Start Caleb Williams or Jayden Daniels? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Caleb Williams over Jayden Daniels in Week 1.

De-vigged player props project Caleb Williams at 8.4 points and Jayden Daniels at 7.9, a gap of 0.5. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. Drafters take Caleb Williams at ADP 84 and Jayden Daniels at 83. Market coverage on Caleb Williams is 25 percent of what his position needs, so the market side of this carries proportionally less weight.

What the books imply

Player prop markets imply 7.9 fantasy points for Jayden Daniels, with 45 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

Player prop markets imply 8.4 fantasy points for Caleb Williams, with 25 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

That puts Caleb Williams 0.5 points ahead of Jayden Daniels on the books.

Week 1 matchups

Jayden Daniels and WAS visit PHI on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

PHI allowed 17.7 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 14th most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 164 yards and 2 touchdowns against PHI, with no interceptions.

Caleb Williams and CHI visit CAR on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CAR allowed 37.3 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 269 yards and 2 touchdowns against CAR, with no interceptions.

By points allowed to the position, Caleb Williams has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Jayden Daniels was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Caleb Williams was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Jayden Daniels played 7 games for WAS and scored 117.3 PPR points, 16.8 a game, finishing QB34.

He completed 114 of 188 passes for 1262 yards, 8 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, and ran 58 times for 278 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 91 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Caleb Williams played 17 games for CHI and scored 325.2 PPR points, 19.1 a game, finishing QB5.

He completed 330 of 568 passes for 3942 yards, 27 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and ran 77 times for 383 yards and 3 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 99 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Caleb Williams, Week 18 of 2025 against DET: 20 of 33 passes for 212 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, 1 carry for 1 yards, 17.6 PPR points.

Caleb Williams, Week 17 of 2025 against SF: 66 of 66 snaps, 25 of 42 passes for 330 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 5 carries for 18 yards, 23.0 PPR points.

Caleb Williams, Week 16 of 2025 against GB: 64 of 64 snaps, 19 of 34 passes for 250 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 3 carries for 30 yards, 21.0 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Caleb Williams scored 37.3 PPR points and Jayden Daniels scored 17.7.

The call was right: Caleb Williams outscored Jayden Daniels by 19.6.

Caleb Williams finished 28.9 points above the 8.4 the props implied.

Caleb Williams, Week 1 against CAR: 75 of 75 snaps, 21 of 29 passes for 269 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 10 carries for 65 yards, 37.3 PPR points.

Caleb Williams finished as the week's QB1 in PPR scoring.

Jayden Daniels finished 9.7 points above the 7.9 the props implied.

Jayden Daniels, Week 1 against PHI: 70 of 70 snaps, 18 of 34 passes for 164 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 5 carries for 31 yards, 17.7 PPR points.

Jayden Daniels finished as the week's QB14 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Brock Purdy over Jayden Daniels.
• Start Dak Prescott over Jayden Daniels.
• Start Jalen Hurts over Jayden Daniels.
• Start Brock Purdy over Caleb Williams.
• Start Dak Prescott over Caleb Williams.
• Start Caleb Williams over Jalen Hurts.