Jones at QB41 (range #34–#47). Projections: 0.9 vs 0.8 PPR points.
Who is better for the rest of the season, J.J. McCarthy or Mac Jones?
The experts have them effectively even for the rest of the season: J.J. McCarthy QB39 (range #33–#55) vs Mac Jones QB39 (range #35–#52). 29 of 38 FantasyPros experts who rank both have J.J. McCarthy ahead for the rest of the season.
Should I trade J.J. McCarthy for Mac Jones?
On the LeagueLogs Market Index (redraft PPR) J.J. McCarthy is ranked #407 overall and Mac Jones #424, so a one-for-one is close to even. Run the exact deal through the free AI Trade Analyzer for a verdict on your league's scoring.