Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or C.J. Stroud

Wednesday, July 23, 2:22 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has taken command of the locker room from the start of camp, emerging as the team's clear-cut starter for the 2025 season. With a revamped offense featuring veteran wideout Cooper Kupp and deep threat Marquez Valdes-Scantling, Darnold is in position to thrive. Seattle is hoping that Darnold can replicate his success from last season with Minnesota, where he threw for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns, and 12 interceptions over 17 games. The former first-round pick has the tools to elevate a promising group of weapons, making him an intriguing late-round sleeper in fantasy football formats.

Wednesday, July 16, 2:47 PM

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud had a sophomore slump following his fantastic rookie season in 2023 out of Ohio State. After throwing for more than 4,100 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 15 games in Year 1, he regressed to just over 3,700 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 picks in Year 2. Entering 2025 in what could set him up for a lucrative contract extension, Stroud has trained hard to improve his physical fitness. "I've been working really hard on getting my body right -- losing body fat, trying to be faster, stronger," Stroud said. "And it went really well. ... [Working] pocket mobility, running out the pocket, throwing the rock. Everything kind of works hand in hand." Last season, Houston's offensive line struggled mightily, and Stroud was sacked 63 times, good for the second-most in the NFL behind only Caleb Williams (68). The offensive line could remain an issue after the team traded away franchise left tackle Laremy Tunsil, but sacks are often largely a quarterback stat, too. If Stroud can become more dynamic operating inside and outside of the pocket, it could create more downfield opportunities for pass-catchers Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, and Jayden Higgins, among others.