Who Should I Start? Aaron Rodgers or C.J. Stroud


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
22.1 7.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Aaron Rodgers News

Aaron Rodgers Not Playing in Preseason Finale

Thursday, August 27, 2:34 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers is not dressed for warmups and will not play in the team's preseason finale on Thursday evening against the Buffalo Bills, according to Alan Saunders of PGH Steelers Now. Rodgers will end up sitting out all three of the team's preseason games this summer as he heads into what is expected to be the final year of his storied career. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer and four-time MVP led the Steelers to the postseason in 2025 in his first year with the team, but for fantasy purposes, he had limited upside in a run-first offense. Rodgers completed 65.7% of his 498 pass attempts for 3,322 yards, 24 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in 16 regular-season games. The Steelers added receiver Michael Pittman Jr., who could thrive underneath on short routes, but he alone will not miraculously elevate the aging Rodgers to QB1 status in fantasy in 2026. Rodgers finished as the QB19 last year and should be regarded as a low-end QB2 in superflex leagues with minimal upside as he looks to finish his career on a high note.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
23.3 13.6 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

C.J. Stroud News

C.J. Stroud Unlikely to Open 2026 Season With a New Deal

Wednesday, September 2, 9:30 AM

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is "prepared to play out this season without a new deal," despite the Texans making what they considered a competitive offer, according to several people with knowledge of the situation. The current sentiment is that Stroud will "most likely not end up with a new deal" before Week 1. However, Fowler's understanding is that the Texans are prepared to put Stroud in "what it feels is a strong place among the 12 QBs in the $50 million club." If Stroud bets on himself and has a strong 2026 bounce-back campaign, he can "let an exploding QB market do the work for him." The former second overall pick out of Ohio State had a strong training camp this summer and has plenty of talent around him (even with receiver Jayden Higgins (knee) done for the year), making him a popular rebound candidate as a QB2 with upside for fantasy football purposes. If Stroud does not ink a new deal with Houston before Week 1, he will have plenty of incentive to turn his game around after two straight disappointing seasons.


Aaron Rodgers vs. C.J. Stroud

Still trying to decide between Rodgers and Stroud? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Aaron Rodgers is projected to score 22.1 points this week while C.J. Stroud is projected to score 23.3 points.