Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or Joe Burrow

Friday, December 19, 12:26 AM

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford completed 29 of his 49 pass attempts for 457 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions during Thursday's Week 16 loss against the Seattle Seahawks. He also rushed for six yards and didn't take a sack. Although the Rams came up short, Stafford delivered a fantastic final stat line for his fantasy managers. Not only did he set a new season-high in fantasy points, but he also delivered his highest passing yards total since 2013, more than a dozen years ago. As a result, this was also his highest passing yards total as a Ram. The veteran quarterback managed to have such a spectacular performance despite being without Davante Adams (hamstring) against a strong Seahawks defense. Instead, he found Puka Nacua for 12 completions, 225 yards, and two touchdowns, while the rest of his pass-catchers accounted for the remaining volume. Stafford remains a high-end QB1 heading into a very favorable Week 17 matchup against the Atlanta Falcons.

Saturday, December 20, 12:15 AM

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow (knee) popped up on the injury report to begin the practice week. Fortunately, he logged full sessions and doesn't carry an injury designation for Sunday's game against Miami. The signal-caller completed only 52.2% of his attempts in the Thursday night win over Baltimore in Week 13, although he still tossed two touchdowns to make up for it. However, it was a different story in the Week 15 rematch, with Burrow throwing two picks while failing to connect with any of his receivers in the end zone. The Bengals aren't going to the postseason, but that shouldn't stop the 2020 No. 1 overall pick from trying to lead his squad to wins to close out the 2025 campaign. With the Dolphins also eliminated from playoff contention, both teams have nothing to lose in Week 16. All things considered, as long as Burrow is active, he remains a must-start in any fantasy setup, even if Tee Higgins (concussion), who is questionable, can't suit up.