Who Should I Start? Andy Dalton or Jalen Hurts
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Andy Dalton News
Thursday, August 20, 12:24 PM
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Andy Dalton "still appears to be the leader" in the team's backup quarterback battle, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. Dalton had a rough showing in the Eagles' first preseason game against the Baltimore Ravens last Saturday, but Berman writes that the veteran "showed improvement" during the team's joint practice session with the New England Patriots on Wednesday. Dalton's competition for the QB2 role behind Jalen Hurts in Philadelphia is Tanner McKee, who has played in six games (two starts) since being picked by the Eagles in the sixth round of the 2023 Draft. Dalton obviously has significantly more NFL experience, as he's logged 169 career starts across 15 seasons. As long as Hurts stays healthy, neither Dalton nor McKee will play a fantasy-relevant role. Still, fantasy managers in deeper, two-quarterback formats looking for the handcuff option to Hurts may want to target Dalton.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.6 | 29.3 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Jalen Hurts News
Saturday, September 12, 1:27 AM
Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts enters his seventh season in the NFL in 2026, and his first under new offensive coordinator Sean Mannion - whom Hurts recently referred to as a "North Star." Hurts and the Eagles take on the NFC East rival Washington Commanders in Week 1. Hurts finished the 2025 season as the No. 9 quarterback in total fantasy points, and the No. 7 quarterback in fantasy points-per-game. He saw an increase in his passing production in 2025, as he threw for 3,224 yards and 25 touchdowns in 16 games last year (compared to 2,903 yards and 18 touchdowns in 15 games in 2024), but his rushing production decreased significantly. In 2024, Hurts amassed 631 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground, but those numbers dipped to 421 rushing yards and eight touchdowns in 2025. He only threw six interceptions last season, but he also lost four fumbles. Hurts also lost his No. 1 target from the 2025 season after the Eagles traded A.J. Brown (121 targets in 2025) to the New England Patriots in June. Hurts will rely on DeVonta Smith (who had similar production to Brown in 2025), Dontayvion Wicks, Makai Lemon, Dallas Goedert, Saquon Barkley, and others in 2026. The Commanders ranked near the bottom of the NFL in passing yards allowed per game in 2025 (242.5), checking in at 28th. Hurts ranks as RotoBaller's No. 5 quarterback heading into the 2026 campaign. He is a must-start player for Week 1 and a strong DFS option as well.
Andy Dalton vs. Jalen Hurts
Still trying to decide between Dalton and Hurts? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Andy Dalton is projected to score 0.0 points this week while Jalen Hurts is projected to score 27.6 points.
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