Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or Josh Allen
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20.9 | 9.5 | 0.1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Sam Darnold News
Saturday, July 18, 8:49 AM
Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has finished in low-end QB1 territory in each of the past two seasons, first as QB9 in a 2024 season with the Vikings that saw him revive his career, then as QB14 in 2025. While the Seahawks have been praised for their remarkable roster continuity, returning 20 of 22 starters from a Super Bowl-winning team, their biggest change heading into 2026 is one likely to have a direct impact on Darnold. Offensive coordinator Klint Kubiak has taken the top job in Las Vegas, and stepping into his place is former 49ers tight ends coach Brian Fleury. With 2026 marking Fleury's first time calling plays, it stands to reason that Darnold will less frequently be presented with the easy answers of Kubiak's under-center, play-action-heavy offense or that of Kevin O'Connell from the previous season. Darnold has proven himself more than capable of running high-level offenses, but when paired with one of the league's truly elite defenses, his fantasy ceiling will ultimately be lowered by the lack of a need to consistently keep pace in high-scoring shootouts. At RotoBaller's QB22, Darnold can provide a steadying presence as the second quarterback in superflex leagues, but in single-quarterback formats, there are higher-upside options still available in his area of drafts.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 27.2 | 33.1 | 0.6 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Josh Allen News
Thursday, July 2, 9:59 AM
In what was considered a down year by his own lofty standards, Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen still finished as the fantasy QB1. His 3,668 yards through the air and 25 passing touchdowns both marked his lowest totals since 2019, but his unmatched rushing upside allowed him to top the final rankings as he has now done in four of the past six seasons, never slipping below QB2 in that time. Allen leads all quarterbacks with 41 rushing touchdowns over the past three seasons, with Jalen Hurts the only other quarterback to top 20 scores over that stretch. With former offensive coordinator Joe Brady taking over as head coach in 2026, the Bills offense can expect a sense of continuity behind an offensive line that returns four of five starters from a year ago, and with the team sending a second-round pick to acquire veteran receiver DJ Moore, Allen now has arguably his most dangerous weapon since he was regularly topping 4,200 passing yards with Stefon Diggs as his primary receiver. Unsurprisingly, Allen is RotoBaller's QB1 for 2026 and should be the expected 1.01 in most superflex drafts.
Sam Darnold vs. Josh Allen
Still trying to decide between Darnold and Allen? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Sam Darnold is projected to score 20.9 points this week while Josh Allen is projected to score 27.2 points.
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