Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or Cooper Rush

Monday, September 15, 6:52 PM

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 23 of his 33 pass attempts for 298 yards, two touchdowns, and one interception during Sunday's Week 2 win over the Tennessee Titans. The veteran signal caller was quite productive on the road, finishing just a couple of yards away from a 300-yard, two-touchdown performance. He put together this dominant showing despite Los Angeles leading for more than half the game. In a situation where some teams might run the ball more, Stafford was still given an opportunity to rack up passing yards. He also did so against a solid Titans pass defense that intercepted Bo Nix twice just one week earlier. Stafford's lack of rushing upside is unfortunate, but fantasy managers should rest assured that there's no concern about Los Angeles deviating from a pass-heavy approach while leading in future weeks. He's firmly in the mid-range QB2 conversation for Week 3 against the Philadelphia Eagles.

Saturday, August 23, 4:01 PM

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Cooper Rush had a perfect passing day in the 30-3 preseason win over the Washington Commanders, completing all five passes for 59 yards and zero touchdowns. This outing marked a bright spot in what has otherwise been an unimpressive preseason for the 31-year-old, who previously spent eight seasons with the Dallas Cowboys. He ends the preseason with 27 completions on 39 attempts for 273 yards, one touchdown, and three interceptions. Rush is currently listed as the backup quarterback to Lamar Jackson. However, his overall subpar preseason, coupled with Devin Leary's unimpressive play, raises concerns about the Ravens' backup quarterback situation should anything happen to Jackson. Despite the statistical line in this game, it should have no significant impact on Rush's fantasy value as he remains off the radar in redraft leagues.