Baker Mayfield vs Geno Smith: Who Should You Start?
Two quarterbacks who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Baker Mayfield (Tampa Bay Buccaneers) finished the 2025 season averaging 16.6 fantasy points per game in 17 games. Geno Smith (New York Jets) came in at 12.7 PPG over 15 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Baker Mayfield carries a 3.9-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.
Both lean on arm talent and offensive scheme as traditional pocket passers. Baker Mayfield threw for 3693 yards and 26 touchdowns, while Geno Smith posted 3025 yards and 19 scores. Volume, red zone efficiency, and game script are the key week-to-week differentiators when neither carries rushing upside.
One scheduling note: Baker Mayfield is off Week 11 and Geno Smith Week 12. If these two are on your roster, you will need a fill-in quarterback for both weeks. DraftCall flags bye conflicts so you can plan ahead rather than panic on waivers.
