Who Should I Start? Geno Smith or C.J. Stroud

Monday, January 6, 1:14 PM

When asked if he expects quarterback Geno Smith to return as the starting QB in 2025, Seattle Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald said on Seattle Sports radio, "Got no reason to say no, so I guess yeah." If Smith is still under contract with the team in mid-March, he'll earn an extra $2 million after hitting three escalators in the win over the division-rival Los Angeles Rams in the Week 18 regular-season finale. While battling injury, Smith went 20-for-27 for 223 yards and a career-high four touchdowns on Sunday to close out his fifth year with the team. His 4,320 passing yards in 2024 were among the top five in the league, but the Seahawks offense never really hit its stride this year, and Smith finished as the QB12 in overall fantasy points. Seattle could save over $30 million by cutting him this offseason, so it's not a foregone conclusion that he'll be back in 2025.

Thursday, January 16, 6:51 PM

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud should be considered the lowest-ranked option out of all eight starting quarterback options with his team set to take on the defending champion Kansas City Chiefs in the Divisional Round. The 23-year-old faces a Chiefs defense that ranked third among playoff teams in air yards allowed, fourth overall in blitz rate, fifth in pressure percentage, and held Houston to 19 points in a Week 16 Kansas City victory. The sophomore quarterback led Houston to a Wild Card win against the Los Angeles Chargers, but Houston's offense has averaged roughly 19 points per game since the beginning of December. Managers in playoff leagues or DFS should attempt for a better option than Stroud is a tough road matchup.