Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or Caleb Williams

Friday, September 6, 3:52 PM

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford could be in line to have a very productive week as he visits his old team in Detroit for an SNF matchup against the Lions. The game is expected to have one of the highest totals of the week and Stafford has his full array of weapons (aside from tight end Tyler Higbee) with Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp both healthy. Throw Kyren Williams and capable backup tight end Colby Parkinson into the fray and Stafford should have plenty of options to throw to against a Lions defense that allowed 19.4 points per game to opposing quarterbacks in fantasy last season. Stafford averaged nearly 20 points per game in games in which Kupp played last season. He should be plenty motivated in his return from Detroit and should be treated as a borderline QB1 in Week 1. He can be started with confidence in the right roster situation.

Friday, September 6, 4:56 PM

Chicago Bears rookie quarterback Caleb Williams is a high-risk, high-reward option as a borderline QB1 against the Tennessee Titans this Sunday. Williams displayed impressive potential during the preseason, with notable throws on the run and exceptional arm angles. However, this will be his first official game, so some growing pains are to be expected. In the preseason, Williams showcased his significant upside with a 13% big-time throw rate and 8.5 yards per attempt despite an adjusted completion rate of 61.1%. Williams must utilize his talented offensive weapons, including DJ Moore, Keenan Allen, Rome Odunze, and Cole Kmet, to capitalize on his opportunities, especially given the Titans' potentially improved pass defense. Last year, Tennessee allowed the ninth-highest yards per attempt and CPOE and had the seventh-highest adjusted completion rate. However, they've bolstered their secondary with Quandre Diggs, Chidobe Awuzie, and L'Jarius Snead. While the Titans' secondary featuring Sneed (56.6 passer rating allowed in 2023), Roger McCreary, and Awuzie is seen as a strength, their safety corps could be a weak spot. The critical storyline will be how Williams performs in his debut, and leveraging his top targets notably Moore, Allen, and Odunze will be crucial.