Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or Justin Herbert

Sunday, October 5, 8:59 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold completed 28 of 34 pass attempts for 341 yards, four touchdowns, and one interception during Sunday's Week 5 loss against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. He was not sacked in the contest. Darnold essentially played mistake-free football for the first 59 minutes, keeping the underdog Seahawks in the game until the very end. Along the way, he turned in one of the week's best fantasy performances, which was a refreshing development since he hadn't exceeded 21 fantasy points in a single game through the first four weeks. Unfortunately for Darnold and the Seahawks, the veteran quarterback threw an interception with 58 seconds left, setting up a game-winning field goal for Tampa Bay. Seattle lost, but Darnold proved that he can perform against an above-average defense. He'll rank as a mid-range QB2 for Week 6 against Jacksonville.

Monday, October 6, 5:40 PM

Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert had his worst game of the season, completing 22 of 29 passes for 166 yards, one touchdown, and one interception in the team's 27-10 loss to the Washington Commanders. The offense looked disorganized, burdened by costly penalties and sloppy play for most of the afternoon. Herbert also led the team in rushing with four carries for 60 yards, showing how often he was pressured behind a depleted offensive line. Herbert has been hit 35 times in the last three games, as a wave of injuries on the offensive line continues to mount. As the team prepares for Week 6 against a struggling Miami Dolphins defense, the Chargers might need to rely more on the passing game since they just placed rookie running back Omarion Hampton (ankle) on IR. Herbert should have a chance to bounce back if his offensive line can give him some protection.