Fantasy Football Week 1 Lineup Decisions: Start Jayden Daniels or These 3 Quarterbacks?

After a great rookie season, Jayden Daniels suffered through injuries last year in a disappointing season for both the young quarterback and the Washington Commanders. There is certainly hope that both player and team will bounce back, but there are more issues than just Daniels, leaving uncertainty as to how things will shake out.

That is part of the reason that Daniels is showing up all over our start/sit tool here at FantasySP, as owners are trying to decide whether to start him or other potential fantasy options who may have lower ceilings but also higher floors (for the most part). Let's look at Daniels and three quarterbacks who he is being compared to often on the start/sit tool. We will look at each player individually then give a verdict as to who is the better start between the two.

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Jayden Daniels, Washington Commanders @ Philadelphia Eagles

Daniels played just seven games last season, throwing at least 20 pass attempts in each one. His volume stats were obviously down, but Daniels also saw all his efficiency numbers drop, throwing for a below-average 6.7 yards per pass attempt and having his yards-per-rush-attempt number fall off by more than a full yard. Part of the problem was dealing with injuries, as he still had a few big games, but it definitely brings more concerns than we entered 2025 with.

He starts off with a tough matchup here, as the Eagles allowed the fifth-fewest yards per pass attempt and the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to quarterbacks last season. Philly returns many of their best defensive players and coordinator Vic Fangio, so they are projected to again have a top defense and cause problems for opposing offensive players. I'm not interested in trying too many players against Philadelphia, with only the best worthy of trusting.

The question is whether Daniels qualifies as one of those top players. I love his upside in any given game, most importantly because of his rushing ability. He ran for over 52 yards per game as a rookie and scored six touchdowns, and even approaching those numbers again would bring great value. There's risk in this Week 1 matchup, but finding more magic from that rookie season would give him a great fantasy outlook.

Jaxson Dart, New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys

Dallas allowed the second-most yards per pass attempt and the most fantasy points per game to quarterbacks last season. While the Cowboys could be much better, but we don't have much else to go on, and they would have to make a huge jump to be even average against QBs. I'm ready to target them until we see them show any kind of defensive consistency.

Dart had a successful rookie year from a fantasy perspective, finishing as QB8 from Week 4 on (the time he spent as a starter). That even included two missed games, which could be a recurring issue, but he's healthy for this one. He should improve as a passer, as most quarterbacks do with more time under their belts, but Dart's real value is what he does with his legs.

In the 12 games he spent as a starter in 2025, Dart averaged 40.6 rushing yards per game and scored nine touchdowns on the ground. That's an average of about 8.5 fantasy points per game from rushing stats, a huge boost toward his consistency. With Dart's upside and Dallas' woeful defense from last year, this has the potential to be a big day for the New York quarterback.

Verdict: Start Jaxson Dart over Jayden Daniels. The real difference here is in the matchups, as the Cowboys are a much more friendly opponent than the Eagles. While both quarterbacks will have big performances this season, Dart has the better outlook in Week 1.

Baker Mayfield, Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ Cincinnati Bengals

Mayfield finished as QB12 last season, a small disappointment after finishing as a top-10 player the previous two years in Tampa, including a QB3 finish in 2024. His passing volume went down, of course, but Mayfield also lost efficiency in 2025, seeing his yards per attempt fall to a slightly below average 6.8 and losing 15 passing touchdowns from the previous season. He did set a new career high in rushing yards for the second straight season, but Mayfield doesn't find the end zone often, an area that would boost his fantasy scores greatly.

The Bengals offer one of the best matchups in the league based on 2025 numbers. Cincinnati allowed the fourth-most yards per pass attempt and the fourth-most fantasy points to quarterbacks, acting as a major sieve. This is a years-long issue for the Bengals, as they have seen their defense let down the offense and give away plenty of winnable games. There's not a lot of reason to expect anything different this season, likely leaving Cincy's defense as a minus again.

Verdict: Start Baker Mayfield over Jayden Daniels. This one is very close, as Daniels is the better fantasy player, but the matchup is so far in Mayfield's favor that it tips the scales his direction. While Daniels might end up performing better, I'm trusting defensive numbers more here.

Kyler Murray, Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers

Murray gets a new start for the first time in his career, beating out J.J. McCarthy for the starting job in Minnesota. There is intrigue, as Murray has a strong set of pass catchers led by Justin Jefferson, but there is also uncertainty after Murray missed most of last season and looked underwhelming when on the field. I expect much better from him this year, but we should also temper expectations just a bit and not expect his best form right away (though I wouldn't be surprised to see him as a consistent fantasy asset).

The Packers allowed the sixth-fewest yards per pass attempt and the 12th-fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks last season. While they weren't one of the top defenses, Green Bay was stout and clearly above average, a group that isn't worth testing with questionable players unless you find yourself without other options.

Verdict: Start Jayden Daniels over Kyler Murray. Both quarterbacks have tougher matchups, and though I would rather face Green Bay than Philadelphia, I also see Daniels as the better fantasy option, offsetting the difference in opponent strength. Keep an eye on Murray, though, as a guy who will definitely be worth starting at times in 2026.