Cooper Rush vs Matthew Stafford: The Full Breakdown
Matthew Stafford and Cooper Rush are at different tiers heading into 2026. The Los Angeles Rams quarterback averaged 20.6 PPG in 2025, a full 9.5 points per game ahead of Cooper Rush's 11.1 with the Dallas Cowboys. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
That 9.5-point weekly advantage for Matthew Stafford is meaningful but not automatic. Fantasy football is a week-to-week sport, and the answer to "who should I start" often changes based on opponent, recent form, and game environment. Season averages set the baseline; weekly context makes the call.
Both lean on arm talent and offensive scheme as traditional pocket passers. Cooper Rush threw for 1985 yards and 12 touchdowns, while Matthew Stafford posted 4707 yards and 46 scores. Volume, red zone efficiency, and game script are the key week-to-week differentiators when neither carries rushing upside.
Cooper Rush has his bye in Week 7, and Matthew Stafford rests in Week 11. 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.
