C.J. Stroud vs Geno Smith: Who Should You Start?
C.J. Stroud and Geno Smith are both viable fantasy quarterbacks heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. C.J. Stroud averaged 15.5 PPG across 14 games with the Houston Texans, while Geno Smith posted 12.7 PPG in 15 appearances for the New York Jets.
A 2.8-PPG gap gives C.J. Stroud the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Both lean on arm talent and offensive scheme as traditional pocket passers. C.J. Stroud threw for 3041 yards and 19 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.
C.J. Stroud has his bye in Week 14, and Geno Smith rests in Week 12. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at quarterback for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
