Gardner Minshew II · Sam Darnold · 2026 week 9

Gardner Minshew II or Sam Darnold?

Wondering who you should start this week — Gardner Minshew II 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 DarnoldSam Darnold projects 5.6 PPR points clear of Gardner Minshew II in week 9, drawing LV — the 5th-ranked matchup for QBs. The numbers behind the call are below; overrule them with your eyes open.

Player	Wk 9	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Gardner Minshew II	@ SEA	11.5	31st · tough	19.5	120	healthy
Sam Darnold START	@ LV	17.1	5th · soft	15.5	119	Out

QBs vs SEA recently: Bo Nix 4.5 pts (W6) · Patrick Mahomes 7 pts (W7) · Caleb Williams 14 pts (W8).

QBs vs LV recently: Josh Allen 18.3 pts (W6) · Matthew Stafford 18.5 pts (W7) · Geno Smith 19 pts (W8).

🎓 The coach's read

Sam Darnold projects 5.6 points higher in PPR.
Gardner Minshew II faces SEA, 31st most generous to QBs.
Sam Darnold faces LV, 5th most generous to QBs.
Sam Darnold is flagged OUT.

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Gardner Minshew II carries the higher trade value — 120 against 119 (a 1% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving Gardner Minshew II gets the most. Momentum: Gardner Minshew II +120 and Sam Darnold -153 over the last 30 days.

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

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All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.