Daniel Jones or Jalen Hurts: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 4 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Start Hurts — the consensus rank and projection edges are too wide to ignore.
Jalen Hurts is the higher consensus play (QB6 to QB20) and projects 17.6 to Jones's 15.2. Jones's edge is the matchup, 25 of 32 to 10. The gap is comfortable.
Daniel Jones
15.215.215.2 Projected Points
Jalen Hurts
17.617.617.6 Projected Points
Daniel Jones’s market
Jalen Hurts’s market
Why Daniel Jones
Toss-Up· lowStarting QB with mobility and play-extension ability. Rebounded as an efficient distributor in a run-heavy, play-action offense.
Soft WSH matchup (25 of 32) and a 24.5 implied total help, but a QB20 rank sits outside the top-12 starter tier in 12-team leagues.
- WSH ranks 25 of 32 against QBs (one of the softer matchups, 3-game sample).
- Vegas implies 24.5 team points as 1.5-point underdogs.
- Listed QB on the latest depth chart with a 100% snap share.
The call
- Matchup leans favorable: WSH grades 25 of 32 vs QBs, but that's a 3-game sample at 0.25 confidence, so it shouldn't carry much weight on its own.
- Game environment is solid. A 24.5 implied team total and a near-even 1.5 spread point to a competitive game where Jones keeps throwing.
- The rank is the problem. A 15.2-point projection at QB20 puts him well below the 12 starting QBs in a standard league, so he's a streamer, not a set-and-forget starter.
- What tips it: start him if your alternative is a QB ranked in the high teens or worse, or if you're covering a bye. Sit him for any top-15 option. The ESPN 'hot starters' line is an unverified headline and doesn't move the needle.
Latest on Jones
Jones is still only 10 months post-surgery.
Despite Daniel Jones' struggles, Colts win second straightESPN · Oct 4, 2026Daniel Jones scored on a four-yard rushing attempt in the game.
Daniel Jones punches in first rushing touchdown since December 2025colts.com · Oct 4, 2026The Colts' narrow win over the Houston Texans required both standout performances and sneaky important contributions for this group to earn its first victory of 2026.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Jalen Hurts
StartStarting QB and franchise cornerstone. Dual-threat with elite short-yardage rushing and Super Bowl pedigree.
Start — every-week QB start at consensus QB6: 97% snap share, 17.6 PPR projected vs LAR.
- LAR ranks 10 of 32 against QBs (one of the tougher matchups, 3-game sample).
- Vegas implies 23.0 team points as 1.5-point underdogs.
- Listed QB on the latest depth chart with a 97% snap share.
Latest on Hurts
New scheme, injuries to key personnel, adversity – the offense has overcome it all in this 2-0 start with room for growth.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Daniel Jones | Jalen Hurts |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 15.215.215.2 | 17.617.617.6 |
| Consensus rank | QB20 | QB6 |
| Opponent vs position | WSH · 25 of 323-game sample | LAR · 10 of 323-game sample |
| Passing Yards | 29 of 32 | 2 of 32 |
| Passing TDs | 32 of 32 | 16 of 32 |
| Passing Completions | 27 of 32 | 5 of 32 |
| Passing Attempts | 21 of 32 | 20 of 32 |
| Interceptions | 15 of 32 | 6 of 32 |
| Implied total · spread | 24.5+1.5 | 23.0+1.5 |
| Depth chart | QB1 | QB1 |
| Snap share | 100% | 97% |
| Start/Sit record | 3–0+1 toss-up | 1–0 |
Recent form
Daniel Jones — last 3 weeks
| Week 3 | vs HOU | 7.97.97.9 |
| Week 2 | vs KC | 11.411.411.4 |
| Week 1 | vs BAL | 9.09.09.0 |
Jalen Hurts — last 3 weeks
| Week 3 | vs CHI | 12.612.612.6 |
| Week 2 | vs TEN | 16.216.216.2 |
| Week 1 | vs WSH | 24.724.724.7 |
Signal breakdown
- 15.2 vs 17.6 projected PPR pointsJalen Hurts +
- Rank 20 vs 6Jalen Hurts +
- Opponent DvP rank 25 vs 10 (32 = softest)Daniel Jones +
- Implied 24.5 vs 23.0 team pointsDaniel Jones +
- No injury designationseven
- 100% vs 97% snap shareDaniel Jones +
Compare different players
Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.
More Jones comparisons
More Hurts comparisons
This week’s toughest calls
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs PHI
C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs ARI
- C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs ARID. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs NYJ
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs NYJB. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs CIN
- B. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs CINB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs GB
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs GBD. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs DAL
- D. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs DALR. StevensonRhamondre StevensonRBNEvs BUF
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs JAX
D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs PHI
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs PHID. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs NE
- D. MooreDJ MooreWRBUFvs NEL. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs NYJ
- L. Burden IIILuther Burden IIIWRCHIvs NYJC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs TB
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs TBP. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs CIN
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs CINM. WilsonMichael WilsonWRARIvs NYG
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs NO
G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs DEN
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs DENS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs CAR
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs CART. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs TB
- T. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs TBT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs LV
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs LVJ. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs HOU
- J. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs HOUI. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs ARI
- T. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs CIN
B. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs DEN
- B. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs DENP. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs LV
- P. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs LVM. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs PHI
- M. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs PHIK. MurrayKyler MurrayQBMINvs MIA
- K. MurrayKyler MurrayQBMINvs MIAT. ShoughTyler ShoughQBNOvs ATL
- T. ShoughTyler ShoughQBNOvs ATLJ. GoffJared GoffQBDETvs CAR
- K. FairbairnKa'imi FairbairnKHOUvs DAL
H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs LV
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs LVT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs TEN
- T. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs TENW. ReichardWill ReichardKMINvs MIA
- W. ReichardWill ReichardKMINvs MIAE. McPhersonEvan McPhersonKCINvs JAX
- E. McPhersonEvan McPhersonKCINvs JAXC. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs GB
- C. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs GBS. ShraderSpencer ShraderKINDvs WSH
- Bears D/STBears D/STDSTCHIvs NYJ
Bills D/STBills D/STDSTBUFvs NE
- Bills D/STBills D/STDSTBUFvs NECommanders D/STCommanders D/STDSTWSHvs IND
- Commanders D/STCommanders D/STDSTWSHvs INDPackers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs TB
- Packers D/STPackers D/STDSTGBvs TBJets D/STJets D/STDSTNYJvs CHI
- Jets D/STJets D/STDSTNYJvs CHIGiants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs ARI
- Giants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs ARI49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs DEN
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs GBD. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs PHI
- J. AddisonJordan AddisonWRMINvs MIA
D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs NYJ - D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs NYJC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs TB
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs TBG. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs DEN
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs DENT. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs JAX
- J. DownsJosh DownsWRINDvs WSH
D. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs DAL - D. MontgomeryDavid MontgomeryRBHOUvs DALM. WilsonMichael WilsonWRARIvs NYG
- M. WilsonMichael WilsonWRARIvs NYGK. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs PHI
Get a Start/Sit call on your whole roster →
Save your team once and see a Start, Sit, or Toss-Up verdict on every player, every week — with the matchup, usage and game-script evidence behind each call.
Add to My Team — freeOr browse this week’s NFL games or NFL player props.