Who Should I Start? Kyler Murray or C.J. Stroud
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22.3 | 29.8 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Kyler Murray News
Monday, August 31, 12:48 PM
Entering 2026, Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kyler Murray is looking to revitalize his career. A foot injury limited the 29-year-old to just five games in 2025, his final season with the Arizona Cardinals after they selected him first overall in the 2019 NFL Draft. Murray's performance also suffered even before the injury, as he was averaging a career-low 6.0 yards per pass attempt. However, Murray has been named the starting quarterback in Minnesota, and he appears to be in an ideal spot for a resurgent season. Vikings head coach and play-caller Kevin O'Connell has helped maximize the play of multiple different veteran quarterbacks, and Minnesota has one of the top wide receiving corps in the NFL between Justin Jefferson, Jordan Addison, and Jauan Jennings. Murray has been a dangerous dual-threat quarterback as recently as the 2024 season, when he recorded 3,851 passing yards, 572 rushing yards, and 26 total touchdowns across 17 games. At his current redraft ADP of QB16, Murray carries sleeper appeal into 2026.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22.2 | 12.9 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
C.J. Stroud News
Wednesday, September 2, 9:30 AM
ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reports that Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud is "prepared to play out this season without a new deal," despite the Texans making what they considered a competitive offer, according to several people with knowledge of the situation. The current sentiment is that Stroud will "most likely not end up with a new deal" before Week 1. However, Fowler's understanding is that the Texans are prepared to put Stroud in "what it feels is a strong place among the 12 QBs in the $50 million club." If Stroud bets on himself and has a strong 2026 bounce-back campaign, he can "let an exploding QB market do the work for him." The former second overall pick out of Ohio State had a strong training camp this summer and has plenty of talent around him (even with receiver Jayden Higgins (knee) done for the year), making him a popular rebound candidate as a QB2 with upside for fantasy football purposes. If Stroud does not ink a new deal with Houston before Week 1, he will have plenty of incentive to turn his game around after two straight disappointing seasons.
Kyler Murray vs. C.J. Stroud
Still trying to decide between Murray and Stroud? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Kyler Murray is projected to score 22.3 points this week while C.J. Stroud is projected to score 22.2 points.
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