C.J. Stroud or Kirk Cousins: who should I start in Week 5?

What the player markets price

The player markets price C.J. Stroud at 14.7 PPR points a game, built from 5 markets across 15 market sources. That is the 44th highest figure of the 209 players the market prices.

The player markets price Kirk Cousins at 14.5 PPR points a game, built from 5 markets across 16 market sources. That is the 49th highest figure of the 209 players the market prices.

Where the draft room stands

Drafters have formed no consensus on C.J. Stroud: he carries no ADP, and the board ranks him 119th overall on the rest of his evidence.

In 2QB drafts he goes at ADP 30.

Drafters have formed no consensus on Kirk Cousins: he carries no ADP, and the board ranks him 125th overall on the rest of his evidence.

This season through Week 4

Through Week 4, C.J. Stroud has been on the field for 100 percent of HOU snaps, dropped back 166 times and thrown 10.3 air yards an attempt.

He has been sacked or hit on 27 of 166 dropbacks and scrambled 7 times.

In Week 2 against CIN he completed 30 of 53 passes for 353 yards, threw 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions and ran 3 times for 29 yards.

In Week 3 against IND he completed 16 of 27 passes for 167 yards, threw 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions and ran 2 times for 10 yards.

In Week 4 against DAL he completed 21 of 29 passes for 347 yards, threw 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions and ran 2 times for 12 yards.

Through Week 4, Kirk Cousins has been on the field for 100 percent of LV snaps, dropped back 149 times and thrown 8.8 air yards an attempt.

He has been sacked or hit on 27 of 149 dropbacks and scrambled 3 times.

In Week 2 against LAC he completed 19 of 29 passes for 253 yards, threw 3 touchdowns and 1 interception and ran 1 time for 4 yards.

In Week 3 against NO he completed 22 of 33 passes for 248 yards, threw 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions and ran 1 time for 5 yards.

In Week 4 against KC he completed 31 of 49 passes for 365 yards and threw 2 touchdowns and 1 interception.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025 C.J. Stroud played 14 games and scored 216.5 PPR points, 15.5 a game, finishing QB21.

He threw for 3041 yards on 423 attempts with 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, and ran for 209 yards and 1 touchdown.

That came to 30.2 attempts a game at 7.2 yards an attempt.

He was on the field for 93 percent of the snaps in the games he played.

In 2025 Kirk Cousins played 10 games and scored 108.5 PPR points, 10.9 a game, finishing QB35.

He threw for 1721 yards on 269 attempts with 10 touchdowns and 5 interceptions, and ran for 7 yards and 1 touchdown.

That came to 26.9 attempts a game at 6.4 yards an attempt.

He was on the field for 46 percent of the snaps in the games he played.

C.J. Stroud was available for 4 games more.

Head to head

In 2025 C.J. Stroud scored 15.5 PPR points a game and Kirk Cousins 10.9, 4.6 a game between them.

C.J. Stroud finished QB21 that year and Kirk Cousins QB35.

C.J. Stroud had 154 more pass attempts than Kirk Cousins, 423 to 269.

C.J. Stroud had 1320 more passing yards than Kirk Cousins, 3041 to 1721.

Their snap share this season is the same, 100 percent each.

Their target share this season is the same, 0 percent each.

Byes and availability

C.J. Stroud is off in Week 8. No bye is listed for Kirk Cousins.

What would change the answer

0.2 points a game is the entire case. The market restates it every week, and a line that moves moves the order with it.

The draft market is the half that is missing: when the consensus sample holds these two again it can order them differently from the price, and this page will follow the sample rather than the market price when it does.