Start Daniel Jones or Sam Darnold? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Sam Darnold over Daniel Jones in Week 1.

Sam Darnold is priced by the books at 2.7 projected points. Daniel Jones 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 Sam Darnold at ADP 155 and Daniel Jones at 188. Market coverage on Sam Darnold 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 2.7 fantasy points for Sam Darnold, with 45 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

No sportsbook posted a player market for Daniel Jones in Week 1.

Week 1 matchups

Sam Darnold and SEA host NE on Wednesday at 8:20 PM ET.

NE allowed 13.3 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 10th fewest in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 200 yards and a touchdown against NE, with no interceptions.

Daniel Jones and IND host BAL.

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, Sam Darnold has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Sam Darnold 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, 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.

Sam Darnold, Week 18 of 2025 against SF: 69 of 69 snaps, 20 of 26 passes for 198 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 6 carries for 9 yards, 8.8 PPR points.

Sam Darnold, Week 17 of 2025 against CAR: 66 of 66 snaps, 18 of 27 passes for 147 yards, 1 touchdown and 1 interception, 3 carries for 2 yards, 7.1 PPR points.

Sam Darnold, Week 16 of 2025 against LAR: 68 of 68 snaps, 22 of 34 passes for 270 yards, 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions, 3 carries for 7 yards, 21.5 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

Sam Darnold scored 0.5 PPR points and Daniel Jones scored 10.0.

The call was wrong: Daniel Jones outscored Sam Darnold by 9.5.

Sam Darnold finished 2.2 points below the 2.7 the props implied.

Sam Darnold, Week 1 against NE: 5 of 50 snaps, 1 of 2 passes for 13 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 0.5 PPR points.

Sam Darnold finished as the week's QB36 in PPR scoring.

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.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Baker Mayfield over Sam Darnold.
• Start Sam Darnold over C.J. Stroud.
• Start Sam Darnold over Jordan Love.
• Start Daniel Jones over Bryce Young.
• Start Daniel Jones over Cam Ward.
• Start Daniel Jones over C.J. Stroud.