Justin Herbert vs Sam Darnold: Who Should You Start?
Two quarterbacks who will land on plenty of the same rosters in 2026. Justin Herbert (Los Angeles Chargers) finished the 2025 season averaging 18.7 fantasy points per game in 16 games. Sam Darnold (Seattle Seahawks) came in at 14.7 PPG over 17 games. The gap is real but not insurmountable with the right matchup.
Justin Herbert carries a 4.0-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.
Justin Herbert offers meaningful rushing upside with 498 yards on the ground in 2025, which separates his floor from a pocket passer like Sam Darnold (4048 passing yards, 25 touchdowns). In games where the passing matchup looks ugly, that rushing production can be the entire difference on a start/sit call.
Bye weeks matter for roster construction: Justin Herbert sits Week 5 while Sam Darnold is off Week 10. If you are deciding between the two as a season-long roster hold, the staggered byes actually work in your favor.
