Who Should I Start? Derek Carr or Sam Darnold

Friday, June 6, 12:23 PM

Former New Orleans Saints and Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (shoulder) made a surprising decision to hang up his cleats and retire from the NFL this offseason. "That part was tough because I didn't want to have surgery and just sit there and it sounds crazy but just take the Saints money," Carr said. He had two seasons left on the four-year, $150 million deal he signed with the Saints in 2023, although he gave up the $30 million salary he was set to earn in 2025. The four-time Pro Bowler was dealing with a right-shoulder injury that was going to require surgery and leave his availability uncertain for the start of the regular season this fall. Carr said the Saints wanted him to keep playing, but he couldn't commit to another season. With Carr now gone, the Saints will have a QB competition this summer, primarily between rookie second-rounder Tyler Shough and Spencer Rattler.

Sunday, October 12, 5:28 PM

The Seattle Seahawks seem to have unlocked their big-play ability with quarterback Sam Darnold this season. Darnold had two completions of 61 yards in Week 6 against the Jacksonville Jaguars en route to 295 passing yards and a pair of touchdown passes. The game marked Darnold's second straight with at least 20 fantasy points. Darnold is emerging as a legitimate weekly option at quarterback with the Seahawks' offense playing at a high level right now. Best of all, Darnold continues to keep the turnovers down. He has only turned the ball over four times this season. Additionally, Darnold is staying upright. He was sacked for just the seventh time on Sunday. At this point, Darnold is no longer a streaming option. He should be rostered in just about every league, even if he is just a solid insurance option for your fantasy team. Darnold faces a tough matchup against Houston in Week 7, but the Seahawks have a relatively quarterback-friendly schedule after their Week 8 bye.