Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or Kenny Pickett


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
24.1 2.2 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Matthew Stafford News

Matthew Stafford's QB3 Finish Will Be Hard to Repeat

Sunday, August 9, 11:33 AM

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford put together an MVP season at 37, throwing for an NFL-high 4,707 yards and 46 touchdowns while finishing QB3 on a per-game basis. The offense around him is still loaded. Puka Nacua and Davante Adams are back, and Los Angeles led the league in both scoring and total offense last season. The bigger question is how many of those touchdowns Stafford can bring with him into 2026. His touchdown rate jumped to 7.7% last year after sitting at 4.8% for his career, and his fantasy scoring still comes almost entirely through the air. Stafford is now 38, which is another reason not to treat last season as the new baseline. He has looked sharp when practicing in camp, with the Rams managing his workload to keep him fresh for Week 1. RotoBaller ranks Stafford 96th overall and QB14. There is still plenty here for another productive season, but drafting him as a QB2 makes more sense than chasing last year's QB3 finish.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
0.7 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Kenny Pickett News

Kenny Pickett to Start Hall of Fame Game Against Cardinals

Monday, August 3, 8:27 AM

Carolina Panthers head coach Dave Canales said on Monday that quarterback Kenny Pickett will start the Hall of Fame Game on Thursday, Aug. 6, against the Arizona Cardinals, according to Joe Person of The Athletic. No clear-cut starters will play in the game for the Panthers. Now that veteran Andy Dalton is no longer in Carolina, Pickett is the favorite to serve as Bryce Young's backup in 2026 in his first year with the team. The 28-year-old former 20th overall pick by the Pittsburgh Steelers in 2022 from the University of Pittsburgh is with his third different team in the last three years, having spent 2024 with the Philadelphia Eagles and 2025 with the Las Vegas Raiders. Pickett played in 11 games (three starts) the last two seasons and threw for only 479 yards, three touchdowns, and three interceptions with the Eagles and Raiders in a backup role. He will only become an option in the deepest of superflex leagues in 2026 if he's forced into the starting role if Young goes down with an injury.


Matthew Stafford vs. Kenny Pickett

Still trying to decide between Stafford and Pickett? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Matthew Stafford is projected to score 24.1 points this week while Kenny Pickett is projected to score 0.7 points.