Who Should I Start? Geno Smith or Mason Rudolph


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
19.0 12.4 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Geno Smith News

Geno Smith 7-of-7 with a Touchdown in Jets Return

Saturday, August 22, 6:02 AM

It had been almost 10 full years since veteran quarterback Geno Smith last started a game for the New York Jets, but in his 2026 preseason debut, he offered a glimpse of what his second stint with the team could look like. Smith was 7-of-7 on his lone drive of the night, completing passes to six different receivers, including a 13-yard touchdown to tight end Jelani Woods to cap off a 10-play, 69-yard drive against the Pittsburgh Steelers. A second-round pick of the Jets in 2013, Smith went 12-18 as the team's starter and never truly found his footing until he landed with Seattle as a free agent and earned the starting job in 2022. Following three redemptive seasons with the Seahawks, Smith led one of the league's worst offenses with the Raiders in 2025, but after a low-stakes trade brought him back to the Jets, he has, by all accounts, put together an eye-opening training camp. A near-perfect preseason debut should see his draft cost rise, but at his current ADP of QB37, Smith could prove to be a severely underrated fantasy quarterback with every-week usability.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
1.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Mason Rudolph News

Mason Rudolph Sharp in Preseason Start

Thursday, August 13, 6:22 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Mason Rudolph completed 10 of 11 pass attempts for 93 yards in a 28-9 preseason victory over the Green Bay Packers. Rudolph got off to a rocky start, taking two sacks over his first four snaps, but quickly settled in and led the offense down the field on its second possession. Although the Steelers were unable to score after an offensive holding penalty nullified a three-yard rushing touchdown by Lew Nichols, Rudolph displayed early chemistry with rookie wideout Germie Bernard and several other pass-catchers throughout the drive. The 31-year-old then gave way to second-year pro Will Howard and rookie signal-caller Drew Allar, both of whom also impressed. It will be interesting to see how Pittsburgh's quarterback depth chart shakes out entering the regular season, with all three players competing for backup duties behind Aaron Rodgers. Rudolph is likely to see additional preseason action next weekend against the New York Jets.


Geno Smith vs. Mason Rudolph

Still trying to decide between Smith and Rudolph? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Geno Smith is projected to score 19.0 points this week while Mason Rudolph is projected to score 1.0 points.