Jared Goff or Sam Darnold: Who Should You Start?
2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.
Start Goff — the snap share and consensus rank edges are too wide to ignore.
Jared Goff plays a 100% snap share to Darnold's 10% and is the higher consensus play (QB18 to QB24). No signal favors Darnold this week. The gap is comfortable.
Jared Goff
16.616.616.6 Projected Points
Sam Darnold
15.815.815.8 Projected Points
Jared Goff’s market
Sam Darnold’s market
Why Jared Goff
Toss-Up· lowStarting QB and established veteran. Rhythm pocket passer with elite accuracy and timing in a play-action offense.
27.5 implied total supports the start-lean, but a QB18 consensus rank sits outside the 12-team starter tier; start him only as a bye or streaming fill-in.
- NYJ ranks 13 of 32 against QBs (a middle-of-the-road matchup, 2-game sample).
- Vegas implies 27.5 team points as 9.5-point favorites.
- Listed QB on the latest depth chart with a 100% snap share.
The call
- Game environment is the case for starting him: a 27.5 implied team total is a strong scoring setup for the passing game.
- The -9.5 spread cuts both ways. Heavy favorites often lean on the run late, which can cap Goff's volume once the lead is secure.
- The matchup read is close to neutral. NYJ rank 13 of 32 in DvP composite, but on a 2-game sample with 0.00 confidence, so it carries little weight either way.
- What tips it: the QB18 rank and 16.6-point projection make him a streamer, not a locked QB1. Start him over a waiver-level replacement; sit him if your usual starter ranks inside the top 12.
Latest on Goff
Josh Allen accounted for five touchdowns as Buffalo moved to 2-0 in the debut of the new Highmark Stadium.
The arrival of Goff's daughter, Romy Isabelle, has helped sharpened the quarterback's focus heading into 2026.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Why Sam Darnold
Sit· highStarting QB with prototypical size and arm strength. Full 17-game workload, 4,000-yard passer whose turnover volume caps efficiency.
Darnold is ruled Out with the glute; encouraging practice buzz doesn't change that he can't be in a Week 3 lineup.
- Currently ruled out — not a viable start until his status changes.
- WSH ranks 20 of 32 against QBs (a middle-of-the-road matchup, 2-game sample).
- Vegas implies 25.0 team points as 3.5-point favorites.
- Listed QB on the latest depth chart with a 10% snap share.
The call
- Availability is the whole story: he's listed Out, so the 15.8-point projection and QB24 rank are moot this week.
- The reports are positive — Macdonald says the timetable 'has shifted quite drastically' and Darnold has a chance to practice — but that's a Week 4 storyline, not a Week 3 start.
- Even fully healthy, QB24 with a 25.0 implied total and a middling matchup (20 of 32 DvP, 2-game sample, 0.00 confidence) is a streamer, not a must-start.
- Stash him and roll with any startable replacement QB; re-evaluate once he clears practice.
Latest on Darnold
Darnold returned from a glute injury to play after being forced out of the season opener and sidelined for Week 2.
Sam Darnold Throws For Career-High 379 Yards In Return, Laments Turnovers In Loss To Commandersseahawks.com · Sep 27, 2026Darnold was limited at practice Wednesday, then a full participant Thursday and Friday in his return from injury.
Sam Darnold laments 'bad decision' in return for SeahawksESPN, seahawks.com · Sep 27, 2026Sam Darnold will start Sunday against Washington.
QB Sam Darnold back Sunday, but Seahawks down two safetiesESPN · Sep 25, 2026Brady Henderson reports on Seahawks QB Sam Darnold being ready to go and other injury updates surrounding the team.
Injury updates from Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald ahead of his team’s trip to Washington.
Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.
Head-to-head stats
| Metric | Jared Goff | Sam Darnold |
|---|---|---|
| Projected points | 16.616.616.6 | 15.815.815.8 |
| Consensus rank | QB18 | QB24 |
| Opponent vs position | NYJ · 13 of 322-game sample | WSH · 20 of 322-game sample |
| Passing Yards | 2 of 32 | 20 of 32 |
| Passing TDs | 15 of 32 | 32 of 32 |
| Passing Completions | 7 of 32 | 14 of 32 |
| Passing Attempts | 15 of 32 | 8 of 32 |
| Interceptions | 25 of 32 | 24 of 32 |
| Implied total · spread | 27.5-9.5 | 25.0-3.5 |
| Depth chart | QB1 | QB1 |
| Snap share | 100% | 10% |
| Injury designation | — | Out |
| Start/Sit record | 1–1+1 toss-up | — |
Recent form
Jared Goff — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs BUF | 29.829.829.8 |
| Week 1 | vs NO | 16.416.416.4 |
Sam Darnold — last 2 weeks
| Week 2 | vs ARI | 0.00.00.0 |
| Week 1 | vs NE | 0.50.50.5 |
Signal breakdown
- 16.6 vs 15.8 projected PPR pointsJared Goff +
- Rank 18 vs 24Jared Goff +
- Opponent DvP rank 13 vs 20 (32 = softest)even
- Implied 27.5 vs 25.0 team pointsJared Goff +
- No injury designationseven
- 100% vs 10% snap shareJared Goff +
Compare different players
Every fantasy-relevant player this week — search or filter by position.
