Patrick Mahomes · Tyler Shough · 2026 week 8

Patrick Mahomes or Tyler Shough?

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

Start Patrick Mahomes — barelyThis one is a coin flip — the projections are within 0.2 points. The matchup leans Patrick Mahomes (DEN allow the 21st-most QB points), but you can defend either call.

Player	Wk 8	Proj (PPR)	Matchup	Form L3	Trade value	Status
Patrick Mahomes START	@ DEN	16.8	21st	11.8	1,263	healthy
Tyler Shough	vs CLE	16.6	25th · tough	14.5	790	healthy

QBs vs DEN recently: Justin Herbert 11.2 pts (W5) · Sam Darnold 13 pts (W6) · Jacoby Brissett 16.5 pts (W7).

QBs vs CLE recently: Geno Smith 10 pts (W5) · Tyler Huntley 13.4 pts (W6) · Cam Ward 6.7 pts (W7).

🎓 The coach's read

Projections are 0.2 apart — too close to call on projection alone.
Patrick Mahomes faces DEN, 21st most generous to QBs.
Tyler Shough faces CLE, 25th most generous to QBs.

Who wins a straight-up trade?

Patrick Mahomes carries the higher trade value — 1,263 against 790 (a 37% gap). In a one-for-one, the side receiving Patrick Mahomes gets the most. Momentum: Patrick Mahomes -829 and Tyler Shough -644 over the last 30 days.

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

More QB decisions

Patrick Mahomes or Jayden Daniels?Patrick Mahomes or Dak Prescott?Patrick Mahomes or Jared Goff?Tyler Shough or Matthew Stafford?Tyler Shough or Jordan Love?

All numbers are the 2026 season, refreshed nightly.