J.J. McCarthy Reportedly Named Giants QB1 Over Jameis Winston for Giants' NFL Week 7 Game vs. Texans

The New York Giants reportedly have a new starter under center.

According to ESPN's Jeremy Fowler, the Giants plan to start J.J. McCarthy at quarterback over Jameis Winston for a Week 7 matchup with the Houston Texans.

New York initially acquired McCarthy in a trade with the Minnesota Vikings on Sept. 28, sending out a 2027 fifth-round draft pick in exchange for the signal-caller.

He served as a depth piece for the Giants before entering their first-team offense after Winston was benched in the second half of a 34-27 loss to the New Orleans Saints in Week 6.

McCarthy didn't get off to a hot start against New Orleans, as he threw an interception on his first drive of the game.

Still, he bounced back and nearly helped the Giants pull off an improbable comeback victory. They trailed 34-10 at the time McCarthy entered the game in the fourth quarter before cutting the deficit to 34-27.

New York also had an opportunity to tie the game on its final possession, but couldn't convert on fourth down at the Saints' 14-yard line.

▶️Full Saints-Giants Recap

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McCarthy finished 11-of-21 for 243 yards and one touchdown while getting picked off once, as Winston went 14-of-26 for 152 yards and one touchdown compared to a pair of interceptions.

McCarthy is looking to get is career back on track, as the former first-round pick failed to meet expectations as a member of the Vikings.

In 2024, he was sidelined for his entire rookie season due to a torn meniscus.

McCarthy struggled the following year, completing 57.6 percent of his passes for 1,632 yards and 11 touchdowns to go along with 12 interceptions in 10 games. He was also unable to beat out Kyler Murray in a training camp battle for Minnesota's first-string quarterback job heading into his 2026 campaign.

As for Winston, he's started in each of the Giants' four games since Jaxson Dart suffered a season-ending knee injury in Week 2.

Winston has thrown for 957 yards, seven touchdowns and five interceptions while posting a 57.0 completion percentage.

The Giants have still opened their 2026 season on a high note despite utilizing multiple starting quarterbacks, sitting atop the NFC East standings with a 3-2-1 record.

They'll face the Texans on Sunday at 1 p.m. ET.