Jayden Daniels vs Michael Penix: Who Should You Start?
Jayden Daniels and Michael Penix are both viable fantasy quarterbacks heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Jayden Daniels averaged 16.8 PPG across 7 games with the Washington Commanders, while Michael Penix posted 13.7 PPG in 9 appearances for the Atlanta Falcons.
A 3.1-PPG gap gives Jayden Daniels 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. Jayden Daniels threw for 1262 yards and 8 touchdowns, while Michael Penix posted 1982 yards and 9 scores. Volume, red zone efficiency, and game script are the key week-to-week differentiators when neither carries rushing upside.
Jayden Daniels has his bye in Week 14, and Michael Penix 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.
