Who Should I Start? Sam Darnold or Lamar Jackson


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
21.9 8.6 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0

Sam Darnold News

Sam Darnold Not in Streaming Conversation for Week 1

Tuesday, September 8, 2:37 PM

Seattle Seahawks quarterback Sam Darnold is not in the streaming conversation when Seattle hosts the New England Patriots in Week 1. The Patriots boast a quality defense, and this feels like a game in which Seattle will rely more heavily on the running game. The Patriots were near the top of the pack against opposing quarterbacks in fantasy in 2025 as well. While they were not exactly facing the most quality opponents, this was still a defense that took care of business when it needed to. Darnold was the QB13 in 2025 due to his scorching first half of the season. However, the Seahawks' offensive strategy shifted down the stretch once Darnold began to struggle with turnovers. Darnold turned it around for the playoffs, but there are plenty of other quarterback options in Week 1 who have a narrower range of outcomes. Leave Darnold on waivers for this week.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
27.0 38.0 0.2 0.0 0.0 0.0

Lamar Jackson News

Ravens "Optimistic" About Reaching Extension With Lamar Jackson

Wednesday, September 2, 2:20 PM

Baltimore Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said on Wednesday that he is "optimistic" about reaching a contract extension with quarterback Lamar Jackson, according to Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic. "We would love to get a deal done as soon as possible," DeCosta said. The 29-year-old signed a five-year, $260 million extension with Baltimore in April of 2023, but with an $84.3 million salary-cap number for 2027, the Ravens want to get an extension done with the star QB so that they can spread that cap hit out over multiple seasons. The four-time Pro Bowler and two-time MVP battled nagging injuries for much of last year, which led to a disappointing 2025 campaign in which he threw for only 2,549 yards, 21 touchdowns, and seven interceptions in a career-low 13 starts. Jackson also ran the ball a career-low 67 times for 349 yards and two touchdowns. With better health, Jackson should rebound as an elite, high-end QB1 for fantasy purposes because of his dual-threat abilities at the position.


Sam Darnold vs. Lamar Jackson

Still trying to decide between Darnold and Jackson? 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 21.9 points this week while Lamar Jackson is projected to score 27.0 points.