Start Joe Burrow or Justin Herbert? Week 2

Our Week 2 call

Start Joe Burrow over Justin Herbert in Week 2.

De-vigged player props project Joe Burrow at 18.4 points and Justin Herbert at 18.4, a gap of 0.0. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. Both numbers are scaled up from a partial market: the books have not posted every stat the position needs, so the rest is estimated from what they have. Drafters take Joe Burrow at ADP 26 and Justin Herbert at 38.

What the books imply

Player prop markets imply 18.4 fantasy points for Joe Burrow, with 80 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

Player prop markets imply 18.4 fantasy points for Justin Herbert, with 80 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

That puts Joe Burrow 0.0 points ahead of Justin Herbert on the books.

Week 2 matchups

Joe Burrow and CIN visit HOU on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

HOU allowed 35.7 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 2nd most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 334 yards and 2 touchdowns against HOU, with no interceptions.

Justin Herbert and LAC host LV on Sunday at 4:05 PM ET.

LV allowed 17.7 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 13th most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 220 yards and no touchdowns against LV, with an interception.

By points allowed to the position, Joe Burrow has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Joe Burrow is listed as questionable with a back injury.

Justin Herbert is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 2

Through Week 1, Joe Burrow played 100 percent of CIN snaps, dropped back 37 times and threw an average of 6.5 air yards per attempt.

Joe Burrow, Week 1 against TB: 64 of 64 snaps, 25 of 35 passes for 254 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 4 carries for 21 yards.

Through Week 1, Justin Herbert played 100 percent of LAC snaps, dropped back 35 times and threw an average of 10.1 air yards per attempt.

Justin Herbert, Week 1 against ARI: 55 of 55 snaps, 17 of 27 passes for 209 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 5 carries for 29 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Joe Burrow played 8 games for CIN and scored 139.5 PPR points, 17.4 a game, finishing QB29.

He completed 173 of 259 passes for 1809 yards, 17 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, and ran 14 times for 41 yards and 0 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 86 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Joe Burrow, Week 18 of 2025 against CLE: 29 of 39 passes for 236 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, 2 carries for 17 yards, 22.1 PPR points.

Joe Burrow, Week 17 of 2025 against ARI: 64 of 77 snaps, 24 of 31 passes for 305 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 3 carries for 2 yards, 20.4 PPR points.

In 2025, Justin Herbert played 16 games for LAC and scored 299.9 PPR points, 18.7 a game, finishing QB10.

He completed 340 of 512 passes for 3727 yards, 26 touchdowns and 13 interceptions, and ran 83 times for 498 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 97 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Justin Herbert, Week 17 of 2025 against HOU: 63 of 63 snaps, 21 of 32 passes for 236 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 6 carries for 37 yards, 16.1 PPR points.

Justin Herbert, Week 16 of 2025 against DAL: 64 of 64 snaps, 23 of 29 passes for 300 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 8 carries for 42 yards, 30.2 PPR points.

Their other Week 2 calls

• Start Dak Prescott over Joe Burrow.
• Start Drake Maye over Joe Burrow.
• Start Jalen Hurts over Joe Burrow.
• Start Baker Mayfield over Justin Herbert.
• Start Bo Nix over Justin Herbert.
• Start Brock Purdy over Justin Herbert.