More Goff comparisons
More Darnold comparisons
This week’s toughest calls
- K. Walker IIIKenneth Walker IIIRBKCvs MIA
K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs DEN
- K. WilliamsKyren WilliamsRBLARvs DENQ. JudkinsQuinshon JudkinsRBCLEvs CAR
- Q. JudkinsQuinshon JudkinsRBCLEvs CARC. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEN
- C. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEND. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHI
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHIB. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs NE
- B. TutenBhayshul TutenRBJAXvs NEB. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs MIN
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PIT
D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DEN
- D. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DENC. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATL
- C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATLP. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NE
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NEM. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs ATL
- M. GoldenMatthew GoldenWRGBvs ATLQ. JohnstonQuentin JohnstonWRLACvs BUF
- Q. JohnstonQuentin JohnstonWRLACvs BUFJ. DownsJosh DownsWRINDvs HOU
- K. Pitts Sr.Kyle Pitts Sr.TEATLvs GB
G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARI
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARIS. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NYJ
- S. LaPortaSam LaPortaTEDETvs NYJT. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs ATL
- T. KraftTucker KraftTEGBvs ATLT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIA
- T. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIAJ. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs BAL
- J. FergusonJake FergusonTEDALvs BALI. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs TEN
- D. PrescottDak PrescottQBDALvs BAL
J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs BUF
- J. HerbertJustin HerbertQBLACvs BUFT. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs NE
- T. LawrenceTrevor LawrenceQBJAXvs NEB. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs ARI
- B. PurdyBrock PurdyQBSFvs ARIP. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs MIA
- P. MahomesPatrick MahomesQBKCvs MIAB. NixBo NixQBDENvs LAR
- B. NixBo NixQBDENvs LARM. StaffordMatthew StaffordQBLARvs DEN
- E. PineiroEddy PineiroKSFvs ARI
J. BatesJake BatesKDETvs NYJ
- J. BatesJake BatesKDETvs NYJH. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs MIA
- H. ButkerHarrison ButkerKKCvs MIAT. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs DAL
- T. LoopTyler LoopKBALvs DALC. BoswellChris BoswellKPITvs CIN
- C. BoswellChris BoswellKPITvs CINC. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs MIN
- C. McLaughlinChase McLaughlinKTBvs MINT. SmackTrey SmackKGBvs ATL
- Panthers D/STPanthers D/STDSTCARvs CLE
49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs ARI
- 49ers D/ST49ers D/STDSTSFvs ARIGiants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs TEN
- Giants D/STGiants D/STDSTNYGvs TENLions D/STLions D/STDSTDETvs NYJ
- Lions D/STLions D/STDSTDETvs NYJSaints D/STSaints D/STDSTNOvs LV
- Saints D/STSaints D/STDSTNOvs LVTitans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYG
- Titans D/STTitans D/STDSTTENvs NYGBills D/STBills D/STDSTBUFvs LAC
- B. IrvingBucky IrvingRBTBvs MIND. AdamsDavante AdamsWRLARvs DEN
- P. WashingtonParker WashingtonWRJAXvs NEJ. WarrenJaylen WarrenRBPITvs CIN
- C. HubbardChuba HubbardRBCARvs CLE
C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATL - C. WatsonChristian WatsonWRGBvs ATLC. SkatteboCam SkatteboRBNYGvs TEN
- D. SwiftD'Andre SwiftRBCHIvs PHIT. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PIT
- T. HigginsTee HigginsWRCINvs PITT. KelceTravis KelceTEKCvs MIA
- G. KittleGeorge KittleTESFvs ARID. Samuel Sr.Deebo Samuel Sr.WRSFvs ARI
- D. Samuel Sr.Deebo Samuel Sr.WRSFvs ARII. LikelyIsaiah LikelyTENYGvs TEN
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.