Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or Lamar Jackson

Monday, February 9, 12:37 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold completed 19 of his 38 pass attempts for 202 yards, one touchdown, and zero interceptions during Sunday's Super Bowl LX victory over the New England Patriots. He also rushed for five yards and took just one sack. The veteran signal-caller didn't make a ton of breathtaking plays, but more importantly, he played turnover-free football while letting the defense and rushing attack win the big game. It was a storybook moment for Darnold, who started his career as a so-called first-round "bust" in New York. His NFL voyage took him through Carolina, San Francisco, and Minnesota before he signed with the Seahawks last offseason. During his first year in Seattle, he played all 17 regular-season games, completing 67.7% of his pass attempts for 4,048 yards, 25 touchdowns, and 14 interceptions. For the second year in a row, he eclipsed 4,000 passing yards and was named to the Pro Bowl. With Jaxon Smith-Njigba at his disposal and a fantastic offensive line in front of him, Darnold should be due for more success in the future. He'll rank as a fringe top-14 quarterback entering 2026 fantasy football drafts.

Saturday, February 14, 6:42 AM

After back-to-back first-team All-Pro seasons in 2023 and 2024, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson suffered through an injury-marred down year in 2025. Across 13 games played, the 29-year-old completed 63.6% of his pass attempts for 2,549 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions. Jackson also posted his least productive NFL season as a rusher, recording 349 yards and two scores on 67 rush attempts. In fairness, the two-time MVP dealt with both hamstring and back injuries, both of which may have impacted his performance even when he was able to take the field. Jackson will be working with an entirely new coaching staff in Baltimore in 2026. Former Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter is the Ravens' new head coach, and former Chicago Bears offensive coordinator Declan Doyle will assume the same role with Baltimore. While the coaching changes could spark some new developments in the offensive infrastructure around Jackson, a potential return to full health is likely the most important offseason development for fantasy managers to monitor. Jackson remains an elite fantasy quarterback option, but his profile carries a bit more risk after his injury issues in 2025.