Start Jordan Love or Sam Darnold? Week 1

Our Week 1 call

Start Sam Darnold over Jordan Love in Week 1.

Sam Darnold is priced by the books at 2.7 projected points. Jordan Love 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 Jordan Love at 146. 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

No sportsbook posted a player market for Jordan Love in Week 1.

Player prop markets imply 2.7 fantasy points for Sam Darnold, with 45 percent of the markets a QB needs posted.

Week 1 matchups

Jordan Love and GB visit MIN.

MIN allowed 20.5 fantasy points to QBs in its one game this season, the 11th most in the league.

Quarterbacks threw for 387 yards and 2 touchdowns against MIN, with an interception.

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.

By points allowed to the position, Jordan Love has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Jordan Love was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Sam Darnold was not on the injury report when the call was made.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Jordan Love played 15 games for GB and scored 241.1 PPR points, 16.1 a game, finishing QB15.

He completed 291 of 439 passes for 3381 yards, 23 touchdowns and 6 interceptions, and ran 47 times for 199 yards and 0 touchdowns.

He was on the field for 94 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Jordan Love, Week 16 of 2025 against CHI: 26 of 72 snaps, 8 of 13 passes for 77 yards, 0 touchdowns and 0 interceptions, 2 carries for 7 yards, 3.8 PPR points.

Jordan Love, Week 15 of 2025 against DEN: 66 of 66 snaps, 24 of 40 passes for 276 yards, 1 touchdown and 2 interceptions, 3 carries for 29 yards, 15.9 PPR points.

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.

How Week 1 went

Sam Darnold scored 0.5 PPR points and Jordan Love scored 20.5.

The call was wrong: Jordan Love outscored Sam Darnold by 20.0.

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.

Jordan Love, Week 1 against MIN: 68 of 68 snaps, 21 of 42 passes for 387 yards, 2 touchdowns and 1 interception, 1 carry for 0 yards, 20.5 PPR points.

Jordan Love finished as the week's QB11 in PPR scoring.

Their other Week 1 calls

• Start Baker Mayfield over Jordan Love.
• Start Jordan Love over C.J. Stroud.
• Start Daniel Jones over Jordan Love.
• Start Baker Mayfield over Sam Darnold.
• Start Sam Darnold over C.J. Stroud.
• Start Sam Darnold over Daniel Jones.