Who Should I Start? Geno Smith or Sam Darnold

Tuesday, September 16, 3:09 PM

Las Vegas Raiders quarterback Geno Smith struggled in prime time in the 20-9 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers on Monday Night Football. Smith got off to a bad start in this one, throwing an interception on the first play of the game and failing to lead the Raiders to a single touchdown all night against a suffocating Chargers defense. All in all, the 34-year-old veteran went 24-for-43 for 180 yards, no touchdowns, and three interceptions. He ran the ball five times for 20 yards and took three sacks. It was a very disappointing performance after Smith threw for 362 yards in a Week 1 win over the New England Patriots. While fantasy managers shouldn't be writing Smith off for the rest of the year, it's a reminder of why he's more of a matchup-based QB. Smith will get a better matchup in Week 3 against the Washington Commanders.

Monday, September 15, 3:29 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold looks like a potential streamer candidate moving forward. Darnold endured a tough first half in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he rallied to throw for 295 yards and two touchdowns. Darnold finished the week with 17.8 fantasy points, which is enough to hold down the quarterback spot on your roster for a week. Most importantly, Darnold looked comfortable in his new offense. He was spreading the wealth around as well. Five Seahawks earned multiple targets in this game. Darnold's chemistry with wide receivers Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Cooper Kupp was also apparent. He was efficient throwing to both players, and they combined for 193 receiving yards. If Darnold keeps up this level of play and cuts down on the interceptions, he is going to be a player worth rostering in fantasy. Darnold will face New Orleans, Arizona, and Tampa Bay over the next three weeks. He should be on the streaming radar in each of those games.