Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or Jarrett Stidham

Thursday, June 19, 12:24 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold had a career year in 2024 with the Minnesota Vikings, completing 66.2% of his passes for 4,319 yards, 35 touchdowns and 12 interceptions in 17 regular-season games to lead Minnesota to a 14-3 record. However, the former third overall pick in 2018 finished on a sour note in his final two games and knows he must prove himself again in 2025 with a new team. Darnold has familiarity with new Seattle offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak from their one year together in San Fran in 2023, but the move from Minnesota to Seattle is definitely a downgrade in terms of overall offense and the weapons he'll have in Seattle. The 28-year-old was excellent throwing downfield in 2024, but it helped to have one of the best receivers in the league in Justin Jefferson. Fantasy managers shouldn't be expecting a repeat of 2024, when Darnold finished as the QB9.

Sunday, March 9, 9:09 PM

The NFL's Ian Rapoport reports that the Denver Broncos are bringing back quarterback Jarrett Stidham on a two-year $12 million contract with $7 million guaranteed. The 28-year-old spent the last two seasons with the team, appearing in seven games. However, he did not attempt a pass in 2024 and served solely as a backup to rookie sensation Bo Nix. Stidham figures to occupy that role again in 2025 -- barring Nix's health -- and reportedly would have garnered significant interest as a potential backup on the open market. However, the Broncos sought to lock up their second-string option with extensive knowledge of the team's current system. The Auburn product can be safely avoided for fantasy purposes sans a bench stash in deep superflex dynasty formats.