Start C.J. Stroud or Sam Darnold? Week 10

Our Week 10 call

Start C.J. Stroud over Sam Darnold in Week 10.

Sam Darnold is listed out on the injury report, so this is not a close call: start C.J. Stroud. Drafters take C.J. Stroud at ADP 185 and Sam Darnold at 155.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 16.5 fantasy points for C.J. Stroud, with 100 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

The market-based projection for C.J. Stroud is 245 passing yards, 1-2 passing touchdowns, 9 rushing yards and 0.1 rushing touchdowns (13, 16, 13 and 13 market sources).

No Week 10 player market is posted for Sam Darnold yet. His market-based projections were 15.1 and 15.8 points in Weeks 7 and 8, an average of 15.4, which stands in until his Week 10 market posts.

That puts C.J. Stroud 1.1 points ahead of Sam Darnold on these projections.

Week 10 matchups

C.J. Stroud and HOU visit CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 14.8 fantasy points a game to QBs this season over 9 games, the 8th fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 220 yards and 1.3 touchdowns a game against CLE, with 0.7 interceptions a game.

Sam Darnold and SEA visit LV on Sunday at 4:05 PM ET.

LV allowed 20.6 fantasy points a game to QBs this season over 8 games, the 5th most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 251 yards and 2.3 touchdowns a game against LV, with 0.8 interceptions a game.

By points allowed to the position, Sam Darnold has the softer matchup.

Injury status

C.J. Stroud is not on the injury report.

Sam Darnold is listed as out with a quadriceps injury.

Usage before Week 10

Through Week 9, C.J. Stroud played 98 percent of HOU snaps, dropped back 304 times and threw an average of 9.7 air yards per attempt.

C.J. Stroud, Week 5 against TEN: 66 of 66 snaps, 26 of 34 passes for 261 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, 4 carries for 7 yards.

C.J. Stroud, Week 6 against JAX: 63 of 63 snaps, 24 of 34 passes for 312 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, 1 carry for 5 yards.

C.J. Stroud, Week 7 against NYG: 61 of 61 snaps, 17 of 28 passes for 153 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 4 yards.

C.J. Stroud, Week 9 against LAC: 62 of 70 snaps, 21 of 35 passes for 384 yards, 5 touchdowns and 1 interception, 2 carries for 20 yards.

Through Week 8, Sam Darnold played 90 percent of SEA snaps, dropped back 235 times and threw an average of 6.9 air yards per attempt.

Sam Darnold, Week 5 against SF: 63 of 63 snaps, 18 of 29 passes for 195 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions, 1 carry for 5 yards.

Sam Darnold, Week 6 against DEN: 85 of 85 snaps, 27 of 49 passes for 278 yards, 0 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, 2 carries for 19 yards.

Sam Darnold, Week 7 against KC: 69 of 69 snaps, 20 of 28 passes for 257 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 2 carries for 17 yards.

Sam Darnold, Week 8 against CHI: 63 of 63 snaps, 17 of 34 passes for 188 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, 2 carries for 20 yards.

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.

In 2025, Sam Darnold played 17 games for SEA and scored 249.4 PPR points, 14.7 a game, finishing QB13.

He completed 323 of 477 passes for 4048 yards, 25 touchdowns and 14 interceptions, and ran 35 times for 95 yards and 0 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 96 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 10 calls

• Start C.J. Stroud over Aaron Rodgers.
• Start Brock Purdy over C.J. Stroud.
• Start C.J. Stroud over Bryce Young.
• Start Aaron Rodgers over Sam Darnold.
• Start Bryce Young over Sam Darnold.
• Start Deshaun Watson over Sam Darnold.