Oct 16, 2026, 06:40 AM ET

What a week it has been. Jacksonville Jaguars kicker Cam Little nailed the biggest field goal Tottenham Hotspur Stadium has seen in years. Los Angeles Rams kicker Harrison Mevis was released on his day off. And nobody in Washington was fired, yet the performance was poor enough to draw criticism even from Magic Johnson.

One thing that never changes: The NFL landscape shifts dramatically from week to week. Two weeks ago, Matt LaFleur was on the hot seat with the Green Bay Packers. New England Patriots QB Drake Maye looked worse than Steve Grogan. And the Los Angeles Chargers offense appeared broken.

Fast forward to now: LaFleur is viewed as one of the best coaches in Packers history. Maye is being compared favorably to Tom Brady. And the Chargers offense remains a concern.

One highlight of working with ESPN is the engaging Monday meetings with fantasy sports editors. We dive deep into topics that matter most, and Chargers QB Justin Herbert often dominates the discussion.

Questions about dropping Herbert have persisted for weeks, and that moment has arrived. Plenty of other quarterbacks are available on waivers. Avoid letting sunk cost keep you tied to Herbert. I have mentioned before how the decluttering videos on Instagram can be addictive. One key tip is to examine each item and decide whether you would purchase it again today.

Apply that same logic to fantasy football. If you could draft Herbert again right now, would you? The answer is no. Here are several quarterbacks who offer stronger starting options. That list covers nearly everyone in the league except perhaps Atlanta Falcons third-stringer Cooper Rush. If you are looking for help this week, these are my top choices.

Carolina Panthers QB Bryce Young opened the season with three touchdown passes in each of his first two outings. He has posted at least two touchdown passes in three of his past four games. Young entered the bye as the league leader in passing yards and should carry that momentum forward, so slot him back into your lineup.
Houston Texans QB C.J. Stroud, selected just after Young in 2023, has performed well this season. Stroud posted two strong games early before a Week 3 letdown when many were streaming him, finishing with 167 yards and one touchdown. He has rebounded nicely over the past two weeks. Reuniting him with WR Marvin Harrison Jr. makes this an appealing narrative, and I remain in the minority that still believes in Harrison.
I vowed at the start of the season not to roster any Pittsburgh Steelers, but circumstances have shifted. I am starting Jaylen Warren at running back without pause and placed a claim for WR Germie Bernard. The biggest surprise is that I added Aaron Rodgers on a whim and now refuse to drop him. He has thrown for at least 235 yards and three touchdowns in each of his past three games. The Buccaneers defense is no easy target, yet I remain committed to Rodgers.
We also like Las Vegas Raiders QB Kirk Cousins this week. Cousins posted three straight games with at least 20 fantasy points before the rough outing in New England. We will not overreact to a single poor performance. The matchup against the Bills looks favorable since their defense has shown vulnerabilities. Buffalo is coming off an overtime road game in which they allowed Rams QB Matthew Stafford to throw for more than 300 yards and three touchdowns.
This selection may test your resolve: New Orleans Saints QB Tyler Shough struggled in Week 5 and posted fewer fantasy points than Rush. Once again, we are committed to not overreacting to one bad week. The matchup against the New York Giants, who have been susceptible to quarterbacks, looks promising.
I would be remiss not to mention Giants QB (and former Saint) Jameis Winston. He has been inconsistent, reaching 18-plus fantasy points in two games while falling below seven points in the other two. There is little middle ground. This matchup against the Saints, who have struggled against the pass, is appealing. The Saints are also vulnerable versus tight ends, so streaming Isaiah Likely could pay off this week.