Who Should I Start? Baker Mayfield or Jayden Daniels


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
22.8 20.5 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Baker Mayfield News

Baker Mayfield Will Not Play in Preseason Opener on Friday

Tuesday, August 11, 12:12 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that quarterback Baker Mayfield will not play in the team's preseason opener on Friday against the New York Jets, according to Rick Stroud of the Tampa Bay Times. Mayfield will not play, even though backup Jake Browning, who was expected to start on Friday, appeared to injure his back on Tuesday. It's no surprise that Mayfield won't play in the preseason contest this week after he didn't play at all in the preseason last year. The 31-year-old veteran was unhappy that the Bucs didn't try very hard to work out a contract extension with him before the start of training camp this summer, and he'll enter the final year of his deal with the team in 2026 with a chip on his shoulder as he looks to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 campaign in which the team failed to make the postseason. Mayfield played all 17 games, but he wasn't 100% for most of the year, ending up with 3,693 passing yards, 26 touchdowns, and 11 interceptions. In a new offense without future Hall of Fame receiver Mike Evans, fantasy managers shouldn't be viewing the veteran signal-caller as anything more than a low-upside, low-end QB2 in superflex leagues.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
24.4 40.6 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.0

Jayden Daniels News

Jayden Daniels Not Playing in Friday's Preseason Opener

Friday, August 14, 1:01 PM

Washington Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels will not play in the team's preseason opener on Friday night against the Miami Dolphins, according to Nicki Jhabvala of The Athletic. The Commanders will hold out their key starters on Friday, which also includes receivers Terry McLaurin and Stefon Diggs, running backs Jacory Croskey-Merritt and Rachaad White, and tight end Chig Okonkwo. It remains to be seen if Washington will roll Daniels and the starting unit out there for their second preseason tilt next Saturday against the Detroit Lions. The 25-year-old has recently been in the headlines over a dispute with his alma mater at LSU, but that shouldn't distract fantasy managers from the fact that Daniels has top-five fantasy upside at the QB position in 2026 if he can stay healthy. The former second overall pick was unable to do that last year, starting just seven games and throwing for 1,262 yards, eight touchdowns, and three interceptions. Daniels became a bit more interesting as a high-end bounce-back candidate when the Commanders added Diggs to the fold to give McLaurin help in the passing game.


Baker Mayfield vs. Jayden Daniels

Still trying to decide between Mayfield and Daniels? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Baker Mayfield is projected to score 22.8 points this week while Jayden Daniels is projected to score 24.4 points.