Wondering who you should start this week — C.J. Stroud or Kirk Cousins? The start/sit call and the numbers behind it are below, plus who wins a straight-up trade. Rebuilt nightly.
Start Kirk Cousins — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.1 points. The matchup leans Kirk Cousins (SF allow the 23rd-most QB points), but you can defend either call.
Player
Wk 9
Proj (PPR)
Matchup
Form L3
Trade value
Status
C.J. Stroud
@ LAC
16.9
26th · tough
20.5
997
healthy
Kirk CousinsSTART
@ SF
17.0
23rd
22.7
666
healthy
QBs vs LAC recently: Bo Nix 7.9 pts (W5) · Patrick Mahomes 11.5 pts (W6) · Matthew Stafford 9.3 pts (W8).
QBs vs SF recently: Sam Darnold 10.3 pts (W5) · Jayden Daniels 21 pts (W6) · Michael Penix Jr. 20.4 pts (W7).
🎓 The coach's read
Projections are 0.1 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
C.J. Stroud has the higher floor (8.3) — the safer start if you are favoured.
Kirk Cousins has the higher ceiling (27.5) — the play if you need points.
C.J. Stroud is steady — about 15% less volatile week to week than a typical QB projected here — higher floor, lower ceiling.
Kirk Cousins is boom-or-bust — about 12% more volatile week to week than a typical QB projected here — wider range in both directions.
C.J. Stroud faces LAC, 26th most generous to QBs.
Who wins a straight-up trade?
C.J. Stroud carries the higher trade value — 997 against 666 (a 33% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving C.J. Stroud gets the most.
Momentum: C.J. Stroud +491 and Kirk Cousins +241 over the last 30 days.