Fernando Mendoza · Sam Darnold · 2026 week 2

Fernando Mendoza or Sam Darnold?

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

Start Sam Darnold — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.8 points. The matchup leans Sam Darnold (LAC allow the 16th-most QB points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 2	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Fernando Mendoza	vs BUF	14.6	15th	–	38	healthy
Sam Darnold START	vs LAC	15.4	16th	0.5	265	Out

QBs vs BUF recently: C.J. Stroud 16.5 pts (W1).

QBs vs LAC recently: Jacoby Brissett 16.5 pts (W1).

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Sam Darnold carries the higher trade value — 265 against 38 (a 86% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving Sam Darnold gets the most. Momentum: Fernando Mendoza -14 and Sam Darnold -65 over the last 30 days.

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

More QB decisions

Fernando Mendoza or Drew Lock?Fernando Mendoza or Jacoby Brissett?Fernando Mendoza or Aaron Rodgers?Sam Darnold or Matthew Stafford?Sam Darnold or C.J. Stroud?Sam Darnold or Kyler Murray?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.