Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or Josh Allen

Friday, October 17, 8:47 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold has been an exciting fantasy asset of late. Unfortunately, Darnold draws a very tough matchup against the Houston Texans on Monday night. Houston is the No. 1 overall team against opposing quarterbacks in fantasy in 2025. This passing defense has done well to shut down every opposing quarterback they have played, especially over the past two games. Even Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Baker Mayfield had a pedestrian game against this defense in Week 2. Darnold's hot streak has included two straight games with at least 20 fantasy points. Additionally, Darnold has produced at least 242 passing yards in four of his past five games. Best of all, Darnold is protecting the football with just four turnovers this season. Darnold should continue to protect the ball against the Texans this week, but Houston's smothering defense may cap his overall passing output. This projects to be a lower-scoring game in a clash between two elite defenses. As such, Darnold should be rostered, but left on your bench in Week 7.

Saturday, October 11, 1:35 PM

Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen will face his toughest challenge of the season when the team heads to Atlanta to take on the league's top-ranked defense. The Falcons have been dominant, allowing just 244 total yards per game, including a league-low 135 passing yards. Monday night's clash features the NFL's two leaders in time of possession, with Buffalo averaging 34:09 and Atlanta close behind at 33:30, setting up a physical, clock-controlling battle. While the Falcons have padded their numbers against Marcus Mariota and J.J. McCarthy, they did hold Baker Mayfield to just 159 passing yards in Week 1. Allen's dual-threat ability and offensive weapons should still allow him to produce, but expectations should be tempered--he's best viewed as a mid-tier QB1 in what could be a grind-it-out matchup.