Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or Jordan Whittington

Saturday, October 18, 9:36 AM

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford has been terrific this season, ranking as the overall QB10 in fantasy football. While he has a long track record of success in the NFL and has proven that this season's results are no joke, managers should temper expectations with the veteran signal caller this week. First of all, he will be without Puka Nacua (ankle), who is the heart and soul of Los Angeles' receiving corps. That will leave Davante Adams as the de facto No. 1 receiver. While Adams is dominant, too, he hasn't flashed the strongest rapport with Stafford, which could be an issue now that he's in a bigger role. Furthermore, Stafford will be tasked with overcoming the challenges of international travel; he arrives in London on Saturday and will take on the Jaguars just one day later. Both of these factors reduce Stafford's fantasy value, but he still cracks the top 12. It helps that Jacksonville has allowed the fifth-most passing yards to quarterbacks this season, as well as the 11th-most fantasy points to the position. Stafford is a low-end QB1 for this week.

Saturday, October 18, 11:53 AM

Los Angeles Rams wide receiver Jordan Whittington has occupied a depth role for most of this season, but he could leap onto the fantasy radar as a solid streamer in the WR3/flex range this week. Previously, Whittington has split No. 3 receiver duties with Tutu Atwell. However, Puka Nacua (ankle) has been ruled out, which could put Whittington in line to start against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Whereas Atwell is more of a deep threat whose skill set aligns with a certain group of play calls, Whittington can be an every-down receiver. He played 92 percent of the snaps last week, and while his final stat line was underwhelming (four targets, three catches, 23 yards), he should be able to post better results in Week 7 with a full week of practice as the No. 2 receiver under his belt. Davante Adams will be Stafford's primary focus in the passing game, but we wouldn't be surprised if Whittington is next in the pecking order. He's facing a Jaguars defense that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2025. Therefore, he's a solid low-end WR3/flex in deeper leagues.