Matthew Stafford vs Tua Tagovailoa: Who Should You Start?
Matthew Stafford and Tua Tagovailoa are at different tiers heading into 2026. The Los Angeles Rams quarterback averaged 21.1 PPG in 2025, a full 8.5 points per game ahead of Tua Tagovailoa's 12.6 with the Atlanta Falcons. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.
A 8.5-PPG gap gives Matthew Stafford 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. Matthew Stafford threw for 4707 yards and 46 touchdowns, while Tua Tagovailoa posted 2660 yards and 20 scores. Volume, red zone efficiency, and game script are the key week-to-week differentiators when neither carries rushing upside.
Matthew Stafford has his bye in Week 6, and Tua Tagovailoa 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.
