Start Lamar Jackson or Jalen Hurts? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Lamar Jackson over Jalen Hurts in Week 1.

De-vigged player props project Lamar Jackson at 12.8 points and Jalen Hurts at 3.0, a gap of 9.9. Drafters take Lamar Jackson at ADP 58 and Jalen Hurts at 73. 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.

Player prop markets imply 3.0 fantasy points for Jalen Hurts, with 40 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

That puts Lamar Jackson 9.9 points ahead of Jalen Hurts on the books.

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.

Jalen Hurts and PHI host WAS on Sunday at 4:25 PM ET.

WAS allowed 24.7 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 8th most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 203 yards and 3 touchdowns against WAS, with no interceptions.

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.

Jalen Hurts 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, Jalen Hurts played 16 games for PHI and scored 305.1 PPR points, 19.1 a game, finishing QB8.

He completed 294 of 454 passes for 3224 yards, 25 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, and ran 105 times for 421 yards and 8 touchdowns.

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

Jalen Hurts, Week 17 of 2025 against BUF: 54 of 54 snaps, 13 of 27 passes for 110 yards, 1 touchdown and 0 interceptions, 3 carries for 5 yards, 8.9 PPR points.

Jalen Hurts, Week 16 of 2025 against WAS: 66 of 70 snaps, 22 of 30 passes for 185 yards, 2 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 7 carries for 40 yards, 19.4 PPR points.

Jalen Hurts, Week 15 of 2025 against LV: 52 of 69 snaps, 12 of 15 passes for 175 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 7 carries for 39 yards, 22.9 PPR points.

How Week 1 went

Lamar Jackson scored 25.0 PPR points and Jalen Hurts scored 24.7.

The call was right: Lamar Jackson outscored Jalen Hurts by 0.2.

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.

Jalen Hurts finished 21.8 points above the 3.0 the props implied.

Jalen Hurts, Week 1 against WAS: 55 of 55 snaps, 14 of 25 passes for 203 yards, 3 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 7 carries for 46 yards, 24.7 PPR points.

Jalen Hurts finished as the week's QB8 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

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