Who Should I Start? Aaron Rodgers or Sam Darnold


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
19.2 5.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Aaron Rodgers News

Aaron Rodgers in Street Clothes for Thursday's Preseason Opener

Thursday, August 13, 2:38 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers veteran quarterback Aaron Rodgers is in street clothes and will not play in Thursday night's preseason opener against his former team, the Green Bay Packers, according to Brooke Pryor of ESPN. With Rodgers sitting out, Mason Rudolph, Will Howard, and rookie Drew Allar will get the work under center for the Steelers. The Steelers have indicated that they want to get Rodgers some preseason action, but it's unclear if it will come in their next exhibition game on Friday, Aug. 21, against another one of his former teams, the New York Jets. The 42-year-old future Hall of Famer has returned to the Steel City for a second season in what he says will be the final year of his storied NFL career. Rodgers could have more opportunities to throw the football in new head coach Mike McCarthy's offense, although reports out of training camp suggest the Steelers' offense could stick with a pretty heavy ground approach again in 2026. Even with additional receiver help in Michael Pittman Jr., Rodgers will be an unintriguing low-end QB2 option in two-QB superflex leagues.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
22.1 8.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Sam Darnold News

Sam Darnold Won't Play in Preseason Opener Against Dallas

Friday, August 14, 1:31 PM

Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said that quarterback Sam Darnold will not play in the team's preseason opener on Saturday against the Dallas Cowboys, according to FOX 13 Seattle's Curtis Crabtree. Backup QBs Drew Lok and Jalen Milroe will likely rotate series instead of handing off. Darnold surprised everyone by winning the Super Bowl over the New England Patriots in his first year in Seattle in 2025. The 29-year-old former third overall pick from USC in 2018 has been a Pro Bowler in back-to-back seasons now as a late-bloomer in the NFL, and he's thrown for over 4,000 yards with an even 60 touchdowns and 26 interceptions in 34 regular-season starts with the Seahawks and Minnesota Vikings. Darnold has arguably one of the top receivers in the game to work with in Jaxon Smith-Njigba, but his strong season in 2025 with Seattle culminated in only a QB13 finish in fantasy. He's now learning a new offense and doesn't have star RB Kenneth Walker around in the backfield, which screams regression. Darnold might have a solid QB2 floor in fantasy, but he's merely a bench stash in single-QB, 12-team leagues.


Aaron Rodgers vs. Sam Darnold

Still trying to decide between Rodgers and Darnold? 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 19.2 points this week while Sam Darnold is projected to score 22.1 points.