Start Dak Prescott or Matthew Stafford? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Dak Prescott over Matthew Stafford in Week 1.

Matthew Stafford is priced by the books at 10.4 projected points and Dak Prescott is not priced at all, so we are leaning on where drafters take them. Drafters take Dak Prescott at ADP 67 and Matthew Stafford at 72.

What the books imply

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

Player prop markets imply 10.4 fantasy points for Matthew Stafford, with 45 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

Week 1 matchups

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.

Matthew Stafford and LAR host SF on Thursday at 8:35 PM ET.

SF allowed 6.5 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 2nd fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 168 yards and no touchdowns against SF, with an interception.

By points allowed to the position, Dak Prescott has the softer matchup.

Injury status

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

Matthew Stafford was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

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.

In 2025, Matthew Stafford played 17 games for LAR and scored 358.4 PPR points, 21.1 a game, finishing QB3.

He completed 388 of 597 passes for 4707 yards, 46 touchdowns and 8 interceptions, and ran 29 times for 1 yards and 0 touchdowns.

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

Matthew Stafford, Week 18 of 2025 against ARI: 25 of 40 passes for 259 yards, 4 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 1 carry for 3 yards, 26.7 PPR points.

Matthew Stafford, Week 17 of 2025 against ATL: 65 of 65 snaps, 22 of 38 passes for 269 yards, 2 touchdowns and 3 interceptions, 15.8 PPR points.

Matthew Stafford, Week 16 of 2025 against SEA: 92 of 92 snaps, 29 of 49 passes for 457 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 6 yards, 30.9 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Dak Prescott scored 15.4 PPR points and Matthew Stafford scored 5.1.

The call was right: Dak Prescott outscored Matthew Stafford by 10.3.

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.

Matthew Stafford finished 5.3 points below the 10.4 the props implied.

Matthew Stafford, Week 1 against SF: 51 of 61 snaps, 15 of 25 passes for 155 yards, 0 touchdowns and 1 interception, 2 carries for -1 yards, 5.1 PPR points.

Matthew Stafford finished as the week's QB32 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Dak Prescott over Caleb Williams.
• Start Dak Prescott over Drake Maye.
• Start Jalen Hurts over Dak Prescott.
• Start Matthew Stafford over Brock Purdy.
• Start Matthew Stafford over Caleb Williams.
• Start Matthew Stafford over Jalen Hurts.