Baker Mayfield · Geno Smith · 2026 week 5

Baker Mayfield or Geno Smith?

Wondering who you should start this week — Baker Mayfield or Geno Smith? The start/sit call and the numbers behind it are below, plus who wins a straight-up trade. Rebuilt nightly.

Start Baker Mayfield — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 1.1 points. The matchup leans Baker Mayfield (CAR allow the 7th-most QB points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 5	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Baker Mayfield START	@ CAR	14.9	7th · soft	12.4	148	Out
Geno Smith	vs CLE	13.8	9th	16.8	146	healthy

QBs vs CAR recently: Cooper Rush 1.4 pts (W2) · Deshaun Watson 20.3 pts (W3) · Jared Goff 20.5 pts (W4).

QBs vs CLE recently: Baker Mayfield 13.2 pts (W2) · Bryce Young 14.6 pts (W3) · Aaron Rodgers 24 pts (W4).

🎓 The coach's read

Baker Mayfield projects 1.1 points higher in PPR.
Baker Mayfield faces CAR, 7th most generous to QBs.
Baker Mayfield is flagged OUT.
Geno Smith faces CLE, 9th most generous to QBs.

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Baker Mayfield carries the higher trade value — 148 against 146 (a 1% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving Baker Mayfield gets the most. Momentum: Baker Mayfield -395 and Geno Smith +100 over the last 30 days.

Open in Start/Sit (any scoring) Open in the Trade Analyzer

More QB decisions

Baker Mayfield or Kirk Cousins?Baker Mayfield or Kyler Murray?Baker Mayfield or C.J. Stroud?Geno Smith or Kyler Murray?Geno Smith or C.J. Stroud?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.