Josh Allen vs Patrick Mahomes: Who Should You Start?
Josh Allen (22.0 PPG) and Patrick Mahomes (21.2 PPG) produced nearly identical fantasy numbers in 2025. When two quarterbacks are this close on a per-game basis, the weekly matchup matters more than the season-long resume. Josh Allen played 17 games for the Buffalo Bills; Patrick Mahomes suited up 14 times for the Kansas City Chiefs.
A 0.8-point per-game gap over a full season is essentially noise. It means one extra catch, one fewer target, or a single broken play away from flipping the script. For a weekly start/sit call between these two, matchup analysis matters far more than the season line.
Both are dual-threat quarterbacks. Josh Allen added 579 rushing yards and Patrick Mahomes chipped in 422, which gives them a higher weekly floor than traditional pocket passers when defenses take away the deep ball. That rushing production is the biggest reason their ceilings look different from drop-back QBs, and it is the stat that typically separates them on tough passing matchups.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Josh Allen sits Week 12 while Patrick Mahomes is off Week 6. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
