Kyler Murray vs Sam Darnold: Who Should You Start?
Kyler Murray and Sam Darnold are both viable fantasy quarterbacks heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Kyler Murray averaged 16.2 PPG across 5 games with the Minnesota Vikings, while Sam Darnold posted 14.7 PPG in 17 appearances for the Seattle Seahawks.
A 1.5-PPG gap gives Kyler Murray 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. Kyler Murray threw for 962 yards and 6 touchdowns, while Sam Darnold posted 4048 yards and 25 scores. Volume, red zone efficiency, and game script are the key week-to-week differentiators when neither carries rushing upside.
Kyler Murray has his bye in Week 6, and Sam Darnold rests in Week 10. 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.
