Who Should I Start? Cooper Kupp or Sam Darnold

Friday, October 3, 7:56 PM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp has entered the bench stash phase of his career. He is not a viable option in Week 5 when the Seahawks host the Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have an untested passing defense, but Kupp has been too inconsistent to this point in the season. Kupp has only surpassed 6.6 fantasy points one time this season. Additionally, the Seahawks' passing volume is low. Quarterback Sam Darnold is averaging 25 passing attempts per game, and 8.5 of those passes are going to wide receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Some of that has been due to game script. The offense has been relatively efficient, and the defense has been elite, resulting in a lower passing volume. If the Buccaneers' offense challenges Seattle in Week 5, the passing volume could increase. However, Kupp is too risky a player to deploy right now. He still has talent, but as of now, he is a better wide receiver for the Seahawks than he is for fantasy.

Thursday, October 9, 10:45 AM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has been one of the NFL's most efficient passers through the first five weeks of the season. The veteran has completed 73% of his passes (third-best in the NFL) while ranking seventh in both passing yards and touchdowns. After a breakout 2024 campaign in Minnesota, where he threw for 4,319 yards and 35 touchdowns, some questioned whether Darnold could replicate that success in Seattle. So far, he's answered emphatically. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba emerging as a true No. 1 receiver, Darnold is producing like a top-10 fantasy quarterback. The Seahawks face the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 6, who lead the NFL in interceptions, making Darnold a slightly risky start. Still, he remains a strong high-end QB2 with weekly upside in fantasy leagues moving forward.