Start J.J. McCarthy or Fernando Mendoza? Week 10

Our Week 10 call

Start J.J. McCarthy over Fernando Mendoza in Week 10.

Market-based projections have J.J. McCarthy at 16.0 points and Fernando Mendoza at 11.7, a gap of 4.3.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 11.7 fantasy points for Fernando Mendoza, with 100 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

The market-based projection for Fernando Mendoza is 179 passing yards, 12 rushing yards and 0.1 rushing touchdowns (9, 9 and 8 market sources).

Player markets imply 16.0 fantasy points for J.J. McCarthy, with 100 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

The market-based projection for J.J. McCarthy is 211 passing yards, 1-2 passing touchdowns, 19 rushing yards and 0.2 rushing touchdowns (13, 14, 12 and 12 market sources).

That puts J.J. McCarthy 4.3 points ahead of Fernando Mendoza on the market projections.

Week 10 matchups

Fernando Mendoza and LV host SEA on Sunday at 4:05 PM ET.

SEA allowed 11.9 fantasy points a game to QBs this season over 8 games, the 2nd fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 169 yards and 1.1 touchdowns a game against SEA, with an interception a game.

J.J. McCarthy and NYG host WAS on Thursday at 8:15 PM ET.

WAS allowed 20.6 fantasy points a game to QBs this season over 7 games, the 3rd most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 258 yards and 2.1 touchdowns a game against WAS, with 0.6 interceptions a game.

By points allowed to the position, J.J. McCarthy has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Fernando Mendoza is not on the injury report.

J.J. McCarthy is listed as questionable with a undisclosed injury.

Usage before Week 10

Through Week 5, Fernando Mendoza played 17 percent of LV snaps, dropped back 9 times and threw an average of 5.9 air yards per attempt.

Fernando Mendoza, Week 5 against NE: 10 of 60 snaps, 6 of 8 passes for 48 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 1 carry for 3 yards.

Through Week 9, J.J. McCarthy played 49 percent of NYG snaps, dropped back 75 times and threw an average of 11.5 air yards per attempt.

J.J. McCarthy, Week 5 against WAS: 5 of 89 snaps, 0 of 0 passes for 0 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 2 yards.

J.J. McCarthy, Week 6 against NO: 31 of 77 snaps, 11 of 17 passes for 243 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 2 carries for 26 yards.

J.J. McCarthy, Week 7 against HOU: 61 of 66 snaps, 20 of 27 passes for 252 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 1 carry for 1 yards.

J.J. McCarthy, Week 9 against PHI: 51 of 67 snaps, 12 of 19 passes for 127 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 3 carries for 23 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, J.J. McCarthy played 10 games for MIN and scored 137.4 PPR points, 13.7 a game, finishing QB30.

He completed 140 of 243 passes for 1632 yards, 11 touchdowns and 12 interceptions, and ran 37 times for 181 yards and 4 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 94 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 10 calls

• Start Bryce Young over Fernando Mendoza.
• Start Cam Ward over Fernando Mendoza.
• Start Daniel Jones over Fernando Mendoza.
• Start Aaron Rodgers over J.J. McCarthy.
• Start Brock Purdy over J.J. McCarthy.
• Start J.J. McCarthy over Bryce Young.