J.J. McCarthy News: Can't replicate last week's magic

McCarthy completed 11 of 21 pass attempts for 158 yards, no touchdowns and two interceptions while taking five carries for 25 yards with a lost fumble in Sunday's 22-6 loss to Atlanta.

McCarthy struggled out of the gates like he did for three quarters in his pro debut last week, but he was unable to replicate the fourth-quarter heroics we saw against the Bears in a crushing loss to the Falcons on Sunday Night Football. The 22-year-old looked like a true rookie on the field, throwing two interceptions and putting three balls on the ground (mercifully, losing possession of only one). We have now seen seven poor quarters of play, one eye-opening quarter and a 1-1 record from McCarthy through two starts. This dud will likely steer fantasy managers away from the 2024 first-round pick, but next Sunday's opponent (the Cincinnati Bengals) present a soft fantasy matchup for those buying into a bounce-back performance in Week 3.