Wondering who you should start this week — Jordan Love or Sam Darnold? The start/sit call and the numbers behind it are below, plus who wins a straight-up trade. Rebuilt nightly.
Start Jordan Love — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.8 points. The matchup leans Jordan Love (CAR allow the 20th-most QB points), but you can defend either call.
Player
Wk 8
Proj (PPR)
Matchup
Form L3
Trade value
Status
Jordan LoveSTART
vs CAR
17.1
20th
21.5
854
healthy
Sam Darnold
vs CHI
16.3
10th
12.8
335
healthy
QBs vs CAR recently: Jared Goff 20.5 pts (W4) · Tanner McKee 12.6 pts (W6) · Baker Mayfield 6.7 pts (W7).
QBs vs CHI recently: Jordan Love 25.3 pts (W5) · Michael Penix Jr. 23.1 pts (W6) · Drake Maye 28.4 pts (W7).
🎓 The coach's read
Projections are 0.8 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
Jordan Love has the higher floor (8.1) — the safer start if you are favoured.
Sam Darnold has the higher ceiling (26.8) — the play if you need points.
Jordan Love is steady — about 10% less volatile week to week than a typical QB projected here — higher floor, lower ceiling.
Sam Darnold is boom-or-bust — about 18% more volatile week to week than a typical QB projected here — wider range in both directions.
Jordan Love faces CAR, 20th most generous to QBs.
Who wins a straight-up trade?
Jordan Love carries the higher trade value — 854 against 335 (a 61% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving Jordan Love gets the most.
Momentum: Jordan Love +335 and Sam Darnold -373 over the last 30 days.