Start C.J. Stroud or Daniel Jones? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Daniel Jones over C.J. Stroud in Week 1.

Daniel Jones is priced by the books at 9.3 projected points. C.J. Stroud 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 175 and C.J. Stroud at 167. 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

No sportsbook posted a player market for C.J. Stroud in Week 1.

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

Week 1 matchups

C.J. Stroud and HOU host BUF.

BUF allowed 16.5 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 16th most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 274 yards and 2 touchdowns against BUF, with no interceptions.

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.

By points allowed to the position, C.J. Stroud has the softer matchup.

Injury status

C.J. Stroud was not on the injury report when the call was made.

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

Their 2025 seasons

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

He completed 273 of 423 passes for 3041 yards, 19 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, and ran 48 times for 209 yards and 1 touchdown.

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

C.J. Stroud, Week 18 of 2025 against IND: 14 of 23 passes for 169 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 5 yards, 17.3 PPR points.

C.J. Stroud, Week 17 of 2025 against LAC: 65 of 65 snaps, 16 of 28 passes for 244 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, 4 carries for 0 yards, 15.8 PPR points.

C.J. Stroud, Week 16 of 2025 against LV: 65 of 65 snaps, 23 of 35 passes for 187 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, 4 carries for 0 yards, 11.5 PPR points.

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.

How Week 1 went

Daniel Jones scored 10.0 PPR points and C.J. Stroud scored 16.5.

The call was wrong: C.J. Stroud outscored Daniel Jones by 6.4.

Daniel Jones finished 0.8 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.

C.J. Stroud, Week 1 against BUF: 79 of 79 snaps, 26 of 38 passes for 274 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 15 yards, 16.5 PPR points.

C.J. Stroud finished as the week's QB16 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

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