Start Daniel Jones or Cam Ward? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Daniel Jones over Cam Ward in Week 1.

Daniel Jones is priced by the books at 9.3 projected points. Cam Ward has no player market posted for this week, so his side of this call rests on consensus ADP and the news wire only. Drafters take Daniel Jones at ADP 188 and Cam Ward at 209. Market coverage on Daniel Jones is 45 percent of what his position needs, so the market side of this carries proportionally less weight.

What the books imply

Player prop markets imply 9.3 fantasy points for Daniel Jones, with 45 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

No sportsbook posted a player market for Cam Ward in Week 1.

Week 1 matchups

Daniel Jones and IND host BAL on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

BAL allowed 10.0 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 5th fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 166 yards and a touchdown against BAL, with an interception.

Cam Ward and TEN host NYJ.

NYJ allowed 11.7 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 7th fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 140 yards and a touchdown against NYJ, with no interceptions.

By points allowed to the position, Cam Ward has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Daniel Jones was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Cam Ward was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Daniel Jones played 13 games for IND and scored 234.4 PPR points, 18.0 a game, finishing QB17.

He completed 261 of 384 passes for 3101 yards, 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, and ran 45 times for 164 yards and 5 touchdowns.

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

In 2025, Cam Ward played 17 games for TEN and scored 193.7 PPR points, 11.4 a game, finishing QB22.

He completed 323 of 540 passes for 3169 yards, 15 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and ran 39 times for 159 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 100 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Cam Ward, Week 18 of 2025 against JAX: 3 of 3 passes for 52 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 11 yards, 9.2 PPR points.

Cam Ward, Week 17 of 2025 against NO: 74 of 74 snaps, 21 of 40 passes for 251 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 10 yards, 17.0 PPR points.

Cam Ward, Week 16 of 2025 against KC: 73 of 73 snaps, 21 of 28 passes for 228 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 4 carries for 9 yards, 18.0 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Daniel Jones scored 10.0 PPR points and Cam Ward scored 11.7.

The call was wrong: Cam Ward outscored Daniel Jones by 1.7.

Daniel Jones finished 0.7 points above the 9.3 the props implied.

Daniel Jones, Week 1 against BAL: 54 of 54 snaps, 19 of 31 passes for 166 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 1 carry for 4 yards, 10.0 PPR points.

Daniel Jones finished as the week's QB28 in PPR scoring.

Cam Ward, Week 1 against NYJ: 50 of 50 snaps, 19 of 32 passes for 140 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, 4 carries for 21 yards, 11.7 PPR points.

Cam Ward finished as the week's QB26 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Daniel Jones over Bryce Young.
• Start Daniel Jones over C.J. Stroud.
• Start Daniel Jones over Jacoby Brissett.
• Start Cam Ward over Aaron Rodgers.
• Start Cam Ward over Bryce Young.
• Start C.J. Stroud over Cam Ward.