Who Should I Start? Matthew Stafford or Sam Darnold


Week 1 Projections

Fant. Pts. Rush. Yds. Rush TD Rec. Rec. Yds. Rec TD
24.2 7.8 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Matthew Stafford News

Matthew Stafford Named 2025 NFL MVP, Will Return in 2026

Thursday, February 5, 6:34 PM

Los Angeles Rams veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford was named the 2025 NFL Most Valuable Player on Thursday night for the first time in his 17th season in the league. Stafford beat out New England Patriots second-year QB Drake Maye for the award by just one vote. The 37-year-old also made the Pro Bowl in 2025 for only the third time in his career after one of his best all-around seasons. Stafford completed 65% of his 597 pass attempts for a league-high 4,707 passing yards, a league-high 46 touchdown passes, and only eight interceptions in 17 regular-season starts. In three playoff games, he added 936 passing yards, six touchdowns, and one interception. There was some doubt as to whether Stafford would return for an 18th NFL season following the Rams' loss to the Seahawks in the NFC Championship, but the former Georgia Bulldog announced on Thursday night that he will be returning. With weapons galore in L.A. on offense, Stafford will be a clear QB1 fantasy target going into next season.


Week 1 Projections

Fant. Pts. Rush. Yds. Rush TD Rec. Rec. Yds. Rec TD
20.2 15.4 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0

Sam Darnold News

Sam Darnold Caps Off First Season in Seattle with a Super Bowl Title

Monday, February 9, 12:37 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold completed 19 of his 38 pass attempts for 202 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Super Bowl LX victory over the New England Patriots. He also rushed for five yards and took just one sack. The veteran signal-caller didn't make a ton of breathtaking plays, but more importantly, he played turnover-free football while letting the defense and rushing attack win the big game. It was a storybook moment for Darnold, who started his career as a so-called first-round "bust" in New York. His NFL voyage took him through Carolina, San Francisco, and Minnesota before he signed with the Seahawks last offseason. During his first year in Seattle, he played all 17 regular-season games, completing 67.7% of his pass attempts for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. For the second year in a row, he eclipsed 4,000 passing yards and was named to the Pro Bowl. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba at his disposal and a fantastic offensive line in front of him, Darnold should be due for more success in the future. He'll rank as a fringe top-14 quarterback entering 2026 fantasy football drafts.


Matthew Stafford vs. Sam Darnold

Still trying to decide between Stafford and Darnold? 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 24.2 points this week while Sam Darnold is projected to score 20.2 points.