Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or Lamar Jackson

BENCH

Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
24.1 2.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Matthew Stafford News

Matthew Stafford Remains a QB1 Despite Lack of Rushing Upside

Friday, August 28, 7:44 PM

Los Angeles Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford is coming off a top-three finish in fantasy football, and he should remain a strong QB1 option as long as he has Puka Nacua and Davante Adams at his disposal. Now 38, Stafford has shown no signs of slowing down. He won the league MVP award last year with 4,707 passing yards, 46 touchdowns, and eight interceptions to his name. His lack of rushing ability may prevent him from being the overall QB1, but he certainly has a chance to replicate last year's QB3 mark. One factor to consider is a potential suspension to Puka Nacua, which could sideline him for one or multiple games. However, in the one game that Nacua missed last year, Stafford threw for five touchdowns. In the end, we're not overly concerned about his fantasy outlook if Nacua (or Davante Adams, for that matter) has a short-term absence. He's somewhat of a steal at his current ADP of 104.9, which makes him the 12th quarterback off the board in fantasy drafts.

START

Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
25.6 40.6 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0

Lamar Jackson News

We Could See "One of Most Explosive Versions" of Lamar Jackson in 2026

Thursday, August 27, 5:49 AM

Through the first three games of 2025, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson averaged more than 30 fantasy points per game, looking like his usual dominant self before injuries derailed his season, and NFL Network's Trevor Sikkema believes a return to health could lead to big things in 2026. "I'm really excited for what Lamar Jackson could be this year," he said while appearing on NFL Report. "To me, we could see not only the regular version of Lamar Jackson, which is pretty dang spectacular, but we could see maybe one of the most explosive versions of Lamar Jackson in this Declan Doyle offense." The Ravens were one of the most aggressive passing offenses on first down last year, helping to set up the third-and-manageable situations in which they thrived, and Sikkema believes Doyle will put the ball in Jackson's hands even more on early downs. Jackson is RotoBaller's QB1 and has one of the highest ceilings in the history of the game, as evidenced by two different seasons of 400+ fantasy points, and if he can manage close to a full slate of games in 2026, he should again be a league-winner.

Matthew Stafford vs. Lamar Jackson

Still trying to decide between Stafford and Jackson? 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 Lamar Jackson is projected to score 25.6 points.