Baker Mayfield vs Mac Jones: 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. Mac Jones (San Francisco 49ers) came in at 12.4 PPG over 11 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Baker Mayfield carries a 4.2-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 Mac Jones posted 2151 yards and 13 scores. Volume, red zone efficiency, and game script are the key week-to-week differentiators when neither carries rushing upside.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Baker Mayfield sits Week 11 while Mac Jones is off Week 9. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
