Kirk Cousins · Sam Darnold · 2026 week 3

Kirk Cousins or Sam Darnold?

Wondering who you should start this week — Kirk Cousins or Sam Darnold? 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 1.3 points. The matchup leans Kirk Cousins (NO allow the 19th-most QB points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 3	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Kirk Cousins START	@ NO	15.6	19th	18.5	71	healthy
Sam Darnold	vs LAC	14.3	12th	0.5	160	Questionable

QBs vs NO recently: Jared Goff 16.4 pts (W1) · Lamar Jackson 15.8 pts (W2).

QBs vs LAC recently: Jacoby Brissett 16.5 pts (W1) · Kirk Cousins 21.2 pts (W2).

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Sam Darnold carries the higher trade value — 160 against 71 (a 56% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving Sam Darnold gets the most. Momentum: Kirk Cousins +26 and Sam Darnold -185 over the last 30 days.

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

More QB decisions

Kirk Cousins or Cam Ward?Kirk Cousins or Jacoby Brissett?Sam Darnold or C.J. Stroud?Sam Darnold or Daniel Jones?Sam Darnold or Malik Willis?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.