Start Lamar Jackson or Dak Prescott? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Lamar Jackson over Dak Prescott in Week 1.

Lamar Jackson is priced by the books at 12.8 projected points. Dak Prescott 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 Lamar Jackson at ADP 58 and Dak Prescott at 69. Market coverage on Lamar Jackson is 65 percent of what his position needs, so the market side of this carries proportionally less weight.

What the books imply

Player prop markets imply 12.8 fantasy points for Lamar Jackson, with 65 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

No sportsbook posted a player market for Dak Prescott in Week 1.

Week 1 matchups

Lamar Jackson and BAL visit IND on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

IND allowed 25.0 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 7th most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 324 yards and a touchdown against IND, with no interceptions.

Dak Prescott and DAL visit NYG.

NYG allowed 15.4 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 14th fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 175 yards and 2 touchdowns against NYG, with an interception.

By points allowed to the position, Lamar Jackson has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Lamar Jackson was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Dak Prescott was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Lamar Jackson played 13 games for BAL and scored 221.9 PPR points, 17.1 a game, finishing QB20.

He completed 192 of 302 passes for 2549 yards, 21 touchdowns and 7 interceptions, and ran 67 times for 349 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 92 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Lamar Jackson, Week 18 of 2025 against PIT: 11 of 18 passes for 238 yards, 3 touchdowns and 1 interception, 4 carries for 9 yards, 21.4 PPR points.

Lamar Jackson, Week 16 of 2025 against NE: 26 of 55 snaps, 7 of 10 passes for 101 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 7 yards, 4.7 PPR points.

Lamar Jackson, Week 15 of 2025 against CIN: 36 of 41 snaps, 8 of 12 passes for 150 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, 2 carries for 26 yards, 15.6 PPR points.

In 2025, Dak Prescott played 17 games for DAL and scored 323.8 PPR points, 19.0 a game, finishing QB6.

He completed 404 of 600 passes for 4552 yards, 30 touchdowns and 10 interceptions, and ran 53 times for 177 yards and 2 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 98 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Dak Prescott, Week 18 of 2025 against NYG: 7 of 11 passes for 70 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for -1 yards, 0.7 PPR points.

Dak Prescott, Week 17 of 2025 against WAS: 92 of 92 snaps, 19 of 37 passes for 307 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 4 carries for 24 yards, 22.7 PPR points.

Dak Prescott, Week 16 of 2025 against LAC: 53 of 58 snaps, 21 of 30 passes for 244 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 14 yards, 19.2 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Lamar Jackson scored 25.0 PPR points and Dak Prescott scored 15.4.

The call was right: Lamar Jackson outscored Dak Prescott by 9.6.

Lamar Jackson finished 12.1 points above the 12.8 the props implied.

Lamar Jackson, Week 1 against IND: 68 of 68 snaps, 17 of 25 passes for 324 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, 7 carries for 40 yards, 25.0 PPR points.

Lamar Jackson finished as the week's QB7 in PPR scoring.

Dak Prescott, Week 1 against NYG: 58 of 58 snaps, 22 of 34 passes for 175 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, 2 carries for 14 yards, 15.4 PPR points.

Dak Prescott finished as the week's QB19 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Lamar Jackson over Drake Maye.
• Start Lamar Jackson over Jalen Hurts.
• Start Lamar Jackson over Jayden Daniels.
• Start Dak Prescott over Caleb Williams.
• Start Dak Prescott over Drake Maye.
• Start Jalen Hurts over Dak Prescott.