Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or Michael Penix Jr.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Matthew Stafford News
Friday, April 24, 2:38 PM
The Los Angeles Rams raised plenty of eyebrows on Thursday night in the first round of the 2026 NFL draft when they took Alabama quarterback Ty Simpson at 13th overall, but NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says that head coach Sean McVay has made it clear that this is still MVP Matthew Stafford's team. Stafford is the QB of the present and the future in L.A., and the Rams and Stafford are "deep" in discussions about a contract extension. The Rams believe that there is a good chance that Stafford decides to continue his playing career beyond the 2026 season. At 38, Stafford is no spring chicken, but it didn't stop him from having the best season of his career in 2025, throwing for 4,707 yards for a career-high 46 touchdowns during the regular season. Durability should be a concern for fantasy managers in redraft leagues, but if healthy, there's no arguing that Stafford has some of the best receiving weapons in the NFL in receivers Puka Nacua and Davante Adams. The Rams drafted Simpson on Thursday night (and may have reached a bit) as the heir apparent to Stafford, but it sounds like he may not take over as the starting QB until 2028.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Michael Penix Jr. News
Tuesday, May 5, 7:10 AM
Atlanta Falcons president of football Matt Ryan acknowledged on 680 The Fan that "you just don't know" where quarterback Michael Penix Jr. (knee) is "going to be" for the start of training camp in late July. However, Ryan is confident with how Penix has approached his rehab after tearing his ACL in 2025. "Mike's in a good spot right now. As far as expectations, we don't really know what to expect at the beginning of training camp," Ryan said. The Falcons don't plan to rush Penix back to the field, which could give new QB Tua Tagovailoa a leg up in the competition for the starting job under center in Atlanta going into Week 1 of the 2026 regular season. Penix's dynasty stock is dropping quickly after he had surgery for another torn ACL in his knee back in November. It's the third time since college that he's suffered a torn ACL. The 25-year-old lefty signal-caller was mediocre before his injury in his first full year as the Falcons' starter, completing 60.1% of his passes for 1,982 yards, nine touchdowns, and three interceptions in nine starts. Penix will need to get healthy first, and then he'll need to improve his accuracy to have a chance to beat Tua out. It's looking more likely that Penix is going to enter the start of next season as Atlanta's backup.
Matthew Stafford vs. Michael Penix Jr.
Still trying to decide between Stafford and Penix Jr.? 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 0.0 points this week while Michael Penix Jr. is projected to score 0.0 points.
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